Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

We did three cities in Italy in just over a week with at least one structured guided tour in each stop. All of our tours were informative and interesting to us. I think our Venice tour surprised me the most. I enjoyed Venice but after walking around and sampling foods with our guide, I really appreciated how much of a low-key place Venice really is and our guide Gianni was accommodating and so easy to interact with.

As our specialist, Melanie, did a fantastic job keeping in touch as needed and also helping to make adjustments on the fly as plans can and will change. During our planning I hadn't thought too hard on what I call the spaces in between - getting to and from public transportation to our hotel and where to meet our guides. Melanie had all of that taken care of it made a world of difference in how relaxed I could be to enjoy the sites, sounds, and experiences without worrying about logistics and our next steps. We were able to BE in Italy and not just whirl winding from one thing to the next. I would absolutely do something like this again and if we make it to Italy again, hopefully Melanie can sort us out then too.

Hotel Review

Hotel Olimpia

Venice

The staff were lovely. We felt so welcomed. We had a mini-suite which was awesome for keeping luggage out of our way and a space we could move without feeling too cramped in smaller rooms (which is understandable in such an old city with limited expansion options). I LOVED the exterior shutters as a great insulator against noise and light as we came to terms with jet lag. The hotel's location was great for us. It's on a quiet canal, just off some busier streets and areas so we didn't feel like we were in the thick of things, but everything was accessible.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The cleanliness was great. The shower is a little small if you're bigger or taller, but not unreasonable.

Activity Reviews

Walking tour to discover the best of Venice with "Cicchetti " experience

Venice

Our guide asked us what we had seen already, which I appreciated. He was able to make some adjustments on the fly and get us out the busier, touristy areas to see more of the quiet side streets and canals, but still lots of historical information and a chance to sample some local fare. It felt more of a behind the scenes tour and a more intimate sharing of Venice.

Quality of Experience

Our tour was a conversation, not just a lecture.

Amarone Wine Tour

Verona

Our driver/guide was so welcoming and kind. He did a great job of herding all 8 of us to two different wineries and letting us get to know each other. He was upfront with what he knew and what he didn't and was happy to try and get the information if possible. I felt appreciated.

Quality of Experience

I just felt appreciated and not just a tourist.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Conversation, not just lectures.

Transport

It was actually nice to drive outside the city for a bit and the van was comfortable and clean.

Just returned from the Most Amazing Trip across Italy!

Sonia, John and I want to Thank You for putting such an Amazing trip together for us! Your communication and responsiveness are Outstanding! We are totally exhausted but are both smiling from the inside out! Barbara, our boots on the ground concierge, was fabulous! Each hotel was perfectly located and each had something special to offer! The drivers were punctual and courteous. And the tours, and their guides were Amazing! Our guide in Radda in Chianti, Francesco, was awesome! He rolled with the punches and made our day! It was great that he was also our traveling companions driver for their wine tour the following day. Also, it was great having the same driver for almost all events in Sorrento! Luigi helped make our entire visit to the area very special! We want you to know that the day we spent at the lemon farm/pizza making place was so worth it! The family run business, the people and the cheese! Bellissimo!
And, although I really had no desire to visit Rome, John did, and so it was…. For this I am grateful! What a spectacular place! Our city guide, Marina, was lovely! She has a true passion for her city! And our colosseum guide, Dennis, was equally as passionate for the history he shared with us! He actually made the gruesomeness of the history kind of fun! If thats possible 🙃… We highly recommend them both!

Glad to be home, but so happy to have shared a little bit of your beautiful country! Thank you for all of your time and effort! And especially your patience! We wish you well and will definitely recommend your services without hesitation!

Best and Warm Regards,
Barbara and John Salisbury
Salem, NY, USA

This is our second trip with Kimkim and after a wonderful trip to Ireland last summer, they did not disappoint this time around as we headed to Italy, it was wonderful once again!
The planning ahead of the trip was very detailed and took a couple of meetings, but our specialist listened very closely to what we had in mind and put together a wonderful itinerary.
In terms of execution of our plan, the travel team was extremely thorough and conscientious and engaged, easy to contact and their attention to detail was so impressive.
During our trip, we had to change plans because of weather, but our travel team as well as our local guide were on top of it and very flexible. We were able to adjust our plans to the weather with some wonderful alternative activities.
Another great experience with Kimkim and their local specialists and we plan to use them again !

