Trip Reviews
ITALY
planned by Jennifer Virgilio
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This is a much-delayed review but this delay in no way relates to the wonderful trip we had to Italy for a week in April of 2023 and 2024. Jennifer is the consummate planner and I can’t say enough good things about her or her people on the ground. We took our grown children, their wives and husbands plus our grandchildren. In total, we were eight people enjoying our vacation. Because of the varied schedules of all going with us, we had to plan the trip in just 2 months. Her job was not easy but she steered us through the areas we wanted to visit perfectly. Her knowledge of those areas and her associates’ knowledge gave us experiences we will cherish forever.
We are a family of history lovers and Roman history is a favorite. Alesia took us on an amazing trip outside Rome to see and walk the beautiful aqueducts that approach the city. She was also our guide for a walking tour inside Rome to explore many neighborhoods and their history. We walked 9 miles that day! The Vatican is her specialty and we were lucky enough to be able to schedule her for our tour. We are a group consisting of an Anthropologist, Archeologist, Architect, medical professionals, and children. As a very skilled guide, she was able to keep us all involved and interested. No small feat. Our drivers were always on time and professional.
While in the Naples area our guide was Fabrizio Belloni. Again, an amazingly knowledgeable person who was able to appeal to the wide interests of our group. We explored Herculaneum and Villa Poppaea. Both of which we knew would be outstanding but he made it even more so. He also was able to get a friend to open his bakery/gelateria for us one hot afternoon after a long day of visiting ruins. Our experiences were truly once in a lifetime. Ones that Jennifer made happen. Her organization planned and executed our dreams!
Jennifer and her team planned the Italian portion of our vacation this past October. We are still basking in the excitement of Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast and Rome. Our walking tour of Naples was an all-day highlight with an incredible time underground in the Napoli Sotterranea, a 280-mile network of ancient Greek and Roman cityscape. Our tour guide Francesca really made Naples come to life for us. The next day we climbed Mt. Vesuvius, lunched in a winery mid volcano, and spent the afternoon checking out all the new discoveries in Pompeii. For the next week we stayed at the beautiful Hotel Ambasciatori with its amazing perch high above the bay, wonderful amenities and delightful staff. We had a fabulous mix of leisurely hours at the resort and excursions to Capri, Positano, Praiano, Ravello, Salerno, and especially the ancient Greek site of Paestum with its archaeologic wonders. Another highlight Jennifer recommended was the family owned bufala mozzarella “factory” with its unique combination of automated animal husbandry and completely hand-produced cheese products. Fascinating and delicious!
We were back to Rome for the last two days before heading home, and lucky enough to take in a comprehensive exhibit of Botero, one of our favorite painter/sculptors at the Palazzo Bonaparte.
Jennifer and her team made certain even our last few hours in Italy were lasting memories.
P.S. in Positano, visit Ceramiche Casola. You’ll ship home with something for sure.
View from the 10th-century monastery above Piazza Michelangelo, experienced on bike tour.
Our family group of four adults worked with Jennifer and her team to plan a long-awaited trip to take my daughter to see Italy, the land her 91-year-old grandmother immigrated from years ago. In the past we always arranged our own travel. We arrived in Venice on 11/20/2024 for 3 days and were met by our driver at the airport for the drive to the private speedboat ride to our hotel. Right at that point I knew we were going to be happy that we worked thru a WOW planner rather than doing it ourselves. Having the transfer arrangements handled in advance removed a pinch point in personal travel that allowed us to spend every moment enjoying our surroundings and sharing every moment with our family. Without the distractions of finding our way out of a strange airport and thru the hassles of public transportation, the trip started off great.
In Venice we had arranged three private tours. The private gondola ride at dusk, led by a 3-generation gondolieri, was a highlight for us as our guide led us thru the main canals but also the private quiet local canals. He did an excellent job of explaining (in English) what we were seeing but also knew when to be quiet so we could just enjoy the moment. The next day my daughter and her partner really enjoyed the private rowing lesson on a barca and at the end they looked relaxed and confident in their skills. Of course we had a guide to see the highlights of the city (shout out to Alvisi!) along with just enough historical context to make it interesting without making us feel like we were back in school.
Jennifer’s team upgraded us to first class seats on the train to Florence with drivers to the train station and to our hotel in Florence where we stayed for 3 nights. Again each tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable, timely and reliable. The highlight for us was the bike tour through Florence. We are all cyclists on the flat ground and wide sidewalks of our native Michigan, but were nervous to ride through the hilly crowded streets of Florence. Our guide was friendly and skilled at leading us thru the busy streets to Piazza Michelangelo across the Arno on eBikes that made it a breeze to cycle uphill. We had been to the Piazza before, but our guide took us further up the hill to the 10th century monastery above the Piazza for a more stunning view and more importantly without the crowd of people (even in November). We were able to enter the monastery church and it was a unique moment that we would not have found on our own. Also shout out to our guide Veronica, who took us on a walking tour of Florence while a major Marathon was held in the old city, closing off and blocking many streets and adding to the incredible amount of crowding. She had studied the map of the race and managed to walk us to all our destinations while avoiding closures and the majority of the crowds. And by skill or luck got us to clear point next to the race barricades just in time to see the police escorting the lead racer along the route near the finish line!
We took two days to rent a car ourselves and drive to the town of my ancestors and visit with remaining relatives. This part of the trip, not managed by Jennifer, was full of the minor delays and difficulties that we usually experience in traveling ourselves. It made us appreciate our travel planner’s skill at smoothing away the bumps of travel. We found our own way back to Rome and into the hands of our WOW guides and were grateful!
A highlight of our four nights in Rome was the golf cart tour of the city at dusk with Danielle. He was fun, knowledgeable, and really good at showing us parts of the city we had never seen before. Also skilled at finding points in the city that were less crowded but provided perfect spots for pictures.
Finally, on the last day of our trip, 12/1/2024, we went to check in online for our flight (we had made our own flight arrangements thru Delta and their partner KLM) and KLM’s website was down. We spent almost two hours that day on the phone with Delta and KLM customer service representatives trying to assure we would be able to check-in at the airport in time for our 6 am flight the next day. We have experienced times when arriving early at airports for 6 am flights only to find the airport was not yet open that early. We were especially concerned because we expected to find the airport crowded as it was the Monday after Thanksgiving, and it was! In desperation we called Jennifer’s emergency line for help (even though they did not make the flight arrangements) and they came thru for us. Within 1/2 hour they called us back with two options for making sure we made our flight on time. We chose to have one of their airport experts meet us at drop off and help us through the process. We were glad we did as there were crowds and delays for us through security that he helped smooth for us.
We will definitely use WOW’s Jennifer and her company when we travel.
Jennifer always hits a home run. During the busy Alba truffle season she was able to find a great hotel and offer lots of follow up attention. No detail gets overlooked when I book with Jennifer and her boutique agency.
Extra assistance in busy Rome and Venice whisked past the hassles, “worth every penny.”
This was our third trip with Jennifer. The first two were in France and based on the exceptional experience we had with her we asked Jennifer to organize our Rome and Veneto trip. We have been to Italy many times over the past 30 years, so we were looking for ease of travel, unique experiences, and few crowds. Tall order for Rome and Venice/Veneto but Jennifer pulled it off.
We met with Jennifer and Guilia, via Zoom, in January and identified the priorities. Over the next few months and a few more calls we were able to solidify the trip. From the moment we stepped off the plane we were whisked through baggage, immigration, and into our waiting car. That is the peace of mind we needed. Jennifer’s team provided daily texts which helped us with the names, times, and emergency numbers. Great to know you have someone to contact—just in case something goes amiss.
For many years I always wanted to visit the House of Augustus and Livia and Case Romane. The guide took us the back way into the Forum, avoiding crowds and explained in a humorous way the history of early Rome and Augustus. Although I always wanted to visit the Vatican Gardens, Jennifer wisely guided us to the Castel Gandolfo (Pope’s summer palace) with its magnificent and uncrowded Papal Gardens. Seeing the enormous gardens by golf cart was essential—it also allowed us time to walk through the private areas where the Popes meditated. Jennifer also reserved lunch for us at Pagnanelli on Lake Albano. We had a front row view of Lake Albano. The food was amazing. After lunch we toured the neighboring villages and castle. I now understand why the Italians vacation in this area.
Jennifer thought Orvieto would be a good day trip. It was. What a magnificent setting. The guide walked us through the Church with its precursor to the Sistine Chapel. The guide was so amazing he drew a crowd, which he graciously moved away from us. He toured the village with us and took us to another delicious restaurant Jennifer chose for us.
We were staying at the St. Regis Rome, one of our favorite hotels in Rome. We took the train from Rome Termini to Venice Santa Lucia in Executive Class (it costs a bit more but worth every penny). When Jennifer suggested we book a private car and baggage handling, the price seemed a bit expensive. The St. Regis Rome is only 5 minutes from Termini station. But when we arrived at the train station, we understood why it cost some extra money—Termini is crazy busy! And we really did need all that assistance. It was worth every penny.
Venice—our dream come true. Again, we and our luggage were escorted off the train to the water taxi to the Gritti Palace. No stress—just ease and comfort. Our goal in Venice and the Veneto area was to see the area from multiple perspectives and eat. Jennifer selected Sara as our guide. When the concierge at the Gritti Palace told us she was an incredible guide, we knew Jennifer put us with the best person for this trip. The View from the Top (St. Marks Bell Tower, Fondaco dei Tedeschi and San Giorgio Bell Tower) was the perfect way to see Venice and the surrounding islands.
We toured Venice with a side trip to the Aman Hotel—Sara used to work there so we had an insider story. We met the Count whose family owns the Aman villa—only Jennifer could pull that off. The visit to the outer Lagoon islands (Burano, Torcello and San Francesco del Deserto) gave us a good understanding of the history of Venice. The Palladian tour of La Rotonda was so magnificent it was difficult to take all the beauty in—and it is privately owned. Padua, the Scrovegni Chapel, and the Arqua Petrarca gave us a lesson of the power of Venetian families and how they used it to create beauty and knowledge.
Who doesn’t love Verona? What a city. So full of life and young people. And Amarone wine. Jennifer selected all of the restaurants, and the food was delicious—never had to decide where to go to get an outstanding meal.
We ended the trip with the car service and Meet/Greet. Worth every penny.
We cannot wait to plan our fourth trip with Jennifer and her team. Perfect planning. Perfect trip.
We recently returned from an incredible journey through much of the southern half of France and northern region of Italy. Jennifer and her team helped us plan a a truly unforgettable 3-week trip that highlighted some of the best wine regions in both countries, along with a great deal of historical sites. We began in Bordeaux at the beautiful Les Sources de Caudalie. Apparently the spring had brought an overabundance of rain which translated into very green and healthy landscapes wherever we went, an unexpected bonus!
Jennifer helped us plan an itinerary that covered the Left Bank and Right Bank regions of Bordeaux with a highlight on St. Emilion, a beautiful medieval town. Next, Jennifer encouraged us to visit the medieval village of Carcassone. We were so happy she did! It is the largest and most heavily fortified medieval village in Europe—very impressive! We also visited Montpellier and the lovely Camargue region known for their indigenous white horses and pink salt, staying at the gorgeous Domaine du Verchant. Our next stop was Provence, including stays at two truly lovely but different hotels, Villa La Coste and La Bastide de Gordes, once again thanks to Jennifer’s encouragement. We enjoyed a lovely and delicious picnic in the forest overlooking an ancient bridge hosted by a burgeoning young chef/farmer, as well as a very interesting tour of the asylum where Van Gogh spent many years of his life.
From Provence, we drove through the beautiful French Alps into the Barolo/Barbaresco region and stayed at the stunning Casa di Langa. We spent our time there discovering the wines of the region among the green verdant hills. Our final stop at Lake Maggiore and Villa Aminta was truly magical! The lake is every bit as beautiful as Lake Como but so much less crowded! The highlight was our day spent on a private boat touring both Isola Madre and Isola Bella. Each island boasted the most amazing private homes (more like museums!) built by the Borromeo family. Each was so incredibly beautiful and well preserved and were surrounded by gorgeous gardens.
Each of the hotels that Jennifer helped us find was unique, luxurious, and welcoming. The restaurants she helped us choose were outstanding! Our drivers and guides were some of the very best we have ever had the pleasure of using. We couldn’t have created the same experience without the help of Jennifer and her dedicated team!
Our two-week trip to Italy during the month of October was absolutely incredible. Jennifer’s company planned this trip for us with flawless detail—arranging transportation, car and train, porter services, hotels, cooking classes, and tour guides. The hotels in Rome, Florence and Venice were all five-star facilities and superbly located near shopping, site seeing and restaurants.
Our stay at Castillo Banfi in Tuscany was one of our favorites with wonderful views of the wine county and delicious meals and drink. Venice was another favorite with gondola rides and a tour of the glass factory. We also traveled south to the Amalfi Coast, Positano and Ravello, where the views were absolutely spectacular. Our tour guides were all very knowledgeable and so personable and attentive to our needs. This trip encompassed many destinations throughout Italy and it was amazing to see how superior the planning and execution of the logistics were handled. Great trip—many thanks.
Jennifer planned a masterpiece of a trip for my husband and me in southern Italy. We started in Naples and loved every minute of it. We had guides who led us through the city and then to Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius. Both Pompeii and Vesuvius were incredible. We were so glad we didn’t miss these important sites. We also loved Naples! The food was out of this world and the people are warm and welcoming. We toured several churches, but the showstopper was Sansevero Chapel and seeing the Veiled Christ, sculpted by Giuseppe Sanmartino. I am still wondering why I had never heard of this artist before? Our drivers were all pros navigating the chaos of Neopolitan driving and gave us brilliant tips for navigating Naples.
We then ferried to Capri and spent three days. The highlight of our time in Capri was a cooking class with Sabina, owner of Columbus Restaurant in Anacapri, and her 80-year-old aunt, Rosa. They taught us how to make ravioli and Rosa taught us when it is appropriate to say, “Mama Mia,” which is basically all of the time. We thought it could not get better and then Sabina and her husband served us the most incredible lunch. We lost count of the courses. Everything was locally sourced and much of it grown on their farm—all I can say is, “Mama Mia!”
Jennifer arranged a private boat tour of Capri and that was our ticket to Positano. On our way to Positano we docked in Nerano and were shuttled to a delicious restaurant called Maria Grazia. The seafood was incredible and we felt like we were visiting a smaller, quieter Italy.
We spent a few days in Positano and it was bustling and very touristy, and if you haven’t been to the Amalfi coast it is a must-see. However, for us the jewel in the Amalfi crown is Ravello. We loved the small town with its lovely villas and drop-dead views in every direction. In the evenings the piazza was buzzing, but in a pleasant not overbearing way. Our hotel, Palazzo Avino, didn’t have the largest room we visited during our trip, but our balcony views were absolutely incredible as well as the lovely historic hotel and everyone who worked there.
Our vacation went off without a hitch, however our flight leaving Rome to the U.S. was changed to an hour earlier and I didn’t notice the change until the day before we were leaving. I texted Jennifer’s staff and they were able to make arrangements for our driver to pick us up earlier. We were so happy and relieved to have that sort of back up. We never had to worry about a thing!
Our planner’s company was great—knowledgeable, responsive, polite. Our guides and drivers were top-notch. Communication was terrific: every evening they texted details for following days itinerary. Hotels were beautiful and room choices just right. Everything went smoothly, and we never had to worry about details. Highly recommend.
We traveled to the Italian Lakes and Milan in late September and used Jennifer to help us plan our trip. She suggested very nice hotels and the tours of Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Orta that she arranged were very enjoyable, though extremely pricey. We loved the guides who shared their knowledge with us on all three of the boat tours we took. We rented a car and drove ourselves from lake to lake. We had a special experience in the Lake Orta area when we had lunch at the Villa Crespi, a three Michelin star restaurant, suggested by Jennifer. What an experience! Apparently the chef, who we met after lunch, is one of the best known chefs in all of Italy. We’ll never forget that meal.
This was our third trip using WOW List member Jennifer and her team. They expertly handled all our dining reservations which took the away the burden of finding a relaxing, high-quality meal once on the ground. Guy Savoy in Paris was an amazing Wedding Anniversary celebration. Their arranged arrival service through customs in Paris we will use again…it was our first time and what a difference!
Jennifer’s company developed an outstanding schedule for our time in Italy taking into consideration our desired pace of activity and things to see. Our time in Bologna tasting all the wonderful foods of Italy was a highlight! We would not have found Forte dei Marmi on our own and it was a perfect fit for our desire to end our time on the coast.
My sister and I were really happy with our May 2024 trip to Milan/Lake Como. This was our second mother/daughters’ trip organized by Jennifer. The first was Paris 2022—we were so impressed with the activities and services provided by Jennifer that we did not hesitate to call her for Milan and Lake Como. Again Jennifer came through with great choices on hotels, activities, and also provided us with the most professional and friendly drivers and guides. We loved our hotel in Menaggio with its classic building filled with modern furnishings and amenities. It had a world-class spa, delicious breakfast spread, incredible mountain and lake views, and the most helpful staff! Other highlights were the private lake tour on a beautiful boat, and the private pasta-making class with a noted chef on a rooftop kitchen with amazing lake views. We also loved our local guide, Beatrice, so knowledgeable and so warm. The value of going with a local “fixer” means that when your flight is delayed over 24 hrs (yes, it happened and we were not happy) you only need to contact one person so that they can rearrange the airport pickup, the excursion that was pre-booked, so that you don’t pay a penalty or miss out on something you looked forward to.
This was our second trip with Jennifer and team, the first one to France and the second to Italy. As with the first, the entire trip went smoothly from start to finish. The facilitators, guides and on-call team were super friendly and helpful. Capri and the Amalfi coast are fantastic, and Pompei an important and super convenient stop. Their hotel, restaurant and excursion advice was great.
