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English speaking driver-guide for tours of Rome, shore excursions, day trips, journeys through Italy |
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Ciao Paolo,
We arrived home last night, all well. Our trip was very successful
and we enjoyed it very much. A large part of our enjoyment was the
tour of Roma with Roberto. He did a wonderful job and is a really
fine guy as well. Thank you very much for providing a very competent
backup to yourself.
I hope that I will get to
meet you someday as well.
My wife and I plan on
returning with just the two of us (no date established) and my wife
is beginning to plan her "Girlfriend" trip to Italy as well. I know
she will contact you for that. We will certainly recommend you to
everyone we know who is planning a trip to Italy. Also, please give
our warm regards to Roberto.
Thanks again and Ciao for now,
Allan Guerrina |
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This
e-mail was originally sent by
Bob & Bev Russell
to Paolo Fanti, my
associate in Florence, who organized all the tours for them.
Paolo,
Just a short note to thank you for the wonderful drivers and driver
guides you provided to us.
When we arrived at Milan Malpensa, Davide was waiting for us. He
took us on the short 2 1/2 hour ride to Santa Margherita pointing
out a number of landmarks along the way. It was a delight talking
with him, and his discussion of his home on Lake Como made us want
to come back to Italy to see that area. |
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All three drivers were waiting for us at the pier when the ship
arrived in Naples, Civitavecchia and Livorno. Angelo in Naples was
superb. The drive along the Amalfi Coast with Angelo's running
commentary was great. He even took us by his primary school in
Sorrento, and we lunched at one of his favorite places. Before he
left us, he secured tickets for the hydrofoil to Capri and told us
when to catch the hydrofoil from Capri to Naples. Great guy!
Paolo in
Civitavecchia/Rome was the best guide we've ever met. He seemed to
know everything about Rome and was able to answer every question any
of us had. His grasp of historical facts (including dates) was
astounding. He showed us things one doesn't find in any guidebooks
and took us to a great restaurant we'd never have found without his
assistance. He was superb!
In Livorno/Florence, we had the pleasure of meeting Giuseppe. Great
guy! His love of Florence was apparent from the very start. One
could not help but leave Florence with a much deeper appreciation
for its magnificence and beauty after spending a day with Giuseppe.
Fantastic!!
We all agreed that your drivers and driver guides really made our
vacation the wonderful experience it was. I can assure you that we
will be telling everyone about the great experience we had with your
company, and we'll be back! Thank you!
Bob & Bev Russell |
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Paolo
We returned from our 13 day trip to your country yesterday. Every
day we spent in Italy was a day we will forever remember. Whether it
was the historical sights or the food or the people, we enjoyed
every moment of it! You were an integral and important component of
our trip and I thank you for taking the time to guide us so
competently through Rome. You were terrific and I would certainly
recommend you to anyone. Let me give you a quick run down on the
other guides you arranged for us. In Sorrento, we had Alberto. He
was a very competent driver and took us through the towns of the
Amalfi coast very competently. On the second day we had Giuseppe
drive us to Capri, Ana Capri and the Blue Grotto. He was simply a
driver and was not particularly good. I could not
recommend him for future visits. |
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In
Naxos, I expected to meet Giacomo. Instead, we met
Sara. She was absolutely charming and knowledgeable. She was also
very attractive! What a great day that was for both the men and the
women!! I would strongly recommend that you use her again.
Apparently she does not have much work to do. She would be an asset
to any company in the touring business. Once again, thank you for
helping to make our trip the memorable one that it was. I hope to
meet you again sometime soon. If you ever come to the USA and get
close to Philadelphia, I would make every effort to meet you here.
Ciao for now. Stay in touch....
Bob Greenberg |
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Bruce & Celia Brewer
- Reid & Suzanne Burns |
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| Paolo
Apolloni was our man and he could not have been
better. He is a Roman roughly 50 years young whose
father was also in the business. We spent an
incredibly memorable day with Paolo where we toured
by car all the great sights of the city, received
wonderful historic information, and had a most
memorable lunch in a very quaint country setting off
the Appian Way. Paolo stayed with us for quite a
long time, I think finally dropping us off about
6:15 PM. It was especially enjoyable to reunite the
gentleman who runs the hotel with Paolo. They were
great friends for many years and lost track of each
other about 10 years ago. I hope to spend time again
with Paolo one day…..he is a great guy. |
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| Bruce & Celia Brewer |
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| Reid & Suzanne Burns |
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Hope things are going
well - we had a great time with you and also with
the Paolo that took us around the Isle of Capri. He
was a riot. We really learned a lot from you and
appreciate everything you did for us. You are like a
walking, talking, history book, but a lots more
interesting.
We need a favor: Remember you took us up to a very
quiet place and had us look through a tiny opening
in the door and then you said to take a picture -
well the picture did not turn out. That is the one I
believe that we saw St. Peters Dome. Is there a
chance that you can take a picture through the hole
in the door with your digital camera and then email
it to us at the above email address.