We had the most amazing time - all carefully and thoughtfullyborchestrated by Erini. Even when we had a question about transportation, that texts to Jessica were always answered quickly. Thank you! Our guide, Anna, in Cortina was perfect. She gets rave reviews from us. We wished we had a second day with her, but her father passed away. So very sad - please send our condolences. Our second guide was a friend of Anna, and took us to the most beautiful hiking spot - a breathtaking waterfall - and then on to a locals spit for lunch. Loved the interaction with the working men who came there for lunch. We highly recommend it, but can’t remember the name, sorry.
Our guide, Marta, in Santa Margherita, was also very attentive to us, and we hiked up an ancient trail down into Portofino area, where we caught a boat back. The little ‘mill restaurant with all organic and home grown products’ was a highlight along that trail. We tried almost everything on the menu - delicious.
The Cinque Terre was everything we had been told and more. We did manage to snag a sunset boat tour two nights - one private and one with a group. I do love time on the water.
Our accommodations were literally perfect, except for the last room booked for Lauren in Milan. Our hotels were all lovely. Our favorite was the Hotel de Len in Cortina. All of the hotel booked for Julie and I were amazing - all different, but similar in their attentiveness to guests.
The cooking classes were over the top - literally! We actually snuck in an additional class of making ravioli (or causinza) in Cortina. So fun! The pesto experience and location were fabulous! The home cooking class was so very comfortable and delicious. Such a ‘home’ feel. Loved it!
Since we are hikers, the trails were some of our favorite times, and of course the wine. ❤️
Great trip - hope this helps.

Entire trip was planned to the last detail. Would recommend and use again. They made everything easy to understand and very stress free. Thank you

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Heureka

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tenuta CorteDomina

Radda in Chianti

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Orto de' Medici

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martis Palace Hotel Rome

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Classic Chianti with Lunch

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driver at disposal in Tuscany

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Tuscan Cooking Class in a Castle with Wine

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valeria was extremely helpful and flexible. When planning, you don't know what you don't know so we had to make several changes to our initial itinerary. Val was great working with us, our schedule, and budget. I have already recommended her to several friends.

So our time in Cortina d’ Empezzo was magical! This was the best part of my experience! It snowed for 3 days in the Dolomites, and we had an absolute blast winter hiking in a stunningly beautiful mountain environment. Our guide Anna was so delightful and experienced. We hiked to Tre Cime with her, which was amazing! It was full on winter, and we needed crampons for this hike, which Anna provided. She was a terrific guide!
The Hotel de Len in Cortina was fabulous! My room was beautiful and comfortable, and I loved the hot tea and cookies delivered to the room in the late afternoon. Chef Andrea was fantastic! He is highly creative and very personable. We loved our private ravioli cooking class with him. It was great fun. The staff at Hotel de Len were so personable and accommodating. (the 2 Francisco’s, Vita, Beatrice, Andrea, Gigi,)and the whole gang made our stay very special indeed. Great food and comfortable surroundings. Felt like family there. Also loved Fabio our guide on the second day of hiking. Fabio was kind enough to sit in for Anna whose father died the night of our hike to Tre Cime. So sad for Anna and her family, and for all of us who grew so fond of her. Fabio was really great too! He is an experienced and knowledgeable mountain guide. He is kind and respectful, and he took us to a beautiful mountain waterfall and then to a great local spot for lunch. Loved our time with Fabio too. He is a very fun guide who knows the Dolomites and the area around Cortina.
Santa Margarita Liguria was wonderful! We enjoyed our hotel and this beautiful small city by the sea. Excellent dining.
We did a wonderful hike to Portofino on a completely quiet trail with our guide Marta. Marta was very knowledgeable and personable, and super fun to spend the day with! We learned so much about the history of the area, lifestyle, plants, food etc…. We all loved Marta!
Life in Cinqua Terra was truly amazing. We hiked every day, one day with our guide Maura who we also enjoyed SO much! She taught us everything about foraging for edible plants as we hiked the trail from Manorolo to Corniglia, and then to Vernazza. Amazing day of photography and great food. The Pesto Experience at Nussin Dorma in Manorolo was wonderful! Highly recommend! Learning to make pesto the old Italian Ligurian way was great fun! The lunch and wine was out of this world.
Our time in Monterosso was amazing as well. I loved our little bed and breakfast high up and away from the hustle and bustle of city. Il Parco. It was clean and the breakfasts were terrific. The owner Marta was very accommodating. It is important to spend time on the sea when in this beautiful place. Just seeing the 5 villages of Cinqua Terra from the sea was an amazing experience. This should not be missed when in the area.
Last day was in Milano. Beautiful city. Need to go back and spend more time shopping!
Thanks for providing truly amazing people as guides , who will take you off the beaten path to places you would never see on your own. Loved the trip and love Italy.🇮🇹
Lauren

