Italy & Sicily
Reviews
Our trip was amazing. Montecatini was the perfect location to stay. The location had easy access to many great places in Italy. The hotel was wonderful, and our car was a Jeep Renegade perfect for driving in Italy. Thank you!
Melissa K.Bonjour, the trip was wonderful. For the three cities we visited, my husband and I love Venice. The explanation of how the local operates in water. The wine tasting was surprisingly good not only a sip of wine but 6 bottles. Francesco the guide is very knowledgeable about food, location, and everything in between. He made sure we knew where the taxi stand was after the tour ended. Some of us even call or text him about something on his time off, he responds immediately. Overall good trip, good group and definitely wonderful guide. This is not the first time we have been with Gate 1. We have already booked two trips with you.
Jessica L.Amazing!!! We will definitely be using your services again!! Great trip for the price, everything top notch!!!
Donna S.This was my 7th Gate 1 tour and I wanted to note tour leader Lorena organization and preparedness was second to none. She consistently provided individual maps with key information and locations highlighted, and all of them had Lorna's phone number printed in case we needed help. Her personality was consistently cheerful and warm with everyone. Further she was constantly offering help with everything and anything. Above all, she really provided a local flavor by offering information about our destinations - that you can't just learn about from a book.
Maureen C.Our trip to Italy was fantastic, as we expected with Gate 1. Christopher was an excellent tour guide. Knowledgeable, patient, great sense of humor, organized, approachable, and was a reason the trip was memorable. Nice hotels, good food, excellent tour guides in each city, safe bus drivers, and a sensible order to visiting the cities included on this tour. Great weather, too!
Priscilla L.I really enjoyed my very first escorted tour. This trip has totally changed my life. I have already booked another trip for next year. Our tour guide Christopher was excellent, approachable, warm hearted, very respectful, responsible, all of us agreed in the tour that he really cared how much we are enjoying. I am so thankful to be part of his tour group. Everyone agrees it is tour manager who sets the tone of the group cohesiveness. We were blessed with Christopher.
Elizabeth G.Our trip was incredible. It was our first Gate 1 Travel Trip and both my wife and I were thoroughly impressed with our tour guide Chris. We felt so fortunate to have the best on our first trip. Chris is extremely knowledgeable, thoughtful, kept the group together and shared so much valuable information that he made each tour and meal exceptional. He also paid close attention to those who may be under the weather while on the tour, ensuring the tour was not moving too fast.
Donald G.We just took the 9-day Affordable Sicily Tour. It was a great tour, and we all had a great time. We specifically want to thank our excellent tour manager, Maria, a very caring, warm, knowledgeable, funny, and thoughtful person who went above and beyond her duties to ensure that everyone had a great time and enjoyed the trip. We also want to thank our driver, Franco, who was very friendly and helpful. A million thanks for these wonderful memories! We highly recommended this tour to our friends, and they just booked for March 2025. Looking forward to our next Gate 1 trip to the Baltics with Krakow in October 2024!
Adele M.From your assistance to my return home everything was great! I did a solo independent tour and never felt alone. The tour guide on my excursions was excellent and the hotel (Number 11 St Julian) was perfect for me. Thank you!
Patricia D.The tour trip to Sicily was probably the best we have experienced with Gate 1. Mauro and the driver were informative, skilled and approachable. The guides plus Mauro contributed so much information about what desert seeing but also history and personal information. The hotels were perfectly located and operated. We seriously thought we hit the lottery on this trip. We have highly recommended on our posts.
Leslie H.The trip was super! The guide Maurizio was the best we've had. He put together a great packet of info and a colored map of Sicily...super start. He very focused on the group and supporting us. The itinerary was good, we enjoyed the options.
David C.We just completed our third Gate 1 tour. While the tour managers on all of our trips have been excellent, I would like to call out Maurizio as being superb. I truly believe it is the quality of the tour manager that makes or breaks the tour. It is people like Maurizio who make us come back to Gate 1. Not only was he knowledgeable of everything about Sicily, he is very organized, considerate of all in his group but above all very warm and personable. By the end of the trip, I felt we had made a friend. We would gladly take another Gate 1 tour just to be with Maurizio.
Brian B.It was great! I didn't have any expectations for an Independent Tour. It was really very nice. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you.
Carol B.Was our first Gate 1 experience. First trip to Italy and Europe. Our tour guide Francesca made our experience the best trip ever. She went over and above all of our needs and expectations. Cannot say enough positive things about her. Best tour guide ever! Great experience! Great way to see Italy for the first time.
Brenda H.Our trip was wonderful. Once again, I always wonder if our Guide will be as good as our previous one as usual, they are. The food on this trip was outstanding. And Andrea went above and beyond to make sure everyone was always happy, and he constantly looked out for our safety. GREAT Trip. Looking forward to our next one.
Joseph H.This was our first time abroad and with Gate 1. Our trip was wonderful. Our tour guide, Carmine, was EXCEPTIONAL! He made the trip exciting.. Thank you.
Louis F.This was our first time traveling with Gate 1 and this trip exceeded our expectations. Our tour manager, Carmine, kept everything running smoothly and went above and beyond for our group. My husband and I decided to add an optional tour on and without hesitation Carmine accommodated our request and purchased any necessary tickets for our entry. We would love to go back to Italy and have Carmine as our tour manager! All of the other guides we had on our trip were fantastic! They answered our questions and made our tours fun and informative. Gate 1 made traveling to Europe for the first time feel accessible and approachable. We are excited to book another trip!
Julie L.We had a wonderful time. The others in our group were extremely nice and I believe we've made new life long friends. Anna our guide was wonderful and very knowledgeable. The itinerary excellent.
Dennis H.This was an adventure of a lifetime, our 23rd tour with gate 1. Our tour director, MAURIZIO, was an invaluable factor in making it so. He was the epitome of professionalism, equipped with technical competence, managerial savvy, and people skills. Moreover, he was always a gentleman, ever-ready to lend a helping hand. He was very caring and sincere. His passion for his work and his love of Sicily, we could witness each day. He tried and actually did his best, exceeding our expectations as he found serendipitous ways to enrich our experiences. He ennobled us, as well. I must say he is a tour director par excellence. Please share these comments with him and his colleagues. My husband and my brother who traveled with me share the same gratitude to and appreciation for Maurizio ; the same feelings and feedback we are granting to gate 1 for giving us such a professional, both competent and caring, as Maurizio.
Maria C.This was our first European trip and Italy has always been a bucket list trip for me as I am almost full blooded Italian. Mercedes and Isabella & Luigi were ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! Mercedes specifically made our trip so easy and memorable! She thought of everything and even taught us some Italian! She even purchased little gifts at each city which are so memorable and we will never ever forget!! I would love to travel with her again! She had great suggestions, was always concerned about our safety and made every day fun!
Lynn A.The trip was excellent! I was worried about how it would go because I never booked a trip with a company before. As soon as we arrived to our first hotel all my worries turned into relaxation. I look forward to booking with your company in the future. Thank you for a great service. We flew emirates airline, and that was hands-down the best flight we have been on. All in all 10/10
Michael P.It was absolutely Amazing! Francesca was by far the best tour guide we had ever had. She was fun, went above and beyond for us, gave amazing recommendations for each spot we visited in terms of shopping, eating, things to do, etc. You can tell she really loves what she does and loves her clients. I want to book another trip in hopes to get her again!!!
Bradly T.Everything about this tour was beyond my expectations. Our guide, Giuseppe, went to great lengths to provide us with experiences much beyond expectations. The local guides were enthusiastic and engaged us with many historical stories. Our bus driver, Luigi, impressed us with his ability to navigate tight spots and arrange a fast tire repair when we got a flat on the way to Pisa. The accommodations were wonderful and the food/wine events truly memorable. We cannot thank everyone enough for such a great experience.
Dayna C.I just wanted to take this time to let you know that our group absolutely loved Marisa, our tour guide. By the end of the trip, she was like family to us. We were even sad that the trip was over and that we were leaving. We told her we would come back to Italy and do another tour with her. Marisa was very kind, attentive, funny, and patient. She quickly got to know know each of our names and even started to know our personalities and would even make funny jokes about each of us. We just felt like she wanted to get to know us. She was generous to give us small treats like candy so that we could try it. She even gave us little souvenirs like the Pinocchio toy and the red horn from Naples. Marisa was very knowledgeable and educated. Her tour was thorough and yet there was free time to go shopping. She was always helping us by giving us tips and suggestions. We were a group of 12 and for many of us, this was our first time in Europe. It was a busy itinerary, but yet Marisa made each day enjoyable. I just wish she was our permanent Gate 1 tour guide for all the tours you offer!!! Please let Marisa know that we miss her so much. She is now a part of our family and we will remember her forever. We hope to come back and do the Sicily tour with her in 2026.
Lynda J.The trip to Malta was amazing!!! Our guide for all of the options, Josette, was fantastic and shared the history of Malta in such an exceptional way. The pace of the trip was relaxed with plenty of leisure time and although it was an independent trip there was a lot of bonding within the trip with the fellow travels. Seeing Malta during winter was wonderful as the crowds were none existent and there were still so many beautiful Nativity Cribs and Christmas decorations still present to see. This was an amazing trip at an exceptional value and I am so glad I we were able to visit this amazing country. It was not a place on our travel bucket list, but the value of the trip made it hard to refuse and I'm so glad we got to visit and learn about the history and culture of Malta. Thank you Gate1 for another wonderful travel experience!!! You have never disappointed us and we tell everyone we can about your wonderful company!
Margaret H.We just came back from an independent by rail Italy trip which was excellent! We had travelled on the escorted trip before and thoroughly enjoyed this independent version. The instructions provided to find the railway stations, hotels, tour meet up sites were impeccable and easy to find. Thank you Gate1 for a memorable vacation!
Diane A.Our recent trip to Italy was everything we hoped for. Every aspect of the vacation was perfectly planned. Our meals and side trips were all spot on. Each of our guides in the visited cities were extremely knowledgeable, interesting and a pleasure to spend time with. Having said this let me say a few words about our Tour Manager Lorena . Lorena absolutely made our trip as great as it was. Lorena at every aspect went well above and beyond to make sure that all the planned activities were perfect. She made us feel so welcome like we were part of her family. I would certainly recommend to any friends and family to use Gate 1 for their future travel plans.
John P.My wife and I went to Dubai with Gate 1 at the end of April this year and I thought that nothing could top that. I was wrong! Our recent trip to Italy by way of Gate 1 was absolutely wonderful! Neither of us had been to Italy before and I cannot imagine how this trip could have been better. The accommodations at each location were beautiful, like 5-star hotels (which I suppose they were). I must say that the most impressive thing about the entire trip was the tour guides. They were very knowledgeable about the areas that they were showing us through. They were all very passionate about their country and the sights we were seeing while we were there. Despite my hearing problem, they were able to get their messages across to me with complete understanding. We will never forget Italy, especially Rome, after this visit. We have been telling everyone we know to check out Gate 1 for any travel needs. I cannot imagine that anyone could do better (probably no one could do as well) than Gate 1.
William G.It was amazing! I went because of Palermo but I stayed for everything amazing about Sicily! I'm a Greek/Roman geek and every day was filled with discovery and new treasures --the last one -the Roman villa -- was the most incredible collection of mosaics I've ever seen! Our guide was incredible - funny, smart, self-effacing and able to "mother" us into being on time every time. I am so grateful that you helped me get there!
Kathryn C.Thank you for asking. Our Italy experience was awesome! Francesca, our tour manager was knowledgeable, personable, courteous and prompt. From hotel accommodations to our tour itineraries we're top notch. All of the local guides were excellent in terms of their knowledge. This was our 5th tour with Gate 1. I am yet to find anything to complain about. Thank you for making the whole experience a pleasant one.
Asha P.Excellent. Kristijian was the best tour guide ever! Knowledgeable, courteous, personable, prompt, thoughtful, considerate. He was careful to follow up the rear of the tour group when we had a local guide in a city. This ensured that no one got lost or left the group. He posted the rotation schedule for the bus every day and that worked perfectly!. He posted the daily schedule and repeated instructions multiple times so that there was no confusion. This was especially helpful with our group because we had a fairly large number of travelers for whom English was not their first language. We honestly cannot praise him enough!
George A.Our trip to Italy exceeded all of our expectations. All of the couples, partners and single travelers in our group treated each other like family. We looked our for each other and made sure everyone was doing okay on a daily basis. All of the amenities were top shelf, from the hotels, transportation, restaurants, tours, optional tours and entertainment. It was a lovely selection of cities from Venice in the north to Rome in the south and all of the lovely cities in between. And last but not least, our tour director, Andrea. He was excellent, knowledgeable, funny, serious, stern but in a concerned way and a great leader. Thank you Gate 1 for making this Italy experience a success and the best ever.
Robert S.The trip was great. The hotels in Florence and especially Rome were very nice. The itinerary was great. The stops in Assisi and Pisa really added to the trip. Nicoletta was a fantastic tour guide and group leader. The best so far. She really added to the experience. I give her and the trip 5 stars.
John R.It was awesome, rejuvenating, wonderful! I am ready to book another hiking tour!
Joanna W.Loved it! Alice was an exceptional guide!
Lori D.Fantastic! We had a wonderful trip! The package we bought is perfect for independent traveling. Documents and vouchers were flawlessly prepared, so the flight, car rental, and hotel check-in were easy. The Boston Hotel in Montecatini was friendly, clean, and served a wonderful breakfast every morning. We are, and will be repeat customers again in the future!
Molly C.It was really great. It was a wonderful first trip to Italy. It was really well-organized; we saw so many of the things that one would want to see in Italy. And it left me wanting to go back again some day. Our tour manager, Suzy, was fantastic. She was friendly, warm, very organized and knowledgeable, and was very good at keeping all the ducks in a row. And she also added a few extras that were not included on the original itinerary: 2 additional optional tours in Rome ("Hidden Treasures" and a dinner & bus tour of the city at night), a tour inside the Pantheon (not just "viewing" it from the outside), and she organized vans to take us back to the hotel after the Vatican and Piazzas & Fountains tours in Rome. Those vans were really appreciated after all the walking we had done that morning and afternoon. I was particularly excited to get inside the Pantheon! I give Suzy the highest marks! Our local guides, particularly Manuela in Venice, the guide in Assisi and Paolo in Rome, were really good. They were very knowledgeable and engaging. I look forward to another Gate 1 tour in the not-to-distant future.
Denise T.We would like to express our satisfaction with our first trip with Gate 1 which was exceptional. We can say that our trip was made memorable due to Suzy's amazing organizational skills and quality of information and events within the trip. Additionally, the comfort and ease of the motor couch transportation with Maritzio was so delightful which also added to the ease of the trip. We look forward to going on another trip with Gate1 in the future and would not hesitate to recommend the trip to others.
John C.I really enjoyed the trip. The staff was great. Looking forward to the next one.
Robert N.Oliviero was one of the best things about our trip! He really made the trip exciting, fun, memorable, and special! He flawlessly made a family of 40 very different people, and always made us feel comfortable and cared for! Oliviero was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and personable. He made us feel like we'd known him forever, and offered valuable insight into everything we did, and every question we had. I would 10000% recommend Oliviero, and would love to do many more tours with him as our guide! He is an incredible asset to Gate1!
Rebecca I.Our trip to Sicily was great fun. We had the privilege to travel with Tour Director, Marisa for a second time. She is the most amazing Tour Director we have come across in 18 trips with Gate 1 as well as other companies we have had the pleasure to travel with. She doesn't just tell historical facts of the area, she shares them in a story like fashion, making them fun and quite interesting. She was always ready with suggestions for things to do on our free time as well as restaurants we might like to try. You feel like you are traveling with a friend in their hometown, one who loves what they do and enjoys the people they are traveling with. Marisa is truly a treasure and we hope to travel on another tour with her soon. Gate 1 is so fortunate to have her as an Ambassador of their company. Please let her know how much we appreciate her and her knowledge.
Linda F.We rarely take tours and this was our first Gate1 trip. I am now a Gate1 convert! With Marisa, our fearless, warm, knowledgeable, funny, kind and organized tour leader, we saw, experienced and ate so much that we would have never covered on our own. She took off all the stress of traveling and made everyday the Best day to be in Sicily! Gate1 planned out each day with just the right amount of sightseeing, traveling, shopping and down time. Hotels were in great locations, which I appreciated much more than being somewhere fancy. Included meals exceeded our expectations, especially the ones in the countryside. Marisa immediately got to know all of us which instantly created a family atmosphere where a lot of tears and hugs were exchanged on the last day.
Constance M.My wife and I attended the enchanting Italy trip from 2 through 9 October. We had the absolute best tour director Adionesis. He was the most caring and thoughtful director. He personally assisted me a number of times. He showed he cared about every member of our group. He is the BEST! He earned a greater than excellent rating.
Randall K.It was wonderful. The weather was perfect. We did not expect the warm weather but a pleasant surprise. Giuseppe was our tour guide and he was excellent. He added such details that we would not have seen otherwise. He did not treat the tour like a job. You can tell he knows the history and gave vital information to make the experience more enjoyable and meaningful. He was very organized and gave specific instructions. The guides we had for the different cities were also very knowledgeable and entertaining. Thank you for your helpful tips. They made preparing for the trip much easier. We look forward to using Gate 1 in the future.
Kathleen M.This was our sixth trip with Gate1. The river cruise experience far exceeded our expectations .....on land or on the water our tour guides and staff were A+. The Monarch Princess crew was absolutely amazing- so friendly, helpful and upbeat! The total experience was superb!
Linda J.Just wanted to express my pleasure with the whole gate1travel experience. Riccardo, our tour manager, was a excellent manager/guide! Everything was smooth, we kept on time with everything, couldn't have experience as much as we did without this tour. Logistics were excellent! Thank you Gate1Travel, and a huge thanks and respect for Riccardo our tour manager!
Andrew LI loved our tour guide Uta so much and just wanted to let you know personally how wonderful she was! She walked all over Venice with, selected our boat to have musicians for our gondola ride, gave amazing suggestions for free time adventures in Rome and got along so well with everyone. We had such a great group of people on the trip too. This was my 4th Gate 1 trip and it was by far the absolute best!!! Uta made it amazing! I will definitely go on more Gate 1 trips in the future and recommend Gate 1 to all my friends!
Wendy D.We want to thank you and our wonderful tour guide Alessandro as we just finished the Sorrento walking tour. The hotel and room was a special surprise and made our trip extra special. Alessandro was amazing and the daily tour guides were wonderful. We loved the itinerary, the hikes, lunches and all the special touches. Thank you for a wonderful memory.
Susan B.My trip was great . Alexdrano my first tour guy in Sorrento was fabulous. And my second tour was great also Mario my guide was also fabulous.
Mary T.On behalf of my husband and I we wanted to personally thank Linda, our tour guide, for everything! She was amazing, super friendly, extremely helpful, very informative, and genuinely loves her job! We were the youngest guests on the tour and were celebrating our honeymoon! She made us feel very special!!! Thank you Linda and Gate 1 Travel!
Elena T.