Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

Our cooking class in Palermo was excellent. Chef Michael and his assistant Melissa were fantastic. We made a wonderful meal and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In Matera, we had a wonderful baking experience. Our guide was also delightful and created an elaborate picture of what Matera was like during its early history. In Agrigento, our guide was extremely personable and knowledgeable. With her detail to Greek history, she brought the ancient period alive. The other guides were good but these were the stand outs.

We found that the guides who were born in Italy were very passionate about their country and shared their enthusiasm with us. We had one guide who was not born in Italy and while she was good, she did not have the same exuberance.
The hotels were comfortable and centrally located. The villa in Agrigento was fabulous. Instead of the fourth night in Palermo, we would have liked the extra night at the villa.
The only hotel that we did not like was in Aberobello. The staff was not friendly. The bed was hard and uncomfortable. They also did not have air-conditioning. We would have preferred staying in Matera instead of spending 2 nights in Aberobello. A half day excursion in Aberobello is more than enough.

All four locations we stayed at were very nice. The properties in Lake Garda and Verona were excellent. We probably could have skipped the Valtelina wine tour as it was not very impressive and the wine was not worth the drive. That's my only criticism of the entire trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Villa Flori

Como

Beautiful view and clean hotel. It was easy enough to get a taxi into town but returning was a challenge.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Cortine Palace Hotel

Sirmione

Beautiful hotel and stunning grounds to walk around.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Accademia

Verona

Great location and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to downtown so everything was in walking distance.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Really large room and very comfortable.

Ca' di Dio Hotel

venezia

Nice hotel but a little bit of a walk to shopping and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very nice staff and very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and modern hotel

Activity Reviews

Valtellina Wine Tour | Private

Lake Como

This part of the trip was a little disappointing. Long drive and the wine and scenery was not impressive.

Full-Day Boat Experience - Explore Lake Como

Italy

One of the highlights of the trip. Boat driver was very nice and took good care of us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valpolicella Wine Tour from Sirmione

Italy

Beautiful location and great wine.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Venice in a Day Tour

Venice

Overall our experience with Kimkim was perfect! Using Kimkim took away the guesswork and anxiety of traveling to a foreign country. Fabio was awesome - he was very prompt if we needed to contact him and he did a fabulous job of planning our trip.
Would like to comment on our day trip to the winery in Valtellina. While we thoroughly enjoyed our time at the winery, we all felt it was too long of a day in the car. Maybe the time spent in Valtellina could be lengthened instead of a short tasting and tour. We just felt like we spent an entire day in the car when we could have been using our time in Italy more productively.
On a positive note, the three hotels that Fabio picked out were absolutely perfect! The Palazzetto Madonna in Venice was the perfect family owned boutique hotel. The employee, Alain (not sure on spelling), always went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The DBH - Boutique Hotel Lake Como was in the perfect location and very nice. Again, the employees always made us feel very welcome and were very attentive. The boat trip on lake Como was also fabulous and shout out to the boat captain Jacoba for a great day!! We felt that the best hotel was saved for last, the Hotel Helvetia! Absolutely beautiful views and we loved the town of Sestri Levante. We originally wanted to stay in the Cinque Terre, but there were no accommodations that we agreed upon. Fabio suggested Sestri Levante and we couldn't have been happier. We were able to visit the Cinque Terre and we had an amazing boat ride to Portofino and San Fruttuoso. Another shout out to the boat captain, Matteo. He also went above and beyond to make our day perfect! He was very informative of the areas and treated us to wonderful snacks and beverages. Thanks again to Fabio and Kimkim for creating the perfect trip to beautiful Italy!! Would definitely use Kimkim again and would highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Palazzetto Madonna

Venice

This is the perfect hotel for Venice. Great location, right on the canal. The most friendly and helpful employees and outstanding accommodations. Morning breakfast was delicious and can be enjoyed out on the patio!

Authenticity & Character

An older boutique family owned hotel with loads of Venice charm.

Location

Right on the canal...we were delivered and picked up straight in front of our hotel where employees were waiting eagerly to help us with our luggage.

Staff

The staff always went above and beyond expectations. They were all very friendly and helped us with anything, from calling water taxis to helping us learn Italian phrases!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and rooms were outstanding. AC was perfect, bathrooms were modern, and beds were comfortable!

DBH – Boutique Hotel Lake Como

Como

This is a very nice hotel. It felt very new (I believe recently renovated?). Rooms were perfect...very modern feeling. Location was great - right next to the Duomo and steps to lake Como. Lots of restaurants and shops within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Very modern and beautifully appointed. Nice breakfast waiting in the breakfast every morning.

Location

Right next to the Duomo. Felt like we were right in the heart of Como, with lots of restaurants and shopping right outside the door. lake Como was just steps from the hotel. There was also a restaurant/bar right next door where you can sit outside and relax with a glass of wine!

Staff

Very attentive and friendly! Absolutely no complaints!

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel felt very modern. It had all the modern amenities and was extremely comfortable.

Hotel Helvetia

Sestri Levante

This hotel is absolutely amazing. The most beautiful views and every amenity one could look for.

Authenticity & Character

Absolutely beautiful hotel with amazing views. Charming lobby when you first walk in. Old time charm with modern amenities!

Location

Perfect location. You can sit on the terrace and just gaze at the sea. Also, has its own beach and a few steps from restaurants and shopping.