Thanks again
Carl Moskalik |
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| As a retired couple,
we have just concluded our first trip to Europe. We
are from a small town north of Toronto, Ontario and
it was our travel agent who called us one day and
said, "For your visit to Rome.......you need Paolo".
She had used Paolo as a guide when she had docked in
Rome and declared that day to be the 'high light' of
her trip. We contacted him immediately and booked
our date. We only had one full day in Rome and so
wanted to see everything possible. We also had some
mobility concerns and were assured by him, that he
could accommodate us. Sadly, our first trip was
cancelled because of the war and we had to rebook
about 6 weeks later. We were given a choice of two
different tours and we had to make a decision. Our
decision was made when we phoned Paolo at home to
see when he could accommodate us. We were not sorry
we did this because everything we had heard about
his expertise as a guide was true. From the
beautiful silver Mercedes to his knowledge and
folklore of his wonderful city was exemplary.
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| We traveled to places
that many tourists don't see because of time
constraints and lack of vehicle. The lunch next to
the Pope's summer residence was beyond words. As
people look through our album, everyone remarks on
the photos of Rome. Paolo, I hope you have many more
years of sharing your eternal city with tourists. It
was one of our most memorable days and a simple
thanks seems inadequate, but thank you immensely
Carol and George |
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Paolo,
Thank you and Carlo for making Rome the best city
visited by our family. Even with my father's trip to
the hospital, Rome was given the highest rating of
fun by most of us.
The others declined to vote. We agreed that it was
attributed to our 2 great tour guides. Thankfully
for your quick thinking and Carlos quick response,
the trip to the hospital was overcome. I will highly
recommend you and Rome. I hope to visit again too.
My very best to you and Carlos,
Dallas McGuire Verner |
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Paolo, once again,
thank you so much for creating such a memorable and
enjoyable trip.
The best and most unforgettable portions of the trip
were those where we left all arrangements up to you.
Whether it was a fabulous lunch, or a side trip to
an out-of-the-way village,
Each was truly spectacular.
I hope all your clients are wise enough to let you
assist in trip planning.
If not, they will surely miss out on something most
pleasant.
David Bussone |
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Hi Paolo,
We all arrived home safely...long flight with long
lay overs!
Takes a bit to adjust to the time change. We had a
great time with you and enjoyed the trip to the
Ovieto...lunch was great in Naples, the kids enjoyed
their trip to Rome too! Hope to be back soon.
There is so much to see and do in Italy..still want
to ride mopeds and see Capri!
Talked to Amanda and gave her the thumbs up as
well...
See you soon, Ciao Donna
Ps.. send you some pictures on line
after I read the instruction manual on my new
camera. |
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This comments were posted
by the client on cruisecritic.com |
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Recommendation: Outstanding
I recommend Paolo as a highly qualified guide who
exhibited superior thoughtfulness and caring for our
group of six from San Francisco. His English is
impeccable and knowledge of his country and its
history outstanding. He made our visit to Italy a
wonderful experience. We all feel we have a new
"best friend" in Italy. I found Paolo's name and a
positive critique of his tour of Rome on this board.
So, before we left for our 9/18/2001 cruise on
Renaissance's R-2, Barcelona to Venice, I contacted
him by email. I followed up with a confirmation
phone call to Paolo from Nice and learned that he
could also provide us with guides for Florence,
Naples, Capri, and Venice. |
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| Francesco
Bartalini |
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Paolo sent Francesco Bartalini to
meet the six of us in Livorno. He is a terrific
guide with excellent English skills and a fun,
outgoing personality. After our short visit to Pisa
and Lucca, my husband expressed his interest in
Italian wines. Francesco drove us to a small, old
winery where we were able to purchase bottles of
good wine at extremely reasonable prices (especially
compared to what we pay for California wine). The
elderly caretaker allowed me to take photos of the
cellars and grounds. This was so much fun. We then
drove onto Florence and took in the history and
beauty of this city. We lunched with Francesco in a
classic restaurant, which was lots of fun with fine
food.
Paolo met us in Civitavecchia and took us to Rome.
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| Paolo Apolloni |
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What an enchanting city and there is
not a better way to visit it than with a guide who
loves and knows the art, history, culture of his
home. We ate in another wonderful restaurant,
recommended by Paolo. We decided to pass on Naples
and four of us opted for a day in Capri. Paolo
arranged for his friend, another Paolo, to taxi us
around the island. Do you know how much fun it is to
be on this Mediterranean jewel, driving around in a
bright red, stretch-limo Fiat convertible? Lunch was
in Capri-Paolo's cousin's restaurant. The next day
the cruisers were awakened with the public address
message: Renaissance had filed for chapter 11 and we
were not going to Messina, Sicily, or anywhere else,
as planned. We would all have to disembark in
Civitavecchia. |
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| Paolo's taxi in
Capri |
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Those travelers who were part of the
Omni-group would have their plane arrangements made.
