Doumina arranged an extraordinary itinerary to include Rome, Florence, the countryside of Tuscany... read more
Doumina arranged an extraordinary itinerary to include Rome, Florence, the countryside of Tuscany... read more
Having already been on two excursions with Doumina, we made arrangements with her for a visit to... read more
From the moment you meet Doumina you know why the company is called the Enthusiastic Traveler. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Each place still holds a sense of her own discovery while she shares it with you. Her intimate knowledge spares you ever experiencing a poor meal. She is more than a guide she is a friend to many of the hosts, winemakers, and shopkeepers that she shares with you. I can't imagine traveling with any guide who would have made the experience more delightful, and informative.
Recently I was planning a trip to Italy with my girlfreind, and we had a vague idea of the types of things we wanted to see and do, but practially no idea of where to go to satisfy our desires. The Enthusiastic Traveler was recomended to me by a business associate who frequents Italy, and knows a few people in the travel business. Enter Doumina: After a breif conversation, she was able to suggest several routes of travel through Italy that made sense to us given our goals, timeframe, and budget. Once we confirmed our course, we were given contacts and suggestions for more specific travelling within the regions and towns that we wanted to visit. The amount of connections that the Enthusiastic Traveler had for us was astounding- we even got a private tour of venice. I had no idea that I could learn as much from a country, or get so much enjoyment out of a relatively short trip. I would highly suggest booking any vacation time you have in Italy through Enthusiastic Traveller Day Tours.
I recently traveled throughout Italy for two weeks and when inquiring about a tour guide in Rome, my friend referred me to Doumina’s company. Doumina set up a private tour guide for my family and I and within a few days she also arranged a guide for Florence and Siena. Doumina made our planning effortless! Doumina has an amazing network of guides who are personable, knowledgeable and know the hidden gems of the cities! Not only did Doumina have everything confirmed before my departure, but she also checked-in while I was traveling and providing me with train times for a leg of my trip! She goes above and beyond to make sure you are well prepared! You can bet I’ll be highly recommending The Enthusiastic Traveler!
A girlfriend and I traveled to Italy last October, we were on our own before and after meeting up with a group tour run by the Enthusiastic Traveler. Doumina helped us with all our arrangements and made our travels so much easier. She was wonderful! Our group experience was very nice as well, a bit rushed, but we defiantly saw the country and visited some wonderful places. I have never been on a group tour before so I did not know what to expect. We stayed in an incredible little villa in Cortona (Poggio al Sole), run by a wonderful family and Douminia tried to make sure everyone was happy each day we traveled. I would trust Doumina from the Enthusiastic Traveler to help with making any arrangements in Italy, she will go out of her way to make sure you have a wonderful time. I would go again with Doumina and recommend the Enthusiastic Travel tours to anyone heading to Italy. Kim
I just want to recommend a wine tour my husband and I took in October. It was the "Bountiful Brunello" tour from The Enthusiastic Traveler www.TheEnthusiasticTraveler.com
We spent 4 weeks in Italy and this tour was one of the real highlights of our trip.
At first, I was a little dubious because the tour started with a tasting of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and local cheeses. (oil?? vinegar?????) The different oils did turn out to be interesting, but the vinegar... Oh my. I'm a convert. It was amazing. We bought 3 bottles and it is more expensive than many wines. All I can say is: go to Pienza and try it yourself. See if you aren't converted too.
And that was only the start of the tour. Doumina, our guide, was a grand hostess -- American, speaking Italian, so no worries about language. She drove us through the absolutely gorgeous countryside to two tiny vineyards and introduced us to their owners (Alessandro Bocci of Perazetta and Antonio Sanguineti of La Magia) who led us through their wineries before we tasted their wines. The wines were more than worthy of being tasted. You'll see. Yummmy.
But it wasn't just tasting's. We had lunch too, at a restaurant right next door to the first winery. ... I suppose it is possible that you might find a spot with a terrace overlooking views just as beautiful, but I sincerely doubt you'll find anywhere with more delicious food. Wow.
In summary: a lovely guide, excellent wines, incredibly delicious lunch, amazing new discovery of real balsamic vinegar, gorgeous drive: what more could one ask for?
Jane and Mark from Ontario Canada
Our trip to Italy was an incredible experience and traveling with Doumina made it all happen effortlessly and in such a fun way. We loved the small, intimate group we traveled with, the fabulous food (pizza making, pasta class, cheese making and more), the informative tours with local guides, even the comfort of the van and our fabulous Fabio (driver)! Going on a tour was something we had never done before because it wasn't "our thing". Seeing Italy with Doumina and company changed our minds and we wouldn't do it without her. We had memorable, intimate experiences with the local small vineyards wine makers and their families...something we could have never done on our own. If you ever want to experience Italy, do it with Doumina...she is authentically the Enthusiastic Traveler!