Browse Tours at Go Ahead Tours
Top-Rated Tours
Customer Reviews for Go Ahead Tours A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Go Ahead Tours A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Indulge in unforgettable flavors as you travel through the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria's wine country on this food and wine tour of Italy.
Average Customer Rating:
(80 Reviews) 80
33 out of 34 97% of customers would recommend this tour.
Customer Reviews for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Review 1 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by KTWEEDIE1 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:03/20/2010
Location:ME
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by KTWEEDIE1 |
August 10, 2010
AmazingFirst Tour Experience
My husband and I have been afraid of traveling, but this tour took all that angst away. Everything was taken care of for us. If we wanted, we also had time to explore on our own. We took advantage of all the excursions and were amazed by the wealth of knowledge our tour guide and the local guides provided.
There was nothing scaled down because of the group size, either. We had exquisite food, great wines, and lovely accommodations. The people, the landscapes, the epicurean delights, the art and architecture, and the history of Italy definitely made this the trip of a lifetime for us.
There was nothing scaled down because of the group size, either. We had exquisite food, great wines, and lovely accommodations. The people, the landscapes, the epicurean delights, the art and architecture, and the history of Italy definitely made this the trip of a lifetime for us.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Trip Of A Lifetime, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+51points
54out of 57found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 2 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JNORRIS49 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:06/06/2009
Location:NY
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by JNORRIS49 |
August 9, 2010
Already signed up for another tour with GoAhead!!
The itinerary was well thought out. From the major historical sites to the off the beaten path excursions. You really got a taste of the Italian lifestyle. Great tour director, extremely knowledgable & catered to our every need. I enjoyed traveling with Go Ahead so much that I booked another tour.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Trip Of A Lifetime, Food & Wine, Honeymoons, First Time Travelers, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, Experienced Travelers
+12points
12out of 12found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 3 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by TSCALES19 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:12/03/2011
Location:VA
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by TSCALES19 |
December 23, 2011
So glad I went
What a treat! Our tour director, Sabra, was one of a kind. The trip was a perfect introduction for me to Go Ahead.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 4 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MOCOATES |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:12/03/2011
Location:MD
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by MOCOATES |
December 15, 2011
Wonderful experience
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
As a first time traveler to Italy, I was pleased to find repeat goahead tour travelers on the tour. They were all so warm and helpful. The tour guide Sara was phenomenal! Her knowledge and warmth made the tour an exhilarating experience. I enjoyed good food, excellent wines and delighted in the Italian cathedrals, landscapes, culture and history. While the pace was challenging for me, at the end of the day I gave the tour a thumbs up!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, Family Vacations
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 5 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by TINAGC |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:12/03/2011
Location:MD
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by TINAGC |
December 15, 2011
Architecture and history---this trip can't be beat
I never imagined that the trip would include participating in a Cordon Bleu cooking class, walking the hills and streets of medival castles and villages, and viewing art located no where else in the world than the Tuscany and Umbria regions!! I plan to return.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Nature & Wildlife, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, Honeymoons, Family Vacations, Trip Of A Lifetime, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 6 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
3
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by FISHERIVES |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:11/05/2011
Location:NM
Age:50-59
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by FISHERIVES |
November 26, 2011
Cultural value yes; wine and food not so
This is a trip much more about visiting beautiful towns, churches, and historic areas than being a wine and food tour. While entertaining and enchanting the focus was more on touring and shopping than on sampling a wide variety of fine Italian wines and pairing foods that compliment them. Two vineyards were visited and one olive oil farm, several restaurants with set menus mixed with low end house red and white wines. Highlights - Cordon Bleu cooking class (Firenze) and Tenuta Toricano vineyard (San Gimignano); Very good - Florence dinner (optional) but not complimented by any quality wine; Light lunch at Colle Verde but again wine not equal to food served. OK - Wine tasting at the vineyard outside Montalcino for Brunellos though more time was spent hearing about the history of the community and the vineyards management by an all-female staff than the time sampling the 3 wines offered to sip with lunch.
