Travel Review: Italy Tour, Rome, Positano, Florence, Amalfi Coast, Siena, San Gimignano, Venice, Naples, Pompeii, Capri, Wine Tour

Our travel specialist truly did a fantastic job planning a 12-day dream trip to Italy for my wife, 18-year-old daughter and me. Early on, she provided suggested itineraries and options to fit our time frame and budget and then communicated frequently with us by phone and email to fine tune it. She was patient during the planning stage when we were at times indecisive. She arranged for travel insurance as well. Before the trip, she mailed us a comprehensive package with all the information and vouchers/tickets/travel tips we would need and scheduled a call with us to walk through each of the items in the packet. We were more impressed when we arrived in Italy and experienced the flawless execution of her planning. There were no mix-ups or unpleasant surprises - everything went according to her plan. We flew in and out of Rome and stayed four nights in Florence, three in Positano on the Amalfi coast, and three in Rome. We absolutely loved the beauty, food, history and shopping in Florence. During our time there, we took a day trip with a private driver to the medieval towns of Sienna and San Gimignano and had a memorable wine tasting lunch at a quaint winery recommended by our driver. We also used one of our free days to take a day trip to Venice via train. It was a long day, but we were so glad we got to see and experience this magical city. We then took a train to Naples and were greeted by a courteous driver who took us to Pompeii for a 2-hour guided tour and then on to Positano. Before he dropped us off at our hotel, our driver arranged reservations for us at a fabulous family-owned restaurant with an off-the-menu prix fixe five course meal - with an incredible view of the sea and hillside. Our time in Positano was surreal with incredible views, delicious food, and friendly people. The boat tour to Capri was out of this world! In Rome, we thoroughly enjoyed a four plus hour food stroll in the Trastevere area, where we sampled typical Roman cheeses, meats, pasta, suppli (risotto balls), pasta and wine. We saw the main tourist attractions as well, and as with all the other excursions on our trip, it was so nice to "skip the lines" and be guided by a knowledgeable and entertaining docent who told stories that made the history and artwork come to life. The hotels were all unique, comfortable, and conveniently located within walking distance of most attractions. They also served scrumptious fresh breakfast buffets with our choice of espresso drinks each morning. Yum! We never would have had the knowledge, time, or contacts to plan such a vacation on our own. Thanks for everything!