29 May 2018
During our recent trip to Italy we used Alan several days for private tours. First we were in Gatea (apprx 2 hours south of Rome) visiting some family that lives there. Alan drove down one morning to pick up myself, my wife, my father, and my cousin and his wife in a comfortable Mercedes van. From there he drove us to Pompeii, found us an English speaking tour guide and worked out all the pricing. After our tour of Pompeii he drove us down the Amalfi coast, stopping for lunch and a few scenic views in Sorrento. Alan new a nice lunch spot, and a few shops to sample lemoncello and some lemon candies, etc. From there we drove on to Positano, where we spent a few hours walking around. Alan then drove us back to Gaeta late that night. It was a very long day, but with Alan driving and providing history and stories, the whole day was very interesting.
Several days later we moved up to spend some time in Rome. Alan drove my wife, father and I around Rome for half a day, showing us the highlights and providing us with a lot of history. He is very knowledgeable. After stopping at a great, local lunch spot that we never would have found, he dropped my wife and I at the Coliseum for a tour, and he took my father back to the hotel since he has already seen the Coliseum several times. Before he left us Alan walked us to the entrance and got us set up with a group, English speaking tour guide (all the while still providing us some history on the Coliseum and surrounding sights as we walked over).
We also wanted to see Florence, so Alan had booked us a ride up there on the bullet train (he handled all the reservations). The next date Alan picked the three of us up at our hotel and took us to the train station. We then rode to Florence, it took about an hour and a half and was a very comfortable, easy trip. Once in Florence Alan walked us around showing us the main attractions. He booked our slot to see the David and got us to where we needed to be. For lunch he found another great local's spot that served the best steak you can get in Italy. At the end of the day we got back to Rome and Alan got us back to the hotel.
Alan is a terrific tour guide, very knowledgeable, very personable and funny. He will keep talking as long as you want him too, and he has a great sense of humor. He also knows when to point you to an attraction and let you just roam around by yourselves (like the Boboli gardens in Florence), which gives both you and him a break. Driving in Italy can be stressful and chaotic, especially in Rome and on the Amalfi coast, so having someone like Alan who can navigate you around seamlessly is key. I would recommend Alan and his company to anyone.