Custom Religious and Spiritual Tours

“Thanks Maria. We had a wonderful time and we appreciate everything you did to make our trip special… The Hotel… in Sorrento is fabulous. We would definitely recommend it. The… in Rome was also nice, but not overly so... All the tours in Rome were also wonderful.The tour in Pompeii was also wonderful. However, it would have been nice to spend more time there… The Amalfi bus tour was interesting as it allowed us to see different towns along the coast… Our guides in Rome and Pompeii were all very good, and we would recommend the tour outfits to your clients. The personal drivers were also friendly and always on time.Again, thanks for a wonderful trip. We would definitely use you again and recommend your services to our friends who are interested in Italy.”

“I wanted to do something special for my sister’s 50th birthday. A party? A cruise? Nothing seemed to fit until I contacted Trips2Italy. They offered a lot of amazing group rates, but I really wanted something customized. Maria listened, asked questions and really understood what I was trying to achieve. She created a trip of a lifetime that fit my budget and schedule perfectly. My sister and friend enjoyed five days in Rome, one day in Naples and five days in Florence. Whether it was seeing the sculpture “David” or touring Pompeii, Trips2Italy made our travel dreams come to life. We enjoyed wine tastings and food tours. We visited museums and medieval towns. Most of all, we laughed and enjoyed each other’s company for nearly two weeks. There are many ways to celebrate life. I am so glad I chose Trips2Italy as a way to celebrate my sister’s special birthday. It was more than worth it. In fact, it was priceless.”

“Tommaso;We returned from our trip on a week ago Friday and I just wanted to thank you very much for everything.Everything turned out absolutely perfect and Casey and I had a wonderful honeymoon. Thank you so much for the bottles of wine and the quick response regarding the coliseum tour.A couple of really high remarks go toward:You and your team for planning an outstanding trip with great service. Our Drivers in Napoli and Florence. They were both outstanding. The Cooking Class The Wine Tasting outside San Giovanni/Sienna Again, thank you for making our first time in Rome a really special memory.”

Hi Tomasso!Sorry for the delayed reply. We've been quite busy since getting back. We both really enjoyed the whole trip and your tips came in very handy! We already recommended your company to our friend who is also planning to go to Italy. Favorite thing we did was the food tour in Trastevere the first night. On the subsequent days in Rome we went back to several places that we visited on the tour.Least favorite was the tour to Pompeii. Pompeii we liked but the bus ride was pretty long and we stopped at a very tourist place on each way of the journey. We had plenty of time to see all we wanted in Venice but will almost certainly be back to Florence and Rome for a few more days sometime in the future. Overall the trip achieved all our objectives - we saw many things and still had some time to relax and enjoy!Service was great also. Our flight was delayed arriving. I called the number listed on the voucher and all was sorted out immediately with our driver. Really comforting to know that if our plans were interrupted we had a local contact to sort it out!Thanks,Carl

“Hello Tommaso,Our Italian adventure was absolutely, positively perfect in every way! The itinerary was filled with amazing experiences that we may never have found on our own… Each hotel - Florence, Sorrento and Rome - was ideal for our family and all located close to the sights and attractions we most wanted to experience. It would be impossible to write every positive impression we had, but of particular note was the pizza making day… with Luccia, the guide - Elvira - at Pompeii and Pompeii ( ! ), … the day trip to San Gimagnano/Sienna,… and SERGIO who treated us like royalty, and the cooking class in Florence. As you promised, the sites and smells, the freshest food and flavors, the sun drenched colors of Italy were all too good to be true.As you know it was my boys' first trip to Italy… I hope we will all be able to return many times again in our lifetimes. There were so many special moments and experiences that we will never forget. My utmost thanks to you and your staff who created such extraordinary travel for us…You are our travel planning hero and we thank you for all that you did to make our adventure something we will never forget!”

Hi Tommaso, ...I had a great vacation in Italy and really enjoyed the experience. The same applies for my mom too. As you know, we spent 5 nights in Rome, 2 in Florence and 2 in Venice. Along the way we stopped in Asis, Siena, Bologna, Padua and Montepulcano. All of them beautiful places. We really enjoyed spending time in the Vatican. We were able to go to Saint Peters square on Sunday to see the Pope give the Angelus. The tour was very well organized. We enjoyed the hotels we stayed in. The tour guides were nice and knowledgeable people. In summary we were very pleased with the experience. I would highly recommend not only traveling to Italy but also doing so with your company… There was not anything that I disliked, it was all a very positive experience. Great food, wine, birra and gelato!!! … Thank you… for all your help planning this wonderful experience for me and my mom.”

