Thriving Centers of Italy and France: Best of Rome and Paris Tour

Zicasso’s tour operator planned the most amazing trip to Italy for us! My requirements were culture, romance, and relaxation. She delivered on every aspect. Although we missed our tour of the Vatican due to the Pope's funeral, my husband and I actually attended his funeral!! Our hotel, though planned many months before, was next to the basilica where Pope Francis was laid to rest. Talk about being a part of history!

We stayed in a beautiful converted villa to boutique hotel in Florence; got whisked away through the Tuscan countryside in a vintage Fiat 500; took cooking classes; sipped lovely wine, accompanied by excellent lunches on our winery tours; soaked in Italy's rich culture and museum scene; and even ticked the relaxation box by spending time by the pool, in the spa, and resting on our large deck overlooking the Amalfi coastline.

Every tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and personable, and it was evident they loved their jobs. Between memories of the boat ride along the Amalfi Coast, tips from the cooking classes I have already started using at home, and the cases of wine we are eagerly awaiting delivery of, my husband and I will forever hold Italy in our hearts and la dolce vita it provided us. 

Talk with our tour operator; you will be glad you did!

Our trip to Italy was amazing! The tours that were organized for us were all excellent and engaging. 

The Vespa sidecar tour was an incredible way to kickstart the trip and our two teenage boys really enjoyed it. Our walking tours of the Vatican museums and the Colosseum and Roman Forum tours with our guide were excellent. We loved her. She was fantastic. Our tour of the crypts and catacombs was very interesting and the guide was very good.

The hotels were very nice and accommodating, especially in Rome and Venice. The car rental in Rome was good and the car was the perfect size for what we needed. It was just big enough to fit our luggage. 

The hotel in Orvieto was a bit spartan and had plumbing issues. Our tour guide in Orvieto was also great. The hotel in Siena was very nice. Our tour guide in Siena was very nice, but we had some difficulty hearing her. She did explain things nicely and took us to some interesting locations around the city, but not being able to hear her was a little challenging. The e-bike tour in Montepulciano was incredible. The scenic landscapes and the visit to Pienza was a nice surprise. 

Returning the car in Florence was very difficult and our only suggestion is that on the travel documents, the return address be included on the page of the event. We did not think to look back at the rental agreement. Driving in Florence is very difficult and can be overwhelming for some people. 

The train station was organized and it was easy to locate the train. The train ride itself was very easy and fast. 

Venice was outstanding. Our hotel was beautiful and comfortable, and the breakfast was incredible. Due to the difficulty we had in returning the car in Florence, our travel company was kind enough to buy us dinner at an wonderful restaurant in Venice, which was one of the highlights of the trip. 

Our family had a wonderful experience and the trip was so well planned and organized. I will be using our travel company for future trips and, on behalf of my family, I would like to thank you for the time of our lives!

We had a fantastic experience for a first-time trip to Italy. I wasn't sure how this would be, considering I learned about Zicasso while trying to plan the trip myself. Zicasso put me in touch with a travel specialist and the whole team was incredibly responsive to my many, many questions. If they were ever annoyed, it didn’t show.

I really wanted a smooth experience for my family of five, including three teens, one of whom has Celiac. Our agent was great in helping plan out the experience we wanted. As you may know, it is challenging to find rooms for five in Europe, but the travel company found apartments (usually two bedrooms with a pull-out couch) in the heart of town. You can really customize what you do, but we elected to plan our own meals and handle some of our own transport. We did have one issue where the van driver taking us to the train failed to show. I got one with Uber and the travel company quickly (I mean before we got home quickly!) refunded that amount.

Our contact in Italy was amazing and patient. I can’t give her enough credit. Any time I was unsure of something, she was there. The tours were great, especially Florence and Rome. You may be able to find the companies online, but ours seems to have the connections to get the best guides.

As for meals, we didn’t have any issues. We used an app and got a few recommendations from the travel company and local guides. Even our wine-tasting tour out in Tuscany was accommodating.

I would use our travel company and Zicasso again. I think the only downside is we tried to cram a lot in and it was hot. I probably should have asked for one to two fewer or shorter walking tours, especially on days we switched cities. Otherwise, it was excellent.

Our trip was fantastic. The Zicasso tour company did a wonderful job setting up our trip navigating five Italian cities. The recommendations for hotels and dining were excellent. Their local guides and drivers for exploring the cities and sites were very knowledgeable and were key in getting the most out of our trip. I highly recommend this company to anyone interested in travel to Italy. It was an awesome trip.

I am so happy we worked with our Zicasso travel agent for our 11-night visit to Venice, Florence, and Rome. We had a wonderful Italian experience. Our agent was everything you hope for in a travel specialist: knowledgeable, thoughtful, helpful, gracious, and kind. 

Upon hearing our initial ideas for the trip, she quickly put together a plan on how best to allot our time. Thereafter ensued exchanges regarding hotels, sightseeing, guides, and transfers. She listened to our thoughts, desires, and questions, making many useful suggestions, including hotel choices. She always prioritized our wants and concerns. She organized the travels quickly, as we contacted her only two months prior to departure. 

Once we agreed to the program, she sent us a brochure PDF laying out details for each day of the trip that included hotel confirmations, transfer details, vouchers for museums, a cooking class, a Tuscany day trip with wine, cheese, and olive oil tasting, a gondola ride, Venice lagoon boat excursion, basilica entrance tickets, and guided tours of each city, the Vatican, and Colosseum. 

Upon arrival in Venice, our agent met us at the airport and escorted us to our water taxi. She kept in touch with us daily, texting a reminder of the next day’s schedule, along with numbers for guides and drivers if applicable. Everything she planned went smoothly, without a single hitch. 

When you begin the process with Zicasso, it feels akin to a shot in the dark. The site provides the names of two companies and you’re left to decide who to work with. I couldn’t be more pleased with the trip our agent designed. Book with her; you will be in the best of hands.