Rome, Florence, and Venice Itineraries

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

My husband and I just returned from a two-week vacation in Italy. With the help of Zicasso and our travel company, we were able to fit every wish into this short time.

We started out in Rome, then went on to Florence for some amazing history. We then traveled to the Tuscany and Chianti countryside for private cooking and wine experiences. We loved the small villages we explored and the little family-owned wineries and olive farms.

A highlight was staying in a bed and breakfast in Ponzano that overlooked the beautiful olive gardens and countryside. We explored the small villages of San Gimignano, Montepulciano, and Montalcino, and felt like we had discovered authentic local life.

The tail of our trip was spent in the beautiful Lake Como area, with a day trip to Lugano, Switzerland.

We took this trip last year, and I realized when I came back to Zicasso to plan our next trip that I had never posted a review.

This was a 25th anniversary trip for my husband and me. We splurged on this trip. We wanted something special. We were overwhelmed by a trip that not only met, but far exceeded our expectations. Our Italy travel agent planned every detail and stayed in contact with us throughout our travels. She gave us a flip phone and called us shortly after we reached each destination to make sure everything was to our liking. And when we did run into a slight problem with our gondola ride in Venice, I was able to get in touch with our agent on a Sunday, and she took care of it immediately. Every driver and tour guide she set us up with was professional and well-informed about their part of the country. And they all spoke English very well. We felt pampered every step of the way.

Even with 2 weeks to spend in Italy, it felt like a whirlwind trip. Our agent managed to fit in everything we wanted to see and do and some things we hadn't even known we wanted:  A gondola ride and a tour of St. Mark's in Venice; a guided trip to the Accademia to see the statue of David and to the Uffizi Gallery, as well as time to walk across the Ponte Vecchio in Florence; wine tasting in Tuscany, not only of Chianti but also Brunello di Montalcino (what a treat); visits to Siena, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, and others in the area; a guided tour of Pompeii; visits to Amalfi, Ravello, and an inland winery near the Amalfi coast; a private cooking class; guided tours of the Colosseum, the Forum, the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica.

My husband and I would wholeheartedly recommend this agent and her travel company to anyone who is planning a trip to Italy. 

Our trip to Italy proved to be, indeed, 'fantastica'!  We traveled to Venice for 2 nights; by train to Florence for 2 nights where we stayed at the luxurious Palazzo Niccolini al Duomo; by train to Siena for 2 nights.  From there we speed-railed it by "TreniItalia" to Napoli where we were picked up in a private car to take us to the jaw dropping showcase Italian seacoast resort of Positano.  We stayed there for 3 glorious nights at the Covo dei Saraceni with the most breath taking views of the bay and the Amalfi Coast that you could ever see.  Finally, we were picked up in a private car and taken to Napoli for a train to Rome.  But first...we had a 2-hour stop with guided tour of Pompeii's ruins.  Finally, after training to Rome, we stayed at the quietly elegant Residenza di Ripetta hotel near the Piazza del Populo.

I've left out the most important parts which were the incredible tours that this Italy travel agency arranged for us.  We must've seen everything that this trip could offer.  And it was all done over two weeks.  We toured Venice during the calamitous weekend of George Clooney's wedding.  No, we couldn't go to the wedding but we had a fabulous time nonetheless!  Our agent and her team put us up at the quaint yet convenient Hotel Georgioni in Venice quite near the Rialto Bridge.  We had been picked up at the airport and water-taxied to our hotel.  During our fabulous 48-hour stay, we saw every nook and cranny of central Venice anchored by the eye-popping Piazza San Marco.  Included in our stay was a tour of the Doge's Palace with its art treasures galore and a tour of the markets area replete with a 30-minute gondola ride through a memory of photographs that I took that I will never forget.  The Rialto Bridge at night, along with the rest of Venice, is one of the most romantic sights in the world.  The lighting of this magnificent city at night is unforgettable.

From there it was on to the renaissance city and Medici capital of Florence to our luxurious hotel, the Palazzo Niccolini al Duomo right across the street from the magnificent Duomo itself.  We walked and toured everything; from the Accademia Gallery and the "David" masterpiece by Michelangelo to the Uffizzi Gallery and Vasari Corridor to the Ponte Vecchio where I bought my beautiful wife a golden ring the size of Sardinia.  We saw street musicians, vendors, activists and sellers of all kinds.  We even saw a Brahma bull towing a wagon hauling over a 1000 bottles of Chianti up the main street into the square.  The food? Indescribably memorable.  Just like all of Italy.  

On to Siena where the Medieval contrasts with the Renaissance of Florence beautifully.  These 2 cities, once rivals, are now bastions of art and relics dating back centuries...from every genius known to man.  Siena, with its massive "Campo" is the meeting point for all of Tuscany seemingly.  They run their horse race there every year around the Campo.  We didn't see it.  But we did see a huge nighttime sports car rally featuring the finest autos made by Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa-Romeo and others.

Taking the train in Italy is a far preferable way to travel than car.  We had the benefit of traveling in clean cars traveling almost 200 MPH in almost serene silence - with some of the greatest views ever.  It's fun...and grabbing a panini and a water is the perfect way to relax and have lunch aboard the train.  

Positano.  What can we say other than it was a 3-day dream.  Everything that you could possibly photograph is present in this sea coast paradise.  Staying at the singular Covo dei Saraceni provided us with a view out of our bedroom window that could stop time.  It was THAT beautiful!  The views of villas tucked into the mountains; the roads that snake their way down to the beach, the lovely little shops that adorn the narrow streets all make for fantastic photographs so compelling that friends would envy you and your experience.  From Positano, we took a day trip out to the Isle of Capri.  Capri, for us, was like Italy's Catalina Island - kinda honkytonk and overpriced yet still very fun.  Especially when you bus up to the top to take in the wildly sweeping and sometimes scary sights from Anacapri, the island's little town that's 'above it all.'  We toured the historic Villa San Michele with its stories of Axel Munthe, the one time owner and Renaissance man in his own right.

Finally, we finished with 3 days in exciting unstoppable "Roma".  Can there be any more excitement?  Any more history? Any more style?  We saw everything: the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon, the Piazza Navone, the Carra Calla Baths, Circus Maximus, Palatine Hill, The Arch of Constantine, The Villas of Borghese.  We rowed boats, we road bicycle carts, we got lost.  Moreover, we ate gelato at the 150-flavors of Della Palma.  We heard stories about Roman Emperors and the various peccadilloes, their loves (and lovers!) and their battles.  Both won and lost.  

This whole trip will go down in our memory as arguably the greatest trip that we ever took.  We've been together almost 20 years and, thanks to our agent and her team at this travel company, we enjoyed our 2nd honeymoon to the max.  Not once in our 12-day itinerary did we have a hiccup.  Everything that our agency arranged for us from tours, to drivers to train departures and tickets etc went off without a hitch.  All the I's were dotted...all the t's were crossed.  I would recommend this travel agency as a 5-star travel agency to anyone who would ask.  I'd trust them completely.  Indeed, I have the pictures to last a lifetime.  I have memories that will last even longer.