Press, Praise & Client Feedback

Here are letters and reviews from past clients that we’ve received over the years. Some arrived by “snail mail” (you remember that, don’t you?). Others by email or as part of postings to travel forums like TripAdvisor, Frommer’s and CruiseCritic. Some are reviews from third-party sources like the New York Times and Sherman’s Luxury Travel Magazine.

“Rina, I left my heart in San….Gimignano! Thank you for all your hard work, you made our trip easy. Warm regards, Tony”

Cunard Cruises V.P. David Bernstein

I met Rina Bucci, who lives in Florence during my Holiday in Italy. See is a fantastic tour guide and organizes numerous tour experiences for individuals and groups. I would appreciate if you could pass her info (electronic card attached below) on to those individuals at Costa who are responsible for tours and shore excursions with my highest recommendation for her abilities. Rina is a fantastic resource that Costa might want to tap someday.

Art Zeile, CEO Hosting.com

Scot, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate the last three days with you and the perfect juggling of everyone’s interests. You really need to have someone simply capture your tours on voice to text software and write a full book. Your ability to interconnect all the subjects, centuries, and Italian life, is amazing. I will send you pictures soon too as soon as I can download them—there are so many great memories.

Bill Schreiner VP AOL & CEO 1000 Trees

We have friends coming in October. We told them you were the best tour guide in the country. We can’t wait to come back. Your tour and your infectiously enthusiastic personality, combined with real intelligence and insight, was among the highlights of our two weeks in Italy. Look us up next time you’re back in Maryland.

Nakahara Family, HAWAII

visited: Venice, Tuscany & Rome

We travelled as a family of four to Italy, our first trip to Europe and was so happy and grateful to Rina and Scot for their help in planning, securing our great apartments and being our guides in Florence and Rome. They passionately shared their knowledge about all of the historical sites and the best places to eat pasta and gelato. They were referred by friends from Hawaii who gave high praise and said that we would love their company and they were absolutely right.

We spent 9 days together, saw and learned so much about Italy and most of all made two great friends filled with ALOHA!

We highly recommend Rina and Scot not only for their knowledge, professionalism and kindness but for making a first trip to Italy for a family from Hawaii a most memorable one!

Warmest Aloha! Susan

Trombello Family Dallas, TX

Positano and Capri

We are a family of 5 from Dallas and we just returned from 2 weeks in Europe on a cruise with our last stop being Naples. Rina and Scot are wonderful and very knowledgable about Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Capri. They picked us up promptly at our ship in Naples and drove the Amalfi coast passing Sorrento and stopping in Positano where we stopped and had a wonderful frozen coffee drink and then boarded a hydrofoil for Capri. Rina and Scot spent the day with us showing us around Capri and Anacapri (the other side of the island about a 10 min bus ride). We ate lunch at a wonderful restauant and enjoyed the day with them as if they were long time friends. We did a little shopping and then we took the hydrofoil back to Naples( about 45 min) where our ship was docked. Capri exceeded our expectations in every way and Rina and Scot did too. Don’t hesitate to book a tour with Loving Italy and spending the day with RIna and Scot will leave you with warm memories of your time in Naples and Capri. Unforgettable!!

Bob and Joanne, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

visited: Siena and San Gimignano

We recently traveled to Italy with another couple that spent time with Scot a few years ago touring the city of Rome. On our last full day in Rome we traveled to Florence via train and were met by Scot and Rina at the train station.We spent the day touring Sienna and San Gimignano and were introduced to the history as well as the art of both cities.It was clear that they both loved what they do and enjoyed sharing their knowledge with others. We will highly recommend Loving-Italy to our friends and family. Ciao!

P. Perri, Philadelphia PA

visited: Rome

We found Scot online through trip advisor. He was great to work with in planning the trip. We worked together via email to setup a custom itinerary (2 five hour days in Rome) which met our desires for really getting to enjoy and soak in the art and history of Rome. He helped us to determine where it would make the most of our time and resources to use him to guide us and where we could easily explore on our own.

We really enjoyed how he quickly learned our interests and styles of touring and adjusted on the fly. Multiple times he suggested we take a few minute detour to see an off the standard “check the box” itinerary’ to show us a painting, statue or architectural / historical marvel in a church or building. Through him we came to appreciate the artist Carrivaggio, who neither of us were familiar with before our trip.

