Zicasso Travel Guide: How Zicasso Works

Zicasso aspires to provide travelers with immersive experiences not available through a prepackaged tour. Your vacation will be one of a kind, tailored directly to your interests and preferences. We provide a unique free of charge service that connects discerning travelers like yourself with the leading destination specialists in the industry. As you explore your options for your next vacation, use the Zicasso Travel Guide to discover what a customized vacation package really entails. Submit a trip request to learn all you need to know to plan your trip.

Get Started
Vineyards on the hillside surrounding Novello in the Piedmont Region of Italy

The Ultimate Guide to Traveling the World With Zicasso

Journey through the Italian peninsula’s wine estates and culinary hotspots, wander the white-sand beaches of tropical islands, delve into ancient cultures...
The temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt

5 Reasons to Work with a Zicasso Travel Specialist

Every journey begins with you: your desires, your dreams, your unique vision of the perfect vacation. At Zicasso, we believe extraordinary travel begins...

Q&A with Tom Skalka, Director of Client Relations at Zicasso

We sat down with Tom Skalka, Director of Client Relations at Zicasso, to discuss how travelers can best be planning for the future. Covid-19 disrupted...
Balloons over Cappadocia in Turkey.

How to Plan Your Zicasso Trip in 4 Easy Steps

Explore the world with Zicasso by working with top travel specialists who will bring your dream vacation to life. Our primary goal is to make planning,...
Aerial view of luxury overwater bungalows on Bora Bora island in French Polynesia.

How to Plan Your Zicasso Trip Budget in 3 Easy Steps

Knowing your budget is an essential component of any trip-planning process. Whether the sky's the limit or you have specific parameters, a customized...
Lefkada island, Greece.

How We Connect You: The Science of Pairing Travelers with Specialists

The questions that surface early in the planning of any exceptional luxury journey are personal rather than logistical. What do I actually want from this?...
Couple enjoying a sailing trip in Greece.

The Value of the Welcome Call: Why We Speak With You Before We Plan

There is a type of fatigue that has nothing to do with planning a luxury trip badly. It sets in when you're planning alone, working through a form that...
Couple in Morocco

Why We Don't Book ‘All-Inclusives’: The Case for Curated Dining and Local Experiences

All-inclusive travel is comfortable, frictionless, and quietly deadening. It hits you first, somewhere between the air-conditioned corridor and the breakfast...
A couple and their guide in Marrakech, Morocco

The Zicasso Vetting Process: How We Select the Top Travel Specialists

There is one luxury that cannot be regained: time. When you entrust a travel company with yours, you are purchasing the certainty that every driver, private...
Traveler enjoying sunrise from a scenic miradouro overlooking Lisbon, Portugal.

Meet the Experts: What Qualifications Does a Zicasso Travel Specialist Have?

You will feel the luxury the moment the proposal lands in your inbox: unhurried pacing, exacting detail, and every experience seemingly anticipating a...
Woman admiring the Eiffel Tower, Paris.

Accessing the Inaccessible: What a “Private Tour” Actually Means in Rome and Paris

Rome and Paris are often the first cities on a person’s travel list. The question is whether they will see the version they came for. A private tour of...
Couple arriving at their vacation destination

From Inquiry to Return: The Zicasso Planning Timeline Explained

From the moment you contact Zicasso until you step off your flight home, your journey follows a clear, human‑centered path. Instead of juggling dozens...
Val d'Orcia, Tuscany.

The Benefit of a Local Travel Specialist: What Happens When Things Go Wrong Abroad

The difference between a memorable travel story and a nightmare abroad is rarely whether something goes wrong; it’s how fast and how well it gets put...
Pays de la Loire, France.

Zicasso vs. Scott Dunn: Comparing Respected Luxury Travel Companies

Zicasso vs. Scott Dunn compares two companies that have each earned recognition in luxury travel, built through very different structures. Scott Dunn...
Bosa River, Sardinia.

Zicasso vs. Abercrombie & Kent: How to Choose the Right Luxury Travel Partner

Zicasso vs. Abercrombie & Kent is really a question about who has a reason to build you the best possible trip, rather than simply a consistent one....
Road in Val d'Orcia at sunset, Tuscany.

Zicasso vs. Kensington Tours: How to Choose the Right Luxury Travel Partner

Zicasso vs. Kensington Tours reveals very different ways a luxury trip can come together, from a single company managing every detail in-house to a matched...
Rocamadour Village, France.

Zicasso vs. Black Tomato: Which Luxury Travel Style Fits You?

Zicasso vs. Black Tomato is a question of creative structure rather than scale. Black Tomato is a single company whose trips are designed around how a...
Herd of elephants in Botswana.

