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Customer Reviews for Go Ahead Tours Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Go Ahead Tours Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Visit the small villages and timeless cities in some of the world's most romantic destinations.
Average Customer Rating:
(39 Reviews) 39
18 out of 19 95% of customers would recommend this tour.
Customer Reviews for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Review 1 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by LOUISL |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:04/21/2012
Location:NJ
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by LOUISL |
May 14, 2012
Venice, Como, and the Italian Riviera
Although the hotel on Lido Beach was fine and more than acceptable, the location was disappointing because of the travel required, and the limited time that we had in Venice.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, First Time Travelers
0points
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Review 2 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by HTOOKER19 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:04/21/2012
Location:ME
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by HTOOKER19 |
May 13, 2012
wonderful experience
This trip was a fabulous experience. The highlights for me were Como, Cinque Terre, Portovenere and the excursion to Lake Lugano in Switzerland. This excursion is well worth taking. The snow capped alps surround the lake which is breathtaking. The village of Lugano was enchanting. We went up in one of funiculares to the top of the mountain, and the view was unbelievably gorgeous.
0points
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Review 3 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by PCURTIS198 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:04/21/2012
Location:ME
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by PCURTIS198 |
May 13, 2012
Everything was great except for one slight detail
I loved the trip. David, our tour director, was excellent. He was so knowledgeable about history and the places we were traveling to.
The only glitch in the tour was the fact that we had to make a reservation to see "The Last Supper" well in advance of the trip and I didn't know that. Perhaps it was in the trip information we got beforehand, but I didn't see it. I definitely think that information should be emphasized ahead of the trip.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers
0points
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Review 4 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by BROWNLILYBLUES |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:04/21/2012
Location:NJ
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by BROWNLILYBLUES |
May 12, 2012
Fun Trip
I got to ee everything on the agenda plus more. What made the trip fun was the group and the tour director.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
0points
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Review 5 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by JECUNDA |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:04/21/2012
Location:NJ
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by JECUNDA |
May 12, 2012
Great tour, return air not so great
I loved the tour. The sites, food, pace and gude were just perfect. The guide was especially great. David had the perfcet balance of professionalism and fun. He was so very thoughtful, flexible and accommodating.
The airline acommondations home were another matter, not good. We left to make our plane in Venice at 3AM only to have a 5 hour layover in Frankfurt. There had to be a better way to do this.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
0points
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Review 6 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
3
/
5
Tour Director
2
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DBAIER |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:10/08/2011
Location:MA
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by DBAIER |
November 2, 2011
northern italy
This was our first tour ever . We have traveled on our own prior.. We did not know quite what to expect. We were disappointed in our tour director. She seemed to have trouble with the language and was not particularly knowledgeable about the places we visited. I know that on a tour, there are people with different expectations. We felt that the menus selected by the tour director were average at best with the exception of the excursion to Bellagio. That dinner was wonderful. We went to lake Como on a Monday and were told that there were no tours offered on Monday !
I think the itinerary could have been arranged so there was less bus time and we would have preferred another day in Venice rather than 3 in Liguria.
Recommended for: Solo Travelers, First Time Travelers
+2points
8out of 14found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by LLININGER1 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:10/08/2011
Location:NM
Age:40-49
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by LLININGER1 |
October 30, 2011
Fantastic Trip with breathtaking scenery
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This is the third trip we have made with Go Ahead and we have thoroughly enjoyed each trip. Overall, I believe we have received an excellent value for our travel dollar. We always receive clean, safe accommodations, excellent transport, and a good balance between free time and organized activities. When I try to price things out on my own (as a comparison) – I cannot beat the dollar amount. On top of that, not having to navigate, park, or drive in Italy is a definite plus. During travel time, we could just sit back and watch the beautiful countryside roll by.
On our most recent trip (Venice, Com0, and the Italian Riviera) – the Tour Guide, Ziggy, did an absolutely excellent job – I simply cannot express how helpful and fun she was on our trip. Ziggy took care of everyone and accurately judged who might need \ want more organized activities (i.e. extra tours, shopping, drinks, etc…) and who wanted and could just handle their own agendas. For us, this was perfect – in the bigger cities (i.e Milan and Venice) a little extra insight from her on getting around and even selecting a restaurant – a huge plus to have the ‘extra’ assistance. In Santa Margherita, Cinque Terre, Bellagio, and Venice – we wanted to walk \ trek and do some exploring on our own. We had the free time and the liberty to do exactly that. Our TG took the time to help our fellow travelers get oriented and even organized extra activities (well above and beyond what is outlined in the tour). Ziggy represented GAT extremely well .
