Great service! We were picked up at the car rental drop off at the Bologna airport and delivered to…read moreour rental swiftly and smoothly. Our driver was exceptionally helpful, carrying some of our luggage to our apartment as the street was car free on weekends, so we had a short walk. Pick up at 3am a few days later was easy and prompt. Communication was maintained easily and the early morning drive to the airport was great. A top notch company that we will use again.

Book this company! Giacomo was great to work with. When our driver canceled 1 hour before, I called…read moreand he got me driver. Thank you for saving our trip!

ArtViva has really great ratings here and on that other travel review site, but our experience was…read moreunderwhelming. I found their pre-tour communication really unprofessional. I had reached out asking about a few different tours and inquiring whether we could bring our 4 year old. They responded promptly that we could, and offered us 10% off if we booked three or more tours. I responded yes, that sounds great, we want to book these three tours on such and such date. No response. I followed up, no response. Followed up again, no response. It was getting pretty close to our trip and I was nervous about things filling up, so I decided to just book online. It annoyed me that I couldn't get the discount they'd offered with an online booking, so I decided to only book two tours with ArtViva and get the third tour from someone else. So I booked the two tours online, choosing from their available dates and times, which seemed to track with reality (i.e., tours for museums weren't sold on Mondays when museums are closed). I almost immediately got an email that the date I had selected for our gelato making class wouldn't work and they would have to move it to some other date. Um, why did you sell us that date, then? I responded with some dates that worked and said we could also possibly do Monday if necessary. Of course they rescheduled us for Monday. Ok, fine, we moved some things around. Then right before we left for our trip they emailed us that actually it would have to be at 9 am on Monday. I was a little wary about that since it was our first full day and I thought we might be jetlagged and starting a tour that early wasn't a good plan. When I asked if we could keep the later time, they said they could keep our original date and time (Friday at 10 am). So much drama just to keep the times we had originally booked! I also asked them multiple times what the meeting point for the gelato class was, because I needed to know if we needed a stroller to get there. Our hotel was in central Florence, no more than a 15 minute walk from all major tourist attractions, so this was the only thing we would possibly need a stroller for. It was like pulling teeth to get a response. I think I had to email them three times before I finally got a response with the address, and it was indeed quite far from our hotel. The tours themselves were ok. We did a tour of the David and a gelato making class with ArtViva. In hindsight, we did not need a tour of the David. The tour only lasted about 30 minutes and cost about four times what museum skip-the-line tickets did, and while the David is amazing, but it's also impossible to miss. (A tour is much more important at the Uffizi, which has a much larger collection.) But I don't know that I can really fault ArtViva for that, it was kind of poor planning on my part. The gelato class was advertised by ArtViva as kid friendly and it is not. We did an actually kid friendly pasta making class at an agriturismo and the difference between them was like night and day. I knew it was not going to go well when we showed up and they told us they didn't have kid-sized aprons so my 4 year old just wouldn't get one (that went over like a lead balloon, as I'm sure anyone who has ever had a 4 year old can imagine). ArtViva had specifically requested our favorite gelato flavors in advance, and although we'd told them our favorite flavor was chocolate, the gelato chef had chosen to make a flavor that had wine, honey, mascarpone and orange extract as ingredients...not exactly kid-friendly. I'm also not sure what the purpose of asking your favorite flavor is if they totally ignore it? Fortunately they had some chocolate and caramel gelato in the freezer they kindly let us sample. The gelato chef was nice, and tried to roll with the situation, but it was clear she was not prepared for a kid and didn't have much if any experience cooking with kids. They really need to make it clearer this class is not set up for young kids. I know things are weird with Covid now, and I'm trying to cut them some slack, but I feel like the communication issues are not really related to Covid. Also I was mostly communicating with the owner, who is British, so this is not a language barrier issue at all. I would not rule out booking with ArtViva again if they had a tour I couldn't get anywhere else, but I would definitely not seek them out.