Zack and Renee Koch had a vessel all to themselves for touring the Amalfi Coast and Capri.
I just recently returned from Italy with my son. I can tell you, without hesitation, it was the most incredible trip I have ever been on. I’ve been to Europe multiple times over the years, but never under the skillful guidance of Jennifer and her team. Every guide, driver and greeter was so proud to be a member of her team, and what a memory they all created for us!
We arrived in Rome and were whisked through the airport by our first of many fabulous greeters. We spent the next four days in Rome touring the Vatican, Borghese Gallery, Colosseum, Roman Forum and all the wonderful historic sights and museums in Rome with the most incredible guides I have ever experienced. Our favorite excursion in Rome was the Golf Cart tour — it was lots of fun and we got a chance to see many things in a short period of time.
Next we were off to Venice. We were greeted by our private taxi boat upon leaving the train station and off to our next adventure exploring Venice with a canal tour and tour of St. Marks, Doge Palace and the Rialto area. My favorite experience in Venice was the day spent in Murano and Burano. We went on a private glass-blowing tour in Murano that was amazing! Lunch and shopping in Burano topped off the day. We had our own boat and guide so we spent as much time as we wanted looking at all the beautiful glass and exploring the islands.
Florence was our next destination and the apartment on the Arno River Jennifer and her team found, was my favorite. It was so beautiful and you definitely felt like you were in Italy! My favorite restaurant was also in Florence — Osteria delle Tre Panche Centro — food, service, ambiance, everything about it was spectacular. We spent Mother’s Day cooking in Tuscany and dining in San Gimignano. The private cooking class was my favorite excursion of our entire trip to Italy. The private home in the mountains was beautiful, the food we made was amazing and I adored our private chef. I would recommend it to anyone going to Florence or Tuscany and the fact that it was Mother’s Day made it even more special.
Our final destination was Positano and the Villa Boheme (great service and breathtaking view from our balcony). We went on a private boat tour in Positano that I would recommend to everyone — loved Amalfi Coast and Capri and adored our captain — he was so much fun, the day went too quickly! Our last excursion was Pompeii — perfect amount of time there with the perfect guide. We headed back to Rome and spent the night close to the airport at QC Terme Roma, which I highly recommend to anyone wanting to enjoy their last night in Rome and be close to the airport.
Everyone always tells you they had the vacation of a lifetime. Thanks to Jennifer and her wonderful team, this truly was and I got to spend it with my oldest son, which also made it unforgettable.
We had a wonderful trip to Italy that was planned with the help of Jennifer Virgilio and her team. We had been to central Italy but had never been to Milan and Lake Como and wanted to end up in Capri, where we had honeymooned decades ago. Jennifer suggested that we visit the Bologna region as we traveled south through the country, which was such a wonderful suggestion!
In Milan, Jennifer suggested a very nice, centrally located hotel that allowed us to explore all aspects of this wonderful city easily and connected us to a fabulous tour guide who showed us the major sights. The top of the list of restaurant recommendations we were provided resulted in one of our favorite meals during our trip!
In Lake Como, Jennifer and her team helped us to not only find reservations at a wonderful hotel on the lake, but they also connected us to an English-speaking captain that provided a delightful half-day tour of the lake with stops in beautiful gardens and towns along the lake.
In the food-centric Bologna region, she arranged private tours of artisanal parmesan cheese and balsamic makers who not only taught us about how their products were made but helped us to appreciate the distinctions and qualities of each. We also had a private tour of the Ferrari Museum, and as we approached it, had the unique opportunity to see and (hear!) some of the Ferrari Formula 1 cars roaring around a nearby test track! Even our driver had never seen this despite his years of coming to the Museum!
The help of an insightful travel planner meant that we had seamless logistics throughout our trip with a combination of private drivers and tickets on the high-speed train. Each evening the team texted us regarding the plan for the next day and confirmed the timing, which we truly appreciated. This also helped to incorporate any small changes that were recommended by the local team based on their knowledge of the area. We truly cannot emphasize enough how nice it was to have the usual travel logistics and planning handled and managed for us, which meant that the trip was truly relaxing and hassle-free!
The tours set up by Jennifer’s team for my daughter and friend were the highlights of their trip. Especially the motorcycle tour of Florence, it was perfect.
Jennifer created a wonderful family vacation for us for our first visit to Puglia. The villa and its staff were perfect — our chef created the most inviting and delicious breakfasts. Nearby Ostuni was charming and we had several great meals at local restaurants. Lecce unfolded for us with a great local guide — the beautiful baroque church, traditional and new paper mache art, weaving and a unique private palace visit. Unforgettable family time.
Our trip was around Sicily in conjunction with a wedding. Very well executed, travel and logistics were flawless. When my wife took ill, Jennifer’s colleague Luna and her team had a physician at the hotel almost immediately. Loved the nightly text messages. Mt. Etna tour was a must see / do. Drivers / transfers were excellent. Would definitely use Jennifer again.
Disappointed with the dirt of Sicily…nothing to do with our travel experts, but for a modest sum the entire region of Sicily, especially Palermo, should clean up the streets…just no need for garbage in every corner and weeds that were waist high on the sidewalks.
We had an amazing Italy trip (included wedding and honeymoon), all coordinated by Jennifer Virgilio. Our amazing experience started on May 31 and ended June 15. We had a large group (18 people) all traveling from various points in the US. Jennifer’s office arranged everything so travel from airport to destination was seamless and easy. We had a few requirements / interests for our trip: 1) we wanted a villa in Tuscany for a week and where we could get married, 2) we are culinary enthusiasts and wanted to shop at local markets and prepare our own meals at the villa; 3) we wanted a fabulous, turnkey wedding day/experience; and 4) we wanted some excursions/day trips that highlighted the culture and warmth of Italy. All of our wishes were met, and exceeded. We highly recommend Jennifer’s team and will use them again when travelling to Italy. Great memories.
We spent a week at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como and it was, in a word, fabulous. The hotel and its surroundings were beautiful. The staff, service, food and accommodations were outstanding. From the breakfast buffet to dinner in the formal dining room everything was prepared to our specifications and needs—similar to what you would find on many cruises but less common at hotel restaurants. We did two day-long excursions, one a boat on the lake and the other a car trip to Lugano, Switzerland. Our guide was great, very knowledgeable about local and European history. Interesting perspectives on the area and its relation to current political situation as well as historical issues. The rest of the time was spent relaxing at the hotel and using its spa facilities, but our agent offered us many more day trips if we had wanted to do them.
Marsha Friedli said the fog during her Valentine’s Day gondola ride made Venice “beautiful and evocative.”
WOW! A foggy gondola ride with guitar player and singer (part of our WOW Moment) was our introduction to Italy, specifically Venice, on Valentine’s Day. Around every turn, under every bridge, were sites to behold and cause wonder. The heavy fog made Venice so beautiful and evocative. We stayed at the Sina Palazzo Sant’Angelo Venice Hotel on the Grand Canal. Our room balcony was a perfect location to watch the water traffic comings and goings of daily life in Venice.
Another part of our WOW Moment was visiting the 1499 textile weaver, Tessitura Bevilacqua! My background is in textile & clothing so I was extremely surprised and pleased to experience this working factory/museum. Seeing the weavers work and delighting in their skill with the looms. Their patience with me and my many questions! Alviza was our most wonderful and insightful guide here in Venice.
From Venice we went to Rome via the high speed train—fantastic way to travel! Arrived at the Rome train station where our escort and driver were waiting. So glad Jennifer arranged this as we would not have had an easy time with all the construction closures.
Our hotel for the next 6 nights was Martius Private Suites, just steps from the Pantheon. This was the perfect location as we walked to/from most of our touring sites and wonderful restaurants. We did take a taxi to the Colosseum as we had an early morning start time. Our guide in Rome was Massimo—fantastic (as were all of our guides)! What can we say—words cannot do justice to the art we viewed. From the Vatican to Borghese Gallery, from ancient to modern-day interpretations—magnificent! And our guides provided insight and details that cannot be garnered from a book or classroom lecture.
Jennifer and her team made dinner arrangements for us and they were spot-on! Not too fancy, where we had to be concerned about proper dress after a day of walking and site-seeing. Just very good food and service!
A very fun happening was taking a golf-cart tour in Rome! Just a fun way to scoot around and visit some of the sites! We visited the Trevi fountain during its cleaning session. The size is enormous and with it filled with water you don’t really get the scale of the fountain.
Our driver dropped us off at a private Art Restoration experience that Jennifer and her team arranged for us. This was a truly wonderful experience for me to actually see and watch a 15th-century artwork being restored. This was a private experience and we were able to ask as many questions as we wanted and get up close to the work being restored and yes, take pictures! This experience helped me to appreciate the art even more during our visit. Without Jennifer and her contacts we would not have had this truly memorable experience.
And who can go to Italy without enjoying a food tour! We really enjoyed our walking tour and sharing bites of meat and cheese and of course a little wine pairing as well. We had pasta carbonara—delicious! Later after we returned home our guide was able to garner the recipe for me!
This was a trip of a lifetime in that we had so many memorable experiences. Our tour of the Jewish Ghetto and the beautiful synagogue with our wonderful guide was one of them. Visiting the daily markets and enjoying fried artichokes—yum!!!
Another day we took the high-speed train to Pompeii. I had read many books/articles about this tragic and historic place. Our guide brought life to Pompeii/Herculaneum and we could visualize daily life.
Thank you Wendy for putting us in contact with Jennifer and her excellent team of guides. Her options of experiences and her thoughtful guides made this truly memorable.
Our trip to Zurich and Italy (Lake Como, Venice, Rome and Sorrento) from April 10-22 for our honeymoon was outstanding! Jennifer’s office was extremely supportive throughout the trip when we inevitably had some questions, and worked with us to remedy any issues quickly. Jennifer was great throughout the whole process and gave us options throughout planning the trip to make sure our trip was truly everything we wanted. We highly recommend the tours as it really does help you get the most out of your trip.
A few highlights from our trip that I would suggest you don’t miss out on: Lake Como (make sure you do a private boat tour!), Pompeii, and walking around each city either early in the morning or late at night when it’s less crowded and you can enjoy the history. For anyone wondering if they can book this all on their own…it was well worth the time and money to work with Jennifer and her team to book the excursions and give us recommendations. There is no way that we would have found any of these places on our own. We were able to relax and fully enjoy the trip knowing that our tour guides, excursions and even restaurant recommendations were well vetted beforehand. Vacations are never perfect and will always have a level of unpredictability and having someone to contact and answer questions and work through any issues really made all the difference throughout our trip. This will definitely be a trip we talk about for the rest of our lives!
Sarah Cohen with her husband and their guide, Alvise, in Venice.
We just returned from a two-week trip to Italy. We travelled March 21 – APRIL 4, 2024. We visited Venice, Tuscany, Florence & Rome. Jennifer Virgilio planned our vacation. I CANNOT recommend Jennifer enough! She was AMAZING. I worked with Jennifer from the beginning to lay out the best way to visit the different cities (ie: in what order would we go to the cities). Jennifer was pivotal in planning the schedule of our trip, especially when we needed to work around Easter in Rome! We met via Zoom on several occasions to pick out hotels, restaurants and excursions. Choosing hotels and restaurants was a large part of our trip and Jennifer did a great job. I always felt that she made my trip her first priority; it was a comforting feeling! Jennifer’s team texted us the night before each new day to lay out WHEN we would meet our driver, WHO that driver would be and WHAT we would be doing for the day. It felt like someone was with us to support us along the entire trip! One day when rain affected our excursion, Jennifer’s team was on the phone with us to discuss options. This small aspect of Jennifer’s trip planning was instrumental to us having the trip of a lifetime!
In addition to Jennifer’s trip planning, the level of guides she used was phenomenal. We had Alvise in Venice who escorted us to our gondola ride, spent the day with us on a land and sea tour of Venice and gave us endless suggestions for shopping and sightseeing on our own. He was very knowledgeable about all things Venice and knew exactly the speed in which we wanted information, or just needed to absorb the sights! I would NOT have wanted to visit Venice with Alvise as our guide. As we travelled to Tuscany, our driver, Simone, was awesome. We had Simone for several excursions and our trip on to Florence. He was also knowledgeable and it felt nice to have the same driver for the entirety of our trip in Tuscany.
Once in Venice, we had Veronica as our tour guide. Veronica has a degree in art history and it felt like we were students in her class as she shared her wealth of knowledge with us. We could’ve listened to her for hours. She kept a good pace and knew when it was too much information — Florence obviously has ENDLESS treasures to share. Veronica took us to trusted leather makers and jewelers with handmade craftsmanship and honest pricing. She also gave us her cell number to ask other questions while we were in Florence. We asked her about a few areas we wanted to visit and also some stores we wanted to see if she felt they were “valid.” We spent two days with Veronica at The Florence Orientation and Paper workshop and could’ve spent several more with her! She was excellent.
Finally, we had Salvatore as our guide in Rome. We did the Ancient Rome Experience and the Vatican tour with Salvatore. Salvatore was very knowledgeable and kept a perfect pace for us. He offered to extend our tours to other areas he wanted us to see in Rome. It was above and beyond his job. He also gave us wonderful advice about places to eat lunch and other areas of the city to visit on our own. All three guides spoke excellent English and were the top guides in the city. It was surprising they all knew each other and spoke highly of Jennifer and Wendy Perrin. We truly felt we had the best guides possible in each city planned by Jennifer.
I have already recommended Jennifer and Wendy Perrin to several friends traveling to Italy. I only wish I could have Jennifer plan every one of our trips. She was INCREDIBLE.
My husband and I spent time in Italy right after the New Year and Jennifer’s office assisted us with the Milan portion of our itinerary. We have used Jennifer and her team on three other trips—and every trip has been wonderful. En route to Milan we stoppped for a tasting and lunch in Franciacorta which was an enjoyable way to break up the transport. Once in Milan, our guide Fedra showed us Milan and really brought the history and nuance of this amazing city to life—we had a great time on the roof of the Duomo and later walking around the fashion district learning about the hidden courtyards behind all the luxury storefronts. Another day was spent at the extensive collections of Pinocoteca Ambrosiana and studying a full-scale fresco cartoon of Raphael’s The School of Athens and many of da Vinci’s original sketches of inventions and war machines.
Fedra’s breadth of knowledge was exceptional and she really filled in some “holes” we had with respect to Milan’s important role in Italian history, the rise of Christianity coinciding with the fall of the Roman Empire and unification. We used several of Jennifer’s restaurant suggestions and they were all lovely. Thank you to her team for another fantastic trip!
Our trip was fantastic! Everything we had hoped for and more. There were six of us: me, my husband, our three children (15, 13, 10), and my mom. We decided to make Rome our home base and take day trips and excursions from there. It was a lovely time to be in Rome because, while still busy, it was not anything like what we would have experienced in the summer months. The weather was perfectly moderate for walking around, betwee 55-60 most days. Spending so much time in Rome allowed to us to venture beyond the main tourist attractions and really get a feel for the city and its history. Jennifer and her team listened so closely to what our interests were and how we wanted to divide up the trip between time in and outside of Rome. They developed the perfect itinerary, even paying attention to timing of morning excursions so as not to start too early after a late night.
While we enjoyed all of our excursions, the ones we enjoyed most were not the main tourist attractions. Collectively, we all loved the cooking classes: one a pizza and gelato class and the other a pasta and tiramisu class. Perfect for all six of us! Our other favorite excursions were Pompeii, Villa Adriana on the way to Tivoli and our day spent in the Jewish neighborhood and former Jewish ghetto. I was extremely pleased that Jennifer’s team only works with Jewish guides in the Jewish neighborhood. I think that is a very important detail. Having all private tours made it easy to adapt tour and timing to all of our needs, which is particularly helpful with three kids/teens. The only excursion that I did not enjoy, though my family did very much, was the catacombs. I did not have a good understanding of what that would entail and found myself too claustrophobic and frightened to continue after we had started. I would have liked a more clear explanation of how deep underground we were going and how narrow the passages would be. I would have sat that one out.
Timing worked out that on our day trip to Florence we were able to attend a football match. That was wild! My husband and oldest son are HUGE sports fans. Even though the rest of us are not as much, it was still really terrific to be part of an event that is so important to European culture.
Jennifer and her team added tremendous value to the trip. We all agreed that our tour guides were a highlight of our trip. I am so grateful we used her team to arrange the tour because the guides were truly spectacular—so knowledgable, tremendously kind, and very patient with the various needs and personalities of our family. In searching online, there are so many options for tours. It would have been a total gamble as to who we ended up with had we not had Jennifer and her team. It was also helpful and comforting to have people in Italy that we knew we could contact 24 hours a day if we needed any assistance. I would happily use Jennifer’s team to plan another trip.
My wife and I had planned a trip to the French Open in Paris that we had arranged; we were stopping first in Rome for a few days. We were seeing Bruce Springsteen there but needed help planning other activities. We contacted Jennifer, who was tremendously attentive, responsive, and helpful, especially considering we were not using her for most of what we were doing. She was able to arrange two fantastic private tours: one all-day tour of Rome in a golf cart and also a multi-hour tour of Vatican City. Both tour guides and tours were fantastic. I also was looking to upgrade my Springsteen tickets and she was able to offer VIP tickets to this long sold-out event. Jennifer was also available to answer any general questions about Rome and also provided info for my Paris trip. Because of the first-class treatment she provided I am compelled to always check to see what a WOW representative can provide for other trips.
After committing to a private cruise through the Amalfi Coast, we knew we wanted to spend some time in Rome and Florence and then in Malta before our yacht departed from Valletta. Somehow, I became the default travel planner for our group of six. We had already booked hotel rooms when I became overwhelmed and contacted Wendy for help. She connected me with Jennifer for Rome and Florence and with Jason for the day-and-a-half that we had in Malta. Both experiences were exceptional and I would highly recommend Jennifer and Jason for travelers to those regions.
Jennifer and Jason were easy to work with and great at suggesting itineraries for our group of mixed interests and experiences in Italy and Malta. Some of the highlights of our time in Italy, planned by Jennifer, included our Sunset Food Tour in Florence, which was the perfect way to combat jet lag. Our guide, Leo, a lifelong resident of Florence, took us to some of his favorite places. We were able to walk around the beautiful city, eat some great food and stay awake until an appropriate bedtime hour. On our drive back to Rome from Florence, Jennifer suggested stopping in Orvieto, which we never would have done on our own. It was a charming town filled with a variety of shops and local artisans, all of whom were some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. We were only there two hours and wished that we had more time.
Once in Rome, knowing that one of our travelers is an artist, Jennifer arranged a fascinating Bernini vs. Borromini walking tour followed by a meeting with an art restorer. She took us to a small church to see a Caravaggio painting that she had restored and then back to her restoration lab where we met her colleagues who walked us through the process of rejuvenating some iconic artworks.
My husband and I had an amazing trip to Italy in January! We worked with Jennifer Virgilio to plan our trip. She was absolutely wonderful to work with. She was so nice and had everything so well planned out, it was one of the most stress-free and special trips we have taken.
We spent two weeks in Italy (January 11th thru the 24th), splitting our time in Florence, Milan and Rome. We specifically chose January because the crowds would be less and they were. It was the perfect time to go for us. Not hot or crowded.
We had wonderful guides in each city. Some of our highlights were the Uffizi and the Academia in Florence. The Duomo of Milan, which we toured from the outside on top as well as the inside of this beautiful gothic cathedral, and seeing the Last Supper in Milan. The Vatican tour and the Borghese Gallery tour in Rome.
We also really enjoyed a day trip to Pompeii, followed by a special winery tour and lunch at the Cantina del Vesuvius Winery on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius.
My husband and I had an absolutely amazing and special trip due to Jennifer’s wonderful planning! This was the first trip where I did not worry about anything.
She gave us ideas of things to see we were not aware of, such as touring the outside of the cathedral in Milan from the top. Touring the Borghese Gallery in Rome. Lunch at the special winery on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius, near Pompeii, and touring a private museum in Florence where we saw original drawings by Leonardo da Vinci and the cartoon by Raphael he did for the School of Athens painting.
We will definitely be using Jennifer again if going back to Italy or another area of her expertise. Otherwise, we will be seeking out another travel expert from Wendy’s List.
We were so happy with Jennifer’s arrangements! The trip from Florence to Rome with stop at Siena and San Gimignano were perfect last-day addition. Driver Brando was safe, fast. Our guide in Florence for Duomo was so great! So was the one in Siena! Wendy Perrin experiences are always pricey, but really help you get so much value from your trip. Way more action and information. Thanks for helping us arrange the trip!
Amy Eden and Jim Weinrebe enjoy cannolis in Florence.
For our first trip to Italy, we were blessed by tips from foodie-friends who know its culinary scene along with a referral to Wendy Perrin’s WOW Lister, Jennifer Frusci Virgilio. Her team’s comprehensive familiarity with Italy, 24/7 remote connectivity and amazing network of local native guides hand-picked for our needs enabled a magical two-week adventure.
We targeted the beginning of October for our trip and began collaborating with Jennifer months in advance. After selecting Venice, Florence, Sienna and Rome as destinations, we brainstormed hotels. We wanted a boutique vibe, historical flavor, distinctive neighborhood or country setting, cozy lounge areas, and room accommodations with ample comfort and a great outdoors view. Going out for special dinners was a top priority for us but we knew our days would be activity-filled, so we only required hotels to offer a high-quality, on-site breakfast. After finding and reserving preferred hotels and specific rooms in each city, we shaped a bespoke schedule of activities. We knew our guides would facilitate daytime activities but built in the flexibility to explore on our own.
Arriving in Venice, our hotel research instantly paid off big-time at the Nani Mocenigo Palace. Located in the charming, colorful district of Dorsoduro, “Nani” is young but built inside an ancient gothic palace. The hotel brims with history and modern conveniences, adorned with antique furniture, artwork and Murano chandeliers. Our presidential suite oozed both comfort and “royalty” with a spectacular terrace view of the Ponte dell’ Accademia spanning the Grand Canal. The breakfast array in Nani’s beautifully appointed dining room was both delicious and visually stunning.
Each hotel had its own unique personality, service array, architectural style and outdoor surroundings. At Hotel Lungarno in downtown Florence, the terrace at our top-floor suite offered a dazzling view of the spectacular Ponte Vecchio bridge. In the San Felice countryside outside Siena, the Borgo Resort exuded a getaway aura and nestled alongside their vineyards.
Our culinary experiences throughout were all we could have hoped for. We always took care to visit restaurants whose cuisine reflected the unique resources of its region. Michelin-star recipients were on our “hit list,” but we were also wisely steered to “under the radar” gems cherished by locals outside the tourist mainstream. In fact, our first dinner in downtown Venice was at “The Local” and it was a stunner. Each offering of the nine-course feast was a colorful, culinary masterpiece, beautifully plated with a card explaining its preparation and ingredients. At the Borgo Resort, we dined at their Michelin-star restaurant Il Poggio Rosso, explored their farm and toured the wine cellar followed by a tasting class complete with delicious charcuterie.
Exploring the food of Italy went far beyond restaurants. We visited visually enticing meat and fish markets, cheese stores to die for and specialty purveyors of mouth-watering street food. The markets and food court at the Mercato in Florence were a remarkable sight, the vast array of stalls jolting us with their colorful displays and tempting aromas. On one special day we rendezvoused for a cooking class with “Chef Barbara,” who drove us to her beautiful farm home perched high atop the hills of Tuscany. With Barbara’s expert guidance, we helped prepare a multi-course dinner from scratch, all the while honing pasta dough technique, crafting biscotti and gaining insights about the selection and use of oil and vinegar. When the early evening sky settled in, Barbara seated us outdoors at a table surrounded by trees and garden foliage, bringing us course after course as we sipped wine surrounded by the breathtaking view.
We were wowed by a different kind of foodie day in Siena, where an infectiously funny guide named Jada drove us into the country to rendezvous with expert truffle-hunter Elise and her trained dog Luna. We had a blast hiking with Luna as she sniffed and searched the gorgeous forest surroundings. Truffle season was nearing its end, but tenacious Luna eventually delivered the goodies. Then, on to a wine cellar tour at Tenuta Casanova, where we were delighted by a delicious surprise lunch prepared with the truffles from our hunt.
We complemented food excursions with visits to ancient historical sites, architectural wonders, art masterpiece collections and unique craft demonstrations. These included the “David” in Florence, the Church of Saint Felice, the Piazza del Campo in Siena, the Murano glassworks, the Vatican, the Capuchin Crypt Museum and Roman Coliseum. During dinners and evening strolls, we had so much fun recounting the special moments of each day.
Our months of detailed planning for this trip would have been for naught without equally superb execution, and in that regard Jennifer’s office also hit it out of the ballpark. The “Secret Sauce” is their special “faculty” of local guides. They were familiar with our special interests, great communicators, amazingly knowledgeable about their region’s history and blessed with the street smarts of true native locals. For example, every guide was well connected with the merchants and gatekeepers. We were frequently whisked past hordes of lengthy tourist lines at major attractions, or into specialty cafes for private food and wine tastings. Each knew when to serve as guides, and when to let us explore on our own.
We instantly enjoyed a warm, companionship rapport with every one of our guides. Alvis introduced us to the magic and history of Venice, boated us to the amazing private glassworks demonstration on Murano and showed us the unique color of the other islands. Leonardo and his brother Tomasso grew up in Florence and exuded familial warmth while helping us explore its nooks and crannies in addition to the well-known sights. Flo gave us a wonderful walking tour of Siena where we learned about the city and its history while residents and shopkeepers prepared for the storied annual Palio di Siena horse race. Mossimo insightfully shared the amazing sights of Rome, seamlessly handing us off to Val for a culinary excursion that featured a food market tour, a street food snack of delicious “Suppli,” and Cacio e Peppe for dinner at a neighborhood restaurant renowned for this specialty. Raffaele took us on a fantastic whirlwind golf cart tour of Rome, enabling us to appreciate the broader landscape of this great city. Everything ran like clockwork on our trip with support based both “on the ground” in Italy and from afar with Jennifer’s oversight team. Our guides were unfailingly prompt. Hotel and restaurant bookings were hiccup-free. Expert hosts for special demonstrations were waiting for us. Each day we received early evening texts recapping key details about the next day’s schedule. Responsiveness to our own calls and texts with any questions or needs were immediate. At every major location segue, “on the ground” greeters appeared like magic to assist with luggage, transportation and point-to-point guidance.
We miss Italy but our trip endures with so many memories and photos. Imagine our excitement two months later when UPS delivered the beautiful Murano glassworks and specialty oils and vinegar that we had purchased. The opportunity to adorn our walls and prepare meals with these items is a daily reminder of our special journey.
Grazie to all for making this happen!!!
Melissa Kass and her husband and daughter outside the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como.
Jennifer Virgilio and her team provided an incredibly thoughtful itinerary for my husband, our daughter, and me as we decided (fairly last-minute) to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and her college graduation, respectively, with a two-week trip to Italy.
The team worked around the clock (literally — since we are located in the US and they are based in the UK) to curate an efficient, yet special, experience for us; arranging dinner reservations at beautiful restaurants, scheduling perfectly tailored tours of museums, churches, and monuments, and booking luxurious transportation to maximize our time. Each evening we received a thoughtful text from a member of Jennifer’s team summarizing the next day’s adventure with contact information for our guides and drivers. It never failed to make us feel well cared for — allowing us the luxury of simply being in the moment since there was no need to manage our plans. Each local contractor we were placed with was extremely knowledgeable, considerate, flexible, and professional; we relished their personal interpretations of the various exhibits, events, and culture in the areas we were visiting.
One of the best features of this travel service — in my opinion — is the VIP treatment we received on our actual travel days. For example, on our final day in Italy, we flew out of Milan. Jennifer’s specialist, Renata, greeted us at the airport, whisked us through security and customs (invaluably assisting with our tax returns and thus avoiding the long queues), and escorted us to our gate with plenty of time to spare for a last-chance indulgence of delicious Italian pastries and coffees. It was the perfect, stress-free way to end our trip.
I can’t say enough about the impeccable service of Jennifer’s team. We will certainly rely upon them again for any/all upcoming travel! 10/10
My husband and I worked with Jennifer to plan our first trip to Italy — fifteen days in October, staying in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan. Working with Jennifer from The WOW List was the best decision I made in planning our trip. She, and her support team, are exceptional. She had multiple meetings with us to understand what we wanted and needed, and to refine our plans. The execution was impeccable, and we were in excellent hands from the moment we left the jet bridge. We received a nightly text with our plans for the next day, and on the rare occasion life intervened (a demonstration in Rome) the team guided us through, minimizing the impact.
Jennifer did a great job of guiding us to an itinerary that checked off the highlights for first-time visitors (the Vatican, Pompeii, the Accademia) with less obvious choices (golf-cart tours, a da Vinci-focused tour in Milan). We had a total of thirteen guides, and I was impressed by every one of them. Particular favorites included Massimo, who kept us learning and laughing through the Vatican museums, Fiorenza who taught us about the Contrade of the Palio in Siena, and Fedra who brought da Vinci, opera and another Duomo alive for us. Jennifer made sure that the tours were arranged to skip lines and maximize efficiency, and she also took care of transportation, VIP arrival services, and dining reservations for us. I am required to eat gluten free, and she made sure that I got to enjoy Italian specialties, including a twilight food tour of Trastevere. Jennifer and her team absolutely delivered a WOW-inducing trip for us.
Jennifer Virgilio planned an amazing and unforgettable trip to Italy for us! We stayed 4 days in Tuscany filled with wine tastings, a pasta-making class, relaxing spa days, played tennis, and ate many incredible meals! That was followed by 4 incredible days in Amalfi where we thoroughly enjoyed our resort, the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the short walk to the beautiful downtown Amalfi area. Jennifer was a joy to work with and would make adjustments whenever we needed her to pre-trip. Every recommendation on meals, activities, etc. was exactly what we hoped it would be!
Thank you, Jennifer and the Wendy Perrin team for a fantastic anniversary trip to Italy!
Our itinerary included Rome, Cinque Terra, Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Lake Como, Milan, and Zurich in October 2023. We had five separate groups converging at different points in the itinerary. We were grateful Jennifer Virgilio was able to provide us with a la carte services, which made the trip affordable for most. We booked our own hotels and Jennifer and her team handled most of the excursions and transfers. Some of us wanted to experience the Bernina Express through the Swiss Alps, but logistically it was impossible to do it as a day trip. Therefore, those who took the train decided to add a stay in Zurich.
For the most part, it was a well-executed trip. Except for a couple of hiccups (i.e., slight tour delay because the guide picked up the wrong group, driver was late due to traffic so we ran out of time and did not see much of Parma), everything ran fairly smoothly. We were disappointed we could not get tickets to access the Colosseum arena. The planning process would have been less stressful if Jennifer’s office had been more attentive to details, but it all came together at the end and Jennifer made some excellent suggestions.
The tour guides were the stars, a special shout-out to Beatrice in Lake Como, who led an outstanding tour and made food choices that were some of the best we ate on this trip, and Davide in Milan, who adjusted the timing of the Duomo visit based on the rain forecast, as well as fulfilled impromptu requests. Except for one driver, the rest were pleasant and professional. It was a memorable trip.
We enjoyed Puglia and the hotels, one in a cave in Matera, and another in Ostuni a bit “unusual” as we had to walk around the bed to get from one side of the bathroom to the other, but the rooms and people were all lovely. La Fiermontina was fabulous in every way.
As a destination, however, I would go there before mid-October as everything was shutting down. Our timing was set before talking to Jennifer, however.
Alberobello was a great day trip.
Jennifer helped us plan a two-week trip to Friuli Venezia-Giulia. In researching past trips, we had come across snippets about the culinary delights of FVG. When we delved more deeply, we learned that the area is a melting pot of northern Italian, Austrian and Slovenian cuisines and has great wines (mostly white). Inexplicably, the region doesn’t seem to be on the tourist radar, so of course we decided that this was the place for us!
We had a guided tour on our first full day in Trieste. We learned about the long struggle for control of the city between the Venetian Republic and the Hapsburgs of Austria, and the resulting cosmopolitanism of Trieste. After two days on our own in Trieste, our driver took us to the Collio wine country, with a stop at Miramare Castle on the way.
The accommodation Jennifer suggested to us in the Collio was outstanding, just what we were hoping for! The property was lovely, with a spa and walking paths through the surrounding vineyards. Jennifer helped us with booking and transportation for lunch at a nearby restaurant we had set our hearts on. (Shout out to Stanley Tucci for his Friulian footnote in “Searching for Italy!”) We had our local guide back for a half-day trip to Gorizia, on the Slovenian border. Having discussed our interest in World War I with her, she arranged for us to make a short visit to an Italian war memorial that was nearby. We also spent an amazing day visiting local wine producers and sampling their wares. (Our favorites were Friuliano and schioppettino!)
After our break in the countryside, we moved on to Udine. There we had another guided tour, learning about the tug of war fought over the area for centuries and the remarkable mix of historical influences at play. A highlight was seeing Tiepolo’s amazing ceiling frescoes. From our base in Udine, we visited the lovely town of Cividale del Friuli, with beautiful Lombard art and architecture, and day tripped to Kobarid in Slovenia to learn about the Italian front in the First World War. So much of what we know about World War I is focused on Belgium and France. Learning about trench warfare in the mountains was fascinating and a highlight of our trip.
We also had a WOW Moment while staying in Udine. This was our first one, so we had no idea what to expect, but it was quite simply the perfect addition to this trip, where food and wine were the main attractions. We had a private cooking demo in the kitchen with chef Anna Barbina and her mother, who serves as her sommelier. Anna made five traditional dishes for us to sample (with wine served by her mother, of course), then we had lunch in her restaurant, Ab Osteria Contemporanea, where she serves contemporary twists on traditional cooking. Heavenly! Anna and her mother were delightful and couldn’t have been more gracious. She deserves to be rich and famous. And our hats are off to Wendy and Jennifer for arranging this experience for us. You nailed it!
Our final activity was a guided tour of Aquileia on our way back to Venice to fly home.
We loved working with Jennifer and particularly appreciated her willingness to work with our more relaxed and independent travel style. We needed advice on accommodation and help with transportation, guides and some bookings, but didn’t want scheduled activity all day, every day. She and her team delivered exactly the trip we were hoping for. FVG was full of beautiful scenery and art, brimming over with fascinating history, and the food and wine were simply spectacular. We’ve had many incredible meals in Italy over the years, but we had more standouts on this trip than any other. If food is your religion, you should make your way to FVG.
My husband and I just returned from 10 wonderful days in Italy—Positano, Florence and Rome. Jennifer and her team were exceptional. Pat and I knew we were trying to put a lot into a limited timeframe, but Jennifer made it happen. No detail was forgotten. This, particularly during such a huge boom in Italy travel, was priceless. Every guide, driver, restaurant recommendation and hotel suggestion was spot on.
We stayed in a lovely seaside hotel in Positano. Our favorite day was probably chartering a boat for ourselves to tour the coast and Capri. The highlight was lunch at a beach club only accessible by boat—Conca del Sogno. So fun and delicious.
Before Florence we stopped at Pompeii. Our tour guide, Paola, was amazing. There’s so much to see in Florence, we couldn’t do it all in two days. But our guide, Elisa, didn’t just follow a set script. She talked to us and got to know what our interests were and made sure to prioritize those. She was great!
We stopped in Siena before Rome. Wow, Siena was a great surprise. Our guide, Fiorenza, was so passionate and knowledgable. I am now a Palio di Siena fan.
