Testimonials
We absolutely loved everything the tour had to offer – our charming and professional tour guide, the magnificent gardens, the accommodation, the dining experiences, the visits to private wineries and vinegar distillery, and the interesting commentary from local guides.
Anna Maria was a wonderful tour leader in every way. She was very well organised with a good knowledge of the places we visited. We were a very happy group under her care throughout the tour and had lots of laughs with her along the way.
We enjoyed every garden and it’s hard to pick a favourite as they all offered something individual. Angus enjoyed the Papal Summer Palace for its stunning lake views, huge urns and rural vistas.
The other garden he enjoyed was Giardino Torrigiani because it was a garden he loved and felt he could live in. The private tour from Luca Torrigianni, who gave us insight into what it was like living there as a child, was a highlight.
I marvelled at the grandeur of the villas and gardens and of Villa d’Este, Isola Bella, and Villa Melzi. Favourite memories for me, were the grotto at Medici Villa Castello, the beautiful little private chapel at Villa Arverdi, and the extensive art collection at Villa Carlotta. Both Giardino di Ninfa and Villa Adriana were wonderful examples of gardens set amongst the ruins. Sarah once again gave us a wonderful tour and insight into the history of Hadrian’s Villa Adriana.
Our dining experiences were excellent and very authentic. Anna Maria was excellent in explaining the dishes of the local areas. Highlights were the fresh home cooked lunch by our charming hosts at Villa Peyron, and our lunches and excellent wine at Trattoria Porchetta and Agriturisimo Al Rocol.
Overall we felt the tour delivered everything we expected and more! Congratulations on a well researched programme that kept us enthralled and engaged every day.
Felicity & Angus, The Great Gardens of Italy 2024
I just wanted to write and say a huge thank you to you both for organising a fabulous tour of Veneto. The tour was a wonderful mixture of all the things I enjoy: food, wine, history with some exercise thrown in, great restaurants, and spacious hotel rooms.
The group rocked along well together and there was time to spend alone when we needed a break from each other . I think the pace suited us well and Luca was a great at maintaining a calm but organised atmosphere.
Congratulations on organising such an interesting tour, I’m delighted I found you and I have wonderful memories of my time away in Veneto. I do wish you well for the rest of the holiday season.
Vicky, The Lands of La Serenissima tour, 2024
It was our very special experience in May 2023 to tour the Italian Lakes with Luca from Italian Tours. The planning done by Philippa at Italian Tours was impeccable – very hands-on and everything was faultless. Quite different from dealing with a big travel company or travel wholesaler. It’s rare in our experience to be accompanied by the proprietor who is a local.
Our small group of 6 travelled in comfort for several days, starting in Milan and visiting various places around Lago d’Orta, Lago Maggiore and Lago di Como. We visited very pretty towns and villas, interspersed with magnificent lunches and nice wines and lots of great boat trips on the lakes. We really experienced the feeling of being amongst the locals and for us, no tourist buses, no tag-along groups and special entry to some of the beautiful villas.
Unlike many tours, by staying in just two very nice hotels and doing day trips, there was no packing and unpacking every day – plus sensible departure times after very nice breakfasts.
The Niuo Negri winery visit was especially good, and then lunch in one of their restaurants high up in the vineyards overlooking the Valtellina region was quite special.
What is unique is that Luca is from Northern Italy and so knows the area well, along with the necessary contacts everywhere we went.
A great experience, and we would travel with Luca in Italy anytime.
David, Italian Lakes Discovery Tour, May 2023
“I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed my recent tour of the Italian Lakes.
Anna-Maria certainly took us to some wonderful local restaurants. I have been to Italy four times over the years, and this was definitely the best food I have ever had in Italy.
I loved all the other churches we visited, especially the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo. Speaking of which, the local guide Laura, was great. Anna Maria also went to a lot of trouble to get us a private tour of the Cathedral in Monza when the local guide couldn’t make it due to a car accident that morning. A-M stepped up and ensured this unexpected occurrence did not throw us off schedule.
Also, I would recommend the Hotel Gran Duca Di York to any fellow travellers coming to Milan … it’s very comfortable and had all the amenities I needed.
In summary, it was a fantastic tour, and I would not hesitate to recommend Italian Tours to anyone contemplating a tour in Italy”
Kerry Hayes, Milan and the Italian Lakes Tour, 2023
Now that my holiday has come to end (as I await my flight home at the airport) I just wanted to send a quick note .
I have been on many big bus tours in the past- I will never go back to that! This trip has opened my eyes to this new way of travelling – it is great!!
The places we visited on this trip were truly beautiful and breathtaking vistas. There was a great balance of guided tour vs free time. The hotels were nice as well – and the location can’t be beat!!
I guess most of all, Anna Maria helped to make this a great trip. She is very knowledgeable on the area but most importantly, always took care of us. I also had dinner with her on 2 separate occasions (the single ladies, as we called ourselves – with B) and that was nice as well.
So, thanks again for this great trip. I will most definitely recommend you guys for anyone interested in this type of vacation, including myself when I come back to Italy.
Nadia, Italian Lakes Discovery Tour, September 2023
“The tour was absolutely fantastic, and all that it is cracked up to be on your website. We were amazed at the beauty of Puglia and were stunned by the local food. The accommodation was first-rate. The group size is perfect for the sort of tour that you offer.
Our guide, Marco, …was greatly appreciated for his care and sense of humour. He introduced us to many Pugliese dishes and especially to Café Leccese, which became a great hit with the whole group. We are now making it at home!!
Paul and Sue, Puglia, The Road Less Travelled Tour September 2023
“Thank you, our Italian hosts and guides, for a wonderful, bespoke and well-organized tour. Our agenda was a sensory mix of historical solemnity, floral whimsy, hydraulic innovation, and artistic beauty. We had great fun discovering the variety of species collected and showcased through the northern countryside and were humbled by the gracious hospitality of the private estate tours. Not only were we sated by the splendour of Spring, but the local wine and food more than quenched our appetites. It’s a fabulous tour for all the senses, with good walking shoes.”
Pauline & Suzette, The Great Gardens of Italy Tour 2023
“We very much enjoyed travelling with Luca and a small group of fellow guests on the Tastes Tour in northern Italy. It was clear from the outset that considerable preparation had gone in to selecting experiences that combined to provide an excellent picture of the Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta regions. We enjoyed fine local food and wine, visits to small farms and wineries where we met the owners and toured the facilities, the varied geographies from rolling hills to towering alpine peaks, the magnificent lakes and the complex history of the region. The local guides and the transport were top class. By staying for several nights in each of four lovely accommodations, we avoided constant packing, which made for a nice, relaxed pace. Finally, a big thank you to Luca for his care and attention to detail and his commitment to ensuring that all his guests were well looked after and were really having a great time.”
John and Chris Holt, Tastes Tour 2018
“Helen and I would like to thank you for organising our wonderful Italian Gardens Tour. We think the tour should be renamed the ‘Wine, Food and Gardens Tour’, we loved everything!!
Your choice of a guide for our tour … well what can we say. Guisi was absolutely lovely, our group of eight travellers realised on the first day that we were going to have a great tour. Guisi was a pleasant, caring, helpful, fun person to be with, who went out of her way to show us a good time and look after us. We could go on and on, but she is one special lady.
We would recommend Italian Tours to anyone, any day.”
Geoff, The Great Gardens of Italy Tour 2018
“Our garden tour with Italian Tours was like traveling with old friends. Beautifully organised at a pace everyone could enjoy. Everything had been ‘pre tested’ by our guide and leader Luca. From the hotels, which were intimate and perfect and the local fabulous ‘ casalinga’ restaurants, to the tours of absolutely amazing gardens some of which were owned for centuries by the same family and you got to meet the fascinating people who actually owned them. It was such a special experience….. we have booked again for this year!”
Rosemarie, The Great Gardens of Italy 2016
The small group tour -‘The Road Less Travelled – Puglia Tour’, was a fabulous trip to be part of. Philippa and Luca of Italian Tours are the ‘dream’ tour leaders – relaxed, consultative, informative and expert in meeting the needs of their clients. As experienced travellers, the easy pace of the trip suited us well with enough free time to independently explore the features and food of several localities if we wished.
The itinerary of this tour to a less ’touristy’ part of Italy is varied and at times surprising – we appreciated the exemplars of the local culture through which we were guided. We loved the insights into its regional agriculture, the exploration of its ancient Greek/Roman origins, the unique local architecture, the fabulous local regional food and the time spent in the natural environment of the Gargano Peninsula.
The occasional use of local guides added to our depth of understanding of the region and the choice of interesting and well located hotels added to the quality of the tour. We highly recommend this small group tour to a region of Italy that has many surprises.
Bronlyn & Gary, The Road Less Travelled, Puglia 2016
We explored Puglia with 14 friendly like minded travellers in October 2016 guided by Luca and Philippa of Italian Tours.
Contrary to some group tours, there was no hassling, early departures, pressure to buy etc, rather on 3 days we visited fascinating farms and vineyards in different regions savouring the delicious local products over a long lunch in a beautiful setting. The UNESCO sites were stunning and Luca has a great depth of knowledge and history that he generously shares in his delightful way.
Philippa and Luca make a great team and we would love to go on all their varied destinations. The hotel selection and long stays make for a relaxing holiday with something different and interesting each day.
This company had been on our bucket list for some time and it certainly lived up to its reputation.
Merran, The Road Less Travelled, Puglia 2016
For anyone looking for an alternative to the well-known tourist beats of Italy, I can thoroughly recommend The Road Less Travelled tour of Puglia. Of the many highlights the tour offered, I particularly enjoyed the beautiful cities of Lecce and Trani, the rural trulli, and the fascinating limestone cave dwellings at Matera.
Luca’s vast knowledge of Italian history and culture added to the experience as did all the other things important for an enjoyable visit – staying in high standard accommodation, eating at restaurants specialising in the local food and wine, and travelling on comfortable transport. Finally, Philippa’s suggestions on the best places to shop were an added bonus!
Marie, The Road Less Travelled, Puglia 2016
As an octogenarian with blistered feet, it was a blessing that guide Luca was kind and patient, as well as very well-informed botanically and historically about the gardens we visited.He made very effort to accommodate our individual needs, and varied the style of restaurants at which we ate.
Highlights would have to be Guardino Torrigiani, the largest private garden in Europe, and refreshments with the Marquis, and a personal tour of not only the 400 year old hedged garden of Castello Ruspoli, but of the castle interior, whose kitchen rivals that of Monet’s at Giverney.
Joan, The Great Gardens of Italy tour 2016
Many thanks Italian Tours for two wonderful holidays. The small group sizes naturally led to adaptability, personalisation, and inclusion. The itineraries were full of interest, and Luca’s and Philippa’s seamless organisation , knowledge and commitment ensured an enlightening and entertaining experience of the best in authentic Italian culture, food and history. We greatly appreciated the many opportunities to dig down into local culinary traditions and foods particularly those sponsored within the Slow Food Movement, the privilege of many visits to private gardens, residences and regional food producers that are not on a beaten tourist path, and the expertise and insights of local guides for cultural and city experiences.
Ian & Sue, The Great Gardens of Italy, 2015 and Tastes Tour, Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta 2016
What a wonderful fortnight the “Garden Tour” was with guides Luca and Philippa. You could not ask for more……always friendly, kind, attentive and generous, sharing their deep love and knowledge of all things Italian. They were able to adapt to the vagaries of the weather and forced last minute changes to the itinerary with ease. We travelled in comfort with excellent drivers and stayed in well appointed, centrally located accommodation. The small group was able to explore more than just stupendous gardens, enjoying cultural insights as well as regional foods and wines of course! Highly recommended.
Linda & Brian, The Great Gardens of Italy tour 2015
We have visited Italy previously, once with a large group and twice independently, but Italian Tours was definitely the most enjoyable. The carefully chosen hotels, cultural visits and local food and wine experiences, combined with a small friendly group, were decidedly a bonus.
Paul, Milan and the Italian Lakes Tour 2013
The Great Gardens of Italy tour in 2013 with Italian Tours was a spectacular tour for gardeners and tourists. The itinerary and accommodation was beautifully planned to allow a small group to enjoy local Italian food and culture in style at each destination and at a civilised pace.
Carol, The Great Gardens of Italy tour 2013
Having visited Italy many times before, our small group tour with Luca and Philippa was a joy and added to our love of that country, its history, people, wine and food. They provided many experiences only possible when travelling with people very familiar with the local areas. Their smooth and unruffled organisational skills ensured we came away with even more treasured memories of a wonderful country.
Maureen & Graham, Milan and the Italian Lakes Tour 2013
The small tour groups, the flexibility if needed, personal touches and the prior bookings made by Luca and Philippa of all the museums, theatres and galleries put the joy back into travelling”
Judy, Tuscany and Umbria tour 2011