All of the included admissions and activities (boat ride at Cinque Terre, Villa Carlotta admission, Doge’s Palace, Milan City Tour) were great. Each activity was well balanced between seeing the site, learning a little history, and having time to explore on your own. For example, in Bellagio – after strolling through the town and visiting a few shops – we found a little-used trail that led far up into the hills. Eventually, we ended up in the middle of an abandoned olive grove – and the views of Lake Como were breathtaking. A couple of suggestions for GAT - it would have been nice to go into La Scala and if at all possible, adding \ incorporating admission to see the Last Supper. For most of the people on our tour – they were disappointed to miss that. Ziggy tried to get tickets…but even she couldn’t do it.
The excursions to Bellagio and Lugano were wonderful and worth the extra cost. Personally, I could have stayed several hours longer in Lugano – the setting was breathtaking and there were lots of things to do. If we could have stayed until 4:30 or 5:00 – we would have definitely taken the 45 minute lake tour. Both excursions turned out to be trip highlights. Again, as a suggestion \ alternative – I would recommend adding a night at Lecco and doing the Lugano excursion from there – you’re already so close. Doing the excursion from Milan added a few extra hours (round trip) which weren’t necessary and felt a little like back-tracking. As another alternative, add another night in Lecco (4 in total) or some smaller, quieter town and eliminate the 2 days in Milan - just offer an excursion there as an option OR just do Milan as a one night. One other ‘improvement’ – add a day in Venice. The additional night is needed and the slight increase in cost should not be a deterrent for potential visitors. Fortunately, we added 2 nights to Venice on our own – which was perfect. A 2 night add-on excursion to Venice is really a nice option!!
All of the meals provided (both within the standard package and the excursions) were very good – excellent quality and sufficient variety. In particular – two meals were noteworthy – Hotel Suisse in Bellagio and more so, the included evening supper at Bistrot Vernace in Milano. In Milano, the food was fantastic and the service polite, efficient, and most surprisingly for Italy – friendly!
We’re already planning our next trip and will consider using GAT again.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Experienced Travelers
+17points
17out of 17found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by LITTLEGREEN |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:10/08/2011
Location:MA
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by LITTLEGREEN |
October 29, 2011
Beautiful Italy
We had perfect weather the entire tour, Oct. 8-18 - 70 -82 degrees every day. Our tour guide was fabulous. One thing I would change would be to skip Milan altogether and spend another day and a half in Venice. Ciao!
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Anniversary Trips, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+4points
4out of 4found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by BUDMAN |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:06/25/2011
Location:MA
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with friend(s)
by BUDMAN |
July 16, 2011
Great Trip
The tour covered a number of very beautiful locations. All the administrative requirements - transfers, hotels, etc - were handled well by the Go Ahead staff so I could focus on touring and enjoying. The tour had just enoughgroup activities but allowed us freedom to explore on our own. The sites, both as part of the basic tour and the optional trips were wonderful - informative and interesting without overbearing. I do thing the sequencing of places visited should be arranged so there is less time on the bus. It seemed like we made two separate excursions to Switzerland, when it should have been done as one trip. Additionally, the trip to Milan was the least interesting and kind of a waste of time. Accomodations were fine. Some of the tour group dinners were excellent but some were pitiful. In particular, the meal at Bellagio was a High School cafeteria mystery meat and no one is sure what the meal in Venice was- shame on you.
Recommended for: Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Family Vacations, Food & Wine, Honeymoons, First Time Travelers, Relaxing Retreat, Experienced Travelers
+13points
14out of 15found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by RMITSCH1 |
Number of past tours:3
Traveled on:06/25/2011
Location:OH
Age:60+
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by RMITSCH1 |
July 12, 2011
Our Anniversary Tour
I was pleased with the tour and the optional excursions but I was disappointed the we only got to spend a short while in Cinque Terre. Our tour directory was exceptional and made the tour very enjoyable. I hope we will be able to tour with Go Ahead in the future.
Recommended for: Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MGROZALSKY |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:06/25/2011
Location:MA
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by MGROZALSKY |
July 12, 2011
como, porto venerre, milan and venice
Overall this was a terrific trip. Just active enough with enough time to explore on your own. I do feel that there was a lot of unnecessary time spent on the bus going from place to place. I feel the itinerary could have been planned out better. Going on the side trip to Lugano from Milan didn't make sense since we were in Como and could have gone from there. Much closer. Would also suggest just two group dinners-upon arrival and departure. The food for the most part left a lot to be desired. Bus driver should not be allowed to talk on cell phone while driving.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers
+5points
5out of 5found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
2
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by CRINEHART1 |
Number of past tours:5
Traveled on:06/25/2011
Location:CA
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by CRINEHART1 |
July 12, 2011
A very disappointing Italian visit.