Rome was phenomenal. Even with the large crowds, Jennifer’s guides and her team’s daily communications made us feel very well taken care of the entire time.
Trip to Italy was fabulous. We traveled from September 14 – 19, 2023. We saw a lot in a short time. The trip was thoroughly planned out to travel with ease from Naples to Pompei to Sorrento, Isle of Capri, and Positano. Guides were excellent…shared valuable and interesting information.
Hotel choices were excellent. Drivers made the trip very comfortable. All were English-speaking, which eliminated communication problems.
Very important process was that I received an email every night reconfirming the next day itinerary. This was extremely effective and helpful.
Highly recommend Jennifer.
Thank you for a trip well planned and executed.
My husband and I just returned from Italy. Our travel dates were July 21-31.
Jennifer Virgilio planned this amazing trip for us. Normally we would not travel to Italy in July…too hot and too crowded. However, our goal was to see Andrea Bocelli perform at the amphitheater he built in Tuscany called Teatro del Silenzio in Lajatico, his hometown. The theater is “silent” except for the one concert he performs there each year in July, and we felt it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The concert was taking place during the middle of our time in Italy, so we needed an agenda before and after.
We have planned other trips with Jennifer’s expert advice over the years in France and Italy and knew she would be the one to make this happen for us.
She suggested we start our trip on the Tuscan coast, staying 4 nights at the Hotel Il Pellicano. This gorgeous, iconic property overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea providing cool breezes throughout the day and evening, a welcome relief from the heat in Europe this summer. Heaven in July! We then traveled inland to the countryside of Tuscany for the next 4 nights, where we would be closer to the Bocelli concert. Borgo Pignano is an elegant country estate close to the hill towns of Volterra and San Gimignano. A perfect location that we would never have found on our own. Again the temperature dropped in the mornings and evenings, making it very pleasant for al fresco dining and touring.
While at these locations, Jennifer arranged for driver/guides to transport us to several wineries. A standout was Ornellaia. Not an easy tour to arrange, and Jennifer managed it!
The Bocelli concert was beyond our expectations. The tickets that Jennifer and her team secured were front and center, 5 rows back from the stage. We will never forget it. It was more than a concert, it was a masterful production with a full orchestra, ballet company, chorus and guest artists, from opera to pop. Magical.
Because we were flying home from Rome, we stayed 2 nights at the Six Senses Hotel in Rome, which just opened in March. Another superb recommendation.
We trust Jennifer and her team to ensure all the details are taken care of, from the meet-and-greets at the airport, the professional drivers, and the knowledgeable guides. A member of her team is in constant contact with texts each day giving all the details of the next day’s itinerary, including the names of the drivers and guides. It takes away any anxiety…we just have to show up!
Jennifer’s advice is invaluable to us and we consider her a friend. We will definitely call on Jennifer again!
We have used other WOW List advisors with the same excellent results and will continue to use Wendy Perrin’s great resources when we travel.
We stayed at Borgo Pignano in Tuscany in July. Our villa had the most incredible views of the Tuscan countryside. The hotel was a wonderful choice, as there was lots of activity on property but it was close to many wineries we hoped to visit. Jennifer planned an incredible wine tasting at Ornellaia winery, one of our favorite wines in the world. The tasting was informative and the winery was beautiful. Jennifer introduced us to a winery we didn’t know, Podere Le Ripi. It was also an incredible tasting followed by a delicious lunch at the winery. Both experiences were very special, and helped make our time in Tuscany wonderful. It was also nice to come back from our activities and relax in the large private villa pool. After our time in Tuscany, we had a transfer to Florence, and had an incredible guide Leonardo for a walking city tour. He quickly deduced we are interested in different spirits and took us to a fantastic shop to purchase Italian spirits to send home. The shop also had some rare and special amaros which I look forward to enjoying when they arrive back to California.
Our family just got back from a trip to Florence, Amalfi Coast and Rome using WOW agent Jennifer Virgilio. This was our first WOW trip, and we were so happy with the experience. Every one of the tours that Jennifer set up for us was absolutely amazing, especially in Rome where we had a golf cart orientation tour of the whole city, and a food tour with a college professor of history and philosophy.
We sure had our dream trip as planned by Stephanie. We had a lot of issues with our flight to Florence (missed connections), but she was always on the phone checking our progress so our driver would know when to meet us at the airport. All the drivers were great. The wine tasting, cooking experience and truffle hunting were highlights. The hotel was very accommodating.
In Amsterdam, she found us sold-out tickets for two exhibitions, which were impressive. We also had a private boat tour through the canals for our wedding anniversary.
Overall a 10/10. I would strongly recommend them to plan trips to Italy and the Netherlands.
This was our second trip with Jennifer with, again, outstanding results.
We spent 4 days in Rome with excellent guides for the major attractions and intimate, curated, experiences with local artisans. At Jennifer’s recommendation we then traveled to Umbria and had a truly delightful sojourn in the countryside — staying in a restored castle, eating at small, excellent, restaurants and visiting a number of the remarkable hill towns, including Assisi.
Jennifer customized everything for us including matching us with a guide who could also hike and giving us a really rewarding day at an innovative farm that culminated in a truffle hunt and private meal in a beautiful setting.
Overall, another terrific trip! Thanks.
I traveled in Bologna with 6 other family members from 5/1 – 5/6. On 5/6 we picked up another family member at the Milan airport and made our way to our Villa in the Menaggio area. We thoroughly enjoyed the region!!! Our specialists in Jennifer’s office helped us with hotel, transport from the Bologna airport and train tickets to Como. There was a whole team that helped us, but Susanna was our main contact. The hotel was terrific. The hotel location was perfect, right off Piazza Maggiore, the hotel staff were very helpful and got to know us in our few days there. They also had a relationship with Susanna. My advice for Bologna is take at least one food tour, plan to walk everywhere you need to go, buy any tour tickets ahead of time.
For the Lake Como portion of the trip, I suggest visting Villa Carlotta, taking the public ferry to Bellagio and Varenna and hanging out in the Menaggio square for a gelato or apertivo. We did both!
Once again, Jennifer and her team of WOW experts created an amazing adventure in the U.K. and Italy for me. Starting with a meet-and-greet at Heathrow, we bypassed the LONG passport-control lines, picked up bags and were off to Dorset. We explored and investigated the last home of T.E. Lawrence—and finally located the marker of his fatal crash site near Bovington—and paid our respects at memorials in Moreton and Waresham. Off to my old stomping grounds in Portsmouth for an amazing hands-on refresher on pre-WWII D-Day happenings and a stop to see the Mary Rose (after a 31-year restoration effort). Finally to London for the Ceremony of the Keys in the Tower at night—quite eerie if you think about what went on in the Tower—and an amazing cruise up and down the Thames (HIGHLY recommended for all). In Greenwich, we got to stand in two hemispheres at once and see the original clocks that helped ships at sea navigate.
Boarding the British Pullman, we could see how the “other half” lived in the early 20th century, the luxury (and great food!!) were still awe-inspiring. Then came another bucket-list highlight, an overnight on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to Venice. A few martinis in the Bar Car and you could imagine sitting with Agatha Christie as she writes another “who-dunnit.” Again, the food, champagne and atmosphere were stunning and the craftmanship of these luxury hotels on wheels could never be matched by today’s trains. There is simply too much history embedded in the wood inlays and thick woolen carpets.
Arriving in Venice gave us time to wind down and relax—it’s another great walking city, one in which you should get lost and then discover a hidden gem. It was off to Milan for the last few days of this tour. Seeing daVinci’s “Last Supper” for the second time in 53 years took my breath away…the 20+ years of restoration have helped to improve the masterpiece (and ask about Leonardo’s secret trick for maintaining perfect perspective in the mural). Walking up to the roof of the Duomo was perfect to catch a glimpse of the fashion capital below you (as long as you are not afraid of heights). The culmination of this experience was Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor being sung in La Scala….we could have sat through the performance again, if possible.
The trip was fabulous, the attention to detail and support was flawless and the experiences eternal….I’m starting to plan my next excursion already!!
We traveled to Italy, Rome and Sicily in particular. Jennifer did an outstanding job arranging the activities and drivers. Her daily communication was excellent. We always knew where we were going, what time and who would be picking us up. I definitely recommend the golf-cart tour of Rome. We had a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide and saw so much so conveniently. The dinner and lunch recommendations were spot-on. The Appian Way bike tour was enjoyable but we did travel on some rather busy streets, so I wouldn’t recommend with children. The guide here was also very knowledgeable. All the drivers spoke English and communication was not a problem.
Jennifer’s office is hands-down amazing!
My husband and I have been working with Jennifer since 2020. We planned a summer family trip to Paris that was cancelled due to Covid. We had a credit towards an apartment, so we planned a Paris trip for 30th wedding anniversary arriving March 29, 2023. Jennifer and her staff found a beautiful apartment, planned a magnificent, detailed, fun-filled trip but then The Garbage Strike, in its 20th day, turned violent 5 days prior to our departure. We decided to cancel Paris. (Buy trip insurance!!!) After some quick thinking and needing to travel, we moved our trip to Tuscany. Thankfully Jennifer’s Italy team had Giulia. Jennifer & Giulia sent suggestions for hotels, I checked the map and a new itinerary formed within hours via WhatsApp and it was superb!!!
The most helpful and best expense was the VIP Meet & Greet at Charles de Gaulle as we were transferring airlines and don’t speak French. Brice, our greeter, was on the jet bridge as soon as we deplaned, whisked us thru passport check, carried our bags and assisted our transfer to Terminal 1, checked us in, whisked us again thru security & showed us our gate. Priceless!!!
We loved how Jennifer’s office communicated daily with text messages for the itinerary for the next day. We woke up knowing where we were going, how long it would take us to drive there, special notes, and who we were meeting, contact numbers, then give us details to our next location! It was so nice to know that they were available!
The castles recommended where Jennifer has solid relationships were priceless too! We were greeted with baskets of fruit, bottles of champagne and other treats. The suites we stayed in were beautifully appointed at Castello di Reschio and Castello di Casole. The staff at both properties were personable, friendly, informative and classy. Every meal we had was divine, whether is was a tasting menu or a simple buffet breakfast!
The drivers/transfers/car service were clean, professional and knowledgable, so much better than taking your chances with an Uber/taxi.
Our most memorable moments that Jennifer’s team arranged were the Truffle Hunting/Lunch and the Organic Farm Tour/Lunch. Both experiences had us with locals who educated us, then prepared meals using their products. Over-the-top fresh food made right in front of you. We loved it and felt at home with both “families.”
Highly recommend using Jennifer’s team! Trust their choices and years’ experience.
Jennifer and her team were great. They planned our holiday to ski in Cortina and then on to Venice. The hotels were perfection and not ones that I would have found myself. The tour guide in Venice was just wonderful. Interesting and charming. Her local team kept us posted on pick-ups, meeting times, etc. while on the ground. This is the 3rd time that we have used her company and we’ve been so happy each time.
Our trip to Italy was nothing less than perfect! We traveled 3/11/23-3/22/23 to Rome, Florence and Venice with our 2 adult children (ages 21 and 25) and then a few days in Milan on our own. We worked with Jennifer…she was amazing to work with and we couldn’t have been happier with our trip. The hotels that she selected were top-notch, service was incredible and unbelievably located. Each tour/tour guide was unique…filled with information, history, culture and more. Our cooking class in Rome with Marco was surprisingly a highlight for my 25-year-old son. My husband has not stopped talking about our day in the Tuscan countryside, where we visited a cheese farm, tasted wine and olive oil, had the most incredible lunch at one of the wineries, and then ended our day with truffle hunting in the woods with the cutest truffle hunter ever, Dora. Other highlights were an artisan tour of Florence where we met local artisans who have been continuing their family traditions for generations, glass blowing in Murano, and our trip to the beautiful Burano with its beautiful colorful houses along the canals. We had great tour guides every step of the way who were incredibly knowledgeable, kind, fun and gave us a taste of the wonderful people of Italy. The food was spectacular!! Every restaurant recommendation was spot-on and when we wanted to make a change (because we needed to get one more portion of cacio e pepe), help was easily accessible, quick to respond and extremely helpful. Jennifer planned an amazing trip that we will never forget. We highly recommend and will use again for sure! Thank you!
It was my fiancée’s and my first time in Italy, and we had an amazing time. We were planning for a trip shortly after Christmas and over New Year’s Eve. Our major concern was planning a trip on a short time frame, as well as finding places and things to do over the holidays, since many places in Italy would be closed over the holidays.
Luckily, we found Jennifer through Wendy Perrin’s List and reached out. Very quickly Jennifer and her team worked with us to provide suggestions on an ideal itinerary through Northern Italy, arranging an amazing itinerary for us over about 2 weeks that took us through Milan, Lake Como, Venice, Modena, and Rome. Jennifer and Susanna started helping us with the day-to-day logistics, making restaurant reservations, and transportation. Additionally Jennifer and Susanna helped me plan an amazing proposal in Lake Como, coordinating with our hotel to create an unforgettable moment. Jennifer and Susanna were very attentive and always willing to hop on Zoom calls and exchange many emails to get things done.
Jennifer’s office provides impeccable white-glove service that made us feel relaxed and thoroughly enjoy the amazing experiences in this trip without worrying about timing and logistics. The activities were each unique and very high quality, and tailored to us and our pace and preferences. We would love to work with Jennifer and Susanna again, they truly made this an unforgettable trip for us!
Jennifer and her team made our trip to France and Italy truly exceptional. The hotels they recommended and arranged were outstanding, both for their accommodations and their service. The tours were interesting, and the English-speaking tour guides were knowledgeable and friendly and very fun to be with! We stayed in four different cities, across two different countries, and we very much appreciated that all of our transfers were timely and went without a hitch. We’d highly recommend Jennifer’s office for planning any special trip to France and/or Italy.
Nancy and I were fortunate to have spent a wonderful week in Florence, Italy that was planned with Jennifer and her team. The trip went smoothly and more than met our high expectations, which we had from our previous experiences with trips that Jennifer has helped plan.
We had not even left the US when we realized how using a WOW expert like Jennifer is beneficial to a smooth and seamless travel experience. Our plane out of Denver was 6 hours late in leaving because of a mechanical issue and thus we were going to miss our scheduled connection in Frankfurt. However, because of the daily texts sent by Jennifer and her team describing the next day’s schedule, all we had to do was alert them as to the change in times and they took it from there so that our airport greeter was there to meet us and that our transportation into Florence was rescheduled to the appropriate time.
Jennifer arranged for us to have Veronica as our tour guide while we were in Florence. Veronica was so warm and friendly. She had a fantastic knowledge of the area and was able to explain things in a fun and educational way. We would definitely recommend Veronica as a guide if you are in Florence.
A highlight of the trip was a private visit to Palazzo Corsini where we not only had Veronica’s expertise but we also had the privilege of Countess Francesca, who grew up and still lives there, conduct the tour. We had such a wonderful afternoon. Another highlight was spending an afternoon visiting with local artisans of Florence. Veronica took us to places which we never would have found on our own. We also spent a morning going to various churches in Florence and saw some amazing artwork still in the churches; Veronica especially shined during this tour as she was able to put the art and the church into proper context so that you understood and appreciated the art you were seeing.
As we noted above, Jennifer and her office did a great job in planning and executing our Florence trip. We have only the highest praise for the services they provide and will undoubtedly utilize them again on a trip to Europe.
Philip Goldman and his family celebrating Christmas in Italy. Photo: Philip Goldman
Jennifer Virgilio and her remarkable team once again did an outstanding job of planning our second trip through them, this time to Courmayeur, Italy and Paris for the 2022/2023 holidays. We were a bit late to the game, but they still found us a really impressive set of hotel and ski options, as well as fun opportunities to make the best of both destinations, including New Year’s Eve.
This was the year that a big storm hit the Midwest, which meant that it took us three days to reach our destination (and without our bags). Jennifer and her indefatigable team were with us every step of the way, helping us to carve through the interminable airport baggage bureaucracies and working with our hotels and restaurants on changes in itineraries. Things don’t always go right on trips, but when they do, you want the best travel team behind you. Jennifer’s office hit the mark.
From airport transfers to out-of-the-way restaurant recommendations, the team didn’t miss a beat. When we requested changes in the field, they were always accommodated professionally and with good humor.
We give Jennifer Virgilio and her team the highest recommendations after two successful excursions — for great planning and for top-notch support on the ground to ensure those plans go as well as possible, regardless of the circumstances.
Thank you so much for matching us with Jennifer Virgilio. This was our first trip to Italy and we were there for most of October. My wife and I wanted to see some of the many highlights of Italy, and we were not disappointed! We met with Jennifer via Zoom four times to discuss our interests (and non-interests!). Jennifer developed an itinerary that more than matched our hopes and expectations. We enjoyed several unique and interesting tours and EVERY guide was beyond excellent! We so appreciate their attention-to-detail, knowledge and excellent communication skills.
We were in Rome for 5 days and enjoyed:
• A half-day golf cart tour of Rome. Guide: Valeryo. This was unique and fun and we could have easily spent an entire day riding around Rome on a golf cart with Valeryo!
• A tour of the Jewish Ghetto and food tasting. Guide: Laura. Laura is extremely well-versed in this important history and it was very moving to spend time with her.
• A tour of the Vatican. Guide: Valentina. Valentina knows seemingly everything about the amazing art and history of the Vatican. A wondrous visit.
We were in Tuscany for 3 days and enjoyed:
• A jeep tour of 3 wineries (including olive oil tasting as well as a number of wines) and lunch at a family-run winery. Guide: Jessica. Jessica made this day fun and interesting. She knows a lot about wine and the area.
• Tour of San Gimignano and Siena, along with two additional wine tastings and a lunch at a family-run winery. Self-tour plus tour with guide: Claudia. Claudia’s knowledge of Siena runs deep and she shares it in an interesting manner.
We were in Florence for 5 days and enjoyed:
• A walking tour of Florence.
• A food tour of Florence. Guide for both Florence tours: Veronica. Veronica is lovely and, like her colleagues, extreme knowledgeable of her subject matter. We loved our time with her.
We were in Venice for 5 days and enjoyed:
• A walking tour of Venice (that included a gondola ride).
• A tour of Murano and Burano. Guide for both tours: Alvise. We referred to Alvise as the “Mayor of Venice,” as he seems to know everyone there! Like his above-mentioned colleagues, he is personable and flexible, and truly wants you to have an outstanding experience.
• Food tour of Venice. Guide: Camilla. Camilla is lovely and introduced us to many Venetian treats. Spending part of a day with her was the perfect way to end our formal tours on this trip!
Jennifer and Mattia did an unbelievable job of curating guides who were completely simpatico with what we wanted to see and do. EVERY SINGLE ONE was excellent. There is no way we could have ever found guides on our own that were so well versed in the area and our interests (as well as completely fluent in English). Jennifer and Mattia made sure we had the same guide in a city for multiple events when it made sense.
As important as having great guides, Jennifer listened to what I wanted in hotels for the major cities and picked absolutely perfect locations—walking distance 5-15 minutes to everything in each of the cities. Only a knowledgeable travel agent would know these great locations and properties.
We had zero worries about pickup and transportation everywhere we went, as we received the day before a text on times, who was picking us up, where, contact information and the activities for the day. Every person was on time or even early. They knew who they were picking up and where we were going. As an example, in Florence we were picked up at the hotel, our driver took us to the train station and helped take our bags into the station. From there we boarded a train to Venice (our tickets were sent day before to my cellphone). Once the train pulled into Venice there was a person waiting with a sign with our name to pick us up and take our bags to a water taxi, which then took us directly to the dock at our hotel (I mean how cool is that?).
Jennifer provided us a link to restaurants in all the different cities with their recommendations and even helped us make reservations while alerting the concierges of the different hotels so if we needed to make changes to times/days or even restaurants they were in the loop. This came in handy as there were some nights we wanted to eat earlier or wanted to change restaurants.
I think the critical piece of having a good travel agent such as Jennifer and Mattia is when there are hiccups—and every trip has one or two. First, we had an issue with texting—I reached out to Jennifer and within an hour we had the issue resolved. Second, we had a noisy room in Venice. I first tried working with the hotel but when I was not able to make any progress, I sent a text to Mattia–not looking for an upgrade or a better view—just something quieter. Looking back at my text, within TWO MINUTES, Mattia acknowledged my issue and started working on helping us. With his help, we had a much more quiet room in less than a couple of hours. This is one of the true values of a great travel agent.
It was a perfect time to travel. We found all the sites accessible and not many lines. When we did encounter a line, our guides had passes to bypass them! Reservations at restaurants were not really any problem (although we were glad to have made them ahead of time, as some of the popular restaurants book up quickly).
Jennifer and her staff and all the guides, drivers, greeters and hotels were fantastic. We could not have done this trip without them. I see why Jennifer is one of the top travel agents you recommend. Thank you again for putting us in touch and making this a wonderful experience.
Our trip to Italy (Sept 18 to October 1, 2022) was spectacular thanks to Jennifer Virgilio and her staff. We typically like to have a lot of flexibility when we travel, so we were a bit unsure of having so much planned activity, but every outing exceeded our expectations. Highlights were a private wine tasting and Michelin-starred lunch at a high-end winery, a tour of the Accademia with an art historian, and a private tour of a biodynamic winery during harvest. We asked for wine experiences that featured special wines, and they delivered! The accommodations were lovely and Jennifer helped us select really special dining options, all with great seating, such as the table overlooking the Arno River at sunset. We had one hiccup with a reservation and our on-call agent helped us immediately. I now get why people use travel agents :). Expect to pay top-dollar, but everything was worth it.
Jennifer and her team were very busy when we tried to get our planning going, and we were a bit worried about how responsive they could be, but Jennifer assured us that we had ample time to plan and that they would not accept the job if they couldn’t deliver an outstanding experience. We had no issues once we got their focus, and the execution was perfect.
There was one watch-out that had nothing to do with Jennifer and her team. One of our drivers told us he had made us a reservation for lunch even though we had not asked for this or even for a recommendation. We should have known something was up but went along and ended up at a marketing-scheme wine tasting that we had no interest in. Once we figured out what was going on, it was hard to leave.
When my wife and I honeymooned in Rome 35 years ago, the Sistine Chapel was in the middle of its restoration. The lasting impression we had was of scaffolds and dark images. Likewise, the Colosseum was dark and mossy. When we contacted Jennifer for our Rome visit in September we mentioned these impressions. Wow, have things changed. She arranged to have Francesca, an excellent, caring and knowledgeable guide, bring these two Roman icons to life for us. Francesca also took us on an unforgettable food tour on our first night. We were also happy with Jennifer’s recommendations for our accommodations near the Pantheon and several restaurants. We would definitely use Jennifer again to plan a trip in any area of her expertise.
We worked with Jennifer Virgilio to craft a remarkable trip through Italy this September, and she was fantastic! There were 6 of us in our group – my husband and me, another couple we have known for decades, and their 25-year-old daughter and her boyfriend. I contacted Jennifer in the winter of 2022, and together we constructed a ten-day itinerary that took us from Lake Como to Positano. Jennifer was an excellent travel advisor – she listened carefully to what we all wanted, asked about our travel style and expectations, and made wonderful suggestions to help narrow down our choices. It was so easy to work with her, and we spent several months going over the itinerary to be sure it was just what we wanted. It really made a difference. Jennifer and her team stayed in touch with us every day with texts and reminders about the plans. Our tour guides were knowledgeable, articulate, and very friendly. Our drivers were experienced, careful, and calm in traffic. We did not use the personal escorting service at the train stations or airports, but it was interesting to note that we could have made those arrangements if we felt we needed them.
We began our adventures at the Grand Hotel Termezzo, on the shores of Lake Como. It was a spectacular hotel, and our rooms were amazing. Our first morning was spent in a beautiful classic wooden speedboat, touring the shores of the lake, learning about history, architecture, and celebrity gossip. We had timed tickets to tour Villa Balbianello, had a wonderful lunch at a quiet café, and strolled around Bellagio. (As you can imagine, we had many great meals in Italy, and Jennifer secured dining reservations at several restaurants that we were unable to book on our own.)
Next, we traveled by train to Milan, and spent several days there. The tours arranged by Jennifer were precisely what we wanted. Our city tour of Modern Milan included the Bocco Verticale building, the Porta Nouva district and the Monumental Cemetery. She also secured timed tickets to see da Vinci’s Last Supper. One day we had a beautiful drive to Piedmont for a spectacular wine tasting.
Then we went to Florence by train, and again we had a wonderful time. Hotel Brunelleschi was perfect, and within walking distance of everything we wanted to visit. Our cooking class was amazing – we walked to a local market to select the ingredients, and then we walked to the stunning personal kitchen with a view straight to the Ponte Vecchio. Our chef was delightful, and the meal we made together was delicious.
It was in Florence that we had our WOW Moment. And, again, this just showed how carefully Jennifer listened to our interests and preferences. Late afternoon we were met at the lobby of our hotel, where we discovered we would be visiting two local artisan workshops to see classic Venetian crafts – mosaics in hard stone, and paper marbling – and afterwards have a chance to relax with aperitifs and nibbles while talking with our wonderful guide. It was EXACTLY what I wanted. It was similar to what I had discussed with Jennifer, and we just hadn’t been able to it work into the schedule.
Next, we traveled by train to Naples, and then by driver to Positano where we checked into our beautiful hotel, Le Sirenuse. Oh, we know there is so much to do along the Amalfi Coast that it is hard to pick between activities. However, we have been there a few times before, and this time all we really wanted to do was just enjoy the sea, the view, and our lovely hotel. And this is pretty much what we did for the three days we were there. Eat, swim, repeat. Again, Jennifer managed to get reservations at several restaurants that we were unable to book ourselves.
The last full day of our trip we left Positano, and our driver took us up through the mountains towards Naples. We were met by a guide at Pompeii for a fascinating private tour of the ruins and museum. And then our driver took us on to a winery on the slopes of Vesuvius for a lunch and wine tasting. And finally, we got to Naples for our last evening. The Hotel Romeo was a perfect spot, very modern and groovy, right on the waterfront by the cruise ships. That night we walked to a local restaurant for, of course, pizza!
The value that Jennifer added to our trip is too much to calculate. We were a diverse group, with varied interests and tolerances, and it was great that we had worked out our itinerary so far in advance. The early portions of the trip that were carefully planned meant we all were on the same page each day, and we had all agreed to the schedule. The last few days on the Amalfi Coast were totally unplanned, which allowed for more relaxation and spontaneity. It was the perfect combination.
As for concerns about COVID, this was not really an issue on this itinerary. All of us were fully vaccinated and had our booster shots. We were mostly in our own group, with private tours and private transportation. Our train tickets had reserved seats, and we were not in big crowds very often. Our hotels were quiet and expansive. We knew our guides and drivers had been vetted by Jennifer. We felt safe.
I would highly recommend Jennifer and her team. We hope to get the chance to use her again!
This was our first trip with Jennifer, and it won’t be our last. We can definitely see how she made The WOW List! We asked Jennifer to arrange a long weekend in Italy to celebrate our 30th anniversary. It was a last-minute request, but Jennifer was on it right away and found us the perfect location at a castle hotel in Umbria. The team’s communications were first-rate, from the initial discussions to determine our preferences, to the options presented on day excursions, to the daily texts while we were there reminding us of the next day’s agenda. We requested a change in excursions while there and those were handled efficiently and with grace by Jennifer’s team. We especially appreciated their suggestion to visit Civita de Bagnoregio on our way back to Rome, an off-the-beaten-path excursion to an amazing medieval town. We have traveled to many countries and can recommend Jennifer and her office without hesitation!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL This is our second time working with Jennifer and her team, and again we had a marvelous time on our vacation in Italy from August 28th to September 10th. Jennifer and Maria created a wonderful 2-week trip for me and my husband that included transportation, accommodations, private tours, restaurant recommendations/reservations, a rental car, and any last-minute changes/requests.
Since we have worked with Jennifer before, she understood what we were looking for on our trip and her recommendations on hotels and restaurants were spot-on. She also provided us with different tour options so we could decide on what we wanted to partake. The tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and engaging. We were invited by a family and tasted homemade wine while touring in Oliena, Sardinia. It was such an unplanned but heartwarming experience. People in Sardinia are the most welcoming and friendly people that I have ever met.
We enjoyed the daily messages from duty managers to remind us our daily activities. Jennifer and Maria were also super responsive when we requested to modify our daily activities, such as adding a water taxi tour around Lake Como and arranging a driver for a day of shopping in Milan. Every request was executed flawlessly. We would work with Jennifer for future trips again and again.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We planned our trip to Italy to coincide with a friend’s wedding in Ravello. Our last time on the Amalfi Coast had been in 1996, so we were seeking some help planning 5 days in Capri to celebrate our own 25th wedding anniversary.
Jennifer Virgilio and her team clearly know Capri, as they set up a fantastic set of activities along with a perfect hotel for our stay. She made sure the transfer from Rome’s airport to the hotel was seamless. Given that this required planning a 2 hour car ride, 45 min ferry, and a taxi up to Anacapri, this was a very welcomed expertise coming off of our long flight from the US!
In Capri, Jennifer helped select a beautiful hotel and a room with a stunning view of the Mediterranean. Even the porter helping with our luggage shared that it was one of his favorite rooms. For dining options, Jennifer chose options that met our desire for terrific Caprese food, wonderful service, and exquisite views.
For the most part, we just stuck to sitting out in the sun and going off to dinners in the evening. On one of the days, though, Jennifer chartered us a boat to explore the Amalfi Coast. Our captain and his crew were a perfect fit. We had a fantastic day on the water swimming, sunning, and posing for classic Amalfi photographs.
We left Capri to make our way to Ravello for the wedding. Jennifer made all of the arrangements, including a stop in the city of Amalfi itself for our favorite meal of the entire trip. We arrived at the wedding well-rested, adjusted to the time zone, and ready to party. Several days later, Jennifer had arranged for a quick and easy transport back to Naples by car to catch a train up to Rome for one last night in the eternal city before we went to the airport in the morning to fly back to the US.
Overall, Jennifer did a fantastic job listening closely to our experience as travelers, our interests for this particular trip, and our logistics for the wedding. Every decision she helped us make worked out even better than expected. While Jennifer is quite busy due to the post-Covid travel boom, we felt well-taken care of. All in all, a wonderful vacation experience!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We had some complicated logistics where we had to be in Rome in mid-July and in London a week later. We could do anything with the days in between so we contacted Jennifer, who has offices in both locations. Jennifer suggested we spend the week in northern Italy, 3 days in Florence and 3 in Venice, followed by 3 days in Bath once in the UK.
I would categorize our experience with Jennifer as mixed, due to a mismatch in our styles more than anything else. While I like Jennifer and we truly had a wonderful trip, I am not sure we are her ideal client. My sense is that person would be someone that prefers to be catered to and escorted every step of the way, while we thought it was overkill to have someone meet us at our train in Venice, simply to walk 100ft to a water taxi. That’s something we could have managed on our own. We like good, attentive service but that level is overkill for us.
The good stuff:
-The itinerary was great. We specifically asked for activities that were not too heavy on history and museums (to keep the teenager happy) and that is exactly what we got. We would have loved an extra day in both Florence and Venice but were limited by time.
-I liked that there was someone in communication with us daily. We would receive a daily text with the next day’s agenda. This also allowed us to easily contact Jennifer’s team when we wanted to add something in at the last minute–which they were able to do!
* The guides were fabulous! Highly recommend Veronika in Florence and Alvise in Venice:
* In Florence, Veronika took us on a city tour focusing on artisans doing their craft as they’ve been done for hundreds of years. We could never have found these shops on our own, and even if we could, we would not have known what we were looking at. Such a treat! Veronika also took us on a food tour–delicious!
* Alvise took us on a city tour of Venice as well as Murano and Burano. His love for his hometown is contagious and made the tours so much fun.
Overall, we had a positive experience using Jennifer and her staff, but I do think a different type of traveler would be better served by their services.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My wife and I recently returned from an outstanding 4 week trip to Italy & France wonderfully planned by Jennifer Virgilio and her exceptional team. The trip included private villas, transportation, private tours, restaurant reservations, and a rental car. We spent two weeks in Italy (Umbria & Tuscany) and two weeks in France (Cõte d’Azur & Provence). Planning and executing custom luxury travel is a challenge in the best of times, but in these super busy post-Covid times, Jennifer’s team was exceptional in delivering such a flawless vacation.
The planning process with Jennifer starts with a good understanding of the type of trip we were looking for, our budget, and what was most important to us and ends with a detailed, customized travel itinerary including conveniently web-linked documents. For this trip, I had the good fortune of working with Jennifer and her highly capable, efficient, and charming staff, Susanna, Tiago, Luna, Antoniette, and a number of “Duty Managers.” Jennifer is super knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with, and I will say the range and depth of her team and staff really make the difference, including a daily text message summary of tomorrow’s plans. It was like having a Concierge via text message. From Villa selection to hotel, tour guide, and restaurant suggestions, Jennifer really delivered. Each week had its unique features and experiences, and in totality, the full 4 weeks were a terrific complete vacation, including a few final days feeling like royalty in Versailles.
I cannot thank and recommend Jennifer enough, and can’t wait to plan our next memorable vacation together.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My wife and I had an absolutely great trip with our granddaughters. Our trip to Paris and Florence could not have been better. Jennifer reached out for a call. Jennifer listened carefully and made great suggestions for hotels and a custom itinerary…which included great successful shopping. We made it clear that we wanted this holiday to create long lasting memories for our granddaughters. Jennifer and her team delivered!! Jennifer provided us a number of suggestions and a recommended itinerary. We made a few adjustments and settled on a plan.
We had to make a few adjustments during our holiday, but her staff could not have been more accommodating. Her selection of guides was terrific. Isabelle in Paris met every need. She adjusted a few plans based on her discussions with our granddaughters. She was professional, patient, and flexible. Our granddaughters loved Veronica in Florence. She was warm, knowledgeable, and listened and responded to every request.
Having a member of Jennifer’s team check in each night was great planning comfort. I would highly recommend Jennifer to anyone planning a trip to Paris (France) and/or Florence (Italy). She and her team are very special.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband and I recently finished an extensive trip to Slovenia and Croatia and we flew into and out of Venice. We wanted to stay 2 nights, July 9-11th, in Venice before flying back home. Fortunately the requirement to be tested for Covid ended just prior to our flight to Venice so we did not have to be concerned about that.
We contacted Jennifer Virgilio at Wendy Perrin’s suggestion and had a conversation with her about our plans. It may seem that a trip of 2 days would not require the services of a WOW advisor, however, we have had at least 3 very positive experiences with Jennifer, twice in France and once in Italy, and again we were very happy we reached out to her.
She arranged an airport VIP and assist with 2 porters to meet us at our airport gate upon arrival in Venice after a very long overnight flight with 2 stops, and escort us to our driver waiting to take us to Slovenia. To us, this is a valuable service and money well spent.
At the end of our time in Croatia, Jennifer again arranged for a private transfer via water taxi to our hotel, the St. Regis, which has been recently renovated, and in a very great location. It was a good recommendation. We had a view of the canal and it was mesmerizing.
Jennifer and her team also arranged dinner for us both nights at restaurants within walking distance of the hotel and both were excellent.
We had a guide on our second day, Sara, who met us at the hotel. Jennifer secured tickets to the 59th Biennale and we viewed amazing art from all over the world. It was fun having a guide who knew the streets not traveled by tourists and at times it seemed like we had Venice to ourselves!
Sara even took us to her favorite bacari for the Venetian snacks, cicchetti. Delicious!
When it was time to fly home, Jennifer arranged for a private water taxi from the pier of the hotel directly to the airport terminal where we were met by a driver who retrieved our bags and drove us to the front door and helped us with our luggage at check in. Again, a small worthwhile luxury at the end of our trip!
Luna, who works with Jennifer, was great about texting us each day and evening to confirm our schedule and reservations. It was seamless as every trip planned by Jennifer and her team has been! I know we will call on Jennifer again for a future trip.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our trip to Rome and Amalfi was a perfect family vacation with our teens. We had a golf cart tour of Rome enabling us to see so much that we otherwise couldn’t have fit in. The guide took great family photos of us at all the stops and was very knowledgeable about the history of each place. Note that if you want to see the inside of the Pantheon, you need to make a reservation. We absolutely loved the gluten-free cooking class arranged by Jennifer, Mara and Maria. The kids were impressed that they were able to cook such delicious food. Our visit to Pompeii was a highlight. Our tour guide Costanza made it so interesting for a teenage audience. Our stay in Amalfi was incredible. We loved our hotel, the Borgo Santandrea. it was beyond amazing. Breakfasts on the gorgeous terrace were a highlight as was the beach. Mara arranged a day on a private boat which stopped for lunch in Nerano and the grottos near Capri. The crew was wonderful and the day lovely. Everything about our trip was made easy and our country experts were always responsive. We cannot recommend them highly enough.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our family of 4 has just returned from an amazing 2-week trip in mid-June planned by Jennifer Virgilio. This was our 4th trip using one of Wendy’s WOW List specialists, and with each one we have been very satisfied with the experience. We had a terrific initial call with Jennifer in October 2021 and within a quick turnaround of 2 weeks we had most of our itinerary and hotel choices planned and booked. Jennifer warned us early on that Italy was extremely busy and pricing was going through the roof. She was extremely responsive through the planning process; any questions we had she replied within a day or two and it was very easy to pick from a large menu of different choices to suit our family (my wife and I, our 19-year-old son and 21-year-old daughter) with different interests. We had some “bumps” early on with a 5-star hotel in the Amalfi coast that after 48 hours of quoting a rate to Jennifer raised the rate by 25% and then refused to honor what they had initially quoted. Unfortunately, we were being held hostage to the market conditions in Italy. Jennifer did her best to try to get the hotel to honor the initial rate, but was unsuccessful. However, as a result, she used her own company’s funds to reduce part of the new increased rate and we very much appreciated her efforts and actions in that regard.
Overall, the trip planning process went very well and the final outcome was truly spectacular. Approximately one month before the trip we tried to finalize the itinerary and restaurants, and that is where the timing became a challenge. It became somewhat frustrating at this point with the lack of responsiveness from Jennifer’s team. It took over 2 weeks to get a reply, but that being said, with some persistence everything was eventually finalized. The early pre-trip planning experience was quite different than the final confirmation experience we had with Jennifer. We are not sure why the marked difference—all we can assume is they were barraged with new trips and were busier than they likely have ever been, so the response time and communication radically changed. My preference would have been to be told the situation and why the delays were happening, and to be reassured that it would get done. I expect good, clear communication up front rather than long delays and being frustrated from people not replying in a timely manner. The good news is this did not affect the trip at all; it could not have been any better.
We started off with 3 nights in Venice and then 3 in Rome, followed by 5 nights in a villa in Tuscany and the last 4 nights in Praiano on the Amalfi coast. All of the hotel choices were excellent—the service and rooms at each property were terrific and we were very happy with all the locations. During the trip we had 9 private guides for various tours and things we had planned. Each of these guides were a 10/10—very knowledgeable, organized, friendly, and sincere with our family. We were all so impressed at the quality of the people Jennifer’s company deals with. We felt very lucky and in extremely capable hands. We kept ourselves fairly busy in Venice and Rome with a 3-island tour (including the Murano glass factory on Murano Island), the Jewish Ghetto tour, a gondola rowing lesson, pizza and gelato cooking class evening, a Rome orientation golf-cart tour, a Coliseum and Roman Forum tour, Vatican City/museum tour, and an evening 3-hour E-bike tour through the streets of Rome. We would not recommend the E-bike tour, as even though each of us have biked a fair bit, the streets of Rome were far too busy for our comfort and with zero bike lanes or safety for bikes we found it too harrowing for our family. En route to Tuscany we stopped in Orvieto and had a few-hour tour there and the next day did a 25 km E-bike tour through the beautiful Tuscany countryside. This experience was truly spectacular, with a beautiful lunch and wine tasting at a local winery to finish the afternoon off. This ride avoided traffic almost completely and felt very safe. My son and I went golfing one day at Antognolia golf club which was really a treat. There were beautiful surroundings and it was a real pleasure to play that course. At the same time, my wife and daughter went to the recommended spa, Terme Di San Giovanni. Unfortunately, this was honestly the least favorite part of the trip and should not be included on any traveler’s options. The spa was very old, they were given only 1 towel to use for the pool all day and for the shower. The change room facilities were extremely dated and small, with no toiletries (i.e. no soap or shampoo in the showers). The pools were unimpressive and the lawn chairs were old. We had requested 2 female masseuses well in advance with Jennifer, who relayed that information to the spa, but a man and woman masseuse were booked. The spa was not willing to refund the fee for the massage, claiming they did not receive this request. So, they split one 50-minute massage with the female masseuse, which was fine, and the spa reduced the price slightly as a result. We let Jennifer know but she was not able to get the spa to refund the full fee for the second massage. The spa and the pools were pretty low-end and we would not recommend a visit there, especially given the day pass was very expensive. The only other experience that was very expensive and we would not recommend was the gondola lesson in Venice. It was on a regular boat with an instructor from Australia as opposed to an actual gondola with a local, and it was not easy to do. The weather was really hot and there was no shade, so it was rather uncomfortable. We would definitely instead spend less money on an actual gondola ride with a professional gondolier if we had to do it over again.
We had a long day travelling to the Amalfi coast to our hotel in a small town called Praiano, about 15 minutes from Positano. The drive, scenery, and overall beauty of Amalfi was absolutely spectacular. The next day we had a car take us to several towns along the coast—it was so nice just to saunter through the streets on our own and look at all the shops. However, our favorite day on the coast was when we chartered a medium-sized power boat and spent 8 hours travelling along the coast to Capri, stopped to swim, saw the Blue Grotto, and had a delicious seaside lunch at a restaurant on the water. Again, the personnel we dealt with were amazing—the captain of the boat was friendly, fun and totally accommodating to whatever we wanted to do. It was pretty much the perfect day.
Jennifer gave me a huge list of restaurants to choose from and was helpful in narrowing it down to both casual and more formal dinner choices. We enjoyed the food and variety immensely, as well as the many great views. The pizza, pasta and fresh fish were all spectacular and so tasty. As well, some nights we just ventured out and found our own places to eat at which was also fun.
Given this was our 4th WOW trip, our kids were looking forward to the WOW Moment that we told them was going to happen. Unfortunately, it was missed on our trip last year to Newfoundland by the WOW specialist, so this was supposed to be the make-up WOW Moment. The days went by and this was not provided, and the trip ended with it being missed yet again. This was an unfortunate oversight, that I think was the result of just too many people travelling Italy at this time with some details getting lost. The good news is my wife and I are travelling in September to Europe again using 3 different WOW specialists and that WOW Moment should be planned for then. Hopefully.
During the trip a few adjustments were made spontaneously as a result of different unforeseen circumstances and Jennifer’s office was amazing to deal with. They got everything that was needed to be changed done and they were made both efficiently and happily. As well, although there was some lack of communication towards the time of our departure… once we were on the trip, it was amazing! One of the team sent us a nightly text with the details of the following day, including the itinerary and timing, and the driver or guide’s contact info just in case. This was a really nice touch that was most helpful and appreciated.
Overall, our whole family had a fabulous time in Italy; we loved most of the different things we did, the people, food, history, culture, language and the stunning beauty of Italy, from the cities to the countryside to the coast.
Response from Wendy:
I am dismayed that Elliot’s WOW Moment was missed—a highly unusual circumstance, thanks to a Covid-related snafu—and we will certainly more than make it up to him on his next trip! As a reminder to all travelers, here’s how our WOW Moments project works and here are the rules for redeeming your WOW Moments gift certificate. While every WOW Moment is a surprise, if your final trip itinerary does not include mention that this surprise will occur and when, by all means let us know immediately at info@wendyperrin.com.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer and Chiara planned a terrific trip to Venice for our family of two adults and two older teen age boys. We went in mid June for a week, and wanted to have something structured and locally meaningful to break the occasional randomness of our own explorations. Jennifer had a lot of suggestions when we met online a few months before the trip and we went over them before selecting just a few. We had a pizza, bruschetta, and gelato making class with Michele one day for around 3 hours. We got to see his apartment in an area of town we would not have traveled to, and all had a lot of fun. We also had a private tour of the islands with Alvise; we were met at our airbnb apartment by motor boat and went out to Burano and Murano and then slowly through the canals. Alvise knows a ton about the city and was a thoughtful and really terrific guide. Seeing the city from the water (and not just on a vaporetto) was wonderful and gives you a great perch to see the different sites; going out to the lagoon was also really interesting for getting a sense of the geography of the islands. Lastly, Chiara selected a restaurant for us for an anniversary dinner that was fantastic and one I never would have found on my own. The inside knowledge the travel planners have is invaluable and can make a trip really unique, plus they take some of the planning out of your hands which can be hugely welcome. We were able to choose just a few things from the long list they offered and they were among the highlights of the trip. One great part about having these different guides is the opportunity to meet local Venetians and ask them lots of questions about the city.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband and I traveled to Venice, Florence, and Rome in May of 2022.
I would wait to travel until the US has lifted its COVID testing restrictions. We had a beautiful trip and were lucky we didn’t get COVID at the start or middle of the trip. Italy was completely packed everywhere we went, massive crowds at all the sites. Masks were only required in the airport and a few basilicas. Also I didn’t think about allergy season hitting in May in Italy. I was pretty miserable unless I used a serious mask outside, but it was pretty hot. We ended up getting COVID right before it was time to go back home and I had to stay an extra 5 days in a hotel in Rome until testing negative and being able to leave.
Jennifer and her assistant Naike were wonderful. We really loved our tour guide Alvise in Venice. Our food tour with Nesim in Rome was unforgettable. Katia in Rome was wonderful as was Veronica in Florence.
We decided to use a trip planner because we wanted to go abroad but didn’t have time to flesh out the details. After a few Zoom calls Jennifer had all the details worked out and took our specific goals and desires into account. I was worried about the language barrier but the tour guide orientations for the first day in each new city were so helpful. The best benefit to the tour guides was being able to talk to local Venetians, Florentines, and Romans for hours on end! I have never had so much interaction with locals before when we have traveled. The tour guides and drivers helped us find good places to eat and shop and gave us all kinds of great tips, like how to avoid tourist trap restaurants. They also helped break up a long trip of just talking to a spouse for 8 days!
The orientation tours and the food tours were my very favorites. The historic tours did get a bit boring but they did a good job showing us the pieces we shouldn’t miss. Make sure you get a foodie for the food tours though, the ones that know their stuff make a big difference!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Great job! We had a delightful private tour while in Rome. Jennifer (our planner) and Salvatore (our guide) were both fantastic. Super professional, prompt and wonderful to work with. Jennifer was particularly accommodating of some big last-minute changes in our schedule.
We’ll be using these wonderful folks again in the future. I highly recommend them.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL As a first time visitor to Rome I knew I needed expert help, especially since I only had 4 days the first week in May and a long list of must see sites. Jennifer Virgilio came to my rescue with a great plan that allowed me to see the key sites and also have several super special off the beaten path experiences. My golf cart tour was such a fun way to get oriented to the city and Mauro was charming and knowledgeable. I cannot say enough good things about my afternoon with Alessia visiting Borghese Gallery and Palazzo Colonna – she’s a brilliant and passionate guide who makes history and art come alive. Borghese Gallery is magnificent and our visit to Palazzo Colonna was completely private – just the two of us and so magical. I had the good fortune to see the Colosseum and Forum with Alessia as well as the Vatican. Jennifer suggested I visit Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer palace, which is not something I would have known about myself. Just 30 minutes from Rome, the palace and gardens are beautifully situated above Lake Albano – the day was an idyllic respite from the hustle and bustle of Rome. Again, my guide and driver were superb – I could not have enjoyed the day more. Jennifer also found a way to accommodate my request for a food tour – I loved being in Testaccio, a neighborhood devoid of tourists filled with artisanal food shops, restaurants, and a fantastic market. Jennifer made wonderful restaurant recommendations and sent me to quintessentially Roman coffee shops and gelaterias. I did not leave Rome hungry!
I would say travelers are back – Rome was super busy and many sites were crowded given that Covid restrictions are loosening. My guides did a great job steering clear of the worst crowds and a good bit of my time was spent outdoors. The hotel staff were courteous and helpful and I loved being able to open my window to the see the Spanish Steps and Via Condotti. Maria, a member of Jennifer’s team, did a great job keeping me posted on daily logistics. I appreciated Jennifer’s attention to airport pick up and return, and loved her fast tracking through the Rome airport on departure.
I am sure I could not have had such a comprehensive and memorable first visit to Rome without Jennifer’s help. After two trips this year using Wow List travel experts I cannot imagine traveling any other way.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL This was our first trip going through Wendy Perrin, we had an exceptional trip! We went to Italy and from the beginning planning through completion the planning was seamless. The guides we used were exceptional and the communication exceeded our expectations. With regards to Covid we felt very safe for the entire trip. Can’t wait to plan our next trip!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Nancy and I were lucky to have spent the first week of 2022 in Rome, Italy on a trip planned by Jennifer Virgilio and her team. This is the 4th time that we have had a good fortune to have used Jennifer’s services on a trip to Europe. Jennifer provides invaluable services from the planning of the trip to the actual implementation of the trip when you are on vacation. We found it especially comforting using Jennifer on this trip as it was our first trip abroad since the outbreak of Covid and we knew that we could count on Jennifer and her team to look out for us while we were in Rome. Also, Jennifer has learned how we like to travel and this made the planning process easy and fun.
Jennifer arranged for us to stay at the Hotel Eden while we were in Rome. The staff at the hotel were so nice to us and looked out for us during our stay. They worked with Jennifer to make sure that we got our Covid test at the hotel for our return to the United States. The staff at the Hotel Eden sure that we were comfortable and this made the trip even more enjoyable.
Jennifer also arranged some great experiences during our time in Rome. By far, our favorite experiences were exclusive visits to the Galleria Borghese and the Galleria Doria Pamphilj with Alessia, our favorite guide during this trip. Alessia was able to navigate both galleries so that we saw the most we could during our limited time and her knowledge of the art in each location was outstanding. Two other experiences which were highlights during our trip were a day trip to Naples/Pompeii with our guide Liberata and driver Salvatore as well as a lovely food tour in the Trastevere neighborhood with Luca where we got to sample some Roman delicacies.
Like our past trips, we always felt looked after by Jennifer and her team when we were in Rome. They would check in daily to see if we needed anything and they would lay out the itinerary for the next day. This was important to us during this time of Covid and in fact they made the call to cancel a planned outing when the tour guide tested positive for Covid. They offered to arrange another experience but Nancy and I decided to spend the day exploring Rome on our own.
All in all, it was another great trip planned and executed by Jennifer. We feel so fortunate that we have found Jennifer and know that everything will be spectacular and that we will be well taken care of when we are on a tour which she has arranged. We highly recommend that other travelers consider using Jennifer and we know we will use her again in the near future.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We were so very fortunate to be able to experience an impromptu trip to Milan and the Piedmont region in early January 2022- and could have never have done it without Jennifer Virgilio and her team. First, the trip was initiated and planned in less than 3 weeks. Jennifer provided excellent advice on how to insure our trip and how to minimize risk if we found ourselves in the unfortunate circumstance of testing positive for Covid while we were abroad or before travel–since the new variant was impacting the world. Even though we are vaccinated, knowing I had a way back home to my children if we tested positive allowed me to enjoy the trip and not worry. The trip itself was glorious. We went to a Barolo village and had the chance to visit a Barolo wine cellar for a private tasting and tour. Our guides in Torino and Milan were excellent, and we relished the opportunity to take in the Last Supper and other masterpieces with no crowds. Like, NONE. In Piedmont, the weather was mild and we were able to spend a lot of time outdoors. And our vaccine and booster allowed us to eat in restaurants with other vaccinated people and not put our health in jeopardy. Our private transfers and drivers were professional and masked at all times, and we honestly felt safer on the trip than we do at public places at home. We made some wonderful memories, and cannot say enough about how this trip abroad gave us a much needed change to start 2022. Thank you Jennifer!!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We had a great experience with Jennifer and her staff. We planned a trip to Italy over Christmas and New Year’s 2021-2022, but had already booked accommodations, so asked Jennifer to assist with booking tours and activities. We were afraid Christmas and New Year’s day would be “dead days” with nothing open and nothing to do, but Jennifer was able to find us really interesting activities. On Christmas day we had a cooking class with a local chef and then sat down to Christmas lunch with her family, just outside of Florence. On New Years Day, we had a golf cart tour of Rome. She booked us walking tours in both Florence and Siena and our guides were outstanding. Finally, the highlight of our tour was a truffle hunt, followed by lunch (made with our truffles) and wine tasting at a Tuscan vineyard. We had one tour that went awry, but within minutes of contacting Jennifer’s staff, they had gotten us a full refund. Overall, great experience.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer is terrific, a TRUE expert. You don’t have to worry about details being handled; you can be confident that Jennifer will take care of everything at the level you’d expect when traveling. We used her planning services for a trip to Venice when we were skiing in the Dolomites.
