Margie gave us several tips on places to eat, local farmers markets on Tuesday mornings, Lake Como towns to ferry to just for gelato and towns to ferry to every day for exquisite gardens, for lunch, for a hike. Her advice was almost prescient. We'd show up for dinner at one of the restaurants she'd steered us to and mention that we were friends of Margie's and not only the owner but the whole staff would treat us like old friends. Her descriptions of places seemed inviting enough but then we'd go there and look back at what she'd told us and realize she'd described them to a tee. We began to look at her letter to us closer and make all of our plans according to her words. Such fun! We would  now let her plan a trip to Siberia for us, trusting that it would be the best possible trip to Siberia.

A memorable and wonderful trip. I highly recommend it for anyone thinking about going to Barolo wine country.  Margie’s wine knowledge and their familiarity with the region really added a lot to the experience.  I appreciated the mix of wineries from an intimate small family run businesses to an elaborate wine tasting room with a Michelin star restaurant at the winery. Some of the wines we tasted are not available in the US. And all the wines were superb, and the food out of this world!  Being chauffeured around by local drivers had many benefits, including the ability to have that extra glass of wine during tastings and meals. We had Iunch at a small hard to find enoteca where we tasted many different Barolos and Barberarecos.  The owner kept filling our glasses and opening bottles, and he was delighted in our interest in his region’s wines. Last but not least, the accommodations and their staff exceeded my expectations.  I look forward to try some Amarone in Valpolicella on my next trip with them, but would do this same trip all over again.

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My husband and I loved our Tuscany and Umbria vacation with Kevin and Margie.  It was our first time in this region, and we had it on our bucket list for years.  It did not disappoint! It started at the most charming and authentic restaurant serving beefsteak Florentine along with many other local dishes and our first Brunello outside the States. Amazing! Another meal included an authentic dinner cooked by a local chef. We enjoyed it so much we all agreed to have her return for our last evening. We had many excursions and were absolutely amazed by the ancient village of Civita di Bagnoregio.  We could never have had this experience on our own without our guides’ regional knowledge and attention to detail. On our last night they took us to a wine tasting that had sweeping views of Val d’Orcia with a breathtaking Tuscan sunset. We will be back!!

Ann and Paul L., New Hampshire