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Comments From |
Click on the icon to check our status with the Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles |
Hi Kristin,
Let me begin with a huge thank you you for your efforts in this matter. In going through my email correspondence with both you and Julie I still haven't figured out how our September dates were changed to June dates, but you managed to correct the problem and salvage our dream vacation. This is incredibly GOOD NEWS! As I mentioned in a previous email to you, this trip has been many years in the planning and has been derailed several times due to illness, kids' college expenses, relocations and on and on.
The bottom line though, is that I have used the services of In Italy in the past (ten years ago) and have recommended your group to many friends who have also turned to your expertise to plan their trips. Once again you have come through and both Barney and I are very pleased!
Sincerely,
Christy B.
Hi Jessica,
Thank you so much. I have to say, I have never experienced such wonderful customer service as I have with you and In Italy. Everyone has been on top of things and so accommodating with all of my requests. Please pass along my compliments to your management.
At my office, we stress "Ritz Carlton, white-glove" service for all of our clients. You have definitely raised the bar as far as client service goes.
Thanks and have a great day.
Regards,
Michelle B.
Good Day,
I live in Australia and my parents migrated from Italy in 1950. My wish is to visit Italy and experince the wonderful places and amazing history. Your photo collection is magnificant, I was able to travel to Italy overnight! Thank you.
Kind regards
Connie (Concetta)
Dear In Italy,
This was the second trip to Italy where I used your web site for hotel, car, and museum reservations. The trip was free of concern about where we were going to stay or if we would be getting into a museum we really wanted to visit with having made the arrangements in advance. Your web site certainly made the trip easier and I will most certainly be using your site again to plan our next trip.
Thanks so much for your help!
Carol V.
Dear In Italy,
Our trip to Italy was the best trip I have ever taken. This is in large measure to working with In Italy. Everything we scheduled through In Italy was excellent and made our trip much more fun. I would recommend your organization to anyone who might be going to Italy.
Cheryl A.
Dear In Italy,
Your site is a must for anyone planning a trip even to the country's most cosmopolitan cities. It's a treasure trove of all things Italian, plus it offers a generous number of vetted accommodations with local contacts who speak English. I reserved rooms through you for my stays in Rome -- both quite comfortable and affordable -- first in the bustling and festive Campo de' Fiori (flower market) area and then at The Spanish Steps -- as well as a stopover in happily chaotic Naples.
Most of my time, however, was spent riding with friends in a Mercedes A180, rented through In Italy Online. Your website was most helpful!
Thank you,
Rosemary P.
Dear In Italy,
We were a party of six. We booked our accommodations through In Italy Online.
In Rome, we stayed at Rome Garden Apartment. In Positano we stayed at Positano Cliffside.
These accommodations exceeded our expectations. We are completely satisfied with the services provided by In Italy Online. All information passed to us before the trip was extremely accurate. In Italy Online was thoroughly accommodating to our needs and readily responded to all of our inquiries before our departure. Most of all I found In Italy Online to be totally reliable. I could not find one single thing to complain about their support.
Sincerely,
Robert G. M.
Dear In Italy,
Thank you so much for following up with me to see how my trip to Italy was! I feel so fortunate that I happened to find your website before my trip. I booked rental cars in Florence and Bari, booked a 3 night stay at Palazzo Bandino and the 1/2 day cooking class there in Tuscany, and booked our train travel as well. We also booked one of our hotels through you, plus a private tour guide in Florence (Elisabetta), and another one in Venice (Elena). What can I say....your site absolutely MADE our trip!! Elisabetta and Elena were incredible....they were so knowledgeable, so warm and friendly, and they were well worth the cost of the private tours. I hope to use their services again on our next trip to Italy! Everything we planned through your website went without a hitch! I would also highly recommend Palazzo Bandino in Montepulciano, their cookinig class, and also the Palace Grand Hotel Varese ....beautiful hotel closer to the Milan Malpensa airport than Milan hotels.
Thanks again for all of your help!
Gloria B.
Dear In Italy,
We had a wonderful time, we would have to say the best we have ever had. We thank you for a seamless experience on booking thru you. The hotels and staff were great! We look forward on booking with you again when we return to Italy!
Sincerely,
Maria & Manuel M.
To the Staff at In Italy,
I would like to thank all the staff involved in our transfers that you arranged. The drivers and particularly the guides provided were very pleasant and informative. They were always early to pick us up and made our journeys with them a very pleasant experience.
We will have no hesitation in recommending your services to all our friends. Thanks again for helping to make our time in Italy a pleasurable and memorable experience.
Ken B. and all our travel crew
Dear In Italy,
We had a terrific time on our first visit to Italy..... All of the hotels and suggestions from In Italy Online were fabulous and right on target. We took the rail from Zurich to Como -- stayed in Tremezzo for a few nights. Lovely hotel - great service - awesome views of the lake. We especially enjoyed the indoor pool with (3) separate whirlpool/jet areas -- very relaxing! Only downside to this location was the "expensive" taxi from the train station. It was around $70 Euros one-way which makes it a little expensive if you're planning any day-trips and don't have a car. Next stop was Rapallo on the Italian Riviera. This was our favorite spot as it was gorgeous and more "pedestrian friendly". Last stop was Torino (past host of the Winter Olympics) to visit our son who is currently attending the University. Per In Italy Online, we stayed at the Grand Hotel Sitea. Fabulous hotel in the heart of some terrific shopping - a great mix of high-end and affordable stores! We truly enjoyed Torino and wished we had more time to explore. We would totally recommend In Italy Online to anyone planning a trip to Italy. Your website is loaded with invaluable information (like cell phone rental which we did -- it was easy). Many thanks!!
Jody & Larry G.
Dear In Italy,
What a marvelous company you are! We found our stay in Florence to be quite enjoyable and the apartment to be as we expected it from your site. You contacted us with our information ahead of time and now are seeking our input. Bravo!
I say this, because unfortunately we rented an apartment in Rome from a company called Rental-in-Rome, which turned out to be a disaster. They were as bad as you were good. I shall be happy to recommend your services in the future.
Mike R.
Jessica Scheible,
We have returned from our trip and I just wanted to thank you and your company for everything. Everything went as planned and my family and myself were very happy with all we arranged. They were a little late picking us up at the airport in Rome and I was getting nervous that maybe I had made a big mistake, but they arrived and all went well from then on.
We were especially happy with our guide and the tour in Sorrento and Pompeii. Other than the driver shutting the hatch on my son's head in Naples, everything was perfect. I am so grateful you were available and willing to work with me. I would be happy to be used as a reference any time I could be useful to you.
Thanks again,
Donna S.
Dear Julie,
I wanted to thank you for all your help with my trip to Italy. I had a wonderful time, and both hotels that your reserved for me were super clean and the staff helpful and very friendly. Thank you again, I am passing on your website to everyone I know who is planning a trip to Italy.
All best,
Asya P.
Dear In Italy -
We recently returned home after a wonderful month traveling in Italy and were very pleased with all the arrangements we made through your organization. All your property descriptions were completely accurate and, since we were traveling by train, your directions from the stations to the hotels were perfect. This was especially useful in Venice where we loved getting lost each day but would not have wanted to do so while toting our luggage. Your suggestions for restaurants and activities were also invaluable to a couple of "Italovirgins."
We did discover a wonderful little shop in Venice owned by Carlo Setti, who is a master mask maker. The shop is located on San Marco 1735. I remembered seeing a story several years ago on a TV travel show about a small workshop where an artisan still works at creating masks and other items in the traditional manner, but I did not recall his name and so had no hope of finding it. Then, on our last night in Venice, as we were wandering with no particular destination, we passed a small shop and saw a man working at a table carving a mask. As soon as we entered, the feel of the place was totally different from that of any other shop - no salesperson explaining great bargains, no mass-produced items, no pressure, just a display of obviously superior pieces at reasonable prices. We chose a beautiful and unique mask and asked about shipping it. We were shocked when he told us he would charge no more for the shipping and when we chose a second piece for a gift, he said, "That is the last of those, I am no longer interested in it, you can have it," and he only charged us for the first piece. The fact that this happened in a place where we expected everyone to try to make as much money from tourists as possible left us convinced that this man is completely dedicated to his craft.
Robert C.
Hi,
All of our tours were wonderful, as well, and more than we ever expected. Eva in Rome, Elena in Venice and Valentina in Florence were charming, lovely women who were experienced, knowledgable and truly committed to our enjoyment. I cannot say enough about the quality of service these wonderful women provided to us.
