SMALL GROUP ESCORTED TOURS
PRIVATE GUIDED TOURS
OUR SERVICES
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"Carlo - this is from Bruce and Gerrie Jeske. We took a tour of Italy using your services, in the middle of May. I had not left North America since 1972 and was a bit apprehensive undertaking international travel. Our tour of Italy was simply excellent. We had a most enjoyable time learning about the history and culture that has become modern Italy. To no small extent this was due to the travel arrangements you provided. Transportation was spot on. The guides really put what we were seeing into context and gave us a much deeper understanding and appreciation. This allowed us to better enjoy the free time we had in the afternoons and evenings. Our trip expanded our world view and we have many fond memories. Well done, thanks."
Bruce and Gerrie Jeske , MT Customized trip to Italy - May 2011
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"Hi
Carlo,
I wanted you to know that you planned the perfect trip and everything was flawless.
All
the hotels were just what we wanted. They were all
delightfully small, friendly and quiet.
Every
guide, driver and transfer persons were on time and very
helpful--we were so grateful
to
get off the plane or the trains and see a friendly face
holding a card with our name on it.
Our
special favorites were Daniel in Florence,he
thoughtfully brought a his car, bought train tickets for
us,
went
biking with us and actually sprinted to Pisa ticket
booth to insure Amanda's place in line.
And
Marco in Amalfi took such good care of us and was a such
a careful driver that I actually
relaxed
on those switch-back roads.
Our
favorite hotel if we had to pick one was the Floridiana
mostly because the 2 ladies there
were
so nice and friendly.
We
needed that day off in Amalfi--should have planned 2
days off.
Guido
in Venice, Pina in Pompeii, Valentina in Pompeii and
Giusy in Rome were amazing with their knowledge and
consideration of our wishes."
Janice Davis , MD Customized trip to Italy - July 2011
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"We had private travel transfers and private tour guides in each city. This made our trip hassle-free and a real understanding of every place we visited. We used Carlo Odevaine of ECO ITALIA LLC to plan our trip. He was our "Easy Button".
Fran Talbot , LA Customized trip to Italy - May 2010
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"This letter of thanks is about 2 weeks overdue. Thank you so much for planning our family vacation to Florence and Rome, August 8-16. We had a fantastic time--including our three kids (22, 19, and 11). Our hotels, the Monna Lisa in Florence and the Guilio Cesare in Rome, were just wonderful, as were our tour guides--Tanya in Florence, Daniel in Tuscany, and Antonio and Mun in Rome. We saw the sites in the morning, and had afternoons free to rest, relax, or explore more on our own. And several of the restaurants you recommended were terrific.
Deborah Miller & Kenneth Jackson , VA Customized trip to Italy - August 2009
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"Hi Carlo:
Keith Jura, CA Customized trip to Italy - October 2009
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"I know Caitlin already told you that we had a wonderful trip and thanked you for all your help, but I wanted to write myself and second it. The hotels were great - location, accommodations, knowledgeable and helpful staff, and breakfasts. The guides were just what we needed. We enjoyed our private tours, and the small group tours were so small that they felt like private tours. We will recommend you highly to any friends who are considering a trip to Italy. Every time we saw people getting off a tour bus or 50 people following a guide holding a giant flower, we were so glad that we decided to forego Trafalgar and go with Ecoitalia! Hopefully we'll be able to do another trip through you in the future."
Alice Caitlin , NY Customized trip to Italy - September 2008
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"Dear Carlo-- Our family trip was a huge success. Thank you for your careful planning. We loved the little buses, and the drivers were very accommodating and friendly. I was happy with the hotels, and our guides were excellent. (especially Fernanda in Florence and Thomas in Rome.) My grandchildren had an especially great time in Cinque Terre jumping into the sea from the cliffs. It was certainly a trip we will all never forget. Thank you again, and best regards from all eleven of us. Nancy"
Nancy Lifschultz, CT Customized trip to Italy - August 2008
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"Carlo, your tour was fabulous! My wife and I, who recently married, decided to go to Italy for our honeymoon. My wife's associate recommended your services and I am so glad we followed up. Your people were waiting for us as planned in Venice and the group tour provided us with so much of the city's history. Our favorite was Florence where we had a walking tour with Tonya who had an extensive knowledge of art history. Wine tasting through the Chianti region and the hills of Tuscany with Daniel was the absolute highlight of our trip. He is welcome at our house anytime he visits the states. Our train bookings through the countryside were beautiful, and our hotel accommodations were very comfortable. Margharita was a perfect hostess as we drove all over Rome exploring all of the art and treasures. Well done! When we return, Donna and I will be looking for your help again as there is no other way to travel abroad without this personal approach. Bueno Serra Donna and Bill Chamberlain Highlands, NJ October 2007."