Those travelers who were not in that group, stay
tuned... Well, our NON-Omni group had originally
made plans to stay in Venice for two days when the
cruise was supposed to have ended.
We had reservations for Sept. 30th and Oct 1st and
our air tickets for Oct 2nd. Renaissance did contact
a bus company that would take us for $ 20 a head (U.
S. Dollars only) to the Rome airport. At the
airport, there is a booth where you can make hotel
reservations for many Italian cities. We were able
to find three rooms and a taxi to take us to a Rome
Best Western Hotel. |
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| My minivan at the
port |
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I was able to change our air flights
out of Venice from 10/02 to 9/30, after explaining
the Renaissance situation to British Airways. Then,
I tried to change our Venice hotel reservations and
learned that there were no rooms. I called our
travel agent in San Francisco, and she said she
would try to help. This is the kind of time where
you need a good shoulder to lean on. Of course, I
called Paolo and he once again provided the help we
needed.
He would take us to Venice from Rome, and if our
travel agent could not find anything, he would work
on hotel accommodations for us. When Paolo arrived
the next morning to take us on our journey to Venice
he had an email with him from Cathy Lowe, our travel
agent. She was able to get us into the Best Western
Monte Carlo for three days. |
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| Venetian water
taxi |
| Paolo arranged for
the water taxi to take us to the hotel and another
for transportation to the Venice airport when we
depart. We left the Rome hotel about 10 o'clock in
the morning and pulled into the Venice parking lot
about 7 o'clock that evening. Paolo got us there
safely and relieved us of much of the stress we were
feeling. Along the way there was fun and laughter.
How grateful we are that I looked to this board to
find a guide and found Paolo's name. |
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We were on an NCL
cruise last November, and contacted him at SHIBIN's
recommendation. Executive summary: he's expensive
but well worth it. We assembled a group of six and
used his minivan. € 100 plus tax & tip each (lunch &
admissions not included). At the end of the day, the
other two couples not only paid with a smile, they
congratulated me on finding such a great guide.
Paolo has several "standard" tours for the
first-time visitor to choose from. We took the St
Peters Basilica / Coliseum tour, which was
fantastic. But he can alter the itinerary to include
anything you wish.
Doug & Sherry |
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Civitavecchia/Rome: I
can't say enough about the guide we toured with in
Rome: Paolo Apolloni. He speaks English with a
Brooklyn accent, but he's never been to the US. Just
fabulous! He has a net- work of guides (we used his
colleague in Florence, and he was great), including
one in Naples.
Doug and Sherry |
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Hi Paolo,
Henry and I are home safely, and getting ready for
our next trip. We really enjoyed having you as our
guide for the two days we spent with the Caster
family. The airport transfers you arranged for us
went very smoothly. If we were to travel to Rome
again, we would certainly contact you.
Our guide and driver to Assisi was a man named John.
I would certainly recommend him.
We are planning to spend two nights in Genoa before
leaving on a Costa cruise. We have the entire day of
Tuesday, Nov. 4th, free. It the weather is nice we
would like to visit Portofino. We will be staying at
the Jolly Hotel Plaza. Tel: 39-010-553-1169.
I would be very happy if you could put us in touch
with a driver for that day.
Many thanks,
Kathy and Henry Maguire (The Doctor and the Teacher) |
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Paolo,
I want to write you to once again thank you for all
that you did to make the visit of my family to Rome
such a memorable one. I can say that you helped me
fulfill a dream of my mother to visit the Tomb of
St. Peter and Rome. Your care and expertise created
many happy memories. Know that I will keep you and
your family in my prayers. Once again, Thank you.
Peace,
Fr. Stephen |
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Paolo,
We all just wanted to say thanks again for the
TERRIFIC time we had in Rome. We know if it were not
for your expertise are trip would not have been so
memorable. Enclosed is a pic we took at the "tomb".
Thanks Again,
The Shott Family |
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Hi Paolo:
How are you? I can't believe it's been almost 3
months since our trip to the Mediterranean.
Tammy and I want to thank you for your expert
guidance while we were in Italy.
The trip to the Amalfi Coast was unforgettable!
Positano was such a beautiful place. Each day we are
reminded of that beauty, since the original oil
painting we purchased in Positano is now hanging in
the Living Room of our Home. One day in the future,
Tammy and I hope to return to Positano and stay at
Il San Pietro di Positano. This Hotel has to be one
of the most romantic hotels in the World. Thanks for
telling us about it. Although the two days of
touring with you were fabulous, the visit to the
Sistine Chapel was for us one of the most special
times in our lives. The very special private tour
that you arranged for Tammy and I was a once-in-a-
lifetime event. Your expertise in art history made
our time in the Sistine Chapel so very special. The
solitude that we experienced in the Chapel was the
perfect environment to truly appreciate the
religious significance of all that existed in the
Chapel. Not only did we "feel" the art work, but
truly the spirit that was the inspiration for the
Art. Our sincere thanks to you for making this
extraordinary visit "happen".
