Kimkim Trip Reviews for Italy

Words can't describe just how excellent Jessica and the kimkim team were in making our trip to Italy unforgettable. We had never used a travel agent before, and were visiting Italy for the first time. We are so glad we chose kimkim and Jessica for planning the trip. Our family went back and forth about which cities to visit, what to do, and how long to stay. With each change in our plans Jessica came up with great ideas and a new plan. Jessica arranged our tours and transportation, leaving ample room for free day at the beach or to explore on our own. Private car drivers were prompt and personable and the tour companies for Rome (Lorenzo, walking tour guide extraordinaire!), Pompei (Mena!), Capri (grazie, Francesa and Gabriele!), Lake Como (Renzo, who made us feel so welcome we felt we'd known each other or years) and the Vatican were top-notch, helping us navigate Il bel paese through crowds and summer heat! When a slight hiccup found us off the Pompei tour list, Jessica spoke personally to the tour company! Amazing. A special mention to the Hotel Mignon in Sorrento -- a very special place!

Hotel Reviews

Bettoja Hotel Massimo D'Azeglio

Rome

Gilded, Old world feel -- like a movie set! -- with lots of modern touches. You really feel like you're somewhere special at this hotel. The staff is incredible. We arrived mid-morning and got to check in early instead of leaving our bags in storage. The room had high ceilings, great air and a large bathroom, and an actual writing desk! Breakfast was really spectacular (the "homemade cake" was different each day but always a special treat.) Great restaurant and lots of other food choices, including a Coop market, nearby. The hotel is a block from the terminale (transit hub) -- buses, trolley and trains -- but the area never seemed crowded and there was no noise. SS. Maria Maggiore, Colosseum, Minerva Temple ruin, and several archeological and historical sites and museums are within walking distance (all within about a mile, although it felt like more in the summer heat). And just a few blocks from some cool residential neighborhoods, shopping and theatres. Highly recommended.

Authenticity & Character

"Authentic" and "character" are exactly how I would describe this hotel. It's a work of art in itself. I found myself saying "this is what I always thought I European hotel should be like."

Location

the hotel is close to rains and other transit but it's like a quiet oasis. I loved that I could go out for morning run each day of my stay and could see something really interesting in every direction.

Staff

Staff always say hello and ask how you're doing. Professional but never standoffish.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is pristine.

Hotel Mignon Sorrento

Sorrento

This hotel is amazing! Combine a resort-spa with boutique hotel: tile everywhere, Mediterrenean-themed rooms, with great closet space and big shower. Incredibly helpful and friendly staff (you'll know all their names and the kitchen staff will seem like family by the time you leave.) Sunshine, lemon and orange trees are literally within your grasp from the room's balcony, and you're steps away from the best shopping, dining and some incredible sights, like local churches, woodworking, ceramic and photo galleries and a medieval fort is right next door! The hotel is a little way from the beach (and uphill from it, like just about everything in Sorrento) but the path is easy to find and there are cool things to see every step of the way. We were truly sad to leave Hotel Mignon. We would stay there again without hesitation.

Authenticity & Character

Feels like a spa: it's exactly like a Sorrento vacation should feel like. Peaceful.

Location

It's a quiet place steps away from everything -- sightseeing, tour pickup location, restaurants, churches and museums.

Staff

Incredibly knowlegeable and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It's beautiul.