This is, I believe, our fourth GoAhead tour. We have really enjoyed all three previous ones. They have been informative, fun and a great value. Unfortunately we can not say the same about The Venice, Lake Como and the Italian Riviera tour. As a past university professor I believe I can voice my concerns best by an analogy with university courses...This tour is a one unit tour and is presented as a three unit one...This leads to a great deal of down time. I have never had so much time to shop for so many things I didn't want or need.
There was a tremendous amount of bus travel time. This is acceptable if the payoff when we arrive at our destination is worth the trip. We had way too much time in The Italian Riviera, Bellagio and The Lake Como Region. This lead to way too little time in Milan and Venice. For example, in Venice our local tour guide lead us through The Doge only. In Milan it was primarily the Duomo. Only 4 of 32 members of our group were able to view The Last Supper. This was the highlight of our trip. Most members of our group were really disappointed that they were unable to obtain tickets. Most never dreamed it would take so much advance time to get entrance. We were 2 that did. We saw several tour groups being lead by a tour guide as we waited our time to enter. Why can't GoAlhead help members of this tour like this or at a minimum warn them about the great difficulty of getting tickets.? Will I travel with GoAhead again? Perhaps, however, I will be much more careful in reading very carefully what is being offered and comparing it with all other similar types of tours. Thanks, Bob and Carolyn Rinehart
There was a tremendous amount of bus travel time. This is acceptable if the payoff when we arrive at our destination is worth the trip. We had way too much time in The Italian Riviera, Bellagio and The Lake Como Region. This lead to way too little time in Milan and Venice. For example, in Venice our local tour guide lead us through The Doge only. In Milan it was primarily the Duomo. Only 4 of 32 members of our group were able to view The Last Supper. This was the highlight of our trip. Most members of our group were really disappointed that they were unable to obtain tickets. Most never dreamed it would take so much advance time to get entrance. We were 2 that did. We saw several tour groups being lead by a tour guide as we waited our time to enter. Why can't GoAlhead help members of this tour like this or at a minimum warn them about the great difficulty of getting tickets.? Will I travel with GoAhead again? Perhaps, however, I will be much more careful in reading very carefully what is being offered and comparing it with all other similar types of tours. Thanks, Bob and Carolyn Rinehart
+4points
9out of 14found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by Anonymous |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:5/7/2011 12:00:00 AM
Location:MA
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:solo
by Anonymous |
June 13, 2011
I Did It !!!
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My first solo trip to Europe. It was amazing. Sylvana Tesoriere, our guide, was knowledgeable, organized and a lot of fun. Not only did she "guide" us through Northern Italy she took us "wandering" through villages, the hidden streets of Venice and the elite shopping areas of Milan, all on her own time. If you are a seasoned traveler, you know that these are the ways that you really learn about a place. You get a chance to feel it, to observe the "real" people, and know about their lives. Sylvana took the extra time to share her country with us and to get to know all of us to be sure that we each experienced the trip that we wanted. AND arranged 6 am walks everyday for whoever wanted to keep up with their exercise programs.
The itinerary was just fine. The Como/ Lecco area was beautiful and we had time to walk around and do our own thing. Then paradise.......the Cinque Terre. This part of the trip was amazing. Our base was a little hotel in Portovenere just outside of the Cinque Terre. It was like having a ancient Italian town to ourselves. Few tourists, just the locals who were so pleasant, and restaurants that served fish that was brought into the harbor right in front of us. We traveled to the five towns by ferry and they were each unique and truly beautiful. Hiking, eating, boating, and just sitting on the beach you can have it all. Milan was exciting a good counter to the Cinque Terre. We really got a chance to see the beauty of the city and observe the people. Venice was just as mysterious and beautiful as always. This trip was wonderful; well organized; a great balance of guidance and free time to make the most of our adventure.
