Experts in your destination and there to tailor your journey, your Luxury Gold Travel Concierge offers the ultimate service. More than a guide they offer a flawless personal service, tailored to you. To learn how Ultimate Italy is made even more ultimate, we spoke with Travel Concierge Anna to find out more about how she personalizes your tour.
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Meet Travel Concierge Anna
A specialist in Italy for over 15 years, Travel Concierge Anna knows this beautiful country inside-out. And, a key skill of a Luxury Gold Travel Concierge, she also knows people. “Tailoring the perfect Italy tour comes from our destination experience and understanding our guests. It is also about getting to know people quickly and identifying their wishes and desires.”
Through a combination of conversation and intuition, Anna gets to know guests’ needs right from the start. “I will spend time with them on the first night. As it is always a small group, it’s quite easy to get to know guests fairly quickly and offer a personal one-to-one service. I’ll ask if you have particular things that you’re interested in and would like do.”
But the personalization process doesn’t stop there. Throughout the tour Anna will continue to intuit guest’s likes and dislikes, tailoring the experience as she goes.
“As the trip goes on you learn more and more about people,” she says. “So, we also adapt to guests’ needs as we go. Through my expert knowledge of Italy, I have plenty great ideas up my sleeve to tailor your experience.”
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Exceptional dining for every palate
@mammarestaurant
Exceptional dining is at the heart of every Luxury Gold journey, with some truly exquisite restaurants featured on our sublime Ultimate Italy tour. There are also opportunities for guests to choose how and where they dine. In a gastronomic haven such as Italy, Travel Concierge Anna’s local knowledge and expertise enables guests to tailor their culinary experience.
“In Capri, we dine at Michelin starred restaurant Mamma, where the food is exquisite and the views are jaw-dropping,” Anna tells us. “You approach through little narrow back alleys, through a tiny little door which then opens up to a panoramic view over the Mediterranean out towards Naples. It is an amazing dining experience.”
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“When guest have a free evening, for example in Perugia or Florence, I will help choose where to dine. In each location I’ve hand-selected restaurants that serve delicious fare and are located near the hotel. Each areslightly different, for example one may be fine dining, one may be very atmospheric and local. Another might simply serve outstanding pizzas, we are in Italy of course!” she says with a smile.
“When it comes to gastronomy, every region is totally different. This is something I love to share with guests. Southern Italy is all about seafood and the views. When in Rome it’s all about finding that little backstreet trattoria that has traditional dishes served by Mom and Pop. And in Tuscany, Florentine steak takes pride of place on the menu.
“You may also have particular restaurants that you’ve heard of and wish to visit, in which case I will help with reservations where possible. It becomes apparent very quickly when guests are really into food so I love to help them out on that journey with all that Italy has to offer.”
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Pick between exclusive experiences
With many exclusive experiences included on Luxury Gold tours, there are also times where guests can personalize their day, through a choice of two different experiences.
Carefully selected by your Travel Concierge, these thoughtful choices are curated with the Luxury Gold guest in mind. “The thing is with Italy, it has so much to offer,” Anna says. “It has art, history, architecture, beaches, mountains and vineyards. And of course, it has fabulous food and wine. It’s an incredible place.
“In the stunning hilltop town of Assisi in the heart of Umbria, knowing that art and culture appeal to our guests, we extend this offering with the opportunity to visit Saint Francis Basilica, to see stunning frescos dating back around 800 years.
“However, we also understand that guests might want something different, so they may prefer to join a local gourmand to taste delicious Umbrian specialities. That might be mushroom or truffle paste on crostini, interesting varieties of salamis or maybe the famous Umbrian pork, along with delicious olive oils.”
Elevating the everyday
“I’m always considering any opportunities to tailor a guest’s experience,” Anna explains. “I can show secret treasures that you might not otherwise find. If I know that someone is really into art, as we are walking through the streets of Rome I might quietly say ‘let’s just pop into this church because I happen to know there’s a Caravaggio in here.’ This is what happens when you are well experienced and know these hidden gems.”
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Special moments made exceptional
Wherever possible Anna assists with special requests, to make your journey extra special. “Sometimes guests are keen to trace their family history,” she says. “Guests from the United States often have family connections in Italy. If we are staying very close to where their family originates, I might help them make a visit. This can be a very emotional experience for everyone.”
“We also have guests celebrating big anniversaries, in which case I will help them make it extra special, to find a superb restaurant or location for a truly memorable occasion. There are lots of suggestions that we can make for special moments.”
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The best of both worlds
“Whilst guests want their service to be personalized, they also love being in a group, to have fun and share experiences together,” says Anna. “This is the great joy of taking these tours, meeting people and making new friends. But for our guests, knowing that they can also tailor their experience is the best of both worlds.”
To enjoy the wealth of treasures the Italy has to offer, and benefit from the personal service of your Travel Concierge, take a look at our Ultimate Italy limited edition luxury .tour
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