Uptown Palace Milan

Milan

The Uptown Palace was very nice -- Of the three hotels we stayed at on vacation this one was the most urban and modern-- and the one that felt most like a New York business hotel. Ironically, it was also the one at which we saw the most families. There was a conference taking place during our stay but this was not at all a distraction. There are quite likely "rooms with a view of the Duomo" as per the adverts but ours overlooked U Milan and the ancient church of S. Gregory Nazianzus. It was a nice view, but both of spaces were sadly unavailable for us to visit. Fortunately there is a nice 18th-century park around the block with fountains and a fish pool-- a real find for us. Room was well appointed but on the small side for three adults: we had originally scheduled a delux double but were put in a standard room, and we believe this was an oversight by the staff as they were just finishing up accommodating the guest in line ahead of us who booked online but then wanted adjoining rooms for family members! Staff was otherwise very attentive and there was turn down service. Breakfast was a bit crowded but there was lots of room and the meal was great. It is indeed walkable to the Duomo (we did the whole Duomo package, including the museum and outdoor film screening so we spent a lot of time there), the Sforza castle, the da Vinci Museum AND the da Vinci exhibition (one's near the Duomo and the other isn't), and La Scala, as well as several area churches and an architectural self-tour. There is great food on the Sforza, the De Amicis, and around the Duomo but it was harder to find closer to the hotel, especially on weeknights after eight. This was made a little more problematic as it was very hot during our stay, there was a taxi strike and there were several construction detours in the area for pedestrians and vehicles alike. The airport was a short ride away which was also a plus, but overall, we would prefer to stay closer to a transit hub as the city can be challenging to navigate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

I think it would be great if there were recommendations for area restaurants, shuttle servces and other transportation more readily available. We loved the bathroom design but were a little concerned the height of the tub might be challenging for shorter guests (like one of us).

Staff

Staff were very available. We checked out very early in the morning and were given options to make it as smooth as possible the night before.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The place is spotless and very modern.

Activity Reviews

Exclusive Private Walking Tour of Rome

Rome

We love tours where you can see the sights AND at the same time learn what it's like to live in a city - what is Roma like to Romans? How do they live, travel, etc.? Lorenzo was perfect for the job! We saw areas of Roma that were famous, and gorgeous, but we might not be able to get to during a short stay, even with help from the tour bus -- Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navonna. I'll never forget Lorenzo showing us the "how to turn the downspout water fountain into a drinking fountain" trick! We talked history, architecture, politics, economics, and, yes, how to find out if the gelato is well made just by looking at it! In the end we walked for two hours and hardly noticed the distance or the time. Lorenzo was also very mindful of when we needed a brief break. This was excellent.

Quality of Experience

It's like walking with a friend or colleague. This was an awesome way to learn the city and a lot about the people who live and visit there. I've rarely taken a walking tour but as a result of this one, I'm sold on the idea.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lorenzo is a great conversationalist, who walks my pace but readily adjusts to the group as a whole.

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Sorrento

Italy

This was a highlight of our trip! Very easy transportation from the hotel to the marina. Francesca and Gabriele were incredibly friendly and thoughtful. Francesca easily addressed a child's case of Male di mare, while Gabriele sang and talked with me about the sea. The ride was smooth and the water and sky were brilliant blue. Even the wait for the blue grotto rowboat was enjoyable (tip: bring a couple extra euros to tip the rower, ours did an expert Dean Martin impression.) Food and drink aboard ship was plentiful, including a caprese sandwich for our time ashore. I cannot say enough about how wonderful Capri and Anacapri were (Take the skyride! Visit San Michele Chiesa! Stop for coffee at the caffe in between!) We will remember forever swimming in the golfo and making a circuit of the island. We were a family of three with another family of three aboard: I think this was ideal. Such attention to detail, such personable tour guides. Bravi!

Quality of Experience

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Francesca and Gabriele were excellent. I really liked talking with them and learned a lot. They really care about what they do.

Transport

Very comfortable ride to and from the marina. The Capri harbor can be seem deceptively large and crowded, but if you look for where you got off the boat, it will be easy to know where you should re-board in the afternoon.

Lake Como and Bellagio – Full Day Trip from Milan with Cruise

Italy

A true vacation highlight! Meeting Renzo and the train station in Milano was like meeting an old friend or family member. He put us all at ease, and was very easy to talk. The train to the Lake and then the ferry was so seamless. Renzo knew the region intimately, and wove the story of the villas, the flora, the local fishing and silk economy, Lake Como celebrities past and present and so much more into wonderful stories. The Lake, and Bellagio itself, are beautiful and fun, but we would not have had had half as great a time if it weren't for Renzo's fabulous tour. The shopping and restaurant recommendations were spot-on, too, and learning from Renzo about all there is to do in the area (touring the villas, cycling and mountaineering) will make the Lake our destination for our next vacation rather than a day outing.

