7-Day Food and Wine Tour of Tuscany

Trip was very good.  Everything was well coordinated and only a couple of hiccups.  

Overall comments:Rome: 4 days in room was perfect, wouldn't want to do more.  Can't trust taxis so happy we had drivers and guides.  The private guides are the only way to go.  We saved hours in lines, had personal feedback and was very cordial and polite.  Rome itself is great but it is disappointing to see how much better it could be if the city invested in a few things (toilets!).  Again - I'll mention that taxis were there to steal your money.  No issues at all with the travel plans and the plans made by zicasso were very good. The boutique hotel was a great choice.  Location was excellent, rooms very clean and new.  Breakfast was excellent there.  In general, all of the hotels we stayed at had a very good breakfast, this is the only way to go as it just takes that meal out of your schedule and starts the day out right.  Our biggest snafu was the car rental, we were supposed to have an Audi A3 or equivalent and all the car rental could offer was a ford fiesta... it really took away from our experience in Tuscany to have such a poor automobile on those roads.  Again - not zicasso's fault - car rentals are terrible everywhere and in Rome it was very poor service.  Our drive and trip to Tuscany was great, we stopped in Orvieto as zicasso recommended and had lunch there - one of the best restaurants during our whole trip.  We stayed at the hotel and it was excellent, the food and wine there was excellent - worth staying just for that.  It was a little difficult to get to - and a bit of a drive to anywhere from there - but no real complaints and it was worth it to stay there.  In all of Tuscany we enjoyed San Gimignano and Pienza the best.  We found Siena great but overcrowded, Pienza and San Gimagnano were just as (more) scenic and less hectic.  The day trip and guide in Florence was very good but we were glad we only spent 1 day in Florence.  This is a personal thing as I understand most people prefer more time in Florence.  We really enjoyed Bologna - the food tour was probably the highlight of our trip (the downside is we can no longer eat Parmigiano, Balsamic Vinegar or Prosciutto from any other place, it was THAT much better than anywhere else).   We took a day to go to Modena, see the Duomo there (best in all of Italy in our opinion), and we enjoyed the Ferrari museum.  I would highly recommend adding Bologna, the food tour and Modena to everyone's trip suggestions.. It is less crowded than the main touristy cities - and just as enjoyable... Loved this  part of the trip.  The hotel in Bologna was perfectly placed and very very nice, excellent choice.The train to Venice was perfect.  The pickup and ride to the hotel was good also.  The hotel was ok - but probably the least nice of all the places we stayed.  It was very good, just not as nice, more cramped and the breakfast was by far the worst.  I equate this to Venice as everything was more expensive and more cramped in Venice.    We loved Venice - more than I thought we would.  I could see 1 more day in Venice and 1 day less in Rome.  Just walking the streets - wonderful!Getting from hotel to airport was good - though it was much further than we'd thought. The airline we used sucks... no way around that - not Zicasso's problem - but flight was 1.5 hours delayed and well - as an airline it isn't very good.  I'm still not so sure that taking a full day train ride to get to Puglia wouldn't have been better?  (Venice to Naples to Puglia?) Pick up at airport in Puglia was good.  The driving service was good - same driver for all our trips in Puglia - but he didn't speak a word of English so that was a challenge.  Thank goodness for Google Translate!  We had a mix up where we interpreted the itinerary as us having a guide in Alberobello (see itinerary - says private tour - so we were confused).  The driver had a friend who gave us a personal private tour of the Trullo homes and some history - that was very nice he arranged that.  But it was a little embarrassing and confusing. It could have all been avoided if the driver spoke English as well as the itinerary being more clear.Ostuni and the guide were great.  We loved Ostuni as well as Alberobello and the caves.  We probably enjoyed those areas more than the renaissance areas of Florence, but that is just us.  Note: once we got to Ostuni we told our guide no more going inside churches... at some point - its just another beautiful church - but there is one on every corner in Italy!   The Hotel in Puglia is awesome.  Seriously this place is amazing.  The food was amazing the spa was amazing the service was over the top.  What a beautiful part of Italy...   We changed our schedule to spend the morning in Bari before catching the train to Rome - we could have easily spent more time there.  I probably liked the food in Puglia the best.  The focaccia is amazing (just like Grandma made!).  In general we loved Puglia though we'd probably have been better served to have a rental car as we were a long way from anything and it would likely have been less expensive than a dedicated driver.  We would have had much more flexibility in our schedule and planning if we had our own car.   Train back to the Rome train station and pickup was very good - though the Rome train station and driving out of Rome - is never a good experience.  The hotel we stayed at our last night was very nice but probably overkill since all we needed was a bed before we caught a flight out.  All in all - highly recommend zicasso, they did a great job for this trip.  Having guides and drivers on our first trip to Italy - priceless!

Locations Visited: Venice, Verona, Florence, San Gimignano, Siena, Pienze, Rome, Pompeii, Positano

My husband and I planned this trip for our 10-year anniversary. I’m a person with high expectation and this travel agency exceeded all my expectations. The entire trip was dream.

We opted for personalized tours and transport for 95% of our trip. All of our drivers were wonderful. They arrived on time and made sure we made it to all of our destinations without issue. They had the contact information for the tour guides we were meeting. Upon arrival to our first hotel, a local cell phone and gift were given to us. Having the iPhone during our trip made any needed communication with our agent and his team a breeze. In addition, we used the phone apps for navigation throughout the cities we visited. We made a last-minute request for an additional private transport, and our agent was able to make it happen. We greatly appreciated their customer service.

