Your Custom Journey

Caterina created a “Masterpiece” of an Italy trip plan for us. Recognizing that everyone has different interests and ways to travel, my wife and I commented several times throughout our vacation that we were amazed how well Caterina understood our interests and likes/dislikes of tour types, hotels, etc. Each hotel that we stayed at had the perfect amenities, room design and location for each stage of our trip.

The details of the Trip Plan from length of stay at each location and the type/timing of our tours could not have hit the mark any better. The size of the tours (small groups or private) seemed as if she knew what would fit us better than even we would have done if we booked ourselves.

The local concierges and assistants that KimKim stitched together made intra-city and inter-city transport logistics run so smoothly it removed all stress in a usually stressful activity.

All the tour guides were top notch, especially our Rome guides for the Colosseum (Dennis) and Golf Cart (Valentina). Our private guide for Pompeii (sorry I lost her name) was a former Pompeii archaeologist and now a professor of archaeology was incredible. The winery tour and dinner was an experience of a lifetime!

Also, KimKim’s website platform is a breeze to plan and communicate with Travel Specialists. The format for tracking text communications and reviewing trip plan details was a valuable resource for us.

As stated at the start of the review, and in the spirit of all the amazing art we saw during our trip, Caterina created a Masterpiece of an Italy Trip Plan that fit us perfectly.

Thanks so much for an amazing experience,
Troy & Beth Jandrasitz

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Splendid Venice - Starhotel

Venice

Concierge was helpful in changing our room when it was confirmed that the room A/C thermostat was not operating. A front desk worker first appeared to question our need to change rooms, but the concierge stopped it immediately and said we needed a room change, it was resolved with an impressive room upgrade.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just seemed perfectly located for us.

Staff

See comment above

Cleanliness & Comfort

5 stars of the first room’s thermostat was operational

Palazzo Castri 1874

Florence

Nice room and view of courtyard. Bed was comfortable. The overnight Front desk reception worker (Raniero) went out of his way yo assist me when a need some minor medical assistance - he was great!

Authenticity & Character

Nice room and bathroom. Very upscale feel to it. Breakfast was very good.

Location

Decent location (could have been a bit closer to town center), but the main issue was significant road construction currently occurring.

Staff

See comment on front desk worker (Raniero) above

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Maria Pia

praiano

Nice hotel. They provided a balcony upgrade at no charge. Dock is nice, but stairs can be tricky to negotiate. The stairs going to street level are equally tricky. Breakfast area was very nice. Room was nice, if slightly small. The tub/shower access was a bit tricky as well - we were ok with it but some individuals with slight mobility issues would have a challenge.

Authenticity & Character

Can’t think of many hotels with a dock like theirs. Ceramic decor was beautiful.

Location

Bus stop right by hotel is a big plus.

Staff

Helpful with local transport. When my wife and I decided to have a picnic dinner on our balcony, the restaurant worked provided a wine bottle opener and glasses

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air handler mini split was difficult to get room temp correct. Awareness of the unit’s fan was slightly bothersome, but not a showstopper either.

47 Boutique Hotel

Rome

Great location, nice room. We enjoyed the roof top bar/restaurant for a drink and views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was centrally located for us to walk to key areas including Colosseum, Vatican City, and Trestavere. We like walking so while it wasn’t next to any of these areas, its location allowed for doable walks.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

ACTV 1 day Transport VENEZIA DAILY PASS

Venice

Nice tour of the Grand Canal - worth the 45 mins to see the city from the Grand Canal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Can be crowded as people use this to transport themselves to hotels, etc.

Venice Gondola Ride

Venice

A must do. The gondolier however had no interaction with us at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

"Bacari" local street food tour

Italy

Beatrice made this tour fun and interesting. She has excellent knowledge of Venice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A

Entrance fees to doge's palace and Saint Mark's basilica

Venice

The tickets for self guided tour was perfect timing for us as we were beginning to hit our limit on museums. So perfect timing to enjoy this an an abbreviated short tour time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/A

Transport

N/A

Best of Siena and San Gimignano tour from Florence with dinner

Italy

Winery tour made the trip. The winery property was beautiful and the dinner was a great experience. This tour was the best highlight of many highlights of the vacation

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Admission tickets - Uffizi Gallery - skip the line

Florence

Amazing museum!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/A

Transport

N/A

Florence and Accademia City Tour

Italy

Amazing tour of art at the Accademia. We found this museum much better organized that Vatican Museum.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about Renaissance Art and Architecture. General questions about more “touristy” things did not seem to interest her - when asked about locations of operating wine windows she said there weren’t any. Later we found out there was and actually enjoyed that unique experience.

Transport

N/A

Small group tour of Capri by boat (7 hours - max 12-14 pp)

Italy

Tour around Capri was beautiful. Time spent on island was just right.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expertise of boater was impressive with ability to back into various coves for close views.