We really appreciate that he added to the sites rather than being the focal point of the tour. He let us stand and admire what we were seeing and didn’t have to always be talking. We even commented to ourselves that he was not telling corny jokes the whole time like some guides do. He was extremely professional and when we asked a question he was able to talk knowledgably on the subject without being condescending or too accademic. He really knows how to adjust to his audience. He is not the large tour guide who hold up the cane or unmbrella and just goes though the tour from rote memory never deviating. As we were watching the large tours go by at the sites, in large gaggly groups, it made us so glad we chose to have him as our own private guide.

He also did a great jobs recommending items for us to do after our time with him ended for the day. Scot sent us to a Bar off the Piazza Novana that had a pittsburgh steelers fan as the owner (as I am a fan of them). He told us how to find the best gelato places and restaraunts when we weren’t with him. He introduced us to a bar with the best “the Fresca and pesca ” ( peach and lemon iced tea) right on the square near the Pantheon.

As we look back, touring with Scot was like having a friend give you the tour of their home town. At the end of our 2 days we felt we had a friend, not a business associate. We would highly recommend using Loving Italy to make your experience as special as it was for us.

travel agent Sonja

(from travel agent) Hello Rina: Finally heard from The Walkers..the following are there comments. “We were very happy with the driver and the guides. They wery very informative, confident and intuitive, homing in on our needs and moods”. All in all sounds good to me..thank you so much again. Sonja

Bart and Misty Alexander, Shreveport LA

Rome and Tivoli Gardens

We toured Rome with Scot as our guide. He showed us so many little gems that weren’t in the guidebooks, and that we would never have discovered on our own. He was really flexible and didn’t come with his own agenda. He asked us what we were interested in, then went from there. We all share a love of food, and his knowledge of a wide-range of restaurants is quite extensive. Plus, having someone with you that speaks English as well as Itialian certainly didn’t hurt. We would definitely recommend Scot as a guide!

Patterson Family, Ontario

visited: Rome and Ostia Antica

We had a terrific time with Scot touring Rome. Scot met us at our hotel on a Saturday morning and took us to the Spanish Steps by cab. From there we walked to all of the major sites like the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, many obelisks, through neat shopping streets to the Jewish Ghetto for lunch. After lunch it was off to the Vatican where Scot proved invaluable when we realized we had taken an out of date voucher printed at our hotel instead of our own. Thank Goodness someone in our group (ie Scot) spoke Italian. We enjoyed the Vatican and Scot’s insight into the fabulous art. He directed us to some of the best gelato on our trip and then saw us into a cab with directions home.

The next day we met Scot at a Metro Station to go to Ostia Antica and that was a real treat. We toured the ruins and were directed further into them than we would have seen had we just gone by ourselves. Scot was informative and entertaining. For lunch he suggested a fantastic seafood restaurant near Ostia for a leisurely lunch talking about modern Italian life. Back then to Rome on the Metro and to the Borghese Gallery. Our kids really enjoyed all of Scot’s information about everyday life in ancient Rome and Ostia. All of us were directed to aspects of paintings and sculpture that we would have missed had we not been with Scot.

When Scot learned our son (14) is a car buff he made sure we passed by a Maserati dealer by the Borghese Gallery. Although at first blush, the cost of Scot’s services may seem high, we felt it was very reasonable given that we were able to see so much more in two days with Scot than we would have been able to on our own and we felt that really saw the sights because someone was with us to answer our own particular questions. We were sorry when our time with Scot was over. If we go back to Italy we will for sure try to arrange for another tour of a different part of this beautiful country with Scot.

Gail Schmidt, Boston, MA.

visted: Rome & Tuscany

Our daughter was spending her Fall semester studying and living abroad in Florence. We couldn’t wait to use this as an excuse to FINALLY visit Italy ourselves! Because it was our first visit to Italy and we couldn’t decide on our own where to go in 1 week’s time, our travel agent suggested we tour with Rina and Scot. They came up with a great itinerary for our trip. Rina picked us up at the Pisa airport and helped us get settled in our hotel in Florence.

For the first leg of our trip, she accompanied us and gave us a WONDERFUL and fun tour of Florence and the Tuscany region. She was so knowlegeable and passionate and it was very contagious. She also helped us with our Italian…which was great when ordering at restaurants and buying purchases at various vineyards. We spent the second leg of our trip in Rome with Scot as our guide. He, too, was so knowlegeable and fun to be with. He brought us to many “off the beaten path” locations as well as historical landmarks which was extremely impressive to us. Both Rina and Scot are extremely educated in their history of Italy and it made our stay in Italy so memorable.

We plan on visiting Italy again and we will definitely request Rina and Scot to help us out again. We consider them great friends and we wish them lots of luck.

