Quintessential Tour of Italian Highlights

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!

Zicasso’s travel company and every single guide and driver were stellar. All four hotels were good or excellent. There was one error on the schedule for the day outside of Florence when we had a driver to take us to the Siena region. The schedule stated three hours, so we paid for tickets to the Pitti Palace/garden, which turned out to be wasted money as the driving tour was actually nine hours. It was a beautiful day, though.

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.

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.

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.

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.