Milan Vacations

Our trip to Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Lake Como, and Milan was exceptionally well planned and executed by Zicasso's tour operator.

The transportation from one location to another was efficient, even when challenged by the high tides in Venice. Overall, the hotels selected were very good. The one in Montalcino was exceptional. Every guide was knowledgeable and professional. We appreciated their willingness to be flexible. Our driver for the ride to Como and back to Milan was personable and exceptional as well.

We really enjoyed the truffle hunting experience, the first wine tasting in Montepulciano, where we met the entire charming family, the cooking class in Bellagio with a chef who treated us like family, and the boat rides on Lake Como and to the islands in the lagoon of Venice. All of the dinner reservations were spot-on and when there was a slight misunderstanding regarding our wine tasting in Bellagio, where the staff at the hotel in Bellagio had no idea what had been arranged by our agency, this was quickly resolved by our guide through texts and emails with the agency.

The only aspect of the trip that could have been improved was day eight, when our activities, travel time, and late dinner reservation resulted in a late-night drive back to the villa. The hotel in Milan was difficult to find at first due to its location not being visible from the street. Once we found it and settled in, it was in an excellent location for our sightseeing. The gifts of sparkling wine at two of our stops was thoughtful and appreciated.

We thank our agent and the staff at the agency for a wonderful trip and would not hesitate to recommend the firm to our friends and family.

I booked this trip with the intention of proposing to my long-time girlfriend. From the get-go, my travel agent helped me plan every day with a tailor-made itinerary. She helped ease my anxieties and make my proposal very special.

Our trip to Italy involved flying into Milan and spending two nights there. We were able to see The Last Supper on a walking tour of the city. From Milan, we took a taxi to Menaggio, alongside Lake Como. We really loved Menaggio as it was the perfect quiet getaway in one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. From Lake Como, we continued down to Rome and the Amalfi Coast and Naples. My fiance and I really enjoyed our trip and we hope to be able to return someday. Many thanks to our Zicasso agent and the team at her company for making it happen!

My wife and I recently returned from our first trip to Italy and want to highly recommend Zicasso's travel specialist and her company for creating the perfect vacation for us. It was a two-month process of back and forth, but no matter what we asked of her, she delivered several options.

We had a perfect mix of historical Florence and its museums, and wonderful restaurants, and the Tuscany and Umbria countryside experience. And on our first day, when our flight into Florence got diverted to Milan, we had the peace of mind that our travel specialist was there to help with her much appreciated support.

We had a wonderful trip to Switzerland and the Lake Como area. Zicasso's tour agency curated the perfect itinerary, combining some relaxing days with some active days. The e-bike tour through the Lavaux vineyards and kayaking in Bellagio were definite highlights. They chose beautiful hotels in perfect locations for easy access to the metro and local sights. Having them take care of all of our tickets and train passes ahead of time made for a stress-free trip!

The trip was well planned by the travel company and all concerns were handled promptly and efficiently by Zicasso's travel designer.

The travel designer fell short on expectations regarding some of the drivers. Although two of our drivers, used on two occasions each, did not meet a minimum of English-speaking requirements, it should be noted that they were both exceptional drivers (the main requirement). The driver to and from Milan navigated the back roads throughout the city to get us to our destinations in a timely manner. His command and use of English was lacking, and his demeanor was not all that cheerful. Our driver for the Amalfi Coast fell short of our expectations in that he appeared to be deaf to our questions. This was a very important part of our trip and it was a wee bit frustrating not having a good dialogue regarding its history, etc., to the point that we quit asking questions. All other drivers were very good in all categories.

This was our first experience with Zicasso’s travel company and, thus, with our travel designer. We were a bit concerned because our trip with a travel company back in 2001 had a few bumps along the road. However, once the private driver arrived and met us after exiting our cruise, all the worries and concerns began to vanish.

Our travel designer created an amazing itinerary and every step of the way was seamless. She took care of every single detail and provided us with all the instructions (guidance, maps, contact information, and all train tickets first class) we needed. All I can say is, she surpassed our expectations. The tours she booked for us showed they were carefully crafted based on our interests and all the guides were magnificent.

She allowed time for us to recover from the train rides; the hotels were perfectly situated, all amazing; and the private transfers were timely and extremely pleasant. She sent drawings of where our drivers would meet us. All I can keep stating is she is amazing!

We boarded the first private transfer at the approved area and our driver drove us to the Bologna train station. When we arrived in Venice, there was a young man waiting for us to take us to our private water taxi, which water taxied us right in front of our hotel. The hotel attendant assisted us with the luggage and checked us in.

She booked us at our hotel in Castello in Venice for three nights. The hotel was on the main street, but was away from the craziness of St. Mark’s Square. We had our first small-group, skip-the-line-tour on day two, with a guide from a local partner who was fantastic. He was witty and knowledgeable. Later we found out he was a professor—no wonder his knowledge of dates and history was so extensive. On our third day we met with a guide, again from the local partner, similar to the day before: small tour, skip the line. Our guide was also fantastic.

After our stay in Venice, we went to Stresa. Again, pick-up from our hotel with the water taxi was timely and the drop-off at the train station was smooth. Once we arrived in Milan train station, there was a driver waiting for us, who took us directly to our hotel. The location was magnificent and we could walk easily along the main street, right in front of the hotel.

The next day we met our guide, who picked us up at our hotel and took us on a full-day excursion to the three islands. He was extremely knowledgeable and worked with us at our pace. His incredible knowledge of history and his kindness won us over. Our travel designer pre-arranged lunch at one of the islands, which was outstanding.

Our last visit was to Como. I was a bit disappointed when we arrived at Como. The main area, where you see the charter boats, seemed small based on my expectations. She arranged a private tour that took us to two islands. That trip showed us the Como I had anticipated. We ended up in Bellagio where we had a late lunch at the restaurant at the tip of Bellagio and the boat picked us up and took us back to the main island. It was beyond words.

If you are visiting Italy, reach out to our travel designer; she will surely exceed your expectations.