Emi and Francesco were invaluable in planning...
Italy | Jun 22 - Jun 23, 2023

April
April H.
Wilmington, DE | Reviewed on Jul 03, 2023

Emi and Francesco were invaluable in planning my trip to Italy. As a single mom traveling with two teenage boys I was overwhelmed by the planning and needed help. It was easy to communicate with Emi and Francesco through the KimKim platform throughout the entire process. They were attentive to my requests and always replied in a timely manner. I was satisfied with the hotels and transportation chosen for us. I had requested to splurge a little at our last destination (Sorrento) and the hotel did not disappoint! The high speed train transport in business class was comfortable and easy to navigate. The tours they chose in each city were lead by friendly and informative tour guides. The only change I would make is to the private gondola ride in Venice. It was a lovely ride but departed from one of the main tourist areas and was very crowded. There were other gondola rides we saw that were off the beaten path which I would have preferred. I was able to use WhatsApp to contact the team a couple of times during the trip with questions which was very helpful. Our tours of the Colosseum, Palantine Hill, and Roman Forum and of Pompeii were AMAZING and will be remembered for a lifetime. I would advise to arrive at the tour meeting locations early. I used Google maps to find my way and it got me close to some of the locations but I had to spend some extra time finding the right place. Also, bring your own wired earbuds because the ones provided for the tours hurt our ears. We attended a pizza and gelato making class in Florence which resulted in the best gelato we had the whole trip (and we had a lot). This was the favorite activity of my teenage boys. This is the first trip I've taken that I did not plan entirely myself and I am looking forward to using KimKim again for my next adventure. I would recommend Emi and Francesco to anyone traveling to Italy.

Activity Reviews
Best of Venice guided walking tour with gondola ride
Best of Venice guided walking tour with gondola ride
Italy

I loved seeing the city and learning about the architecture. I did not like the earbuds provided for the tour. They hurt our ears which made my kids take them out and ask me questions instead of listening to the guide. We came across a funeral for a gondolier that had died and got t see the special gondola that was being used.

Pizza and gelato making class
Pizza and gelato making class
Florence

This experience was perfect. Everyone loved the pizza and gelato. We were so hungry after preparing everything. I even tried anchovies on my pizza. Drinks including wine and soft drinks were provided too and we socialized with another American family which all made for a lovely evening.

Quality of Experience
Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill
Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill
Rome

Wonderful tour with amazing sights to see. Earbuds hurt our ears, would like to have better quality listening devices.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Pompeii  Excavations half-day Tour
Pompeii Excavations half-day Tour
Italy

Guides were very friendly and knowledgeable. I liked how our guide was slow and relaxed and even spent some extra time there. We were able to see a lot without rushing. He made sure we stopped in the shade a lot too. Again, the earbuds were uncomfortable and hard to keep in my ear. It was interesting to see all the archaeologists working on the site while we were there.

Day at leisure in Sorrento
Day at leisure in Sorrento
Sorrento

We were able to hike to Bagni Regina Giovanna from our hotel. Enjoyed a day of sunbathing and swimming in the Bay of Naples. The kids enjoyed jumping off the rocks.

Local specialist: Emi Carletti