TESTIMONIALS
We are very proud of the fact that we have not only many repeat clients, but also many clients who have
referred their friends and colleagues to us.
In response to your question of how was our trip, IT WAS AWESOME!!!
Having professional drivers took the stress out of traveling in an unfamiliar country where we did
not know the language and the driving protocols. The drivers were courteous and punctual. They
occasionally pointed out points of interest and added commentary along the way, which added to
the enjoyment of the scenery in the countryside.
The hotels were excellent and were located in the heart of the areas we wanted to be.
…Occasionally we would catch a glimpse of other rooms in our hotels as they were being cleaned.
It appeared that we had the superior choice of rooms. Either we had a balcony, view, or a room
larger than the others we saw.
Our tour guides were excellent. They were very knowledgeable and responded to our questions.
They provided insights which added to the enjoyment of our tours…We appreciated your joining us
at various points on our trip to make the visits to places where only Italian was spoken more
meaningful. This of course included clarifying the shipping instructions for our ceramic shopping in
Deruta, the tour and lunch at the winery, and the luncheon extravaganza in Spello.
We also appreciate your discreet monitoring of our trip progress. (The title “Shepherd One” is
already taken, but I suppose we can dub you “Shepherd Too”). We saw the note you sent to our
hotel in Rome, advising us to leave earlier for the airport because of traffic considerations. As it
turns out, this was a very wise thing to do. The day we were leaving was the very first day which
our airline started operations in a new terminal, Terminal 5. This terminal is away from the main
grouping of terminals, and involved traveling on an airport side road. Our driver had to stop a
couple of times to get directions to this terminal but he got us there. Being the first day of
operations in the new terminal, procedures and signage were not clear. Because of the earlier
departure time you suggested, we made our scheduled flight on time.
Thank you for all you did for us. We had a great time! RS & JS, Newport Beach, CA
The return trip was uneventful and everyone is safely home. Once everyone got to Mondello the
trip was on a roll. The accommodations, food, activities and tours were excellent. Not one person
was ready to return home, and could not have been more pleased.
Thank you for arranging such an amazing trip. Villa … was excellent, just as advertised… The
tours and guides were well matched, even the Terrasini excursion was greater than expected, such
a beautiful place. Rome was also a wonderful experience. Alessandro gave us a tour that was
geared especially for us. Everyone remarked about how he paced the tour and how he related to
our group…Thank you both for everything and especially help with the airline mess. ST & MT, CO
I just wanted to let you know we had an absolutely wonderful time in Florence. Elvira was an
delight, we can certainly see why you think so highly of her. She was warm, engaging and very
knowledgeable in both the touring and shopping arenas. The tour of the Vasarian Corridor was a
highlight of our trip, I was able to take some great photos from the windows as we crossed the
bridge. The trips to Pisa and Siena were very well worth our time and we liked our guides. We
also had a great time in Rome … Our shopping day was lovely, Ann and I enjoyed our guide,
Maria. She was charming and very helpful. She was the same size as Joel and my younger
daughters as well as Ann and Don's younger daughter, she was happy to try on clothes for them!
Thanks for doing such a fantastic job on such short notice. It was a pleasure to work with you. I
would most certainly recommend you to friends headed in that direction. I am already dreaming
about another trip to Florence........ FO, Cleveland, OH
I have been busy catching up with work and also spending time telling friends and family about
our wonderful experiences in Florence. The week was perfect. The hotel room was beautiful and
the staff both charming and helpful. The personal guides and drivers were very professional,
knowledgeable and extremely friendly. We felt as if we were surrounding by a group of caring
friends who wanted us to fully experience and enjoy their city. Each of the excursions was
memorable and flawless. Of course, the food and wine lived up to its reputation and every
restaurant provided us with a lasting memory. And the art is breathtaking. We were able to visit
with our son most every night for dinner and hosted several evenings with many of his friends
joining us. In short, our week in Florence was an extraordinary experience which we will always
treasure. Thank you so much for your special efforts. Bravo!!! …we plan on many more visits to
Italy and I cannot imagine taking a trip without seeking out your services…Thanks again. JM, New
York, NY
We had such a fantastic time... Everything you helped us out with was amazing! The band was
perfect. The dinner in Spello blew everyone away…I cannot thank you enough for all your help.
Our wedding was a perfect!!! LS, Sausalito, CA
Thank you again for all your help. It was great meeting you two...Re our feedback, your tour
guides were terrific. ..The location of the hotel in Venice was great as was the hotel. Of course the
hotel in Florence was our absolute favorite. That terrace and view was divine. As we also told you
we liked the Rome hotel quite a bit and would definitely stay there again…
The driver was also quite a pleasant fellow, he recommended a restaurant in Florence… which was
outstanding… One of my favorite dishes in all of Italy was at the restaurant you recommended 5
minutes from our hotel in Venice. It was an amazing octupus dish in a red sauce on polenta. The
seafood dish you recommended there was also quite good. Now of course, between your great
restaurant recommendations and dozens of gelatos besides, I have 7 new pounds to work
off…Thank you again SOOOO much for all your help. The trip was really wonderful with memories
enough to last several lifetimes. NB, San Francisco, CA
I just wanted to send you a quick thank you note for setting everything up for my trip. Despite the
weather (it rained constantly) …we had an amazing time and have you to thank. The hotels were
great, the restaurants excellent and the wine tasting …was probably one of the highlights of the
trip. Also, the personal guide was fantastic… I really appreciate all your help and suggestions.
CC, New York, NY
Your planning made the trip what it should be -- a real delight, relaxed, fun, and virtually worry-
free. The hotels were all ideally located, the guides were helpful and informative, and all the
arrangements were very well-orchestrated. I really enjoyed that my biggest challenge was
figuring out where to eat every night, and you had even given guidance on that. For someone
who usually manages events, trips, and well, life, down to the second, I loved the luxury of not
having to plan, organize, or worry. MS, South Riding, VA
We had a fabulous trip, with much of the credit to your great advice and connections. It didn't hurt
that we had 14 days of practically perfect weather, too.
We absolutely loved Perugia as a base for Umbria. I'm so glad we didn't pay any attention to all
the tour book advice against even visiting there. What a great City. By the way Brian's directions
were flawless, and without them, we'd still be trying to find the hotel. Your restaurant
recommendations were great too; we especially liked the off the beaten path place…
The Umbrian tour to Bevagna, Montefalco, and lunch at the winery were ( I'm running out of
adjectives) terrific; probably our favorite thing…and Bevagna is a real treasure; never expected to
see the remains of a Roman bath and amphitheater in a town that small; the theater and churches
are great, too. Our guide was great - very impressive, in addition to art history and culture, we
also managed to cover American and Italian politics, what it's like to work in the higher education
system in Italy, refurbishing his home in Perugia, etc. It was very much more engaging than the
usual "guided tour".
Obviously we had a great time, and enjoyed all of your efforts tremendously, and I could go on for
quite a long time. We are very happy with all the services you provided, and the way you provided
them. The itinerary book was great, and we used it wherever we went, in Tuscany as well. …
Again, extremely well done. Thanks for everything. Grazie mille, and buona fortuna, J and LC,
University City, MO
A couple of hours ago, I thought this was the best day of our trip, now I think it's the best day of
my life! NR, Fort Lee, NJ
It is difficult to tell you how much we appreciate the tremendous, skillful effort you put forth in our
trip to Umbria. Every detail of the visit was worked out to perfection. KS, St. Louis, MO
Everyone agrees that one of the high points was the day that we spent with you guys on the wine
tour. Thanks again for that experience. CB, New York, NY
I've been wanting to write to tell you what a wonderful trip David and I had to Rome in Feb. and to
thank you again for putting us in touch with Maria Gabriella. She took very good care of us! We
had a wonderful guide, she (Maria Gabriella) steered us toward a lovely hotel . . . , and had good
tips on shopping and restaurants, too. She runs a first class business. We sent her some other
clients, too, who were also very pleased with their trip to Florence. RM, Washington D.C.
Out trip to Italy was wonderful!!!! We had a grand time. When we tell people about our trip they
can't believe all that we did. We can't either. And of course it is all thanks to you two. You did a
wonderful job of planning everything for us. There were absolutely no hitches at all. Travel,
transportation, hotels, guides, tickets, everything just like clock work. Thanks again for making our
dream trip a reality. DG, Old Lyme, CT
Just a quick note to let you know that we had a wonderful trip to Florence and Paris and to thank
you for all of your help. We loved the hotel. It was just what we were looking for. Having had
the chance to go by a few of the hotels that I was looking at on the Internet, I realize how difficult
that can be in a new city and I am especially thankful for your help. I hope we get a chance to
return to Italy soon -- maybe Rome or Venice with a stop in Umbria! -- and will be sure to contact
you if you do. TS, CT
What a wonderful trip! We fell in love with that country....the food, the wine, the people, the
countryside, the beautiful little towns and villages we saw, as well as the magnificent cities....it
was magic! Thank you both for all the effort you put in to making this a trip we'll never forget.
One of the real high lights for me and Bob was getting to know you both and spending time with
you! It was great fun!! MF, Rye, NY
Perugia was a special place - as was all of Umbria - that we discovered through you. We wished
for more time in Umbria, Tuscany and Florence area. BW, Vermont
We are very proud of the fact that we have not only many repeat clients, but also many clients who have
referred their friends and colleagues to us.
In response to your question of how was our trip, IT WAS AWESOME!!!
Having professional drivers took the stress out of traveling in an unfamiliar country where we did
not know the language and the driving protocols. The drivers were courteous and punctual. They
occasionally pointed out points of interest and added commentary along the way, which added to
the enjoyment of the scenery in the countryside.
The hotels were excellent and were located in the heart of the areas we wanted to be.
…Occasionally we would catch a glimpse of other rooms in our hotels as they were being cleaned.
It appeared that we had the superior choice of rooms. Either we had a balcony, view, or a room
larger than the others we saw.
Our tour guides were excellent. They were very knowledgeable and responded to our questions.
They provided insights which added to the enjoyment of our tours…We appreciated your joining us
at various points on our trip to make the visits to places where only Italian was spoken more
meaningful. This of course included clarifying the shipping instructions for our ceramic shopping in
Deruta, the tour and lunch at the winery, and the luncheon extravaganza in Spello.
We also appreciate your discreet monitoring of our trip progress. (The title “Shepherd One” is
already taken, but I suppose we can dub you “Shepherd Too”). We saw the note you sent to our
hotel in Rome, advising us to leave earlier for the airport because of traffic considerations. As it
turns out, this was a very wise thing to do. The day we were leaving was the very first day which
our airline started operations in a new terminal, Terminal 5. This terminal is away from the main
grouping of terminals, and involved traveling on an airport side road. Our driver had to stop a
couple of times to get directions to this terminal but he got us there. Being the first day of
operations in the new terminal, procedures and signage were not clear. Because of the earlier
departure time you suggested, we made our scheduled flight on time.
Thank you for all you did for us. We had a great time! RS & JS, Newport Beach, CA
The return trip was uneventful and everyone is safely home. Once everyone got to Mondello the
trip was on a roll. The accommodations, food, activities and tours were excellent. Not one person
was ready to return home, and could not have been more pleased.
Thank you for arranging such an amazing trip. Villa … was excellent, just as advertised… The
tours and guides were well matched, even the Terrasini excursion was greater than expected, such
a beautiful place. Rome was also a wonderful experience. Alessandro gave us a tour that was
geared especially for us. Everyone remarked about how he paced the tour and how he related to
our group…Thank you both for everything and especially help with the airline mess. ST & MT, CO
I just wanted to let you know we had an absolutely wonderful time in Florence. Elvira was an
delight, we can certainly see why you think so highly of her. She was warm, engaging and very
knowledgeable in both the touring and shopping arenas. The tour of the Vasarian Corridor was a
highlight of our trip, I was able to take some great photos from the windows as we crossed the
bridge. The trips to Pisa and Siena were very well worth our time and we liked our guides. We
also had a great time in Rome … Our shopping day was lovely, Ann and I enjoyed our guide,
Maria. She was charming and very helpful. She was the same size as Joel and my younger
daughters as well as Ann and Don's younger daughter, she was happy to try on clothes for them!
Thanks for doing such a fantastic job on such short notice. It was a pleasure to work with you. I
would most certainly recommend you to friends headed in that direction. I am already dreaming
about another trip to Florence........ FO, Cleveland, OH
I have been busy catching up with work and also spending time telling friends and family about
our wonderful experiences in Florence. The week was perfect. The hotel room was beautiful and
the staff both charming and helpful. The personal guides and drivers were very professional,
knowledgeable and extremely friendly. We felt as if we were surrounding by a group of caring
friends who wanted us to fully experience and enjoy their city. Each of the excursions was
memorable and flawless. Of course, the food and wine lived up to its reputation and every
restaurant provided us with a lasting memory. And the art is breathtaking. We were able to visit
with our son most every night for dinner and hosted several evenings with many of his friends
joining us. In short, our week in Florence was an extraordinary experience which we will always
treasure. Thank you so much for your special efforts. Bravo!!! …we plan on many more visits to
Italy and I cannot imagine taking a trip without seeking out your services…Thanks again. JM, New
York, NY
We had such a fantastic time... Everything you helped us out with was amazing! The band was
perfect. The dinner in Spello blew everyone away…I cannot thank you enough for all your help.
Our wedding was a perfect!!! LS, Sausalito, CA
Thank you again for all your help. It was great meeting you two...Re our feedback, your tour
guides were terrific. ..The location of the hotel in Venice was great as was the hotel. Of course the
hotel in Florence was our absolute favorite. That terrace and view was divine. As we also told you
we liked the Rome hotel quite a bit and would definitely stay there again…
The driver was also quite a pleasant fellow, he recommended a restaurant in Florence… which was
outstanding… One of my favorite dishes in all of Italy was at the restaurant you recommended 5
minutes from our hotel in Venice. It was an amazing octupus dish in a red sauce on polenta. The
seafood dish you recommended there was also quite good. Now of course, between your great
restaurant recommendations and dozens of gelatos besides, I have 7 new pounds to work
off…Thank you again SOOOO much for all your help. The trip was really wonderful with memories
enough to last several lifetimes. NB, San Francisco, CA
I just wanted to send you a quick thank you note for setting everything up for my trip. Despite the
weather (it rained constantly) …we had an amazing time and have you to thank. The hotels were
great, the restaurants excellent and the wine tasting …was probably one of the highlights of the
trip. Also, the personal guide was fantastic… I really appreciate all your help and suggestions.
CC, New York, NY
Your planning made the trip what it should be -- a real delight, relaxed, fun, and virtually worry-
free. The hotels were all ideally located, the guides were helpful and informative, and all the
arrangements were very well-orchestrated. I really enjoyed that my biggest challenge was
figuring out where to eat every night, and you had even given guidance on that. For someone
who usually manages events, trips, and well, life, down to the second, I loved the luxury of not
having to plan, organize, or worry. MS, South Riding, VA
We had a fabulous trip, with much of the credit to your great advice and connections. It didn't hurt
that we had 14 days of practically perfect weather, too.
We absolutely loved Perugia as a base for Umbria. I'm so glad we didn't pay any attention to all
the tour book advice against even visiting there. What a great City. By the way Brian's directions
were flawless, and without them, we'd still be trying to find the hotel. Your restaurant
recommendations were great too; we especially liked the off the beaten path place…
The Umbrian tour to Bevagna, Montefalco, and lunch at the winery were ( I'm running out of
adjectives) terrific; probably our favorite thing…and Bevagna is a real treasure; never expected to
see the remains of a Roman bath and amphitheater in a town that small; the theater and churches
are great, too. Our guide was great - very impressive, in addition to art history and culture, we
also managed to cover American and Italian politics, what it's like to work in the higher education
system in Italy, refurbishing his home in Perugia, etc. It was very much more engaging than the
usual "guided tour".
Obviously we had a great time, and enjoyed all of your efforts tremendously, and I could go on for
quite a long time. We are very happy with all the services you provided, and the way you provided
them. The itinerary book was great, and we used it wherever we went, in Tuscany as well. …
Again, extremely well done. Thanks for everything. Grazie mille, and buona fortuna, J and LC,
University City, MO
A couple of hours ago, I thought this was the best day of our trip, now I think it's the best day of
my life! NR, Fort Lee, NJ
It is difficult to tell you how much we appreciate the tremendous, skillful effort you put forth in our
trip to Umbria. Every detail of the visit was worked out to perfection. KS, St. Louis, MO
Everyone agrees that one of the high points was the day that we spent with you guys on the wine
tour. Thanks again for that experience. CB, New York, NY
I've been wanting to write to tell you what a wonderful trip David and I had to Rome in Feb. and to
thank you again for putting us in touch with Maria Gabriella. She took very good care of us! We
had a wonderful guide, she (Maria Gabriella) steered us toward a lovely hotel . . . , and had good
tips on shopping and restaurants, too. She runs a first class business. We sent her some other
clients, too, who were also very pleased with their trip to Florence. RM, Washington D.C.
Out trip to Italy was wonderful!!!! We had a grand time. When we tell people about our trip they
can't believe all that we did. We can't either. And of course it is all thanks to you two. You did a
wonderful job of planning everything for us. There were absolutely no hitches at all. Travel,
transportation, hotels, guides, tickets, everything just like clock work. Thanks again for making our
dream trip a reality. DG, Old Lyme, CT
Just a quick note to let you know that we had a wonderful trip to Florence and Paris and to thank
you for all of your help. We loved the hotel. It was just what we were looking for. Having had
the chance to go by a few of the hotels that I was looking at on the Internet, I realize how difficult
that can be in a new city and I am especially thankful for your help. I hope we get a chance to
return to Italy soon -- maybe Rome or Venice with a stop in Umbria! -- and will be sure to contact
you if you do. TS, CT
What a wonderful trip! We fell in love with that country....the food, the wine, the people, the
countryside, the beautiful little towns and villages we saw, as well as the magnificent cities....it
was magic! Thank you both for all the effort you put in to making this a trip we'll never forget.
One of the real high lights for me and Bob was getting to know you both and spending time with
you! It was great fun!! MF, Rye, NY
Perugia was a special place - as was all of Umbria - that we discovered through you. We wished
for more time in Umbria, Tuscany and Florence area. BW, Vermont
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Maria Gabriella Landers and Brian Dore Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists since 2006. Bon Appétit Travel Board Member - Brian Dore Concierge in Umbria is an independent, boutique travel service. Our specialty is custom luxury travel to Italy. Web: www.conciergeinumbria.net Email: info@conciergeinumbria.net Phone: +1 212-769-4767 In Italy: +39 349 369 0413 ©2009 Concierge in Umbria, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement |
