TESTIMONIALS
Read comments from our past guests about tours, accommodation, and services ......
Tours
"Superb!
Our travels with Luigi and Isabella have been wonderfully informative, fun
and rewarding. Luigi and Isabella search out the hidden jewels that abound
in Italian towns and cities and work hard to help us see, understand
and especially enjoy our visits to Italy's endless treasures. A day with
Luigi and Isabella is a magical mix of culture, art, wine, cuisine and
easy conversation. We can't think of any better hosts".
Kelsay and Kay Meek, Maryland, USA
"Dear Iabella,
it really is hard to put into mere words how Larry and I feel about this trip. You have shared your gift of knowledge with us as well as your gift for making people feel special. We will always have these beautiful memories with us.
I feel as though I'm losing a wonderful friend and that our paths will never cross again ... but you will always be loved in our hearts.
Thanks for being my 'interior decorator' and helping to pick out special ceramics pieces during our tour.
Bless you and Luigi forever!
Love, Larry and Phyllis, USA
"Isabella,
words cannot express what you and this trip have meant to Wylie and I. We both had very high expectations for this trip and they were far exceeded. That is totally due to you. You and Luigi and Rudolfo have added so much to our trip and our lives these past days. We have learned so much from you and have been able to enjoy each day and each meal because of all you have done for us. I have never seen Wylie so relaxed and so verbal on a trip before. This has been the trip of a lifetime for all of us. Thank you.
Ann and Wylie (Lynn and Cassie, Larry and Phyllis, Steve and Roberta) - USA
"When
our two families decided to travel to Italy for two weeks, we knew that
planning and executing on the trip would be a challenge. Think about
... four working parents, eight kids, a sister-in-law, a country where we
had never been and didn't speak the language. It was all pretty
overwhelming and yet was a trip that we had dreamed of taking for many
years. Well, Luigi and Isabella planned everything from start to
finish. They listened to our unique needs and created a program that
provided everything we asked for ... and then some. There is no
substitute for traveling with people who know the country, the culture,
the history, the sites, the people, the wine and the restaurants!!
But
the biggest surprise of the trip, which we really hadn't anticipated, was
the immediate connection all of us were able to form with Luigi and
Isabella. They each played different roles in "managing"
our travels, but as individuals and as a couple they work effectively to
keep everything moving at the right pace without limiting the flexibility
one would expect in having personal guides for a trip like the one we were
so fortunate to take. Their warmth and friendship will be etched in
our hearts forever and we look forward with great anticipation to our
return to Italy and our rekindling of the friendships we have made.
If
you can find the time and have the means, plan and take a trip with Luigi
and Isabella. It will be the best investment in memories you have
ever made."
Craig
Buffie, USA
You
two are just special. Our time with you was exactly the type of vacation
trip I wanted. History, food, wine and good hotels. I felt we got really
great value. It also exceeded my expectations in all areas and meeting all
of the fun folks from the U.S. and New Zealand was a real plus. I plan on
mailing you some information in the next few days on Napa Valley because
of your interest in the Wine industry. I did make it home with that one
bottle and will drink it on some special occasion when the time is right.
Again,Thank you for such a delight time.
John
Johnson, USA
Isabella
and Luigi:
The time went by so fast and we get back to our daily work. It’s
funny though, every day we think of a new memory of our trip and it brings
great joy. Thanks again. We had a great time and I hope our paths
will meet again in the future.
Monica
and Ray, USA
Dear
Isabella and Luigi,
We can’t thank you enough for the rich experience of Italy that you so
generously shared with us. Your affection and respect for the people
and culture is profound and infectious. We have recalled the time in
Venice when we were shifting from the bus to the boat for the trip on the
Grand Canal. You helped us understand that the pushiness of boat
operators is entirely all right because they are trying to make a living.
What a helpful way to sensitize us to the realities of every day life for
the people there. Also your advice about greeting shopkeepers helped
us learn how to be respectful and appropriate as we visited their (your)
country. Thanks for these learnings as well as all the others that
we received on the trip.
