Overall, this was an amazing trip to be introduced to Europe and experience a little bit of everything there. If you are thinking about opting out of a tour service like this and figuring it all out on your own, I would advise against it. There are a lot of cultural and social differences between these countries that a cursory internet search will not make you aware of. The tour guide's guidance is really what allowed us to be safe and not clueless while exploring, and the tour also highlighted a lot of the activities and locations that were actually worth doing. I feel like I truly maximized my time in Europe and did not waste a moment. At this price point, I doubt you would be able to find anything as good. It was truly life-changing, and on the flight back I dreaded coming back home. Also, if you see Kevin Screene as an option for your tour guides, take him. Amazing person and an even better guide.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
10-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Rome, Florence, Venice, Bavaria
Rome, Florence, Venice, Bavaria, Rhine, Amsterdam, Paris, Swiss Alps, the Swiss Alps, Tuscany
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Thursday -10/17-Day 6
BEST DAY EVER!!!! Remember my story about the wine and food pairing for Chefs class that Stu bought me for my 50th birthday in Napa Valley? Well, this day trumped that experience! Today’s Private cooking class from Casa Grande’s Chef Guila was life-changing! I learned so much straight from the expert, hands on, in a real Italian kitchen dating back to the early 1300s, oh my God, the pictures and videos that Stu captured are amazing and will be cherished for the rest of my life.
I am ready to bring this new knowledge and skills back, and teach it to others because the quality of ingredients, the freshness, textures, and flavor profiles, are indescribable and so much fun to learn.
It was exactly what I needed to regenerate my passion for cooking and teaching. So grateful to Stu for making this possible and encouraging me to do it, even though I really was not feeling it last night. He knows me better than I know myself.
And in only two hours, we made four types of focaccia bread, personal pizzas, calzone, white table bread and potato gnocchi with pesto!
I even got a proper pronunciation lesson to boot. I had to promise her I would pass that lesson along to anyone I taught these dishes to.
When everything was cooked and ready, we got to sit down in a very intimate dining setting in the family dining room just off the kitchen and enjoy all that we had made. Stu had plans to go to the gym and for a swim while I was taking the class, but it was so interesting for him that he stayed and took pictures and videos and even joined in and made his own pizza, it was such a good time. One of those things that just happen that you can’t really plan but he just knew that if I showed up, it would be an experience of a lifetime and he was right!
Guila opened a 2019 bottle of Sangiovese Rosso for our meal and we dined like the King and Queen of the casa. After the Rosso we had more of the dessert wine with biscotti, said our goodbyes with much appreciation to Julia and stumbled back to our room through many hallways and staircases, trying not to get lost, again. About to take a big fat nap so much for the rest of the day! We are done!
Buona notte!!
Hi Stefania! Sorry to take so long to write back. It has been crazy trying to get back into the swing of things at work after that trip. Italy was amazing!! We absolutely loved it! As for feedback on the trip, we really don't have anything that was negative. We loved everything that was planned! We especially loved how you planned the sites that we went and how the pattern flowed (not sure if you did it on purpose but we think so). Also, thank you for being very accessible to us during the whole planning of the trip. You helped put us at ease and it was very reassuring that we chose the right company. That is all that I can given you that might be considered constructive. The rest I could say would just be compliments on everything else. If I can think of anything else that I think is useful I will definitely email you. Hope all is well, Jane P.S. - Does your company only provide trips for Italy or other countries as well, just wondering for the future :)
Food tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Rome, Florence, Tuscany, San Gim
Rome, Florence, Tuscany, San Gimignano, Chianti, The Vatican
This was our first time to Europe and it did not disappoint! Right from day 1 the fun started! Jared was our tour leader, if you ever get the chance to tour with him, you are lucky. He was fantastic!!! His knowledge of the places we stopped was expansive and he made it interesting to learn the history! Florentin our driver was a rock for us! He got us safely to our destinations and always had a smile on his face! We forged friendships on this tour that made this the most memorable trip! We laughed a lot !!! I am so glad my daughter and I were lucky enough to have such an amazing tour leader, driver and fellow travellers that only made all the amazing places we saw, better! Thank you