Quality of Experience

There was so much to see and Renzo guided us in a very relaxed, easy manner.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Renzo made the lake feel like home.

Transport

Ferries were easy to find and easy to purchase tickets. (We know this only from observation, as we had them in advance)

Just got back from our 12-day trip to Italy, and we could not be more pleased with all that Jessica arranged. I have to say, I was a bit nervous planning and paying someone online having never spoken to them on the phone, but everything was exactly like she stated it would be. Jessica did a fantastic job on many levels. To begin with, she really listened to what we wanted and the rhythm in which we wanted the trip to take. The places in which she chose for us and our accommodations were incredible, and what I found to be one of the most impressive parts of the vacation. The accommodations added and helped make the experience, as opposed to just being a place to stay. She also checked in with us daily to make sure we were enjoying our time or had made it okay to our destination. Twice, we had a last-minute change of plans and needs, and Jessica was on it, and made sure we had the needed transportation and ability to get where we needed to go.

Hotel Reviews

Al Palazzo del Marchese di Camugliano

Florence

Out of our 12 days in Italy, Florence was my family's favorite place to visit and a lot of it had t do with staying at the Al Palazzo del Marchese di Camugliano. The staff and setting were incredible. Having breakfast in the garden and the late-night glass of wine over cards made it one of our favorites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Torretta

Manarola

The view from our balcony made this one of our favorites of our 12-days in Italy. Most nights we opted to have dinner on the balcony. The staff was always eager to please and accommodating. The breakfast was delicious, complete with the freshest of fruits. Easy to access the train station and absolutely beautiful setting of vineyards and town if you choose to rest and enjoy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Always there to meet your needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Day Tour from Florence to the Jewels of Tuscany

Italy

What can I say? The car was immaculate. Massimo was incredible. Very accommodating and full of information regarding the region and towns, with plenty of suggestions of what to do. He even had printed maps--two for each family highlighting the areas we should check out, complete with bathrooms marked for convenience. His communication regarding pick up and checking on us regularly to make sure we didn't have any questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everyone was incredibly friendly, punctual and helpful! It made for a very smooth and seamless trip experience! Would definitely recommend

We had a wonderful time on our Italian vacation and we would like to thank Andrea for all his help to organize this trip. It gave us comfort knowing that if a problem arose we could rely on Andrea to handle it. When unforeseen situations did pop up and caused our train to be late, he adjusted our schedule with our driver and tour guide and kept us on track.
The location of the hotels he chose made it easy for us to enjoy each location. In Rome, the Albergo del Senato room overlooking the Pantheon was more than we expected and was such a treat after a long day of travel. The location of our hotel in Amalfi was close to everything and very scenic overlooking the sea.
All the tour guides were gracious and knowledgeable and we enjoyed every one of them. We especially enjoyed our tour with Georgio in Bari.
Please consider Andrea if you are planning your dream vacation in Italy as we can assure you it will be spectacular!
This was a once in a lifetime trip for us and he made it more than we ever expected.
George & Susan Terlizzi

Hotel Review

Albergo Del Senato

Rome

The hotel is on the Piazza della Rotonda with amazing views of the Pantheon. It is situated in a historic building but with all the modern convivences. They have a full breakfast and a roof top patio/bar. It is close to all the major sites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Bari guided walk

Italy

Our guide Georgio was a joy to tour with. He seemed to know everyone and you could see he really enjoyed showing us Old Town Bari. It was the most enjoyable tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We used kimkim to help us plan our honeymoon to Italy (Rome, Venice, Amalfi Coast). The entire process from start to finish was so easy for us - all thanks to Valeria! We had an initial consultation with her to discuss what we were hoping for out of the trip and the trip itinerary she created did not disappoint. We spent 12 magical days in Italy and every part of the trip was seamless. It felt like our trip was dummy proof, haha -- because it was so well organized. Our travel leader based on Rome, Daniela, was so amazing - we were able to ask her any questions we had through Whatsapp while we were on our trip, which was so helpful. It was a wonderful honeymoon and we would 100% book through kimkim again in the future!

