CICERONI Travel Traveller Reviews

The group paddled and floated its way around Venice during a week of the highest tides that the city has had to endure for over fifty years. Several of our scheduled visits were impossible to fulfil because of the flooding, including the evening visit to San Marco. But thanks to amazing - and cheerful - ad hoc improvisation by the tour management, a much revised programme every day enabled us to visit (eg) churches that were still miraculously open.

Our expert lecturer was a fount of erudite and witty information, no matter whether the visits were scheduled or last minute diversions. Day by day our tour manager, with his fluent Italian and his mobile phone, constructed some remarkable alternative visits. The hotel staff maintained their morale and ours under exceptionally difficult circumstances. Against tough odds Ciceroni gave us - in several senses - a memorable week.

Our holiday was an experience, having been to Venice many times high water in the past was manageable by everyone not so this time . The floods were tidal so sometimes it was fairly clear. Poor Torcello suffered ,the Hotel Cipriani managed a good lunch despite water everywhere the garden was flooded. All Churches were closed and a lot of restaurants James Hill did his best and if the restaurant answered we hoped to go there. Our lecturer was, as always, superb he gave us lectures when we were trapped in the hotel interesting and they followed on when ever needed. The Hotel Management were kind gave us Prosecco and nibbles during the lecture as we were so good humoured . We did visit churches and galleries sometimes using duckboards. My memory of an emptied St Marks with flood water was the bare bones of this magnificent church reflected in the water..

On this difficult occasion they managed incredibly well with tireless efforts made on our behalf.

Fascinating sites and culture in perfect weather

First class guides, accommodation and food, very well organised

Ciceroni tours are first rate. Having traveled with Ciceroni to Sicily, we knew they were the right choice for a trip to classical sites around the Bay of Naples. We had fine visits to Paestum, Pompeii, the baths at Baia and the amphitheatre and market place in Pozzuoli, and Herculaneum and the Villa Oplantis. The tour was rounded off with a wonderful trip to the Island of Ischia to see the marvelous garden of Lady Walton and a day in the Archeological Museum and Capodimonte Museum in Napes. Our lecturer Christopher Smith, former Director of the British Academy of Rome, was extremely knowledgeable, witty, and humane. The The Grand Hotel Santa Lucia was perfectly situated on the Via Partenope right on the bay, giving us the opportunity to walk to restaurants with ease and safety and, as it happened, to see the full moon over the bay in the evenings. A wonderful trip.

All arrangements were excellently managed by our tour leader, James Hill. Two wonderful aspects of Ciceroni tours are the morning coffee (and "convenience") break built into each day, and the free time built into the schedule. The combination of careful preparation and flexibility in these tours offers a rich and rewarding experience of art and culture in beautiful spaces without the the "forced march" morning, noon, and night of some other tours.

It was one of the best holidays we have had. The archaeology of Naples is outstanding. Our leader and our lecturer are first rate and our balcony looking over the bay was a joy. The hotel was stylishly elegant and most obliging.

Our first holiday with Ciceroni but not our last!

Ths holiday was to Riga in Latvia and to the countryside around Riga. I travelled with Ciceroni. This was prpbably my twelfth trip with them and as usual all aspects of the trip were perfect. The hotel was superior as were the meals and the ground transportation. Our guide, Peteris was outstanding in his knowledge of Latvian history and culture. His love of his country shown throughout his commentary.. I thoroughly enjoyed this excellent trip

The tour operator was Ciceroni which is a small boutique tour company in Oxfordshiire, in the UK which focusses on small high end tours to places of cultural and historical interest.

Six days of active exploration of Riga, Rundale, and the Gauja Valley, with an emphasis on art,architecture and history.

Ciceroni was attentive to every need and most helpful to me when arranging my travel to and from the US. Our hotel in the center of Riga was charming and comfortable. Our local guide was extremely knowledgeable. Group meals were at interesting and varied venues, and the food and wines were uniformly excellent.

Ciceroni's holiday, 'Quis Separabit' (i.e.who shall separate) is a great way to see Ulster and learn its troubled history. One problem; too much good food and wine is included so that fasting on return is essential.

Small, Oxfordshire-based company arranging very high-class holidays with very entertaining, knowledgeable leader

I have traveled extensively for work and for holidays. I rarely participate in organized tours but chose to do so with CICERONI Travel for two countries which I had never visited, Bulgaria and Latvia, back to back. The experience was marvelous. Both tours were geared to suit perfectly these two disparate countries and I learned so much from the guides which CICERONI provided. I would highly recommend them for anyone interested in tours which blend a focus on art, architecture and history.

CICERONI Travel was the tour operator and they arranged marvelous programs in both countries. The local guides were extremely knowledgeable and I learned an enormous amount from them. Every aspect of the trips was arranged with care from the site visits to the hotels to the meals. CICERONI provided a first class experience.

Tom Duncan imparts an impressive array of knowledge in a witty and well thought out manner, usually with no notes! We visited some delightful castles and gardens and were entertained to lunch and dinners by their owners - a unique experience for all of us in the friendly group.

We have joined Ciceroni on many occasions to several parts of Europe. On each occasion the administration was spot on with correct documentation, an array of information about the visits to come arrived in good time and there has never been a situation that needed any intervention - impressive.