July 29, 2016

Family City Tour

This family of 6, with young adult children, wanted to explore Florence and Rome after traveling in Switzerland. We helped arrange their train tickets, accommodations and tours. 





Kathy, 

We had a wonderful time.  All the accommodations were superb, the three tour guides were awesome and we had a great time.

One of the things our group enjoyed doing best in Italy was eating! We did not have a bad meal anywhere. 

You rock,  I would highly recommend you and your company to anyone.  All your suggestions, train tickets, the accommodations and the guides you set up for us were spot on. 

Thanks again,
Tom & Tia - California, USA



July 13, 2016

Group Trip to Tuscany

Hi Kathy,

I just wanted to touch base with you to Thank You, and to let you how incredibly pleased we were with all the arrangements you made for our group of 12!!!  We had an amazing time in Chianti, and much of it had to do with all the planning you did for us!!!  We’ve been to Tuscany a few times before and we know our requests can be a little demanding…  I knew when I asked you to find a perfect Villa on a large rural estate with outstanding views and a full time chef, and stay within my budget, it would be a challenge…  I have to tell you, you blew me away!!! WOW, the Villa you reserved for us far exceeded our expectations!!!  It was wonderful in every facet…  The setting was bucolic, and the staff was so very friendly… 


The chef was amazing, and the menu that you prepared for us was perfect!!!  When we awoke in the mornings, she had wonderful breakfast buffets laid out with coffee, juices teas, fresh fruits, melon, berries, toasts, eggs, meats, cheeses, granolas & yogurts… It was so nice to have breakfast on that lovely terrace and watch the sunrise with views of the vineyards and olive orchards!!!   


And after a long day of of touring and sight-seeing, to come back to the Villa and go swimming in that amazing  pool,  and then have all those authentic dinners prepared for us… well what can I say;  it was truly magical!!! 

The musical duet that you hired for our party on the terrace was outstanding!!!  And the BBQ and Pizza parties were truly a hit with our group…  

Thank you so much for all the detailed planning… You went above and beyond, and I truly appreciate all of your hard work…  I am grateful for everything that you’ve done for us, and as you already know, we’ll be back next year for another great adventure!!! 

Sincerely,
Tommy H. -  Pennsylvania, USA


July 12, 2016

A Villa Vacation with Friends

A group of 9 friends traveling through Italy requested a nice villa, close to a charming town, within easy reach of southern Tuscany and Umbria. Clearly, Cortona was the perfect place! 
We suggested a lovely property that fit the description and are happy to know they really liked it. 


Hello Kathy,

The Villa in Cortona was the highlight of our trip to Italy! The bedrooms were perfect for our group. The owner was friendly and always helpful. We made good use of the pool and barbecue and found the little grocery store down the hill very adequate.  

I too would highly recommend the Villa to any of your clients. 

Thanks!
Bill A. - Washington, USA
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Hi Kathy,

We feel the same way.  Staying at a villa in France or Italy had been high on our "bucket list" for some time, and it fully lived up and even exceeded our expectations. The owner was great, the villa comfortable and well equipped, the views and property were beautiful, and the pool was great.  We really enjoyed our hikes to Cortona, and enjoyed the town itself.  The property worked well for family and friends to spread out, but also come together in spaces that were perfect for partying together.  
Thanks for steering us to this and for making our arrangements. 

John and Heather B.
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Hi Kathy,

Val and I have now stayed at two villas you suggested and I wanted to say first of all that we loved both properties.

The historicalness of the building at the Villa in Cortona was very interesting. It felt like it dated from several centuries before yet still had the necessary modern conveniences.  I liked the fact that we could walk along a “nature” walk from the Villa to Cortona - admittedly the walk is a good 35 minutes for someone who is reasonably fit.

And Cortona is a city that you could go into on multiple days; we actually did the walk to Cortona on 3 different days. I also liked the fact that Cortona did not feel overly touristy. I also liked the fact that driving to the Montepulciano region felt very close. 

Even though the property has several villas, it is set up so that there are separate pools for each set of guests. The pool that we had access too was great and had just the right amount of shade around it as well.

Very much liked being able to have direct contact with the owners - they gave us a great recommendation for a pizza place that we would never have found if not for their mentioning this place (they do amazing long rectangle takeaway pizza). They also presented us with a bottle of gin that they make which was wonderful.

Finally, there was an incredible store for provisions with an excellent in-house butcher just down the road from the Villa that sold outstanding wine/fresh meat and a great selection of groceries and veg at very reasonable prices.

Thanks again for your help.  Have a wonderful summer season!

John and Vally A. - London, UK
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Hi Kathy,

Our family thoroughly enjoyed our time at the villa.  Cortona was a good walk but not over taxing and the surrounding sites were close enough.  

Thank you,
Peter and Carol L.



Large Family Vacation

This large multi-generational family (15 people, from 6 months to 65+) from the US came to Florence for a relative's wedding and requested a few days of activities for the whole group before heading to Venice. We arranged their tours and excursions (including an exclusive private visit and lunch at a stunning castle winery in Chianti), as well as their transportation to Venice. 

Hello Kathy,

I hope you are well! Thank you so much for arranging such wonderful excursions for us. Here is my feedback for the various parts! Overall we are so grateful for your suggestions and enjoyed our trip.

We enjoyed our tours in Florence. We had a wonderful experience at the Uffizi. The guide was very laid back and had a lot of knowledge to give us. He kept the kids entertained and they lasted the whole time!

The drivers were great and helpful. They made the experience easy and simple. Would definitely be happy to have them drive us again! We did not have any issues and the day went smoothly.

The winery was spectacular. The entire experience from the tour, the guide, the lunch, the gorgeous scenery, and the wine was amazing.

We really enjoyed the authentic nature of the winery and the private feel. We were able to spend time as a family and take our time to experience each part. We truly appreciate your recommendation! We will be enjoying the wine we ordered for some time. It just arrived!

Thank you for the wonderful recommendations and for all your help. I will most definitely pass along your information to any friends who will be traveling to Florence.

Take care and I will be in touch next time we are headed your way.

Sri L. - Milwaukee, WI