Dr. Luthringshausen, Chicago, IL

visted: Tuscany

Rina was the best tour guide we had in our 14 day trip to Italy. Scott joined us for a few spots, as well. Rina truly loves her country and both of them have an extensive knowledge of Italian history. Rina was flexible when our 500 tour was rained out – recommended a great lunch spot where we were in Florence, met us there and then took us to some fascinating less-frequented areas of Florence. We had her for a total of three days and found her delightful and entertaining while touring San Gimignano and Siena. She knows many locals and introduced us to an excellent wine distributor in San Gimignano. Just Excellent!

Brandon and Hannah A., Shreveport LA

visted: Rome

We toured Rome with Scot as our guide. He showed us so many little gems that weren’t in the guidebooks, and that we would never have discovered on our own. He was really flexible and didn’t come with his own agenda. He asked us what we were interested in, then went from there. We all share a love of food, and his knowledge of a wide-range of restaurants is quite extensive. Plus, having someone with you that speaks English as well as Itialian certainly didn’t hurt. We would definitely recommend Scot as a guide!

Barbi and Lee, Cleveland OH

visted: Chianti wineries

My Dear dear Rina, We just got home late last night. You WERE THE BEST!!! Non of the other tours compare to your knowledge and fun we had with you!!!!!!! The expense of the tour in Venice was the only reason why we did not go with your friend. PLEASE feel free to use my name for a reference at any time. Also, I WANT YOU TO CALL ME WHEN YOU COME TO CLEVELAND, please!!!!!!! I am so busy doing laundry and it is not easy being sleep deprived. I would love to stay in touch! Love, Barbi

“…Their experience showed as we were drawn into Italy and loving every moment. The combination of Scot’s great sense of humor and Rina’s energetic persona. When we arrived in Positano, we checked into our lovely hotel overlooking…”

…they were both very mindful of the time we had to spend, allowing my wife and I private time to ourselves and providing ample details of our surroundings. One night is definitely not enough time to thoroughly enjoy Capri and Positano. However we could not have dreamed of a better time…

Howard and Sue C, Lubbock TX

Gary and Linda

Rina, Linda and I and the boys had a great time today! I would appreciate the itemized list of where we went today and the email of your Greek friend so we can see if he is available when we are in Athens….thank you again for everything and Linda is saying she can’t wait to come back! Gary

Bill and Frances, Shreveport LA

Rina and Scot, thank you for a wonderful time in Italy. It was great being with you and we look forward to seeing you next year. We went to Ephesus today and unfortunately, there were about 30,000 people there. It was a mess. We could have used your guidance. Frances says hello.

Anne, Dallas TX to her travel agent

Dear Carol, Everything was wonderful! THANK YOU!!! Rina is fantastic — very knowledgeable, thoroughly charming and a pleasure to be with. We miss her already!!! Here’s my review of everything: Venice- nice but overpriced and touristy — no surprise. Hotel was lovely apart from the one drunk concierge, and the departure. Their inability to sort out our bill and the consequential charge of 25 euros for the waiting taxi did not impress, and the fact that they told the taxi driver we were late because we were still sleeping was offensive. Enjoyed Murano, Burano and Torcello. Jewish ghetto was really interesting. Peggy Guggenheim museum was OK — a little cramped. We’re spoiled by living so close to NY. Piazza San Marco – what you would expect – a scene but an integral part of the gestalt of Venice. Biennale was not our cup of tea but I expect real modern are aficionados would disagree. Florence – Lovely. Uffizzi and Academia were great. No matter how many times one sees The David it never fails to be awe inspiring. Shopping is still good for leather and gold, but because the dollar is so weak buying much else doesn’t really pay. Food was excellent! Stayed away from the “must go to”, trendy restaurants, instead opting for Rina’s recommendations. Best part of Florence were the side trips: Fiesole: Cooking lesson was SUPER!!! Siena: Great San Gimigniano: Too cute for words. Has the best gelato in the world. Rina can tell you which place; she is friendly with the owner Chianti: Beautiful countryside. Verrazzano winery is breathtaking and the guide, Gino, is a real showman Pompeii – Stopped on the way to Amalfi. Incredible. Has to be seen to be believed. Amalfi – From now on, when I picture heaven it will be the Santa Caterina. I understand why you worked the rest of the trip around staying there — very wise! Thank you! There are no words to describe the beauty of the hotel and the setting. The staff is extraordinary — warm and so welcoming. From the moment we checked in, every staff member knew our name, room number, and how many in our party. Positano – more touristy than expected but cute. Much preferred the town of Amalfi. Sorrento- good shopping … terrible drivers … fabulous final Italian dinner courtesy of Rina. That’s about it. Thanks again. All the best, Anne

