My wife and I have been long time travelers with Amber Road Tours, in fact, we just recently completed our Amalfi Coast to Apulia tour with Tiziana this past May/June, 2023. We understand that Jonathan and Sonya are going to retire after many years of extending their travel services to many people who have traveled home with smiles on their faces and a sense of satisfaction that their experience with Amber Road Tours was wonderful. It is with sadness that this is happening and you will be missed, but your retirement is well deserved. We are hoping that the Amber Road banner will continue to flourish under new ownership, along with those Amber Road tour guides that have contributed so much to your success. We would love to envision our children and grandchildren experiencing the fun and excitement of travel with Amber Road Tours. Thank you for everything. Have a wonderful life in retirement.

This was our second Amber Roads tour and it was even more than we expected. Our guide, Tiziana, was outstanding and her research and warm approach helped us all become a very close group who will remain friends. The hotels were of a high standard and we really enjoy the three night stopovers. The itinerary was outstanding with many Wow moments and enjoyable meals and experiences. The tour visits three world heritage sites and a side of Italy that is very different to the north. We can’t wait for our next Amber Roads tour.

This was our second trip with Amber and it certainly met our expectations. It will be hard to decide on our next trip to provide the same enjoyment and satisfaction. Everything went to plan from your end, Lost suitcase and the other one damaged were only a small inconvenience. We loved every day, with the thoughts and anticipation of what was to come next. The Opera and then the the puppet show both great experiences and very professional. The sights and history wonderful. We did not get spectacular views from Mt Etna but was pleased to miss it’s unexpected anger .I think we avoided some bad weather as well. Not sure if you had anything to do with our accommodation at  Hotel Villa Belvedere but it was fantastic, thanks very much. Our tour guide was always in good form and we enjoyed his casual approach and sense of humour. We must say the other people on the trip were very friendly and good company. We will keep in contact with a number of them. Thank you for such a wonder and very well planned trip. Happy for you to suggest our next one.!

This was our fourth Amber Road tour, and it did not disappoint! The most fortunate aspect was Tiziana, our guide who accompanied us all ten days of the tour, from the Naples train station on the first day, until the day of departure from Ostuni. She is an outstanding, knowledgeable guide, but best of all, a warm, caring woman who was delightful to be with. Admittedly, we were a good group of congenial, seasoned travelers who were always on time for the transports, excursions and meals. Accommodations in the four towns were always superior, the staff of each one was unflaggingly helpful. We especially liked the 3-night stays.  Ravello was a brilliant choice as a place to stay while on the Amalfi coast, which permitted us to avoid the hustle and bustle of being situated in Positano or Amalfi. The views of the Bay of Naples from the terrace and gardens are exquisite. Stays in Matera, Lecce and Ostuni were good choices also, as each served as a base for visits to numerous archaeological sites. The expert local guides at Herculaneum, Paestum, Matera (the Sassi), in particular, made those visits vivid and memorable. We also particularly enjoyed the museum/Wine Tasting in Manduria, and the EVOO tasting. There was a well-balanced mix of group time and ‘free time’. We enjoyed meeting and getting to know the various interesting couples in our small group. We highly recommend this tour for those, like us, who haven’t ever visited Basilicata and Puglia. These regions were not overrun with tourists, the people are friendly and gracious, the foods and wines are delicious and modestly priced. Thank you, Tiziana and Amber Road for a delightful experience!

Titziana was an amazing tour leader. Gracious. Patient. Funny. Anticipating any eventuality. When Len and I signed up for this tour which we had taken 15 years ago we wondered if we would have the same experience, but we were pleasantly surprised at all the changes. Three day stays many nights. Somewhat different itinerary and the changes that had occurred particularly in Sassi and Matera. Virtual tour meccas it seems. The restaurants for our meals together were outstanding and the local guides were knowledgeable as always. While we were able to keep up, this tour did require a lot of “gentle” climbing and a great deal of walking each day. I loved the challenge, but agree that your warning that the tour is of high intensity is very warranted. It is so wonderful that Amber Road is back again. The charm of your tour itineraries, the excellence of your guides and the small group size enhance the travel experience immensely. Thank you. Thank you.

What an amazing trip to Milan and the Italian Lakes! This is my 5th trip with Amber Road, and it was spectacular! It is impossible to describe all the beauty we encountered. Thoroughly enjoyed Milan, especially visiting the Duomo. Both the outside and inside are magnificent. Visiting the Last Supper was very special, especially learning that both the Last Supper and the Resurrection paintings were the only two walls standing after the church was bombed in WWII. The highlight of the trip was of course the Lakes! Our first lake to visit was Lake Como which was gorgeous with amazing views and beautiful landscaping. The Hotel Belvedere was a treat, and the Villa del Balbianello cannot be missed with their pristine gardens and the treasures in the Villa. Its collection of artifacts is more than you see in many museums. The other lakes we visited were breathtaking as well. Lake Maggiore at the end of the trip was the icing on the cake and jaw dropping gorgeous. Hotel La Palma was wonderful and the views of the lake with the mountains just took your breath away. Isola Madre’s gardens and the villa were memorable. Pictures cannot capture the beauty of all the lakes we visited. A special treat was visiting Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona and Mantova. I was unfamiliar with these locations, but they did not disappoint. Each one was steeped in history with wonderful sights that would rival more well known cities, without the crowds. Cremona was my favorite as it was the town where the violin was invented, and it was amazing to see so many priceless violins in one spot. Many thanks to our Tour Leader, Tiziana, who clearly loves this region of Italy and filled our heads with details of each location and its history. She took very good care of us and made sure every need we had was taken care of. Our group of twelve was a delight to travel with. Many thanks to Amber for a very memorable trip, one that I did not want to end!

Our tour of the Italian Lakes and Milan was amazing. The tour manager – Tiziana – was very knowledgeable and professional and an overall delight. The arrangements were perfect – the bus was comfortable, our drivers were great, the hotels were lovely. The individual tours in each town and attraction were remarkable. We especially enjoyed seeing sights that are a bit off the beaten path – Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona, and Mantova were all towns we might not have chosen on our own. Lake Orta was spectactular as were the islands in Lake Maggiore and the town of Sirmione on Lake Garda. We especially enjoyed our hotels and walking in the towns of Bellagio and Stresa. The group dinners were a lot of fun and had creative local menus and specialty foods, and we enjoyed our traveling companions. This was our second tour with Amber Road and I can’t wait to do another one in the future.

This was an absolute gem of a tour, based in four very different but equally fascinating towns, with lots of little treasures interspersed between these main bases – the fishing boat trip, the Gaudi house, the older-than-the-Taj-Mahal restaurant and winery in Rioja country, the stunning rock formations on the beach at Playa Catedrais, the charming little French town of Bayonne – providing new delights on a daily basis. Superb hotels, stunning food, and sufficient time to ourselves to explore a little further. And as for our tour guide, Miguel, I can only describe him in words borrowed from that legendary queen of rock who sadly died while we were on tour – he’s simply the best!

This was our first trip on Amber. We loved everything about the trip and look forward to booking future trips with this amazing company! Our tour guide, Miguel Silva, was the best tour guide ever! He was such a perfect guide in every aspect. His patience,knowledge, compassion, people skills, expertise, respect for everyone, and personality made the trip so smooth and extremely enjoyable.
We could not have been happier with our choice of Amber Road Tours. Every hotel was beautiful, luxurious and centrally located. The meals were phenomenal. Spending the tour with such interesting people was a true bonus.
We really appreciated the small group size.
Thank you, Amber Road Tours, for creating such a fabulous experience and a stellar company. We will sign up again!

This was my third trip with Amber and once again they do not disappoint. I cannot say enough about Miguel, his enthusiasm, his love of his country and all of the interesting history and facts he shared with us. I feel like I was able to see so much of Portugal without feeling rushed. A nice balance of tour time and time to explore on our own. Each town was an absolute delight. The accomodations were first rate and the food was amazing.
As always with Amber I appreciate the small group.
Portugal is beautiful and there is so much to experience. I highly recommend this trip and all it has to offer.
The Fado was a wonderful experience.
Thank you Miguel for sharing your beautiful country with us during our stay. Wonderful memories.

We just completed Amber Road’s wonderful tour of Sicily, an island whose attractions offer amazing variety and unparalleled scope, both historically and culturally. Highlights for us included the magnificent Byzantine mosaics of the Cathedral at Monreale, the spectacular Greek sites at the Valley of the Temples and the hauntingly beautiful Greek temple at Segesta.
Also not to be missed are the extensive and exquisite Roman mosaic floors at the Villa Romana del Casale and the charming clifftop village of Erice with its jaw-dropping views of the sea. Our tour provided everyone the opportunity to stroll around charming small Baroque cities like Noto and to tour the amazing Duomo at Siracusa, another highlight of the trip.

Through it all, it is hard to imagine a better guide than Saverio Renda, a resident of Palermo who has immersed himself in the history of his native land. Saverios’ enthusiasm, store of knowledge, and good humor were boundless, as was his ability to deal calmly and efficiently with logistical issues and the inevitable small crises that arise with people traveling together. Our particular group bonded very well—several had been on previous Amber Road tours.

The bus transportation provided was also first rate—comfortable seating with large windows that allowed everyone to have great views at all times. And our driver was outstanding, navigating narrow roads and hairpin turns with skill and ease. Our hotels were very good and clearly chosen to allow us maximum access to places of interest nearby. We also very much appreciated the schedule which enabled us to stay at least 2 nights in each stopover, and that we were “on our own” for some of our lunches and dinners.

As a special aside, we want to note that one stop near Marsala, where we were able to see the early Greek statue of the Mozia Charioteer, felt like an amazing gift. Several of us on the tour thought that being able to view this masterpiece was an unexpected and most welcome treat. Although not nearly as well-known as many Sicilian sites, we are grateful we were able to experience it.

We highly recommend this tour and hope to take more trips with Amber Road.

The logistics and planning of this tour were excellent. The hotels were all downtown near the sites so we could easily walk out on our own. Miguel was an attentive guide who always seemed to be looking ahead to make everything go smoothly for us. He was knowledgeable and willing to talk on any subject – ancient or modern. He obviously loved his country and enjoyed sharing it with us. The 12-person group was a good size and very congenial. I’d never been to Portugal and this was a great introduction – from south to north.

This tour was amazing! Our guide Miguel is not only incredibly knowledgeable, but has no difficulty communicating in several languages! He has a wonderful sense of humor and was able to integrate so many aspects of social, political, economical, and art into a comprehensive experience of this beautiful country. We were able to see so many things in a relatively short time, but the pace was comfortable. The members of our small group of 12, were comfortable with each other and we enjoyed their stories and companionship. Miguel selected great guides for specific tours, who also were able to communicate easily with us and I loved their sense of humor along with great information. Manuel, our driver was amazing and we enjoyed his company!
Amber Road took care of us with our transportation to and from airports, even with our various schedules. Our hotels were first rate, and convenient for location during free time. The lunches and dinners provided for us were exceptional and introduced new tastes as well as a new appreciation of excellent Portugal wines! Thank you for the obvious preparations and planning made to make this such an educational and enjoyable experience.

Our Andalusia tour with Amber Road Tours was literally a life-changing event. All of our previous Amber tours have been outstanding, but this was the most engaging and the most fun. Our tour guide, Senor Campos, provided the continuity and coordination needed to move the tour around, always available to explain the history and language as well as fixing any loose details. He accompanied us to all of the local tour sites, working with the local guides. The local guides were absolutely first rate, moving us through the architecture and history with insight. The complex history of Iberians, Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs, and Christian Europeans was largely unknown to us, despite some previous reading. Melding these changes into a comprehensive overview was a difficult undertaking our guides had clearly mastered. Throughout, meals, transportation, and hotels were great. Another Amber Road strength is the carefully vetted hotels. Always close to the local sites of interest, the hotels allowed all of us to freely walk and explore, no taxi or Uber required. Not joking, most of our tour group could have just stayed in Ronda, a small jewel of a town with a wonderful hotel, unbelievable vistas and restaurants. The major sites were all included with enough time on our own to revisit and explore after our local guide’s orientation.
Our profound thanks to Amber Road Tours …

We recently returned home from a very pleasant tour of Sicily with Amber Road. This was our third trip with Amber Road and we continue to be pleased with the arrangements. Our guide Severio was fun and very helpful. Hotel accommodations were good, we enjoyed the pace and were pleased with it all. We enjoyed the Puppet Show, the Opera performance and were pleased that we went to see Mount Etna. I am happy to recommend Amber Road with confidence.

A delightful tour! The trip planning was perfect and we were so pleased with the activities and events included.  We cannot imagine the detail work that goes in to planning each itinerary with so many challenges and changes.  Amber handled everything very well.  All individual needs were met and expectations were exceeded. The hotels were perfect and the included meals were very special.  The selection of both could not have been better.  Historic locations within walking distance of so many interesting places was great.

Nacho Campos was a very special tour manager.  We all felt a close connection to him as he worked so hard to accommodate our needs and personalities.  He made dinner reservations in advance to busy venues for us and that was so nice to have that option rather than searching for our dinners on our own.  He always checked with each of us to insure we were comfortable and happy, and helped tour participants attend a bull fight, additional Flamenco performances and museums.  His local knowledge was extensive and so helpful. Thank you sincerely for this amazing experience!

We had a wonderful time in Italy and enjoyed this tour very much. The itinerary was excellent, which is what attracted us in the first place, along with Amber Road Tours truly being a small group entity. We appreciated them moving forward with our trip, even though there were only 6 people. Our tour leader, Tiziana Santi, was very knowledgeable and took good care of us during our travels. Communication with Amber Road Tours is always prompt and thorough. All the hotels were good to excellent, some with superb views. In Milan, even though the room was on the small side, the harpist playing in the morning at breakfast, and the view from the rooftop bar were very memorable. All of the guides were great, some were superb. They made for very rich experiences, and we learned a great deal from them at each venue, be it a church, a theatre or a museum. The beauty of the lakes is well known, and it was so wonderful to stay in Lake Como and Lake Stresa and to have experiences in Lake Garda and Lake Orta. For us, the real highlights of the trip were in the off the beaten path, less traveled towns of Bergamo, Brescia and Mantova. We truly wish we had more time in these locations – they were fantastic! Our stop in Cremona was also terrific, especially our guide and the violin recital in the battistero. Being in a small group also allows you to dine at small, intimate local places that a large group could not. Both of our group dinners in Mantova were fantastic. Lovely family, ambiance and food at Il Cigno. Our dinner at Lo Scalco Grasso in Mantova was nothing short of spectacular. This restaurant and the chef will remain in my memory for some time to come. The food was truly special and the chef, who came to our table, was so modest and kind, he clearly loves what he does, and it showed. What a great trip, so many wonderful lifetime memories. Thank you Amber Road Tours.

It was a wonderful itinerary made even more wonderful by the attention that our guide, Nacho, paid to each of our interests and needs. He was the hardest working, most caring guide ever. He went above and beyond to assure that we enjoyed the scheduled tours as well as our free time. This was our third Amber Road Tour and it lived up to our expectations that small group travel with attention to detail is what one can expect from Amber Road Tours. In addition to our guide, Nacho, the city guides we had were exceptional. The “off the beaten path” stops as we travelled were especially enjoyable. Each hotel we stayed at was memorable and we would definitely recommend this trip for the history, architecture, unique experiences, people and food. Great trip!

This was my first Amber Road Tour. It was exceptionally well-run and Nacho, our tour manager, showed unstinting attention to us, even though Andalucia was his debut with Amber Road. His willingness to make dinner reservations on the nights we were on our own made dining a culinary discovery rather than an exercise in frustration. The local tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and often quite entertaining. The hotels chosen were always well-located; some better appointed than others (the hotel in Granada was very, very good). The visit to the olive orchard and tour of the pressing plant was really instructive; the visit to the bull farm completely changed my point of view on bull fighting to one less judgmental. Am considering the Central Spain tour for 2023-24!

This was our fourth tour with Amber Road and thoroughly enjoyed the journey. We love the small side trips into the out of the way places that seem to be unique to this company. The trip to the olive oil mill was lovely and we learned a lot and enjoyed the lunch. We were especially taken with the trip to the bull farm. The excellent explanation by the guide gave us a whole new understanding of the drama of bull fighting. The hotels used by Amber Roads were comfortable and well located….and very unique….especially the one in Sevilla.
Prior to the trip we read a series of historical novels by David Penny that took place in the late 1400’s and were located in several of the towns we visited. It was exciting to visit those towns and feel the history come to life.
We can’t say enough about Nacho, our guide. He was extremely professional and caring and always seemed to thinking of the needs and interests of the group. He went out of his way to insure that John’s dietary needs were met often accompanying us to meals that were on our own to make sure that the restaurant could prepare food that was suitable. We were so appreciative as John cannot eat many of the common foods served in Spain.
There were just ten participants on this tour….a perfect number. On our first Amber Road tour in Tuscany we met the Schuchmans and have stayed friends over the years. We were able to travel with them again on this trip….so much fun. We also made new friends and would love to travel with them as well. We are looking forward to our next adventure with Amber Road.

Another wonderful Amber Road tour! This was our fourth with Amber Road. This tour was with only ten travelers accompanied by the tour guide, Nacho, who could not have been more helpful, more informed, and more fun to travel with. He always went out of his way to be attentive to the needs and preferences of each of us. Every town visit included a guided tour, and all of the local tour guides were engaged and knowledgeable and also humorous about their respective regions. All of the towns and cities were very interesting to visit. The tour began in Granada where the Alhambra is the main attraction, and we enjoyed a wonderful tour. The tour ended in Seville after traveling through other smaller and very interesting places. We are looking forward to future Amber Road tours!

We are extremely pleased with the tour of Sicily. We were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Island, and were appreciative of nearly perfect weather–mid 70s and sunny every day. The abundant vistas and s-turns up the mountainsides, coupled with the old-town alley way driving in the cities made us most grateful that we had not planned to rent a car and do this on our own!! Stefano earned our trust as driver of the bus. A fullsized bus for a small group tour assured our comfort and made it so easy to bring along anything needed, The travel agenda was busy but afforded enough free time to relax and enjoy our vacation–this was an important part of our decision. Saverio and all the local guides were considerate and knowledgeable throughout. Having only ten people assured us that we would not be waiting for the group to assemble, (although we were the only ones to oversleep during the trip!!!) The Mosaic churches were incredible even by Italian standards We marveled at seeing 400BC Greek ruins right next to 300AD Roman ruins. We loved Ragusa Ibla as well as Syracusa and Taormina! All the hotels were well located and unique so we felt safe walking and traveling everywhere. We were fortunate to have “the villa” assigned to us in Taormina at the Hotel Belvedere! An outstanding boutique hotel that was a great finish to a great trip! AND THE FOOD………….. We made great friends that we hope to see again soon—maybe on another Amber Road Tour??? We will definitely recommend this tour group to friends..

Loved Sicily.  Amber Road provided great hotels, restaurants, and local guides. The hotels were all clean, spacious and centrally located for self exploration. The restaurants were unique and provided local foods and wines. The guides were always knowledgeable and entertaining. Saverio was accommodating and fun.

This was our first experience with Amber Road Tours. Saverio was wonderful! He is a master at making sure that each of us had an awesome experience. All of the local guides were also exceptional. Mostly outstanding weather – unusual for us. Some rain but only at night. The group meals were outstanding, in particular in Marsala. The hotel choices – outstanding. Only having 10 individuals in our group was a nice surprise. Everyone was friendly and appeared to get along well. Jonathan and Sonya – thank you for your timely advice and for reaching out to me once you decided to start up again following the COVID shutdown.

We enjoyed our Sicily trip very much. Our guide, Saverio, was fantastic. Our bus driver, Stefano, was also great. He really navigated the small roads with great skill. Sicily certainly exceeded our expectation. The landscape, history, architecture, and food and wine were really unmatched. Saverio’s knowledge and enthusiasm for his country was contagious. The local guides were also wonderful. They each loved there respective towns and that certainly showed. The towns/cities on the itinerary were very nice and were a good mix between large and small cities. We thought the historical sites visited were also a great mix of what Sicily had to offer. We loved the Cathedrals, Mt Etna, the town walking tours, the Roman Villa, the Greek ruins, and all the rest. The hotels and luggage service were also top notch. We left at 3:00 AM to avoid a very long layover in Rome on the way home and it was no problem for Amber. Our luggage was picked up outside our room and our driver was very punctual. In closing, we can’t say enough nice things about Saverio and Stefano. We left as friends.