Tour Testimonials

The Italy with Pleasure company run a small group culinary tour in the Puglia region in Southern Italy. It was the first time we had tried this type of vacation and we were very pleased to report it was tremendous, I am not sure what our expectations were, however, since we came home I don't think any of us have stopped reporting what a fabulous experience it was. Our hosts Antonella and Richie were exceptional travel guides. There is no doubt in our minds that the South Eastern part of Italy was a pleasant surprise. We found the people and places so tourist friendly even with our very limited Italian. Our base for the culinary tour experience was Locorotondo, a charming town on top of a hill again a highly recommended place to visit and stay in one of the apartments. On the "Italy With Pleasure" culinary tour we made and cooked pasta, focaccia, fish…..and lots more. We visited a olive farm, a winery and visited the towns of Ostuni, Alberobello, Lecce, Martina and much much more. It sounds as though we were on the run, however, the organisation was we feel, after talking to the others on the tour very well organised and a great experience ”
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Very personable experiences organised meticulously... meant that every lunch, dinner, chocolate and wine tasting, restaurant, guided tour, fabulous accommodation and ample free time enabled the group to enjoy, learn about and appreciate the amazing history and culture of Sicily. A standout highlight was a fun filled, memorable cooking class conducted at a beautiful, ancient, restored monastery now a gorgeous hotel. preparing under the watchful eye of chef Davide and then sitting in the sumptuous dining room to eat our creations was a never to be forgotten experience. A memorable travelling experience. Italy With Pleasure does it well! ”
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I have just returned home from a trip to Puglia with Italy with Pleasure. I cannot recommend it more highly. I am widely traveled and have never been on a tour before so went with some trepidation. It was the absolute highlight of my travels in Italy and definitely the best food I had the whole time. The group was just 7 so fantastic size and we travelled in a very comfortable small mini bus. We were all "Foodies" so immediately had a lot in common. The pace was leisurely with a 9am start and after a morning exploring different villages we adjourned for an amazing long lunch. This was the real surprise as every day it was in a different town with a menu totally focused on regional specialties. It was really just like traveling with a group of friends. ”
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You have obviously been refining this Amalfi tour with much thoughtfulness. I really have no suggestions for improvement in any area. There was sufficient down time. I loved your stories – fact, lore and legend. As to your understanding of the culture and your ability to convey the subtle nuances, your apparently effortless organization and attention to detail, your management of group dynamics — thank you. ”
Anne and Grant R. (Healdburg, USA)

In April of this year, a friend and I joined an Italy With Pleasure tour in Puglia which was hosted by Antonella, Malcolm and Richie. There were eight of us in the tour group... staying in first class accommodations. The itinerary was well organized and done at a comfortable pace: touring in the morning followed by mouth-watering lunch featuring the specialties of the area as well as fine wines of the area. All of the restaurants were excellent as was the food. Puglia is a beautiful area of Italy and offers a wide variety of exceptional scenery and beautiful towns. We visited a number of UNESCO world heritage sites, did some wine tasting and olive oil tasting in a masseria and a cooking lesson. It was a wonderful week and I will have many fond memories of my stay. This tour is a gem and I highly recommend it! ”
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My husband and I spent a divine week in Puglia …… attention to detail and well thought-out plans for guided tours of Puglia's most fascinating sights... we were a total of eight wonderful people. All in all it was fabulous! ”
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An excellent mix of history, sightseeing, food, wine and local life. if you want a fascinating and enjoyable time immersed in Puglia then treat yourselves and go on this tour. ”
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In June this year my husband and I joined Antonella and Anita from Italy with Pleasure for a wonderful tour of the Best of Puglia. Although we had travelled many times over the years in Italy, this was our first time in Puglia, and we were looking for a small group tour that catered to our love of architecture, history, scenery and food/wine. Our tour group of 13... ticked all the boxes. Antonella and Anita were extremely well organised, we were picked up each morning in our minibus and driven to a new wonderful destination. By the end of the week we felt at home amongst the locals, and could exchange greetings with them as they recognised us. Our accommodation in the concept called a diffuso hotel, apartments in the Centro Storico of this charming hilltop town was excellent. Everyday we experienced something different, all beautifully organised. Alberobello with its trulli houses, Matera with its wonderful history, and amazing setup, Baroque Lecce, to name a few. Each day we enjoyed a delicious lunch in a restaurant perfectly fitting in with our surroundings, great wine in generous quantities included with the local food specialities. Our group got along really well, and enjoyed each others company. Puglia was certainly a massive highlight of our 2018 visit to Europe, and a Big Thank you to Antonella and Anita for making it happen .We happily recommend this really good tour company to everyone, visit Puglia before it becomes really busy and go with Antonella and Anita (or Malcolm or any of the members of this company). ”
