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02 Apr 2022
Book Mondo Guide tours immediately! We had the most fantastic vacation because of them! I agreed to plan a family reunion for 18 of us (ages ranged from 6-75). I was daunted to say the least! As I was getting increasingly overwhelmed with logistics, I randomly came across Mondo Guide tours while researching Southern Italy and contacted them for assistance. Federica to the rescue! She and I spoke on the phone and I gave her a rough idea of what we wanted. My group consisted of four families each with different spring break dates. There was a five day overlap where we would all be in Italy at the same time together. This was also special because the grandparents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and wanted to visit the place they first met– Sicily! So, we had high expectations and a lot of opinions. Federica had her work cut out for her. She gave me a rough idea on what she thought we should do, I went back and got feedback from my group, phoned Federica again with modifications, and she went back to work. Her end result was an incredible, seamless trip tailored specifically to us and an experience we will never forget!
We started with an early morning pick up from our sweet driver, Carlo (he was ALWAYS on time–even early most days!). He drove us to the port of Naples and met Mafalda, our first guide. She is fantastic, kind, informative, knowledgeable, and great with our kids. She helped us with our tickets to Capri and we all boarded the jetfoil. Once we arrived on Capri, she helped navigate the island telling us rich stories as we meandered the streets. After we picked up the most delicious caprese sandwiches, we headed to our boat for a private water tour of the island. This was one of the highlights of the trip. Mafalda and the boat captain took us along the coast explaining the different landscapes along the way. We were sad to say goodbye to them as we boarded the ferry to Sorrento.
After our ferry ride, we were met at the docks by Alessandro, our next guide. I’m pretty sure he heard us before he saw us, our kids were so loud and excited. He walked us to a couple of overlooks in Sorrento, spoke about the history of the city, and helped us find tasty gelato. After a few stops at some shopping stalls, we headed to our private minibus (hi again, Carlo!), and we drove part of the Amalfi coast to Positano. Along the way, Alessandro spoke of Positano, its people and culture. We were enamored! We walked the town and drank a lemon spritz on the beach while we watched the kids play. Dinner at La Tagliata was one of the best meals we ate. Alessandro guided us through their farm which is a true farm to table experience. The owners and staff there made us feel like family. Back on the minibus, we said so long to Alessandro and Carlo drove us back home.
The next day, we flew to Sicily where Federica had organized a wonderful three day itinerary for us. Massimo was our driver the entire time in Sicily and he was the best! I’m not sure how he navigated all those narrow roads in that minibus without even breaking a sweat especially when the kids got a little rowdy in the back. We met our guide, Giovanni, who proved to be knowledgeable, kind, and very funny. Over the next three days, Massimo and Giovanni would take us to Taormina, Sigonella, Catania, Etna, Ortygia, and Sircusa. We walked, ate gelato, tasted wine, played in piazzas, climbed a volcano, sampled honey, learned about the culture, and laughed along the way. We were sad to leave this special island but were thankful for our early morning pick up by Alfio who drove us back to the airport. What a trip!
Thank you again to everyone at Mondo Guide tours for making this the trip of a lifetime for my family. You each helped create a memorable experience all 18 of us will not forget. It was so special for the grandparents to return to the place where it all began – and where our family began!