Thanks again for making our visit to Italy so very
special.
Our Best Regards,
Greg and Tammy
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Paolo...
We would like to thank you so much for the great
tour of Rome...
We know we had the best experience possible with you
as our guide.
We enjoyed your very expertise explanations of
everything we saw.
You indeed made our day in Rome and we are so glad
we made contact with you at the very last minute.
The lunch was delicious, although we felt we were
not so hungry ... when they brought out the huge
plates of food, it was so good that we all seemed to
have no problem cleaning our plates.
Thanks you so much for everything....and we will
highly recommend you to anyone who is coming to
Rome...
Jan & Arden Lawhead |
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Buongiorno Paolo. Mother and I have
finally settled back in now that we have returned to Texas. Our
Italian vacation is one we will always remember. Everyone asks what
was our favorite memory, and for me there are two: Cortona - and our
side trip to Fumone and Tavern of the Baron. That is what I enjoyed
most of all. That wonderful quaint 'city' perched up on the mountain
- cool crisp air and beautiful country-side - will always be one of
my fondest memories.
Thank you for all you did
to help make our trip so pleasant. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting you
and appreciate your tedious hours of driving.
The only glitch in the trip was that our flight from Milan to
Amsterdam was delayed just long enough that we were unable to make
our connecting flight to Houston. So we flew from Amsterdam to
Detroit where we had to overnight - then on to Houston on Thursday.
No big deal - but we were ready to be home.
Again, meeting you was fun and I'm happy for the time spent with
you.
Kind regards,
Kathryne |
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Hi Paolo,
I want to thank you so much for the tour on
Saturday but the words "thank you" don't seem
adequate. It was a wonderful day that we will
never forget. Mom would never have been able to
see all those wonderful sites without your
expert help. We haven't stopped talking about
all the things we saw that day and we are still
teasing Mom for asking if you really knew the
way out of the Catacombs! We are already talking
about what we want to see on our next trip.
When we start to plan it, our first call will be
to you to see when you're available. We are now
spoiled and will only want the best guide in
Italy! I want to give you our addresses and
phone numbers. If anyone asks for a reference,
please have them call us. We will be happy to
tell them what a fantastic guide you are and
what a great day we had seeing Rome with you. |
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We were amazed at
your knowledge of each site we visited. We all
enjoyed seeing San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa
Maria Maggiore, San Pietro in Vincoli and San
Paolo Fuori le Mura. Standing on the Via Appia,
seeing the Colosseum - it was just the most
enjoyable day. (And lunch was DELICIOUS!)
Reading a guide book is fine. But having someone
pointing out items of interest and telling you
the history behind them is so much more
enjoyable.
Tell your friend Dario that I read his book "Too
Much Tuscan Sun" and I enjoyed it very much. But
I still don't see why they make so much fuss
about a horse race. (Maybe you better not tell
him that part!)We went to church on Easter at
St. Ignazio. It is a truly beautiful church.
Tomi Ann and I spent the afternoon at Capitol
Hill and the Forum and had a great time. Your
friend got us to the airport in very good time
on Monday. Thank you for arranging that. And
thank you again for the beautiful flowers.
Daffodils are my favorite flower and your
thoughtfulness made my birthday very special.
Grazie, Paolo. We hope to see you again! Best
Regards, Kathy
Kathy and Edith Olex
kmolex1@msn.com
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio |
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Paulo I see the
site is still up and assume you are still the
best guide in Rome.
This is Keith and Cindy from the RenVII in April
2001. It was the very best day including Cindy's
Hard Rock visit.
I will put some friends coming to Rome in touch
with you and give them the site info. They are
coming some time in April.
Keith and Cindy Kelsey from sunny California |
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Dear
Paolo!
I just wanted to thank you for your outstanding
service.
We were more than pleased with our guide Alberto
on our last day,
and had a wonderful time at Capri with Peppino,
same about our first-day guide.
I will give my best recommendations about you to
anyone who goes to Italy as individual traveller.
Me and my husband may travel to Rome and
Florence one day too.
If I figure out how to write review on your
website, I will certainly do it.
Thank you very much! Mille Grazia! Ciao
Sincerely Lana
Lana Shchukin |
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| Peppino |
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Good Day Paolo,
Our wonderful vacation is over and we’re back at
home now. One of the first items on my agenda
was to send you a note of appreciation.
My father and sister and I were all delighted
with the wonderful tour of Rome you provided to
us. The service was wonderful…….being picked up
right on time as we disembarked from our ship
and being delivered back in one piece despite
the vagaries of Rome’s traffic!The whole day was
delightful, although this was not my 1st visit
to Rome; you managed to show me Rome from a
thoroughly knowledgeable and different angle.
This was my father’s 1st visit and he was very
pleased with your tour. He was especially
impressed with not only your depth of knowledge
about Rome and its environs but also with your
heartfelt love for the city and its magnificent
history.
It was a real privilege to get to see Pope John
Paul II on the steps of St. Peters and to hear
his address. |
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We all loved the
restaurant where we had lunch, the food was
excellent and the non-touristy atmosphere was
great.
Thank you for sharing your love for the Eternal
City with us; it was a day we will not soon
forget.
Ciao…………..till we meet again!
Laura J. Nabili
Fairfax County Department of Housing
and Community Development
Housing Services Specialist and Property Manager
laura.nabili@fairfaxcounty.gov |
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Ciao Paulo!
We got home safely and I am just looking through
all my photos.
I will tell you when I finally figure out what
American celebrity you look like!
Thank you for a wonderful time in Italy. You
were incredible.
Don and I were serious when we said that we
would love to drive you around if you ever make
it to the States.
I hope that you consider us your newest friends.
We miss you.
Lisa and Don Waldrep |
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Ciao Paolo,
I just wanted to thank you again
for a wonderful couple of days in Rome. Everyone
complimented your ability to get us around to
all the right places at the right time. I
apologize for the multiple
currencies, etc.. for payment. Not everyone was
prepared with travelers checks or cash.
Hopefully, you still ended up ahead.
It turns out, the three women you
guided during the previous week, are friends of
my husband's. The older woman was only with the
other two in Rome (not in Florence) and
therefore we didn't make the connection. We gave
several other families/couples your name. They
were heading down
to Rome after Florence. The
wedding in Chianti was beautiful and we had a
great time. Thanks again. |
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Maryann Harwood
PS - Our transfers to and from
Florence were great. No problems and plenty of
time to get to the airport.
Please tell Paolo Fanti thanks the next time you
see him. |
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Ciao Paolo!
Perhaps of your customers you may remember us, the Megals, Carolyn
and Rhody (the Malta Knight). Androvaldi Palace, October 4th, 2003. It is not possible for us to
express how absolutely phenomenal our day with you was.
Mr Encyclopedia! But you know you presented information in an
intriguing and pertinent way.
Most of all your enthusiasm and devotion to Roma is apparent.
That reaches the heart!
By the way, we have since introduced our family to small biscotti
and vino santo! |
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Friends of ours will be in Italy next October and are looking for a
driver. We passed on your website and e-mail information to them.
Watch for the name, Hinkle. You will enjoy them
very much. Signora Hinkle's maiden name is
Vacarro and she is a very "with-it", culturally
attuned lady.
We also intend to submit your name, with your
approval, to our friend who is an agent for a
very
popular travel agency in our city.
Should we return to Italia, and we will, you can
be sure that we will call you.
Carolyn and Rhody Megal |
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Dearest Paolo,
First, let me thank you again for all your help
and accommodations when we were in Italy.
Despite what you might think, EVERYONE really
enjoyed the touring. We had a wonderful
adventure, all managed to keep from killing each
other before we got home. In addition, we truly
enjoyed the day we spent with Francesco as well,
and I want to thank you for being so kind as to
share him with us, as well as getting Gaetano to
take us through Pompeii. I have already had
quite a few people ask for your information from
the glowing review I posted on the web site, so
expect to hear from some folks...
Can you please do me a favor though?
Francesco gave me his email address but I cannot
find it. My cousin Dina is very anxious to send
you both a personal note, and I would like to
send Francesco one as well. Can you please call
him and get it for me. I would really appreciate
it. Thanks again, and I hope that we will stay
in touch.
With love from your personal "character" &
husband-
Nanci & Leon Schenkein |
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Ciao Paolo,
Thank you for setting up our fabulous tours in
Italy.
We had great guides, especially Paola in
Florence.
She was so knowledgeable and charming. I wish we
could have had you for Rome,but our guide there
was excellent and also the one in Naples.Thanks
again for taking such good care of us.
If we are ever back in Italy (which I hope will
be the case) you will be the first person I will
contact.
Ciao, Nancy Gorham |
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Ciao Paolo
Thank you for organizing our trip
last weekend.
Louis was a most excellent guide. He had just
the right balance of enthusiasm mixed with a
laid-back outlook which was not overpowering (we
saw some guides almost bullying their guests
into enjoying the visit).
Everyone was very impressed by Louis, so please
pass my sincere thanks to him. The restaurant
your recommended was the best on the tour (and
we had some good food). We could have stayed
there all afternoon and in to the evening as
well. Please feel free to use my name as a
testimonial to other potential guests.
I would be happy to pass on my best wishes. None
of us are big football fans, but the Roma v
Brescia game was excellent (5:0 to Roma). The
fans are very passionate. I even learned Italian
from a young girl next to me.
It did not take long for me to
work out her song ;'Brescia, Brescia Vafanculo'.
Thank you again.