Train Rome/Naples with transfers and 2h guided tour in Pompeii

Italy

Transfer to train was a breeze. Pick up in Naples as well. Pompeii tour was unexpectedly incredible due to an amazing tour guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Admission tickets - Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - skip the line

Rome

We felt the museum and Sistine Chapel is overcrowded with people and the artwork just jammed onto any wall space. Flow seemed disorganized. The skip the line tickets worked fine and it is critical to get these to avoid long wait. Even the skip the line was a bit disorganized.

Quality of Experience

Not sure how to reduce crowds. Better signage of tour flow in the museum would help

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/A

Transport

N/A

Small group tour of Rome highlights by Golf Cart (6 people - 3 hours)

Rome

Valentina was great. She took us off the beaten path for a portion of the tour which was nice. Golf cart was comfortable. We are both very mobile but this tour would seem perfect for individuals with mobility issues. One thing that would have been nice is if we could have toured closer to bottom of Spanish Steps, The cart took us past the top of the steps, but that is not the classic view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Golf cart was comfortable

Small group tour of Colosseum with Arena access, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum

Rome

Dennis (tour guide) was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Timing of the tour = just right; size of group = just right

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No transportion needed to get to Colosseum. It is a walking tour

Hi kimkim and Italian specialists,

I would like to thank kimkim and the Italian staff.
Especially my contact Deborah, for making this four-week trip to Italy an unforgettable experience for my wife and I.
It was worth the three-year delay due to COVID19.

There were two important elements of this trip for us.
The first was to visit and enjoy the wonderful Italian art, culture and history.
Secondly, to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary through our trip to Italy.

Both of these came true and our long-held dream came true.
Above all, Deborah's communication skills and understanding of our needs were outstanding.
I would like to thank her first of all. Of course, it was good that Fabio first asked us what we wanted and then made a travel plan accordingly.
In the cities where we stayed, we were able to spend one or two days visiting the main sites and museums efficiently with a small group of people and a specialised guide arranged by local specialist.
We also had a free day to go around with our guidebook. The combination of guided and free days was also good.

The certified guides Local specialist arranged for us were excellent in their explanations and expertise.
In particular, the Japanese-speaking guide was very good and we learnt a lot.
Especially Luigia in Rome, Hiromi in Florence, Vania in Venice and Haruko in Verona and Haruko in Verona was very enthusiastic and professional.

The drivers and pick-up service were also excellent, punctual and friendly.
Beatrice, our concierge in Rome, was quick to respond and fix when we called her when we were delayed at Lake Como. Beatrice in Venice was very helpful with local information, including local restaurants.
We had been warned by friends to be careful at Italian train stations because of pickpockets, but these ladies made us feel safe and secure on the train. We had nothing to worry about. Everyday was excited and fun.

We received champagne at the hotels in Rome, Milan and Venice and drink vouchers at the hotel in Florence to celebrate our wedding. Thanks to local specialist for organising this.

All hotels had their own characteristics and good points. The hotels in Rome Milan and Venezia were well located and we were able to walk to most of the main sights.　The hotel in Asisi gave us outstanding quality, and fresh food in the restaurant. The Perugia hotel has history. The hotel in Florence was very comfortable with spacious and nice room. The staff at this hotel were the friendliest. We were also very happy with the hotels in Milan, Venezia and Ravenna with their excellent rooms.

We are very happy we chose kimkim ,local specialist as our travel agent.
Now we're hoping to visit Southern Italy and Sicily one day, and when we do, we'll use Kim Kim again.　
Thank to kimkim and all the Italian staff for our great trip to Italy.
Grazie
Takaaki and Ryoko

Visited the Amalfi Coast and Sicily in October. Deborah was a delight to work with, very quick to understand what we were looking for on our trip and super responsive to many changes along the way, even last minute ones. Hotels selected were all excellent, tours well organized and transfers always on time. We especially loved Lara's enthusiastic tour of Palermo. She clearly was proud of her Sicilian home! Small touches added in celebration of an anniversary while there made it very special.
Perhaps we could have organized some things at a lower cost, however the overall package (which we could not have duplicated without detailed prior knowledge of the regions) and stress free travel made it all worthwhile. Highly recommended.
Ian & Wendy

Everything went so smoothly. From the initial planning stage, we enjoyed working with Sonia and collaborating together to get the perfect month long trip to Italy. Sonia was always very responsive to my emails and had great suggestions for the flow of the trip and our accommodations. One of the highlights Sonia arranged was a private cooking class in Tuscany. Throughout our trip, we had excellent help/guides: 1) Our private concierge, Barbara, was outstanding. She met us in Milan and helped secure our rental car and then checked in with us periodically to confirm our arrangements. She was very responsive to any requests we had. 2) In Venice, we were met by (another) Barbara who helped us get to/from our hotel. It really allowed us to enjoy the whole experience. 3) We had a 4 hour private tour in Venice with Silvia and she was fabulous. She was so knowledgeable and fun to be with. 4) We had a 4 hour private tour in Florence with Simona and she, too, was fabulous. She gave us a great overall view of Florence and its history (including art) which really added to our stay.
This is the second time we have worked with KimKim (first time in Norway) and, although we are independent travelers, their expertise and attention to detail allows you to fully experience your trip without having to worry about all the details such as transfers, rental car arrangements, and tours. We highly recommend their services.