So overall, 5 out of 5 for culture and historic sites, 4 out of 5 for food, and 2.5 out of 5 for the wines and hands down a 4.8 out of 5 for our tour director, Katia.
Two simple recommendations to improve this tour to be a real food and wine tasting of Tuscany/Umbria
1. Offer a wide selection of up scaled wines at each of the wine lunches and dinners so we can 'shop' for a broader selection of wine with the food offered
2. Provide information about wine selections, food pairings, and grape varieties available in the area with the same passion local guides provide for the churches and sites visited in each community.
So overall, 5 out of 5 for culture and historic sites, 4 out of 5 for food, and 2.5 out of 5 for the wines and hands down a 4.8 out of 5 for our tour director, Katia.
Two simple recommendations to improve this tour to be a real food and wine tasting of Tuscany/Umbria
1. Offer a wide selection of up scaled wines at each of the wine lunches and dinners so we can 'shop' for a broader selection of wine with the food offered
2. Provide information about wine selections, food pairings, and grape varieties available in the area with the same passion local guides provide for the churches and sites visited in each community.
Overall - 3.5 out of 5 for being a food and wine tasting of Tuscany/Umbria tour.
Recommended for: Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers
+10points
11out of 12found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 7 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DORMSBY1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:11/05/2011
Location:WI
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by DORMSBY1 |
November 26, 2011
Tour name fit the tour to a T
I had a great time. We had a great group of people and being a single traveler I never felt alone or left out of things. We were able to experience tasting a variety of good wines, foods and cultural aspects of Italy. It was a perfect trip with a little bit of everything. Our tour guide was the greatest and she made my birthday special at dinner with happy birthday sung in both English and Italian. However, there was more walking than indicated in brochure. At times there was too much food, if that is possible.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Food & Wine, Honeymoons, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 8 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by KATHYSCHERPA |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:11/05/2011
Location:MA
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by KATHYSCHERPA |
November 25, 2011
A Delicious Taste of Tuscany and Umbria
What a wonderful time we had on our recent "A Taste of Tuscany and Umbria" tour. Katya, our tour director was tremendous, a true professional with a playful enthusiasm that made us love her, the tour, and the country itself. The wine and food was beyond expectation, and we think fondly back over our many hilltown stops. If there were any visits that needed more time, Assisi and Perugia would rank high, particularly with the shoppers. Most of all, we commend our fellow travelers: a more congenial, gracious, fun-loving, adaptable group simply could not have been found. The broad age span was a dynamic element, and the various states and Canadian provinces diverse enough that we all learned from each other as we learned about the history, cuisine and art of Tuscany. This brings me to my one suggestion for Go Ahead: connect with a photographer at some good landmark backdrop who will take a photo of the tour group and let the members either order or not order the 8 x 10 glossy photo which could be made available the next day. We have been on other tours that have done exactly that, and it could well be the best souvenir of the tour. I know it would be in this case because the people in it would be jewels, and we could not spare any one of them to be the photographer for the rest. My husband and I would grade this tour an "A"!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Relaxing Retreat, Experienced Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 9 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by vallejosanderson |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:11/5/2011 12:00:00 AM
Location:HI
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by vallejosanderson |
November 19, 2011
Italy Never Disappoints -- Grazie, Go Ahead!
We've been to Italy many times, but this tour still allowed us new sights and experiences. Introducing Italy and Go Ahead to our friends who came with us made the trip more memorable. Traveling at this time of the year was perfect, as the weather cooled, the crowds were smaller and the regional specialties of the harvest season were enjoyed indoors. I've never seen the Sistine Chapel so leisurely!
We had the opportunity to see the usual major sites on the itinerary, but our local city guides' (Nicco, Donatella, Marco, Ioanna) expertise gave it more color, story and breadth. Though it changed the pace somewhat, the optional excursions during our free time to the other hill towns were a wise decision that added more depth to our experiences. Taking the extension to Rome was also a good choice, as there is also much there to keep taking in.