We had a wonderful time in Sicily. Our driver was great always making sure we got where we needed to be. The guides where excellent. The guide for Valley of the Temples was a forensic archeologist who had actually worked on the site at one time. He was truley informative. The chef for our cooking lesson was wonderful learning about shopping the market and techniques for preparing the seafood selected. We just had a fantastic vacation.

Activity Reviews

Palermo and its street food walking tour

Palermo

The guide who grew up in Palermo shared a lot of information about the history around the markets. He really helped us to understand the value to the neighborhood, the family run stalls and feel the vibrant street food experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver always got us exactly where we needed to be including coordination with our guides. He helped to make our experience seamless when we were traveling.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver always got us exactly where we needed to be including coordination with our guides. He helped to make our experience seamless when we were traveling.

Transport

Transport

Private transfer from Palermo to Syracuse with stop at Valle dei Templi

Italy

Our driver was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to the Valle dei Templi

Italy

Very informative. The guide was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Cooking Class and Ortygia Market

Italy

We loved the chef. She was very informative about the market, local products and buying techniques. Our lesson was a lot of fun and delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Tour of Syracuse

Syracuse

The guide was good and very knowledgeable regarding Syracusa.

Boat Tour around Ortigia

Syracuse

We loved our boat tour going through the caves and around Ortigia Island. IT was great getting to see the island from the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting in Mount Etna

Italy

Wonderful. We had a fantastic experience at the vineyard. The wines were grest and the sommelier was very knowledgeable about the vineyard and wines. The food served was fresh, delicious and complemented the wines.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Barbara was fantastic! From beginning to end our trip was seamless. She really understood the assignment and delivered. Our excursions were amazing. The hotels were beautiful and centrally located to all sites. Rafaella and Daniella(Italian team) we're also fantastic. They communicated with us daily regarding pick up times, drivers, excursion, directions etc. Also, they were extremely quick to respond to any questions we had. The ground transportation team in each city(Amalfi, Rome & Naples) were extremely professional and punctual. Can't say enough about how wonderful this Italian getaway was for us!!

Hotel Reviews

Kolbe Hotel Rome

Rome

This was a beautiful hotel. The staff was exceptional. Centrally located so you can walk to most sites. Note- This is a former Franciscan monestary that has a beautiful garden and 100 year old olive trees. It also backs on to Paletine Hill and steps from circus maximus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Oriente

Naples

Well appointed hotel in the heart of Naples. Steps from tons of historical sites and shopping. Breakfast was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lemon Tour and Cooking Class

Italy

What a great experience! This is a 6th generation family run lemon grove. Wear running shoes because you'll be walking up hills and uneven terrain during your tour. The cooking class was awesome. This is a must do in Amalfi.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Capri Island shared boat tour

Italy

Amazing boat day to Capri. We had not one but two Fabio's manning the boat. There were 12 of us and it was comfortable. They provided us with some history about the coast and Capri as we sailed. We even sailed thru the arch of Faraglioni. We had roughly 4 hours to roam Capri before sailing back to Amalfi. We were offered refreshments during the boat ride as well.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Golf cart Tour of Rome

Rome

This was a highlight of our trip in Rome. We had a 3hr private tour with Lorenzo. He was an amazing guide. He showed us so many landmarks and corners of the city we wouldn't have seen on our own. He was extremely knowledgeable about Roman history and navigating the city.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lorenzo made the excursion exciting and educational.

Transport

Amalfi Coast shared boat tour

Italy

This was a magical day! There were 12 of us on the boat. We cruised along the coastline, while our boat captain shared his knowledge and history about the coast. We stopped at a few grottos, went under the famous Fiordo di Furore bridge. We stopped in the town of Amalfi for 3 hours to shop and have lunch. There are also several opportunities to stop and jump in the ocean for a swim. Highly recommend this trip. Best way to see the coastline.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine tasting and lunch in Amalfi Coast

Amalfi

This was a beautiful winery perched up high on the coast. Very welcoming staff. Had a great and brief tour of the facility and caves. The lunch pairing was fantastic with a beautiful views of the ocean.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner at a local winery on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius

Naples

This was a fantastic experience. We had a private tour of the vineyard which was very informative. The food and wine parings were amazing! We ended up having a case shipped back to the US (have flat shipping rate to US). The views are spectacular from this vineyard.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican City and Sistina Chapel semi-private tour

Italy

This is a must see on your itinerary. Bring your patience pants. There are so many people....it's a small price to pay to see so much history.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum & Roman Forum semi-private tour

Rome

Wow! Loved this experience. Even though is rained on our excursion it was worth it. Had an informative guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii archeological tour

Italy

This is an absolute must do tour. We had a private tour with Antonio. He has been giving tours of Pompeii for 30+ years. This place is huge so don't think you'll see everything in 3hrs. It would take weeks to see it all. Antonio had a wealth of knowledge about Pompeii and its history.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Antonio was amazing! I would go back to see him to show us other parts of Pompeii we didn't see.

Transport

Maria did an outstanding job of setting up our trip. The hotels were perfectly situated and comfortable. Aside from dealing with the train strike, all of our travel logistics went perfectly smoothly. We loved using Sienna and Levanto as our bases. We also loved the hotel in Florence very much. Using Levanto as our base for Cinque Terre was brilliant on her part. We absolutely loved Levanto. Our tour guides for Sienna and our hike in Cinque terre were wonderful! The cooking class in Florence was so much fun, as was the hike in Cinque Terre. Also loved the tour in Sienna and the wine tasting in Tuscany. We had an amazing time and would highly recommend Maria and KimKim to others with no hesitation.

Hotel Reviews

La Maison du Sage

Florence

Loved this hotel! Very beautiful and perfectly situated. A bit noisy at night but if you close your windows at night it was totally fine. The breakfast was fabulous! A wonderful stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Siena Vip B&B

Siena

This is a small b and b that is really more like an air b and b. There is no reception and nobody to ask questions to except when you initially check in. The rooms are immaculately clean and very nicely decorated. The breakfast is extremely simple and served in your room. Nice spot away from the huge crowds. Could be noisy at night but if you close your windows overnight it is fine. A nice stay indeed.

Authenticity & Character

lovely and bright decor

Location

nicely situated away from most of the crowds. But completely walkable to everything.

Staff

No staff to speak of. I asked a question via whatsapp on the number they provided and received no response.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfectly clean and comfortable.

Hotel Garden

Levanto

Absolutely LOVED this hotel. Levanto is a wonderful town in general and this hotel was perfect! Clean comfortable a beautiful balcony as we stayed on the 5th floor. Breakfast was fabulous and the staff was wonderful and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Its location and character were perfect

Location

Perfection of location!

Staff

Wonderful staff in reception, housecleaning and breakfast

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfect

Bettoja Hotel Mediterraneo

Rome

This hotel was right by the train station. The lobby was lovely but the rooms were very outdated and paint was chipping everywhere. The shower was just about impossible to step in and out of. Thankfully we only stayed here for one night to fly out of Rome. The air conditioning did not work and the room was stuffy and warm as you could not open the windows due to noise.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff seemed very nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

paint chipping in the rooms, bad air conditioning and the shower was too hard to climb in and out of

Activity Reviews

Montepulciano: Winery Tour & Tasting Experience

Italy

Wonderful wine tasting in a beautiful wine cellar!

Quality of Experience

Cinque Terre Trekking & Train Card

Italy

Fabulous!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Central Food Market & Tuscan Cooking Class

Florence

Absolutely loved this cooking class!!!! So so fun! We had a blast. I highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

everything!

Siena Guided Walking Tour

Italy

Wonderful guided tour loved it!

Quality of Experience

Cinque Terre Trekking Adventure

Italy

This was absolutely wonderful! We enjoyed this so so much!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of our guides were excellent except Naples where it was actually too crowded to walk anywhere. All drivers were excellent. All very polite and good drivers.
The trip flow was excellent. The boat tours in Capri and Oretega were very enjoyable.

We had some issues with hotel in Rome. When we arrived the air conditioning did not work, the room was very small, noisy etc. Much better on return . Hotels were good elsewhere.
The hotel in Tamorina was interesting. I needed to pay for an upgrade which saved the day. The assigned room was tiny with poor view. The new room was excellent. In its day this hotel was probably on par with the Four Seasons. Now it is full of plastic flowers, even in our room. The hotel is very clean - good . The only poor meal we had in Italy was in the hotel's dinning room -un-edible. This hotel seems to be catering to the American bus tours now. Restaurants outside the hotel were wonderful.