DIY vs. Travel Specialist: The True Cost of Your Time and Budget in Planning a 14-Day Trip

DIY trip planning and working with a travel specialist might look similar on the surface when it comes to things like destinations and duration, but they...
Cooking class experience in Italy.

How Our Specialists Curate Authentic Cooking Classes, Not Tourist Traps

An authentic cooking class does more than show you how to make pasta, tagine, or bánh xèo . It reveals how a place shops, seasons, gathers, and passes...
Chef grating Parmigiano cheese over a plate of pasta, Italy.

Navigating Dietary Restrictions Abroad: How a Specialist Ensures Safety, Quality, and Time Saved in Japan, Italy, and Beyond

A food allergy or intolerance changes the shape of a trip long before departure. Menus become documents to interrogate rather than choices to enjoy and...

4.9

Reviews of Zicasso's Luxury Tours & Vacations

Based on 36285 verified traveler reviews.

Portugal Travel Review: Azores, Sao Miguel, Furnas, Pico, Wine Tasting, History, Culture, 17 Days

This was our first time using an agent to plan a trip for us, and Zicasso's travel partner did not disappoint! Every experience they booked for us was amazing, and all of our drivers and guides did a great job helping us understand the history and culture of the Azores and Portugal. The travel company's team kept in touch with us throughout the trip, which ensured a stress-free experience! Thank you!

See more

Italy Vacation Review: Sorrento, Tuscany, Private Boat Tour, 3 Weeks

So awesome! Everything was perfect! Can't wait to travel with your help again!

See more

Italy Trip Review: Pompeii, Mount Etna, Winery Tours, 12 Nights

All travel details were well handled by Zicasso's travel company, and the guides and drivers were top-notch. Enjoyed our itinerary immensely.

See more

Japan Tour Review: Kyoto, Nara, Miyajima, 2 Weeks

Overall, the trip was truly fantastic, and we really have nothing to complain about; quite the contrary. We were extremely pleased with the experience. All of the services provided by Zicasso's travel company were very professional, and despite some occasional language limitations, everyone went out of their way to make the trip enjoyable and memorable. We greatly appreciated all the thought and effort that went into organizing everything.

If I were to mention a couple of areas that did not quite live up to the otherwise exceptional experience, I would highlight the hotel in Kyoto and one of the tour guides.

The hotel in Kyoto was probably the biggest disappointment. Both the accommodations and, particularly, the location were not ideal. It was quite far from many of the places we wanted to visit, which meant spending a fair amount of time getting to and from transportation and ultimately to our destinations. Given how wonderful the rest of the trip was, I think a more centrally located hotel would have made the Kyoto experience even better.

One of our guides was also not quite at the same level as the other guides we had. She has an excellent command of English, but she often seemed to be in a hurry, and we sometimes had to engage her quite actively before getting explanations about the places we were visiting. This was in contrast to our other guide in Kyoto, who was exceptional. She was knowledgeable, engaging, warm, and very attentive to our questions and interests, and she really helped bring the experience to life.

These are relatively minor points in the context of what was otherwise a phenomenal trip. We truly enjoyed every aspect of the journey and are very grateful for the care, professionalism, and attention that went into making it such a memorable experience. Thank you again for helping create such a wonderful trip for us.

See more

Morocco Solo Trip Review: Guide, Driver, Henna, Calligraphy, Cooking Class, Camel Ride, Horseback Riding, Quad Biking, Desert, Souks, Beach, 16 Nights

The communication with Zicasso's travel specialist was excellent. He listened to my wants, wishes, and needs and responded with great choices. The planning was seamless. Well thought out.

The trip overall was a memory of a lifetime. Such an in-depth exploration of the culture and life of past and current Morocco!

See more

Italy Vacation Review: Venice, Florence, Rome, Siena, 12 Days

An unforgettable trip to Italy, thanks to Zicasso's travel specialist and the tour company!

Our travel specialist did an outstanding job planning our trip to Venice, Florence, and Rome. From our first conversation, she took the time to understand what we wanted to see and experience, and she built an itinerary around our interests. Every detail was thoughtfully coordinated, from our hotels and transfers to our excursions.

Before we even left, our travel specialist spent an hour on a video call walking us through every stop and answering all of our questions. We felt prepared and confident heading into our trip. She also provided easy-to-follow maps for each location and was available 24/7 whenever we had a question or concern.

The hotels she selected were clean and in prime locations, with easy access to the sights we wanted to visit. Our excursions were five-star experiences, and we especially appreciated the semi-private groups. They felt personal and allowed us to enjoy each place without being part of a huge tour group.

Our travel specialist made the entire experience feel seamless, so we could relax and enjoy Italy. We highly recommend her to anyone looking for a travel agent who listens, pays attention to every detail, and truly cares about making your trip special. Thank you to our travel specialist for helping us create memories we'll cherish forever!

See more