We
have thought often about the range of experiences, and how carefully you
planned to make these possible in an enjoyable way. We learned a
great deal about art, from the Etruscans to the Renaissance, in churches
and in museums. We loved your talks about paintings and frescoes,
Isabella. To learn about and to appreciate the art of the
Renaissance was one of my major hopes, and this was fully met. We
loved the food and wine, and thanks to both of you for the knowledge about
wine that you passed on to us. We enjoyed truly distinctive
spectacles: the joust and Aida in Verona. We could not have these
kinds of experiences anywhere else. Thanks Luigi for all you did in
helping us to understand and to enjoy the joust. And thanks to both
of you for arranging our participation in one of the neighborhoods.
There is no question that this enhanced the overall enjoyment of the
experience.
Thanks
for all the exposure to the countryside: beautiful hills and valleys,
towns precariously perched on clifftops, the justly famous vineyards of
Tuscany, and of course the spectacular beauty of the Cinque Terre.
We were delighted to see so much of Italy while not feeling that we were
spending that much time going from one place to another. Thanks for
the cities we were able to visit, especially Florence and Venice. We
are grateful for the time in Venice, though short. We do now have a
personal experience of this special historical city that is important to
us. And we certainly enjoyed the smaller town experiences:
being able to stay in several and visit others.
We also want you to know how much we appreciated your care in planning this trip and your clarity at each step of the way about what we would be doing and where and when we needed to be there. A lot of the reason why the overall group experience was so good was because of your clear and also sensitive leadership – being attentive to peoples’ needs and always ready to share knowledge and insights. You were aware of the need both for activity and for rest. The day to recoup in Portovenere was at just the right time as well as in a beautiful place. And thanks for transporting us along with K …. and K …. to Florence at the end of the trip. You could easily have felt you were done with us by that time!
Many,
many thanks for all that you did to make this such a positive and
meaningful trip. We will continue to remember it and cherish it as
we continue our reading, reflection, and exploration. Your
leadership is a greal gift. Thanks so very much.
Ciao,
Dana
and Linda, USA
Dear
Isabella and Luigi
We went from Venice to the UK and tomorrow (7/7) we take the train to
Paris for a month. We arrive home in NZ on August 10th.
The Italian Highlights tour was even better than we had hoped. The places
you took us to, the people we met and the wonderful experiences you gave
us we will always remember with great pleasure. When we get home we will
read your second book with a great deal more insight!
We loved every minute of your tour and thank you both so much.
Best regards,
Ciao,
Peter
and Beryl, NEW ZEALAND
"Thoroughly
enjoyed two trips with Isabella and Luigi. Relaxed style, well organised
with good blend of sightseeing and free time. Admire Isabella's ability to
make history come alive and appreciate Luigi's unfailing good humour when
a photographer lags behind!
Beverley Holland NZ
"We
have now enjoyed three tours with Isabella and Luigi. Why do we keep
going back? Because we know they are going to find the most
interesting hotels and restaurants; that they will take us to places that
ordinary tours don't go to (as well as the ones they do visit); that they
will deal miraculously with any problems; that they will always provide 'surprises'
(like an upgrade on accommodation or getting a shop to open especially for
us to buy delicious lingerie at saldi prices); that we always have a heap
of fun and we feel we are travelling with dear friends".
Ken
McKinnon and Sue Walker, Australia
"Don't know where to start!!! The tours with Luigi & Isabella have been so very enjoyable. The organization, accomodation & transport is all well taken care of. Isabella's historical talks & anecdotes are never too much to absorb. The pre-tour reading list is such a good start to the tour. Food & wines are always very good. Help with bookings before & after the tour much appreciated. Luigi always available with a helpful hand with luggage & wine knowledge (or grappa or limoncelo!). The tours, being small numbers, are very friendly & personal. Never made to feel I was too old!!! We 3 had such a good time & that's largely because you have become friends".