Danielle and Collin, Ontario CA

Hello Scot (“with one “t”), Collin is a filmmaker and me, a librarian. We did the St. Peter’s tour then everyone deserted except us, remember? We went for lunch and then you took us back to the Vatican for what turned out to be a *very* special time. For this, our most grateful thanks. We will never forget it. Collin and I have already talked frequently what a great experience and lucky thing it was to meet you. The rest of our trip went well….but that day at the Vatican with you remained a highlight.Collin and I especially appreciated how you “built in” some quiet, reflective moments when we were together. There was time to be mindful, enjoy the sunshine, experience the senses. You were calm and we remember our day as being the same – full of beauty and calmness. You came along into our lives by chance, and you created some fabulous memories for us that will last our lifetime. Thanks forever. You “touch” lives, and you make a difference in those lives…How cool is that! Bye for now, Danielle

from New York Times Travel section, Feb 2008

SOUTH of the tourist-crushed Trevi Fountain, past the scooter-clogged streets of Centro Storico and just outside the city’s 1,700-year-old walls is a miles-long stretch of ancient landmarks, quaint restaurants and serenity known as Appia Antica. Part of the fabled Appian Way, the ancient Roman road that connected Rome all the way to Brindisi at the heel of Italy’s boot, this cobblestone stretch is today a protected archaeological park that offers a scenic respite from the city’s bustle. On Sundays, the road is closed to vehicular traffic, and joggers (a rare sight in Rome), amorous couples (not such a rare sight) and baby strollers emerge to idle along its picturesque mausoleums and tranquil nooks. Getting there is easy. Take a 10-minute bus ride from the Basilica of San Giovanni (No. 218) or the Circus Maximus (No. 118) to Parco Regionale dell’Appia Antica. A visitors’ center (Via Appia Antica 58; 39-06-512-6314; www.parcoappiaantica.org) has free maps and friendly, English-speaking docents. Bikes are available for rent starting at 3 euros, $4.55 at $1.52 to the euro, per hour. Or, for a historical play-by-play, [Loving Italy] offers private walking tours starting at 65 euros an hour. Among the first sights is the Church of Domine Quo Vadis? (Via Appia Antica 51), so named because this is where St. Peter, fleeing persecution from Emperor Nero, reputedly had a vision of Jesus and asked “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus, as the story goes, replied, �To Rome, to be crucified again.� A cast of what some people believe are Jesus’ footprints is kept inside the church; the original cast is down the street in the Church of San Sebastian, above the narrow catacombs that once held the remains of early Christians martyrs (Via Appia Antica 136; 5 euros). But if you visit only one catacomb, descend into San Callisto (Via Appia Antica 78; 5 euros). Guided tours � often led by witty American priests � take visitors along some of the 18 miles of dark tunnels and sepulchers where martyrs and early popes once rested. And if all the catacomb exploring builds up an appetite, Appia isn’t short on good restaurants. A popular lunch site for well-dressed parliamentarians is L’Archeologia (Via Appia Antica 139; 39-06-788-0494; www.larcheologia.it), a seafood restaurant housed in a 17th-century mail station that serves classic dishes like fish stew (13 euros) and homemade gnocchi with calamari and cherry tomatoes (12 euros). For truly classic dining, go to Antica Roma (Via Appia Antica 87; 39-06-513-2888; www.anticaroma.it), a tavern built into ancient ruins that serves recipes written down by Apicius, who is credited with writing the world’s first cookbook. Try the pollo oxizomum, baked chicken slathered in fish sauce (12 euros). After lunch, stop to gawk at the red-brick ruins of the Circus of Maxentius, a fourth-century racetrack and, farther on, the three-story cylindrical tomb of the first-century-B.C. Roman aristocrat Cecilia Metella (Via Appia Antica 161; 6 euros) that was turned into a castle by the blue-blooded Caetani family in the Middle Ages. From there, the tar road gives way to pizza-sized stone pavers complete with chariot wheel grooves, and is flanked by umbrella pines and millenniums-old mausoleums. This stretch of the Appia Antica remains one of Rome’s most fashionable addresses. Legions of Italian celebrities live in the massive villas that dot the ancient road. And except for the occasional Range Rover pulling out of the stone driveways, you can almost forget you’re in 21st-century Rome.

Charlotte, London England

Dear Scot, Just a quick mail to say a huge “Thank you” for a fabulous tour on Saturday. We had a great time and my Mum was so thrilled with it. It made our trip very special. We arrived home yesterday absolutely exhausted from a lovely weekend. Thanks again, it was really nice to meet you. Bye for now Charlotte

from hip travel blog Jaunted.com

“A New Hope On The Pope Circuit”, August 21, 2006

Want the full Pope experience, but worried about taking the tour of the Vatican with a bunch of other people who see images of the Virgin Mary in their grilled cheese sandwiches? Then look no further than Vatican Art Walks [Loving Italy’s previous incarnation – ed.]. Their strict no-yardstick across the knuckles policy means they are Jaunted’s favorite Vatican tour company. Art Walk mastermind Scot (so cool his name only has one “t”) will take you and a small group on a tour of the Vatican, focusing primarily on the famous art inside. The tour is informative yet conversational in tone, and are only scheduled during off-hours at the Vatican, which means you won’t ever be with crowds big enough to make you hyperventilate. Plus, you might even learn something. How else would we have learned that there is a statue of Bill Clinton at the Vatican?

Claudette S, Shreveport LA

We were a little anxious about arriving in Florence since we had never been to Italy before, Rina met us at the train station and our anxiety immediately left us! She brought us in her lovely car to the top of the city and gave us an overview of the history of the city and allowed plenty of time to see the sights. She took us to places we never would have known about and to all the places we read about. Her intense knowledge of the city, the art, the best places to eat and snack, and the history all created a beautiful day for us. I have and will continue to recommend her to anyone who asks for a great tour guide. She is not to be missed. I have made a new friend and hope to see her again soon. Fondly, Claudette St. Amant

posted in Tripadvisor forums by “DrillCat”

My family and I were on Brilliance of the Seas recently. Wanted to visit Florence and Pisa but didnt want to go with the cruise ship’s excursions as not only it was very expensive but basically they would drop you off at one location and you will be on your own to explore. (Someone mentioned a cattle tour in regards to this.) I really wanted to be able to see the masterpieces in Uffizi and also see as much as possible in one short day. Though I have no intention of criticizing what cruise ships do for the mass, having 3 kids including a baby makes things tougher. So my search in TA led me to Rina from Loving Italy. It is a small company with just Rina and her fiance Scot. Rina’s from Livorno and Scot lives in Rome. We decided on doing both excursions with Loving Italy. All emails were answered within the same day. Small deposits were made via Paypal with the rests paid in cash AFTER the tours were over. Now, Rina is a true Italian who LOVES her country and especially Tuscany. I read up on lots literatures before visiting any foreign cities and expect the local guides to truly know the history and culture. Rina had a vast amount of information and I really appreciated her sharing all those stories with us. She never stopped talking to us and relentless in her pursuit to allow us to see and learn as much as possible in that one short stop off the cruise. Moreover, she had her own MB van with a license as a tour driver which allowed her to drive right into the heart of Florence. This also saved us couple of hundred euros as she acted as both the driver and guide. The pick up was right on time. Her manner was awesome. She was very professional AND very competitive in price for the family of five. She had made a reservation at Uffizi as promised which allowed us to bypass the line. BTW, I strongly recommend any art lover to visit Uffizi. We spent about 2 hours there and we plan to return! Before we were dropped off at the port, we found time to stop at Pisa for the famous tower. I did not know that right along the Duomo and Tower of Pisa, there was a nice area for souvenirs and shopping with lots restaurants. Looked a bit busy but certainly wanted to stroll if had more time. Florence alone deserves a week or two of your time to explore. But if you have just ONE day to see Florence, I highly recommend Rina and Loving Italy! On the last note, the next day, we did Rome with her fiancee/partner Scot. He is an American from Ohio who fell in love with Rome and stayed. Fluent in Italian and kids friendly. The day was hot but didn�t lose his cool. He catered to our needs specifically as both my wife and I had visited Rome before for a week and I just wanted to give my kids a taste of Rome. Funny, how the sites were so close to each other than how we remembered. We figured that it was due to his knowledge of back streets and short cuts. A good local guide can make such differences. Another MB van came to pick us up from the port for Rome. Met Scot at one of the famous Piazzas in a central location. From there we walked to Pentheon, Trevi fountain, Forum and to the Coliseum. He took us to the Forum and bought tickets for the Coliseum as well which saved us from waiting at the Coliseum as the line was horrendous. We then took the taxi to Vatican museum. No wait in line. Got in right away. Then lastly we visited St. Peters Basillica. That was another FULL day of exploring the ancient Italy and completely fulfilling. No time for review and editing so if my writing is poor, please forgive me. Ciao.