Staff

Very polite and helpful! Always eager to answer any question we had. We arrived early and they were very helpful to get our rooms ready as quickly as they could!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very pleased with the rooms - bathrooms were modern, AC was on spot and bed was comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Private Venice in a Day Tour

Venice

We all enjoyed this tour. Our guide was from Venice so was very knowledgeable. Learned a lot about St. Mark's and how Venice was "created".

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We asked the boat driver and tour guide to show us the "hands". That wasn't on the tour but they took us anyway!

Transport

Just amazing seeing the canals of Venice.

Full-Day Boat Experience - Explore Lake Como

Italy

A wonderful day experiencing lake Como. Enjoyed the tour and the towns of Bellagio and Verrana. Absolutely beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Just beautiful scenery and towns. Had an amazing lunch at a restaurant right on the water. Also found a restaurant in Veranna where we shared a bottle of wine and enjoyed the scenery. Everyone we encountered were very kind and welcoming.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jacoba, our boat captain, did a fantastic job sharing information about different villa's, hotels and towns as we boated round the lake. He also had Prosecco and waters for us, which of course was very welcomed!

Transport

Again, Jacoba our captain, did a fantastic job sharing information with us.

Valtellina Wine Tour

Lake Como

I'm giving this 3 stars because of the long amount of time we spent in the van. The wine tour and Valtellina valley were amazing to see, but not sure I would repeat this or recommend it due to the short time spent there and the long time spent in the van. We did enjoy the Villa Carlotta Botanical Gardens. We also enjoyed our lunch spot in Piazza Garibaldi.

Quality of Experience

Maybe more time spent at the winery or just a clearer understanding of how long of a drive it was to the winery,

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide at the winery was awesome! She was so knowledgeable about the production process and each of the wines. I would give her 5 stars!

Transport

Maybe if we had a more comfortable mode of transportation, the drive would have been more tolerable? 6 people in a van (especially the 3 in the back) for hours of driving was just not the most enjoyable experience.

Full-Day Boat Tour | Portofino Marine Reserve & San Fruttuoso

Sestri Levante

This was the best excursion on the trip! Matteo was the BEST guide and boat driver, San Fruttuoso was unbelievable and we marveled at Portofino - both the marina with the amazing yachts and the town!

Quality of Experience

San Fruttuoso blew us away. Such a unique place and BEAUTIFUL. Boating the sea is amazing - such beautiful colors in the water. And Portofino was just beautiful with the flowers and amazing yachts.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cannot say enough about Matteo! He was amazing at his job - gave us so much information and insight to the area. He also was a fantastic host! Wonderful appetizers and wine and beer! He took very good care of us!

Transport

Matteo - made the day!

All the guides were excellent. I especially appreciated Silvia who took us on a hike and exploring Bellagio. She was outgoing, informative & prepared with hiking poles and other things, just in case. She customized our outing based on weather. She even brought supplies to make us tea once we arrived at the highest point.
Phillip was outstanding too. He customized our Bellagio bike trip to suit our needs. We were introduced to people we saw along the way & who knew him, which was a great way to learn about their culture. Janis & I discovered the most amazing restaurant for dinner that evening because Phillip showed us the property during our bike ride. We would have never experienced it without phillip’s help. He provided so much information & was very helpful to Janis when she needed to find a dentist.
Several of the guides took us on tours that were longer than the itinerary stated, because we were all having a good time. You can tell how much they enjoy sharing their knowledge by their willingness to spend time with us travelers.
The wine tour & tasting was amazing (in the Piedmont area) &i loved the truffle hunt. Both exceeded my expectations. I learned so much from each experience.
And WOW! The pesto making experience was a memory I’ll always cherish.

Hotel Reviews

Andirivieni Bellagio Guest House

Bellagio

Authenticity & Character

Charming….

Location

I got a bit lost a time or two. My fault.

Staff

Very helpful by providing information about the town & restaurants.

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Cortiletto d'Alba

Alba

I loved everything about this place. Their restaurant was a wonderful place for dinner too. The hotel had so much character. The owner went out of her way to help us find free parking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Royal

Stresa

Beautiful hotel & property. I prefer hotels that are less fancy, however. The staff was adequate, but not as personable as staff in the other locations. The bartender, however, was very outgoing & friendly. The hotel restaurant would not allow us to order ala Carte for dinner. We prefer not eating two or three course meals.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

STAR HOTEL ECHO

MILANO

Excellent breakfast buffet. Hotel staff was very welcoming too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Stella della Marina

Monterosso

I loved this hotel & the hard working owner who carried our bags up the stairs, checked us in, was also the breakfast cook & server.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Alba & Barolo Exclusive Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Trekking Card

Cinque Terre

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cinque Terre Train Card

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pesto Experience

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Experience in Cinque Terre

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I’m

Stephania and the KimKim team planned a 10/10 trip for my fiancé and I. We had a trip from Sunday-Friday all throughout Southern Italy and all of our expectations were met! Every excursion was great, all transfers were easy to find and on time, and hotels were to our liking.

Once again, it was an amazing trip and we would definitely use KimKim again!