Barbara
Evans, New Zealand
I
want the colours of Tuscany, the light, the warmth, the liveliness! Bright
tomatoes, shiny egg plant or peppers. Comfort food is in. Dreaming of
Italy every night and thinking of the golden memories. I thank you both
for such a wonderful, wonderful experience. You give of yourselves to the
extent I wonder you don’t ‘melt down’ after a tour. But I can see it
comes naturally, it is unforced, and, for us, an incredible gift. I can’t
imagine the pictures of Italy in my mind’s eye ever fading. They are
colourful, rich in content and with
your graphic descriptions of times past, informative chats on life
today in Italy, have given me an understanding and a feel for the country.
The trip is like a jewel to me. Sparkling, strong and precious. I thank
you both from my heart for the trip of a lifetime.
E. B. New Zealand
Accommodation
“Staying
in Montalcino is a joy and the apartment accommodations expand this.
Walking out your doorway, you immediately engage in true hill town life in
Italy. The services of Isabella and Luigi Dusi help you integrate further
as they provide helpful information and remain available throughout your
stay. The accommodations fit our needs to a tee. A very good kitchen,
magnificent views, up-to-date fixtures and only a few short steps from
anything and everything we needed to enjoy our time there. Our next trip
will be the fourth time we have arranged our stay with Luigi and Isabella
and we so much look forward to it".
Dan
& Janice Sautner
Thanks
for one of the best weeks of our lives! Jim and I fell in love with
Montalcino on a brief visit in 2001. Then when we read Isabella's Vanilla
Beans and Brodo, we vowed to return and to experience the history and
culture of this unique village. Our stay in the Mulinari apartment was
wonderful. There we were, smack in the middle of the places and people we
had read about and admired. Every morning I looked out the bedroom window
at Monte Amiata and the valley, then crossed to the street side to see the
Montalcinese awaken. The views from the apartment were spectacular and the
rooms were large and comfortable. Best of all, we were just a few steps to
the alimentari, the enoteca, Grappola Blu and Caffe Fiaschetteria. Long
before the week was out, we felt we were "regulars".
Thanks are also due to you and Isabella for introducing us to the excitement of "football" frenzy in Italy. Even though we had to stand in the rain, the game was thrilling. We'll be checking your sight regularly to keep up with the team.
You
may be sure we'll return. Right now we're hoping to spend a couple of
weeks there in September or October of 2005. We look forward to
seeing you and Isabella again and being a part of village life.
Ciao,
ciao,
"Our
five week stay in Montalcino was definitely the highlight of my family’s
three month stay in Italy. There was never a dull day with so many
interesting and varied day trips to do in this stunning area if we could
bear to leave our beautiful village and the amazing views from our
apartment balcony. Luigi was very professional in helping us choose
our accommodation and was extremely helpful in introducing us to the local
essentials. We were soon members of the local tennis and football
club which provided an enjoyable playground for our children and an
excellent opportunity for us to practice our Italian with the locals.
We cannot wait to return!"
Anna
Dudek – Sydney Australia
“I have been to Italy 3 times and Montalcino is my favourite place. The Tuscan countryside is stunning and each day is so different. Luigi and Isabella provided wonderful assistance in finding us accommodation for our stay. Not only was booking and arranging the accommodation easy because it was done via email, but they were also very helpful. They provided us with a map on how to get to Montalcino and due to our late arrival they were kind enough to arrange somebody to meet us to show us to our apartment. The apartment was more beautiful than the pictures we viewed on the internet. It was difficult to leave our apartment due to the amazing views we had from our balcony. At night the view from our balcony was like looking out into fairy land as the distant villages lights twinkled in the evening. The location of our apartment was superb, the views from our balcony and then outside our front door was the main square of the town where all the action happens. In the main square was where we enjoyed many coffees and pastries in the morning and in the evening many wonderful wines before dinner.
I was lucky enough to meet Luigi and Isabella and they made us feel very welcome and we even watched the local football team win it's first match of the season. The people in Montalcino are very warm and friendly and the restaurants and shops are wonderful. If you are a food and wine person this is a place not to be missed on your visit to Italy. You can't go past the wonderful Brunello wines. I cannot wait to return to Montalcino”.
Danielle Storm, Sydney Australia
