The Caves of Castellana from Otranto Port

We fell in love with Italy, the local passion, history, the ease to move around and food / wine / gelato / pastries / espresso!ASSISI – tranquil ; the perfect environment to relax and start our Italian journey. SIENNA – an enchanting bustle of intriguing streets lined with shops and eateries. FLORENCE – the art, architecture (David) and churches are outstanding – the walk up to the viewing area is worth the effort. BOLOGNA – fresh hand made pasta (tortellini) cooked to order in the laneway market was divine. The market stalls packed with fresh produce was great to have an espresso and watch the locals go by their daily routine. PADUA - the botanical garden was a real treat to see water lined garden with quaint bridges. The passion of our guide Mirjam; the energy driven every day was an absolute delight; insightful, encouraging and supportive of our desire to explore; we had a vision to explore back streets and out of tourist area's - of course this comes with some concerns and doubt; Mirjams reassurance to get lost (in a positive manner of course) gave both Tonya and i the courage to embark on our dream to explore where the locals eat, have coffee, pastries and view daily life in Italy; we walked through the most unforgettable back streets with confidence (installed by Mirjam) and enjoyed food and surroundings that surpassed our dreams (including 100’s of memorable photos). Thank you for coordinating a wonderful and memorable journey for both Tonya and i. I will certainly recommend Trips2Italy to all of my friends and family. The information supplied helped piece together an effortless journey in an unknown country for the both of us. regards Rob and Tonya