Activity Reviews

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Sorrento

We loved this boat tour. It was great being able to go to two different cities and also seeing the amalfi coast and the scenic views. We also loved the authentic lunch included. Anna, our boat staff, was amazing! Please make sure she knows how great of a job she did

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trastevere Afternoon Food Tour & Wine Experience

Rome

We loved the food and wine tour because it took us to places that we probably would have not gone to on our own. It was nice to see the history behind certain aspects of trastevere and meet new people! Chiara our guide was excellent in showing us around and was very well spoken and kind.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stephania helped us to include many of our "wish for" experiences on our trip to Rome and the Amalfi Coast. Having the transportation set up in advance was fantastic and our drivers were really more like guides. Rino was the best tour guide we could have asked for. He took great pride in showing us the Amalfi Coast, pointing out the highlights in Positano, Amalfi, Furore and Sorrento. We were fortunate to have an extremely knowledgeable guide for our Vatican tour, whose father is also a guide. In fact, Rebecca was also born in the Vatican City so this was a special place for her share with us and she pointed out all of the "fake news" that the Romans had created centuries ago that is on display in the museum. We took a few boat tours to Capri and along the Amalfi Coast, but the boat tour to Positano was made even better by our Captain who stopped several times to let us jump in and swim near the Grottos. Our stay in Sorrento was made extra special by spending three nights in the Grand Hotel Capodimonte. This 4 Star Hotel has 5 cascading pools, with a view that will take your breath away. The Hotel Modigliani in Rome did not disappoint and is filled with very cool contemporary art and upscale furnishings. We loved it. In hindsight we might have asked to do too much as we were very tired after a 10 hour flight and missed our first ferry to Amalfi because we decided to sleep in. My suggestion would be to give yourself at least one day to just relax before getting into high touring mode!

We (my cousins and I in differing age groups) planned a two week trip with Moreno to Italy to include Florence, Rome, Pompei, and Sorrento (lodging in Vico Equense). Moreno and his associates arranged most of our lodging, transport and excursions. We feel with few exceptions the trip was beautifully planned and was a fantastic blend of learning and leisure. I can't express enough the value of private transportation and private tours if you are planning to see and do a great deal in a short time in Italy. These are predominately touring cities so in the interest of time management, private transport and private tours were a blessing.

If you get the opportunity to chose your travel guide in Rome be sure to request Sabrina. She was wonderful at both the Vatican and Sistine Chapel and the following day at the Colosseum. She brought the experience to life and was passionate and knowledgeable about the area.......be sure to request her!

The boutique bed and breakfasts were a game changer as well. Caio

Hotel Reviews

Soggiorno Battistero

Florence

Located in the center, it is well positioned to get to and from important areas. As for the room itself, if you are on the upper floor it is more inviting, bigger space. Plan to eat a big lunch and dinner as the breakfast is light fare and will not sustain you for a long period of time. Bathrooms/bedrooms upstairs were well appointed but the rooms on the lower floor were a bit small for our taste.

Authenticity & Character

Location

If noise isn't an issue, the location is great. Felt safe.

Staff

I only experienced issues with one staff member, I found him to be less than helpful but the rest of the staff were very accommodating and easy to communicate with.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfort - it was a loud area but to be expected as it is in a square. We weren't prepared and wish we would have known better. When you travel to Italy a good nights rest is important.

Boutique Hotel Galatea

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Excellent staff and very helpful. It was nice to have staff avail later in the evening (11p).

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Le Ancore

Vico Equense

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful building.

Location

for the most part you must take transport to other areas as there are limited dining options

Staff

GREAT staff!

Cleanliness & Comfort

I need to rate comfort low as the bathrooms - especially showers are VERY small and difficult to manage a shower in them. secondly, we had an A/C issue the first couple of days which was difficult.

Activity Review

Colosseo and Roman forums adventure

Rome

We had the very best tour guide - Sabrina. She was awesome, interested, entertaining and informative. It was one of my favorite tours due to her enthusiasm of the history .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Most Memorable
1. The cooking classes: Toscana Mia was my favourite! Simonetta and Paola welcomed us into their home and it felt so authentic! The Giglia class in Florence was my second favourite. We did end up preparing the same food as our first class in Rome but the instructor was wonderful.
2. Day trip to Cinque Terre with Tanya. I loved it because we got to experience 3 of the towns. The lunch in Vernazza was excellent. I loved the mini hike and boat ride. Tanya was a pleasant, knowledgeable guide.
3. The Food and Wine walking tour of Trastevere! Excellent guide and delicious food. Eileen was so fun and shared many great cultural food aspects of the area.
4. Wine tour of the Val D’Orcia area with Georgia. This was a lot of driving but we learned so much about wine. Loved the lunch at Il Cocco.
5. The view from our hotel room La Cisterna was breathtaking!
6. Favourite overall hotel was VOI Donna Camilla Savelli in Rome. Best breakfast and most welcoming staff.

Some Issues and Questions
1. Value for our money spent on the trip. I understand that KimKim does not offer an exact breakdown of the separate costs. However, in order recommend KimKim to my friends and family, I would really like to know some general percentages of what we spent on accommodations, private transfers with Icarelimo, the tours and activities.
2. Knowing some names of restaurants nearby our hotels would have been so appreciated.
3. The self-guided aspect when visiting different areas was somewhat vague. For example, In San Gimignano, we ended up booking our own 2 hour walking tour of the town to learn more.
4. I was confused about buying my own tickets to Accademia in Florence. My impression was that I needed to buy these tickets because, as part of the Florence walking tour, we would only pop in to the Accademia. As it turned out, the tour of the Accademia was thorough for us and I felt we I didn’t really need to buy the tickets myself.
5. Buying the tickets to The Colosseum was super confusing, based on the your information. I couldn’t get the tickets ahead of time so I used Viator. When we got there it was so overwhelming and we could have benefitted from a private tour.
6. If I were to plan another trip, I would have built in more down time because the pace of this trip was somewhat hectic. A possible solution would be KimKim asking more about how much we want to walk ( we are 60 and good walkers but still felt exhausted and overwhelmed at times).
7. Of course, nothing KimKim could do about how crowded we found all the places we stayed, except to offer alternative ideas of where to visit when we began our planning.

Hopefully, KimKim appreciates this feedback. Overall, we had a great time in Italy. It was an expensive vacation at a very busy time of the year but we loved our time visiting and learning about all things Italian. The hotels were mostly situated in good places for walkability. I loved having the breakfasts included. The drivers, guides and hotel staff were overall friendly.

Hotel Reviews

VOI Donna Camilla Savelli

Rome

Loved the location in Trastevere. The old monastery and courtyard had a relaxing oasis feel in busy Rome. Great breakfast, lovely room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alfieri9 Boutique Hotel Florence

Florence

Small room, no view and a bit far from where we walked each day. Good breakfast and very kind female host.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel La Cisterna

San Gimignano

Amazing views from our window. Bigger room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

9Hotel Cesari Rome

Rome

Very much in the middle of the heart of Rome. Great walkability but very busy street and some noise. Loved the rooftop patio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Campo Dei Fiori Market Tour & Pasta Making Class

Rome

Great instructor, lovely lunch that we prepared. However we were disappointed that our original tour of market and cooking class were cancelled.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Last minute change(s)

Italy

Quality of Experience

Trastevere Afternoon Food Tour & Wine Experience

Rome

Just excellent. Super personable guide! Wonderful food and cultural insights

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cinque Terre Day Trip from Florence

Florence

Yes, would totally recommend this because of scenery, lunch, activities and what we learned

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Florence Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

Our guide was having difficulty organizing the group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Cooking Class in Florence

Florence

Fun class! The instructor was very good. A lot of her time was spent on the 5 children in the class

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking Class in Chianti

Italy

My favourite!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Val D’ Orcia Wine Tasting

Italy

Really good day of learning about wine and visiting Montalcino and Montepulciano

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I have travelled to Europe many many times but this time, I felt like a VIP! From the very first moment when my travel companion, Debra, and I, Janis, were met at the airport by a nicely dressed man who drove us in a Mercedes to a beautiful modern hotel in Milan, I was impressed. And first impressions count! The hotel in Milan was perfectly located next to the train station, which made it so easy for getting around, especially to the city center. Our room was lovely. Great way to begin our trip! We did spend more than an hour that first afternoon trying to find the car rental location, in preparation for the next morning. We didn't have the name of the local agency, even though I had inquired, only the umbrella company. And the local agency was located a couple of blocks away from the train station. We did finally find it, but it was a struggle. When we picked up the vehicle the next morning, it was very dirty inside. It had not been cleaned at all. And it had no gas.
So we had to immediately fill it. This was the only low point in our trip.
We proceeded to Merano and spent three nights there, really enjoying the little town I had booked accommodations in: Marlingo.
So, then we left for the KimKim portion of our trip, stopping first in Bellagio. Our accommodations were in the old part of the town, in a neighborhood all locals knew, so even when we got lost walking, we were kindly directed to our accommodations. (I'm now going to rate the activities and guides on a 10-pt scale, with 10 being outstanding.). The first morning our guide Silvia showed up at our hotel, exactly on time, and we set off for some incredible hiking with her. She was wonderful and we enjoyed her and her knowledge of the area immensely. She even brought a coffee heater with her and snacks so we could overlook Lake Como on our break. I can't say enough good things about Silvia. What a gem! (10!)(However, we puzzled over how much to "tip" all of our personal guides and drivers. That would be a good thing to include in trips for visitors like us, especially since it was just the TWO of us.)
The next day, we walked to the bicycle rental, got fitted for e-bikes and met our guide Philip. He was also FABULOUS! He took us all over, on steep roads, through narrow streets and on to the top of the mountain, where he recommended a restaurant, which we ended up reserving for that night's dinner. When I had a little accident the next day, I was able to contact him for a dental recommendation. He too is a gem! (10!)
Then we moved onto Stresa. What a lovely old 'classic' hotel, and right next to the ferry to the islands. Very convenient.
Without any guided tours there, however, it didn't have the same engaging 'personality'/ambience for us as Bellagio did, because of Silvia's and Philip's warmth and charm.
Next, we drove to Alba and our hostess at Cortiletto d'Alba was extraordinarily warm and welcoming. She couldn't do enough for us, including showing us where the free parking was! Our meals there (breakfast was included, but we also had dinner there two evenings) were wonderful. Each of our accommodations was so unique from the previous. We truly enjoyed the variety. Silvie was our guide through Alba, and she was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. (8). Finding the restaurant for lunch was a little confusing, but it was delicious. That morning, driving into the hills for the wine tasting was a real adventure, as the roads there felt more like old narrow 'wagon trails.' But we found it, and joined six others in a lovely wine tasting with the most sensational views. It was phenomenal. (10!) Having both been in Tuscany, separately, on trips a few years ago, we relished the beauty and the quiet of the Piedmont. There were few people - not like in Tuscany. We'd go again in a heartbeat!!
And the truffle hunt: what an experience that was! We were again picked up by a driver in a very nice car, up to where we met the trifalau and his girl dog Buca. The driver left, and the three of us plus Buca tramped through the woods. When the trifalau (Carlo, I think) gave the signal, Buca began sniffing around through the woods, starting to dig when she smelled a truffle buried deep in the earth. We found two truffles, and learned SO much about truffles. It was an experience I've wanted to have for years; this was exceptional! (10!)
Then we drove to Genoa, where we were met by our driver who drove us to Monterosso. What a joy not to have to schlept our bags onto a train. Again, VIP treatment and we loved it!
And we so enjoyed our accommodations in Monterosso: perfect location in the village and the host was so kind to us. Francesco was our guide from Corniglia to Vernazza and he was excellent and very caring. (9)
The pesto making experience was such GREAT FUN! Both being cooks, we appreciated all the little insights Simone told us about the hands-on process. We each got an apron, we were fed heaps of food for lunch, and every couple received a half bottle of Cinque Terre wine. (10!)
The sunset cruise was a little disappointing. We didn't have the name of the company, only the name of the boat. Locals tried to help us, but told us the boat (by the name we had - Guiliana) was moored in Monterosso. It was only with the help of six locals that we finally connected with the right boat company. It was other guests scheduled for the same boat that made our departure even later. There were 14 of us plus the driver/guide. Most people had to sit on the flat padded part of the boat, but we chose the rear where we could sit with our feet on the boat's floor (much more comfortable). The appetizers (foaccacia) were stale and tasteless. We fed the pieces to the seagulls. The guide opened up 11 bottles of Prosecco but Debra and I only drank a few ounces as it wasn't very good Prosecco. The sunset was beautiful and the guide told us a bit about each of the five towns. (7)
The driver back to Genoa was right on time (actually early) and he dropped us at the appointed places, Debra to the airport and me to the train station, for my trip to Nice.
Jessica was a joy to communicate with and make such a customized plan. I was impressed by AXUS - what a helpful and informative app! I can't recommend Jessica enough. During the trip, Barbara too was such a help, and always available despite the hour of our needing assistance or clarification. On a scale of 1 - 10, STORYWALKING gets an 11!

Hotel Reviews

STAR HOTEL ECHO

MILANO

Location

Right next to the train station; you can go anywhere in Europe from here!

Cleanliness & Comfort

A beautiful and modern hotel, filled with art - really a knockout!

Andirivieni Bellagio Guest House

Bellagio

Authentic, charming accommodations. Free parking right at the entrance. Good staff. Terrific location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Cortiletto d'Alba

Alba

The staff is so warm and welcoming; truly exceptional people. Location is perfect, very close to the old part of Alba. There is free parking, although it can be difficult to find. Delicious food, for breakfasts, and dinners are exquisite (make reservations; it's popular!)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Royal

Stresa

Classic, old style hotel - very elegant - beautiful location. Free parking on site. Right next to the ferry to the islands. Fabulous breakfast buffet. Our room had a lovely balcony.

Authenticity & Character

Charming "old world" feel

Location

Just off the water, a short walk to the main portion of Stresa along the water

Staff

Bartender

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Stella della Marina

Monterosso

Authenticity & Character

Clean and modern. Lots of stairs however!

Location

Staff

Host/owner/manager is such a hard worker; he does it all; and very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine Experience in Cinque Terre

Italy

I forgot to include this in my overall review. Perhaps it's because it wasn't much of a event. The vineyard owner was late. She took us through her family's vineyard, describing different methods of growing the vines. Then set us up at the table with the first of four wines to taste. Then she was through with us. Establishment was short staffed and the wine shack is on the public trail. So it took us a while to figure out that we weren't going to be served the other three wines unless we asked at the wine shack. The employee apologized and tried to make up for our being ignored. The wines were just okay.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had to wait a long time for a bus because the first bus was too crowded. And the only way down after the event was to walk, or wait two hours for a bus. Good thing we were prepared with good walking shoes and walking sticks - otherwise I would not have been able to cope with the rocky steep trail. I don't think this was worth it.

Cinque Terre Trekking Adventure

Italy

Bellagio peak: Monte San Primo

Italy

The Ghisallo Family E-Xperience

Bellagio

Philip gave us four hours.

Alba & Barolo Exclusive Experience

Italy

Pesto Experience

Italy

Cinque Terre Sunset Boat Tour

Italy

Lorenza was awesome! We had a couple of hiccups in our travels and she was right there to help us during each one. We were amazed at the level of communication, the customer service and care she showed. I truly feel she is absolute the best available anywhere! I have already raved to other travelers about Kim Kim and Lorenza. I will definitely be calling her again when I travel to Italy.

When you are booking your honeymoon you want everything to be incredible and so it's nerve wracking on deciding who to book with and then thinking through the details of it all. We were blown away by the Kim Kim team and specifically our coordinator, Chiara. Our trip was absolute heaven on Earth and it was possible because of Chiara and the team. We were kept up to speed with the details through the entire planning portion and then we even got an app to use so we could get detailed information, contact information for drivers, trip itineraries etc. From the moment we stepped off the plane in Venice everything was taken care of for us. We had drivers everywhere we wanted to go, we never had an issue with a tour, a hotel booking, a flight transfer NOTHING. It allowed us to really be able to take in the experience and not stress and it felt incredible. We booked from Venice to Positano, went on tours, winery trips, boat rides, etc. Then we travelled off to Sorrento and the Isle of Capri. From there we took a flight to Santorini to end our last days of our trip. I couldn't say enough good things about this company and the way that we were treated. I highly recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Corallo

Sorrento

This hotel is gorgeous and has a beautiful view of the Caldera. The staff were so nice, the room was incredibly spacious and nice. Word of caution the spa pool is not a hot tub, but we went in anyway :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Locanda Leon Bianco on the Grand Canal