Hotel Reviews

Forestis Dolomites

Bressanone BZ

An amazing place to stay in the Dolomites. Great service, great food and the location is unbeatable.

Authenticity & Character

It was very elegant in a simple, refined way. The spa was beautiful and the swimming pool was great.

Location

The view of the Dolomites.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Antica Corte Pallavicina

Polesine Parmense

A wonderful place in the countryside outside of Parma.

Authenticity & Character

A wonderfully restored castle. There were two restaurants to eat at with amazing food.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Cavour

Florence

You cannot beat the location of this hotel, right in the heart of Florence. Our room was on the smaller side but was modern, clean and comfortable. Unfortunately it rained so we couldn't enjoy the rooftop terrace. Breakfast was very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Corte di Gabriela

Venice

An intimate, charming hotel in a great location in Venice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was close to everything we wanted to see, but in a side alley so it was quiet.

Staff

Wonderful breakfasts!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Venice walking tour

Italy

Our guide, Silvia, was outstanding. She was so knowledgeable and fun to be with. She made all the reservations for our visit to San Marco basilica and Dogo's Palace so we skipped the lines. And she showed us some hidden treasures throughout the city. It was a great way to get to know Venice so that we could explore on our own the remaining days.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Venice Gondola Ride

Venice

I wouldn't say this was a highlight as it felt a little touristy. But then, when in Venice ..... it was interesting to get to see all the buildings in the canals so the sightseeing did make it a worthwhile experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We arrived early and they were able to accommodate us without us waiting.

Transport

Gondola was beautiful.

Private cooking class at Podere il Casale in Pienza (self-drive)

Italy

This was one of the highlights of our trip. The Podere il Casale is a beautiful farm in the Tuscan countryside and Sandra, one of the owners, was our cooking instructor. Her hospitality was incredible and we had so much fun together. The food was delicious and the ingredients were farm fresh. In addition to the food we prepared during the class, we tasted the cheese they make on the farm and sampled their freshly pressed olive oil along with their homemade bread. We enjoyed this great lunch while sitting on the lovely terrace overlooking the rolling hills of Tuscany. It was one of the best meals of our entire trip and such a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Sandra really showed us the essence of Italian country cooking.

Food

Everything!

Private transfer from Rental Car office at Florence airport to hotel

Florence

Our driver, Maurilio, showed up early so we didn't have any wait time. He was courteous, friendly and gave us information as he drove us into Florence.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private guided tour of the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries (4 hours)

Florence

Our guided tour with Simona was the best way to get introduced to Florence. She was so knowledgeable about Florence and gave us a great overview of the city's history. And her knowledge of art and art history were amazing. We could never have learned so much by ourselves as we did in 4 hours with Simona. She secured reservations to the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery so it made it a breeze to visit both. We were very impressed with Simona and the personalized guided tour that she gave us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Simona, was the best.

We were fortunate to have Deborah as our trip planner to northern Italy. She was beyond amazing in every way. She was always prompt when answering my (numerous!) questions and had great recommendations on tours, etc. She constantly stayed in contact with me during the trip to be sure that things were going smoothly. Our local tour guide, Enrico, went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. He was informative and so helpful at every step, making sure all of our drivers were on time and that we were happy with everything. He was really incredible and I can't say enough good words about him. I knew that if I had a question or concern, I would get an immediate answer from him or Deborah-- they were that on top of things-- even on a weekend night!
I would highly recommend anyone who is thinking of traveling to use Deborah. This is my 2nd time using Kimkim and I will definitely use them again in the future. They are top notch all the way around. I would give them 10 stars if I could!

Activity Reviews

Prosecco wine tour with 2 wine tasting sessions and lunch included

Italy

Both of the cantina's were lovely. The 1st stop was at Fasol Menin and they provided an incredible spread to have along with our Prosecco tasting. The lunch that Deborah set up for us was at Trattoria Alla Cima and was a beautiful and scenic restaurant and the lunch was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

We really enjoyed the tasting at Fasol Menin-- the food along with the Prosecco was perfect.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giorgio was a wonderful driver!

Transport

Truffle Hunting

Italy

This was a very fun and informative tour. we learned so much about truffles that we did not know. The owner clearly loved what he does. This was an enjoyable afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Murano & Burano Excursion

Venice

We toured Murano and Burano for a 1/2 day. It was the perfect amount of time. Very interesting and scenic islands and well worth the visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Langhe Winery Tour

Italy

We visited Tenute Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy and Azienda Agricola Marrone. Lunch was at Osteria Disguido and was really delicious! The wineries were excellent and the tours informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour of Lake Como

Italy

This was a 6 hour private tour of the Lake Como region. Our guide, Nathalie, was informative and they took us to several areas of the lake, pointing out important landmarks and villas along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport