Southern Italy Travel Guide

We had a wonderful experience, from planning our trip with Zicasso's travel designer to experiencing all Italy had to offer. She and her team worked with us when we needed to have them step in on hotel accommodations at our beach resort.

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This was a superb trip that allowed us to combine personal visits to Taormina and Syracuse with a pre-planned group meeting in Catania. Planning and communication were excellent, supported by an app that let us easily view our itinerary, complete with phone numbers for the drivers, hotels, and the tour operator contacts.

The hotels were perfect! They were wonderfully located, with impeccable service in Taormina and Syracuse. Our excursions were private and diverse, and allowed us to combine culture, foodie interests, and free time. The guides were top-notch, knowledgeable, and flexible.

We especially loved seeing the smaller towns of Sicily; Militello, Ragusa, Aci Castello, and Modica. We even arrived in one small town during their annual festival.

We had a dedicated driver for our trip who was, himself, a treasure; always on time, always ready to adjust to changes, and a delightful personality.

This was such a good experience that we have selected Zicasso's tour operator to book another Italy trip next year.

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We received great communication from Zicasso's travel specialist and wonderful hotel, tours, transportation, and guide arrangements.

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This was the trip of a lifetime! We can't recommend Zicasso's travel designer and her team highly enough. The hotels, tour guides, and drivers she selected for us were all fantastic. We look forward to working with her upon our return to Italy, which we hope will be sooner rather than later. Don't hesitate to contact her!

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Working with Zicasso's travel consultant was easy and seamless. Every guide and driver she scheduled showed up on time (or early) and they were extremely pleasant individuals, with lots of local knowledge. The hotel recommendations were also excellent! I would highly recommend working with her and the tour company!

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Our trip to Puglia was fabulous. The accommodations at each hotel were very good. The staff at the hotels in Ostuni and Bari were exceptional.

All the drivers were timely and professional.

We think our favorite town was Lecce. It was very easy to walk the town at any time of day and did not feel touristy. Our guide was amazing with her historical and architectural knowledge. We explored magnificent cathedrals and the Jewish museum.

Of course, we loved our cooking class with our chef, making pasta and focaccia at her restaurant.

The afternoon at a historic abbey was exceptional. Our guide was the most knowledgeable individual, sharing the religious aspect and its historical timeline at the farmhouse. His explanation of how frescoes were transferred and saved was impressive. Our catered lunch was perfect.

How fun was the Ape Calessino tuk-tuk ride in Ostuni? The driver was exceptional and took us everywhere, finding great photographic opportunities.

We found an authentic craftsperson in Alberobello; a small shop with a loom from 1568. The woman was a third-generation operator. We would have liked to visit the museum.

A highlight was the "masseria," making pasta, and participating in making burrata cheese. It was truly an authentic experience.

The local bread laboratory in Altamura was simply outstanding. We made bread with a master baker (87 years old), who taught us how to make delicious orecchiette pasta.

We also practiced folding the bread and sliding it into the oven. How fun is that?!

We have used Zicasso for seven trips and have never been disappointed. We were extremely pleased with the travel company.

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