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Caruso

Rome

Square way to busy and noisy. They do have good rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Miramare

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Residence

Amalfi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located at bus stop?????

Cleanliness & Comfort

Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel

Syracuse

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Diodoro

Taormina (ME)

Upgrade to larger room with view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Politeama

Palermo

Very cold. No charm Prefer a quite street in a big city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Santa Lucia Naples

Naples

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Rome!

Rome

Rome is very crowed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Too crowded.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A half-day tour of Isola del Liri, and Castelli Romani

Italy

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Napoli

Naples

Couldn't go very far. Strrets blocked with people. Guide turned around and apologized .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Welcome to Sicily!

Italy

Wine Tasting Experience on Mount Etna

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Pompeii

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Capri Half-Day Boat Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Sorrento!

Sorrento

Wine Tasting and Lunch in Amalfi Coast

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Syracuse

Syracuse

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour around Ortigia

Syracuse

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to the Valle dei Templi

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Palermo

Palermo

outstanding guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highly professional and responsive staff who did a great job recommending, arranging and coordinating hotels, ground transportation, excursions/guides and dining options. Everything was first class and when problems arose (and there were not many) they addressed them quickly and effectively. Would not have had nearly as good of an experience without the skill and support we received from kimkim.

Activity Review

Scenic Navigation through the Grand Canal

Venice

The Marvels of the Grand Canal combined with a marvelous guide (Romy) made the this experience truly marvelous.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing. The farm in Sorrento, boas ride, everything top notch.

Hotel Review

Hotel Villa Gabrisa

Positano

This hotel was perfect. The room, the view and the people. Also one of the best artichokes I ever had at the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view

Staff

So friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cooking class in Sorrento

Italy

This was my favorite part of our trip. Thus farm and family was perfect. My sister and I cooked and ate in the kitchen with the family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved our trip planned with Kimkim! Our walking guides were very kind, knowledgeable, accessible, open to ideas and fun to be with. The hotels selected were wonderful! Really fantastic breakfast buffets provided and even offered beautiful box lunches when we were not present due to an early departure. Our local specialist Eirini seemed to be much more accessible and interested in our ideas at the very beginning as we started planning our trip then missed many details suggested or timely answering of questions as the trip got closer. She didn't really listen to our concerns or suggestions and seemed to be stuck in the 'trip is planned and no options available' mode near the end. Maybe something happened that we are unaware of? But not a good experience with her.

Hotel Reviews

B&B Il Parco

Very beautiful. Well maintained grounds, beautiful breakfast buffet and location. Very friendly team.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Had a delightful Prosecco with Bruno, Such a treat!

Cleanliness & Comfort

HOTEL de LEN

Cortina d'Ampezzo BL

Wow, Wonderful experience from the beautiful room to the fabulous breakfasts and the wonderful cooking experience. Probably the best pastries I have ever had! The staff went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. And, the spa experience was wonderful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Urban Hive Milano

Milan

Lovely hotel with an amazing breakfast! They even made us a delightful 'box' breakfast to take with us on our last day as we left too early to enjoy the buffet. Staff was very friendly and helpful. This review would have been 5 stars except the design of the shower and tub meant that you had to stand on the sloping past of the tub to be under the water spray and the shower opening meant that you never felt truly warm. I love Italy and Italians - very warm and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

See notes above re the bathroom.

Hotel Sant'Andrea

Santa Margherita Ligure

Really beautiful hotel with wonderful staff and delicious breakfasts!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino & San Fruttuoso

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking and Cooking in the Dolomites

Dolomites

Wonderful experience with the chef making a local special similar to ravioli. I really enjoyed this!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cinque Terre Trekking Adventure

Italy

Beautiful location, friendly knowledgeable guide, wonderful experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pesto Experience

Italy

Loved it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cooking Class at a local's home in Riomaggiore

Italy

Best cooking experience ever! So much more than expected. We loved Barbara and Stefano and I know we will be making some of these dishes many times!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When I began the planning process for our trip to Italy months ago I was referred to KimKim. One of the best recommendations I have ever received! I began working with Chris who worked with me for weeks to come up with the perfect trip, the perfect tours and the perfect accommodations. Chris was super easy to communicate with and work with and he was very responsive to all my questions. We spent 12 days in Italy visiting Naples, Rome, Florence and Venice. From the minute we arrived to the minute we left we knew that Chris and Maria, our wonderful Italy contact, had everything under control! Every reservation, every tour, every hotel transfer, every train ride, water taxi ride, etc. was planned out with precision. No one was ever late, no tour guide was anything less than absolutely amazing, and all of our hotel accommodations exceeded our expectations. I will not hesitate to use KimKim for all of our future travel. They simply made it so easy and so enjoyable! Kudos to Chris and Maria for making this trip to Italy truly the trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Caracciolo Napoli - MGallery

Naples

We were traveling with our daughter and the accommodations (for 3) were perfect! Beautiful hotel! Great location! Breakfast was amazing! Staff very professional and helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully appointed!

Location

Close to everything!

Staff

Very helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The entire property was clean and inviting ... very nice to "come home to" after a day of Naples ;)

Hotel de La Ville

Florence

We were traveling with our daughter and the accommodations (for 3) were perfect! Beautiful hotel! Great location! Breakfast was amazing! Staff very professional and helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Olimpia

Venice

In Venice, I stayed at Hotel Olimpia for two nights. The hotel was charming and unique, located on the fifth floor with a cozy atmosphere. Ours was the only room of the floor and almost felt like being in a cottage. The breakfasts were delightful, and overall, it was a fantastic stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel White

Rome, Italy

During my three-night stay in Rome, I stayed at Hotel White. The hotel was not my favorite as it felt too modern and not authentic to Italy. One meal recommendation from the concierge was disappointing. Not particularly impressed but it served the purpose.

Authenticity & Character

A bit too modern for my taste ... especially in Italy. I was expecting more "old world charm"!

Location

Really IS in the middle of everything!

Staff

Do not ask the front desk for restaurant recommendations!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Pompeii guided tour & wine tasting paired with food on Mt. Vesuvius

Naples

The tour was fantastic, and the guides were very knowledgeable. The wine tasting was great, and overall, I had no complaints.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum - Palatine Hill - Roman Forum

Rome

The tour guides were extremely informative, and I enjoyed every moment of it. It was a wonderful experience.

Elena did an amazing job of communicating with us throughout the entire process of itinerary creation, booking, and execution. Our guides were very knowledgeable and Elena always provided their contact information prior to the Tours. Two of our best guides were Mariapaola and Riccardo. Mariapaola was really amazing as our Rome Tour guide, our driver Riccardo, took us from Napoli to Sorrento gave us great local info along the way. This trip was a great balance between education and relaxation for our family of 5. Thank you Elena for customizing for us.

All of the excursions were perfect.
The food tour in Florence was amazing thanks to our tour guide Cassidy!! Seeing the Amalfi Coast was a dream come true.
Overall the trip was seamless, no stress at all. Julia created the best trip for us.

Hotel Review

Lunetta Hotel & Spa Roma

Rome

N

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything in Rome .

Staff

Everyone was helpful and knowledgable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Florence Food Tour with Traditional Steak & Local Wine Tasting

Florence

Amazing!!!!!!! Cassidy our tour guide was so sweet and informative. The food was delicious and it was nice that the group was small. I would take Cassidy’s tour again!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The KimKim team put together THE best schedule/itinerary for our recent trip to Italy. Their planning detail was amazing, and all aspects of the trip worked like clockwork. We had private drivers chauffeuring us everywhere…from airport to train stations to tours of the Amalfi Coast. Drivers were exceptionally professional. All of the tours they arranged were private or small groups (6 or fewer people), and tour guides were amazing. We’ve already begun planning a trip to Northern Italy in 2025…and definitely looking to KimKim to again work their magic.

Maria Grazie did an amazing job in putting together the initial tour. She was so patient in addressing our many trip plan changes. Once we were in Italy, our contacts Barbara and Jessica (the owner) responded immediately to any questions that we posed via the Story Walking app. Their responsiveness and attention to detail were amazing…can’t asked for a better support team.