Donna and Bill Chamberlain Highlands, NJ Customized trip to Italy - October 2007
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"Just returned from our trip to Italy. Can't say enough about the reliability of the people you lined up for our transfers and the quality of our tour guides. We were charmed and learned immensely from "Antonio" in Florence and now have a love for Florence we never had before. He's so proud of his City! We loved him. We also are still finding it hard to believe we got "Nando", with his impeccable credentials and experience and heritage at the Roman forum...what a treat. Thank you so much for each and every detail along the way. No surprises, no mix-ups. We will reccomend your company to all (and have) Thanks again."
Kendra Schwartz Customized trip to Italy - June 2007
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"Carlo, We're back from the most marvelous trip to Italy. You really arranged a great trip for us. Everyone was on time at all of our stops and the guides were very knowledgeable. I wanted to especially rave about our guide in Rome. His name is Nando and is a retired professor. His connection was through a woman named Pricilla. This man of 80 years knew so much and shared his knowledge freely with us. We could have spent a week with him. It was like taking a college course in religious art and ancient Roman history. Our favorite was the hotel in Sorrento. The balcony was amazing. We loved the view from our hotel in Cinque Terre as well. The sumptious Venitian hotel was a wonderful surprise too. We will be telling our friends about your services when they inquire about their own trip to Italy.
Thank
you again for a near perfect trip."
Laurie Fass Austin, TX Customized trip to Italy - May 2007
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"Carlo, Our "second honeymoon" for our 25th anniversary was everything we ever dreamed of and more. The itinerary you assembled for us was just the cross section of Italy's flavor that we had hoped to experience. My husband couldn't believe he saw the works of art he had only read about. The guides from Context Travel in Rome were exceptionally good. All our hotels were fabulous especially the villa in Siena. It was a great break from the hustle and bustle of the cities to retreat there. We had a scrumptious meal every night. We also got to see a practice run of the Palio on the morning of July 2nd. In Florence, our walking tour guide was able to coordinate reservations for a table at the Rivoir in the piazza by the Uffizzi.... We cannot thank you enough and will be sure to recommend you to everyone we know. We passed your contact info to all the guides and to many travelers we met. Grazi!!"
Carol & Bill Power Beach Hevan Park, NJ Customized trip to Italy - June 2007
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"Carlo , On behalf of Myself, Barbara, Seth and Rebecca, I must thank you for the wonderful arrangements that you made for us while traveling in Rome and to the Port prior to boarding our ship. All of the drivers Marco, Joe, Mauritzio were the best. Our guide for the Vatican, Fernando Ponti was perhaps one of the best tour guide experiences that I have ever been through. He came to our hotel the day before to introduce himself and was willing to wait on the line for the Vatican an hour prior to us joining him in spotty rain. Our half day at the Vatican was so informative and eventhough we experienced terrible rain in the afternoon "Nando" was willing to lead us and we were willing to follow through ancient Rome. Fernando Ponti is a National Treasure. Again our thanks and best wishes for continued success in your business."
Bruce I. Trattler North Brunswick, NJ Customized trip to Italy - September 2006
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"Hi Carlo:, I'm Scott Kanter's father and traveling companion. I want to re-iterate Scott's coments to you in his e-mail this morning. I have never been on a guided tour (and I've been on many) as wonderful, great and perfect and this one. I (we) could not have asked for anything to be changed. Your personel were just perfect in all respects. I (we) will most certainly use you and your company again."
