An amazing 2 week trip in Italy
Italy
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Sep 6 - Sep 19, 2024
I could not have planned this trip without Fabio's help. He was so patient and answered every question I had. He tailored our itinerary perfectly and helped me secure the perfect the most amazing hotels and activities for our group. Fabio went above and beyond even while we were on our trip. The day before we left, Fabio let us know that there was a strike happening and that our trains were cancelled but not to worry he booked us a taxi instead and at no additional cost to us. Not having to deal with those unforeseen travel changes was a blessing. Fabio also helped me plan 2 separate events outside of my itinerary with a large group of my friends and graciously dealt with many last minute changes and updates.
Sabrina was our tour guide for our colosseum tour and she was absolutely amazing. We asked her so many questions about ancient Rome and the colosseum that we lost track of time and she so nicely stayed for an extra half hour. The tour of the colosseum was one of the most memorable parts of our trip.
Our drivers that took us to Florence and all around Tuscany, Stefano and Jury were wonderful. They were both very engaging and lovely to talk to and encouraged me to practice my Italian with them which I really appreciated. Stefano even walked us around each of the little towns he drove us to in Tuscany and shared some history and places of interest about each.
Another highlight was the truffle hunt. Our guide and his dog, Dora were wonderful company as we learned all out hunting for truffles. Dora found us many truffles.
Hotel Reviews
I was delightfully surprised by this hotel. It's centrally located next all the main sites in the city center but it's located on a quieter side street. The rooms were very spacious and comfortable and the breakfast on the roof overlooking the city was amazing. The Front desk, and staff were very kind and welcoming.
I highly recommend this hotel and to anyone staying in Tuscany or San Gimignano, the views around the property and from our hotel room were stunning. The rooms are very modern and chic. I shared a room with my mother and my aunt but I would say the rooms and the overall experience would be better suited for couples traveling. Most of the guests were younger, perhaps on their honeymoon or older couples. Breakfast was included and it was amazing every day. At night we ate at the restaurant on the property and that was also very delicious.
This hotel is in a great location, very walkable to all the sites and right next to a Santa Maria maggiore Basilica. I was in Rome for a wedding and I asked to be closed to the hotel of the wedding party so that I could use the shuttle services. The hotel itself is very tiny /narrow. The elevator was a little scary as it only fits one person and barely any luggage. The rooms were on the smaller side but clean and comfortable. The rooftop bar served breakfast every day and drinks at night. The staff were very friendly and helpful.
Activity Reviews
Sabrina was fantastic. She is so knowledgable and engaging, we loved our tour with her. We asked her so many questions that we actually missed going to 2 other scheduled sites during our tour because we were so fascinated by the colosseum. She graciously stayed for another half hour and quickly walked us through the palatine hill. I highly recommend Sabrina to anyone looking for a private tour of the Colosseum.
This was a very unique and wonderful experience. We got a private transfer and tour with a truffle hunter and his wonderful dog, Dora. We were pleasantly surprised that we were able to find so many truffles and it was very to get to dig up our own. Poggia wine tasting and lunch was delicious and they were kind enough to cook up our truffles we found into a dish.
I wound up cancelling one of these tours for the day as we were worried about doing too many wine tasting. The one winery we did go to was beautiful and just recently renovated. We were given our own private room for the tasting and they served us lunch which was the best lasagna of my life. The space is huge and we were unfortunately the only ones there.
Unfortunately the Vatican was incredibly packed when we visited and we had to wait a while to actually go in to the sistine chapel, which of course was not the fault of the tour guide. However, at times it seemed like she was exasperated by the crowds, she was having a hard time engaging our large group. Her accent also made it harder to understand her over the audio speaker and all the noise. She did not accomopany us into St. Peter's but it would have been nice to have someone guide us through the basilica. Unfortunately much of the site is under construction and scaffolding, preparing for next years jubliee.
Amazing! It was great to explore a new neighborhood and get out of the city center. Maurizio took us a wonderful assortment of shops all showcasing Rome's local cuisine. He also shared some Roman history and walked us through a basilica as a part of the tour.