I want to plan another, longer trip with Jennifer as we were only able to use her for a very short portion of our trip. Her guide in Venice was extraordinary and after a quick phone call, she instantly knew what we wanted. Can’t wait to use her again. Soon!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL A poet once said “…through the trials and tribulations…” My travels were certainly an unforgettable experience that encompassed nearly 2 years of planning and replanning, the tireless efforts of Jennifer and her team must receive the highest commendations.
I rechecked my notes and saw that my first deposit for airfare was paid in November of 2019…but then, the “fun” started. Four reschedules later….and a tremendous effort by Jennifer, finalized my dream trip for Oct 2021. And it was everything that I had hoped for…with a little hiccup on the side.
London was amazing as ever. Jennifer was spot-on in recommending the Kensington. It had the best martinis of the entire trip (and I tasted many all over town) and was a quick walk to the Underground for exploring the city. Although I have visited several times in the past (I lived in Portsmouth on-and-off for three years), my travel expert—Hugh—turned out to be a bigger history buff than I. Special access to the Churchill War rooms, a visit to the crypts of (an almost deserted) St. Paul’s and amazing walks through Blenheim and Chartwell. Hugh knew more than just what was in history and guide books….it was an amazing educational and entertaining experience. Stephen and Antonio kept me apprised of my schedule daily and made sure every detail was confirmed. I am already planning a return to follow in the footsteps of T.E. Lawrence…Hugh, you better start reading up!!!
At the back end of the trip, Venice was starting to come alive. I, too have visited Venice before, but the city seemed to be emerging out of its pandemic isolation and tourists were coming back. So was the water!! It wouldn’t be Venice if San Marco were not flooded at least once during the week…it did not disappoint. The Baglioni Hotel Luna was perfectly situated at the corner of the Piazza San Marco, right off the Grand Canal and around the corner from Harry’s Bar (still have great Bellini’s). Alvise, my artisan tour guide, knew the ins-and-outs of the cathedral, the amazing talents on Murano and introduced me to Maestro Pastor and his wood-carving talents. But Jennifer left me just the right amount of time to wander (and get lost in) Venice on my own—it’s the best way to experience the city.
Unfortunately, the middle of vacation was filled with major upheavals—none of which was due to the actions of Jennifer and her team, but by Belmond. A day before I was to embark on the Orient Express, the entire journey was cancelled. A major disappointment. However, Jennifer, Antonio and Mattia quickly sprang into action and coordinated/expedited/confirmed transport for me from London to Bologna to Venice. It was a major logistics coup and something I could not have done without their help—it turned a nightmare scenario into a (minor) annoyance. But what would life be without such a glitch?? This only means that I will have to come back next year for the train experience—and Jennifer is already working on that. I’ll let you all know how that works out this time next year!!
My thanks to Jennifer, Antonio and Mattia for making these weeks a memorable occasion. See you all next year!!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Both perfect days in Lake Como and Venice.
My wife and I typically do what Jennifer arranged for us as we travel around the world…we ask the concierge to hire a local person for a walking tour —
It was nice to have outsourced this to Jennifer and her team- all professionals!
We’ll work together again in the future thanks!
I also appreciated the local contacts who the night before via text to confirm the next day activity said, “in case of emergency don’t hesitate to call”….given the Covid situation- that was a great back up and piece of mind.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL The actual act of traveling, in other words, transit, itself is made ever so slightly more cumbersome and uncomfortable due to the pandemic. For example, long plane rides, in fact very long travel days, with mask in place, little on plane food and an acute lack of shops and eateries available at airports. Over half of the food places were closed in both JFK and Atlanta, making the other places crowded, with long waits. Of course, you must be vaccinated and schedule your pre-test for Italy. This was easy for us to do in Portland, ME. On our return flight, our trip planner, Jennifer, and her staff made all the necessary arrangements for us to get our COVID test in Venice the day before our flight. That part was very smooth. On the real upside, Venice was relatively uncrowded! To see Venice just as it is opening up again was a rare opportunity. Don’t miss this chance. No cruise ships and no large tour groups. Most of the tourists were Italian, Scandinavian or German! Jennifer and her staff planned an outstanding trip. We felt 100% safe in all ways, but in particular with regards to COVID risk. The trip was special, personal, enlightening and very, very safe. Our local guides, Alvise in Venice and Monica in Verona, were outstanding!!! I cannot say enough about them. They were both vaccinated and chose locations, tour routes and provided additional recommendations that definitely minimized our exposure to large crowds whenever possible, chose restaurants and shops that were genuine, unique and where they knew that the proprietors would be respectful of COVID precautions. Jennifer and her staff, especially Susanna and Mattia, made sure that our transportation was always COVID safe. Again, it all felt very personal without being so exclusive that you missed getting a feel for the actual location. Jennifer found a wonderful apartment for us to rent in Campo San Maurizio. It was sunny, gorgeous, centrally located and supremely comfortable. This was very important to me, as I was traveling with my 77 year old mother. Comfortable beds, good air-conditioning, functional kitchen, great bathrooms. Our local guide, Alvise picked us up at our apartment at the start of each excursion. Jennifer and her staff worked so hard on the entire itinerary, but even if all they had done was find Alvise as our guide, they would already have added enough value to pay for the trip. My mother and I cannot say enough about him. Born and raised on Lido in Venice, he knew it inside and out and demonstrated immense pride in his city and culture. As an Art History major, he knew more about the art and architecture than we could possibly absorb! Most importantly, as a genuinely kind and happy human being, he always kept our welfare in mind and went out of his way, even on his off days, to make sure we were ok and having good experiences. He must have personally known every 5th or 6th Venetian on the street or on the water. Someone was always calling out to him with a few friendly words and a wave. He was able to get us up onto the rooftop of one of the stores for a spectacular view of Venice, despite the fact that others were being turned away at the door. This is just one example. Truly, everyone knew him and clearly liked him. We really felt that as his charges we would learn about and experience the best that Venice has to offer. He is a true treasure. Any of the excursions that get you out on the water, such as the day trip to Murano and Burano – both of which have suffered so much in the pandemic – are memorable. Especially if you are a boat enthusiast, get out there on those gorgeous wood-paneled, leather-seated private water taxis and just soak in the waterways, canals and incredible history and architecture of Venice. There is no better way to “feel” what it means to be a city with such spectacular history that is built on the water, literally. The other experience that is a must do is the trip out to Verona and the Valpolicella that Jennifer and her team planned. Our guide, Monica, in Verona was so knowledgeable that it was like drinking from a fire-hose. We were deeply impressed with the history and beauty of that city. I could go back again in a heartbeat. The two small, family-owned Amarone wineries that we visited were delightful, packed with an almost unbelievable history and the wines! WOW! If a non-drinker, such as myself, is telling you that you must do that day out in the Valpolicella visiting the Tedeschi and Fumarelli wineries, then really, you must do it!! Thank you, Jennifer! Finally, I would say that some of the richness of this experience came out of the fact that we stayed in Venice for a week. We didn’t have to rush through experiences and we could really start to gain an appreciation for life in Venice. We were so proud of ourselves the first time we made it back from San Marco to our apartment without using a map or getting lost and the first time we walked over to the Vaporetto stop or Tragetto stop and hopped on with the others without fumbling or milling around. Take the time to stay. You may see less of Italy, but you will feel Venice at a point in history like no other. Thank you Jennifer, Susanna, Mattie, Alvise and Monica. What a trip!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL This was our first trip to Calabria, and we had no idea what to expect. Jennifer researched the area and found really great places to visit – lovely villages, unique architecture and experiences with local food and people. We spent one day on a sailboat enjoying the stunning coastline from Tropea to Capo Vaticano, swimming in the beautifully clear water. We visited a bergamot farm and drove to the village of Bova where we took in a panoramic view of the ocean and countryside. We visited gorgeous churches in Tropea and grottoes and caves in Pizzo. Our guide, Tatiana, was very informative and attentive to the types of things we were drawn to, stopping for photos where she thought I’d be interested and pointing out significant monuments.
On our last day, we thought the place we were staying might be too far a drive to the airport (we had a 6:45am flight), I mentioned it to Mara and she found us a perfect B & B, close to the airport but in a beautiful remote area. We had the whole place to ourselves and spent our last day relaxing by the pool – perfect way to end our trip.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband searched The Wall Street Journal for help planning our July/August 2021 Italy trip. An article there sent us to WendyPerrin.com, and Wendy’s team recommended Jennifer in Italy. We communicated our desire to see the art and architecture in three cities: Venice, Florence, and Rome. Jennifer attentively listened and created a plan that made our trip a huge success. She and her assistant Mara made arrangements for five people in our family the first week and seven the second week. They set up transportation and hotels and suggested great sites of which we were not aware. Because of such detail, we were ready with proof of our COVID-19 vaccination. She gave us the place to receive the virus test so we could be readmitted to the U.S.A. Every detail! Fantastic guides met us in each city and oriented us about the history, architecture, and art. We had studied the Renaissance and ancient Roman history, but these guides deepened our knowledge and understanding much, much more than we expected. They also snapped photos of all our family. We particularly enjoyed the craftsmen we visited: In Venice, we saw lace makers and glass blowers. In Florence we watched engravers, leather artisans, and jewelry makers. The only activity that did not work out was the one we scheduled without Jennifer. Lesson learned! From then on, we depended on her to set up all our activities. The pinnacle of the trip was different for each of us, but we all enjoyed every single experience and guide.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We found Jennifer Virgilio through Wendy’s list for our honeymoon to Italy. We contacted here with just over 2 weeks until our trip. Would recommend getting started with more time but Jennifer and her team got to work quickly and were incredible to work with. They organized everything, provided alternatives based on feedback, and were very flexible. Most importantly, they were incredibly responsive and proactive throughout our trip. Would highly recommend!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer and her team were great to work with. In the planning stage we worked through several options as to how best to enjoy our 5 1/2 days in Venice & came to an ideal balance between scheduled time and free time.
Throughout the planning one or the other, often both, were touching base; making sure we knew not just what we would be doing but also what we needed to do to meet all requirements of travel as they changed leading up to departure. When we had specific requests they were able to accommodate without difficulty.
After our arrival, I particularly liked the daily text update from a staff member reviewing what was on the schedule for the next day, a contact phone number for any issues and stating any important updates such as the need for proof of vaccination in order to eat indoors, go to museums etc. which began in Italy midway through our trip. Yes, I had my printed copy as well as access to the digital copy of daily activities but getting that text made it so easy. Who wants to carry around the printed page and a text is easier to access by phone than getting into the itinerary!
Our guide for touring Venice and our sommelier guide for Valpolicella wineries were knowledgeable as well as engaging to spend time with–both are native Venetians which provided an ideal lens through which to learn about Veneto. Venice is a magical place and having Alvise take us to the expected as well as unexpected and unknown spots was wonderful. Make sure not to miss the best, and funniest, saleswoman in the world at the linen shop on Burano!
Unrelated to Jennifer–we had purchased the BinaxNOW home test to use prior to our return to the US. Wait times however were over 3 hours whenever we checked within our window for testing which negated any convenience aspect as we weren’t going to sit around and waste time. Luckily Marriott has a system whereby the primary properties in Venice have rotating “testers” who come to their hotels for 2 hours each day and for $65 we could get an antigen test. Felt like BinaxNOW let us down but there was an easy solution that left us able to not miss out on time exploring. Thank you Bonvoy/Marriott for making the process simple and the price reasonable.
My husband and I had a very stress free trip with all planning aspects having been taken care of by Jennifer and Susanna. Thank you again for recommending a great travel agent to help create a memorable trip–especially in these travailing travel times. I do feel that with appropriate destinations and precautions, travel can be done safely and enjoyably. Venice was delightfully uncrowded, by Venice terms!
PANDEMIC TRAVEL We felt completely comfortable on this trip. The apartment-style accommodations had a double benefit that they felt more COVID-friendly and also really made us feel like we were living in the city where we were staying.
In addition, as others have noted, this is a truly special time to be in Rome and Venice. It was my first time and I am afraid I have been ruined for the future. The crowds just weren’t a factor at any time. We felt like we always had the space to move around freely, visit any location and were comfortable with the mask wearing when we and others were indoors.
Highlights included:
– The guides, Roberto and Alvise, really were wonderful. They obviously both love their cities and their work and they made the time with them quite educational and fun. Alvise was particularly engaging. His personality is perfectly suited to being a guide and he loves showing off his hometown of Venice. We learned so much during our orientation tour and got great dinner reservations as well at lOsteria di Santa Marina.
– The Danza tickets were amazing!!! Jennifer didn’t tell us they were front row!! Thanks so much to her for coming through on that request. Choreographer Wayne MacGregor was actually sitting right behind my son in the audience too. We really enjoyed the show and the talk afterwards. We also loved the Architecture exhibit at the Arsenale (didn’t have time for the Giardini unfortunately).
– The various accommodations worked out very well for us. In Rome, the Martius private suites were very well situated and quite comfortable. In Bologna, we were close to Oriana’s (chef for cooking class) apartment and just down the street from her optometrist shop and of course a quick walk to the downtown area. We enjoyed doing a little bit of shopping and cooking while we were there. In fact we took some of the groceries with us to use in Venice. The Venice apartment was beautiful and very comfortable and a nice bit away from the hubbub of the central part of Venice. I would definitely stay there again. And then the Villa Serbelloni’s history and beautiful views made it special as well.
– Oriana, our chef for the cooking class, took us for a delightful tour of the outdoor markets and then welcomed us into her home for a relaxed, fun and educational afternoon of pasta making.
Thanks again for your assistance. We really felt like we were in Italy at a special time and Jennifer’s choices helped us take advantage of all it has to offer.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer Virgilio and her associates furnished us with the best imaginable service in Italy, from scheduling private tours for us, to understanding who we are and finding guides who matched and built on our interests. Above all, given the unpredictability that the pandemic continues to wreak on openings and closings of monuments and museums, Jennifer and associates were able to “turn on a dime” and give us alternative tours and tickets if something was closed, and they notified us on the morning of a tour that something we had wanted to see had just opened to the public–and with our approval, they immediately secured tickets and tours for us.
She/they did this without causing us one iota of stress or worry. We were in the hands of professionals who wanted to give us the best experience possible. We did not take advantage of a number of lovely services that Jennifer provides, including chauffer and reservation services, but we look forward to doing so on our next visit to Europe.
PANDEMIC TRAVEL Jennifer did a great job developing an itinerary, helping us react with flexibility in-country, and putting us in the hands of great people on the ground. We felt very safe in Italy. Our trip had a very rocky start, as it was a stormy night at Newark Airport. Our flight was over 8hrs delayed, forcing us to miss our connection and then take the last flight out of Frankfort, arriving in Naples at 11pm and transferring 3hrs+ to Ostuni, arriving at 3am. (More on how fabulous our driver Luca was later). Italy required masks indoors, and most places were requiring social distancing and had timed entrances.
Ostuni was lovely. We stayed at the Paragon 700, a boutique hotel in a historic mansion. The staff and service were top-notch. They serve a la carte breakfast each morning starting about 7:30ish. The room was large, the bed comfortable, but there is no television. I think had we known we would have asked for a different hotel. (We like to have access to the news and would have enjoyed seeing the Olympics in the evenings when we were home). However, all our hotel choices were based on being able to cancel without penalty, so they probably aren’t what Jennifer would have suggested normally. Ostuni is very walkable and has a lively aperitivo scene. We visited the Pianelle Masseria and had a magnificent time learning and participating in making mozzarella, stracciatella, and burrata. We were then treated to an incredible tasting. We were so full we canceled our dinner plans. The next day we met our guide and visited Lecce and had a private tour with a local docent of the Jewish history museum and area. Our guide then took us around Lecce and Otranto. Angela was so knowledgeable about history, culture, and was able to impart what was most special and unique about each town. We were her first tour since the shutdown and everyone—no matter where we went—was thrilled and said they were so happy to see Americans.
The next day, we would be leaving Ostuni for Matera. We learned about the bacteria that is killing the olive trees of Puglia. It is sad to see field after field of dead trees as the Italians fight to save this ancient industry. We would stop in Locorondtondo and Alberobello. The first town was voted as one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. The residents compete to have the most gorgeous flowers. Our guide had relationships with people in both cities, allowing us entrance into homes to see what a traditional Trulli looked like when people lived there in the past.
We arrived to Matera at the Sextanto Le Grotte Della Civita. This is a hotel and UNSECO site. The hotel has somewhat modernized caves. While we previewed the rooms before agreeing to stay here, we hadn’t grasped the amenities. It is truly an experience. The caves are a bit dark and warm (we should have known), no television (we should have known), and no door to the bathroom. If ever there was something I could classify as “luxury rustic,” this would be it. One of the most comfortable beds and the breakfast was amazing. An elaborate buffet that the staff served to keep things safe. They could not have been more helpful, kind, and accommodating. They brought us an extra light and fan. It is air-conditioned but the controls are in the office. Our biggest issue was the bathroom mirror was practically unusable. It was antiqued, hung low, and quite small which made it hard for getting ready to go out, shaving, etc. I would still suggest everyone stay here one night. Matera is magical. Antonio took us on a tour that was fascinating and had the perfect mix of history, culture, art, and food. We had two fantastic dinners. The first at Le Baccanti in a cave and the second at the Michelin-starred restaurant, Vitantonio Lombardo Ristorante. Chef Lombardo signed a menu for us and came out to greet us as we left.
The next morning Luca picked up us and all our luggage and drove us via Sorrento to Positano. Jennifer was able to re-adjust our itinerary so that we could learn about the ancient craft of wood inlay (Intarsia) and visit one of the oldest crafters of this art form. After this brief visit to Sorrento, Luca suggested a lovely restaurant overlooking the water in Positano, and then we went to our hotel, The Eden Roc. Our room at the Eden Roc was large, air-conditioned, and had a television. We were on the second floor and had a bit of street noise but all in all was fine. The breakfast is a la carte and comes with a dose of Tony. Tony is amazing and makes you feel so welcome. This hotel was conveniently located by the stairs that took you down and across the street to the main path to the beach area of Positano. Positano was beautiful and we were happy to have a day to ourselves. We had privately scheduled a sunset boat tour with Junior Grassi Boats. We had a great time seeing Positano from the water. Positano was the busiest place we were and saw crowds everywhere. As expected it is expensive and full of young beautiful people. It was also quite hot and humid. Jennifer helped us get reservations at La Sponda. We had requested indoors assuming it would be air-conditioned, it is not. If you are sensitive to heat, you might want to ask specifically. We would recommend people not miss the museum, Mar Positano,that shows the ruins of a Roman Villa in the crypt of the nearby church. It is a docent-led tour and truly fascinating.
After two nights it was off to Naples. We would visit the Herculaneum and Pompeii, mixed with free time in Naples. Once again Luca would be our driver. Our guide in the Archeological Parks was Augustino. He was so knowledgeable and was able to transport us back in time and give us the context to better understand what occurred. He was an accomplished scholar of history, archeology, and more. He made sure we didn’t wait too long in lines to get in. Pompeii was a bit busy and we focused on the highlights, There were places we had hoped we would see and didn’t, but there were traffic plans in place and closures of areas so we understood. We were able to visit the museum at the Herculaneum and had the site largely to ourselves. We visited a local winery, Casa Setaro, where Jennifer arranged to have the owner invite us to his home for a tasting and lunch. This would have to be a highlight. We sampled four of his wines, his olive oil, limoncello, and one of the best meals ever. We would meet his wife and children and eat tomatoes from his garden. Luckily we were able to ship some wine home.
Back in Naples, we decided to tackle it on our own without a guide and visit the wealth of museums and historic sites. We were sure to purchase timed tickets for the most important sites, Sansevero Chapel, Archeology Museum, Capodimonte Museum, and Tour of the Catacombs. Naples is not known as the safest of cities so it was great to have a driver. Luca added stops at other sites, allowing us to get out and look around. He also took us to a historic pizza place for authentic Neapolitan pizza. We stayed at the Romeo Hotel, which is a 5-star hotel near the port. Truthfully it is not our style of hotel and we only agreed to stay there when the Grand-Parker closed during the days we were there. We had a sea-view room which really from our low floor was a building. The hotel seemed to have very few people so we had hoped for a possible upgrade. Room-service food was par at best. The room was very streamlined, not much space for unpacking and having your things accessible. Very high concept that sacrificed utility. Breakfast was upstairs and had a gorgeous view. There was no menu and it was very unclear. They brought you a basket of pastries, juice, coffee, a bowl of fruit, and then we figured out you could ask for eggs but they never offered or explained what they could get you or offered a menu to scan. We found COVID protocols across our hotels very different, which leads me to believe that most of the “restrictions” were cost-cutting measures and less about safety in most cases. I however honor the fact that everyone is just trying to do their best given the circumstances.
All in all it was a wonderful trip. The itinerary and time at each place was perfect. The guides and drivers were phenomenal. We had a great mix of experiences. Southern Italy is a truly beautiful group of regions each that could have been a vacation in itself.
Jennifer and her staff made our recent holiday trip to Rome extraordinary and memorable. This was the third trip Jennifer planned for us (other two to Paris) and we always think how fortunate we are to have had Jennifer enrich our experiences when we are in Europe.
Jennifer arranged the perfect balance in our itinerary between activities and relaxation. On the sightseeing side of the trip we were lucky enough to have an exclusive visit to Galleria Colonna, an early morning visit to the Vatican and an architecture of Rome tour. All of the tour guides were friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. In addition, Jennifer arranged our WOW Moment gift from Wendy Perrin which was a Rome Orientation Golf Cart Tour. This was a unique way to marvel at the beauty of Rome with Mattia, an expert local guide, in a vehicle that can easily navigate the small streets of Rome and its crowds that cannot always be easily accomplished in a regular automobile.
Jennifer also arranged for us to participate in a pizza and gelato making class which we found informative and are hoping that we can utilize the tips we learned at home. Another immersion experience we enjoyed was getting to experience a Michellin Restaurant dinner service at Per Me Giulio Terrinoni. During this experience, we first stayed in the kitchen with Chef Giuulio and his team for dinner preparation service and then we got to sit at the chef’s table as Chef Giulio prepared a delicious tasting menu.
Jennifer also helped us choose a great hotel to stay. The staff at Hotel Eden were so nice and welcoming to us and always made sure that we were enjoying our stay in Rome. In addition, Jennifer arranged a greeting service for the airports in Rome and London Heathrow so that our airport experiences and transfers were easy.
Finally, we received daily communication from Jennifer’s team as to what we will be experiencing the next day and to make sure that everything is going well. They also supply you with a 24 hour contact if you need any assistance. This is the type of 5 plus star service that you can expect from Jennifer and her team.
We are lucky that we have found Jennifer and her team to assist us with our recent travels. I highly recommend them if you are visiting any of the various European areas in which they specialize. I know we will definitely utilize their expertise for future trips and we now count them among our friends when in Europe.
Jennifer’s team provided top notch, personalized service throughout our weeklong stay in Rome. The guides that were selected for us were experts in their fields, and they added so much nuance and color to our personal tours. For example, I have a love of Baroque art and the wonderful guide that they selected for our art tours was a former art history academic who specialized in the Baroque period. Not only was Susanna able to really dig in and educate me more about art from this period, we did a specialized tour on Caravaggio that culminated in visiting an art restoration studio with restorationists who had restored some of the Caravaggios that I had just seen hours before. Being in that studio, up close and personal with the art, was one of the most impactful travel experiences I have ever had- so much so, that I was brought to tears. Jennifer’s team went above and beyond during our stay- even going as far as securing a somewhat obscure gift for a work associate to bring back to the US and having it sent to our hotel. The restaurant reservations that were made for us did not disappoint, and my husband and I had the most lovely lunch at the chic rooftop restaurant at the Hotel Eden, with unparalleled views and warm and attentive service. I especially appreciated the afternoon text each day, reminding us of our engagements for the next day. Everything went off without a hitch. I would not hesitate to use Jennifer Virgilio and her team for future visits to Rome, or to any of the other locations they specialize. I also wanted to thank Wendy and her team for the wonderful WoW moment in Rome! The food tour in Testaccio was so much fun! We loved trying the Trappizzini and I really enjoyed Mastro. Jason loved meeting the owners of Giolitti. Thank you for making our trip special.
We were a group of 7 women traveling together, some family and some friends. We spent a couple of nights in Paris, then 4 nights in Bordeaux, France, then 4 nights in Lecce, Italy.
We had some issues during the planning stages with delays in communication and billing. I reached out to Wendy Perrin, then directly with Jennifer and we talked through all the issues and came to a resolution before we left on our trip.
Our trip was GREAT! We so very much enjoyed everything…although my mom was tired when we got home . We loved Boris and Angelo, our drivers. Boris (Bordeaux) did not speak English, but it was fun for me to translate. Fortunately, Angelo (Italy) did! They were incredibly accommodating. We did not use guides to explore towns in Italy, it worked out beautifully to have Angelo orient us a bit, then we wandered on our own. I believe that the quality of the driver/guides is related to the relationships with Jennifer and her group.
There was some confusion at our first hotel – breakfast was supposed to be included but we were charged. Within just a few days, Jennifer’s group worked it out with them and we were all credited for the breakfast charge.
One of our favorite things was the Grotte Pair-non-Pair – it was an incredibly special, private time with unbelievable art dating back 35,000 years.
I really could go on and on, it was a wonderful trip. Even problems were adventures (one flight cancelled, another flight booked for the wrong day, high winds/downed trees our last day), but no one was hurt, nothing stolen, all bags arrived, lots of laughs, LOTS of wine!
Favorite things – wandering Paris on Sunday, Arcachon Bay/oysters/geocaching, cooking class at Cantele Winery – wow!, 2 hr lunches, jammies and wine. It was a great trip!
Here’s a review regarding the Yndo Hotel in Bordeaux from one of our travelers:
A Perfect Vacation Made Extra Special
This is a wonderful hotel. We are traveling, seven women between the ages of 40 and 80, and spent four nights at the hotel. The staff here could not have been nicer or more accommodating. Marguerite, the manager, was here each day, from the time we came down for breakfast until the time we went up to bed. She and Inez, the owner of the hotel, helped us plan our dinner menus for the two night we decided to dine in at the hotel. Sebastian, our receptionist, helped two of us plan our three hour drive to visit family in another city. He told us to call him immediately should we run into any trouble. He put our minds at ease as travelers and also for those staying behind. Everyone at Yndohotel made our vacation perfect. We will remember this beautiful hotel and its wonderful staff for many years.
Thank you to Jennifer, Andrea and Mara for putting together a wonderful, interesting itinerary!
An Outstanding Journey was Elevated to a “Trip of a Lifetime” by Expert Guides….
It’s been 4 weeks since our Viking Mediterranean Cruise and Italian Land Adventure concluded and were still reminiscing about our incredible journey and the lifetime of memories we returned with. Our Italian land experience was planned and executed flawlessly by Jennifer Virgilio & her team! The expert local guides Jennifer arranged for us in Florence, Rome & Venice were outstanding, extremely knowledgeable and exceeded our expectations!
We want give special thanks to our talented guides who elevated our journey!
In Florence Federica had exceptional knowledge on the history & architecture of Florence, the Medici dynasty as well as bringing the antiquities & treasures inside the Uffizi & Academia Galleries to another level. We were fortunate to have her for 6 hours, and we certainly look forward our return trip to Florence & Tuscany Region and spending more time with Federica to see the inside of Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo and maybe seeing the inside of the Vasari Corridor when it reopens!
We had the pleasure of having Azzurra as our guide in Rome for 2 days. Azzurra’s has outstanding knowledge of the Eternal City, it’s astonishing history and all its ancient treasures. She has to be the best guide in Rome. Azzurra has a true gift of bringing Roman history, Vatican City along with all its masterpieces & treasures to life. Truly one of the best guides we’ve ever had!!
With the limited time we had in Venice Jennifer Virgilio arranged for Alvise to take us on a sunset wooden boat tour of Venice’s beautiful canals and historic sites. Alvise is a very personable & knowledgeable guide which we will defiantly use again for a 2-3-day tour upon our return visit to Venice.
Thank you Rish for showing us how special and diverse Roman food can be in Testaccio area of Rome (especially trapizzino). Rish grew up in the Testaccio area and had personal local stories, along with fascinating history into Roman history and how cuisine was shaped over the centuries. I would highly recommend Rish for a Food Tour of the Testaccio area while in Rome.
If you are looking for a “White Glove” experience in Italy Jennifer Virgilio & her team will design and deliver a flawlessly executed experience and provide a journey which will give you a lifetime of memories from Italy.
Jennifer was very patient with us while we tried to make our final decisions. She was also very detailed and really cared about the success of our experience. Though there was some confusion about the airline and time of arrival (we didn’t have a greeter upon arrival as planned), Jennifer was quick to send us an email apologizing and sent us an immediate refund for this service. She took full responsibility for this error though we will never know where the mix up occurred. Our guide and driver were wonderful!
Jennifer Virgilio offered us many options within our budget for hotels and excursions. Her staff were on-call 24/7 to meet any of our needs. Upon our initial arrival we wanted to take a detour from the airport to our destination, and her staff was available via text to get us a wonderful lunch reservation and the driver was able to take the two hour detour. Each driver, at each destination, was kind, informative and comfortable to be with.
Each hotel generously welcomed us with a gift and an upgrade if available. The rooms chosen easily accommodated three of us.
The tour guides for our excursions were all professional, English-speaking guides, passionate about their subjects. One of our guides was going on a little long for an extremely hot day, and on a moment’s notice, one of Jennifers assistants changed our lunch reservation so we could get out of the sun an hour earlier. We couldn’t have been more grateful!
Jennifer ensured that we would travel smoothly from destination to destination. She even had porters awaiting us at the train station to assist with luggage onto the trains.
Lastly, we really enjoyed meeting Jennifer in person. She happened to be available on our last night and met us for a spectacular sunset in a penthouse restaurant for a farewell aperitivo. It really made our trip.
First of all, my apologies for the delay in sending this review. Jennifer Virgilio was our contact for a family trip to Paris and Rome. I had many misgivings as we started the planning because of the ages involved. My husband and I, our son and his wife plus four children ranging in age from 12 down to 18 months. How can we make everyone happy and keep the children engaged? Well, Jennifer and her team came through brilliantly. I have been singing her praises to everyone who asks about the trip. The guides were even better than I had expected, e.g., at the Vatican Sylvia kept them enraptured with stories and “assignments”. Who would think Napoleon’s tomb, Invalides, would hold their interest? It did and even I, who live part-time in Paris, hung on every word! Each evening I received a text confirming the next day’s specifics such as time and place which completely eased my logistical worries. There seemed to be many people behind the scenes taking care of us. In all, I would not hesitate for a second to recommend Jennifer’s team and of course, Wendy Perrin.
This was, simply stated, the best trip my family has ever taken. The hotels were meticulously chosen based on my family’s preferences. The various tours/outings were staffed with knowledgeable and personable experts who left us feeling grateful for the experience. We had the PERFECT trip designed for us and we are still smiling 2 weeks later. The only questions that remains is – same time, next year?
Jennifer & Fiamma were friendly, helpful and did an excellent job for us in Italy. We had little flexibility, but having said this Jennifer and Fiamma were enormously helpful and responsive. Would give both a 5 out of 5.
Jennifer Virgilio is a true professional and a very lovely person. She understood our needs and catered to them. We would gladly hire her again.
Jennifer and Mara on her team were excellent and so easy to work with, our entire trip was so smooth and easy, everything was perfect. While on vacation we would get an evening text update for our following day’s schedule, who our driver/guides were going to be and times of events scheduled.
The hotel they recommended was great, not too high up in Positano and not too close to town, just the perfect mix, and the views!
They booked lunch reservations for us on Capri and provided a wonderful list of dinner option for us to select from while in Positano. Our driver to and from Naples to Positano was the best, he was knowledgeable about the region and his lunch recommendations were excellent. Our guide on Capri was so fun. If we had attempted Capri on our own we would have tried to squeeze in too much without being able to enjoy it, even though we didn’t get to see everything we wanted the day was wonderful.
Our private guided tour of Pompeii was excellent, the time flew by, it was so interesting. Yet again if we had attempted Pompeii on our own we would have wandered around looking at things and waiting in line but our guide was able to smoothly guide us to the highlights all while telling us the wonderful history of Pompeii.
Jennifer Virgilio and her team, particularly Alfonso, helped me plan a last minute 4 day stay in Rome. It was flawless. First, I had found a hotel that I wanted to stay in and they confirmed that it was a good choice –which was a huge help given the number of hotels in Rome. Jennifer then helped me put together an itinerary that involved a very private viewing of the Sistine Chapel, a fabulous tour of the Forum and Pantheon, and a trip out of Rome to Tivoli that was outstanding–all with incredibly educated guides–archeologists who were both truly wonderful to spend the time with and incredibly knowledgable. I cannot say enough what a difference it made using Jennifer. And my husband and I usually eschew using tour companies and guides. She is such a lovely, helpful person with a wealth of knowledge because she lives in Rome. When I called at the last minute she was obviously extremely busy with other things but never once did I feel like I was not her number one client. She and her team helped with wonderful dinner reservations, many of them last minute. The whole experience was first rate.
My husband, 16 month old son, mother, brother-in-law and I went to Rome in November of 2016 with Jennifer Virgilio. To begin with, Jennifer took us on with very short notice. With less than a month before my planned trip, Wendy helped connect me with Jennifer. Jennifer called me during her vacation and determined exactly what kind of trip my family and I wanted.
Within a few days, Jennifer had sent a detailed preliminary itinerary along with various options to either increase the comfort level or adventure of the trip and to either squeeze in a few more sights or to slow down the pace of the trip. My family and I reviewed the suggested itinerary and responded with a few questions. Jennifer answered all of them easily and quickly. She also managed to get us a special access option to the 3rd Ring and Underground at the Colosseum (we loved this!) and suggested two special access options at the Vatican to have a Popes Audience or an after-hours tour (we didn’t do these, but they were amazing options to have). These were just a few of the special options available to us.
As this was a vacation that took place over my husbands birthday, I had asked Jennifer if she knew of anything we could do to celebrate his birthday or to make it special for him. When she came back with the suggestion of a Ferrari day trip through Umbria for him and his brother or a day trip out to the Ferrari plant and racetrack, I was amazed! What perfect suggestions! My husband is still raving about the Ferrari day trip through Umbria.
Jennifer kept in contact almost every day until the day of our flights with suggestions for dinners or ways to make this an even more special trip. She even suggested a children’s museum and a few playgroups I could take my son to on a scheduled down day and included all the needed contact info to arrange for it if I chose to do it; as well as suggesting a personal shopper that my mom and I could work with if we so desired.
During our trip, Jennifer and her colleague, Fabrizio, contacted us every night to be sure we knew the schedule for the day ahead and that there were no changes needed, and to ask how that day’s planned events went. Everything ran smoothly and to plan, with a couple of small snafus that were quickly remedied.
This was an amazing trip that included a Vespa tour, a good food tour, a great cooking class, excellent and informed guides, courteous and timely drivers, two great day trips to Florence and Pompeii/Naples, behind the scenes look at the Colosseum and a fantastic Ferrari tour of Umbria.
Jennifer is a wonderful and insightful person to have arrange your trip to Italy (I understand she also does the UK, France, Ibiza, and Monaco and I will be using her services again when I travel to those areas). Please be clear in your expectations for your trip, let her know if you are not sure of an activity and tell her of any special occasions you may have or may want to celebrate on your trip. She will figure out a way to accomplish all you hope to do and will suggest some amazing options that you haven’t even considered. You won’t go wrong if you choose to work with Jennifer.
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