We had the most spectacular Italy trip, all due to the excellent and detailed planning by Irene Lappa, and then aided by the Travel 12 Team.
Everything was perfect, from the transportation to the hotels to the tours and activities.
We were so impressed with the quick responses to our questions, right from the planning of the trip to the final day, when some changes had to be made, with no problem at all.
The specific tours set up by Irene were very educational and fun - truly enjoyable. We now have wonderful memories of Rome, Florence, Siena, Venice and Milan. We have learned about Italy as the locals live and work, which is exactly what we wanted. We also now know how to make authentic Italian pizza and gelato!
We would absolutely recommend Kimkim, and particularly Irene Lappa, to anyone wanting to travel to Italy.
Hotel Reviews
Hotel Alexandra Rome
Rome
This hotel is in a perfect location for walking around the neighborhood, with many cafes and restaurants. The beds were very comfortable and the buffet breakfast was excellent. We would definitely stay here again.
Authenticity & Character
It was not a standard hotel room, had lots of character.
Location
Walking to many restaurants, ambience of neighborhood
Staff
Very helpful in suggesting places to eat and how to get around
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very comfortable beds, very clean
Ottantotto Hotel Florence
Florence
One of our favourite! The history of the “hotel” was amazing- being a bakery and the a nobleman’s home -made us feel like we were living in the past with them.
The breakfasts were delicious!
Authenticity & Character
As stated, the incredible history of the building was truly appealing. It was delightful having breakfast in the garden, or to just sit there.
Location
Easy walking to many places.
Staff
They were very helpful -explaining the entry system, getting us taxis and serving the breakfast.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beds were very comfortable and the room was really clean.
Hotel Antigo Trovatore Venice
Venice
The location was terrific - easy walk to numerous restaurants and cafes, water taxis and water bus, and of course St.Mark’s Square.
Authenticity & Character
Being in a neighborhood setting made us feel like we were local! Our room had a balcony overlooking regular Venitian homes. The one drawback was the size of the room, as it was rather small and compact, but the wooden ceiling beams and decorative walls gave a lot of ambiance.
Location
Easy walking distance to many places.
Staff
Very helpful front desk - professional and friendly.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Only reason for 4 stars is the small size of the bedroom and bathroom.
Residenza delle Città
Milan
This is a self-catering hotel, meaning that it is an efficiency hotel. It has a fully equipped kitchen, a separate bedroom and a very spacious bathroom and living area.
Authenticity & Character
The spaciousness of the rooms was a very pleasant surprise. We didn’t use the kitchen at all, as we wanted to sample authentic Italian food in the local restaurants.
There is an on site laundry, which came in very handy.
Location
This was exactly as we wanted - not in the main tourist areas with a regular type of hotel.
We could walk to the train station and metro.
Staff
Very helpful front desk- explained how the entry system worked (if we came in after regular hours), helped us in figuring out the Metro system to get to the city centre - just very friendly and welcoming.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beds were very comfortable. Everything was perfectly clean. We really liked the spaciousness.
Activity Reviews
Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour
Rome
Highly recommend this tour - we didn’t have to line up for hours to get in, and we went to the underground part where the gladiators and anime were kept. The history behind the Colosseum was absolutely fascinating and the tour guide’s explanation was exceptional.
Our second tour guide was amazing as well, explaining so much of Roman history during the walking tour around the Forum.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Trastevere Afternoon Food Tour & Wine Experience
Rome
This tour explained about the eating and wine pairing traditions of Italy. Absolutely delicious, informative and fun, throughout all the stops.
Quality of Experience
The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and made us truly enjoy the 4 hours. The owners of the different restaurants greeted us vey warmly and were delighted that we asked questions and enjoyed everything.
Food
Every stop had a different appetizer along with the Prosecco or specific wine. All delicious!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very friendly, knowledgeable and made everything fun!
Transport
Our driver was very friendly, answered all our questions. The car was very luxurious!
Pizza and Gelato Making Class in Florence
Florence
Definitely something not to miss!
Learning how to make authentic pizza and gelato was super fun. Eating our finished products was a great way to end this tour, especially as everything turned out well.
Food
Well, after learning to make our pizza step by step, it turned out perfectly & we were happy to eat our creations.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The head of the cooking class taught us so much, not only how to make the pizza and gelato, step by step, but all the history that went along with it. She was very passionate about teaching us, and her humorous comments just added to the fun. We are now experts at pizza making & knowing the difference in how to choose authentic gelato!
Transport
Very professional! Very friendly & again, very comfortable car.
Afternoon Florence Highlights Walking Tour (Semi-private)
Florence
Very informative and interesting walking tour. The highlight was definitely the Statue of David - something not to miss.
Really enjoyed learning about the history of Florence.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
As with the other tours, the service, knowledge & friendliness of the people who we were assigned to were all excellent.
Tuscany Day Trip from Florence with Chianti, Siena & San Gimignano
Florence
An awesome tour that touched on so many different aspects of life in Florence and the Tuscany area.
Quality of Experience
Siena was especially impressive, as we were there the day before their annual horse race. Parades start up at any place - we got behind one & had to follow it to be able to leave the town. The history of the 17 different groups in one small town - incredible!
San Gimignano was an interesting place - a walled village with lots of history. The weather was very hot, and that’s the only reason we felt drained at the end and were happy to get back into our air conditioned van.
Food
The food served on the wine tour was delicious. We learned about how different wines are served with different courses and definitely did not need to have dinner on our return to Florence. Learning how this organic winery operates and how different wines are made was extremely interesting.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our group was split into 2 vans, with the tour guide being in the other van. So our driver answered all our questions - he was very proud of his country and gave us much background on everyday life. Plus he had a terrific voice - I asked him to sing & he played his recorded CD - such a talent in many areas!
Transport
Again, perfect.
Half-Day Murano & Burano Islands
Venice
Travelling to the islands by water taxi was a real treat! And refreshing!
Watching how glass is made in 2 different ways was very interesting. It is a true art, with very specialized artists.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
It was always interesting talking to our guides and drivers, to learn about their everyday lives.
Transport
Water taxis through the canals - best way to go!
The gondolas were interesting to watch - the skill of the rowers - but they were rather packed in along the canals, so we were glad that we had our own private transport already arranged.
It was very useful to have the suggestions, as we followed all of them.
Evening Aperitivo in Navigli
Milan
A very interesting walking, wine tasting and aperitif tour. The area was where the locals “hang out”, so perfect for what we wanted to do.
Quality of Experience
Our tour guide knew all the local places to take us and have a history of everywhere we went.
The food and drinks were delicious. Our group also got along famously! We were from 3 different continents.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our tour guide gave us a very welcoming - we were late because the directions were a bit confusing, as 2 areas were pretty much the same. We were in the wrong area! The group had to wait for us, but our guide was awesome about keeping us all relaxed & happy!
Milan Highlights With Duomo
Milan
The Duomo and Castle were obviously spectacular, but the first hour of the walking tour was exactly the same area we had covered in the wine and food tour the evening before.
Quality of Experience
Not repeating the same walking tour part as the wine and food tour.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Irene Lappa