Sonia and Barbera were amazing and made my trip with my wife for our anniversary wonderful. Very responsive and always willing to help. We are so thankful for them and their services for us.

As a whole, what you all planned was good. I am not pleased that you all forgot to pick us up at a train station. It was hot and we paid too much for this level of unprofessionalism. This issue is compounded by the steep pricing.

Our two weeks spent in Italy were absolutely amazing! Kim Kim and our guide Eleni handled all the details big and small from transportation, tours, and hotels. This made everything so easy knowing that everything was pre-arranged and handled for us. We highly recommend using KimKim for your travel. While in Italy the team was very responsive and kept us up to date if anything changed. The tours we had arranged were absolutely fantastic and all of our guides were wonderful and made sure we had a great time and experience.

We could not have been more pleased with Andrea. So grateful KimKim connect us to him as our trip to Italy was a thousand times more fun, interesting, rewarding, beautiful and relaxing than had we tried to do it ourselves or had used a travel agent or tour operator from the U.S. Andrea was wonderfully communitive, a great listener, and designed the perfect trip for our family based on our conversations. Andrea pointed us to all the places we wanted to be - including parts of Italy we had never heard of, but have become our favorites. On the ground, the tour guides were lovely, transfers perfectly execute, and the restaurant recommendations alone were worth the cost of our trip. While we were in Italy, Andrea was always a text away to answer questions and he graciously scrambled to help with a last minute request. My only regret from our trip is that we didn't get to meet and thank Andrea in person.

We are so glad that we chose Kimkim to arrange our Italy vacation this summer. Everything was very well planned and we were in constant communication with Jessica (who was awesome). We did Venice, Rome and Sorrento in 9 days and Maria Grazia has a very well planned itinerary for us where we covered a lot of ground as well as she planned enough time in between for us to do things at our own pace. Loved it and can't wait to plan our next vacation through Kimkim. Ciao :).

Hotel Reviews

Ai Mori d'oriente

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Via Veneto Suites

Roma

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Residenza Il Hotel Campanile Sorrento

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Loredana was amazing and super helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Little too noisy and too many steps to reach to the room.

Activity Reviews

Mini Private Rome Tour in Golf Cart

Rome

Loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mateo was AWESOME>

Transport

Private Amalfi Coast Boat Tour

Italy

Our favorite part of the whole trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Italy was a long time coming! I worked with KimKim Travel and Marianne for over 2.5 years, through the cancellation and uncertainty of the pandemic. We finally were able to go in June 2022. We went to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Amalfi.
I most appreciated coordinating all of the transport among cities. We took trains, private cars, boats, taxis! We had a hiccup with one of our drivers and the employees on the ground helped us in real time to rebook our train. It's really amazing to have real time support when (not if) things don't go according to plan.

We loved the pace of the trip- I would definitely recommend spending 3 nights in each place, but definitely no fewer than 2 nights. Otherwise, you will really feel rushed. They scheduled tours of the Vatican museums (note- St. Peter's Basilica is no longer included in the Vatican Museum tour, so get separate skip-the-line tickets for that). Our tour guide Martina was amazing!
Our guides in general were all very good. We really enjoyed our golf cart tour of Rome- definitely a good way to see a lot in a short amount of time.
Our hotels were in very central locations and all included breakfast- a must when in Europe in my opinion.
Overall, I would highly recommend KimKim travel to book your Italian vacation!

Our family had an amazing trip to Sorrento and Rome, Italy. Everyone we met was kind and helpful. I want to thank all the people who helped us get to all our stops on our itinerary. The drivers, Luigi, Vincenzo, Carmine, & Tony were on time and always ready to give us help on navigating our trip.
Our guides, Emma & Carlo (Mt Vesuvius), Giovanni (Pompeii), Lucca (Path of Gods), Vincenzo (Vatican) were all extremely knowledgable and friendly. Our boat trip to Capri with Antonino was amazing. Lunch and wine tasting at Tenuta San Francesco winery in Tramonte, the wine and food prepared by the family was a once in a lifetime experience. Lunch and wine tasting in Pompeii with Salvatore was wonderful. The pizza making class at Al Grottino in Rome with Tony and Julia was fun and delicious. The staff at our hotels, Hotel Capodimonte Sorrento and 47 Boutique Hotel Rome were so helpful with directions and dinner reservations. A final thanks to our trip planners Fabio, Lisa and Daniella, you thought of everything and we enjoyed all of it!
Grazie mille! The Pinsonault Family

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hotel Capodimonte

Sorrento

Beautiful hotel overlooking the bay of Sorrento.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

47 Boutique Hotel

Rome

Trendy hotel in the heart of the Circus Maximus in Rome. Beautiful balconies on the 5th floor rooms and restaurant that overlooks the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Path of Gods hiking

Italy

Beautiful views on an amazing trail our guide Lucca was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private excursion to Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius (8 hours)

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Pizza-making class

Rome

Tony and Julia were amazing and so welcoming. We learned a lot and the pizza was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sorrento Coast & Capri Boat Tour

Italy

Antonino was an excellent boat captain and packed a delicious lunch. He took us all around the island of Capri.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of the Amalfi Coast villages with wine tasting and lunch at Tenuta di San Francesco

Italy

The views were amazing on the drive. Lunch and wine tasting at Tenuta di San Francesco was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

Our trip to the Vatican was top notch our guide Vincenzo was friendly and knowledgable, he showed us many things that we would have missed if we went on our own.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wow, wow, wow!! Sonia planned an incredible 17 day trip for me and my family. We wanted a mix of athletic adventures, cultural highlights, and exploring off the beaten path - and boy did she deliver. We started at a spa in Lake Garda, hiked in the Dolomites, biked through Tuscany, had amazing local guides in Verona, Venice and Rome, and the hotels we stayed in were superb. The vineyards and small towns in Chianti we visited were spectacular, our drivers were informative and the food everywhere was divine.
I would absolutely recommend Sonia and kimkimtravel.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Caesius Thermae & Spa Resort

Bardolino

This was the best hotel of the trip. The location was fantastic because it is relatively quiet but an easy walk or bike ride to several nearby towns. The food at the hotel’s restaurant was superb. The spa had a variety of pools, saunas and steam rooms to choose from, all included in with your stay. I would love to visit again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Everyone was genuinely friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Carnival Palace

Venice

This hotel was very nice and all the restaurants nearby were great. It is off the beaten path a bit, so you get to mingle more with the locals, which I prefer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private excursion to the Dolomites (Madonna di Campiglio) from Lake Garda

Italy

Our local guide, Giorgio, was fantastic. He took us on an8 mile hike with several gorgeous waterfalls along the way. Our lunch at the mountain top hut was very tasty and impressive. We definitely left this hike wanting to return and doing a several day backpacking adventure in the Dolomites.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orienteering tour in Venice (for families and teenagers)

Italy

Silvia was a gem. She took us through the winding streets of Venice and offered the best bits of information to our teenagers about the dark and mysterious sides to Venice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided boat tour on Lake Garda