Regards
Nick |
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Paolo,
JoAnn and I just wanted to take a
few short minutes to tell you how much we
enjoyed your tours and your company. I don't
think we could have found a better person to
show us your beautiful country. I had to almost
take out a loan to get all our film developed
but the pictures came out great. Everyone is
just amazed at the places we went to all the
sites we saw. Not sure what the weather is like
back there now but over here it has been over a
100 every day. Thanks again for helping us have
the adventure of a life time. We talked with our
travel agent and told her how great you are at
your job and how much we recommend you to all
her clients. By the way, we just made it back
and our first grandson arrived. 7lbs 5oz and 19
inches long. Lots of black hair and a cute
disposition just like his grandpa. They named
him Joseph Francis Rizzo. Can't say anything
about that middle name though. Poor kid!!! Well,
that's about all for now. All our best to you
and your wife and son. Now go mow the lawn.
Joann and Paul Fegan |
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Dear Paolo,
It’s now been almost five months
since we met at the bus station in
Venice. It seems like only yesterday. Anyway
“pillow boy” and the rest of the family still
talk of our trip often and your name always
comes up. We never adequately thanked you for
making our tour of Italy unforgettable. We all
have our favorite places and experiences during
our stay, but we also all agree that you made
the trip truly unique. You really are the best
driver in Italy. So thank you again for the
great driving, restaurants, sights, accents, and
jokes. Most of all thank you for allowing us to
visit your home and meet your lovely wife and
son. We hope the remainder of your year was good
for you and your family, and wish you a very
prosperous New Year. |
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I know that someday we’ll return
to your beautiful country, and would consider it
an honor if we could see you again. Enjoy your
skiing and motor cross.
With great memories always,
the Regula’s - Ann, Doug, David,
Eric “pillow boy”, and Mike |
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Paolo, you
treated us to a delightful day in Rome on the
19th of Feb.. I just wanted to let you know how
much the 6 of us appreciated your excellent
service and professionalism. The day spent with
you was truly the highlight of our cruise. Great
little restaurant and food and wine. I have
posted a message on the America-on-line "cruise
critic" message board for renaissance passengers
extolling your service and took the liberty of
giving out your email addresses. I hope that is
ok. I have a couple of good pictures of you that
I would be happy to send over. If you'd like to
receive them, just email me your address.
Again, thanks for a wonderful and memorable day.
Rob Robertson, m.d. |
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Thanks for Tour of Rome, Florence
and Pisa
Dear Mr. Apolloni,
This is to thank you very much
for the excellent transportation you provided us
during our visit to Rome, Florence and Pisa. I
must apologize for my somewhat delayed response,
but we were all down with fever, cough etc.
Both Mr. Monty and Mr. Giuseppe,
who took us around Rome and in and around
Florence and Pisa, respectively, were dedicated,
knowledgeable, and helpful.
In fact, they rendered an
excellent service over and above the call of
duty. We enjoyed their company and the learnt a
lot about Italy through their help.
And the price was very
reasonable, too.
Needless to say, I would highly
recommend you services to any of my friends or
colleagues who might require
them. All in all, it was a wonderful trip and we
thoroughly enjoyed it.
Please thank Mr. Monty and Mr.
Giuseppe again on our behalf.
Regards,
Sam |
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Paolo,
I just wanted to thank you again
for your excellent tours when we were in Rome.
Your tours made our trip. It was
wonderful to not only see the sights, but to
also get such a detailed history about each
landmark.
My parents are still talking
about mass with the Pope - they still can't
believe it. Everything was just incredible.
It would be hard to believe that
someone as good at your craft as you are would
need it, but, if you ever want a reference or
testimonial, I would be happy to provide it.
Also, you can count on all of us
recommending you to anyone that we talk to.
Thank you again for your
excellent service, you truly made our trip
wonderful.
Thank you for making our trip one
we'll never forget!
Tom Sancomb
sancomto@otcwi.com |
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About 14 months ago, we toured
with Paolo Apolloni in Rome. He came recommended
to me on a message board as the best private
guide in Rome, and we agree 100%! He is part of
a group that also offers excellent guides in
Florence, Naples. We used Paolo Fanti, an
affiliate in Florence, for two full days from
Livorno (port for Florence), touring Florence,
Lucca, Cinque Terra, and Portofino. Awesome!
I've recommended both Paolos to many people, and
they've all been very pleased. I know they have
an associate in Naples, too, as well as in other
parts of Italy.
What fun! We'll never forget Paolo's wonderful
sense of humor, his flawless English (you'd
swear he has a Brooklyn accent, even though he's
never been to the United States!), his wonderful
imitation of Gene Kelly's "Singing in the Rain."
Paolo is among the top guides we've ever met; on
a scale of 1 to 10, he's a solid 12! His
colleagues, Roberto and Francesco, are charming
and knowledgeable. |
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driverguide@rome.com is an excellent choice
for seeing the highlights of Rome, whether you
want to see the top tourist sights or, if you've
been there, done that, ask Paolo to take you to
see his "off the beaten path" favorites. He took
us to places that are not even
mentioned in most tour books--we had a ball!
Shirley Binder |
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Prego...I will
give your website address to my brother-in-law's
friends.
It is so much fun to communicate with someone
half-way around the world like this. I will send
a picture if I can figure out how to do that!!
We think you are the best guide we have ever
had. We loved how you were able to park so very
close to everything and we loved having lunch in
the city of the pope's summer home overlooking
the gorgeous lake.
Ciao, Stephanie |
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Paolo...
I've waited far too long to thank
you for the wonderful guides you set up for us
when we were in Rome on April 20th. Johnny was
great...went out of his way to accommodate us in
every way and we loved the day. My husband can
be difficult, which I should have explained to
you before. He had brain damage and it causes
him to be very blunt and impatient. I hope he
didn't upset things too much.
Giovanni in Naples was great ! He
really gave us a wonderful tour and got us back
with about 30 seconds to spare (PERFECT). We
loved the Amalfi coast and are so glad we did
Sorrento and Positano instead of Capri.
Thank you so much for the wonderful service and
your kind understanding.
Next time, I hope you'll be free to spend a
couple of days with us in Rome ...
Until then...
Thanks so much!
Ciao !
Sue Bruss |
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Dear Paolo,
Thank you very much for showing
us such a great time in Rome last week.
The sightseeing was memorable and
the meals were wonderful, but your hospitality
made the day for all of us. I think we will all
be sure to recommend you to our friends.
Kindest regards,
Sue Romo |
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Dear Paolo,
We can not thank you enough for the two days you
showed us your country.
Your expertise and enthusiasm made our
experience very rich and memorable. I've
attached for pictures for you, three of the
restaurant and one of our favorite guide. I'll
check on that chip this weekend and will let you
know.
The Gowins |
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Hi Paulo,
We all made it back to the USA without too much trouble. I just
wanted to thank you once again for sharing your knowledge and family
with us. All of us thought that it was the best vacation that we
could remember and you made the difference.
Give my best to your family!
Tom Lopez |
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I doubt if you could see more or
learn more about Rome from anyone else.
There were four of us in the VW van and it was
non-stop on interesting comments and inside
trivia about the different sights. If I ever
return to Rome, I will make it a point to see
Paolo and use his services. His English is
exceptionally good and sounds as if he lived in
the Midwest, but he has
never been to the U.S. His WEB site is
www.drivinguide.com.
His friend Marcello in Florence
is very good as well and his English is very
good and we enjoyed him very much. SAVE YOUR
SHOPPING for Florence. Marcello took us to the
Leather Factory (run by Monks in a church) and
to a wonderful private jewelry store for
personal showing and VERY reasonable.
Both of these are very honest and
reliable people that exceeded our expectations.
Should you have additional questions please
contact me.
Wayne Nappier
WAYNECOMP@aol.com |
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Hi Paolo,
My husband, Bill, and I just
wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our
afternoon on July 16 with Guiseppe.Guarnieri.
Lunch was delicious at the restaurant of 30,000
bottles of wine (we only sampled one!) and
incredible views in all directions :Antico
Ristorante Pagnanelli. Giuseppe guided us in our
menu selections with agreement from Matteo and
we ate and drank with abandon.
After the wonderful lunch (during
which Guiseppe gave us a brief introduction to
the area and then amazed us with his knowledge
of Rome, history, art, literature and music) we
visited the towns and then back to the outskirts
of Rome where he waited while we toured the
Catacombs which he said we couldn’t miss as we
had missed them on previous trips to Rome.
We had a wonderful afternoon…
jet-lagged as we were.
Thanks so much for a wonderful
day!
Carol McLachlan |
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Dear Paolo:
Thank you for our wonderful tours and the best
event, the lunch at Ceri. I am sorry that I did
not book the rest of our private tours with you
but instead used Celebrity private car tour with
English speaking guides and they were not of
your qualify guides.
It was a pleasure meeting you and I shall
recommend your service to any who ask.
Louise Schwartz |
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Dear Paolo,
Patrick and I wanted to
thank you again for the wonderful tour of Rome
in May! Italy is so beautiful – we can hardly
wait to go back.
Our experience in Rome was
made immensely more valuable because we were
able to have your tour guide services! Without
your help, we would have
missed many important
details about the sites of Rome.
Your depth of knowledge
and ability to help us focus on key points was
greatly appreciated!
We also loved your sense
of humor and the great restaurant you
suggested. It was one of the best places we ate
at on our tour of Italy!
Thank you for the many
fond memories we shall never forget!!
Ciao,
Marla and Patrick
PS Wish we had taken a
photo of you with our group. Next time we will. |
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Hi Paolo,
We noticed on your website that you had a
section for your happy customers to say thanks
to you for your excellent driving tour of Rome.