Scott and Jerry Kanter, Coral Spring, FL Customized trip to Italy - September 2006
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"Mr. Carlo Odevaine, Thank you for helping to arrange for such a wonderful family vacation this last month. The chauffeur, van, local guide and hotel met with our complete satisfaction. When we think about our recent vacation experience, all are in agreement that we would like to do it again. Finally, thank you for attending to the smallest of details, such as desired itinerary, travel times, etcetera, so that there were no unpleasant surprises. We hope to travel with you again!"
Robert Barone, Irvine, CA Customized trip to Italy - July 2006
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"Hello Mr. Odevaine,
Thanks to your efforts,
I was able to experience the
country and culture from my specific requests. The trip was
short and I knew the itinerary was somewhat busy, yet we
were able to accomplish this comfortably by having half days
at our leisure without feeling rushed or spending too much time in a
car. The trip went without a glitch and the effecency, logistics and
planning of a custom trip as ours deserves much credit. The
accommodations, guides,
chauffeur and car were excellent. I will certainly ask for
your assistance on our next trip to Italy..."
Jon Grigsby, Washington DC, USA Customized trip to Italy - April 2006 |
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"Carlo,
I can’t begin to thank you for
the wonderful trip you helped Kevin put together to celebrate
our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Everything was first rate. The Hotels were magnificent, especially Hotel Bellevue Serene in Sorrento. They were all wonderfully located close to many of the things we wanted to see, especially in Rome and Florence. The transportation and private guides you arranged were all professional, knowledgeable and very pleasant. They added significantly to the enjoyment of our trip. The Hotel Valadier in Rome was only one block from Piazza del Popola and only a few blocks from the Spanish Steps. We were actually able to walk to all of our favorite spots from the hotel: Piazza Novanna, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain to name a few. Meanwhile the hotel was beautiful and the accommodations terrific. The private guide in Rome, Nando Ponti, was the best! He actually grew up around the ruins before they were excavated and played in the area during the unearthing of the ruins. He was 80 years old but extremely knowledgable and hard to keep up with. The next day he took us on a private tour of the Vatican and even though we’d been there three times before, we learned so much and saw things that we’d never been exposed to before. Your choice for our guide here was masterful. When we moved on to Sorrento, the Hotel Belevue Serene was wonderful! The view of the bay was awesome as soon as you entered the hotel grounds. Also walking distance to the shopping and tourist areas of Sorrento. But when we got to our room I was totally floored. It was a duplex of sorts with the bed in a loft, but what really amazed me was the view from our balcony. We were about 300-400 feet up overlooking the bay. Truly Magnificent; again, perfect hotel, perfect location. Our private guide and driver was fantastic. Paolo was extremely helpful getting me to my dialysis session in Pompeii, and spoke very good English. Our private guide in Pompeii again was very knowledgeable and showed us things we hadn’t seen in two other visits.
The Villa Scacchiapiere in Sienna
was typically Tuscan and the view from our private patio over
the Tuscan landscape was beautiful. The Villa was magnificent
and the restaurant at the Villa was so good, we ate there
every night of our stay.
Our private guide in Sienna was a very
proud person who lived there her whole life. She showed us a
very personal side of Sienna, especially the twice annual
horse race. Again, as a native she was a perfect choice to
show us Sienna through her eyes as a proud Siennese.
We spent my Birthday touring the Tuscan
Countryside and small villages with another ideal guide,
Daniele. He took us off the beaten path during our 10 hour day
through many Tuscan villages and a magnificent Abbey. In Florence the Hotel Monna Lisa was walking distance from all of the sights we wanted to see, the Duomo, Sante Croce and Piazza del Signoria, as well as being a very beautiful hotel. Back in Rome for our last night in Italy we stayed right in the Piazza in front of the Pantheon at a beautiful hotel, Albergo del Sole Al Pantheon. You couldn’t imagine a nicer hotel or a better location. From the steps of Al Pantheon, you could take perfect pictures of the piazza and the Pantheon. All in all, this was the Trip of a Lifetime and I truly appreciate all of the work you did to make it as fantastic as it was. You choice of Hotels, Guides, and Drivers were magnificent, Thank you.
I can go on and on about how wonderfully
you planned everything. You arranged everything around my
dialysis sessions and obviously you kept in mind my health
problems and limitations. It could not have been more custom
tailored to our wants and needs.
