Covid was devastating for the entire world on so many levels. As a travel journalist for countless years, it was disheartening how quickly the Covid virus brought the joyous adventures of travel, loved by tourists, to a complete stop. However, after two very long years, crippling the travel industry, I can now happily boast, “We are back!”

Indeed traveling is back on track. I do say, however… Be Careful! But yes, go on and enjoy vacationing again. Since I write a great deal about European travel, I was concerned how countless people, as well as my associates, were talking about their fears of going to Europe. Hence, I decided to journey off to Italy myself to check it out first-hand, instead of trusting all the gossip and hearsay. Consequently, I am immensely delighted and thrilled that I did just that.

I decided to go all in. I flew to Italy, stayed in hotels, got into cabs, boats, and trains, ate at restaurants, and took day tours on buses and trains. I felt this would place me directly in the heart of tourism, and help me to put to rest all the fears and worries concerning travel. I carefully selected the truly amazing tour company, “City Wonders.” I have experienced this company in the past and believe them to be the crème de la crème (in every way) of tours. I wanted to see if this fact was still accurate. I trusted that questioning, reading, checking out their protocol, and going on tours at this worrisome, yet auspicious time would tell me the whole story. It would prove to me the truthfulness, and the real safety issues of traveling and being on tours in our present world situation.

Moving ahead, I booked two of the most awesomazing tours I had ever experienced. For me, this statement alone is saying a lot! In the end, as it turned out, I remained safe, did not get sick or Covid, and was amazed at how protective and thorough this company was. I loved every second on both of my Italian, fabulous “City Wonders” excursions. Every detail was organized, planned, and timed perfectly, and the very best locations were selected for their clients to visit. Furthermore, their guides, as well as the bus drivers, were stellar, proficiently trained, and professional. It is so important to have an expert with you when visiting places, (whether you have been there or not) so that you are able to capture fully the culture and the history of where you are visiting. I must say, I noticed the guides honestly love what they are doing. Their faces screamed with passion and contentment. Happy employees say a lot to me about a company in general.

As far as I am concerned, “City Wonders” is the best tour company I myself have ever experienced. The Tour Guides are phenomenal, fun-loving, excited, informative, patient, skilled, enthusiastic, entertaining, and caring. The tour prices are seriously affordable and more than fair, especially for all you get for your money. Each tour is packed with endless discoveries.

Hey all you restless tourists out there, Traveling Is Back! So pack your bags and don’t be afraid. And also, if you heed my advice, and choose “City Wonders” amazing tours, this will no doubt be the best part and the most memorable experience of your vacation. Since I have discovered the Covid scare, in reality, should not keep you from traveling, allow me to tell you about my 2 dream tours. Sadly, I wish I had booked more!

Tuscan Countryside Day Trip from Rome with 3-Course Lunch & Wine Pairing

This tour was nothing short of a dreamy fantasy day. Among the things I can report about this tour is, (take a big breath now) riveting, exciting, spectacular, gorgeous, stunning, fun, awe-inspiring, impressive, and remarkable. I escaped the hustle-and-bustle of Rome for a day to visit the picturesque Tuscany region and the pure beauty of the Italian countryside. With my expert English-speaking guide, in a private air-conditioned coach, with less than 25 people, guaranteed a day of lovely memories in Tuscany for me, and everyone on board, which will last a lifetime. By the way, it’s charming how we all became friends during this adventure. I believe this warmth was due to the attitude of our professional, fun tour guide who provided incredible commentary throughout the day.

Montepulciano

As we drove through the dazzling Tuscan hills (everywhere one looked was eye-candy and beyond breathtaking) our handsome, young tour leader Andrea, filled us in on facts about the rich culture, which originated in the pre-Roman, Etruscan civilization.

Our first stop was the enchanting hilltop town of Montepulciano. After viewing and photographing the mesmerizing, splendid panoramas, we enjoyed a lovely walking tour with a local guide. Following her around, we discovered the narrow streets, theatrical clock towers, the Piazza Grande, the Duomo, and the ancient wine cellars in this car-free town. FYI… In the film “Twilight,” here is where the scenes with the Volturi were shot inside Palazzo del Comune, the Redi wine cellar, and some palazzos in the historic centre. How cool is that?

Next, we journeyed to Torre di Pulcinella, and the Etruscan wells/Medieval wine cellars carved out under the city. And of course, the Renaissance jewel… The Church of St. Biagio. It was surreal looking over such majestic grounds of splendor.

After witnessing the immense beauty, we enjoyed a delectable, authentic, gourmet, 3-course, Tuscan, Italian lunch with wine pairing at the Tenuta Poggio Castellare winery. While surrounded by this mind-blowing vineyard and its underground wine cellar, we had the opportunity of wine tasting. Everything at Tenuta Poggio Castellare winery was genuine, including the locally sourced products from its vineyard producing one of the most important wines in Italy, Brunello di Montalcino. We all embarrassingly devoured (Ok, maybe I was the only embarrassing one!) our lunch, consisting of delicious typical Tuscan cold cuts, perorino di Pienza DOP, pappa al pomodoro, and chopped tomato & oil on bruschetta. Next came yummy Sienese pasta with tomato sauce and aglione. Satisfied, we finished the meal with homemade soft cake, a dessert wine, laughter, and happiness.