The itinerary was well planned and gave some surprises along the way -- Siena by moonlight, a farewell to Florence with a panoramic view from Piazzale Michelangelo, and even a brief stop at Lago di Trasimeno.. These were possible because our Tour Director, Katia, understood our group's pace and interests and knew the tour rhythm and details very well. We enjoyed being under the care and attention of Katia and were very fortunate to have her assigned to us!
The hotel accommodations were comfortable, clean and reasonably located for the price. Walking or taking public transportation and figuring things out along the way during our free time were among our memories that we laugh and reminisce over -- and nothing that a gelato reward cannot cure.
Because this tour was all about the food, the food and wine tastings were distinctive enough -- lunching in a grotto, brunello at a winery run by women, recognizing the flavors of the season's first olive oil harvest, a very entertaining San Gimignano wine host -- and left our palates for Tuscan cuisine well satisfied. Gaining food insights along the way also gave us more confidence to develop our own food-centered experiences during our free time.
Overall, this was a great tour, and I cannot wait to have our group reunion in a few weeks to re-live the moments. The entire Go Ahead experience from sign-up to follow-through from Maggie at the US office was impeccable. Thank you, Go Ahead, for hosting Italy so well for us!
Recommended for: Anniversary Trips, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 10 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MRYAN56 |
Number of past tours:13
Traveled on:3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM
Location:MI
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by MRYAN56 |
November 17, 2011
wonderful to be in tuscany again
we had a great time on the walking tour of tuscany. weather was great-the walks were beautiful and the food and wine were exceptional.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 11 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by K3PLUSD |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:11/05/2011
Location:HI
Age:40-49
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by K3PLUSD |
November 17, 2011
Great introduction to Italy!
A Taste o Tuscany/Umbria tour was amazing! This is our first trip to Italy, and I've already recommended it to others. It was exactly what I expected and more! The Tuscan countryside was breathtaking, and the tour director Katia was very professional, and passionate about sharing her country with us. The hotels and transportation was comfortable, and process smooth. Thank you for an amazing experience!
Recommended for: Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 12 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by GTURNER49 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:09/17/2011
Location:FL
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by GTURNER49 |
October 11, 2011
Taste of Tuscany and Umbria
This tour is a balanced combination of tasting and touring. It was exactly what I was looking for. There was nothing I didn't like about the tour--it met all my expectations.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, Experienced Travelers
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 13 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:09/17/2011
Location:NJ
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by Anonymous |
October 10, 2011
Taste of Tuscany and Umbria
From the moment we met Katia at the Florence airport to when we departed in Rome, this tour was a delight to all senses. No detail was overlooked, the hotels were good (beds could always be softer in Europe!), but they were immaculate and well located. Breakfasts were full and varied, dinners out were great with free-flowing wine. The tour took us through Tuscany and Umbria stopping in small towns like Cortona, Montalcino, San Gimignano, Orvieto, but also in Siena, Assisi and Perugia. It was the perfect combo of big and small and Katia gave great overviews to all of it. The wineries we visited were great with wonderful lunches. And to top it all off, we had a busload of fabulous, friendly people -- it is a trip I will never forget, as I feel I've made lifelong friends. My only recommendation would be to offer an extra day in Florence, Siena and Assisi, and even Cortona or Montalcino -- we all felt we needed more time in those locations. Now we need the same tour further south -- who knows maybe you already do that too? Great Job, Katia and Go Ahead!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Food & Wine, Honeymoons, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 14 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DWELKE |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:09/17/2011
Location:MN
Age:40-49
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by DWELKE |
October 8, 2011
Ready to go again
This was my first tour and my first time to Italy and I absolutely loved it and am ready to go again. Our tour director was so well organized and fun that the experience was even better because of her. I did all the extra excursions too and still had free time to do some of my own exploring. The places we saw, the food, the wine and our group was so much fun. I took so many pictures and am excited to enlarge some and hang them in my home. Seeing Tuscany and Umbria in September the weather was perfect and we only had 1 day with rain in 12 days - otherwise sunny and 70's. I would definitely recommend Go Ahead and met some great new friends. by traveling solo.
Recommended for: Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Relaxing Retreat, Experienced Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 15 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by TLAROCCA |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:9/17/2011 12:00:00 AM
Location:FL
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by TLAROCCA |
September 29, 2011
More Than Just a Taste!
