Essence of Italy Tour: Cities, Ruins, Canals, History & Beauty

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 had the pleasure of working with Zicasso’s travel agents to create the perfect Italian adventure. I had quite a few specific requests, from travel logistics to hotel preferences, and they were incredibly patient and collaborative, offering multiple variations of the itinerary until it matched exactly what we envisioned.

Our journey began in Venice, where we were seamlessly picked up by a private driver, transferred to a water taxi, and dropped directly at our hotel. After a wonderful stay, we were taken by private driver to the train station for our ride from Venice to Florence, our one and only train trip, as we opted (based on their smart recommendation) for private transportation for the rest of our travels to avoid potential delays and enjoy added convenience.

From Florence, we were driven into the Tuscan hills, where we experienced magical wine tastings, vineyard tours, olive oil tastings, and unforgettable meals with wine pairings. 

Next, our private driver brought us to Pompeii, where we enjoyed a fascinating tour with our private guide, and then continued on to Rome. In Rome, we loved the private golf cart tour of the city’s major landmarks, as well as a delightful cooking class that was arranged for us; it was a real highlight!

Finally, we traveled by private driver to Sorrento. From there, we had a breathtaking driving tour of the Amalfi Coast, a lemon farm tour, and an amazing day trip to Capri. Every detail was thoughtfully planned and executed.

Summary:

Planning and Itinerary Creation: Zicasso’s consultants made the entire process easy and stress-free. They worked closely with us to perfect the itinerary and were always receptive to changes and feedback.

Hotels: My sister and I requested adjoining rooms and were provided with beautiful family suites throughout the trip. Each hotel was ideally located, comfortable, and well-appointed, with all the amenities we needed.

Transportation: Every transfer was smooth and punctual. The private drivers were professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. (A special shoutout to our driver in Florence/Tuscany – he was the best!)

Communication: Throughout our trip, the travel company’s team was always accessible. Whether we needed to make adjustments or had a question, they handled everything promptly, allowing us to relax and fully enjoy our vacation.

We spent just over two unforgettable weeks in Italy and it was absolutely perfect, all thanks to the hard work, attention to detail, and excellent communication from Zicasso’s travel company! I highly recommend them and would not hesitate to use them again for future adventures.

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.

Italy was fantastic! We visited Venice, Amalfi, Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii, and Rome.

Zicasso’s travel specialist was knowledgeable and patient with me when planning the trip. She was amazing at taking in the information I shared about my family and creating an itinerary that worked well for our family of five (our three children, ages 20, 20, and 22), including food-allergy limitations.

The chosen tours and tour guides were incredible, knowledgeable, engaging, attentive, thoughtful, and a pleasure with which to spend the day or half-day.

When we were in Italy, our travel specialists quickly responded to inquiries and to new requests for transportation needs resulting from unanticipated and good “extra” opportunities.

I highly recommend the travel company and our travel specialists.

I thought the Zicasso travel specialist's itinerary was just about right for being able to fit everything in. We got a great taste of three major areas of Italy and it was fabulous. I especially enjoyed the personal tours. We had a few minor mishaps when meeting drivers and transportation providers, but in the end, it all worked out. The Pompeii personal tour was a highlight.

One bit of advice would be for Capri. I would not recommend going there unless you have arranged private, personal transport. What we did, at the suggestion of the tour guide, was get a private hop-on, hop-off bus ticket, but we spent all of our time waiting in chaos, with no organization. I would only do it again with a private driver; otherwise, it is a waste of time.

All in all, the trip was wonderful! We all had a great time.

We had a fantastic time and Zicasso's tour operator did an excellent job organizing every detail of our trip. Drivers and guides were always punctual, and the itinerary was perfectly balanced—full days, without ever feeling rushed.

Some real highlights for us were Herculaneum, the Pantheon, the Vatican, and our unforgettable Capri boat tour. Our guide brought Pompeii's history to life in a way that made it feel like stepping back in time and the Naples street food tour was delicious and nostalgic—her pizza fritta instantly took me back to the calzones I grew up with in Niles, Ohio. Our driver was with us for several days and made every transfer feel effortless.

There was a small hiccup at the very end with a trip planner, but it was minor compared to the overall quality of the trip. The organization, communication, and attention to detail throughout made this a truly memorable experience and we wouldn’t hesitate to book with this tour agency again. We had a fantastic time and the tour company did an excellent job organizing every detail of our trip.