You are truly a Master at your Craft. Thank you," Kevin and Carol Ann Ruscio Bayville, New Jersey Customized trip to Italy - September 2005
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"Hello
Carlo
U.K. Classic Escorted Tour SCT6 Palermo - October 2005
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"Caro Carlo,
There are not enough words to
express how wonderful the vacation that you arranged for us
turned out. It was not a small task to get 24 people
together and organized in the first place. With your
help, the chauffer and driver we had could
not have been any better. The chauffer Salvatore was not
only knowledgeable about the history of his island, but
exhibited extraordinary people skills so that 24 different
personalities had a great vacation. That is something I
will never forget. He showed us with pride of his
culture what it is to be a Sicilian.
Our accommodations on the bus was
great. He ended up bringing the larger coach. It
was new and clean and operated beautifully . The drivers
name was Giuseppe. He joined us at our dinner table in
the evenings. We had so much fun.
As you know, I was very
nervous making arrangements with people that we did not know
for our family group. Your arrangements have far
exceeded our expectations in every way. I cannot find
enough words to tell you how happy we are with the
arrangements you made.
I am planning to put together a
picture of the bus, guide, and driver and email it to you once
we get everything organized.
I would highly recommend the
Mendola family (guitano as well) as a way for travelers
to Sicily to get a real feeling of what it is to be Sicilian.
I will be in touch in the future.
Again, thank you, thank you, thank you for
everything!!!
Fondly,
Jane Wit Fort Gratiot, Michigan Customized trip to Italy - August 2005
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"Carlo. We had a wonderful trip
thanks to your wonderful and careful planning! Thank you. If we
go back to Italy we will certainly contact you again for help in
planning it! ...
Thanks for everything.
Our driver, Daniel was terrific.
Plus our Rome driver was great too=Monti.
We also liked Simone, our Vatican
guide. VERY, VERY knowledgeable and professional. Good choice.
Take care," Monica Laflin Carlsbad, California Customized trip to Italy - July 2005
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"Dear
Carlo,
I am writing to thank you for the wonderful job you did in
planning and organizing our trip to Italy....You can be assured
that I have and will continue to recommend your services to anyone
interested in traveling to Italy
Very truly yours," Dennis and Angela Lind Missoula, Montana Customized trip to Italy - April 2005
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"Dear
Carlo,
Thank you for your expert planning of our excursion through Italy.
This custom-designed tour of Rome, Capri, Florence and Venice was
perfectly suited for my mother, my sister and myself. We never dreamed
that we could see so much of Italy with such style and comfort. It
was a complex itinerary including private chauffeurs, boats,
and trains, yet everything went very smoothly and we felt that we
truly got the most out of each stop.
The hotels were all in superb locations, with easy access to all
sights and activities of the cities. In addition, each hotel
had excellent services and gorgeous accommodations. The
Hotel Monna Lisa in Florence was particularly amazing-just like
stepping back in time, yet with all the modern amenities.
We will always remember the spectacular views on Capri and the
Amalfi coast; the fascinating ruins of Pompeii, the romantic
waterways and artisans of Venice, all of the splendid sights and
contrasts of ancient and modern Rome, and much more.
I can't wait to go back-and you'll be the first to know when!"
Sincerely,
Karen Nimrouzi Chicago, Illinois Customized trip to Italy - September 2004
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"...
Cheryl and I had a fantastic time, which we attribute to your planning
and advice. We have (and will continue to) recommend you to
those of our fiends/colleagues who wish to visit Italy, and we thank
you for your guidance."
Jim Sheils East Longmeadow, MA Customized trip to Italy - July 2004
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"Carlo did a terrific job helping the
four of us plan an independent trip to Sicily and southern Italy.
His experience, expertise and attention to detail provided us
with exactly the trip we wanted. He's a pro." Customized trip to Italy - April 2004
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"Dear Carlo,
John and I have been home from Italy a
little over a week now, and we are ready to go back! What a
wonderful time we had.
We were met at the airport by a very nice
man who took us to our hotel. This was a very nice service that
you arranged for us. Thank you so much.
Our tour was great. The people were
wonderful, the food was good, our guides and bus driver were great.