If the tour guests were not satisfied enough, and things weren’t already perfectly blissful, we ended the tour in the charming medieval town of Pienza, famous for its Pecorino cheese and spectacular views of the Tuscan countryside.

It was a chance to observe the real-life, authentic Tuscan ways of how the town’s people really lived. A knowledgeable local guide showed us all about the quaint town. I had the opportunity to explore the viewpoints of the Renaissance in Pienza–the UNESCO World Heritage village that was completely redesigned by Pope Pius in the 15th century. It became the template for Renaissance towns in Europe. I very much appreciated the perfect amount of time that we were given to explore Pienza. I shopped for local food, wines, and souvenirs, took endless photographs, and ate a huge 4-scoop gelato without feeling guilty, and without feeling rushed, as most tours make you feel.

We returned back to the Eternal city of Rome safe, sound, and incredibly happy. Oh, Mio Dio… Oh, Mamma Mia… What a tremendous 12-hour day filled with memories this was. The round-trip transportation tour guided through the heart of this UNESCO World Cultural landscape was beyond unforgettable.

I give this “City Wonders” Tour and Andrea an “A-Plus, 5-Star,” rating.

BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO

CINQUE TERRE SMALL-GROUP DAY TRIP FROM FLORENCE!

Wow! Really… Just wow!

To begin with, our fun-loving tour guide Simona was knowledgeable and a joy to hang out with all day. She went above and beyond the actual tour, taking all who wanted to climb up to see the unbelievable vistas above each of the cities in Cinque Terre. (PS. and fair warning… Wear good shoes!) I felt like I wanted to be her new BFF. Simona, as well as all the tour guides I have been with on “City Wonders” tours, are expert, English-speaking guides, touring with small groups of 24 people or fewer. This fantastic tour was an amazing way to experience the extraordinary beauty of Cinque Terre. And of course, Simona’s exciting and infatuating commentary that inspired us all along the way.

On this fabulous tour we discovered and explored four beautiful towns: Vernazza, Monterosso, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. They are part of the spectacular Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I must admit that I have been all over Italy and I am sorry to say I missed Cinque Terre. Don’t make this mistake, too. It’s a storybook enchanting place. Even more fantastic, I was able to explore them at my leisure on this wonderful, fully guided day trip from Florence. I traveled in total comfort out of the city on a private, air-conditioned coach. Then, Simona guided us and held our hands on local trains (tickets included) through Cinque Terre National Park.

FYI, there are new safety measures in place on this tour. These guidelines are to ensure that all guests have a safe and enjoyable day trip out of the city of Florence.

THE CINQUE TERRE SEASIDE

Let me back up a moment. We met our tour guide in Florence and began the 12-hour journey to the seaside towns of Vernazza, Monterosso, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, which literally took my breath away. We were given plenty of free time to explore each of these spectacularly gorgeous areas and the joy that came from admiring the Poets’ Gulf. Simona our personable and knowledgeable English-speaking tour guide, was always by our side and presented commentary that brought these stunning places in Italy to life. I was left with a feeling of awe and a heavenly magical impression, bursting with wonder. These villages were filled with brightly colored fishing houses, cobbled streets, charming restaurants, and adorable shops. Each of these towns boasted something astonishingly beautiful, creating amazing memories for each of us to remember forever.

The first stop on our day trip brought us to the town of Vernazza. It is truly one of the most stunning places on the West Coast of Italy. I immediately noticed fishermen’s boats docked daintily by the beach, colorful homes majestically adorning the scenery, and an old house looming in the distance. It’s quite magnificent. Simona brought me up to the top of the city to witness the town’s glorious panorama. (Again, wear good shoes!) After the hiking experience, I enjoyed my free time exploring this gorgeous village on my own.

To Book Your Tour https://citywonders.com/florence-tours/cinque-terre-and-portovenere-tour

THE ITALIAN VINEYARDS

From Vernazza, we hopped on the local train (8 minutes transfer), towards Monterosso, which is the largest town in the Cinque Terre. I made the most out of this Cinque Terre experience, taking up on the tours offer of an optional 45 minutes hike to see the stunning mainland and coastline scenery from a magnificent perspective. We hiked through the terraced vineyards, the ancient olive groves, and the spectacular panoramic views that will never be erased from my memory. After the hike, I cherished my free time to mosey around (and rest my feet) in Monterosso. It is such a charming town. I was also able to taste the delicious flavors of the Ligurian cuisine for lunch. Yum!

To Book Your Tour https://citywonders.com/rome-tours/tuscany-day-trips-from-rome

MANAROLA

After Monterosso, we headed to the oldest town of Manarola by train, which was only a 14 minutes transfer. It is best known for its colorful boats and waterfront looking out over the blue-grey rocks to the sea. It is so unbelievably beautiful and dreamlike that I felt as though I stepped back in time into the Renaissance period. My visual computer chip was overloaded! Once again, I had ample time to explore around the area on my own.

Brava, Simona, for treating us to a stellar 5-Star tour.

“City Wonders” Tours in my opinion are wonderful, safe, informative, stellar, fairly priced, filled with all that you would want on a tour, and simply put… the best tour company I know! Wherever you may travel, I know without a doubt that “City Wonders” Tours will definitely be the very best part of your vacation.

Thank you “City Wonders” for bringing the most incredible tour experiences to the most incredible cities!

To find out more, log on to… Citywonders.com