Italy Vacation Review: Merano, Venice, Murano, Burano, Sirmione, Val Venosta, Padua, Juval Castle, Doge's Palace

Review by traveler

Cynthia C.

10.15.2023

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Italy

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

We traveled with this travel company in 2019 and had an extraordinary trip. Everything about it was excellent. This trip was fine, but not excellent. We were already in Europe before the detailed itinerary was available to us. We had to shorten our trip from the initial proposal. In shortening the trip, we inadvertently left out one of the primary reasons for the trip - a visit to the Dolomites.

It would have been helpful if our travel agency had made us aware that the choice of going to Merano instead of Brixen would rule out a visit to the Dolomites, since it is just too far away. This trip just felt like it was put together rather last minute, despite us reaching out months and months in advance for a proposal.

While we had first class tickets from our starting point in Innsbruck, our travel company did not/was unable to reserve seats, so we stood in an overcrowded train hallway for two hours to Bolzano. The train was oversold. Not a great start to the trip.

We also would have appreciated more details about excursions-such as how long they would last. Or that there was a 1.5 hour break between the visit to Doge's palace and the tour of St Mark's basilica.

A few of the guides/tours were excellent. Several were just ok and we would not recommend them to other travelers. The guide in Merano was ok, not great.

The Alpaca/Llama hike listed as taking place in an alpine meadow, actually involved walking the animals on a rope down sidewalks, through town, ending at a picnic table. Our guide was very personable, but this was not the special relaxing outing we imagined.

The guide in Venice used our 4 hours there to show us two churches, kept checking her watch and took us to cicchetti in a rather dirty, unused outside restaurant. Would not recommend it again.

Murano was ok, interesting to see how the glass is blown, but then turns into a selling event. Burano had one woman making lace, but that and just wandering around was the extent of our tour.

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

Hotels were lovely. Every guide and driver was on time and things coordinated smoothly. One of our drivers was a very nice, skilled driver and we had some wonderful conversations with him.

The guide in Val Venosta to Juval castle was very good. He made sure we were safe and found a path up the mountain that was comfortable for us.

Our guide in Padua was excellent-fun, entertaining, quick to meet our every need, and got help when it was needed.

Our driver from Sirmione to Padua and on to Venice was also excellent. Knowledgeable, kind, helpful and a very fine driver.

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

We would go to the Dolomites, and not the Alps - so maybe Val Gardena instead of Merano.

We would skip the Llama/Alpaca tour and four hour two church tour of Venice. So many other things to see in Venice.

Travel Company Comments:

Dear Cynthia,

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for entrusting us with your travel plans and for sharing your valuable feedback. Your positive experiences with our accommodations and guides have certainly brightened our day, and I am eager to pass on the accolades to our dedicated team.

As we embarked on the journey to plan your trip, we initially mapped out an itinerary that began in the charming Hall in Tirol, Austria, and included three splendid days exploring the Dolomites. However, back in June, in order to reduce trip costs you decided to make some adjustments by omitting Brixen and the Dolomites, and opting for a stay in central Merano instead of the high-Alpine resort in Hafling. I understand that there might have been some confusion regarding the removal of excursions in the Dolomite region, and for that, I apologize. Rest assured, we will strive to enhance our communication on such matters in the future.

Regarding the issues you encountered during your train journey, I explained in a previous email that seat reservations were not available for that specific train. The alternatives were either a private transfer, which was discussed earlier but declined to reduce costs, or a four-hour commuter train with two transfers. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, certain aspects are beyond our control, and we deeply regret any inconvenience you experienced.

In addition, I will personally follow up with our guide team in Venice to investigate and address any concerns that may have arisen during your visit.

Cynthia, I am delighted to learn that you ultimately enjoyed your trip. I hope that any weariness from your adventurous travels has subsided, and I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to assist you with your next adventure whenever you are ready.

Warmest regards,

Bernhard