Venice

Great hotel located in a great location in the city. The staff was super nice and helpful and they make you the nicest breakfast every morning. Highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Sunset Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Most incredible thing I’ve ever done With the nicest crew. It was a literal dream come true

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Venice Walking Tour with St. Marks Basilica and Gondola Ride

Italy

We had Nicoletta as our guide and she was amazing. It was a private tour, just the two of us and she gave us all the secrets of the city and took us through paths and Campos that we didn't know existed. It was an incredible day and to end it with our own gondola ride was just a dream :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour Amalfi Coast with Wine Tasting & Lunch

Positano

Great tour - lots of driving but worth it to see Amalfi and especially Ravello. Francesco was amazing, so nice and helpful and even bought us a lemon as a parting gift! Ravello is a MUST to see the villa's and the wine tasting was just the most incredible views and great experience where they prepare a food pairing lunch with their wines.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking tour Path of Gods

Italy

This walk is not for those afraid of heights, but if you can stomach it the views are the most breathtaking and best views of the island. Also we were not aware that we had our own private guide so make sure to bring cash to tip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I would highly recommend KimKim and Fabio to anyone planning a trip to Italy. Fabio went above and beyond in planning our trip, and it went off without any issues. Thanks again Fabio for your wonderful planning job!

Activity Review

Full-Day Boat Tour | Portofino Marine Reserve & San Fruttuoso

Sestri Levante

This boat adventure was truly one of my favorites of our trip. Mateo was outstanding and very knowledgeable about the area we toured on the boat. He was meticulous to details and was more than accommodating. If you could request him specifically, I would highly recommend him!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I want to thank Maria for making all the bookings, including changes and adjustments to meet our needs. From the pick up at the airport upon arrival throughout the whole trip, everything worked out great. We had to make changes in the itinerary due to unforeseen weather and Jessica in the Customer service took care of the cancellation and refund. When there was a change in the hotel in Florence they booked us a ride for $59, when the hotel was literary across the road from the train station. When we checked the location, we called the office to advise that no transfer is needed. It was cancelled and refunded, but, it should have been checked by your office first before booking.
Other than that, every pickup and transfer was good and on time. (only Yael's transfer to the airport was late). I will comment the driver that took us from Naples to Sorento. He was knowledgeable and very friendly. The driver that took us to the Amalfi coast tour was excellent. He was experienced drier on those roads, professional, knew where to stop for beautiful viewpoints and made the day very pleasant. The hotels were good. Their location in every city was excellent.
We enjoyed out trip and will recommend Maria and the KimKIm team for other travelers.

Hotel Reviews

Palazzo Starace

Sorrento

The location of the hotel was perfect, close to everywhere. The rooms were comfortable, the breakfast was very good. The staff was very friendly, nice atmosphere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Quirinale

Rome

Already submitted a review to the hotel and TripAdvisor.

Authenticity & Character

WE liked the furniture and decoration of the hotel, really in style

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

C-hotels Ambasciatori

Florence

The location was perfect. Just across from the train station. It was convenient when we arrived and easy to leave. The rooms were nice, the breakfast was good. The staff was very helpful. We need to change a room where we asked for 2 separate beds, and they fulfilled the request.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from FCO Airport to Rome city center

Rome

The drivers were on time to pick us up and transfer to the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum Tour with Underground, Arena & Gladiator Gate with Roman Forum

Rome

This tour was amazing. To see the past coming to life in front of your eyes, was very impressive

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

We loved Sorento and then the trip along the coast was one of our highlights of the trip. Great driver, breathtaking views we enjoyed every minute

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Sorrento

Italy

Due to the weather, it was cancelled. We were disappointed but there is nothing you can do.

Best of Florence Walking Tour with David & the Duomo

Florence

This tour was mediocre. WE walked the night before most of the places, but the guide didn't add much to our knowledge. She explained on the main stops and then during the walking from place to place, it was silence. When was asked question, she didn't have answers. In general, we expected to hear more about the city, history and have more interaction. This was the feeling of most of the participants on the tour. She did take two travelers to a public bathroom, which was out of the way and it was very appreciated. For this service she needs to be commented.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maria did a great job organizing our trip. The hotels were all great and in great locations. The trips and tours we did were amazing. I would recommend using the train as much as possible where we can because traffic is so bad. Jessica with the story walk app was amazing! She got back to us right away and made everything we need happen quickly. Overall a great experience. We did some tours on our own too with some downtime so that was nice to have the options.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Quirinale

Rome

Great hotel, great location, great breakfast that had gluten free. Would definitely stay here again

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to train station and not a far walk to different piazzas

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The last night we could hear everything in the room next door was very annoying

C-hotels Ambasciatori

Florence

Great location. Smelt kind of funny. First room wasn’t great 2nd room better. Staff was nice and breakfast was good with gluten free options

Authenticity & Character

Location

Across from train station is perfect and not to far to main areas

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Had a funny sewer smell on our floor

Palazzo Starace

Sorrento

Great location in sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

On the strip great location and close to train station too

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from FCO Airport to Rome city center

Rome

Driver was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum Tour with Underground, Arena & Gladiator Gate with Roman Forum

Rome

This was a great experience and we had a great guide would recommend it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

Driver was amazing! Drive carefully and took us to all the great spots at the right time despite the rainy day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Sorrento

Italy

It rained did not do it

Best of Florence Walking Tour with David & the Duomo

Florence

The guide was not great. Didn’t give us too much information and if you asked her stuff outside the tour info she didn’t know. The whole group agreed wasn’t the best experience. The guide we had to academia museum was better but even with tickets we still waited over an hour to get in to only be there maybe 30mins

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

First time using a travel agency or company like this but was very impressed and would use again on my
next big trip. Every detail was laid out and the app was extremely useful. Everyone we worked with was very professional. Chiara and her team were great anytime we had a question they immediately answered. Using this company allowed us to enjoy our trip and not worry about anything else.