"Dear Tommaso, I wanted to write you a letter to let you know how much Ryad and I enjoyed our Honeymoon to Italy. I struggled on how to create the perfect honeymoon and from the minute I walked into Trips2italy and met you I knew we were going to have an amazing trip. We had an idea of what we wanted to do and accomplish and you listened and understood and put together something we will never forget. Everything was amazing. There was not one thing you planned for us that we did not thoroughly enjoy. from the cooking classes, to the Tuscany wine tour, (We added another day it was so amazing) to the suggestions of things to do, see and eat on our days that were not planned. It could not have been better.And amazingly enough, everything went without an hitch. Everyone was on time, trains drivers, tour guides. They were where you said they would be when they said they would be there. You provided us a number to call if we had issues. A few times we got confused and if I had to use the number and someone always picked up. Even you one time when it was very early in the morning in Houston. We are already planning to make another trip. And I promise you I will come see you to ensure our next trip is as memorable as our first. Thank you so much for your help, expertise and kindness. If you ever need a reference, if someone is on the fence about using you. Have them give me a call. You will get the sale. Best Regards, Ryad and Angela M. "

" Hi Tommaso,It was a wonderful trip and great weather, although very hot. We are all still talking at the end of the trip. I would definitely recommend your agency to anyone planning a trip to Italy. Rome by night on two Vespas was great The next day with Francesca to see ancient Rome was wonderful. Francesca is adorable and I wanted to take her home with me. Monday morning I got sick. Dinner the night before was veal scallopine in lemon sauce and then we shared tiramasu which was very rich. I guess the combination did not agree with me. Therefore, I was unable to do the Vatican tour. Florence was beautiful and hotel Santa Maria Novella with our room facing the square was great. Venice was wonderful but I have had enough water travel to last me a life time. Water bus, water taxi, then three hour catamarran ride to Croatio followed by 1 1/2 hour taxi to ferry to take us across to Cres and then returning to Venice the same way. It was great to meet my cousin, his wife and one of their daughters. To visit the city of Cres where my father ws born and raised was nice. I onlly wish that I had visited a long time ago before so much tourism.The one scare that I had happened when departing the water taxi at the Venice Airport. We first boarded the water taxi and then the hotel person handed the lluggage to our driver. 30 minutes later we got off at the airport and the driver handed our luggage up to us. All in all it was a wonderful trip with lots of great memories!Christina "

" Ciao Tommaso,First of all, please accept my apologies for not having returned the email earlier. I had a critical week at work. In fact, the last 2 months have been very busy, mostly finding new projects for next year.The trip was fantastic. Your tours were quite well organized.The tour through the lakes was very good, particularly the guide Andrea - he deserves special complimenti - who took us (not the whole group, only the braves) to the local restaurants both in Como, his hometown, and in Brescia. The boat rides included in this 4 days tour were a must.The hotels selection was very good, particularly in terms of location. The only observation was in regards to the hotel in Firenze: for us was not a big deal, but the staircase at the entrance may represent a hurdle for some people.The guided tour in Siena ended up being a "private tour": we ended up only the four of us with a guide who felt more comfortable in speaking Italian rather than English. And I was glad that Tatiana, Luis and Alice could follow it up.The tour to Cinque Terre was not so nice, but for reasons outside your control: the place was completely packed and, with the boats not running, the trains reminded me of my childhood in Brazil, going to school in a bus for 40 people carrying 120...Besides that, of course the place is fantastic, but I would suggest visiting Cinque Terre out of season peak.As you remember, the tours in Modena I organized by myself, but the hotel was very well located.The trains system was very nice: in time, clean, comfortable.Torino is a case apart. I think I will buy Lottery tickets until the day I win and can retire there. It is, for sure one of the most beatiful cities in Europe. The local guide knew every single detail of everything (se non era vero, era bene trovato...). Oh I should not have forgotten his name, but he was a musician from a group of medieval music. We could have spent hours talking about history, architecture, etc. All of us had two Bicerin, despite the heat.What we liked best: the cities, the monuments and their history, the architecture, gelato, Chianti, Lambrusco, Parmiggiano Reggiano, Aceto Balsamico, Ferrari, Opera, Horse Meat, nature in the landscapes, the weather (we didn't have one day of rain), the lakes, the people, steak fiorentina, grissini, tajarin....did I miss anything?What we disliked: coming back.Next steps: Ski vacation, Sardegna, Sicilia & Capri. One at a time, please, otherwise I bankrupt...Attached: some pictures of our trip. Unexplainable weight increase, as the trip goes by...If you need any of these in high res for your advertisement, website, etc please let me knowTanti Auguri,gli Berardi "