Melissa, Houston TX

Ciao, Rina! So glad to hear from you. It is true; time has flown by. We have been busy with the grandchildren and getting reacquainted! Have your ears been burning; we speak fondly of you every day. I told my sisters that we have a new sister in Italy. It was such a wonderful trip and the best part was because of you! I have some friends who may be contacting you; a couple of different groups. One dear friend is going to be staying in Figline for a month in the fall in a house that her sister-in-law has rented. My friend, Julia, and her husband will take a side trip to Rome. I told her she needs to call you or email you for the best tour of Rome imaginable! I will let you know more as they plan their trip. I played golf with Nancy Walker today and we were talking about how much we missed you. Did you have a good visit with your family? Hope you were able to see them for more time than you had thought! Take care of yourself and yes, let’s keep in touch! Sincerely, melissa

Al & Michele R, New York NY

Hi Scot, We are back from our cruise and back to work already. I just wanted to say that we had a great time with you in Rome! The whole Vatican tour was awesome and the kids loved the Colisseum. I liked the San Clemente church; that’s something you don’t get to hear about everyday. You were great with us and the kids. Also, me with all my emails! There is no way we could have seen what did and known what we were looking at without you. It felt like more of a friend showing us around than a tour guide. My husband Al is already saying we should go back to Italy, and when we do we will look you up! Hope all is well and thanks again, Michele and co.

Heather, Boston MA

Rina, I’m so happy that I finally found your email address! How have you been? How did your wine tour go? Do you have a lot of traveling to do in August? I just want to say how wonderful it was to meet you and have you be part of our trip, it was truly a blessing for our family to have you join us. I can’t stop thinking about what an amazing time it was and can’t stop telling all of my friends and coworkers about it! My new goal is to find a job that will allow me to travel and live abroad, hopefully in Italy. I’m taking Italian lessons in September so I will have to write to you for practice! I hope everything is going well for you and I hope to see you again in the near future, especially with my boyfriend’s family being in Arezzo. I told Carolina to let me know when she makes the brochures for the wine tours because I think there are several people in my office who would be interested. Thank you again for such a wonderful time, my family and I will never forget it! Please keep in touch and say hello to your dog for me!

Carolyn G (and Ted, Betsy, Donna, Dale, Josephine, Suzy & Maxine) London, OH

Dear Scot Some of our group got together last night and we wondering how you were doing and what is going on in Rome???? It has almost been a year since we made our trip to Rome. We were looking at our pictures and reliving our trip to Rome, Greek Isles, Tuscany and Malta. What a good time. We all were in appreciation for all you did for us. Hope all is well with you – I know you are probably busy but we would like to hear from you. Take care !!!! Carolyn

Norman

Rina, What a find you were, what a great day in Sienna, and you are my Italian Professor/tour guide. I need to clone several of you for other parts of the world. I will let you know when our Connoisseur Of Travel web site is up- should be a couple of weeks. Be well. Ciao! Norman

posted in Tripadvisor forums by “tefederman”

Our first trip to Europe and we wanted to visit the Vatican. I hit on a site called [–]. My first impression of Scot McFiggin, the director of the site (who also leads the tours) was kind, prompt and sincerely helpful. I felt instantly at ease. The whole process in getting the tour set up was simply a breeze. Not only did Scot give us a fabulous tour of the Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Square and the Sistine Chapel, he also arranged a reasonably priced and comfortable ride from the dock in Civitavechia to our hotel in Rome. We met for lunch prior to the tour and walked a short distance to the entrance of the Vatican.

Scot’s knowledge of art history was extensive and impressive. His true talent was in delivering historical information in a fun and informal way. His use of a headset (with the group using earphones) was especially nice in a crowded setting. Our small group didn’t have to huddle together to hear every word but felt free to linger in one place or another as long as we were within a few yards of our guide.

My husband was using a scooter for better mobility and Scot was eager to assist in carrying the scooter at stairways or leading my husband to an elevator when necessary. We went on several tours while in Europe… in Greece, in Turkey and other parts of Italy; but this tour far outshined the others in every way. The Vatican is amazing in and of itself – Scot made the whole experience more so. I highly recommend a visit to [–].

posted in Tripadvisor forums by “globalnomad”

I had arranged to have a guide walk us through Rome for the day � a brilliant decision! Scot McFiggen, of [Loving Italy], met us at the train and gave us a personal tour which started at the Coliseum (via Metro from Termini) then on to the Forum, past the Wedding Cake, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navrona, a short stop for lunch and then taxi to Vatican City to see the museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s.