When booking through the Internet, one takes a big chance. I want to thank you for being honest, forthright and totally accommodating to all of our needs. Your agency is a credit to all of you and you should take great pride in the service you provide. I will recommend you to all of my friends and when we go back to Italy for our 3rd time, I will once again be calling upon you to help me plan our trip.
Con ringraziamento più profondo,
Jane M.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for the information sent to me this morning. I must say how impressed I am with your service. I had never dreamed that I could have booked an Italian holiday whilst living in Germany with an American based firm!! I have not encountered service like yours anywhere in Europe, and as for some of the ‘villa’ outlets I have contacted their response has varied between kind of helpful to downright awkward. Yours however, is in a different class. I know we bang on about the UK-USA special relationship, but whether you live this side of the ‘pond’ or on yours, thank you for it. Please bring back Lend-Lease so we may continue to help each other.
God bless America.
Graham C.
Dear In Italy,
Julie and Jessica and everyone else at InItaly. Thank you so much for the excellent web site and all your help booking our hotels and tours. Every hotel was in a prime location and the guides on our tours were so friendly…you really have a great service. I didn’t do well on the Amalfi tour…due to the winding road….had that problem a couple of times on the trip……so…I know to take fast boats next time…and there will be a next time!!! I have told several friends about your web site, and when I go back to Italy (?) I’ll be back with you as well.
Thank you again…
Marilyn H.
Dear Initaly,
I would like to thank you for all your help in planning our trip. Of course we were a little uncertain as to what to expect booking on line, but to our surprise everything went really well. When we arrived at the airport, the transportation you provided was there waiting for us which took us right to our apartment. The apartment was in a great location. The tour we booked through you was great they picked us up on time and showed us everything. I really want to thank you, so much you made our trip easy and hassle free.
Karen M.
Dear In Italy,
I just returned from a wonderful trip to Italy which can be contributed greatly to the help and the services that I obtained from intaly.com. Every service that you offered from the Car, Cell Phone, Gps to the fabulous guided tours in Florence by Elizabeth and in Rome by Joanna was outstanding. I thank you for all of your help and will definitely tell all of my friends that they cannot go to Italy without inItaly.com. Please keep me updated on your services for use on future trips. Thanks again to all the help that I received from the entire staff of inItaly.com
Joe A.
Dear In Italy,
I wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time in Italy!!! I especially wanted to thank all of our tour guides, Elena and Elisabetta in Venice, Maurizio in Florence, Stefano and Michael in Rome, and Costantino and Julianna and our driver Miguel in Naples. Everyone was so nice and extremely informative. We learned so much from all of them. We loved the fact that it was only the 4 of us on each tour. Even my kids (21 and 17) enjoyed all the facts we learned as well as the little bits of gossip here and there. It was totally enjoyable to have just educated and interesting guides. I doubt we would have had such a good time without them.
The Rome Terrace Apartment was wonderful as well. You should mention in your description, however that is it located up a rather steep incline and that the washing machine is extremely tiny. Other than that, it was perfect!!!
Thank you all for your help. I have and will continue to recommend your website to anyone I know who is thinking of going to Italy.Donna T.
Dear In Italy,
Our trip to Italy was absolutely fabulous!! We used so many of your services and everything went as planned. Upon our arrival to Rome we met out transportation without a hitch and he took us to our hotel.
The next morning we had our private tour of the Vatican. Our tour guide was Paula and she was very knowledgeable and pointed out pieces of artwork and their explanations that we would never had realized if we were not with her.
The next day we had one of the Rome walking tours with Michael as our tour guide. Once again, Michael has an insight into the secrets and history of Rome and its architecture. It was a most enjoyable and informative morning. Michael's enthusiasm about Rome and its history is quite contagious!!
We departed Rome and had a private car transport us to Florence via Siena. Johanna was our guide from Rome to Florence and she was a complete joy. Upon arrival in Siena, we enjoyed a great lunch in the piazza. From there we were shown around Siena by Rebecca who is a local and was completely knowledgeable about this quaint village. We were only a week shy of the Paolo race that took place on July 2nd.
We arrived safe and sound in Florence, completely exhausted from the beginning of our trip!! On our second day in Florence we were picked up by Massimo and taken for a tour of the Tuscan countryside. It was more beautiful than we imagined! We began in San Gimignano, the gorgeous medieval village up on a large hill. We walked around there for a bit, then Massimo took us to a great little restaurant along the way. We stopped again in Greve in Chianti to check out this small little town. Very quaint. From there we drove through Chianti along the wine road. We stopped at a great vineyard, where we were treated to a private tour of their wine cellar and had a private wine tasting - we cannot wait until our shipment arrives!!!
Our next "In Italy" event was a cooking class at Palazzo Bandino in Chianciano Terme. This turned out to be a superb day! The only suggestion I would make is to ensure the customer realizes that it is quite a hike from Florence. This was certainly partly my own fault for not looked closer to the map, but it turned out that if you do not have a car, you need to take the train and then a cab to the restaurant. It is completely worth it though!! The train is very easy to figure out and we were lucky enough to come across people who were more than willing to help us when we had questions. Our Chef Luciano was so great! We learned how to cook some authentic Italian dishes and reaped the benefits of our cooking when we were done!
I will certainly share your website with anyone I know that is going on a trip to Italy. I think your service is fantastic and I don't believe we would have seen everything we got to without the information provided on your website. We cannot wait until our next visit!
Grazie!!!!
Cheryl B.
Hello,
We have returned from our Italian vacation and wanted to thank you for the assistance you provided to us. We had a wonderful time. The Initaly services were invaluable, for we would not have been able to see "The Last Supper" without the reservations. The GPS with the rental car was REALLY valuable, otherwise we would still be driving around the Tuscan hills looking for a way out! We were able to pick up the car in Florence without problem; however, had much difficulty with the return. We actually ended up returning the car to a remote location; however, Europcar was very cooperative and all worked well in the end.
Once again, thank you for your assistance.
Best regards,
Linda S.
Dear In Italy,
We really liked all of our accommodations we arranged through initaly. Lerici Seaside Hotel was absolutely beautiful. Our favorite staff was in the Palazzo Mannaioni. Also Marco at the Gran Duca Di York in Milano was one of the most engaging and welcoming people we have run across in a long time. (I did take the time to write the hotel about his attributes.)
A couple of things we weren't expecting were taxi cab strikes and being ripped off at a toll booth on the autostrada outside of Florence.
All and all we loved our trip and had a wonderful adventure. I felt really good about initaly's arrangements and your advice sections on the site. I also felt we had a little safety net with your local contacts if something went wrong. All this made my wife and I feel a lot more confident traveling on our own in a foreign country.
Thanks In Italy Online. I'm sure to use you guys again ... you're GREAT!
Ciao!
Ron H.
Kristin,
Cliffside Positano: The family is wonderful, Maria an absolute marvel and the two sons ever so helpful. When I asked for a bigger chef’s knife so I could enjoy cooking there better, Vito went into Sorrento and bought two! The apartment was just great, I would recommend it to anyone although the steps up to the road require quite a bit of effort. I think the 100 EU cleaning fee was a little over the top, as Maria is not a real good cleaner. Also the agent, Andrea told us there would be no electric surcharge as we did not use the A/C, and then he bagged 25 EU as a fee when there was obviously no meter or way to measure usage, just low rent hustling.
Casa in Chianti: What a gem, maybe the best place we stayed in Italy on any trip. The hosts, Giana and Aldo were wonderful; we had complete privacy and enjoyed every minute of our stay. The views of the Tuscan Hills were both overwhelming and calming. This one was a grand slam.
Tuscan Secret Garden: Somewhat of a change from the first two, more hotel like but absolutely beautiful views, the grounds were superb and the staff very friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend although it is somewhat off the beaten track. Again, thank you, you are major factor in making our trips as enjoyable as they have been
Jay and Kris S.
Dear Kristin
We cannot say enough about our trip to Italy. It was fabulous beyond our expectations. Every plan, every appointment, every hotel --perfect. We did not have one "hitch". Antico Palazzo di Roma was in a perfect location. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. Hotel Ca'D'Oro was situated on a blissfully quiet street so we could sleep at the end of our long days touring. And Palazzo Bandino was heaven. The host and hostess felt like our friends. The food was unbelievable and the itinerary was such fun. We were driven to several beautiful little towns and promptly picked up at the end of the day. We truly felt like we were family. We also had a personal tour of the Vatican and of Venice. Our guides, Barbara for the Vatican, and Elena in Venice were extremely knowledgable and professional. We learned so much and were able to get information we would have missed otherwise.