We took the September "A Taste of Tuscany and Umbria Tour" with 34 other travelers. I was apprehensive before the trip that the group would be too large. How wrong I was! Every person added something wonderful to the experience. It was well planned by Go Ahead, and led by Katia. She was informative, pleasant, and helpful throughout the trip. With her guidance we were inspired at every turn. The wine tastings were delicious, and the scenery breathtaking. Even our bus driver, Giuseppe, deserves a "Bravo!" The trip did provide lots of exercise going up and down the hills of many of the towns visited, but it was manageable. I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves good wine, outrageous food, beautiful scenery, and a taste of Italian art and history!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+7points
7out of 7found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 16 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JCOYNE19 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:07/23/2011
Location:NY
Age:40-49
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by JCOYNE19 |
August 17, 2011
A Tuscan Treat
My wife and I waited a long time to take this trip, and Go Ahead Tours did not disappoint! They did an amazing job balancing group time with independent time. The group tours of each destination always laid a solid foundation so that we could explore freely and comfortably on our own. We especially loved Florence and the cooking class. Christina and Gabriella were the perfect hosts, and we are still talking about the pasta that we made together! And we are still arguing over which city was more beautiful- Cortona or Assisi. The wine tastings outside San Gimingano, Montalcino, and Orvieto were entertaining and informative. They helped bring our small group of travelers together so that we became a group of friends who seemed to know one another for years rather than several days. An outstanding trip and we cannot wait to return to Tuscany! Thanks Go Ahead Tours.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine
+13points
13out of 13found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 17 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JOYROY |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:07/23/2011
Location:MA
Age:40-49
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by JOYROY |
August 13, 2011
Wonderful Trip!
This tour was fabulous! We not only experienced a wonderful variety of food and wine at a variety of restaurants and wineries, but we also saw much of the history of the region. In general, the tour was planned well, and there were no glitches when arriving somewhere too early/late; our guide saw to it that everything was in order. We had a small group - 12 - and everyone had a good time and connected well.
The only reason I rated the tour a nine out of ten was because of our guide. Initially, she was quite curt with those who were a few minutes late getting down to the meeting place at the hotel in the morning. She did not give us times and the specific plan for the day in advance, so that made it difficult for those of us who like to have a plan in their minds. There were times when she chastized people for not reading the "board" that she put out the night before regarding the next day's plan; the "board" was so general it did not help much, except for the meeting time in the morning. It would have been helpful to have a concrete plan in our hands the night before, rather than remembering what the board said. That said, our guide became much more thorough once this was brought to her attention, and she made things more detailed.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, Experienced Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 18 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by LSHAWCROSS1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:06/25/2011
Location:NC
Age:40-49
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by LSHAWCROSS1 |
July 17, 2011
Absolutely enjoyed our trip!
This is the second time I have been on this specific tour. I enjoyed it with my mother so much the first time, I had to bring my husband! Our tour guide was an expert on all of the sites we visited. He was like a walking history book! Everywhere we went was just amazing - the city guides were a great asset and really enhanced our tours of the individual cities. I loved visiting the small towns and villages and really getting a feel for Italian life, culture, and food. Boy was the food good - everywhere we went!! We particularly enjoyed the wonderful balance of tours and individual free time. We would tour a city and get to know the area and then have time to explore what interested us on our own. Thanks to Go Ahead and especially our tour guide for a memorable trip!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+6points
6out of 6found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 19 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by KCROSE |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:06/25/2011
Location:VT
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by KCROSE |
July 13, 2011
Si Si Si
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
Mix fantastic food, delicious wine, funfilled group, medieval towns, sunflowers, priceless art and the world's best guide, David Macchi, and what do you get? An absolutely delightful tour of Tuscany and Umbria!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 20 for A Taste of Tuscany & Umbria
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JNROSEEY |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:06/25/2011
Location:VT
Age:50-59
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by JNROSEEY |
July 13, 2011
Italy
Great trip! My first time to Europe, after this trip I must return!
Recommended for: Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
Share this review: