Nada's Italy Tour References & Testimonials
Additional references are available upon request. Personal information is confidential and will not be given out, but Nada's Italy can put you in touch with a previous client if you fill out the Contact Form to submit your request.
Nada's Italy is a proud member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).
We are also proud members and promoters of the Touring Club Italiano (TCI).
We've enjoyed media coverage through prime local and national magazines:
- Feature article in the December 2005 issue of South Park Magazine of Charlotte, NC.
- Feature article in the May 2006 issue of Ballantyne Magazine of Charlotte, NC.
- Feature article in the Summer 2007 issue of The Crier
- See our ad in Travel + Leisure.
- See our ad in The Wine Report.
“Ciao Nada!
I've spent the last 10 days trying to get over a post-Italy depression. One of my friends asked me if Italy was everything I thought it would be. My response was that it was more than I could have imagined. It really is hard to explain the feeling of being surrounded by so much beauty and history. Every place we went was unique and interesting in different ways. I want to thank you for putting together a well-planned, organized, and flexible tour. I can tell you put a lot of thought into every detail. I also enjoyed meeting your mother and Alverro. They are such a cute couple. They were so warm and friendly. I felt like they were my relatives by the time we left! Your mother's historical information was fascinating to me and helped give a context to what we were seeing. Please tell them both, and especially your mother, how much I enjoyed meeting them and spending time with them.
[…] Thank you, again, for such a wonderful trip and experience. I can't believe we saw only a fraction of Italy in all that we did. I know that I will go back, hopefully many times, to see more.
Grazie mille!”
Georgine Evans
(Fall 2005)
“Nada,
I can’t begin to tell you what a fantastic experience this was for Wandra and I. We have bragged about it to all our friends and anyone who will listen. I have no doubt the word of mouth advertising will result in some great future business for you. Please don’t hesitate to use us as references at any time or with anybody.
Thank you for making this such a memorable experience and please pass on our regards to Vittorio, your mom and Alvaro. We’ll look forward to getting together soon and sharing all our pictures and memories with the group.
Grazie & Ciao”
George & Wandra Mackie
(Fall 2005)
“Ciao Nada:
Glad you had such a great time in Sicily. I wish I could go! My trip evaluationip is honestly a 10+. The day trips were well planned. I'd have liked a full day in Siena; it needs more time to explore. The villa accomodations were perfect. I will send everyone who wants to visit Tuscany to it. My only suggestion about the food is that lunches
could be lighter. But all the meals were tasty and too tempting to stop eating! I most enjoyed the meal your mother prepared and the luncheon we "helped" to prepare at Osteria Burchio.
Thank you for the care you have taken in planning this visit. I could really get used to someone else doing all the arrangements of lodgings, meals, visits, etc. I may ask your advice on a possible trip to Puglia in Sept or Oct (It all depends if a cousin is willing to go back to Italy so soon.)”
Judy Ghoneim
(Spring 2006)
“[…] It was really fun to learn more of the Italian language. Speaking with Enrico, Valerio, and Angelamaria was great and forced me to use what you had taught me. I can't speak for the others, but I really enjoyed that challenge. It was a great trip, Nada. You offer a wonderful tour of Tuscany. Let's do it again - in Sicily perhaps?
Oh - and by the way, I have your hairdryer that you let me borrow from the Villa. Would you like me to mail it to you...or I can drop it off somewhere. Just let me know what works best for you. Thanks for the loaner
Ciao! Ciao!”
Markey Austin
(Spring 2006)
“There was not a single bad meal on the entire trip, which is pretty amazing. My only comment is that there was too much of it. I usually eat a quick meal at my desk at work so am not used to so much in the middle of the day. I felt bad about sending so much back. I was afraid they would think we did not like it, when it was just more than I am used to eating. I'd have to give the meals a 10. I tried things I'd never had and loved all of it. My favorite meals were the ones your mother cooked, or our lesson at the restaurant, probably because we participated. You included a very good variety and I felt like I really experienced the diversity of the area. My favorite trips were Siena and Cortona. I did not want to leave either place. I can see why folks stay there.
[…] I have to say, you, your family and friends were the best part of the trip. I did not want to just go 'see' Tuscany, I wanted to get to know the people who live there and understand what their lives are like. I came home and started cooking an entirely different way. I fixed some of the things we ate for my son and daughter-in-law this past weekend. I had so much more to tell them beyond what I saw, and that was because all of you shared that insight. My children are musicians and I had a picture of the sign from the home of the man who invented the musical staff we use today. That was only because your mother pointed it out to me. I'd have missed it otherwise. My oldest son can speak several languages and he always tells me that once you get to know people, you understand the language. He is right. I cannot wait to learn more Italian so I can go back and make more friends. […] You have a gift that enriches lives!”
Kathleen Egan
(Spring 2005)
“While we enjoyed the “things” part of the trip very much, the real highlight was being with the people. Enrico, Alvaro, his wife and your Mom & Dad were all GREAT and added so much to the trip!”
John & Doris Van Order
(Spring 2005)
“[…] thought you did an excellent job of providing variety, specialties of the area/restaurant and quality was incredible. That was part of what made the trip so fabulous was trying new foods, never duplicating (except bruschetta-which was fine cuz I could eat that daily) and they were truly local places-not touristy.
[…] almost impossible to pinpoint because each meal had it's "uniqueness"--the welcome reception was awesome because it introduced all the local Tuscan specialties, casual and a great way to start getting to know the others. The cooking lesson at the local trattoria was amazing--not only learned so much, had a blast with the "hands-on" approach, the chef was hilarious but the meal was melt-in-your-mouth good!
I have been bragging on you--that you put together a trip that has a perfect balance of group time vs alone time, excellent variety of local delicacies, and such different experiences that only a local could expose us to to appreciate.”
Amy Mayer
(Fall 2006)
“I loved the format - drop us off, give us a map with recommendatio
ns, tell us where to meet for lunch and a ride and see you later. This agenda let everyone do what they enjoy the most without being paraded through each city. The events you plan that are hard for tourist to duplicate - the craftsman and cooking classes were fantastic. Amy and I would go with you again, but I would prefer to see other regions of Italy on our next trip.
Thank you for helping us create wonderful memories. Ciao.”
Butch Mayer
(Fall 2006)
“Robin and I were delighted with the entire experience and would do it all over again if the world wasn't such a big place with so many wonderful places to go!
Our quarters in the villa were quite spacious. We shared a large apartment with another couple whom we were traveling with. It had a nice sitting area, kitchen, and a bathroom for each bedroom. Nada's preparations and little special touches made us feel quite pampered. As European bathrooms go these were quite adequate. It was quite chilly while we were there and we turned the heat on. The villa has wonderful windows and I imagine would be well cooled by nature in summer.
The meals that were prepared for us in the villa were the highlight of the trip. […] We did not have a bad meal on the trip. Most of the time Nada prearranged the menu wherever we ate and it was served family style. There was always a large variety of foods that were adequate to suit any tastes.
I highly recommend Nada as a tour guide. Her attention to detail was impeccable. She is cool and calm and able to handle unexpected changes without the bat of an eye. We enjoyed interacting with the drivers she employed and other persons from the area which we meet. I felt we were able to experience the Italian lifestyle up close and personal. My wife and I are very interested in food, wine and cooking so this was a fabulous experience for us. It is not a resort type vacation but one where you will learn a lot about the Italian lifestyle.
Buon Viaggio!”
Mark & Robin Pittman
(Spring 2006)
“The trip was fantastic, if you are looking for a trip that doesn't involve moving from one hotel to another and just enjoying being with people, staying in a nice Villa with an awesome view and visiting all of the small towns along Tuscany then this is the trip you would want.
Nada has been doing this tour for several years and it is well planned out and very enjoyable. The food is excellent as well.”
Robert & Theresa LaPlaca
(Fall 2006)
“Nada, I have been meaning to write you, but things get hectic after a trip. The trip was much beyond my expectations. Being with you and your family and having such a personal touch to everything really made the trip quite special. I believe having Luca and Francesco as drivers also added a homey touch to the trip. I cannot say enough good things about your planning and your attention to every detail. The villa was just fabulous. Your Mom and Alvaro were wonderful. I have been telling lots of friends. One couple wants to go in October and another friend is very interested also.
[…] Again, let me say that the trip was beyond wonderful, and I thank you for it. I don't know if all your groups are as compatible as ours was, but we all really lucked out. Everyone was so great, and I would travel again with them. Thank you again. Please let us keep in touch.”
Linda Ashendorf
(Spring 2007)
“Rossella got a little teary-eyed when you guys left and so did I.
We saw that and Deb and I were both very touched by it. We were feeling the same thing inside the van...it was like leaving family when you don't when you'll be able to see them again. That's a tremendous testimony to how comfortable you and Rossella make everyone feel and how connected you had everyone by the end of the week.”
Nancy “Nando” Mullen & Deb Miller
(Spring 2007)
“I'm very impressed by everything you do to put these tours together. You are organized, knowledgeable, fun, and have the right personality to be doing this. Brava!
The staff you have chosen are also very good. Rosella, especially, is great and really added a lot of fun to the trip. We spent time in Rome and Venice apart from your trip, and neither of them compare to the wonderful experience we had with you in Tuscany. Thank you.”
Kate Geiser & Lynda Harmison
(Spring 2007)
“As a first time European traveler, I found the information you sent to be very thorough and helpful.
I would either supply bubble wrap for people taking back wine or suggest they bring some. Your airline suggestions and ones to stay away from were appreciated. I also found your checklist, suggested clothing items to pack and recommended restaurants in Florence very beneficial.
The note you left on the bed when we arrived was very welcoming and I enjoyed the fresh flowers.
I would have liked some more beef and a little less pork, although the pork dishes were delicious. The quantity was great, particularly after all the exercise we got. I also thought the quality and variety was very good. Your selections and variety were great whether we were at a restaurant or the villa. It was always a treat at the restaurants to see what the waiters would bring us next.
[…] I can’t think of any suggestions. You were very organized and it was a pleasure meeting you and your family. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and getting to know everyone in our group. Rossella was a sweet heart and I miss you both!”
Janice Millsap
(Spring 2007)
“I believe if we had to choose one meal, it would have been Mama Natalia’s on our 1st night at the villa. It was so delicious and such a wonderful welcome for the beginning of the stay. There were two other items we loved, more than any we ever tasted before. They were the cannoli and the spinach lasagna at lunch from the cooking lesson! There was not one meal we didn’t enjoy immensely.”
Carol Ann & Larry Woodell
(Spring 2007)
“Ciao,
Thanks so much for all that you did for us on the trip. It was such a great learning experience and am so glad to have had the ability to enhance my cultural knowledge of Italy. I hope you will continue to lead and share your heritage with these types of groups. I will see you in the Tuesday class since my Italian is still in the beginning stage. Thanks again for the hospitality and look forward to the upcoming "after-trip" party.”
Jennifer Maynard
(Fall 2005)
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