Heart of Italian Cuisine: 10-Day Gastronomy and Culture Tour

We had a fabulous time in Sicily. It was our first visit and Zicasso’s travel company planned an excellent itinerary, with great recommendations on the cities and towns to visit that felt like a truly local experience. (Other agents focus on the big cities of Palermo and Taormina, but the travel company recommended we spend more time in Syracuse/Noto, Ragusa, and Modica.)

We loved our primary driver and the boutique hotels they selected for us. Communication and documents were all easy to follow.

The only piece we wish might have been curated a little more was the recommended dining options. There were too many and not necessarily great restaurants.

The travel professionals at Zicasso’s travel company worked with us for over a year to plan the most amazing 14-day tour of Venice, Florence, and Rome. They were beyond patient and kind, fielding my endless questions and providing assurances for every detail. Every day was jam-packed with guides and travel. Well, one really doesn't know until you get to Italy, right?

Upon our late-evening arrival to Venice, we had our personal escort waiting for us at the airport, with private transport to our hotel in Venice. She did not leave until we had our bags in the lobby. I knew right then and there we had made the right choice with the travel company.

We found that everything was taken care of by the travel company, down to the smallest detail. Every guide, and there were many, came to our hotels to greet us and escorted us back to our hotel upon conclusion of our tour. Every single guide was a treasure. We never had to hail a taxi, which to me was the most amazing thing, as the travel company had private drivers picking us up or waiting for us at hotels and train stations.

Upon leaving Venice for Florence, our personal escort from the airport was waiting for us at the hotel, with a water taxi to the train station. She walked us through the train station and showed us how to find our gate for our train to Florence. Upon arrival in Florence, we had a private driver waiting for us for transport to the hotel. Same from Florence to Rome, Rome to Naples (for Pompeii and back to Rome).

We had multiple food tours and they were all amazing. We spent every day with private guides. Believe me, the travel company knows the very best guides in Italy. They are there 24/7 for you if things don't go as planned. Trust me on this.

In Venice, our tickets for St. Mark's Basilica that were reserved for our guide disappeared. There we were, no access. Our guide tried to secure tickets on her own and access was sold out. She called the travel company, which somehow secured access, even to the second level, where we could visit the four bronze horses.

Did I mention our day in Tuscany? The travel company insisted we were spending too much time with tours and insisted we take a day in Tuscany. We visited a vineyard in Tuscany for what turned out to be a private tour and lunch hosted by the vineyard owner. We had a table set up overlooking the vineyard and indulged in what may have been the best food we experienced in all of Italy. Everything was made on-site and perfectly paired with the vineyard wines. We were entertained by her three wonderful dogs, two of which were lovable and goofy Labrador retrievers. What a perfect day!

Without a doubt, the travel company is the finest travel agency we have ever had the privilege to work with. As I said earlier, everything was taken care of, nothing was missed: drivers, trains (business class), guides, food tours. The best vacation we have ever had.

We chose Zicasso’s travel company to organize a nine-day trip to Venice, Florence, and Rome for our family of four adults. My wife and I are in our 50s and our two sons are in their early 20s. We all love to travel, but have a range of interests when it comes to experiences, activities, and cuisine. The travel company created an itinerary that gave each of us something memorable.

Everything was planned and executed with care. Hotels were thoughtfully selected, transportation kept us moving without feeling rushed, and every tour guide was exceptional. The team also checked in periodically to make sure we were having the best experience possible. We've traveled internationally many times and this ranks among the very best.

Nine days is just a taste of what Italy has to offer, but our "sampler" tour left all of us excited to return and explore more.

Our recent trip, planned by Zicasso's travel specialist, was absolutely outstanding and truly exceeded our expectations. We loved the experiences she arranged, including the excursions, cooking classes, wineries, private guides, drivers, and occasional dinner reservations. Everything was seamless, beautifully organized, and completely stress-free.

She clearly listened to what we enjoy and created exactly the kind of trip we love: comfortable, scenic, relaxed, and filled with memorable local experiences. The pacing was excellent, the hotels were as advertised and wonderful, and each day felt thoughtfully curated and different.

Her assistant was also excellent with logistics and quick replies. We especially appreciated the travel app, which was easy to use and updated regularly throughout the trip. On the few occasions when we needed to reach the travel specialist or her assistant directly, they always responded through WhatsApp within about five minutes, even a couple of times after 5pm. That level of responsiveness gave us great peace of mind.

This was a fabulous, stress-free, “cruising-on-land” experience through areas we knew very little about in Puglia, southern Italy, and Sicily. We would enthusiastically recommend the travel specialist and her team, and we would be very happy to work with them again.

This was the easiest and most wonderful tour experience we have ever had. From the day we contacted Zicasso and were immediately contacted by our Italian "luxury travel" company, we knew we were in good hands. Our travel consultant listened to us and created a plan that was beyond outstanding!

Our drivers were magnificent! We were greeted with signs when we disembarked our ship and when we got off the train. The drivers who came to our hotels were on time. Although they weren't "guides", the two we had for our all-day tours knew history and lots of interesting things that we found fascinating.

When it looked like we would not be able to go to a luncheon and wine tasting due to the Amalfi Coast's winding roads and a bout of car sickness, our personal contact actually called the supplier and found an alternate route. What incredible service!

Zicasso made our first step easy... the travel company made our 50th-anniversary trip over the top!