Tommaso,Sorry for the delay. As I noted in my earlier email, we may have had too much fun (is that possible?) and it took us a while to recover. My responses to your questions are shown below. Bottom line: I had a perfectly wonderful trip thanks to you!How did you enjoy Italy?I absolutely loved it – thanks, in no small part, to your efforts on our behalf. The logistics were spot-on and everything (drivers at airports/train stations, hotel locations, walking tours, wine tastings, museum reservations) went like clockwork without a hitch. The hotels were divine. My favorite was Hotel Palazzo Ravizza in Siena (the room was so spacious, the view was awesome, the outdoor terrace was an unexpected treat that we took advantage of several times a day, and the staff was very kind & helpful); although, the Hotel Santa Maria Novella (Florence) was a close second with its superb location, balcony, and wonderful breakfast buffet. But I also have to applaud the Hotel Columbia in Rome – we lucked out & got a room with a small outdoor patio that did wonders to cure our jet lag (as did your champagne; what a lovely & thoughtful gesture – mille grazie!). The staff at the Hotel Columbia was also outstanding and the rooftop terrace (for breakfast or an evening glass of wine) was delightful.Where do I start? We saw the beginning of civilization as we know it, we saw the birthplace of the Renaissance, we saw awe-inspiring art (how did they carve folds in material in marble and make it seem so lifelike and translucent??), and we saw some (a lot!) of the world’s greatest architecture. Actually, it was mind-blowing; I saw up close and personal places, buildings, and artists I’ve studied my whole life.The wine tastings/tours were a highlight and the ones you reserved for us were outstanding. I really enjoyed doing 2 small-group tastings and 2 private tastings as they were each so different and each so much fun. The Trastevere Food/Wine Tour was fun & enlightening (great tour guide) – small group tours are so enjoyable. We met locals as well as folks from all over the globe.The walking tours were very nice and gave us an overview of each city and its highlights in terms of history, landmarks, and local culture. The very best was the woman (Vivian? Valerie?) who led the tour of ancient Rome. She was an archeologist who had worked on one of the digs and she had the very best stories and really made Roman history come alive. Some of the tour guides’ accents (e.g., Florence, Venice) were hard to understand and follow.Of course, we walked and walked all day, every day. We appreciated the markets, sights, and restaurants you recommended. We roamed down side streets and out-of-the-way places and got happily lost several times – some of our best days!Liked the Most: My absolute favorite was Guglielmo Riggio who conducted our tour of medieval towns, Chianti, and San Gimignano. He was so personable, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about history (local, Italian, and global!), art/architecture, and local culture. He entertained us non-stop for an entire day and I was sorry when the day ended. He was simply outstanding & I can’t recommend him highly enough!Disliked the Most: That’s difficult since I didn’t dislike anything for 2 whole weeks (bravo to you!). I think the most disappointing was the gondola ride in Venice. Our reserved evening was cancelled due to threat of rain, but they let us come back the next evening. Unfortunately the 45-minute gondola ride was only 15-20 minutes (at most); I don’t know if that’s the norm or if it was shortened because they had to make up for the night before. Overall, it was a superb trip and exceeded my expectations in every way. We very much appreciated your thoughtfulness in having champagne in our room, not just the first night, but the last night, too – such a nice, and totally unexpected, gesture. Finally, Nanci found Trips2Italy on the internet because we kept searching for an in-country group that would take care of all the arrangements (hotels, museum passes, wine/walking tours) and let us travel from city to city by train instead of plane. We had a hard time finding you, which is a shame as you and your group are so spot-on for what we wanted our trip to be. You listened & delivered – it’s almost like your read our minds! I’d be delighted to write a glowing recommendation of Trips2Italy if it would help spread the word about the fabulous service you offer.I can’t thank you enough for make my dream-retirement-vacation come true,Alison "

"Dear Amber,I am forwarding the e-mail that I sent to friends upon our return from our wonderful trip to answer your question: What did you see and do while you were there? Then I will give you feedback about the Rome experience that you planned in such details. Jim and I just returned home from our Rome Adventure. What a coincidence that the movie ”To Rome with Love” by Woody Allen was available on the flight to Rome. Trips-2-Italy, a tour company based in Houston planned our tour of Rome which met my expectations. We took in all the sights that I had learned about in Latin I and II---the catacombs, the Appian Way, Roman Aqueduct. Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica was overwhelming. I can hardly fathom that Michelangelo sculpted the Pieta with Mary and Jesus when he was only 24 years old. And according to some critics he believed that the tomb of Pope Julius, which he never completed, was his best work. The focus is Moses. The structure of the Pantheon, the best preserved Roman building, was fascinating. Seeing the Trevi Fountain illuminated at night was mesmermizing. In Miss Morrison’s English II class, I remember memorizing Shakespearean lines such as “And you, too, Brutus?” quoted by Julius Caesar and I was walking over the Roman Forum where this took place—WOW! Finally we wandered thru the Colosseum and it is just that—colossal!We headed to the port to embark the Viking Star, one of cruisings’ most beautiful small ships. I now understand what the Viking brand is and I liked it! We discovered the heritage(It was mindboggling how many countries had ruled each of the islands), culture, history and tasted typical foods of Pompeii, Sicily, Sardinia, Mallorca, Spain, and Valencia, Spain. We learned so much history and marveled at such scenic beauty. We truly experienced Mediterranean Splendors! Ciao. . . AmeliaReview of the Rome experience by Trips2Italy::From the time that your driver met us at the airport and transported us to the Hotel Columbia and picked us up again to take us to the port, your Rome plan did meet our expectations and more as I stated in the e-mail. It was very comforting and secure feeling to have the same driver for all of the transfers. He was very professional, friendly, and desiring of us to have the best experience possible. He was so excited about the big cricket match taking place on Sunday, Feb. 14. That way we learned firsthand how important cricket is in the six countries that were participating in the big match.We were very pleased with our accommodations and service that were so graciously provided by the full staff at Hotel in Rome. They even wrote us a nice note wishing us a nice stay. They would patiently give us directions and answer any questions. We loved going upstairs to the patio for cappuccinos and a snack in the afternoon before heading out to another sight.We loved the walking/eating tour that Thursday night in Trastevere . We learned the history of Rome at the Tiber River. It was a great way to sample many restaurants and the specialty foods that we otherwise would not have had the time to take in. We liked going to the small homegrown restaurants that are still run by the same local families for generations that the Romans choose to eat at. A highlight was Spirito di Vino, which was formerly a Jewish synagogue before the Jewish were sent to live in the Jewish ghetto. Another was Innocenti which had so many mouthwatering biscotti to choose from—an impossible task . Not as many visitors go on the Appian Way, Catacombs, Aqueduct excursion . But I am glad that we did, just for reasons I stated in my e-mail. But I learned so much that made me understand the history of Rome’s commerce and the Christians in Rome. I liked seeing the frescoes, stucco work and graffiti engraved by the Christian worshippers even before the edict given by ConstantineTo see the mighty aqueduct system built by the Romans was amazing. Then to learn that the barbarians destroyed parts of the system to destroy Rome was very informative and mind-boggling.Friday afternoon we visited Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and St. Peter-in-Chains church. To see what Michelangelo considered his greatest work, the tomb of Pope Julius II including the famous statue of Moses was absolutely breathtaking!The highlight for us was the Vatican City Tour City tour. Not having to wait in line, getting started very early, and missing the crowds made for a wonderful experience. The very competent guide who sees educating tourists about The Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica as her passion made this excursion exceptional!Our last tour, Ancient and Old Rome, on Sunday morning before we were to be trasnsfered to the Viking Star, was very informative. We just did not have as much time as we thought we would at The Colosseum and the Roman Forum. It was rushed. Since the security line to get into the Colosseum was so long, we did not have time to actually do the Roman Forum part of the tour.As you can see, we were very pleased with all of the excellent services that Enjoy Rome provided. The guides are well educated, skilled in tour guiding, and passionate about the subject matter. We liked the small bus and walking tours that were more intimate__ as if they were designed just for us. I do not remember the names of our tour guides and driver, but if it is anyway possible, I would like for you to relay our very positive evaluations to their administrative directors for it is the tour guide that really makes a tour successful.Trips2Italy was highly recommended to me and I am highly doing the same to others. I hope to write up this same email as an article and submit it to International Travel News so many more interested travellers will learn about you. Ciao & Grazie,Amelia S. "

"Good Afternoon Maria! I apologize for sending this email so late, but better late than never