Italy

Our guide, Sara, had an extensive understanding of history and did such a fantastic job explaining the local stories.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Firstly, I have to give a huge thank you to Andrijana. She not only helped me put this absolutely amazing journey to Venice, Florence, Pisa, Sorrento and Rome with my grandchildren possible but she was able to secure me the best of rooms in all the hotels I had requested. Our tour guides were amazing and I got compliments from them on my grandchildren re how they listened, responded to questions and never once used their cell phones for texting only for taking pictures. Our drivers were polite and always there on time to take us to our destination. Venice and Sorrento were are absolute favourite places to visit. Our hotel in Rome was absolutely exquisite and relaxing after a full day at the Vatican and St. Peters Basilica Tour. This holiday was absolutely perfect, all to the thanks of Kim Kim and their wonderful Traveller Support Team at Travel 12. I want to thank Elena and Marianna for picking up the pieces of my trip when Andrijana left - you did a superb job making this trip so easy for me with literally no stress. My grandchildren and I had a trip of a life time. Thank you and I most definitely will be using Kim Kim again for my next adventure.
Best Regards to all of you - Judy, Olivia, Hillary, Dylan and Emerson❤️

My husband & I used KimKim to plan our honeymoon & I highly recommend their services. Giustino & his team focused on what we wanted for our trip & planned the perfect itinerary. They also provided contacts if we needed anything while in Italy. Our trip was everything we dreamed it would be. We did a wine tour a Le Potazzine in Montalcino & our guide Duccio was great. He was very informative, friendly, & gave us a great local spot to eat at for lunch. In Rome we had 2 guided tours, a walking tour with Lorenzo, & colosseum tour with Maria. Both tours guides were so knowledgeable & extremely friendly. I definitely recommend the guided tours because we learned much more than we would’ve if we did it ourselves. We will definitely use KimKim for our future travels

Hotel Review

Podere Brizio

Montalcino

The staff at Podere Brizio were friendly & accommodating. The property is stunning & peaceful. Will definitely return

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine tasting in Tuscany countryside (1 winery)

Italy

Duccio was a great guide. He was friendly & informative. We had a great time viewing the vineyard & tasting their amazing wines

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening walk in Rome: twilight guided stroll - small group

Rome

Lorenzo was a great guide. He was super informative & friendly. We learned lots of interesting facts during this tour. He even recommended a great local spot for dinner.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum and Roman Forum - small group guided tour

Rome

Maria was a fantastic guide. She is very passionate about the subject & we learned so much from her. I definitely recommend the guided tour as you miss out on lots of information without one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

AMAZING ESPECIALLY IN A POST COVID TRAVEL RUSH! THEY DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS A SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE. MAGICAL DESTINATIONS, HOTELS AND OVERALL FANTASTIC SERVICE!

Everything was very well planned for us. We did a lot in a small amount of time. We enjoyed the different locations each one having a different vibe and things to offer. The guides were very good, Maria- Paula in Rome, Santi at the Vatican, Simona in Florence, Antonio in Pompeii. Each guide was different in their approach and added to the experience. All the private transfers were very good and relaxing and the drivers were very skilled. Thanks to Andrea for a great itinerary. We especially enjoyed the hospitality of Manuela at the hotel Villa Della Palme, she really looked after us. We would definitely recommend KimKim to friends and family.

My family and I just completed a three week tour of Italy , with stays in Lake Como, Milan, Florence, Rome, Amalfi Coast, and Taormina Sicily.
Jessica Proietti , at Story Walking Tours, worked closely with me to make sure the hotels, tours, activities restaurants met and exceeded our expectations.
While we were Italy she was in contact with us each step of the way making certain that each event went off as planned and she accommodated slight changes we made o the fly.
I am a seasoned traveler, and I would rate the activities she planned for us, the hotels and restaurants she selected and the services provide by Jessica a 10 on a scale of 10.
I am very pleased that we used Story Walking Tors and will recommend Jessica and her agency to all my friends who intend to travel to Italy in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lorelei Londres

Sorrento

Very pleasant hotel in good location

VOI Grand Hotel Mazzarò Sea Palace

Taormina

This hotel was a big surprise- It was perfect

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful Veranda - Great dinners with a piano player - Magical!

