Having had a marvelous tour with you in Tuscany in ’05 we were excited to see that you were offering Southern Italy on a new tour, we were not disappointed. It was a perfect balance of sightseeing and relaxation, each and every location was chosen with care and offered something different and interesting. From the moment you met us in Rome to the last ride from the hotel in Ostuni every detail was taken care of we never had to worry about a thing. We were spoiled from the first day, when we arrived at Villa Maria in Ravello and saw the spectacular view and the beautiful accommodations we knew we were right in choosing Amber Road Tours again. The group was small, we couldn’t have asked for a nicer group of travelling companions, we shared many a glass of vino together, the rooftop of Palazzo Mosco Inn in Gallipoli was a perfect setting for pre dinner cocktails!  We had some wonderful dinners, always beautifully cooked and presented as only the Italians know how. We loved especially the Amalfi coast and when Mr. Palumbo gave us an impromptu tour of his latest venture, the villa of Gore Vidal, we were just blown away by it, that this busy gentleman would take time out of his day to entertain and show our little group around his beautiful properties was just incredible, he is right, he does have the most beautiful view in Ravello.     Thank you all so much for a wonderful memorable holiday – we tell everybody about you.  Grazie e arrivederci!

We were well pleased with the tour and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We found the cities we visited, the  accommodations, the food and wines all to have been carefully chosen.  We were also very pleased with the enthusiastic and ever conversant Mariaelena. She gives a spirit and insight many other leaders lack. She is always looking for ways to enhance our experience, and succeeds very well. We will travel again to Italy. When we do, it will be with Amber Road.

Amber Road Tours is an amazing, very organized, small tour company.  I had the time of my life on this trip, and we had a great group of people; it was unbelievably terrific in every way. We stayed in the best hotels, ate the best food, and visited more things than were on the itinerary.

It was so lovely to think back on our wonderful holiday and especially our time with Mariaelena and our Amber Road group. When asked by friends and family the highlight of our 8 week trip which included London, Ireland, Italy and Paris, I always say the 12 days with Amber Road gave us the greatest insight into the art and culture of Italy and immersed us in life in Tuscany and Umbria. It is clear that you both love to share your country with others and cater for visitors who wish to do more than just ‘see the sights’. Thank you for a wonderful experience! It was a pleasure to meet you both in your beautiful Spoleto and we hope to save up and join an Amber Road tour again.

We cannot begin to thank the two of you and express our deepest gratitude for all the time and effort you and Sonya put into making our tour so enjoyable. Neither of us could ever imagine a trip that could exceed the previous tour we took with you to Tuscany, but we both feel the Amalfi experience was superior in so many ways.  Your personal touches were everywhere, from hotel room selections, to entre recommendations, superb vintages, and of course, tour guide Luca – a treasure no one can forget. In reviewing the 700 or so photos we took during the tour, including those taken during the unexpected private tour of the villa of Gore Vidal in Ravello, the superlatives which so aptly describe this tour are endless, as will be our memories of this trip.

I wish to thank you for the very best vacation.  I especially enjoyed the small group and would like to congratulate you on your choices of Museums, Restaurants, Back roads, the personal touch was very evident THANKS!!

I wanted to say thank you for organising yet another great tour [Southern Italy]. I had a wonderful time meeting old friends and making new ones on this tour, and seeing the gorgeous landscapes and towns that the South has to offer. The scenery was very different to what I was expecting but it was truely gorgeous and I’m so glad I chose to do this tour. I’ve never gone back to the same tour company twice, but am glad that I did with Amber Road Tours this year! My favourite place was definitely Matera…for its sheer ruggedness and culture – I would definitely like to go back there one day…and Ravello is a town which is unmatched in beauty and prettiness and cannot be faulted. Luca was a wonderful tour manager who was very knowledgeable, fun, light hearted, patient and professional and provided great advice for our activities outside of the group interaction and was wonderful in assisting with information for trains, and recommendations and advice for plans after the tour. Thank you again.

We arrived back home early this morning, and wanted to send you a note of thanks right away for all that you did to make our vacation in Italy so special. Your hard work, attention to detail, excellent choices, and outstanding customer service provided us with an unforgettable itinerary, a truly enjoyable trip, and that rarest of things,… a vacation with no stress, no worries, lots of walking, delicious food, lovely accommodations, lots of laughter, and the spectacular, heart stopping beauty of Tuscany and Umbria.
We absolutely loved Ennio and Luca, and want to thank you for selecting a coach driver and tour manager who are not only great at what they do, but make everyone feel special and cared for — and provide warm and hilarious entertainment along the way. It was particularly nice to be able to spend time with both of you, and we appreciate how you get to know everyone on the tour and are genuinely interested in the comfort, opinions and ideas of each person in the group.
The itinerary was fantastic, with very little driving time and maximum time for sightseeing, and each of the 20+ locations on the tour was a gem. We appreciated the convenience of being able to spend a few days in each hotel; every day’s agenda offered new and wonderful surprises, each better than the last; and we returned each evening exhilarated, exhausted, and inspired by the art, architecture, history and people of this beautiful country. We loved the excellent local guides, the free time to explore, being able to walk all day, all that wonderful food, and the chance to get to know the other travelers who made such a lovely contribution to this outstanding vacation. Without a doubt, this was the best tour we have ever been on — and we have traveled a lot!

I just wanted to let you know that the trip our group took surpassed all expectations. I came hoping for a great, relaxing trip and that is just what I got. The trip was well planned; the food was out of this world and the wine was the best I ever tasted. You gave us all a wonderful taste of Italy by going on the “back roads” and staying at the small Italian Bed and Breakfasts. All in all it was an absolutely wonderful trip and I do thank you for helping to make it such an experience for us.

I can not even begin to tell you how wonderful the 13 days were!!!!! … absolutely the best ever vacation! Each day was a wonder that ended with a great part of the Italian culture-great food and friends!!!!

Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip and have recommended your tour to several people. The accommodations were great, the towns won my heart, and Luca was very helpful and fun. I can’t say enough and it was very hard to come back, so if you ever need help, let me know!!!!!

When deciding to join a pre-arranged tour, what attracted us to you was your unique itinerary and small group size. Please never change your approach – I know this is what contributed most to our enjoyment. Everything went so smoothly, it was truly a pleasure.

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with you which met and exceeded our expectations. What a joy to “see” Tuscany and Umbria through the eyes of those who know and love it. We are happy to recommend you to any and all. Special commendation to Luca who did an excellent job making the tour very pleasant. Thank you all! 

Dick and I thoroughly enjoyed the unique experience of seeing Tuscany and Umbria and touring medieval, well preserved towns. cathedrals and abbeys. It was perfect to relax and be driven through beautiful scenery and vistas of ancient, medieval hill top towns. The Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, built in the lovely forest setting, with the story told of St. Benedict in the frescos around the Great Cloister was a delightful sight. Then the Siena Duomo is an experience in itself, awesome! Tasting the regional foods and the wine and more wine was delightful and fun. Traveling with a small group not only allowed us entry into areas not traveled by others but an opportunity to meet new people in a most charming, beautiful setting.

I can’t say enough about your tour and have been telling everyone who is thinking of a trip to Italy that it is the best way to go. I loved every minute of the tour and can honestly say it was better than I had dreamed of. It was my first tour of any kind as I have always planned my own travel so I did not really know what to expect. What I do know is, I would not have been able to put together such a comprehensive trip myself. It included all the sights I like, churches, abbeys, museums and walking tours. The group was fun to be with and just the right size. I think you and Sonya are to be congratulated on the type of tours you are putting together and I hope they continue just as they are in size and itinerary…

I have to say that this was the best vacation I’ve had since I was a little kid! Everything about our tour with you was wonderful. The start times each day were very manageable. The pace also was just right; we never felt rushed which is a good thing on a vacation! Everyone associated with the tour that we came into contact with was warm, friendly and helpful. You and Sonya were so very gracious and I loved the fact that you interacted with your customers. You were people to us and not some faceless tour operators. I highly recommend your tours and look forward to an opportunity to travel with you all again.

I wish to thank you for the great tour, delightful places chosen for us to see and experience, to tour and to stay. Each one different, with meals and wines all carefully chosen. I also appreciate meeting you both and your personal overseeing of the trip. Your guide Luca was a great choice. Both you and he were so very helpful and the trip was more than I ever dreamed it would be.

Thank you both for all your hard work putting the tour together. We can honestly say, in 25 years, Italy was the best vacation we have ever had. We didn’t want to go home!

I can’t say enough about what a wonderful time I had on your trip. Other than a little rain, it couldn’t have gone better and Luca and Ennio couldn’t have done a better job. I’ll definitely be checking out your future trips.

Marsha and I had a wonderful time. It was a revelation for Marsha who has done relatively little traveling. We both really enjoyed the tour. Your focus on detail allowed us to attend to our own discoveries. Luca is a gem. He can do his job and make it fun for everyone simultaneously. I’ll be telling some friends who want to visit Italy next year about y’all.

Our tour guides could not have been better – very friendly, very helpful, and very knowledgeable. Luca did a great job of herding us around and Maria Elena, besides being helpful, was charming and her presence added a touch of beauty. This is the first small group tour that we have been on and we found the size just perfect. Fourteen people is a lot better than 42, as were our previous experiences.

Anne and I enjoyed your tour immensely. We have been on many tours and yours was the best one we have been on and hope to do one with you again in the future with our whole family.   

Your tour completely exceeded our expectations. Complex logistics that were seamless, almost transparent. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guides. Interesting accommodations. Great food. A program that allowed us to experience Tuscany and Umbria on a level that most tourists can only dream about. You have created a remarkable experience for those that wish to risk a ‘non-traditional’ tour.

The guided tour at the Banfi Vineyard was better than anything in Napa Valley. We learned a great deal, enjoyed beautiful scenery, and the lunch with great wine for each course was incredible. In San Gimignano we stayed in a lovely hotel with a great restaurant looking over an amazing view of the surrounding valley. Touring Raffaello’s home in Urbino, we were struck by the fact that it had been built before Columbus landed in America. We had such a wonderful time… Thank you so much for all of your hard work and patience.

…the night we were in San Mommè at Il Gufo. The town was not busy with tourists, to my knowledge our group may have been the only outsiders. The town had turned out for a wedding that afternoon and while we ate pizza, drank wine and birra at the outdoor pizzeria and cafe’, a street dance was being set up. We enjoyed watching the entire scene and the locals were gracious enough to allow us to enjoy the music and dance. For that moment I felt like we were part of the San Mommè community. Though we didn’t speak much Italian, we communicated with that community, through dance, music and laughter… The second evening where we felt like we were part of something that the average tourist is not privy to, was the night in Bevagna. We felt part of the celebration, not outsiders looking in…
The entire trip was wonderful – thanks again!!