We participated in a several unique experiences while in Italy. We went truffle hunting in Pienza, which was amazing. After, we were served a meal that highlighted truffles and the cheeses made locally. In addition, we did a cooking day in Rome. This was a private cooking class where we made pasta, several sauces, and appetizers. The one disappointment is that we never received the recipes from the chef (we were told by the chef that they would be emailed to us). However, this is a knock on the chef and not our travel agent. Once the class was done, we were served a meal in a private garden area. Lastly, we did a food walking tour in Rome. This was an amazing way to find local cuisine that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise. A wonderful experience.

All of our tour guides were excellent. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and familiar with the cities. We had one guide that really went into the details and reasons for expressions in the art. We didn’t care for that, but we didn’t specify that ahead of time or to the guide. It was wonderful seeing her excitement and passion for all of the amazing working works of art and sculpture that we saw.

Overall, I would highly recommend this travel agent and his team if you are traveling to Italy!! You will not be disappointed. We gave him our wish list of activities, accommodation preferences, etc. ahead of time and he made sure we got them all! Thank you for such a wonderful and memorable trip. If we are able to return to Italy, you will be hearing from us.

The 2 weeks in Italy our travel agent planned for us  was fantastic. We has a fantastic schedule with experienced and excellent guides. This was my first time in Italy, a 60th birthday trip with my sisters, we have varied interests and she hit the mark on them all! The hotel location in Sestri Levante was the perfect location. The weather was beautiful for late Sept., we enjoyed the beach and calm Mediterranean waters when we were relaxing back at the hotel.  The guide on our hike in Cinque Terra was very good. We did not know what to expect. His knowledge on the history of the area kept us more than expected. The guide knew the area and was able to rearrange our schedule due to rough winds that cancelled the ferry.

I would have never taken a pesto making class, but it was a highlight!

The sailing day was absolutely perfect. The weather was beautiful, and the skipper was a true sailor!

On our way to Florence we stopped in Lucca and a winery that were fantastic. The driver was prompt and informative. Our hotel in Florence had the perfect location! Close to both sides of the river to explore by foot every day. The 2 days with our guide were fantastic! She was excellent in every way, she knew the history, art and even helped with restaurant suggestions and reservations. Having a guide was the perfect way to not only see the sights but understand the time period and history. The day trips out of Florence to Chianti, Siena and San Gimignano, were perfect with wine-tasting interspersed with visiting the smaller towns in the Tuscany region. The weather was beautiful both a weeks we were in Italy. 

The trip exceeded our expectations in every-way and we will all be repeat customers!! 

Thanks for making my 60th birthday trip, the trip of a lifetime!

THE BEST VACATION EVER!!!!

I must admit that I was somewhat uncomfortable arranging a group tour to Italy with someone I communicated with only via the Internet and telephone.  However, after my first communication with our agent -- I knew that she “had it.”  She understood exactly what we wanted to do.  She was right-on in both concept and execution.

Our ten-day adventure in Italy began with a private transfer with an English speaking local driver from the Rome airport to our fantastic 3 star boutique hotel located right in the historical center of Rome.  During our three days in Rome, we had fantastic private tours of Ancient Rome, the Coliseum, and the Vatican Museums.  Extremely knowledgeable, English-speaking guides led all of our tours.  Sense of Italy had arranged for VIP, skip the line, priority entrance for all tours -- saving us from long waits in long lines.

After our busy 3 days in Rome, we departed via private van transfer from our hotel in Rome to the Chianti Region of Tuscany.  The transfer included stops on the Val D’ Orcia to visit the amazing Villages of Montalcino and Montepulciano.  The “light lunch” and wine tasting we enjoyed in Montalcino was one of the highlights of our trip.  In Tuscany we stayed 7 Nights in a beautiful, historic villa located on one of the best wine estates of Chianti (Villa Le Corti near San Casciano) where we were met with a fantastic welcome dinner. During our time in Tuscany we were transported by private van from our villa to private tours of Siena, San Gimignano, Florence, Pisa and Lucca.  On each of our stops we were met by knowledgeable English speaking guides that clearly were proud of the history of their country, and were anxious to share it.  Interspersed in all of this activity were numerous exceptional meals with opportunities to taste (and drink) very fine Italian wines.

When we finally were forced to leave Italy, our agent arranged for private transport accommodating our varying departure times from the Florence airport and train station.

Thanks to this travel company and our agent for designing the perfect vacation for our group.  The only complaint that I heard was that we ate too much — wow was all the food delicious.  I really don’t know how she did it.  All of the tours were great — the van drivers friendly and helpful, the guides knowledgeable, and the sites spectacular.  Our stay in the villa was a great experience.  We were treated royally everywhere.  We all marveled at our agent's ability to get us, the vans, the guides, the food and wine, etc. all at the right place at the right time.  She is a genius!!!!

Jeff E

Wonderful 10 day trip to central Italy planned by this Italy travel company.   We spent the first part of the trip at Castello di Casole in the Tuscan countryside, then Florence and the final part of the trip in Rome.    While in Tuscany, we took day trips to Montalcino, Siena, Montepulciano, Pienza, San Gimignano and Greve.   We had walking tours in Florence and Rome. our agent at this travel company planned all the details, transfer drivers, tour guides and hotel arrangements.   Everything went according to plan and was of outstanding quality.   The agency gave us a very detailed package of information with all the relevant details for each day.   

Great Vacation