Ciao Pia, my friend!  We're back from a great week! We were on the go, but it was a fun time.

All of the hotels were beautiful and each so different from one another. Staying in a real Trullo was like going back in time! Of course it was beautifully remodeled! Your choice for our hotel in Lecce was amazing! We felt like royalty!!! But, like I said, all of the hotels and the staff were first class!
Our guide in Bari, Mimmo, was like family! We really got to enjoy Bari with him. At the end of the day he offered to drive us to Sannicandro where my grandfather was from. My maiden name Mondelli is a very popular name in that village.
The cooking class in the countryside was so much fun!!! A lovely lady named Ana hosted the class at her family home that is now a small B&B. The home was built of limestone over 50 years ago! Her good friend Roberta is the chef.
By the end of the day we felt like old friends! Beautiful country location with an amazing lunch! 
The burrata factory was so much more than a factor!  We were given a tour of the farm and then treated to a wonderful lunch prepared by the family. During the tour we were able to watch the entire process of making the cheeses. Tori actually got a chance to make the burrata with the cheese maker. The whole time was a beautiful experience!
Leaving there, we drove to the winery. The young girl was very nice, but it was  a long drive. I am sure that you are not familiar with the whole area. It took about an hour to get to the winery after leaving the farm.
Walking through the streets of Alberobello was like going back in time! Michele, our tour guide was great!  We had some free time to roam around the city which was fun. The Fornello dinner was such fun! Michele explained everything to us during the evening. His darling wife was our interpreter at the burrata farm.   Both were so personable.
Unfortunately, when we arrived in Polignano a Mare, we were met with rain! Once it stopped we were able to tour around. Beautiful sea village! 
Our second cooking class was also a lot of fun! I was not aware that you had to select the food and when you asked if there was anything we didn't eat, seafood didn't enter my mind. He was prepared to make mussels and clams. That is not something we eat but he quickly changed the menu. It actually turned out great cuz Tori had wanted to make pasta and that's what we did. Again, we had a delicious lunch!!!
The Patria Palace Hotel in Lecce is so grand! We truly felt like royalty! Before going to our suite, we were met with a glass of prosecco in the reception room! While waiting to take the walking tour, we watched a real Italian wedding procession, band and all! The bride arrived in a white horse drawn carriage! Highlight of the trip!
It was a whirlwind of a trip, but so worth it! 
Thank you once again for your expertise in creating a memorable vacation!
Gloria:)

Hello Martina,  
We had a fantastic time. Every detail was perfect. There were so many times during our trip that I said  
“I am so grateful for all of Martina’s expertise”. It made a world of a difference in our experience. All of the guides and hotels were fantastic.  Our favorite  place was Bologna because of the people, food, hotel and overall feel of feeling like a local. 
I was particularly grateful for the train tickets as each station was a bit busy, and often we found people sitting in our seats.We were luck that someone explained the ticketing system so that the other passenger found their seats. 
I cannot say enough about all that you did .

Ciao!!! 

Arice

Hi Emanuela,

Our trip was perfect and everything I dreamed of. It was seamless, we had zero problems, and you were delightful to work with!

Your choices for us were excellent and you made suggestions that I would never have known about otherwise. The hotels, experiences and guides were exceptional and more than I could have asked for. I appreciate all the upgrades and everything you were able to do for us. We traveled in beautiful style and I felt special every day.

I can’t say enough about how amazing this trip was for us. It was the trip of a lifetime. Italy was something I knew I had to see, but I didn’t think it would affect me as it deeply as it did. Every inch of those cities was like out of a storybook and the lifestyle is so beautiful. We spent a lot of time in the non-tourist, residential areas and talked to so many people. I’ve been to many cities in Europe but nothing compares to this and I will definitely return. 

Please let me know where I can post some reviews. You are fabulous and I am so grateful to you.

With love,

Liz

Buongiorno Monica,

We had such a great time in Italy. Thank you for all of your help planning everything; I know I had a lot of crazy questions throughout the process, and I appreciate your patience.

Our journey was everything we hoped it would be.

Grazie mille,

Erika Kirkland

We had a truly amazing trip!
You and Franca did a great job with the itinerary and activities you recommended - we loved them all!
Drivers were all friendly and always on time.
Guides were all great - friendly and knowledgeable.
Hotels were also great choices - our favorite was The Plaza - Sorrento.

Feel free to post our comments and pictures to your website. We really have a fantastic time!

Need a little break - but definitely have Sicily and or Northern Italy already on my mind!

Thank you again!
(two of our favorite photos/activities attached!)

Rob & Susan

Fiorella -

We are finally settled back in after our wonderful trip. We got just what we wanted out of it, and Sean's parents' eyes were opened to a wonderful country! We are so glad that we were able to rely on your expertise again. As for our guides, they all were wonderful - knowledgeable, patient, kept us on schedule. The woman who took us to the Uffizzi and Accademia stands out in my mind (I'm sorry I can't remember her name right now). Our hotels and the apartment in Florence also worked very well and were in good locations.

Here are a few sentences that you could use, if you choose to, and a picture of Sean and me from the Ponte Santa Trinito: "We have used Cultural Italy to plan two trips to Italy and Spain several years apart, one with our tweens and one with our parents. Each time, Fiorella listened closely to what we wanted and what kind of experience we hoped to have, and she crafted an itinerary with just the right amount of activity and downtime and plenty of opportunity to explore and learn. She was a true partner in making adjustments to schedules and destinations, and the results really were perfect. Our guides were knowledgeable, patient, and very good and what they do. We had a detailed itinerary with all of the information we needed to be in the right place at the right time, and if we had any questions during the trip, we always had someone to call. We are looking forward to our next adventure with Cultural Italy!"

Feel free to edit as you need to and thank you again!

Joyce