Exploring Cinque Terre Itinerary: From Levanto to Santa Margherita

Overall the tour agency did an adequate but not outstanding job. First off, they used an off-site car rental company which was very inconvenient and funky. We were exhausted upon arrival and then had to catch a shuttle to get to the place and the same for returning the car. Very time-consuming and ridiculous since so many companies were right at the MXP airport. Many of the Google direction links didn't take us to the final destination just somewhere near the area. We had asked to stay in Santa Margherita but were booked in Rapallo which was not a lovely town. It was busy, loud, and smelly. We day-tripped to Santa Margherita which was quiet, picturesque, and lovely. Our private boat tour guide couldn't have been less interested in us and was just operating on automatic.

The wine tour in Bolgheri was great, however, it was another link that didn't work correctly and was the same problem with the link to where to park to meet our guide in Lucca.

Our tour guide in Lucca was kind and informative, but we would have preferred a tour of the underground city there if we had found out about that earlier. Our trip agenda showed a boat tour of the Cinque Terre with a private guide. He was excellent however it was not a boat tour it was on the super crowded ferry so that was a huge disappointment. Our agent told us it was too late in the year for a private boat, but the itinerary should definitely have said Ferry and not boat.

Our lodging for 5 nights in Chianti was excellent as was the day of golf for Mike and the cooking class and wine tasting for the 3 of us women. Our driver for that day and the following day of visiting Piensa and Montepulciano was also excellent. The winery we visited that day (Boscarelli) was very lackluster as we struggled to understand the guide and the wines were mediocre. It was one wine tour too much.

My husband and I got married in June 2017 and knew we wanted to plan a honeymoon trip to Italy. After planning a large wedding we didn't want to take on the additional responsibility of planning a honeymoon to a country we didn't know very well. I ran across Zicasso online which pointed us in the direction of this company which is a luxury vacation planner specifically focusing on trips to Italy. We were immediately contacted by our travel agent. She was excited for us from the very beginning and easy to work with. She really wanted to tailor the trip to exactly what we wanted to do. We went through a couple rounds of custom trip plans and came up with an itinerary that we were both satisfied with. Our agent was also cognizant of our budget which made us feel at ease and comfortable. The payment process was simple and easy. She took care of us from the very beginning and went above and beyond to call if there were any issues, provide very specific tips and information about each city we stayed in and was quick to answer any questions via email or phone. 

Our trip itself was incredible. We traveled to Rome, Venice, Florence and spent a day in Cinque Terre. We were able to attend tours of the places we really wanted to see but also had enough free time to enjoy ourselves and get lost in the beautiful cities. The B&B's and hotels were immaculate, the transportation to and from all of our accommodations were on time and very helpful. She made specific notes on our itinerary with directions of where to go and what to look for which made it so easy to figure out where to go. We cannot say enough good things about our travel agent and this company. We will definitely be using them for our next trip to Italy as well as recommending their services to all of our family and friends.  

We had a wonderful trip, very memorable vacation. Overall the arrangements were very good - hotels, vans, boat, guides (except the Cinque Terre guide). Everything was received in timely manner.

Sestre Levante: Beautiful town, loved the hotel also. I am glad we stayed in Sestre. The Bar for wine tasting was very charming place. I was expecting a winery but the bar cliff-top bar was awesome! We also loved the cooking class experience. Very nice couple.

Positanno/Amalfi/Ravello - very nice. The driver/guide was very good.

Sorrento: The boat ride (very nice boat & the tour company) and the pizza class were the highlights for the kids. We loved the family at VIlla Ida. @ Capri Island, I would have liked some more guidance. It was very crowded and not sure where to go. My sister had visited Capri before and they had visited a very nice part of the island - less touristy.

I would highly recommend this tour company. Working with a good local company made a big difference in helping with designing the itinerary and getting quality services. Also knowing that the tour company was checked out by Zicasso gave me confidence that I was not dealing with a scam company off the internet and was comfortable making the payments upfront.

We have taken a number of custom tours through Zicasso, including India, Southeast Asia, and Portugal. In each of these, our travel company was based in the area we were touring, and every detail of the trip was coordinated by that company. When we selected this travel company (from among several very fine companies proposed by Zicasso) to organize our tour of Northern Italy, our chief concern was that the company is based in the United States, far from where we would be should problems arise. We soon learned that our travel planner continually monitors her clients’ tours to ensure that all proceeds according to plan. A native Italian, she has comprehensive and intimate knowledge of every region of Italy, including areas quite off the beaten track where we intended to go. She has a vivacious personality and a genuine interest in getting to know her clients and understanding their travel styles and preferences. While she was charting out our itinerary, we stayed in touch by phone or email, working out all of the details. The trip she planned for us involved stays in seven cities, starting in Genoa, looping south through Cinque Terre and Florence, turning westward through Bologna and Parma, and finishing in Torino (all cities besides Florence were new to us). She booked all transfers and hotels, working with several local travel companies. The entire tour was indeed fantastic in every way, and went without a hitch. We had contact information for the local companies, and on the few occasions when we needed to be in touch with them (for example, when our boat tour of Cinque Terre had to be postponed because of bad weather), they were absolutely responsive and reliable. All of the drivers were punctual and personable, and even those who professed not to speak English spoke quite a bit and were eager to point out sites and provide interesting background information. Hotels were all first-rate and very well located (always an important criterion for us).

Our planner booked walking tours in each of the cities we visited, and all of these tours were wonderful and essential to our experience. Otherwise, we were on our own in each of the cities to explore as we saw fit. Since we know Europe quite well and are comfortable with European languages, this worked out very well. (It’s less likely that we’d try this approach in other parts of the world.) We took a fabulous day trip from Genoa exploring the western Italian Riviera and Monaco without a guide but only a driver, who took us from place to place and even to some places that he didn’t know but that we had read about. On days when we were transferring from one city to another we tried to stop at points of interest along the way. For example, on our way from Bologna to Parma we stopped in Modena to tour the Casa Pavarotti, the Ferrari Museum, and the medieval city center. It’s important to note that we could not have done such a tour on our own with a rental car. Parking would have been next to impossible in many of the places we visited. We were able to get out and explore while the driver waited and picked us up at a pre-appointed spot. our travel planner also booked several excellent specialty tours, including an unforgettable private sunset boat tour of Cinque Terre and a small-group tour outside Parma (just four people) featuring locations where Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, and prosciutto are produced.

Our planner was very helpful and patient with us as our plans developed. When we found out that tickets were available for a performance of Aida at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto (outside Parma) on a certain date, she reworked the schedule to make sure we would be there. This was not a trivial matter, since the timeframe was narrow and hotel reservations for the hotels we wanted were not readily available. We appreciated the way she willingly took on the challenge and got back to us quickly with a revised schedule that worked out perfectly. She is truly a gem.

The cost for this trip, not inexpensive, was nevertheless a very good value. The planner worked with us to tweak the program so as to keep it reasonably on budget. Our tour of Northern Italy was truly a dream vacation. Having been to Italy a number of times, there are still areas that we have not explored. If and when we plan another trip, we hope to do it through the travel company.

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!