We had one English speaking guide and our bus driver spoke English
also. Our other guide, Maria did not speak English, but she was
fun and friendly and we both made ourselves pretty communicable
despite the language barrier. There were only a few other
English speaking people, one from Spain, two from Germany, and a
few of the Italians spoke some English, so it was a little hard
making conversation and getting to know them. However, they were
all very nice and friendly people and made us feel welcome.
Our English speaking guide, Marianna, had
only been working for our tour operator for two weeks before we got
there. She was the nicest young lady. Her English was very
good and she was so attentive to our every need. The English
speaking guides they had for us at the different places we visited
were also very wonderful. Very nice people and very, very
knowledgeable.
All the hotels that we stayed at were
very good. I especially liked the Jolly Hotels. The food
and service was also good. I liked all the
local restaurants we went to at the different places we were visiting.
They were very good and they all had their own specialty which was
very nice (the one in Paestum was especially good).
I would highly recommend this tour to any
of our family and friends. This was an experience of a lifetime
for us that we will never forget! Thank you so much, Carlo, for
all of your help and kindness in arranging every detail for
us. I hope we can have you arrange another trip to your
wonderful home land in the near future.
Sincerely,"
Joyce and John Dickey
Blacksburg, VA
Classic Escorted Tour SCT15 - April 2004
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Chicago,
February 2004 |
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I wanted to write to you to tell you how much my sister and I enjoyed our trip to Italy. We especially were impressed at how fast you were able to put our trip together. Our favorite part of the trip was our stay in Monterosso and the Cinque Terre. We did hike to all five villages. Along the way we enjoyed olive groves, citrus trees, and of course the sea.
Our guides in Florence were very knowledgeable and friendly. We loved our day excursion to the Tuscany countryside. Sienna was beautiful and we were blessed with bright blue skies. Our tour of Florence with our guide was impressive. She knew so much art history, and made the town come alive. We really enjoyed having our own guide, just for the two of us. Our day was flexible, and we stayed in places as long as we wanted to.
Again, thanks for planning such a fun vacation for my sister and I."
Madison, NJ Customized
trip
to Italy October,
2003 |
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"
Eco Italia planned our trip to Italy. We especially enjoyed the
private,
Audrey and Mark Hulsey Missoula, MT Customized
trip
to Italy September,
2003 |
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"
Carlo
did an outstanding job for us, all details were worked out well Missoula, MT Customized
trip
to Italy June,
2003 |
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"
We had been referred to Carlo by a friend, who told us not to go to Italy
without taking advantage of his excellent services. We were not
disappointed. Having lived most of his life in Italy, Carlo has many
wonderful connections and knows of hotels and restaurants that you will
not find in guide books. All of our accommodations were clean, quiet
and well located. We were especially fond of our personal tour
guides in Florence and Rome. Both were very knowledgeable,
personable and spoke perfect English. We can't wait to go back
and will, of course, call on Carlo to assist us with our travel
plans."
Missoula, MT Customized
trip
to Italy March,
2003 |
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"
I was referred to Carlo through a mutual acquaintance. My wife and I
Preston Davis Customized trip to Italy September, 2002
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" Hi, Carlo, I just wanted you to know
how much our family enjoyed our trip to Italy! It would definitely not have been the same without your help, time,
and advice. As
we discussed, our family did not want to have a standard bus tour of
Italy. We wanted to
experience the country, the people, the great restaurants, and the sights,
and we wanted the flexibility to do it at our own pace. Your help with our itinerary, as well as your recommended
places to stay and visit made our trip a great success, and a most special
memory. We
particularly enjoyed staying at the Castle you recommended in Tuscany, as
well as visiting the adjacent lake and countryside. Your helpful suggestions with the rest of our trip, from driving to
language, from Florence to Rome, were incredibly helpful and useful!
It makes such a difference to have someone familiar with the
country acting as your guide, providing knowledgeable information. Good information is often what makes the difference in having
a pleasant trip or experience. Thanks
again for all your assistance!
Paul Eichwald Customized trip to Italy July, 2002
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"
With our children both being married and neither having their own
children, my wife and I decided to have a family trip to Italy, as we had
enjoyed our visits there so much. We utilized the services of Carlo
at Ecoitalia because we had heard that he had great ideas about and
connections in Italy. We had a two week family vacation that was
terrific. Carlos
found us great hotels within our price range. They were centrally
located in the major cities and all were to our liking. He also opened up
Umbria to us and arranged for us to stay in a renovated nunnery that had a
delightful rural setting. Carlos also arranged train trips and tours
of museums. Without the help of Carlos, our seeing the Uffizi Museum
and the statute of David in Florence would not have been possible because
of the crowds. His suggestions for restaurants were always good. We would utilize Carlos' services again if we were to return to Italy -- and we hope that we will be able to do so. " Tom and Ann Boone Missoula, MT Customized trip to Italy May, 2001
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"
Dear
Carlo, I
am writing to thank you for the great vacation you implemented for us
while we were in Italy. I knew
that using the services of Eco-Italia, our family had a guarantee that our
time in Italy would be
well spent since you, as a native of the land of the Etruscans and Romans,
were our guide. The
actual experience exceeded all of our expectations. The selections of
hotels were superb, which
achieved a balance between great places and value. An example, amongst
others, was the Hotel
in Bagno Vignoni with its Etruscan hot springs, and the great breakfasts [yes,
I still remember the delicious morning coffee, yogurt & plums, and
tasty pastries].
The
excellence in your service was over and above the call of duty and I am
grateful that you organized
–in a very timely manner I may add- all of the Internet connections that
I had requested
of you so my “connectivity” was never lost, even in the more remote
locations such as Cinque
Terra. Your involvement as a native of Italy added a friendly dimension
simply not possible
under the environment of an impersonal larger tour, and it gave us the
knowledge of the important
details that we would have missed, had we made the tour by ourselves
alone. Our
daughter’s 16th birthday in Siena will be well remembered by all of us
as we celebrated and received
the special hospitality thanks to your presence at the restaurant;
finally, the theatre evening
& 7 course dinner for my wife and I at the Enoteca was indeed a superb
experience.
Without
hesitation, I recommend the use of your services to anyone who is
considering a vacation
in Italy; not only will they get a native to guide them through this
beautiful and interesting
land, but in addition, they will be well cared for since your attention to
detail will give them
the extra value that converts a mere vacation in Italy into “Living an
Italian Experience”. The
sad part was the realization that our “Italian Experience” had to come
to an end. Con i migliori saluti. " Roberto A. Stevensville, MT Customized trip to Italy March, 2001
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"
Ciao Carlo! I first met Carlo
on the streets of Roma in 1999. Actually our small group escorted
trip had been prearranged and impeccably planned for months ahead of our
arrival, but I had personally never met Carlo until I arrived in Bella
Roma. Several of us arrived ahead of the tour to take in a few extra
days in Milano & Firenze before meeting up with the rest of the group
in Roma. Carlo graciously arranged our separate hotel accommodations
and gave us information and help in museum/gallery bookings, as well as
arranging our rail transport to Roma. It was so nice to not have to
worry about anything! Carlo adds his personal touch as a native
Italian and is conscientious about your “travel happiness”. He
even changed our hotel in Roma just before we arrived as he felt the
original selection wasn’t quite up to his standards. I was truly
impressed by his service. Carlo is
knowledgeable on all areas of Italia and let us be flexible and customized
our small group tour to fit our desires. Our trip covered Roma, the
Apulia (Puglia) region and the Amalfi Coast/Pompeii. Every part of
the trip had a different flavor, and because we were a small group we were
able to explore Italia more like natives instead of tourists. Carlo
was a marvelous guide and we had a wonderful experience, making new
friends and sharing memories we all treasured. I can
whole-heartedly recommend using Eco-Italia to plan all your trips to
Italia, because once you go you’ll long to go back again as I did!
For my second trip (in October 2001) I traveled with just my Mom on an
independent tour. The two of us felt completely safe and once more
our trip arrangements and accommodations set up by Carlo worked out great.
For this trip I opted to take in an encore and savor the Eternal City and
then go north to also take in Assisi, Orvieto, Lucca & Pisa. Our
trip ended much too soon along the beautiful Cinque Terre and the Italian
Riviera towns. It was absolutely fabulous! Another trip I
won’t forget. Thanks, Carlo, for all your help in making my
Italian dreams come true! Sincerely " Barbara
Wickens Bellevue,
WA Customized trip to Italia September 1999 & October 2001
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