Mediterranean Explorer: Greece, Italy & Spain Vacation

I recently completed an incredible 12-day vacation in Italy, arranged by Zicasso’s travel company, and it was one of the best vacations I have ever had. From the initial planning with the travel specialist and her team to the seamless execution on the ground, everything exceeded my expectations for a luxury custom trip.

We started in Italy, where we were immediately met at the airport by a hostess who got us through all the lines in record time and into a Mercedes Sprinter van that took us to Naples. Naples offered us a really vibrant, authentic Italian feel, and the incredible food that the travel specialist recommended from the movie "Eat Pray Love" was the best pizza I’ve ever eaten in my life. I don’t think I can eat pizza in the United States anymore. The private drivers and guides made this whole trip stress-free.

Our next incredible experience was the dream-like Amalfi, Sorrento, and the Isle of Capri. The hotel in Positano was beautiful. We were enchanted with all the colorful cliffs, the boutique shopping, and the stunning view from our balcony room. Sorrento was my favorite city of all. It was very relaxed, with lemon groves everywhere and beautiful sunsets, and our hotel had balconies that opened up on the Mediterranean. The highlight of our trip was the island of Capri. The boat ride was just fantastic and we started at the top of the mountain and did the chairlift so we had a whole view of the city.

The highlights of the trip for me were the boat ride along the Amalfi Coast, the cooking class and wine experience at the female venture, and the wine by Mount Vesuvius.

Our last two nights were back in Rome and it was kind of hard to go from the low-key vibes of Sorrento to the action-packed atmosphere of Rome, but the hotel the travel specialist picked was just perfect. It was 10 minutes from the Spanish Steps and she arranged a tour of the underground Colosseum. I learned so much about everything in that area. All the guides, the drivers, everything was magical. I would highly recommend this travel specialist and the travel company.

This was possibly the best trip of my life!

Once I arrived in Venice and put myself in the hands of Zicasso’s tour company, I was supremely well taken care of.

I left my passport on the plane, so I was held up in the airport for probably two hours. This was the first time I used the emergency number (or the chat app). The communication was answered immediately and we were able to let my first guide know I was being held up. I thought the first person who helped me was just someone to get me to the hotel, but she was also a guide in the sense that she described many of the things we saw on the way to the hotel. A very pleasant and gracious guide who made sure also that I was prepared for where to be the next day. It was a very great first experience of the tour company’s service.

Throughout this adventure, the guides were outstanding, the hotels were located practically on top of the interesting sites (especially in Rome) and very pleasant to be in.

Also, I continued to use the emergency number or the chat app multiple times. They were very responsive, very pleasant, and perfectly helpful each time. I don't know if I was high-maintenance compared to other clients the tour company has had, but though I felt like it in my mind, I was treated completely graciously each time.

I loved every destination and I loved having a structured tour, combined with a good portion of free time to explore on my own. Perfect.

I was very well guided on each travel day, being met by drivers to drop me off and to pick me up, and the train travel was very fun.

I think there was only one guide who I thought was just going through the motions, but all the other guides were the height of professionalism. I loved being met by our guides at Doge's Palace, which was absolutely outstanding. Walking around old Florence was great fun! The drive out to San Gimignano and Siena was well-planned and well-guided! In Rome, the guide who took us to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill was outstanding, and it was a great outing. (I had also already pretty much visited all the sights since my hotel was practically in the middle of it all.)

The trip to the Vatican was a whole other story. Unfortunately, I forget that guide's name. This guide was also excellent—entertaining, informative, approachable, and professional. The trip to the Amalfi Coast was a long train ride, followed by a very long car ride, but it was worth it. What a beautiful setting! My trip to Capri was absolutely fulfilling and I was a little sad to say goodbye to the guide—we connected with him so well. The next day was our boat tour from Sorrento to Amalfi and Positano. I absolutely enjoyed being guided by our guides! On the way back after that beautiful excursion, we were just cruising along the water, 1970s music playing, wind rushing by and I had a peak moment of happiness. Truly.

This trip was as if the tour company had read my mind and provided even more than I had imagined. I come away deeply grateful.

Our trip to the Amalfi Coast, arranged by Zicasso's travel specialist, could not have been more perfect! All our travel ran so smoothly. It was so nice not to worry about arranging pick-up and transportation. We were even met right as we got off the plane in Rome! All the drivers and guides were excellent, sharing helpful tips that ensured we used our time wisely to see the most interesting sites.

The hotels were all wonderful, with perfect locations, beautiful and spacious rooms, and breathtaking views. Our food journey was inspiring, with lots of fish, buffalo mozzarella cheese, pasta, and even a wonderful cooking class at an organic farm for my birthday! A team member made sure all our restaurant reservations were secured and even tipped us off to a transit strike in Italy so we could arrive early at the airport.

The travel specialist's suggestion that we visit a winery on Mount Vesuvius and visit Pompeii was excellent, so fascinating! The travel specialist and her team also arranged boat rides for us in Capri and in Sorrento to Ischia, which were extra-special. Our Sorrento boat captain even brought a delicious chocolate cake to celebrate my birthday!

Thank you so much for arranging such a special birthday trip and for making our travel so effortless, a truly relaxing retreat!

Zicasso’s travel company helped us plan and execute a vacation to the Amalfi Coast. The travel specialists suggested sites and arranged hotels, ground transport, and guides. It was all accomplished flawlessly; we had a perfectly paced itinerary.

Not only were the drivers well experienced with the incredible labyrinth of roads along the coast and in Sorrento and Positano, where we stayed, but they were also great sources of local colorhighly experienced with the incredible labyrinth of roads along the coast and in Sorrento and Positano, where we stayed, but they were also great sources of local color and conversation, and, above all, they conversation, and, above all, showed their love for the country and region.

We had several guides who were spot-on, including an archaeology graduate for Pompeii and Herculaneum, and an incredible historian on a walking tour of Naples.

The hotels were wonderful, with experience and professionalism throughout.

The drive along the coast to Amalfi and Ravello was spectacular!

On the whole, we enjoyed our trip. However, we want to make note of a few things that could have been done better. When we landed in Naples, our driver was waiting for us. But instead of bringing the car to where we were, the 4 senior adults had to walk with luggage in the heat to get to his car. On our first full day in Naples, we were picked up for our cooking class. The driver did not speak any English, and when we arrived at the address, he expected us to get out of the car. We did not know where to go, and he was not able to assist us. Lucky for us, we met a nice lady who spoke English and was able to help us. The cooking class was wonderful. One of the highlights of the trip. The Capri boat tour was enjoyable. The tour of Pompeii was fascinating. The day we were taken to the Amalfi Coast was a holiday, and we mostly sat in traffic. Not anyone's fault but not very pleasant. On June 3 we were picked up very early to go to the port for the Hydrofoil to Ischia. At the port, we had to wait around for almost 2 hours. We were not sure why we were picked up so early. On June 6 we checked into our hotel in Naples, looking forward to our Jewish Heritage tour the following day. Our tour guide was lovely - 4 stars for her - but we learned there is no Jewish heritage in Naples, so that was quite disappointing. It would have been nice to establish realistic expectations.

Zicasso's travel specialist did an amazing job coordinating our trip to the south of Italy. Having our transportation coordinated entirely by her made our time in three different towns (Sorrento, Capri, and Naples) so smooth and stress-free. We had amazing excursions planned privately for us that made great memories.