Active Tour of Rome & Cinque Terre: Hiking & Biking Through History

The trip was awesome. The accommodations were very nice. We just did not realize how much walking we would do, but we managed. There were a few hiccups, but nothing major.

Our transport from the airport to the hotel in Venice went smoothly. We definitely appreciated the private transfer after seeing the crowd on the public transportation. My sister was a little disappointed that the gondolier did not sing to us in Italian, but she thought the ride was very relaxing. The tour guide for St. Mark's was very knowledgeable and informative. Venice was a lovely and unique city. We were surprised by the narrow walkways/streets and canals; but came to appreciate them. It gave Venice its charm. The transport from the hotel to the train station was right on time and the guy at the train station was great. He explained exactly what we needed to do to catch the train to our next destinations. We really appreciated his help.

The transport from the train station to the car rental agency was okay. The driver spoke little English and the A/C did not work in the vehicle. The driver did try everything to work the A/C and did apologize that it was not working. The driver dropped us off at the wrong spot at the rental car place. He dropped us off where you turn in the cars.  We had to walk to where you rent the cars with our luggage. The car-rental line was extremely long and somewhat confusing. There were no instructions to take a number. We only knew because a nice couple informed us to do so. And there were so many other car-rental places with no lines. 

We explored Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Florence during our time in Impruneta. We really enjoyed the cooking class and winery tour you scheduled for us; our guide was a great teacher. Driving in Florence was a little confusing with the ZTLs, but I think we did okay. Little did we know how much we would appreciate the ZTLs while walking around in Florence. We walked and shopped in Florence. We even did a tour at the Accademia Gallery to see the statue of David. 

Returning the vehicle was way easier than renting it and our next transport picked us up right where we were dropped off. We felt very comfortable navigating the train station for our train ride to Rome, thanks to the train station lesson we received from the guy in Venice. The train rides went very smoothly. The transport from the station in Rome to our hotel went very well. He literally dropped us off right in front of the hotel.

Rome was different. It had the narrow, quaint streets between buildings which made Rome very walkable. However, we did not expect cars/motorcycles to be driving down these narrow streets as well. It made for interesting walks. We really enjoyed our tours with our guide. She was very knowledgeable and informative. She also allowed us to go at our own pace. Needless to say, our pace became slower than usual from all the walking we already did in Venice and Florence. Our feet were starting to hurt, even though we wore comfortable shoes the whole time. We also enjoyed the Vatican Necropolis. I was extremely humbled that I was able to kneel and pray before the actual remains of St. Peter. I am very grateful we were allowed to get into that tour. Although Rome was different, it was very historical and a lot to take in. There was just so much history everywhere you turned. Rome was really inspiring.

Our transport from the hotel back to the airport was on time and went very well. The driver spoke very good English and gave us some additional interesting facts while on our way to the airport. We were ready to go home, but also sad to be leaving.  

Thank you for putting the details of the trip together. The trip would not have been as great as it was without you.

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!

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.

Most of the arrangements were fine, but as we've used Zicasso several times in the past, I was disappointed that the day trip on June 2nd to Spoleto and Perugia was on a national holiday. Nothing was open, and so we spent a lot of money, drove a long way just to have lunch in Spoleto. We spent 30 minutes in Perugia and did not use anywhere near the 9 hours we were paying for.

Also on Sunday, May 31st, the trip to Cinque Terre was not good planning. I told you when we started our discussions that I walked with a cane. The distance to and from the train stations in each of the cities was quite extensive so we only ended up in 3 towns. Again, we did not use anywhere near the 10 hours allotted for the tour.

In summary, I rely on your expertise of the area to guide us as to what to expect in the different destinations. We could have switched the days for Spoleto and Perugia, to avoid the holiday and could have tailored the Cinque Terre in other ways. I thought we were paying for a private excursion so I wouldn't have to do so much walking.

Again, my husband and I felt that the 2 days of private tours were money not well spent.

The transfers in all locations were excellent and the travel agent was delightful (although she did not give us the name and phone number of our drivers the day before, as was stated on our itinerary from the travel specialist).

All in all, we had a wonderful trip to Italy but feel some more personalized attention should have been paid to our specific needs, as this was a costly trip for 7 days.

We could not be more pleased with the itinerary Zicasso’s travel specialist organized on our behalf. We were visiting Rome with our daughter, son-in-law, and 11-year-old twin granddaughters. From our pick-up at the airport to our final drop-off heading home, everything ran like clockwork.

The tours of the Colosseum and the Vatican, our cooking class, and fresco art painting experience were all well-suited to every member of the family. The guides and hostesses were all lovely, very knowledgeable, and made every experience memorable, especially for our grandchildren. We would not hesitate to recommend the travel specialist to anyone looking for a truly authentic Roman adventure.

If I could give Zicasso’s travel company more than five stars, I would. Our family of six (my husband and I, along with our two 18-year-olds and two 21-year-olds) just returned from a trip to Rome and Sardinia, and it was truly the trip of a lifetime, all thanks to this incredible agency.

Exceptional Planning and Communication

Over the course of six months of planning, I worked with several different representatives. Communication and careful planning are key when arranging all the moving parts of a milestone vacation, and the travel specialists were an absolute dream to work with. Every single interaction was defined by top-notch response times, total professionalism, personalization, and genuine care.

They listened to exactly what our family needed. The neighborhood they selected for us to stay in while in Rome was absolutely perfect for our group. It was incredibly walkable and packed with shopping, restaurants, cafés, bakeries, and bars. Literally anything we could possibly need was right at our doorstep. Additionally, the private tour guides they arranged for us were extraordinary, blending deep knowledge of Rome with fantastic people skills.

Above and Beyond in a Crisis

What truly sets the travel company apart, however, is how they handle the unexpected. About three weeks before our trip, our daughter broke her ankle playing soccer. We were devastated and worried it would ruin the experience.

The moment I notified one of the travel specialists, she immediately jumped into action. She researched every single one of our tours to check for accessibility and ensured that any necessary accommodations were in place before we even arrived.

When we got to Rome, my daughter was managing with a brace, but after a few days of heavy walking, we realized it would be best to use a wheelchair for our Vatican tour. I reached out to another travel specialist while out at dinner with my family. In a matter of hours, she secured a wheelchair and had it delivered directly to our hotel, handling every single logistical detail behind the scenes so we could just enjoy our evening.

Final Thoughts

Working with this travel company is like having best friends in the place you are vacationing. Knowing they were always there to answer questions and support us with whatever we needed gave us total peace of mind.

I recommend them with 100% confidence. I am profoundly grateful for their expertise, guidance, advice, and unwavering support. They didn't just plan a trip. They protected our family vacation and ensured we had the time of our lives!

We will be forever grateful to this travel company!!