Activity Reviews

Driver at Disposal from Naples to Atena Lucana

Naples

Not only was our driver Maximo skilled he was also extremely charming. He drove us to the village where my grandparents born. Once there, he also served as a de facto interpreter as our contacts in the village spoke about as much English as I do Italian…

Quality of Experience

The professionalism of the driver

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naples to the Amalfi Coast or Amalfi Coast to Naples - Pompeii en Route

Italy

Our driver John Franco was quite skilled, and his English was perfect

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

Our driver, Angelo, was extremely skilled, which is necessary to tackle the winding and congested route along the Amalfi coast. He also was quite a character, serenading us all along the trip. It was like being in a Venetian gondola…

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Secrets Walks of Sorrento: Street food by Locals

Italy

Our tour, Laura, was friendly and amazingly knowledgeable Labour all aspects of Sorrento. It was very private tour…just my wife and myself.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

The tour was a small group tour of 6 individuals. Our tour side, Alexando, was extremely knowledgeable and provided amazing insights regarding the Vatican and Sistine Chapel

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Roman Forum

Rome

This was, I believe, the best tour of our trip. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable of all aspects of the coliseum and Ancient Rome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Overall it was a great trip. The hotel on Tuscany was not what we expected. The staff, one person, was not friendly or welcoming. We had to figure out a scooter tour on our one. There was no concierge and no shuttle. The pick up in Sorrento was a mess. A driver showed up with a sedan and not a van. He was rude and unhelpful. We had to wait over an hour for a van and our train ride to Rome was delayed by an hour. We arrived to Tome later than expected which impacted my last day with my cousins.

Our trip was absolutely perfect and lived up to every expectation we had!

Rome was stunning with so much beauty and history everywhere. We loved wondering around the city and taking it all in. We had a private guide for the Roman Forum and Colosseum, and Maria was fantastic! She gave us so much historical information with a lot of laughs along the way. We also did a food tour that we loved! It was so nice to experience foods and areas we had not ventured to.

Pompeii was very overwhelming. Both from a historical point and a crowds place. It was great to learn so much, but a larger tour group made it feel more robotic and less personal.

Every minute in the Amalfi coast was straight from a fairytale. The people were amazing, the views were stunning, and the vibes were unmatched. We did a lemon farm tour on our first day and loved it so much! It ended up being a private tour, and we learned so much about the farm and its history– not to mention the lemoncello and lemon treat we got to try. We loved the lemoncello so much that we ordered an entire case to get us through life back home.

The highlight of our whole trip was a boat tour down the coast. It was a perfect way to see all of the towns along the coast. Was absolutely beautiful from that vantage point and I can’t believe how lucky we were to see it.

We spent our last day on Capri. Our guide, Giorgio was fantastic and showed us all of his favorite parts of the island. He was funny and charming, and seemed to know everyone. I can say with 100% confidence that he absolutely made our experience. Of course we had custom sandals made while on the island, and could not recommend more! It was really cool to watch, and now I have sandals to remind me of this trip anytime I wear them.

Hotel Reviews

Vanity Hotel Navona

Rome

Vanity Hotel is perfectly situated in Rome! It is just a few minutes to Piazza Navona and everything is within a 20 minute walk. The hotel was clean and quite, and check-in and out was a breeze.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Matilde - Lifestyle Hotel

Naples

The hotel was trendy and clean, but situated in a very busy area. Leaving the hotel was like walking into a high school assembly with chaos everywhere. We got nearly no sleep as there was noise from the ally below all night long. It sounded like glass breaking over and over again. We were also unable to keep the air or fan on throughout the night, making us very uncomfortable. In addition to the above, the hotel would not help with our bags as we had been promised. Quite frustrating given the hotel entrance is hidden in an ally. The front door locks in the evening and you need to be buzzed up. Not an issue if someone is at the front desk to let you in, but this was not always the case. We had a few stressful evenings not knowing when someone would actually let us in, and got lucky to go in after others had exited the building. Overall, I would not recommend staying here if any other option is available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Excelsior Amalfi 4*

Amalfi

Grand Hotel Excelsior was an absolute gem! It has amazing views, great service, and was very authentic. We were in a newly renovated room and it was perfect! Having a balcony overlooking the coast was such a wonderful way to wake up each day. The room was always clean and the staff so helpful. The shuttle was so much more valuable than we realized. Scheduling is easy and it always ran on time. It made getting to the pier and city center a breeze.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Visit of the Colosseum & Ancient City

Rome

Maria was amazing!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Campo de’ Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Food Experience

Rome

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pompeii Archeological Site Guided Visit: Travel to Ancient Times

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Capri Island and Anacapri

Italy

Giorgio was the ideal guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff