When my dear friend and fellow Travel Advisor, Andrea, told me that her niece and husband had plans to visit Italy this August and asked if I could I help them with some recommendations, I was thrilled!
Remember, one of the main reasons I am here in Italy IS to be your Boots on the Ground in the Boot!
And, as you know, tourism from the US has been on hold for some time. Clients who had planned to come in 2020 have postponed twice and are looking to 2022.
And I know that many of you have been waiting for the “green light” and extremely happy and greatly relieved to confirm that, indeed, Italy is continuing to open up (yes, with new and updated restrictions effective 9/2/21) and looking forward to having more American tourists return (yes, they’re arriving!).
For me, to have guests who had plans and were looking for expert recommendations was a welcome pleasure for me…
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As it turned out, Ariana and Ian are quite savvy and well traveled (don’t let those fresh young faces fool you!). They had their flights/transportation and accommodations arranged and they had some ideas about what they wanted to see and do during their two weeks in Italy (which included Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Milan).
Not only were they open to suggestions but so much fun to work with! And, I’m beyond gratified and happy (smiling as I write!) that they loved everything! They were also kind enough to permit me to share a few photos and their comments with you! Let’s begin…
♦ Roma ♦
On the top of their list was taking tours of the Colosseum and the Vatican with expert tour guides.
Perfect! I referred them to my “go to” and trusted affiliate, LivTours who offer excellent semi-private tours (never more than six guests and I can speak from personal experience!).
I’m happy to share that Ariana and Ian loved their tours:
“We did the LivTours of the Vatican yesterday and colosseum today and they were INCREDIBLE! …it was wonderful to have the professionals.”
♦ Firenze ♦
So much to choose from but along with seeing David at the Accademia and a visit to the Uffizi, a priority was food and wine! So, considering that Ariana and Ian love to partake in local cuisine and wines and that she loves to make homemade pasta, I had the perfect experiences to recommend:
A Florence foodie/wine walk with Toni, Taste Florence, and a day in Chianti Country with Arianna and Alessio, KM Zero Tours making homemade pasta and tasting local wine! They are both Friends of Victoria, of course, but more importantly, they are wonderful friends!
I knew that Ariana and Ian would have a delicious, fun, memorable time with both of them…and I was right!
♦Highlights from a Food/Wine Walk with Toni, Taste Florence♦
From Ariana and Ian:
“Toni took us on an incredible culinary adventure through Florence. We had an incredible time with her learning so much about the delicious foods important to Florence. The food was so amazing we returned to the restaurants she showed us several times during our stay in Florence.”
Tasting local specialties and meeting the wonderful local shop owners…
Toni about her tour with Ariana & Ian:
“Some of the funniest an nicest guests ever…I would have hung out with for days!?”
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♦Highlights from a day in Chianti Country with Arianna and Alessio♦
Ariana and Ian sum it up best:
“We had a FABULOUS time – thank you so much for organizing!!…we had an amazing/delicious time…”
“…They were so lovely, we had a great time with them!”
First: Making Homemade Fresh Pasta with Vilma!
◊ First things first…making the dough! ◊
⇒Please wait for the slideshow…
◊ Making Ravioli & Tortelloni ◊
⇓ CLICK for the Video!⇓
⇒ Please wait for the slideshow: making ravioli & tortelloni…
◊ Making Gnudi Toscani ◊
⇓ CLICK for the Video – Gnudi demonstrated!⇓
◊ Making Pasta alla Chitarra ◊
⇒ Vilma demonstrates! (Please wait for the slideshow.)
Ariana & Ian take on the “chitarra” …successfully! (Please wait for the slideshow, then “click for fun videos”!)
⇓ CLICK FOR VIDEOS Making Pasta alla Chitarra! ⇓
◊ Making Farfalle & Penne ◊
⇓ CLICK for the VIDEO: Making farfalle (butterflies or bow ties)⇓
⇒ Please wait for the slideshow!
◊Wow! ◊
I would call this a fabulous day of pasta making, wouldn’t you?!
◊ Mangiamo! Now to enjoy their creations! ◊
◊ And there’s more…Wine Tasting with a View!◊
⇒ A perfect setting, spectacular views, boutique wines…Chianti Country! (Please wait for the slideshow!)
And from Arianna & Alessio:
“Thank you again for yesterday, we truly spent a wonderful time with Ariana and Ian!”
(A special grazie to KM Zero Tours for sharing these wonderful photos and movies and, yes, Ariana and Arianna share the same name with slightly different spellings!)
Being here in Florence, it was such a pleasure to be able to meet and connect with Ariana and Ian!
We had a wonderful time enjoying an aperitivo together before they went off to see “David”.
♥ Grazie Andrea for referring Ariana and Ian to me!
♥ Grazie Ariana and Ian for being such a delightful, fun couple, for allowing me to share your photos and for your generous comments!
“Thank you again for all your help, really wish we were still in Italy!”
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♥ And grazie to the team at LivTours, Toni (Taste Florence), and Arianna and Alessio (KM Zero Tours), my amazing local travel experts and Friends of Victoria!
◊Wouldn’t you love to enjoy Italy with local professionals/experts who are passionate about what they do and love sharing it with you?
◊You can! When you’re ready to plan your next trip to Italy, my Friends and I are here to help you!
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