I’ve been fortunate to travel to many places in the northern part of Italy and loved them all. Spending a week in Saint’Angelo in Vado is like finding the hidden, everyday Italy. The people of Saint’Angelo in Vado were very warm and friendly and graciously welcomed us to their village.
Our experience was enhanced by our tour guide, Piero. A native son of Saint’Angelo, he is well known and held in high esteem by the town’s people. Wether walking down the street or visiting one of the local restaurants, it seemed everyone knew and greeted him. Chefs prepared delicious dishes at his request and he knew just the right wines to order. If we had a need or requested something, Piero was right there to help us. His knowledge of the countryside and the people who lived there allowed him to make great recommendations of places to go and artists to visit.
I would highly recommend any tour Piero organizes. He is a personable and very competent tour guide. Plus, he is a really nice guy.
-Carolyn S.
We cannot begin to thank you enough for looking after us so completely on the Dennis Perrin tour. From meeting us at the airport to taking us to our hotel at the end, and all the wonderful things in between! It was a magical week Piero! Thank you! The workshop with Dennis melded so perfectly with your Italiana Tour, savoring and capturing the beauty of what we experienced.
Sant’Angelo in Vado is lovely, and we are so honored that you shared your town with us—your friends and family, your culture, the history, the delicious food and wine of the territory from all those exceptional people—it was one exciting and magnificent moment after another. We were enchanted by the friendliness, warmth and passion of all of the people we met, and felt so welcomed. We loved our sweet hotel, with its clean, lovely, large rooms and very friendly people, AND its outstanding restaurant Taddeo & Federico—so many unforgettable lunches and dinners!
Thank you for a perfect day in beautiful Urbino—with a fabulous stop at the best art store first! Thank you! The Palazzo Ducale tour was spectacular. It was absolutely fantastic to have Paolo give us this tour and then to show us Raphael’s home, and then to take us through the Exhibition of Raphael and His Friends! An extra bonus that this Exhibition was taking place while we were in Italy! This wonderful morning just continued when you took us to the amazing restaurant in the city where we dined on exquisite food and wine surrounded by the chef’s artwork on the walls of his restaurant!
We loved the truffle hunt with our host Fernando and his dogs! It was so exciting to see and learn about the truffle, and the industry and to see the dogs at work. And the views of Sant’Angelo and the countryside from up in the mountains were breathtaking. The wine tasting at the family winery was outstanding! It was such a pleasure and honor to learn about the Vin Santo and the process of its creation from such passionate and knowledgeable hosts, and then to have the opportunity to enjoy such delicious food and wine upstairs in the fabulous dining room! The beautiful hilltop town of Citta Della Pieve was a stunning spot! And what a delicious dinner in the lovely dining room! We were again so lucky to enjoy the delicious lunch at the Enoteca of fruits, cheeses and meats you brought from the market. Such a nice feast to enjoy while learning about and savouring Spumante and Prosecco from the master and owner!
Exploring Sant’Angelo throughout the week was wonderful. Such incredible Roman (thank you for the tour of the ruins!) and Medieval history. We enjoyed many painting venues around and above town, and thoroughly enjoyed the churches, piazzas, alleyways, shops, bars, restaurants, and the visit to the artist’s studio. There were so many wonderful experiences, tastes, sights and smells, and that beautiful Italian light. Truly a feast for our painterly instincts.
Our trip was made even more memorable because of our group. It was such a thrill to meet everyone and to share all of these experiences with them. It was a truly, truly wonderful experience for us Piero, because of you, your expertise and your abilities. Thank you so much.
Thank you so very much Piero!
Ciao!
Jennifer and Bill
“I traveled with Italiana Tours in October 2018, and it exceeded my expectations in every way! Planning was simple, as Piero and Katie arrange everything, provide excellent details and answer questions promptly.
Piero is a perfect host - he's your driver, your translator, your concierge, and above all, your expert experience curator - right down to choosing the menus and wine pairings. After this trip you'll wish he could plan all your vacations and your holiday dinners too. And unlike some professional tour guides who lecture non-stop, he reads the room. With our group, that meant providing a little context and then letting us just enjoy the experience. Not that he isn't an expert on the area; he's a native and quite literally seemed to be on hugging terms with everyone in town.
Speaking of which, Le Marche and the towns and villages on the tour are absolutely breathtaking. The area is every bit as beautiful as Tuscany, but we never saw or felt like tourists; we were treated like extended family everywhere we went.
Each specific experience was thus so much richer than I imagined. For example, a visit to the Einstein of Cheese isn't some corny photo op. It's actually a chance to wander quietly through the most picturesque, unspoiled hilltop village, get a private tour of the family cheese-making and olive oil pressing operation - in an historic medieval house overlooking the most paintable valley of olive groves imaginable - and then finally be treated to "a tasting", which is actually two hours of the finest olive oil, cheeses, cured meats, breads, jams, local wines and espresso at a giant farmhouse table in their tiny family shop.
And speaking of food, I was in the more well-trodden areas of Italy for a few days before and after this tour, and I ate in multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. They were nice, but nothing I ate in them could hold a candle to the lovingly-prepared local specialties served to us by Piero's hand-picked chefs.
I am already planning to go back!
-Suzanne J.
“Where to begin??! When I signed up to go to an art workshop in Italy with Nancy Medina, I had no idea where we were going. Sant’Angelo in Vado meant nothing to me. I knew a tourist company would be organizing our trip and that the owner, Piero, grew up in Sant’Angelo in Vado. What I didn’t fully understand was what an amazing introduction to the culture of this area of Italy I would be receiving. It’s been absolutely fabulous. Piero was a fantastic private guide. From the moment he met us at the airport in Bologna holding a sign with Nancy’s name on it, he was a professional tour guide who went above and beyond to meet all of the needs of our group. When I asked about the proximity of a Catholic Church near the hotel, he immediately escorted me down the street to the local church so we could find out times for mass on Sunday. It was also fun to hear about his life growing up in Sant’Angelo and how much he loves his home town. Everyone knows each other and that was fun to see, also. I highly recommend Italiana Tours with Piero. His knowledge of the area as well as all the amazing foods and wines is extraordinary. Thank you, Piero, for a memorable trip. “
-Brenda J.
"There was a safety of being with people who not only know the country, laws and speak the language, but we were with Piero's family - surrounded by family. I loved that. I felt very protected, and that if there was a crisis I wouldn't have to worry about anything not knowing how to communicate."
-Karen Y., Cakewalk Through Le Marche
"We loved the people. We loved everyone involved and the knowledge they brought about plants, truffles, and Urbino. Piero and Katie put in place people who were knowledgeable and shared it."
- Suzanne, Cakewalk Through Le Marche
"We were so carefully ushered from place to place and experienced one after one memorable event. Simple pleasures like the Monday market, dinner on top of the mountain and by the river, a moving tour of a sweet church, sitting in the square at a table sipping a cola, the great toy store, Einstein cheese party, San Marino, wading in the Adriatic Sea, breakfasts with new friends, and sharing it all with my beloved sister!"
-Patti, Painting Brilliant Florals
“We had a trip of a lifetime with Piero and our group experiencing the Marche region of Italy. Piero showed us the "true Italy." We enjoyed meeting local Italian people, ate incredible meals and saw gorgeous scenery while listening to Piero's delightfully humorous stories and narratives. We did not want our trip to end. “
-Charlotte P.
"Piero shows you a place where you instantly feel at home. We don't have to worry about the language barrier because both our hosts are bilingual and their love of the place is contagious. Being with Piero in the place he grew up gave me a feeling of belonging."
-Christy, Call Me Marchigiano
Katie and Pierro were gracious hosts, catering to our every-need before and during the trip. The food was amazing, as was the wine (and plenty of both!) The scenery and life experiences are something I will remember forever. Thank you for sharing with us your home country. I can't wait to go back!
-Angel S.
My friend and I just returned from a tour of Sant Angelo in Vado. The accommodations and attention to the traveler was superb. We saw some of the most beautiful sites you could imagine and dined in very special places. I would highly recommend Italiana Tours and Piero is a splendid guide!
-Anita H.