We hope to return to Italy in the future and we will certainly use your services again. Thank you for your excellent service and for caring about providing your clients with a memorable trip they will never forget.
Best wishes,
Jim and Judi B.
Thanks for the site -
I printed out most of the information on the Ravenna mosaics (20 pages or so) and referred to them while I was in the churches and other buildings - thanks for the excellent art history guide!
Dear In Italy,
We had a great time in Italia and the hotels in Venezia (Abbazia), Milano (Grand Duca) and Lake Como (Grand Menaggio) were very nice. When we go back, and have more time to plan, I would like to see if we can find slightly less expensive, clean places as long as they have private baths. Thanks for your help. If you need a better endorsement, let me know.
Ciao,
Jack S.
Dear In Italy,
We had a wonderful time. Your website was most helpful. We enjoyed all our lodgings. It was delightful to experience the "off-season" as the only tourists at some amazing places. The unseasonable weather surprised us with sunny skies and comfortable out-of-doors. The vouchers worked very well and the hosts at each location were friendly and helpful. The reservations at the museums in Florence worked like clockwork, though with so few visitors, we probably did not need them. Thanks for your help. We are recommending your website without reservation.
Nancy R. B.
Dear In Italy,
We wanted to thank you for all of your help in booking our holiday. Everything was marvelous! What more can I say! Everything went according to plan. We would definitely return to Lake Como and stay in the same hotel and, of course, we would book through yourselves - no hesitation!
Many thanks for a wonderful holiday!
Mr & Mrs W.
Dear In Italy,
We had a wonderful trip – our only complications were in the area of air travel.
The Hotel La Rovere in Rome was lovely, nice location, nice people and nice breakfast. Definitely a winner.
The Hotel Abbazia was in a super location and beautiful and quiet – except for the bells of the church on Easter morning which were lovely. The room was fabulous, the staff was extremely helpful and breakfast was great. We also attended church Easter morning at the church that is joined with the Hotel – a beautiful church and a great memory of our trip.
The Rome Airport Hotel was fine and convenient to the airport. Breakfast was great, the staff semi-helpful, they delivered the extra bed quickly and without fuss. There was some confusion on their part as to whether the airport shuttle was included in the reservation or an extra charge, and the shuttle quit running earlier in the evening than was useful to us on arrival which necessitated a cab ride.
All in all, your recommendations were excellent and we enjoyed the accommodations very much. After our last trip to Europe we appreciated that you confirmed the reservations with the hotels, they expected us and there were no problems with our reservations. We booked our train tickets through the rail company you linked to and they were very helpful and everything worked perfectly. You were very helpful throughout the entire process and we would definitely recommend you and your services.
Thanks for your help in making our trip a great success.
I would highly recommend the boat trip from Sorrento to Amalfi – much better than driving it. Our best gelato was at Vivoli’s in Florence http://www.vivoli.it/vivoli-en.html. The Bargello museum was a cool place that most folks don’t seem to visit.
Grazie and Buon giorno!
Daryl G.
Dear Friends,
Your tours, drivers and guides were fantastic, and we truly feel that each and every one of them is now a friend. The guides were extremely knowledgeable. Peter (guide) and Fabio (driver) were remarkable on our trip through Tuscany from Rome to Florence--we would recommend this excursion to everyone who has never been to Italy and wants to experience the Tuscany area. It left us with the desire to return as soon as possible. Julian and I gained a special view of an Italy that we fell in love with. Thank you for your reliable and expert assistance. As first time visitors to Italy, we felt that our investment of time and money for your InItaly tours was well spent.
Anne D.
Dear In Italy,
We loved our trip to Italy. All the arrangements we made through initaly.com were perfect. The hotel was great, and all our connecting shuttles were always waiting for us. Thank you for making our trip memorable.
Stew & Jean G.
Dear In Italy Online,
We had a wonderful trip to Italy! Our guides and drivers were exceptional. It was fun to start our tour w/ Teresa in Rome, an American, after all, yet one who is totally comfortable with the Italian language and very knowledgeable of the sites of the city. My sisters, mom and I enjoyed hearing her story of going to Florence to study and never leaving. She was also very organized -- there was so much to do, so she kept us moving and we got it all in.
The trip from Rome to Florence via Orvieto with Peter and Marco was exceptional. They were kind enough to start our journey by stopping at Trevi Fountain, which we missed the day before. It was a beautiful morning in Rome and starting our trip there got it off to a great start. By the way, from Wed on the weather, too, was exceptional -- thanks for ordering it! It made the journey north that much more beautiful, and the stop in Sinalunga at Amarosa is a wonderful add-on. The journey, the scenery, the lunch, the wine -- they were all great!
And, Lucia in Florence was a delight. She, too, is very knowledgeable, and as we were beginning to feel the effects of being on the go since we landed, she worked with us and didn't seem to mind when members of our group needed to rest. One could truly spend a day in each museum, but doing it in a few hours worked for us.
Finally, our stay at Villa Zuccari was almost magical -- the setting of the hotel and the villa itself is superb. Our rooms in Rome and Florence were nice (not arranged via In Italy Online), but to end our trip in Italy at Villa Zuccari was the best! Everyone of the hotel staff was gracious and helpful, meeting all of our expectations and then some. After busy days, we ate two dinners at the restaurant on site, both of which were delicious. Our final night we ate at Redibis in Bevagna, which is quite a find. I would recommend giving plenty of time to really savor the atmosphere of the restaurant as well as the meal (which we did not do). Oh, and thanks to information from folks at the desk, Sunday morning we attended mass in Trevi, at Chiesa di San Francesco. Trevi doesn't seem to be a highly traveled tourist town, so we felt immersed in local culture and it was a wonderful experience.
As you can probably tell, I was very pleased with my experience with In Italy Online. The arrangements I had made with you folks went so smoothly, making our trip such a pleasure. I would highly recommend your website to anyone traveling to Italy and will use it again for my next trip.
Many thanks.
Ciao,
Katy F.
Dear In Italy,
I want to thank you for a great web site. As hostess for our family Christmas gathering this year, I wanted to find something different to add to our traditional festivities. There are now about 70 of us, from my parents on down. Needless to say, I have to look for inexpensive ways to celebrate. One idea I had was to ask each adult to name a place they wish they could visit. I am sending for information and brochures, combing the internet, and checking out bookstore bargains and looking for authentic recipes. Then I am fixing a folder of information for each person, based on their wish. Several family members have mentioned they would love to visit Italy , and some were specific to say Tuscany, Italy . I now have a great website to mention in their folder. Thank you for helping me add a bit of Christmas love and wishes to our family Christmas.
Susan S.
Dear In Italy,
Italy was great! I now understand why so many Americans choose to live there. Milano has more extraordinarily beautiful women per capita than anywhere I have been. The Duomo is a marvel. The Galleria is right next to it and is also very interesting, especially if you have some money to spend. The Hotel Gran Duca di York is a couple hundred yards from both and is very nice and staffed with very nice people. The Brera is great. We did not have enough time to do Milano justice.
The Piemonte is beautiful, kind of like Napa Valley, but without the busyness and wine factories, and the hills tend to be much steeper. Vineyards tend to be very small and tucked into little ravines and gullies. Tuscany is like Piemonte, but a bit more open and rolling. Chiantis are made here, and they are wonderful. Our goal here, like Piemonte, was wine tasting, and the wines are truly wonderful, for the most part. Here we stayed at the Palazzo Bandino. The people were very nice and try hard, but we had to go off the farm to find really good wines, and the food was nothing special. Still, we would go back.
Roma is the center of the world. Some think that when Rome falls it will be the end of the world. I kinda believe it. The Hotel La Rovere is very nice, staffed with very nice and helpful people, and but a stone's throw from the Vatican City. The Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel are awesome sights and must be seen. The Roman ruins are spectacular and very interesting, especially with a knowledgeable guide. The various monuments and fountains are beautiful and not to be missed. But the greatest sight for me was the Borghese Galleria. The building itself is thought be some to be the most beautiful in the world. But the most beautiful thing I saw on the trip was Bernini's David and Diana. That was all by itself worth the trip.
Every reservation booked through In Italy was flawless. We had to pay for the Brera twice (not In Italy's fault) because I had no docs and they, perhaps naturally, could not find theirs. We got ripped off twice by taxi drivers, but the vaunted thieves and beggars were almost not to be seen. Minor things. I want to go again!
Special thanks to Jessica and Kristen.
Frank G.
Dear In Italy,
This is a great website. I live in Italy and am constantly looking for routes and methods to get around by train, bus, air, etc. and this is truly a one stop shop for ALL my travel needs. The resources are great. Thanks for putting this out for everyone to use!
Veneece M.
Dear In Italy Online,
We had a wonderful trip, and thank you for all your assistance. We were very pleased with each of the places we stayed and much appreciated the value of your web services and the many tips which assisted in planning a most enjoyable trip. There were only two minor glitches, both of which were our own fault, and neither of which proved "fatal" to our enjoyment of our two week experience.
The first related to the fact that our train reservations from Milan were to Viareggio, but that destination did not appear on the "departures" sign because the final destination of the train was Grosseto (which we didn't know.) Since the sign didn't list the number of the train, and inquiry of some roving "Carabiniere" indicated the train we were waiting for was delayed, we patiently waited while our train departed without us. I had read this was the "busiest travel weekend of the summer" so was worried we would never get a seat without a reservation, but that proved not to be true. The only minor downside was that our reservation had been on a direct train, whereas we were easily able to get seats on a later train, but had to change to a connecting train, necessitating carrying our bags up and down a flight of stairs to get to the other side of the tracks.
The other "glitch" was that I forgot our tickets (purchased in advance) to see Michelangelo's "David" were for Sunday, the day we traveled from Viareggio to Florence. We trekked over on Monday, only to find them closed!
Obviously, these were minor setbacks and the only true disappointment was having to leave!
Thanks again for all your help.
Joyce
I want to thank all of you for this wonderful website. You have given me such joy to see all the beautiful pictures and information. My Dad was from Sepina, Campobasso and I long in my heart to see this town. My heart longs to see beautiful Italia. Someday I will go and from all the information that you give to us, I will find my way in Italy.
Thank you.
Phyllis L.
Julie,
We just returned to the US last night. I must tell you, every hotel we booked through InItaly.com was wonderful, especially Antica Torre Toscana. We were very impressed with the service, cleanliness and staff at each hotel, and would certainly recommend them to our friends. The pictures on your website were accurate and not at all misleading. Thanks to you and the rest of InItaly.com's staff for all your help!!
Patricia R.
Dear In Italy,
I just wanted to send a short note to say thank you for the help you gave on our Italy trip. Gregorio was our tour guide in the Vatican and he was PERFECT! We had our 3 kids (14, 11, 8) with us and he really engaged them in the tour and kept it interesting for them. I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed our tour with him. It really was great. We also used InItaly for our car rental and it also went off without a problem, so thank you!!
I also read up on the Palio on your website and we went into Siena on the day before (couldn't get tickets through you...it was sold out) and we enjoyed watching the pageantry, seeing the track in the Campo, the contrade tables set up for the evening dinner, etc. Although it rained and the last practice run did not get run...it was a good day for us!
Best Regards,
Jane P. S.
Dear In Italy,
My trip to Italy was incredible. Every accommodation I booked through In Italy worked perfectly (including the rental car and airport shuttle service). I can't imagine how I would have done it without your wonderful web site. It would have been like throwing a dart at the wall. All the apartments/hotels were conveniently located and the paperwork was always in order. A major reason for my trip was to travel to my father's village Marsiconuovo in Basilicata. Your site does not cover this region, so I had to find an accommodation near the town on my own. It wasn't easy, but I finally did get a reservation at a family-run hotel/restaurant Il Bernadino in a nearby town called Marsicovetere. The room was barebones, but clean. The staff (mostly the mother doing everything) was friendly. And the dinner they served that evening was incredible, even though the house wine was served from a plastic Pepsi bottle. Room, dinner and breakfast cost $50 euros. Unbelievlble.
No one seems to travel to Basilicata, unless they have family from the area. And that's a shame. The landscape is breathtaking, and my side trips to Matera ("the sassi" town of stone) and Maratea, a pristine fishing village on the Mediterranean side where the beach has black sand from the surrounding volcanic rock structures, were wonderfully interesting and beautiful. You should condsider putting Basilicata on your radar. Anyway, I am still dreaming of my trip and thank you for all your assistance. It couldn't have gone more perfectly.
Rosemary P.
Hello,
As usual we had a wonderful time in Italy. The bulk of this visit was to see southern Italy: Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast (Positano,) Sicily. Our past visits have taken us to Tuscany: Viareggio, Pisa, Lucca, Venice, Florence, Ovierto, Siena, ... and we always visit Roma!
We are enthralled with the architecture, totally seduced by ancient, classical points of interest, the numerous palazzos, seeing medieval towns, and the many works of art. And, there is still so much more to see... so I'm confident we'll return in the near future.
However, this time, we also spent 2 days in Milano. The Duomo was fascinating, and the shopping was great, but we found the people cold, rude, and unfriendly... unlike other Italian cities or towns... I doubt we'll ever return to Milan.
We've had a couple of unpleasant experience on past visits with gypsies, but there is no excuse for rudeness. So we'll simply never recommend Milano to anyone. Rather, we'll tell folks to the areas we have enjoyed and warn them to be careful of gypsies ... as in any country.
We look forward to our next visit and relish the thought of fine Tuscan cuisine.Sari A.
Dear In Italy,
I just wanted to say thanks for the great site! I am in the midst of tentatively planning a trip to Italy (Amalfi) for next year in July. My best friend is getting married in Sorrento. We will likely do a fly and drive type vacation from Newark, New Jersey airport. Your site gave us a great start with great suggestions. We will be back.
Jeri A.
Dear In Italy,
Our trip couldn’t have been more perfect. (Except for the fact that we missed a whole day in Rome because of flight delays) Our In Italy Shuttle Service was there for us even though we arrived in Rome 12 hours late! Dennis was a wonderful guide and kept my husband and me intrigued with the history of Rome. Elisabetta was the perfect guide for explaining the art and history of Florence. Her energy and passion were captivating. It was as if both tours were designed especially for us…hidden treasures included. (I’ll elaborate more when I have more time.)
The Daniel’s Hotel in Rome was perfect. Great location! We would definitely stay there again! Our room at Villa Fiesole didn’t have a view but it was perfect as well and we loved the view of Florence from the terrace.
Thank you for all of your help in planning our trip.
Karen and Ted B.
Dear In Italy,
I want to simply say thank you for all of your help at Initaly.com . I am currently in Iraq as a combat firefighter and this will be my first vacation from the "sand box" and you have made this vacation very easy to work out. Your customer service should not go unrecognized. If there is something I can do to show others how amazing your staff is please let me know. Please inform the staff at Initaly.com of this email expressing my thanks.
Thanks,
Jason L.
Hi:
I can call myself a real globetrotter (especially in Europe). I must admit that what you are offering and informing about is very professional. Congratulations.
Best regards,
Witold K.
Dear In Italy,
I enjoyed your site as it had what I was looking for. I wanted to see pictures, and read about markets, sites, what roads to take, place to go regarding Calabria. I've searched all day, and FINALLY, got to your site which was very informative. A virtual tour would have been nice too...Thanks! Keep up the good work....
Timina S.
Dear In Italy Online,
We had a great trip and have many wonderful memories. We would like to let you know that the accommodation you booked for us was great, with both the hotel in Venice and the apartment in Florence offering great accommodation and proximity to the sights. The information you provided as to services in the area was also very useful. Thank you for your service.
Michael Dear Jessica, First of all I would like to thank everyone who helped me organise our trip to Italy. We had the most amazing holiday, and everything worked like clockwork. The hotels we chose were excellent, the shuttles to and from the airport were on time, the tour of the Vatican was amazing (our guide confirmed with us the night before), and the car hire was excellent.
We spent four weeks in total in Italy, and found the people so friendly and helpful. We made use of public transport everywhere, except in Tuscany where we needed a car. The weather at times was not the best, but it did not matter to us.
Italy is a truly amazing country and we will definitely be back, and will of course, make all our bookings through initaly.com. We have told all our friends about the wonderful service you offer.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
Pat M.
Jessica:
First of all without "In Italy's" help we would not have had quite the vacation we had! Your suggestions were right on and your input invaluable! We started out in Naples because I lived there from 1955-1958, while my father was in the service. So I had to go back. We walked into our hotel room and I looked out at the bay of Naples and said, "That apartment building right below us is where we lived!" It was amazing. We took two of your tours while there and they were fantastic. Lara and the driver Gennaro took us to the Amalfi Coast for the day. It was a great day and the guide was so informative. The second day we went with Elissa on a walk through Pompeii and the city of Naples. She was even more informative then the first guide. The only bad part was our ride home the first day, the driver said he had a new young wife, at least that's what my Italian caught, and we figured he must have thought he needed to get home quick! He drove like a crazy person on the highway! Most tourists don't go to Naples and I sure don't think they should try to drive there.
We left Naples and caught the train to Firenze. The trains were a wonderful way to travel through Italy. You feel safe and going first class was not expensive and they were much cleaner then otherwise. Florence was also a big dirty, noisy city but full of wonderful things! We had Maurizio for a tour of the Chianti region and he did a great job. I blame him for my husbanding drinking too much vino and sending home cases of wine! Elisabetta knew Florence inside out and gave us a walking tour of the city.
We really enjoyed Chianti Vistas though it was very simply furnished. We got very involved in their grape picking and wine making. It was wonderful. The old signora Luisa at Chianti Vistas gave us a tour of the 500 year old villa. She could speak no English but I was able to understand and translate most of what she told us. The family hasn't lived in the villa for about 50 years but it is still furnished (much of it is original very old furniture) and the bathrooms and kitchen have been updated. It is only occupied by "rich" Americans who rent the whole villa. The location of Chianti Vistas is so nice. It’s very quiet and in the middle of the wine region but not far at all from Florence. The only thing we had a little difficulty with was the checking in and checking out. No one seemed to ever be around, maybe because this is the beginning of the off season. We finally tracked down the owner's wife when we came in and she kindly helped us but we could see she was not used to doing it. When we left we wanted to pay money for two loads of clothes that we had washed but could find no one so we left the money on their doorstep! We got to know the winemakers well! The food in their beautifully decorated restaurant was fantastic.
We then drove over to Cinque Terre and stayed at Villa Cinque Terre. That was the most wonderful hotel! We had a wonderful person, Matteo, who helped us with everything. He spoke very good English and seemed to be around constantly. The bathrooms in that hotel and the best in Italy! We really enjoyed our hikes and the cliffs! The weather was great and the sea was beautiful.
Then we turned in our car and took the train to Venice. We stayed three days there at the Ca' D'Oro hotel and it was fine. It was very difficult to find the hotel as it can be in Venice and things are tucked away into such backwoods spots! We walk all over the place for the whole time. The last morning we left we even got to see a bit of the dueling umbrellas as it was raining. We had a grand time in Murano even though we had been warned about the high pressure glass salesmen, we did not find it true at all!
Our guide in Venice out did all the others. Her name was Elena and she was born and raised in Venice. She could take us everywhere and anywhere and gave us just the right amount of history and detail.
After Venice we took yet another train to Lake Como and really enjoyed a quick trip to Bellagio. I was at Lake Como at Girl Scout Camp many years ago. We then took the train through Switzerland and into Germany.
Never once in three weeks did we have a bad meal. You can go anywhere and get good pasta! The only scary part is the driving. It’s hard to interpret the signs all the time and sometimes things aren't mentioned on some signs. We never had any trouble with anything being stolen but we were always cautious. We did not take good jewelry and watches with us. We kind of over dosed on art at times. There are only so many cathedrals and artworks you can put into a short period of time! As much as anything, we enjoyed being out of the main areas and just walking around little out of the way places. If I can give you more input just let me know.
Carole S.
Dear Kristin and Jessica,
Our trip was truly wonderful... this was my 3rd time there and I now believe that Christmas time is the absolute best time to travel in Italy. We had virtually no waits at any of the museums and churches and there were no crowds. The weather was brisk and a little rainy, but we bundled up and walked everywhere in spite of the cold. I would rather walk in brisk weather than hot and humid weather any day. Everything was beautifully lit and very festive.
The guides you set up for us were all wonderful. Elisabetta in Florence was especially good. She was so outgoing, enthusiastic and involved our 17, 14, and 9 year olds with questions and illustrations. We would definitely recommend her--she is delightful! Her knowledge of history and the arts is extensive and was very helpful in directing us to restaurants, etc.
We also were very fond of the guide provided for the Vatican--Luciana spoke phenomenal English and was excellent in her knowledge of Rome's history, architecture, and art. We asked her dozens of questions and were impressed by her breadth of knowledge as well as her love of the Vatican and its art. She had spent time as a girl in the Vatican--kind of an insider because of a friend's father who worked there--it was fun to hear stories about her experiences. She also took us to the catacombs which were fascinating and rich with history of the early church. She was easy to be with and very flexible when we requested a stop at the Quo Vadis church on the Appian Way.
Peter gave us a tour of the Coliseum and the Forum. He is a Brit who has lived in Rome for 30 years. Again, his knowledge base was incredible--and our children really enjoyed him. He was easy for them to understand and is a magnificent storyteller. He recreated the story of Mark Anthony and Augustus, and Julius Caesar's death. He told stories of what life would have been like for a gladiator and what a spectator would witness at the Coliseum.
In short, the guides made the trip for us. We learned much more than we would have, and we saved valuable time because they could navigate us through the ticket process and the high points of the museums and historical sites. Plus, it is always fun to get to know someone who lives in the country you are visiting.
As for the accommodations, the Hotel Abazzia in Venice was perfectly charming. A convent converted to a hotel, it was clean, the bathrooms were modern and done in marble, the breakfast was good, and the gentleman at the reception, Mateo, was so friendly and outgoing and helpful. We even were awoken each morning by the church bells next door which was delightful. And it is a 2 minute walk form the train station which is a definite asset in Venice!
The Hotel Antico Palazzo di di Roma was huge disappointment. I think you should strongly consider removing it from your website and wished I had stayed with my original reservations at a different hotel. Both of our bathrooms had mold in the walls that was visible--in our room the plaster wall above the bath was literally covered and the rooms smelled of mold. The hotel was full so we couldn't be moved. We all left Rome with sinus infections which I am sure were a partial result of the mold. The breakfast on Christmas morning was depressing. There were no clean tables to sit at--all were piled with dishes and trash. They ran out of food (every morning in spite of reassurances from the front desk that "they would talk with them about it") and on Christmas morning they had 1 person working in spite of the fact that the hotel was full. My 9 year old daughter was already sad about not being at home on Christmas morning and the dreary reception we got didn't help matters. The first night we needed extra sheets for the bed because they weren't made properly for the 3 children and the desk attendant said we would have to wait until the next day because he didn't have keys to the linen area. They didn't leave enough towels for our 3 children and we had to ask numerous times before they actually gave them to us. The only redeeming factor was it was across the street from Santa Maria Maggiore making it possible for us to attend midnight mass there on Christmas Eve.
Well, I think that is all....thank you for all of the help you gave us with our trip planning. It will be trip we will cherish together as a family and we appreciated your facilitating so much of it for us.
Yours sincerely,
Liz H.
Just a note to let you know we used your site to make three reservations when in Italy. One was for a full day tour of Rome, one for tickets to the accademia in Florence and one for an airport transfer in Florence. Thank goodness we booked these through you. Your services were reliable and made our trip more enjoyable knowing we would be picked up and wouldn't have to stand in lines for admission to museums etc. Thank you and we will use your services again. You do what you say you will.
We recently used your airport shuttle service, agriturismo booking service and car rental. All were excellent. The shuttle service was exactly as advertised, and although the driver spoke almost no English, he was very pleasant and did his best to communicate with us through our limited Italian and his limited English.
The car rental was handled smoothly and the car was exactly what we needed.
Palazzo Bandino was excellent. We enjoyed our stay immensely. The apartment was spacious and well furnished and the staff was wonderful. We particularly enjoyed the cooking class--great fun and delicious results. Dinners at the Palazzo were uniformly outstanding and the first day wine tasting was delightful. I highly recommend the Palazzo to other visitors
In Italy is an excellent service and if I get another chance to go to Italy I will certainly use it.
Lucy W.
Dear In Italy,
I just wanted to say thanks very much for all your help in arranging the tours and hotel transfers from Rome. My wife and I have been to Italy so many times, but this time was a bit different. All the services we booked through you were extremely helpful and made our trip much more enjoyable.
The private van pick up we booked through you was very good. The driver was incredible. On the way from the airport in Rome to our hotel, he gave us an abbreviated car ride through Rome, pointing out the great monuments and landmarks. As I mentioned earlier, my wife and I have been to Italy so many times, and will continue to do so, however, we had both our mothers with us, therefore, this was a little special. They had never been there before. Our driver and the service worked out well. He was a little late, due to traffic, so he wanted to make it up to us by showing us around a little.
Our private escorted tour of the Vatican and Rome with our own driver was incredible. Our guide’s name was Peter. He has been in Rome for about 20 years, so needless to say, he knew every corner of the city. He took us to a great trattoria for lunch, and then resumed our escorted tour. His car was spacious and well equipped. I would recommend him and his group in a heart beat.
Finally, our three-hour walking tour of Naples was fantastic! I recommend this tour to any traveller interested in seeing Naples. After seeing Naples, my mom commented, that there would be no Italy without Napoli. It was an adventure to say the least. Naples is fantastic and so over criticized!!! Our two guides, Gennaro and Andrea, were prompt, courteous and typically Neapolitan. They were proud of their city, and, quite frankly, I don't blame them.
Again, I thank you all at In Italy Online, and will definitely take advantage of your services in the near future.
Sincerely,
Peter R.
Dear In Italy,
We could not have been happier with the villas or hotels that were booked for this trip. In every location, the desk managers were very helpful, spoke excellent English, and were extremely helpful in directing us toward our visit's goals. They were all very nice people. Each location was uniquely different, excellent service, very clean, and all had a delightful environment.
Your service is the best. I don't think we could have gotten the charm and value by using a travel agent. We will tell all our friends.
One suggestion: more detailed maps with the written directions.
Thanks again for making this a great trip!!David
Thank you for providing such terrific information for us who cant afford $300/night hotels. Ive searched many internet sites and even Fodors and Frommers, with their budget minded proclamations, insist on publishing hotels that are $165 as budget options. Its getting more and more difficult to find affordable rooms on the internet, the big companies are somehow squeezing out the lower priced competition. The information contained in your site is so realistic and in tune with my style of travel. I really appreciate it and will direct my travel dollars toward you whenever I can use your services. And my friends.
Lynette F.
Kristin,
You are amazing!!!!
Caravaggio show - spiritual, mystical, and profane - working on a piece: "Untitled 27" The juxtaposition of Rothko and Caravvagio
Carmela at the Tramonto D’Oro, her mother, Mauro the driver from Positano what a crew and what a place. Hiked from Priano to Positano in the hills, then lunched on the beach at le Tre Sorrello's - simply magic. No tourist!!! All locals - now thats heaven.
Micheal was a real treat! The only guide who requires an examination at the end of his tour. We spoke of you - were your ears burning?
Ricardo, very nice but a bit more for the basic viewer - we spent alot of time going over elementry history of the Sistine while freezing in the Vatican square. I didn't have the heart to interupt and ask to move on. Would have preferred to spend more time with the art work than poster boards. He meant well.
Marcello at the Ponte Sisto wins first prize for crazy reservations connections and overall great guy.
As you knew - trip far too short - I wasn't thinking! I was focused on getting to the show - which they extended to the 6th of February due to the popularity - next time, one month - remind me.
Thank you again!
James J.
Dear In Italy,
JUST LIKE TO SAY WHAT A FANTASTIC WEBSITE. I have trawled the net looking for information on Italy, then found your site. Who needs another site with this one. FANTASTIC.
Dear In Italy,
I am just starting to plan the first trip that my husband and I will take to Italy. I found your website via the web. Yours will the ONLY site I use to plan ahead. Thank you so much for help the foreigners to not feel so stupid and to help us find the local Italy that we want to truly see.
Thanks!
Cindy J
Dear In Italy,
Thank you for such a website! I have used it since 1999 - my husband's and my first trip to Italy -- we have visited every year since then! It is so rich and there is always something new.
Regards,
Janet M.
Dear Initaly Team,
Just to let you know that your website is the best on Italy we have ever seen. Thanks to Initaly.com we have found treasures like Sabbioneta which otherwise would have remained unknown to us. Your website is so beautiful and so well and regularly updated, that it gives both my husband and myself immense pleasure. I advise everyone to go and visit it, and, when feeling a bit low, to get uplifted by it. The articles are also so well written, that we archive some of them, like Roberta's monthly reports. When did Roberta start with her reports? And are the "old" ones still retrievable?
Best wishes for continuous success!
Ellen and Wouter G.
Dear In Italy,
Bob and I want to thank all of the staff who help us book our hotels and Vatican tour!!!
Each and every hotel was a wonderful experience...and each one was totally different as we had hoped.
In addition, we were extremely pleased with the personal tour of the Vatican. Our guide, Erica, was both delightful and most knowledgeable. She made the experience one which we will remember for a lifetime.
Thanks, once again, to all at "In Italy Online". There was not one "hitch" in our bookings through your service.
Sincerely,
Mary S.
Dear In Italy,
Just quickly. IT WAS PERFECT...ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. And I will be happy
to give you all the details....I will write when I have more time and I'm not jet lagged!
Stephanie P.
Dear In Italy,
I just want to let you know how much I enjoy and appreciate this great site. I have many friends in italy and sometimes through this site I have given them some tips of things to do or to remember so we can do things when I am in italy.
Talking about holidays..... I had many of my friends over visiting Holland this year and it was really remarkable that half the Italian population seemed to be here on holiday. We could hear Italian spoken in the smallest villages.
Thank you again and am already looking forward to the next newsletter.Patrice G, Alkmaar, Holland
Hello!
I just wanted to email you quickly and tell you that your site is FANTASTIC for anyone looking at travelling to Italy! My husband and I are in love with Italy, from Australia, although we have never been, and are hoping one day soon to get there!
Your website is so informative and the pictures are just fantastic! Well done! Thank you from the many travellers that adore Italy!
Zoe
Dear Kristin:
First, let me apologize for taking so long to get back to you. How was the trip? Let me give you an unusual evaluation.
I'm not sure if you are aware that I made an Excel spreadsheet Day Itinerary/Schedule starting with leaving Atlanta on day 1 and ending with returning to Atlanta on day 11. The schedule listed both B&Bs names, addresses, and phone numbers as well as each days guided tour and the name and phone number of the tour agency. I listed, at the bottom of the schedule, your name, address, phone number and web site. (I also listed the same information Flight Specialist, whose toll free number in the US is 800-221-4551.) We have given copies of this Itinerary/Schedule to at least 2 people who are planning independent tours to Italy, and have given your name and web address to many others. Most of the people that we talked with about our trip were amazed that we could do all of our planning and reservations through you. We couldn't brag on y'all enough. So, if you are getting any inquires from Monroe, Loganville, or other "near" Atlanta towns, Glynda and I are happy to have spread the word.
Around the corner is Zio (Uncle) GiGi's, (I hope my spelling is correct) a local restaurant that became our favorite. It was recommended by our host and he was right on the money. Another good thing about Casa Fiorentina is its location. We had time, after we returned from our day trips, to explore Florence for 2 to 3 hours then return to the room for a rest before going out to dinner. And we had our choices on where and how far to walk, close like to GiGi's, or a longer walk to IL Latini (spelling). The in-room high speed Internet connection was also great. It was nice to not have to depend on CNN for their interpretation (left slant) of the news. Through AOL I could also keep up with the Braves.
I can't begin to say enough about our Tuscany day trips and the guides. First, somehow I lucked into the best order for us. Lucca & Pisa on the first day with Julianna was wonderful. (By the way, did you know everything was invented in Florence. We didn't, but thanks to Julianna now we do. Well, maybe not everything, but the credit card for sure.) Ricardo has to be our favorite guide for Tuscany. The highlight for me was the tour to Chianti. The American cemetery and its memorials was an unbelievable start, the Greve Saturday market and the butchers shop are things I think you don't normally get to do on a standard tour. The wine and olive shop in the cave, the winery (and meeting David the owner, a real character), and stopping at some little village on the way back combined to make the day complete. On Sunday we got to see David and then a combined car/walking tour of Florence. (And Riccardo's helping us get our train tickets to Venice and also arranging for a water taxi for us is just a small part of his professionalism).
Our driver for Siena & San Gimignano was Maurizio who entertained us with B B King blues on the way down and "Who Shot the Sheriff" on the way back. The local guide in Siena was especially informative about the race. (She's a Shell, but now lives in the Porcupine district). Again, I don't think we would have learned near all of the things with just a standard guide (the blessing of the horses, all the different districts, the world's oldest bank, and some of the more obscure things about the cathedral). San Gimignano is a neat place. I think Maurizio was glad my son-in-law and I survived the climb to the top of the tower. (Not too tough for Paul, as it was when he climbed the Duomo tower in Florence, but that was my first and last tower climb.) Also, if we had $4,000 and a place to put it, we would have an outside porcelain sink of flowers and a rooster.
Montepulciano proved that at 68 I could still walk up a 45 degree hill (providing there's a wine shop at the top). What a neat town. And our driver was just as neat. Ewen, a Scot who came to Florence for 5 months, met a local girl, and 5 years later is our guide. (I wasn't worried about being able to understand Italians speaking English, but I was worried about the Scot speaking English. But no problem.) A little wine tasting, purchasing a few bottles and its on to Pienza. The one thing that surprised me about Tuscany is all the different topography. Pienza is as different form Lucca as Florence is from Pisa. I really enjoyed the trip from Pienza with its flatter rolling terrain back to Florence with its wooded hills. And then there's Chianti and Siena with their (to me) typical countryside.
The Eurostar to Venice was great trip. First train for the kids. And, you have had to travel a Eurostar to really know what it's like.
I can't begin to tell you how much we enjoyed Venice with Castello B&B. Venice started with a little problem, but that was not really a problem at all. Our first night's 2 double rooms were actually a room and a half for the kids and a half room for us. Then Nicolas moved us to a regular room the next night, but he let the kids stay in the one they had. Nicolas is great. We got to visit with him each morning and then 2 afternoons. He told us how he and his wife started the remolding 10 years ago with the finishing the first room to rent 7 years ago. What a great place to stay. (And like Riccardo, he arranged for a water taxi for our trip to the airport.)
Anyone who goes to Venice and doesn't get Elena for their tours is missing out. All 3 of her tours surpassed anything we had expected (even after our Tuscany tours). All of the places she took us (walking and boat), all the neat little things she pointed out, all of the interesting things she told us made the 3 days of Venice a lasting memory.
(It's hard to choose between Elena & Ricardo as the best tour guide, especially since it's 2 different types of tours in 2 different locations, but Elena wins out on the basis she took us to 2 wine bars, whereas Ricardo only took us to 1 winery.)
I wish that was the end of the trip report, but it's not. I got pickpocketed on Friday night. I'm tired. It's been a long day walking all over Venice. We went back down to the waterfront, and I'm acting like I'm in a Kroger's in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Just plain stupid. But we didn't let it spoil the trip. Thanks to the laptop at the B&B, I was able to get an Italy 800 phone number for VISA and was able to cancel all the cards before there was any use (although they tried unsuccessfully to use an ATM). So live & learn. They got some of our money, but none of our happiness. Next trip to anywhere, hopefully, I will be a lot smarter.
So here's your trip report. Probably a little more than you expected, but I'm also using this as somewhat of a travel journal.
I would be glad to share with anyone about our trip and your services, and the professionalism of your selected tour guides. Never once did we feel pressured to "hurry up" or that we were being "shopped" (the shops we did go to were either ones we selected or ones that were great suggestions). I especially appreciate the flexibility the guides exercised. Always the question was, "is there something else you would like to see or do". I would hope anyone else who is considering a trip to Italy could have as great a time as we did.
And now a question for you. Are there any sites like yours for other countries (i.e., InFrance, InSpain,etc.)?Armond H.
Hi,
I just had to write you guys, because I am impressed with how you write your web page. Very professional. Very clear and understandable. Up front yet attractive-- by that I mean you mention that it's a noisy part of town, but the rooms don't face the noise. So, you're not hiding anything from the tourist, yet you are providing the remedy at the same time.
Listing the advantages and disadvantages. What a novel concept. I just had to write and say I like your web pages. It makes me feel comfortable choosing you, if I had to stay in your area. Location in relation to Train and Air is important to me. Just knowing where your accommodations are in relation to landmarks. If one is from outside the area those small things become important. Also, I saw your map at http://www.initaly.com/itmaps/cinqtmap.htm. It's the best one I've run into in my exploration of Liguria by Internet. The small towns are highlighted. Why can't they all be like you? I've been exploring web pages for 2 weeks. The pictures of the rooms help. Just knowing what I, as a tourist, would be running into. The Features, the Facilities-- having it spelled out. What rates to expect without having to contact the busy receptionist. All my questions are being answered. I'm definitely bookmarking your pages and will come back should I have plans for accommodation in Italy. You should list your webmaster or copy writer for publicity. S/He is very good.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
K. T.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL WEBSITE. I
THROUGHLY ENJOYED EVERY PAGE. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE, WORKING FULL TIME AND LIVING IN A SMALL APT IN THE BRONX, NY. MY LIFE LONG DREAM HAS BEEN TO SOMEDAY VISIT OR BETTER YET, LIVE IN ITALY. YOUR WEBSITE WAS ENJOYABLE AS WELL AS INFORMATIVE. MAYBE SOME DAY I WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE ITALY PERSONALLY. THANKS AGAIN FOR TAKING ME OUT OF MY OFFICE FOR JUST A MOMENT.REGARDS,
MARIA
Dear julie...
Our trip to italy was FANTASTIC..i will send you an in depth summary of our trip as soon as i get some time..you and your company are among the very best agencies i have ever had the pleasure of dealing with...thank you so much for making our trip a wonderful experience...
Gene c.
Hi,
I used your site for my geography homework. It is one of the most helpfull sites i've seen for homework. I needed to create a holiday in europe and i found your site about italy. It gives so much information about each place in italy. Thank you. The pictures are great also. It has cut my time doing my homework down considerably.
Sam
P.S. (thank you for not putting pop ups in your site. They drive me crazy)
HI Jessica:
Sorry it took so long to respond, it's been very hectic since we got home.
Hotel La Rovere: Great location, lovely people, but spartan rooms. Expensive for the minimalist accommodations.
Agropoli: Beautiful place, great food and Luigi & staff were very accommodating. We'd return to this location.
Piazza Armerina/Baglio: Gorgeous, but very remote. They are installing screens on the windows-a needed addition in farm country. Those flies are big! It's a lovely spot to just stay and will be fantastic once it's finished. The pool was filling up when we left. But Sicily is much harder to get around in than we anticipated.
Dennis & Stefano were wonderful guides. Visiting the Vatican with Marta just made us want to go back. Booking those tours was the best planning we did. We really loved Rome.
As a travel hint: I'd recommend to anyone who is flying from Catania to Rome to go a day early. Getting our bags in Rome took 2 hours and we almost missed our flight home. We made it only because it was delayed.
Kate R.
PS--we can't wait to go back.
Dear In Italy,
I just wanted to say "thank you" for your web site. I have been on it for an hour now, and as we are planning a trip to Italy end of September. I have gained more insight and knowledge from your web site, than any book I have rented or bought and video I have seen.
Helen B.
Dear In Italy,
Bottom line was that the arrangements were impeccable. Cars, hotels were all ready and available. Great work.
One by one:
Abbazia in Venice was charming, small, and quiet. The desk folks were very friendly and helpful. Breakfast was great. Nice location for us as we got off the train and had a 5 minute walk.
Castello de Petroia in Umbria was very unique....staying in a castle, eating with the owners, meeting other travelers. Food was great and plentiful. Castle was very quiet and comfortable.
Leopoldo.... a wonderful surprise in Tuscany. Big room, nice shower, great views on the terrace for breakfast, wonderful beds,quiet, terrific location to see Siena, San Gimignano, others. Very nice people throughout the hotel.
Milan Hotel....very nice and quiet. No restaurant within walking distance so we got a bottle of wine and caprese and made the best of it. Beds were excellent. Nice way to get started on the trip home.
Overall rating would be a 9 on the scale of 1 to 10. We experimented with non-chain hotels and made the experience more rewarding because we did. Now, about driving in Rome.......
Ron H.
I was sorry to see your excellent page spoiled by the US dialect spelling of 'traveler' and 'travelling'. As an international translator (UN and EU etc) I am taking the liberty of pointing out that double 'll' is the standard international English spelling (as is 'theatre', 'centre' , 'colour', 'labour' etc), and that the United States dialect tends to be offputting for people from every other English-speaking countries except the US (and to a lesser degree Canada).
Only the World Bank and IMF (being US-run) use these spellings. All other international organizations ban US spelling.
Otherwise your service is excellent.
Kindest regards
David G.
Dear In Italy,
The trains made travel very easy and we used them for travel between all cities, using the car only during our stay at the castle. I did the numbers beore going and found it less expensive to buy tickets as we went along than to buy passes. There is no reason to travel first class. Second class seats are very comfortable. When possible we reserved seats, not knowing how crowded a particular train might be. Italian trains run on time and leave on time.
We found it easy to use metro in Milan, Florence and Rome so we didn't try busses.
By limiting our trip to five destinations in three weeks we were able to settle in a little. Only in Milan did we stay one night at each end of the trip. Our itinerary took us Milan - Venice-Florence-Umbrian countryside-Rome-Varenna (Lake Como)-Milan. We limited our "must-see" list and stopped when we were tired.
Food was excellent throughout. We sought out small restaurants on side streets when we could, very often family run and always friendly. Because small tables are close together, we were almost always able to have conversations with others over meals. Our Italian was extremely limited, but almost everyone spoke at least a little English and wanted to be helpful.
We experienced absolutely no anti-American feeling. I recommend that everyone who dreams of going to Italy should do it.
Thank you for your help.
Susie and Bill O.
Kristin;
Thank you once again. Your service is just incredible. I'm a therapist and many of my friends travel alot. I will pass on your name and brag about the service at initaly.com. Jack and I are off Monday morning. I only pray that all goes without incident and we don't need to call you for help. But, I really think we will get lost alot in the car. It won't be the first time, I've been lost even here in the Reno area at times. I downloaded many of your sites for "light reading on the plane". We are packed and ready to go!
Much appreciation,
Grazie!!
Geri and Jack
Dear In Italy,
I just felt compelled to let you know how much you made my trip to Italy simple. As this trip was the first overseas for me and my husband, we were a little apprehensive. Through your website, we were able to book accommodations that were outstanding with no trouble! We were also able to find out so many ideas for things to do in Italy, we were delighted!
I just felt like I should let you know that we appreciated you and your website!
Shelley C.
Dear In Italy,
I just wanted to pass along a few comments about our first experience with In Italy. Initially, Gayle and I had planned to just rent a car and go with no set itinerary. Then a friend told us about their wonderful stay at the Villa Belvedere in Tuscany. We took a chance and booked our entire trip with In Italy. I'm always a little squeamish about doing things over the internet (but, so far have had great success). We arrived in Milan, and checked in with Europcar for the car we had reserved through Auto Europe. They were out of the intermediate sedans we had requested, but were given an "upgrade" of sorts to a Nissan mini-van. Turned out to be great (though something a little smaller might have been nice driving the Amalfi coast). Then, off to Siestri Levante and the Hotel Villa Balbi. Despite being nearly delirious from our flight and subsequent drive, we found the hotel with little problem. It was such a delight to settle in to such a nice place after so long a trip! And, after I mentioned that the airline had lost my bag, they immediately called to confirm that it would be delivered to the hotel (it finally arrived late the next day). Great service, and such a nice base of operations for exploring the Cinque Terre and Portofino.
To sum up, we could not be more happy with our decision to book our trip with In Italy. Every reservation went without a hitch, each hotel was just as advertised (or better), and the In Italy staff was very helpful and accommodating throughout the process. All in all, it turned out to be one of those magical trips where everything seemed to work out perfectly, much to In Italy's credit. Of course, these were not economy accommodations. I'm sure you could stay at much cheaper spots, but there is something comforting about knowing where you will be staying each night and that you can be confident it will be a nice place. I would not hesitate to recommend In Italy to anyone planning a trip to Italy (in fact, I already have!).
Thanks!
David B.
Dear In Italy,
This is the second time I have used the services of In Italy and I know I sound like an advertisement but my wife and I have been more than pleased with everything that we have done with them. When, not if, we go back we will use their services again. Back to the real world for another year.
Alfred C. Y.
Kirill,
I just got back from Italy, and I wanted to compliment you/your office on how well the pre-confirmed reservations were for both the Uffizi and Accademia. We walked in, they punched the number into their computer, and handed us our tickets. WOW! We were so impressed on how well it worked. No long lines or hours of waiting. Thanks so much! I will recommend your service to everyone I know who is traveling to Italy.
Ciao,
Marcia K.
Dear Jessica,
We had a fantastic trip to Italy. Everything we planned through In Italy was executed with perfection. In addition good luck was with us and the weather was outstanding -sunny and mid-70's every day except one where we had a light rain in the A.M. We also avoided the transportation strikes.
Let me first recount the events as they occurred, and then I'll come back and give you specifics about our accommodations. On flight from the US arrived a little early, and as we exited customs our driver, that you provided, was standing there with a sign with our name on it. Given we had had a long trip from Colorado, it was nice to get off to a good start.
We arrived at Cappellette di San Luigi about 9:30 AM not expecting to check-in, but hoping they would hold our bags while we began exploring. To our surprise, they were able to check us in, which gave us a chance to relax in our room and change clothes before venturing out.
That evening when we returned to the hotel from dinner, there was a message from our Vatican guide confirming what time we would be picked up the next day. She arrived early the next day and it was great being driven to the museum and walking straight in. Our tour of the museums was great, but either our memories were bad or more of the museum has been opened, since we were last there 30 years ago. We couldn't see everything in the 3 hour tour, so I'd recommend the 5 hour tour to people who are really interested in art. After the tour, we were dropped off at the Borghese gallery as planned. There, we went straight to the box office, where our tickets were already set aside in a separate envelope. We would list the Borghese as a must see place in Rome. The restoration work was fabulous and the art (especially the statue of Apollo and Daphne by Bernini) was spectacular.
The second evening we talked with Elisa about our trip to Pompeii and our pickup at the Naples train station. Speaking of the train, as I said before we left, booking through RailEurope is the only way to go, and using their 800 line in the US is the best way to make sure you get exactly what you want. We had read some horror stories from people on your message board about their experiences with traveling by rail. I can only imagine that the problems were caused by them. We found the Italian rail system to be easy to understand, on time, and (by taking EuroStar trains) very comfortable.
Our guide for Pompeii was Michela. She and our driver who had arrived at the rail station separately, were both standing on the platform with signs with our name on them. We found Michela to be very knowledgeable about both Pompeii and Naples. This was our morning with rain, but we all had umbrellas and managed well. Our tour of Naples went well despite a big demonstration by unemployed workers right near the Archaeological Museum. Because of the demonstration, the museum was closed - this was the only thing on the entire tour that we missed. You can tell Kristin that we found getting in and out of the Naples Mergellina station was a piece of cake as she recommended.
Checking out of Cappellette di San Luigi went smoothly with no issues over the remaining amount due. Next came the rental car. The combination of leaving on Saturday morning along with Kristin having set us up to pickup our car from the location the furthest north in Rome, made our exit from the city to the A-1 very easy. Since I haven't driven stick shift in 10 years, it was nice to have my readjustment time occur while on an express road and then in the countryside south of Siena where the traffic was light. By the time I finished the week, I loved driving in Tuscany and can't wait to do it again.
We arrived at our villa about 6 PM, and Sergio was there to greet us and show us around. I'll give you the villa specifics in a minute. Our last items booked through In Italy were the Gallerias dell'Accademia and degli Uffizi in Florence. When we arrived Sunday for our reserved time at Accademia it was closed due to a staff strike which lasted through Monday. Our next day in Florence was Tuesday. We had a 4 PM reservation at Uffizi that day, so we went to Accademia first to see what they would do for us due to the strike. When we arrived, there were two huge lines - one said reservations and the other tickets. We walked to the front of the lines where a man was monitoring things at the door. We showed him our voucher for Sunday, and he ushered us into the ticket booth area where they gave us tickets for immediate entry. Our entrance to Uffizi was just as smooth in the afternoon.
We are extremely pleased with everything we booked through you, and would highly recommend In Italy to all of our traveling friends. Next year we are thinking about traveling to France, so if you've heard of an In France sort of equivalent of In Italy let us know. Actually, even if we do go to France, we will probable drive to Northern Italy for part of the trip. We want to visit Lake Como and Turin. Turin primarily because it has one of the best Egyptian museums in Europe, and we are into Egypt in a big way.
Please thank Kristin for us, for all of her help.
Until next time.
Ciao,
Bob N.