Quintessential Rome, Florence, and Venice Tour

When we started planning our trip to Italy, I knew I wanted to work with a travel agent—specifically, someone who specialized in Italy and was based there. After reaching out to several agencies and reviewing their responses, we chose Zicasso and, more specifically, our travel agent. She is based in Milan and from my very first interaction with her, I knew we had made the right choice.

Our trip could not have been more perfect. Our agent put a lot of thought into every location and planned activity. At the outset, we had a few discussions with her about what we wanted from the trip and, after that, we were happy to leave most of the details in her capable hands. Our goal was to explore mid-to-northern Italy and everything—from the hotels and tours to the free time and transportation—was beautifully organized.

Our 11-night trip started in Milan and ended in Florence, with overnight stays in Milan (one night), Lake Como (three nights), Venice (three nights), and Florence (four nights). Initially, I was hesitant about staying at Lake Como for three nights, but our agent encouraged me to do a little research. I’m so glad she did, as it turned out to be incredible. We had more self-guided time at Lake Como, which was perfect as we adjusted to the time change. In Venice, our itinerary became more structured, but we still had plenty of time for our own explorations. By the time we reached Florence, we had activities and tours planned for every day, which was just what we wanted.

A highlight for my family was a full-day trip into Tuscany, where we visited San Gimignano, an organic vineyard in Chianti, and finished with a tour of Siena. Our day trip to Rome allowed us to see the main attractions and we concluded the journey with a tour of Florence and the Accademia Gallery. Every tour our agent arranged was spot on.

Throughout our trip, she was wonderfully communicative—always available when we had questions, but never intrusive. She even helped us with a couple of last-minute requests: booking a hotel in Milan for one night and arranging train tickets to Verona for an impromptu visit to Juliet’s balcony. Whenever we needed something, she was there.

When we return to explore the mid-to-southern part of Italy, there’s no question that we’ll be asking her to plan our trip again. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a seamless, thoughtfully curated Italian adventure.

Zicasso's travel company planned the most amazing trip to Venice, Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Siena, and Rome for our family of five. It was the best trip I've ever taken, and having all the details covered by them and plans and tickets sent to us via WhatsApp allowed us to really live in the moment and not have to think about what was next. I loved every second. I cannot wait to plan another trip to Italy to experience the southern half of the country.

Zicasso’s tour operator planned the most amazing trip to Italy for us! My requirements were culture, romance, and relaxation. She delivered on every aspect. Although we missed our tour of the Vatican due to the Pope's funeral, my husband and I actually attended his funeral!! Our hotel, though planned many months before, was next to the basilica where Pope Francis was laid to rest. Talk about being a part of history!

We stayed in a beautiful converted villa to boutique hotel in Florence; got whisked away through the Tuscan countryside in a vintage Fiat 500; took cooking classes; sipped lovely wine, accompanied by excellent lunches on our winery tours; soaked in Italy's rich culture and museum scene; and even ticked the relaxation box by spending time by the pool, in the spa, and resting on our large deck overlooking the Amalfi coastline.

Every tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and personable, and it was evident they loved their jobs. Between memories of the boat ride along the Amalfi Coast, tips from the cooking classes I have already started using at home, and the cases of wine we are eagerly awaiting delivery of, my husband and I will forever hold Italy in our hearts and la dolce vita it provided us. 

Talk with our tour operator; you will be glad you did!

I am so happy we worked with our Zicasso travel agent for our 11-night visit to Venice, Florence, and Rome. We had a wonderful Italian experience. Our agent was everything you hope for in a travel specialist: knowledgeable, thoughtful, helpful, gracious, and kind. 

Upon hearing our initial ideas for the trip, she quickly put together a plan on how best to allot our time. Thereafter ensued exchanges regarding hotels, sightseeing, guides, and transfers. She listened to our thoughts, desires, and questions, making many useful suggestions, including hotel choices. She always prioritized our wants and concerns. She organized the travels quickly, as we contacted her only two months prior to departure. 

Once we agreed to the program, she sent us a brochure PDF laying out details for each day of the trip that included hotel confirmations, transfer details, vouchers for museums, a cooking class, a Tuscany day trip with wine, cheese, and olive oil tasting, a gondola ride, Venice lagoon boat excursion, basilica entrance tickets, and guided tours of each city, the Vatican, and Colosseum. 

Upon arrival in Venice, our agent met us at the airport and escorted us to our water taxi. She kept in touch with us daily, texting a reminder of the next day’s schedule, along with numbers for guides and drivers if applicable. Everything she planned went smoothly, without a single hitch. 

When you begin the process with Zicasso, it feels akin to a shot in the dark. The site provides the names of two companies and you’re left to decide who to work with. I couldn’t be more pleased with the trip our agent designed. Book with her; you will be in the best of hands.

We had a fantastic experience for a first-time trip to Italy. I wasn't sure how this would be, considering I learned about Zicasso while trying to plan the trip myself. Zicasso put me in touch with a travel specialist and the whole team was incredibly responsive to my many, many questions. If they were ever annoyed, it didn’t show.

I really wanted a smooth experience for my family of five, including three teens, one of whom has Celiac. Our agent was great in helping plan out the experience we wanted. As you may know, it is challenging to find rooms for five in Europe, but the travel company found apartments (usually two bedrooms with a pull-out couch) in the heart of town. You can really customize what you do, but we elected to plan our own meals and handle some of our own transport. We did have one issue where the van driver taking us to the train failed to show. I got one with Uber and the travel company quickly (I mean before we got home quickly!) refunded that amount.

Our contact in Italy was amazing and patient. I can’t give her enough credit. Any time I was unsure of something, she was there. The tours were great, especially Florence and Rome. You may be able to find the companies online, but ours seems to have the connections to get the best guides.

As for meals, we didn’t have any issues. We used an app and got a few recommendations from the travel company and local guides. Even our wine-tasting tour out in Tuscany was accommodating.

I would use our travel company and Zicasso again. I think the only downside is we tried to cram a lot in and it was hot. I probably should have asked for one to two fewer or shorter walking tours, especially on days we switched cities. Otherwise, it was excellent.

We've taken many family vacations over the years, but we all agreed this was the best one yet!

The team at Zicasso’s travel company did an exceptional job tailoring the perfect trip for our family. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, making the entire experience seamless and truly enjoyable from start to finish.

We had wonderful drives and knowledgeable, engaging tour guides who made each destination come to life. Some of our favorite highlights include a hands-on cooking class in Florence, exploring the beautiful Tuscan countryside, and having effortless access to iconic sites like the Vatican and the Colosseum.

The experiences were unforgettable, from the best food tour in Rome to a fun and unique golf-cart tour through the city. We also loved visiting a Parmigiano-Reggiano factory and a Parma ham producer, along with an extra-special stop at the Ferrari Museum that was such a memorable surprise.

Every moment felt thoughtfully curated and we came home with incredible memories that we will cherish for years to come. We highly recommend the travel company to anyone looking for a truly personalized and exceptional travel experience.