European Senior Tour of Italy and France

This travel company was incredibly difficult to work with, and I would not recommend them. The travel agent seemed very annoyed when we asked basic questions about our itinerary. For example, the itinerary he sent us did not have the correct number of rooms booked for our party. When I asked him about it, he rudely told me, "Of course I have booked the right rooms". Later, we found out he was working off the wrong itinerary - our final invoice was based on this wrong itinerary and had a much higher amount than we actually owed. When we pointed that out, he went from being annoyed to flat out rude.

We also identified many gaps in transportation and logistics, with the travel agent continuing to be rude when we asked for clarification or support in fixing the gaps. For example, he had us driving a rental car to the Bologna airport at around 3 AM from rural Italy to make an 8 AM flight. We would be driving right through Florence on the way to Bologna. When I asked why we didn't simply take a later flight out of Florence, I was told there were no options to do this. A simple Google search identified several flights out of Florence at a more reasonable time.

We finally had Zicasso step in, and they were incredibly helpful in cleaning up our itinerary. Unfortunately, we still experienced several logistical issues during our trip despite Zicasso's support. For example, we were dropped off by drivers at train stations and were then on our own to figure out how to get to our hotels - all required lengthy walks up hills to access, and my 81-year old father was not able to do that. So we had to find our own transportation or have my dad attempt to walk (not good at all). As another example, my father really wanted to see the Matterhorn. The travel agent said it was an easy "day trip" from our hotel to the Matterhorn. It turned out to be a 3.5 hour drive each way. The driver left us at a train station below Zermatt (town below the mountain) to figure out on our own how to navigate the city of Zermatt. We had no guidance from the travel agency on how to best see the Matterhorn, and Zermatt was another town with steep hills that my dad had to walk through (with a cane) as we tried to figure out how to best see the mountain. Due to the length of the drive to Zermatt from our hotel, we had less than two hours in Zermatt because the travel company had booked us on a 6:15 AM train the next morning to leave Switzerland. It was a wasted day instead of being the wonderful experience my father had hoped for.

The best part of the trip was the hotels, and the travel company gets credit for selecting hotels with wonderful views and great breakfast options. They were not easily accessible from the local towns, so we had to figure out taxis and shuttles to get to nearby sites.

Most of the time, we were left on our own to find our way around. But we did have a guided tour in Florence and a knowledgeable driver that took us to a winery in Tuscany. Both of these guides were amazing, and it would have been nice to have more guided support throughout this trip (especially in Zermatt).

Zicasso's travel specialists did a magnificent job planning our itinerary to Rome, Florence, Bologna, and Venice. Our hotels were all beautiful and perfectly located. We really loved having luxury vehicles to bring us everywhere instead of having to get a taxi. It made a huge difference in ease and comfort, plus all the drivers were so nice and knowledgeable. The tours we went on were all enjoyable.

They also provided restaurant lists for each location. Of course, the best part was that we got married in Capri 20 years ago and this was our anniversary trip to bring our daughters with us and renew our vows together. They planned a lovely ceremony in a palace located on the Grand Canal, with a gorgeous private garden. It exceeded our expectations and ended our trip with a memory that will last forever!

We were sad to leave and can’t wait to go back, and will absolutely use this travel specialist and his crew again.

Overall, the trip was perfect! The hotels were really nice and the itinerary was great.

A few things I would have changed. First, the Amalfi tour day. There was not enough time in Ravello or Positano. We needed more time to relax and shop.

The class of train could have been nicer for the Florence-to-Rome portion of the trip.

We've been to many wineries throughout Europe and the one we went to on our way to Siena was okay, but we have been to much nicer wineries, with better wine and food tastings. It was not a great wine tour experience.

Everything else was wonderful and we really enjoyed the trip with our sons!!!

Thank you!

Zicasso's travel specialist organized an amazing 12-day series of private tours, taking us from Milan to the lake regions (Como, Maggiore, and Garda) and down to Bologna. Our days were filled with visiting churches, museums (including the Ferrari and Enzo Ferrari museums), a winery, parmigiano, prosciutto, and traditional balsamic manufacturing, a cooking class, boat tours, and food tours.

Along the way, we saw testing at the Ferrari track and a small portion of the women’s Giro d’Italia. With all that, we still had sufficient downtime to search the streets to find our own gems.

Our trip coordinator checked in with us daily to confirm the daily itinerary and transportation. When we had questions or needed to make a change due to the weather, she was thorough, attentive, and responsive in a way that was reassuring and comforting. She was simply amazing.

I would highly recommend using this travel specialist and team for any of your Italian travel needs.

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!

We had an absolute dream trip to Italy with the help of Zicasso's travel specialist! Traveling as a family of five, we visited Rome, Florence, San Gimignano, Greve, Siena, Cinque Terre, and Venice, along with many beautiful towns and smaller areas throughout the country.

The wonderful vacation rental accommodations were thoughtfully chosen and every detail of our trip was carefully planned. The local tour guides were incredibly knowledgeable and gave us a truly authentic experience. Our private transfers, train transfer, and private tours were efficient, informative, and made traveling from place to place seamless and stress-free.

The communication between all tour guides and transportation providers was great, as was that of each vacation rental host, who contacted us in advance to prepare us for our arrival.

One of our favorite parts of the trip was discovering the smaller, less-touristy areas within the larger cities, places we likely never would have found on our own. We enjoyed exploring Tridente for shopping and Trastevere in Rome for a private pizza-making class (highly recommended), artisan shops, excellent restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife.

Florence was wonderful, but we had the opportunity to travel to a few other areas, such as Siena, Greve, and San Gimignano. We even had a private vineyard tour and chef's meal while in Chianti. A must-see is the walk to the Boboli Gardens across Ponte Vecchio and, on the way back to our apartment, a stop at Piazzale Michelangelo.

While staying in Cinque Terre (Monterosso al Mare), be sure to take a private boat to visit all of the other villages and maybe even snorkel. The water is so clear!

Venice had great history, but we also enjoyed our boat tour to Murano to watch the glassmaking process and Burano, filled with gorgeous multicolored homes and artisan shops.

Every experience felt personal, meaningful, and special.

This trip was truly an absolute dream and we are so grateful to him for helping make our family vacation to Italy unforgettable. We highly recommend him to anyone looking to plan an incredible, seamless, and memorable trip!