CICERONI Travel Traveller Reviews

Extremely good hotel (Villa Quaranta/Verona). Verona itself a charming and interesting city with lots to explore and pleasantly good restaurants. Operas in the Arena suffered the vicissitudes of this year's storms rolling down the floodplain of the River Po. Check productions ahead of booking: Franco Zeffirelli 'Turandot' and 'Carmen' breathtaking; the centenary production of Aida awful with cranes and other machinery mixed up with Egyptians! Elegant villas and gardens. Interesting vineyards. Yummy meals.

Faultless organization in advance and management on the ground. Our tenth experience with Ciceroni.

Excellent hotel. Excellent visits. Excellent cuisine and wine tastings. Excellent operas notwithstanding that two had to be curtailed due to rain. Excellent gardens

Excellent administration. Excellent tour manager. Excellent programme and timetable.

An excellent holiday, in every way

First class

Stayed at the lovely Ballymaloe House Hotel. Very comfortable and delicious food. Helpful and polite staff . Days quite long due to the traveling needed. But worth it. All arrangements very efficient and helpful with good information about all arrangements.

Tom was very knowledgable with a good sense of humour. He gave us History of the country and people. Also of the Houses and Gardens and owners that we visited. He had entrees to places that others might not get. Many friends and very personable. He had an extremely good and amusing delivery of all his extensive knowledge . Very much enjoyed his company.

An interesting house and garden tour, based on the outstanding Ballymaloe country house hotel. We were blessed with perfect weather.

We have travelled with Cicerroni many times and their service is always first class.

Travel arrangements were efficient. The Ballymaloe Hotel was excellent, much of the food produced in the vegetable garden , delicious gooseberries cooked with elderflower. Meals well balanced, good choice each evening so one could have a different meat/fish each night over five nights, bread was delicious; breakfast had a wide range of fruit and cereal and a good cooked breakfast. Our trips and visits were all excellent, two unique gardens where we were shown around by the creators and owners whose enthusiasm was wonderful - one had begun to create his 2 acre garden when he retired - everyone learnt something, many a lot. The Georgian houses were all different and the visits both inside and out were full of gems and information. Our journey to each house was filled with a lecture by Tom on Irish history from Norman times through to today - his breadth of knowledge and ability to mention and point and then return to it to elaborate is second to noe. His humour is wodnerful. An excellent holiday but take a portable seat if you do not like standing when listening to Tom tell you about pictures, building etc!

Ciceroni is efficient, they arranged for people to arrive from several different UK airports and to fly back there. Information in advance is good. A personal feel.

As ever, Tom Duncan was erudite,witty and humorous and highly entertaining. He opened our eyes to new aspects of Irish history and houses. He works you hard but it is worth it. Outstanding food at the hotel. Bernard Coe

Meticulous planing and execution

With the help of excellent guides, I learnt such a lot about the wonderful art and architecture of Chicago. The balance of the holiday was just right. As well as walk abouts, gallery visits etc we had enough free time to explore and shop on our own. The venues and food for our group lunches and dinners was well researched and chosen. All in all it was a most enjoyable and informative few days.

I have travelled with Ciceroni many times and always found that they provide a well researched and thoughtfully planned holiday.The American tours are directed with efficiency and charm by James Hill and the American docents, who were employed, by Ciceroni outstanding. I cannot rate the company highly enough!

Very comprehensive of both the above

Ciceroni, Aynho, Oxon. I have toured with Ciceroni for, possibly, 20 years and have found them superb in the comprehensiveness of the tours offered, the lectures and lecturers and choice of hotels and restaurants.

Much added value when Tom Duncan is leader. His knowledge of all things Dublin---- houses, gardens furniture ,paintings, architecture and historical context is probably unsurpassed , as well as his ability to obtain access to properties not for general viewing . What more could one ask for?

The admin was also a plus factor. If a problem arose prior to departure it was handled very speedily as well as any hitches whilst on tour ( something normally occurs in my experience ). Otherwise everything went off like clockwork and makes one want to go on other Ciceroni tours as opposed to other operators.