We had three tours in one day... which is enough to wear one down. Artviva's team made each tour…read moreinteresting, fun and their lively attitude's made for a wonderful day. Our first tour was a walking tour with Florimda. We walked through down town to review the architecture and history of the city. The second tour was to the Uffizi, which included a fantastic review of the statues outside the Uffizi and the art within it's walls. (Or maybe the walking tour included the statues... either way, one of the tours did!) The Uffizi tour was good, and I recommend allowing yourself time after the tour to go through the museum on your own in case you want to see something again... for an art lover, this tour could be considered too short. Our last tour was with Angelo to see Michelangelo's David. Angelo is VERY charismatic and the tour included a good amount information about the statue itself. I'm not sure that a tour is needed for the University, as long as you have the information you want on the art. I felt that what I learned from Angelo was definitely worthwhile, and I probably would not have taken the time to learn it on my own.

I visited Lucca with a friend that was visiting me. Our tour guide was Linda, who has been…read moreabsolutely fabulous. Her talk was so interesting and informative; she's engaging and patient. Even though I live in this lovely city, she made me discover many interesting things I didn't know, and I was really excited! I'm so glad we chose La Giunchiglia guided tours!

Hands down would recommend everyone get a private walking tour of Florence from Paolo. Paolo is…read moreknowledgeable, engaging, and incredibly personable. We started at the Galleria dell' Accademia, where Paolo taught us about how to recognize certain artists, who funded the paintings, etc. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable about art history, he is passionate about the subject, which made the Galleria tour that much more enjoyable! From there Paolo took us on a walking tour of Florence - I studied abroad in Florence back in college, and learned more in one afternoon from Paolo than the whole time I spent abroad. Our tour flew by, and we loved every second of it! I would send everyone I know to Paolo!

From the owner: Tailor made private guided tours in Florence with me, Paolo…read more You will build up each tour of the city together with me, you will decide what to see, when, how long and the meeting point. You can choose among my Walking Tour or museums tours or churches tours.

We loved using Smile and Ride! They were the nicest people we met in Pisa and they helped…read moreaccommodate us in every way possible. I would highly recommend using them for all your biking needs. Such an amazing ride to the coast and the bikes were comfortable. So easy to use and made our trip awesome.

Perfect place to rent a bike for a tour around Pisa, made it very fun to see all the highlights and…read morehistory away from the Leaning Tower in an afternoon. Owner was very very nice and accommodating, even though the booking system had a problem she got me set up. Bike was in good shape, app was actually easy and helpful. I'll come back!

Our family of five adults booked a half day custom tour a few weeks in advance for the 2016 holiday…read moreseason (Christmas & New Year's Eve). Never one to put all my eggs in one basket, I also booked two other tours with competing tour guides in Florence. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would 100% use Florence Custom Tours for everything: food tour, museums, artisan shops, etc.. Scheduling the tour via email was easy and they even helped me modify one of their classic tours so my family and I could explore the city on our own terms. Our guide (Chiara) met us near our rented apartment and within a few feet started teaching us about hidden gems in the neighborhood that we had walked past dozens of times unnoticed. She was extremely knowledgable, courteous, patient, and also a "foodie" (Chiara helped mix in some delicious eats between our visits to the Uffizi and Galleria dell'Accademia). I would highly recommend Florence Custom Tours to anyone visiting this wonderful city and I will definitely be using them again upon my return.

From the owner: Custom Florence Tours tailors private & small group tours in Florence & Tuscany. Our Florence…read moretours focus on unique & off the beaten path sites as well as all the must see. Our Tuscany tours focus on small Chianti & Brunello wineries that have been rated 90 or more on Wine Spectator.

I had a two hour walking tour through the historical center of Florence with Claudia. I enjoyed…read morethe tour greatly. Claudia is friendly and is interested in what you are interested in. She will make sure to cover topics you are interested. Also, she is comfortable answering questions you may have about specific historical details. I was impressed by her knowledge and the amount of research she has done (ex. researching whether Etruscans actually lived in Florence). She will show you art and architecture and explain why they are of historical importance. I feel that I have a much better understanding of the Renaissance as a result. With her tour I was able to get much more out of my trip to Florence. I recommend requesting a tour with Claudia. She has a lot of information also she can share with you to make the most of your travels. She is a great resource.

From the owner: Ciao! My name is Claudia and I am a licensed tour guide of Florence and surroundings. I have a…read moremaster's degree in architecture, and my studies were focused on history of architecture and gardens in Florence. I'm in love with my city and I am happy to show travellers how beautiful and lively it is. I will show you the authentic side of Florence, its history and I will tell you the stories of the famous florentines who made the city a masterpiece of art and architecture. I can arrange for you customised private walking tours, museum guided tours and theme tours according to your interests.

The Accademia Gallery in Florence offers a focused, more intimate, and ultimately defined by a…read moresingle, overwhelming masterpiece, Michelangelo's David. Founded in the late 18th century as a teaching collection, it evolved into one of Italy's most important art institutions You slowly move through the gallery of Renaissance paintings and plaster models. You curiosity begins to build as you anticipate viewing this famous David. Quite impressive...the statue's size, precision details, and sculpture expertise lives you in awe. The Accademia's smaller size allows for a more intimate experience. It highlights Michelangelo's works as well as adding meaningful context.

You cannot visit Florence without visiting Galleria dell'Accademia to see Michelangelo's David…read more Though I had a tour guide, I felt like the pace was too slow. It's a great museum, don't get me wrong, but I'd rather beat the crowds to see David, and then take my time strolling through all the other works of art. Seeing 17' of David in person is unreal-- a human made this out of rejected marble. The magnitude of David's height and attention to detail is incredible and the lighting under a skylight highlights every vein and definition of muscle even more so. If you're looking for a deep dive art history lesson, I'd recommend using AI. Note: try to book skip-the-line tickets in advance. If you're unable to, you can try to book through a third party booking system such as Viator, but you'll be paying more.

Absolutely incredible service -- Thomas went above and beyond!…read more We had the pleasure of having Thomas as our driver in Siena, and we honestly couldn't recommend him enough. It was a Sunday in Italy and we were completely stuck with no transport. Thomas arrived in a lovely, air-conditioned van, helped us with our bags, and immediately went out of his way to make sure we had the best possible experience. As soon as we got in the car, he told us all about Montepulciano -- the best vineyards to visit, what prices to expect, and how to get around. We hadn't booked anything, but Thomas contacted his friends and organised everything for us. He even took us to our hotel, waited patiently while we checked in, and never rushed us. He then arranged a taxi to collect us after our vineyard tour and even negotiated the price for us -- something we never asked him to do! At the vineyard, he personally walked us in and introduced us to his friends. Thomas truly saved our day and turned what could have been a stressful experience into one of the highlights of our Italian trip. He was incredibly kind, patient, generous, and genuinely wanted us to have the best experience possible. If you have the option to book this service, do it! And if you get Thomas as your driver, you're incredibly lucky. Thank you so much, Thomas, for making our experience so special!

We had a great time on our tour with Roberto from We Drive You Tuscany! We did the 8 hour San…read moreGimignano and Chianti Classico as well as the Pienza, Val d'Orcia, Montalcino wine and Pecorino cheese private tours with Roberto. This was my first trip to Italy, we enjoyed a comfortable ride throughout the countryside in the clean, air conditioned van! Roberto was so knowledgeable and made sure we knew all the best places to visit along with the history of the beautiful Tuscan countryside! He even gave us recommendations for our second leg of the trip to Rome. We will definitely use this service again!!

Wow! Wow! Wow! That's how our kids described our day with Alberto. Have you tried touring around…read moreItaly with teenagers, 4 cities in 11 days, it isn't easy to find things to do that everyone can agree on. This is it!!! Winner, winner, everyone from 64 (it was his birthday) to 11 LOVED the experience. Alberto is kind, caring, professional, experienced, knowledgeable and engaging. He inspired of love of cycling into our family but our 16 year old hasn't stopped talking about it. I recommend, with the utmost confidence, that you book this tour. It will be the highlight of your holiday.

Must do!!!! Amazing Chianti Tuscany bike tour .....unending beautiful vistas! E-bikes makes it…read moreaccessible foe anyone. Last stop was a winery with amazing lunch and wine tasting (Verrazano). Best day ever and all carefully planned and coordinated by Alberto Lombardi!