Activity Reviews

Private boat tour: Pearls of Lake Como

Italy

Must do in Como!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Villages and Vineyards

Cinque Terre

Incredible guide so much knowledge an amazing views

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No

Wine tour from Florence: discover vineyards, olive groves, cellars and wineries

Florence

This was the most expensive trip I ever took. The places visited and events chosen were amazing. Alberto was very helpful and picked fantastic hotels and perfect locations in each city. Our guides and drivers were excellent. I especially was thrilled with our stay in Ortigia, the hotel and its picturesque seaside view was ideal. I would have given the trip 5 stars but there were two glitches that affected the trip. One was that a wine tasting was scheduled on a day that the vineyard was closed. On our way to Etna, our driver tried to communicate that the vineyard was not open on Sundays. So we changed directions and headed to Catania. This caused us to lose value time for seeing and doing things in Sicily. On our last morning, we were expecting a 5 A.M. pickup to take us to the Catania airport for a 8:20 A.M. flight. Our driver was late so we called his number and determined we needed to ask the hotel concierge to call a taxi for us. A taxi came and got us to the airport in plenty of time. I had to pay the driver but was reimbursed by Kimkim.

Activity Reviews

Fiat 500 Tour

Italy

The guide was extremely pleasant and knew how to make his clients feel important. The car was adorable and the drive was thrilling.

Guided Walking Tour of Rome

Rome

We thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour of Rome with Tommaso. He was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. He had a delightful personality. We were shown many fascinating sites including a lot of churches as we requested. Tommaso supplied us with information as we walked and answered questions we had for him. We even went to a popular Roman Caffe shop and enjoyed a delicious espresso with him. We give Tommaso an A+.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Napoli

Naples

I didn't see our walking and guided tour of Pompeii listed in this section regarding tours but I am commenting on it. Seeing Pompeii was fascinating. Our guide Paola, was extremely knowledgeable and gave us valuable information concerning Pompeii. She was very personable and well informed. It was a pleasure having her guide us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We planned a trip to Italy with KimKim and it was absolutely amazing. Everything was planned well and our agent was alert and responsive to every request we put in. I will definitely use Kimkim in our next adventure. You will not go wrong with Moreno from Kimkim he is amazing to deal with.

Never having used the services of KimKim/Storywalking, I must say I had a little skepticism since all was developed through emails and no real “fave to face” conversation. Well, I’m here to say that this was perhaps one of the BEST planned trips I have ever taken! Everything went like clockwork. From the planning of Chiara, who listened to what I wanted in a trip, to Jessica and Barbara assisting us during the journey…they were all superb! Easily accessible for questions and able to adjust and assist exactly as requested. We certainly were able to experience a true taste of NW Italy and Chianti. All the excursions, drivers, train tickets, car rental all were perfect! We could not have asked for better execution during a trip. I think our favorite spots were the Royal Victorian Hotel in Varenna and the Hotel Belvedere in Chianti. Not to say the Buranco
BnB in Monterosso was not great, just a different experience. We really enjoyed visiting with Mary, one of the winery/BnB owners and the food and wine were fantastic.
I would definitely use KimKim/Storywalking again!! Many thanks to all of you who assisted in planning this trip, especially Chiara, with a perfect 10 for this trip!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

Hotel Reviews

Agriturismo Buranco

Monterosso al Mare

Sort of hard to get to but worth the effort! Outstanding views and location!!

Authenticity & Character

We stayed in Casa Blanca one of only 4apartments in this winery/BnB.

Location

Easy walk into Monterosso and train station and ferries, shops and restaurants.

Staff

Outstanding care!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could use a little updating in the apartment with regards to AC/ceiling fans.. but… overall was great.

Lancaster Hotel

Milan

Great location if you want to spend the day visiting the Cathedral.

Authenticity & Character

Very Milanese!!

Location

Other than proximity to Cathedral, might be a little too distant for other sights.

Staff

Attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No complaints!!

Hotel Royal Victoria

Beautiful hotel and location in Varenna, Lake Como!!

Authenticity & Character

Really felt special at this hotel.

Location

Accessibility to village and ferries.

Staff

Very attentive !!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing was missed or left to chance.

Hotel Nazionale

Desenzano del Garda

Good location for visiting the main areas of Desanzano. Close to restaurants and ferries which were both within a 8 minute walk from hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Very stale hotel. Felt like the hotel was more for your groups than individuals.

Location

A little off the beaten path but close enough to what we needed.

Staff

Not very friendly towards Americans.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All was good, except for the view overlooking the Audi dealership.

Belvedere di San Leonino

Castellina in Chianti

Love, love, love this hotel!! The views were spectacular!! Very authentic country farm/winery hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like we were part of the area. Very authentic!!

Location

Easy to get anywhere you wanted to go in Tuscany.

Staff

Very attentive!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!!

Activity Reviews

In the footsteps of Leonardo Da Vinci - Last Supper- Skip the Line Guided Tour

Milan

So glad we had a tour! Amazing guide and tour.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Attentiveness!!

Transport

On time!!

Varenna and Bellagio Tour

Italy

So beautiful! Our guide was very knowledgeable and attentive to our questions.

