Exploring Italy- The Audley Way

Clients John and Ashley spent their 25th wedding anniversary in Italy

By Audley Travel

January 28^th, 2019

When it comes to travel we are picky and therefore we were nervous to work with Audley. We are proficient travelers and we have high expectations. This was the trip of a lifetime for us, our 25th wedding anniversary, and we wanted everything to perfect. We didn't want a trip that felt impersonal; we wanted adventures that were magical, we wanted hotels that were impeccable, and experiences that we couldn't find on our own. We had twelve days to fall in love with Italy and we wanted every day to be better than the last.

After a few conversations with Audley specialist Caroline we began to lean into the 'Audley Way.' We started to trust that our trip was going to be something special and we put down a small deposit to secure our vacation in Italy.

The result was an experience that not only met our expectations but quite honestly blew them out of the water. We got what we were promised and then more. It was the intangibles, the touches that went beyond the basics of the itinerary, that convinced us that we had made a wonderful choice and that we would make the same choice again. Here are some of the reasons we will be happy to travel with Audley again and again- in fact we are already planning our return trip to Italy with Caroline!

“Caroline just got us. She listened to the details of what we wanted, read between the lines - seeming to know things we didn’t even say - and she never stumbled.”

Caroline’s commitment to detail was without question excellent. She heard that we wanted to see the sights, but not from a distance. We wanted to be on the ground, to eat the food, drink the wine, experience the Italian culture and learn about the area on our own.

She provided a strong backdrop for us, but also understood our need to not have a completely structured experience- building in leisure time at just the right moments. Its like she knew we would need down time to just relax and absorb the beautiful surroundings for a day without commitment, foreseeing our needs before we even began traveling.

“We became personally connected to every one of the tour guides that we met, I wanted to invite them all over to my house for dinner.”

Our itinerary included private guiding throughout- from individualized excursions like pasta making to vineyard tours in Ravello- we knew that insider knowledge would be valuable, but we didn't expect to create the connections that we did.

Each guide took the time to educate, listen, and share their extensive knowledge of the area without any rush or impatience. As we chatted and they learned more about us they started showing us unique corners of the city, building off of our interests and range of reactions. We learned about the places as well as the personal stories of each guide that we spent our time with; their personal narratives only added to our understanding of the country as a whole and their passion only deepened our own love for Italy.

"Extra TOuches and details were taken care of throughout the trip"

There are details of every trip that you can't prepare for, but working with Caroline who has lived and traveled extensively in the country, meant that she anticipated and took care of things that we would have never done on our own. In busy towns, especially along the coast, Caroline pre-made dinner reservations for us at some exceptional restaurants. For each museum we visited she included 'backstage' passes so that we could skip the lengthy lines and spend more time exploring. We showed up to various hotels to the delightful surprise of regional wine waiting for us. Every step of the way we found that things were more seamless than we have ever experienced while traveling.

"Knowing where to go, but also where not to go"

Caroline was exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about both Italy and travel. She had key sights prepared for visits with guides, but also encouraged us to get lost in the area and experience the culture. We did exactly that, and had an amazing time getting off the beaten path, learning so much about the different regions of Italy.

She also sent us to places that other travelers didn't know of. She put us in the heart of the area showing us a side of Italy that only someone who has been there could really provide. Without Audley we would have lost a lot of time and missed a lot of key experiences.

“Audley took all of the stress and concern out of the everyday.”

I’d like to think that Caroline became our friend through the planning of this “bucket list” trip. She understood the importance of this 25th anniversary trip and paid attention to details. She made the trip effortless. Every detail from flight, to train, to private car went without any complication. The smoothness and ease of travel throughout Italy was wonderful, we never felt overwhelmed or confused. Its obvious to us that Caroline and Audley are true professionals at what they offer and deliver!