Ciao Italy ToursReviews of ciaoitalytours.com

As a travel agent, I trust and rely on their expertise with hotel choices, tour options etc. for my clients as well as obtaining competitive pricing. The staff is very knowledgeable and authentic.

The company was easy to work with and the clients had rave reviews on all aspects of their trip.

Where do I begin? I have had the pleasure of working with Donna at Ciao Italy for a few years now and can't say enough about her. She is very personable, knowledgeable, and goes over and above to assure you your client is taken care of. On one occasion I attended a seminar and had the pleasure of meeting Guido D'Ugo. I had a concern for a client with a diet restriction who was touring Tuscany. Guido guided me in the right direction so the client had a special menu waiting for her. It is these personal touches that always bring me back to Ciao Italy. I thank you both for an excellent job!

While the Empire Palace was a lovely hotel in Rome, it didn't really fit the needs of my clients, many of whom were mid-70s, some with mobility issues. Located in a hilly area of Rome, it was difficult for some to walk to the HOHO routes and other tourist areas. On departure, our motor coach couldn't make it down the narrow streets, so our luggage needed to be trundled uphill about a block and a half. The private tours of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and Ancient Rome were excellent. Our transfer to the ship in Civitavecchia was smooth and efficient. Following the cruise, however both of our transfers were late in arriving at the pier. I had a coach dedicated to deliver passengers to FCO for mid-morning flights, and the transfer was 30-45 minutes late. It caused quite a bit of concern on the part of people who had tight air schedules. Another group was disembarking the ship for a 3 night stay in Sorrento. Our pick-up time was 9A, however the motor coach didn't arrive until just after 10A. We were told that this was the result of increased security at the entrance to the port. The delay again caused stress and concern for the passengers waiting. Jenaro was our "guide" for the trip to Sorrento. About an hour into the drive (3.5 hours total), he said that a lunch stop was planned and we needed to decide if we wanted to visit a winery for tasting and a very light lunch or have fast food. Those were the only 2 choices given. Most thought the wine tasting and light lunch sounded like a good idea. Those sitting towards the rear of the coach heard no mention of price; however there was some talk of "if you want to pay, you pay; if you don't want to pay, you don't have to". The winery was a fair distance off the road outside of Naples in the shadow of Vesuvius. There were several other motor coaches there, but we were directed to a private seating area. We were served several samples of wine, some cheese, salami and ham. Then a very generous portion of spaghetti was served. It was all delicious and everyone enjoyed the ambiance of the winery. Upon completing the wine tasting, we were taken to the gift/wine shop. As I was leaving the shop, Jenaro approached me and asked if I would help him collect from the group. I asked what he was collecting for and he replied, "the lunch." He said that the price was 30Euro per person. He stated that he had told us on the bus what the charge would be, but in my group of 21, only about 6 knew that there was a charge, and even they didn't realize the actual cost. While all agreed that it was a pleasant experience, not a person said that they would have done it if they realized in advance the cost. I think that in situations like this, it is imperative that everyone on the motor coach be told the cost in advance and also what alternatives were available. The transfer to Sorrento included a 2 hour guided tour of Pompeii. Because we were over an hour late leaving the pier and the lengthy, unplanned lunch stop, we didn't arrive in Pompeii until 5P. Our guide there was excellent, but we did have to prod her to continue walking, as the sun was quickly sinking and we didn't want to navigate Pompeii at dusk. Janero said he had received a call from his office, wondering why they arrived in Pompeii so late. He told me that he told his boss, "because they wanted lunch." Consequently, our arrival in Sorrento was a little disappointing, as the sun had set when we entered the scenic area driving into town. We saw the lights of Sorrento, but certainly not the stunning vistas we should have. Our stay at the Hilton Sorrento Palace was very nice, although I was under the impression in working with my group coordinator that we were to have ocean view rooms. I was very disappointed, as virtually all of the rooms faced a rock wall. The Hotel Staff was especially helpful for clients who needed medical attention and for assisting with other concerns. I would recommend the Hilton, but I would want rooms with a view! Several members of the group had a private full day tour to Capri. It was expensive ($150+) and while they enjoyed it, they didn't feel they got their money's worth. Lunch wasn't included. They also complained that they were "pressured" into doing the cruise around Capri for an additional fee. They also paid extra for the chair lift to the top of the island. I understand that not everyone wants to do either of those tours, so they shouldn't be included in the price; but at the cost of the tours, I think lunch should have been included. I am unaware if they were taken to the Capri gardens or other sites of historic interest. Others took the full day Amalfi Coast tour, which was also $150+ pp. They were disappointed as Mother Nature intervened with rain in Ravello and a forest fire that closed the road between Sorrento and Positano. The tour itinerary was changed and they were taken to Ravello by the highway. Then later to Amalfi, but did not visit Positano. Several others in my group had purchased a similar tour from Viator. It was cancelled, but they took the ferry from Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi, then a taxi to Ravello. When we departed Sorrento for FCO, Jenero was our guide again. I told him that we wanted to get to our FCO hotel, and that we were not interested in lunch stop, only quick bathroom breaks. We were still in the southern suburbs of Naples, when Janero announced that we would be stopping for a rest stop, as the next one was an hour and half away. He then proceeded to tell us that we would be stopping at a Coral Factory to use their restrooms. He encouraged everyone to listen to the 2 minute demonstration talk as a courtesy for using their bathrooms. The factory was several miles off the highway...…... I had told Janero that the next rest stop should be at one of the highway rest areas. About an hour prior to arriving at our FCO hotel, the driver pulled off the road NOT at a rest stop, but at a small restaurant/convenience store off the main highway. Fortunately, they did have sufficient toilets. The overwhelming feeling in the group was that Janero was getting kickbacks for bringing the motor coach to the winery, coral factory and the small restaurant. It left a less than desirable taste. The Hilton Rome Airport served it's purpose. It was convenient to reach the airport (about a 10 minute walk from the airport through an elevated tunnel with moving walkways). Overall, I was pleased with Ciao Italy, but there's room for improvement. I've escorted many groups all over Italy, and I've never had as many "irritations". The transfers (with timeliness and undisclosed itineraries) were the biggest irritation. As I stated in the beginning, the Empire Palace was a lovely hotel. I'm sure it would work for many. It just wasn't what I anticipated. And I was truly disappointed that we didn't have views of Sorrento from our balconies.

We have used Ciao Italy for multiple clients doing the VIP Grand Tour of Tuscany. No complaints from clients, easy booking and detailed information of where and when to meet.

Transfers were timely. Hotels were very nice. Tours week good. Had one problem with one hotel, reported back to Ciao Italy and never heard back from them. Very disappointing. But the trip itself was fabulous.

I have had very good luck with Ciao Italy and I am planning on using Carrani for a small FIT I am doing in Italy in May of 2019

I enjoy working with this company...always ready to help. Very knowledgable and helpful...always an upbeat voice...friendly... great tours and service.....