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We have just returned from 5 weeks in Italy and our time travelling with ‘Italy with Pleasure’ was our best experience. Believe all that they say in their brochure... family run, hands on and very professional. Their standards are high and they are very responsive to everyone’s needs... ”
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It was simply magical. Richie our tour guide was outstanding. He was flexible looked after us accommodated our needs and was very knowledgeable and informative. This is a must do tour if you want to experience the real Amalfi Coast. Well paced, both in terms of excursion and time and most of all Richie’s attention to detail and care of us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a trip that we will never forget. We will definitely be doing another. ”
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I cannot recommend Italy with Pleasure more highly. Don't even think about it just book with them you will not be disappointed I am sure... ”
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I recently took the Puglia tour run by this small company. It was very successful. We saw a cross section of places in Puglia enough to give one an excellent overview of this agrarian fertile part of Italy and its history which is almost as intriguing as Sicily. We also were able to experience an excellent range of the high quality food of Puglia, and its cooking. The way the tours are organised is very civilised. After a morning tour, always interesting in itself, we adjourn to a local restaurant for a late lunch and to experience the range of local foods cooked superbly. This tour stays in one place and each day we were escorted in a mini bus to our destination. A most enjoyable experience and well organised with a personal touch. ”
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A small group made wandering around the wonderful cities , villages, ancient sites, markets, countryside, and seaside towns easy and accessible and allowing for interesting and stimulating conversations with new friends. ”
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I have just returned from the Italy with Pleasure trip to Puglia and only have praise and good things to say about how wonderful it was. The places that we visited were fascinating and very unique, and the food and wine was delectable. I didn't know what to expect of the trip, but it more than fulfilled any hopes that I had for a great week. Everything was well organised and the atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. I can thoroughly recommend the tour. ”
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It's been already over a month since we came back from this trip, Italy With Pleasure and the memory is still vivid in our heart. My husband and I took this tour last June, thinking it would be great to experience places less travelled and it turned out to be the best trip ever. Focusing on gourmet food during the trip was also very pleasant experience. I would like to join another tour with them, maybe in Sicily sometime in the future if I have luxury of visiting Italy again. I strongly recommend this Puglia tour to anyone who's adventurous, curious and open-minded and it will be awesome. ”
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Your marvellous holiday has left me with wonderful memories of beautiful towns, food and people. Your itinerary is so well balanced it covers all the senses. I loved ... not packing and unpacking every day to move on so that was great and will form my next holiday plan. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you to friends and hopefully I will join you again for a tour elsewhere in Italy. ”
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Your Puglia tour is outstanding. Thank you so much for the interesting itinerary, varied food from the region and extraordinary restaurants. ”
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We have just done a tour of Puglia... and thoroughly enjoyed it. We visited places of interest that you would miss if not for the tour and in some of the places we had local guides that gave good insight of the local area we were visiting. We also had many lunch stops which were all excellent restaurants savouring the speciality of the region. ”
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The tour was done at a comfortable and relaxing pace visiting many interesting places and gaining great insights into life in Puglia and the history of the area. Top highlights for us were Matera and Trani. ”
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Puglia is one of the real hidden treasures of Italy I think. Not too crowded or filled with tourists. This was just fantastic. Thoroughly recommend. Plenty of spare time and wonderful personal touches. A rare treat. ”
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We just returned from a week long tour to Puglia , organized and executed by Italy With Pleasure. They packaged the hotel, all meals, daily tours to a variety of very special and interesting sites, and handled all of the myriad of details seamlessly. The agency is very customer-service focused and was a pleasure to work with. The two tours guides--Malcolm and Anita-who joined us all week were very knowledgeable and lots of fun to be with. I highly recommend this tour company. Italy With Pleasure gets 5 stars. ”
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