Quality of Experience

Enjoyed learning more about the history of the Melzi family.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All great!

Transport

Took the ferry and enjoyed all.

Sirmione Walking and Boat Tour & Scaliger Castle

Italy

Wow!! Great tour!! Beautiful surroundings and so interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle Hunting with Lunch

Italy

Very interesting! Great winery!

Quality of Experience

So much good food and wine!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marengo, our truffle guide was great along with his truffle hunting dogs. Great learning experience.

Transport

We drive our rental car. Very easy.

Cinque Terre Trekking & Train Card

Italy

So easy to view all 5 villages!!

Wine Experience in Cinque Terre

Italy

Unfortunately we did not participate in the event as we were exhausted. Sorry to miss this,

Extremely satisfied with KimKim Travel for our trip to Italy. Maria Grazia was fantastic throughout the entire booking process. Before departing for our trip Maria had us download an app to keep all of our trip details, train tickets and tour vouchers readily accessible on our phones. The app also allowed us to message each other and our local travel representative, Jessica. Jessica always replied promptly to our questions and requests.

The hotels in Rome and Florence were well located and although our Sorrento hotel was not walkable to the city center they did provide a shuttle. Our tours of the Vatican and the Colosseum in Rome were fabulous as was our Pompeii tour and e-bike trip through Tuscany.

We did experience a couple of rainy days in Sorrento which resulted in our boat excursion being cancelled. Our credit card was refunded for the cancelled tour within 48 hours.

I highly encourage you to use KimKim Travel for your next worry free vacation!

This was our first trip to Europe and we sought out a travel organizer to help us stay organized and lean on a local expert for recommendations on what to see and do. This was an excellent service experience which we would definitely do again and recommend to friends!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Villa di Sorrento

Sorrento

This hotel was so iconic Italy. Impeccably clean, service was absolutely perfect and the location is optimal to enjoy the sights of Sorrento. Delicious breakfast and coffee as well. Nikola at The front desk was super helpful when we had questions about restaurants, directions, and whatever we needed for the room.

Authenticity & Character

Iconic Italy. Architecture, decor, charming

Location

Central, convenient, beautiful view from our balcony

Staff

Nikola!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were small which we now know is typical in Europe. That didn’t matter to us because we were not there most of the time. The rooms were super clean and although the king bed was actually two twin beds pushed together it didn’t really bother us… maybe because we were so tired from travel adventures!

Acropolis Hill Hotel

Athens

Very clean, good location, amazing view of the Parthenon, awesome rooftop patio.

Authenticity & Character

It was a business vibe as opposed to authentic Greek which was fine for our one night stay

Location

Convenient if you want to visit the Parthenon.

Staff

Very attentive and eager to please guests. “Anthony” at the front desk went so far as to order our take away dinner because we didn’t have the app we needed. That kind of service is hard to find in the states!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything well tended to.

Kasimatis by La Perla

Santorini

I can’t say enough about the amazing experience at this hotel. Everything from the view to the staff, the food, the Jacuzzi, the location, sunsets and all of the wonderful memories - everything was absolutely unforgettable.

Authenticity & Character

So very Santorini- on the caldera- it felt slightly like the cave style but also modern, clean and uniquely special

Location

This is the optimal location for visiting in the month of May to see a perfect sunset. Even in other months of the season I’m sure it is absolutely spectacular. It’s very convenient to walk and find restaurants and the bus station and shops in Imerovigoli.

Staff

All of the staff at this hotel were so eager to make our experience perfect. They are very proud of what they do on the island of Santorini and we were grateful to experience that. When we checked in and out, there was staff readily available to carry our luggage up the 125 steps to and from the street!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The staff is so attentive to cleanliness. Someone came around every morning to check the Jacuzzi to make sure it was clean and we had everything we needed.

Activity Reviews

Capri Island & Grottos Boat Tour from Sorrento

Sorrento

We had a pretty rainy day for this tour, but our host on the boat made the experience absolutely amazing regardless of the weather. He was very talented, negotiating the waves while bringing us into all of the most amazing grottoes around the island of Capri

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Sorrento

This experience was canceled for us due to poor weather

Morning Catamaran Caldera Cruise

Santorini

What a cool experience, this was!

Quality of Experience

We had perfect weather. The crew was impeccable, and very good hosts. The music was great, and all of the stops we made were perfectly timed and educational.

Food

The mail on this boat was actually one of the best meals we had on our entire vacation. It is so impressive what they can do on a catamaran!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everything that we did in Santorini reminded us that tourism is a very important industry that helps this island Thrive. They go out of their way to make sure that your personal experience is absolutely perfect.

Transport

Santorini Highlights with Wine

Greece

This is a must do in my opinion for anyone going to visit Santorini. It really does cover the whole entire island on a high level and then travelers can decide where they’d like to spend additional time. Our guide was absolutely amazing. He knew this island extremely well, and was able to give us lots of awesome information about the history, the highlights the best places to see the sunset, and even brought us to a secret place that the travelers and most tourist didn’t know about. It was a really great experience for us.

Quality of Experience

Amazing overall quality of experience. If there was anything at all that we would change, we found ourselves definitely anxious to wrap up the day after 5 1/2 hours. If the company had offered a bottle of wine to watch the sunset with that would have enhanced the experience but all we had was a bottle of water, and we started feeling very hungry and ready to get back.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent driver and tour guide for this experience!

Transport

Very safe and efficient driver in a very comfortable van