One of the great things about being in Rome with kids is that many of the city’s main tourist attractions are ideal for families – and are sights you’d want to see anyway. With a few days in Rome, the…
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Sicily captivates with its tangled web of history that can be traced back to the Phoenicians. The island has a distinct patchwork of hyperlocal architectural styles, dialects, and cuisines that reflect thousands of years of invasion and conquest that began…
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We often have clients who are curious to explore Jewish sites in Italy so we work historic and cultural treasures into their itinerary like the Jewish Ghetto in Venice, the ancient Jewish catacombs in Rome, and Florence’s Great Synagogue in…
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Ravenna’s dazzling mosaics dating from the 5th and 6th centuries are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are famous across the globe. Considered among the best-preserved Byzantine mosaics in the world, these treasures are more than worth a visit, so…
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Spring brings a dramatic uptick in Italy trips after the relatively quiet winter months, and it’s one of the best seasons to visit Il Bel Paese. From March through May, Italian cities, towns, and even coastal resorts (beginning from Easter)…
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Over the many years of planning custom Italy itineraries for clients, we’ve realized that travelers often have misconceptions about shopping Italy street markets. Many imagine a souk-like maze of stands that sell a bit of everything for one-stop art, clothing,…
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After two decades of giving Italy travel advice and planning Italy trips for independent travelers, I sat down and put together my top 100 Italy travel tips. Read on for insider intel for visiting Rome, Florence, and Venice plus how…
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We’ve had a number of clients ask us recently for information about how to get a tax refund in Italy. VAT is the sales tax (called IVA in Italian) that is applied to most purchases—including consumer goods like clothing and…
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Almost all of our clients ask us about tipping in Italy before leaving on their trip, including guidelines about who should be tipped, how much is a typical tip, and how tips should be paid. The short answer is that…
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"We had a wonderful trip! We did so many amazing things and experienced many wonderful places yet never felt like..."
"We thank you so much for all you gave us, guided us to, arranged for, and detailed for us. Not..."
"We are in love with Venice and the Dolomites. The ski adventure was amazing and beyond anything we could have..."
"Absolutely everything that you planned went off without a hitch. Every tour, every restaurant, every train and activity came through..."
"Thank you again from all three of us for your help in planning such a delightful trip. I know that..."
"Madeline carefully planned a fabulous, personalized 19 day itinerary (Lake Garda, Dolomites, N/S Tuscany, Rome) that enabled us to be..."
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