Location

Has it's own private beach and located new the gondola make going to town very convenient

Staff

Couldn't be friendlier or more attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were perfect!!

Villa d'Este

Como

My favorite Hotel - Its Magical

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel et de Milan

Milan

Hotel is old and tired.

Authenticity & Character

Hotel is old and tired - needs to be torn down and rebuilt

Location

Staff

Staff very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Bristol Resort & Spa, by R Collection Hotels

Rapallo

Loved the hotel - sorry we didn't stay longer

The Place Firenze

Florence

Very pleasant small hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Russie

Rome

My favorite hotel in Rome

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Grandeur Of Como: Villa Olmo and Brunate Funicular

Italy

Enjoyed the tour

Milan In A Nutshell

Milan

Very enjoyable and informative tour

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

Private boat tour: Pearls of Lake Como

Italy

Had a great time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Genoa Market & Old Shops Food Tour

Italy

Pleasant guide - but nothing special about the food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pisa: full ticket entrance and private guided tour

Pisa

Loved the tour and vising the surround structures near the tower

Quality of Experience

Great tour but day was very hot

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Trip along the Taormina Coast

Taormina

Lot's of fun - Swimming off of the Boat was great- Ending up ma t a restaurant a real treat Great Day

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cannolo Cooking Class

Taormina

Making Cannoli- lots of fun

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Como Food Tour

Italy

Great time

Florence Art Tour: Uffizi & Accademia

Florence

A wonderful tour of the exceptional art

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Market tour and Cooking Lesson with a Farm Chef

Italy

A truly outstanding experience that my entire family will always remember. The best cooking class we have ever taken.

Quality of Experience

Food

Unbelievable experience

Transport

Private Evening Rome Walking Tour

Rome

Good tour of some of the highlights. Guide was terrific

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

NA

Limoncello Tour & Tasting

Amalfi Coast

Great fun - Chef was terrific

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit to the Gentile Company Factory

Italy

An interesting tour of the silk factory

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sicilian Street Food

Palermo

Guide was very good - tried hard- but touring in Palermo is not very interesting

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Eleni is amazing!!! We will defintly use her on our next rtip. The whole team is great. Great follow up. I have already recommended them to several friends

Our 12-day trip to Italy was wonderful! I recommend Eleni at kimkim 100%.

Our Group:
We had four kids (aged 5, 6, 7, & 8) plus two sets of parents, and three grandparents. So we had a total of 11 people. One of the adults had limited mobility in walking. The tour was very personalized to our group. There was a special focus on engaging the kids so they would enjoy the tour.

Our Specialist:
Eleni was our specialist and she really knew exactly how to plan a trip for our specific groups. She took into consideration our budget, our needs, and our interests. It didn't feel like a generic tour, it felt very personalized to us. She was very responsive and helpful at all times. I can't imagine a better person to plan our trip. She took care of everything.

The Hotels:
We stayed in hotels in Venice, Florence, and Rome. All three were excellent, with fantastic rooms, fantastic breakfast, and fantastic service!

The Experience:
We had a series of tour experiences in each location. Every tour guide was knowledgeable, helpful, accommodating to the needs and interests of our group, and kid-friendly. We especially loved day trips, the scavenger hunt-style tours for our kids, and the activities we had in each location: Mask making in Venice, Gelato making in Florence, and Mosaic making and pasta making in Rome. The transfers were seamless.

Overall:
Members of our group regularly looked at each other and said, "Can you believe how fantastic this tour is?!" We loved every aspect of it. The kimkim team was super responsive. When we had questions or little issues we could contact them and get help immediately. Once we got off the plane in Venice, up until the final transfers to the airport in Rome on the very last day, everything was so smooth. We were completely taken care of every step of the way, through three major cities and multiple day trips. We had no stress. The tour was the perfect pace for our group. We all loved it!!! Additionally, I priced out a 12-day Italian tour for our group through several tour companies before choosing kimkim, This tour was the best value of all those I priced out. Kimkim is now my go-to tour company.