The itinerary was just fine. The Como/ Lecco area was beautiful and we had time to walk around and do our own thing. Then paradise.......the Cinque Terre. This part of the trip was amazing. Our base was a little hotel in Portovenere just outside of the Cinque Terre. It was like having a ancient Italian town to ourselves. Few tourists, just the locals who were so pleasant, and restaurants that served fish that was brought into the harbor right in front of us. We traveled to the five towns by ferry and they were each unique and truly beautiful. Hiking, eating, boating, and just sitting on the beach you can have it all. Milan was exciting a good counter to the Cinque Terre. We really got a chance to see the beauty of the city and observe the people. Venice was just as mysterious and beautiful as always. This trip was wonderful; well organized; a great balance of guidance and free time to make the most of our adventure.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+7points
7out of 7found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by DVOKEY1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:5/7/2011 12:00:00 AM
Location:ON
Age:50-59
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by DVOKEY1 |
June 3, 2011
AMAZING
Images for this Review
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Thank you once again ,another trip off a life time !!!made some really good friends and alot off good memories !!now checking out for next year
Recommended for: Anniversary Trips, Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Trip Of A Lifetime, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Experienced Travelers
+3points
3out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by RMATARAZZO19 |
Number of past tours:1
Traveled on:09/18/2010
Location:CT
Age:50-59
Gender:Male
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by RMATARAZZO19 |
November 8, 2010
Very nice trip perfect balance
The tour director was excellent. The trip could of been better thought out. There was too much travel on bus. We landed in Milian we should of visisted that first or right after Lake Como instead of going back and forth. The tour group was large at 43 if it was smaler i think it would of been easier to handle
Recommended for: Solo Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers
+23points
23out of 23found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by MKYSELA1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:09/18/2010
Location:OH
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with friend(s)
by MKYSELA1 |
November 5, 2010
Fantastic Tour
The best way to see a Southern European country.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers, Relaxing Retreat
-6points
0out of 6found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by EKYSELA1 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:09/18/2010
Location:OH
Age:30-39
Gender:Male
I traveled:with friend(s)
by EKYSELA1 |
November 5, 2010
A Great Introduction to Italy
This is a great way to experience the best Italy has to offer. The small fishing villages on the coast of the Ligurian Sea were spectacular in terms of cuisine and good old fashioned hospitality. Venice is a great city to see in terms of art, history and the special culture of the Most Serene Republic. The north of Italy has the best mix of urban and pastoral flair.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, Food & Wine, First Time Travelers, Relaxing Retreat
+7points
7out of 7found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
4
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by CMCCLOSKEY4 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:09/18/2010
Location:PA
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by CMCCLOSKEY4 |
November 5, 2010
Cinque Terre Was Superb!
The Lake Como area and Cinque Terre exceeded my expectations. The small town of Venere is a perfect jewel. Visiting Milan should be omitted. The physical challenges of Venice are enough for visiting cities on this tour. Our hotel in Milan was too far away from the city center, especially when our tour director left us alone for one complete day. I think that she, too, did not care to deal with the Saturday crowds and the rain.
Recommended for: Active Travelers
+13points
14out of 15found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
4
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by SPARKER63 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:09/18/2010
Location:CA
Age:60+
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by SPARKER63 |
November 5, 2010
Great trip
We enjoyued it immensly. Big screwup at beginning-not the fault of the guide. But after that it was fine. Should have started in Milan and then to Como.
Recommended for: Active Travelers, Art, History, & Culture, First Time Travelers
+1point
2out of 3found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Venice, Como & the Italian Riviera
Overall Rating
Tour Value
5
/
5
Tour Director
5
/
5
Leisurely
Challenging
by SBundy5 |
Number of past tours:2
Traveled on:06/26/2010
Location:MI
Gender:Female
I traveled:with my spouse/significant other
by SBundy5 |
September 3, 2010
When I Close My Eyes
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This summer my husband, our adult daughter, and I had the trip of a lifetime! We traveled to Northern Italy and visited Como, the Italian Riviera, Milan, and Venice. Our lives, normally, are very busy and sometimes even chaotic. For several years, we have not made time for any sort of summer vacation. This year, we decided early on that we would MAKE this trip happen! And, oh, I am SO glad that we did!
We knew from the moment we were met by our energetic guide in the Milan airport that we were in good hands and that the trip would be a delight. It was immediately clear that she truly was listening to us and to each of our travel companions and trying to get a handle on what would be of most importance to each of us.
Our time in Italy will forever be a part of us. We had "done our homework" properly. I mean, we'd read the brochures, picked up travel books, etc., talked to others who'd been to Italy, and these tasks did help us prepare for the trip.... in the academic sense. Italy itself, however, seemed to take us by the hands and guide our hearts to fall in love with its people, geography, and culture.
We've returned home now to our still chaotic lifestyle. But, when I close my eyes, I see the pastel buildings of the town of Porto Venere with sunshine illuminating them....just for us...as we gazed from our hotel room balcony.
When I close my eyes, I see the adorable shop clerk in the Lake Como village of Bellagio patiently teaching me to tie a scarf properly around my neck.....so many times repeating the lesson because I'm not that clever.
When I close my eyes, I see our precious tour guide taking the time to actually escort us into the Milan subway system and practice buying tickets and rehearsing our shopping strategies and quizzing us on how to return to the hotel (safely!)
When I close my eyes, I see my husband begin to trade his blackberry for his camera.
When I close my eyes, I see and hear the beautiful voice of the man singing in italian from a passing gondola.
Northern Italy was an experience that has proven to last far longer than the number of days we were actually there.
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
+3points
7out of 11found this review helpful.
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