All this with a running commentary of architecture, history and stories. No heads buried in a map and no getting lost. Scot is an American who fell in love with Italy and loves to share his enthusiasm with others. He is extremely knowledgeable but we never felt overwhelmed with information. We walked many miles that day, and this may not be for everyone but for us it was a great way to get the flavor of Rome. There are so many more senses aroused when you’re on foot rather than watching from behind a window!

At 1:30 pm, when we arrived at the Vatican Museum there was no line. Apparently, Monday is ‘cruise-ship’ day in Rome and the mornings are very crowded. We bid Scot farewell at the St. Pietro train station about 4:30pm and made it back to the ship in plenty of time for our 7pm departure. The train was so packed, the walls kept us all upright for most of the journey. Somewhere in Italy, there’s a poor man who has very intimate knowledge of my anatomy and definitely not by his choice!

Thomas E.

Hi guys! I promised you in early July that I would send you some photos of the tour we took with you of the Vatican museums. The tour you gave was entertaining and informative and the topic was magnificent. I hope to return to Rome and take another of your tours one day. Best regards, Tom

Cindie K., Dallas TX

Dear Rina, Forgive me for taking so long to write to you after our return. I just wanted to thank you again for the fabulous day in Florence, Tuscany and Pisa that you so graciously provided for us. It was the highlight of our trip. You are so knowledgable about the history and sites of Italy. The brief tour to the winery was outstanding. Please keep in touch with us and feel free to give my name and email address to anyone wanting a reference. I cannot wait to return to Italy and especially Florence, it is such a beautiful city with so much to offer. Be well and thank you again!

Jo Ann F., Shreveport LA

This will be a very short note. We loved our trip to Italy thanks to you. You are the best and as you already know we all adore you. I will be sending a package to you shortly, so be on the look out for it. This is one of the eBay sights for magnets. I will also forward one on cups and saucers. Hope this gets you started on an adventure with eBay. It can be addictive!! Till later- Love and Hugs, “Ciao Baby” Jo Ann (in case you forgot) P.S. Start planing your trip to Louisiana.

Kathy and Emily

Hey Scot – I want to say thanks for helping us to get off on the right foot – the entire trip was charmed from start to finish and you gave us a beautiful introduction to Rome and to Italy. We had so many incredible things happen to us! Within a few days we both got over our shyness about trying out the language and even Ms. Thing was cool with walking into stores by herself and running a few riffs in Italian. So, thank you! I appreciated your breadth of knowledge and your sense of humor about the city, art, politics (your spin, especially), history – and especially your passion for such an amazing country, despite it’s faults. I’m not a t.v. watcher so have been devouring books on Italy – art, culture, history – since returning home – and I wanna move there (you’ve got to say that last part with a major whine in your voice!!!). Well, another visit in the meantime – and we’ll connect with you! I wish you well and thanks again for making our trip that much more amazing!!

Linda, AK

Rina, we are back in Arkansas. The weather is 90 and sunny! The boys were glad to get home and see their friends. Gary said he was templed out by the time we made Venice. Our time with you was still our favorite. If it is OK with you , I am forwarding your e-mail to Nancy McIntosh. She will be in the Florence area the first of July sometime. She is an international stewardess for American Airlines based in New York.. Lovely lady. Please allow us to show you Southern hospitality if you ever make it to the States! Tke care! – Linda

Frank M, Miami FL

Buongiorno, Come sta ? I just wanted to say Mille grazie again for making our vacation so bellissimo I am in the process of sorting through 2,100 pictures taken in 10 short days and I wanted to send either a CD or prints of at least some of them. I went to your website and could not find your address so-> Qual’e’ il tuo (suo) indirizzo? Send it to me per favore and I will get them out to you as soon as I am done. Buona giornata Frank J. Mercede

Anne, New York NY

(letter to her travel agent) Dear Carol, Everything was wonderful! THANK YOU!!! Rina is fantastic — very knowledgeable, thoroughly charming and a pleasure to be with. We miss her already!!! Here’s my review of everything: Venice- nice but overpriced and touristy — no surprise. Hotel was lovely apart from the one drunk concierge, and the departure. Their inability to sort out our bill and the consequential charge of 25 euros for the waiting taxi did not impress, and the fact that they told the taxi driver we were late because we were still sleeping was offensive. Enjoyed Murano, Burano and Torcello. Jewish ghetto was really interesting. Peggy Guggenheim museum was OK — a little cramped. We’re spoiled by living so close to NY. Piazza San Marco – what you would expect – a scene but an integral part of the gestalt of Venice. Biennale was not our cup of tea but I expect real modern are aficionados would disagree. Florence – Lovely. Uffizzi and Academia were great. No matter how many times one sees The David it never fails to be awe inspiring. Shopping is still good for leather and gold, but because the dollar is so weak buying much else doesn’t really pay. Food was excellent! Stayed away from the “must go to”, trendy restaurants, instead opting for Rina’s recommendations. Best part of Florence were the side trips: Fiesole: Cooking lesson was SUPER!!! Siena: Great San Gimigniano: Too cute for words. Has the best gelato in the world. Rina can tell you which place; she is friendly with the owner Chianti: Beautiful countryside. Verrazzano winery is breathtaking and the guide, Gino, is a real showman Pompeii – Stopped on the way to Amalfi. Incredible. Has to be seen to be believed. Amalfi – From now on, when I picture heaven it will be the Santa Caterina. I understand why you worked the rest of the trip around staying there — very wise! Thank you! There are no words to describe the beauty of the hotel and the setting. The staff is extraordinary — warm and so welcoming. From the moment we checked in, every staff member knew our name, room number, and how many in our party. Positano – more touristy than expected but cute. Much preferred the town of Amalfi. Sorrento- good shopping … terrible drivers … fabulous final Italian dinner courtesy of Rina. That’s about it. Thanks again. All the best, Anne

David and family

“Rina, Linda and I and the boys had a great time today! I would appreciate the itemized list of where we went today and the email of your Greek friend so we can see if he is available when we are in Athens….thank you again for everything and Linda is saying she can’t wait to come back! Gary”

Jeff, Lauren, Ethan and Chelsea

This letter is to give you a pat on the back. We were in Rome in mid August and went on your wonderful tour of the Vatican. Our whole family considered this one of the highlights of our 3 week adventure in Italy. I wanted to take a minute to tell you what a good job you do. We loved the history and stories you told us as we went through the museums. It was a very special three hours and I am sure we will remember all the many things you shared with us. It was so good I wanted to make sure you knew. Thank you again.

Louis Van E., Boston MA

We truly enjoyed the tours and we LOVED Rome. We felt very lucky to have been included in your tour as we both thought you were knowledgeable and passionate about the subject – its clear you love your job!!! I would love to bring my family to Rome and if/when we do I will definitely book you for a tour. Good luck to you and hopefully our paths will cross again in the future. Best regards.

Dick and Sally, FL

This is from Dick (the guy with the cane). I just want to tell you by e-mail how much Sally and I enjoyed the tours of Rome and the Amalfi coast. Your personal knowledge of Rome, Pompeii and the coast towns made for unforgettable days. We feel that the tours arranged by you were the highlights of our cruise. I feel that we learned more about Rome, and certainly the Pantheon, in that one day than in the entire week we had spent in Rome twenty years ago.

Leslie and Richard, New York, NY

Dear Rina, There really is no way to adequately express our thanks to you for making our trip special in so many ways. But let us try. First, when everyone asks what our favorite part of our trip was, we both answer without hesitation, “Assisi”. It was sublime. Our day travleing through Tuscany and Umbria with you was divine, everything you promised and more. And you are the most delightful company! Now, when I hear Tony Bennett I immediately think of you as well. Second, we would have had no Rome experience without you. That day driving around would have been a day of us struggling to get from place to place by subway and on foot. How much would we have seen? How terrible would it have been in the heat? You saved the day! We felt we had a very complete visit, seeing what we wanted to see. Third, you removed all the stress and anxiety over the taxi strikes by assuring us we would have a way to get to the airport. It would have been hard to enjoy our vacation worrying about being stranded. And then, of all things, you produced a guide with a husband who is a driver, who could help us! Which brings me to . . . Fourth, Alessandra. She was so great! We had a wonderful Vatican/St. Peter’s tour and really enjoyed her so very much. She is smart, funny and just a bit irreverent, which made for a great experience. And her husband took us to the airport Friday in a big thunderstorm, safely, what a sweet guy! We even saw more sights as we left the city. Our flight was on time to the minute and we got home with no problem. Rina, you made this all so very specal. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We look forward to further wonderful tours with you! All the best, Leslie and Richard Curtis

Rebecca C, Oberlin OH

Rebecca C. Dear Scot, Thanks again for the amazing tours. It’s four years later, and I’m hip-deep in senior thesis, and during those hours when I allow myself to think about anything other than academia, I daydream about Europe and Rome, and I still remember those tours. I went to fourteen countries in that six months, but I don’t think I knew anywhere as much as I got to know Rome. Thank you again