My Mom and I spent a half day with you touring
Rome and seeing the fabulous sites. You spoke
such fine English and slowly so my Mom could
hear you, too. We were amazed at your stories
and all the history you knew so well. You kept
us interested and in awe of your ancient city.
We felt completely at ease with you and we loved
and still remember your jokes.
We intend to spread the good news here in
Chicago to our friends who might be traveling to
Rome in the future as to Rome's best driving
guide- YOU!
All the best to you in your thriving business
and we hope to return someday and see you again.
Thanks for everything!
Jane and Maribeth Callahan
Chicago, IL |
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Paolo
Just wanted to Thank You for your
company's service. You guys exceeded
expectations in every regard. I encourage you to
use me as a reference.
Please let me know if you would
like a formal letter from me.
Thanks again, it was awesome.
Kelly Climer
Kelly.Clymer@goldendist.com |
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Dear Paolo,
I apologize for being so tardy in writing you a
note to let you know what a fantastic time Scott
and I had in Rome and then in Sorrento the end
of April.
Rudy was delightful! Not only was his knowledge
of the history impressive, he was courteous,
professional and very pleasant throughout the
two days we had the privilege of his company.
Rome is such a large city with so much history
that we would have missed many things and places
without Rudy’s excellent knowledge of the city
and history. |
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Also, neither Scott nor I would want to drive in
Rome! Then, the next day, on to Sorrento. What
a beautiful place and Rudy made lunch
arrangements, and I had a fantastic “birthday”
lunch. We were treated like royalty. Then
Positano was so beautiful and unique. Please
extend our thanks again to Rudy for helping make
our trip so memorable.
I recommended your service to our travel agent,
and he plans to recommend you to his clients
traveling to Rome. We’ll definitely call you on
our next trip to Roma!
Best regards,
Barbara
Zimmerman |
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Paolo,
Hopefully, you
have not already forgotten us. Our travels home
were uneventful, although profoundly sad with
missing you and your delightful way of
introducing us to your beautiful Italy. I
always expected to spend my travel times
exploring my own country's wonders (all 200
years) and was fairly militant about not going
to the Old World. Kathleen's patient insistence
and her own wonderful memories gained my
grudging acceptance of the idea.What a fool I
was (and Kath would argue, still am)! Through
your guidance, Nicholas, Janice, Lauren, Monica
and I are true believers. We are truly thankful
that our friends, the Giordanos, had met you,
gained the same tremendous respect for you and
shared it with us before we began our plans. |
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That will be
many times repeated by us whenever the idea of
travel to Italy is brought up. To us, Paolo
Apolloni is synonymous with an unforgettable
exploration of Italy's wonders.
Best wishes to
your family and you. Drive carefully, we want
you to be there safe and sound when we return.
Until then, we hope you won't mind us keeping in
touch from time to time.
Christopher
PS - I'm sending
this from the office, our home email is in the
cc: address above.
Christopher Flocken
cflocken@midlandfoodservice.com |
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Thank you for
showing Heidi and I around Rome this past
Monday, It was certainly one of the highlights
of our trip. We made it to the Vatican Museums,
however we missed our tour. Please offer our
apologies to your contact Aldaberto. Never the
less, by following your instructions we were
able to avoid the rather long line leading into
the museums. I will certainly recommend your
services to anyone I know that will be traveling
to Italy and when we return we will look
foreword to seeing you again.
A very
satisfied client!
Your friend,
H.B. Erickson,
Jr.
15112 Heathridge
Drive
Tampa, FL 33625
813/690-3161
hbe1967@earthlink.net |
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Hi
Paolo,
We just wanted to tell you that we miss you!
After we boarded the cruise ship in Rome (in
Civitavecchia), we went on the organized tours
from the ship. They could not compare to you,
Paolo. We really enjoyed our 2 days with you
(05-12-07 and 05-13-07). The city of Rome was
beautiful, but it was outside the city that was
the real treat. Especially the Villa D'Este. The
local restaurants you picked out were fantastic.
The food you ordered was excellent! I'm still
trying to find a wine similar to Castle Romani.
You have so much knowledge about Rome that most
tour guides do not know. We really enjoyed our
days with you.We gave your web site and phone
number to some people on the ship. We bragged
about you all the time. I hope you hear from
them. We hope you enjoyed our company as much as
we enjoyed yours.
You are the best!!! |
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If we ever get
back to Rome we will be definitely get in touch
with you again. Please post this on your web
site so everyone who checks it out knows that
they don't have to search any further. They will
have found the best guide in Italy!
Thanks again,
Don and Sharon Holton
Smithfield, R.I. U.S.A. |
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| Paulo's an
excellent driver and tour "guide" - I hope
you're using him for more than just the
afternoon transfer - he has a knowledge of
Rome's back roads that would impress Caesar and
he can find parking spots like nobody else can!
Despite one of our cruise mates locking his keys
in the van, he got us from downtown Rome to the
pier (in rush hour traffic, no less) with five
minutes to spare. Give him our regards!
Dr. Wong |
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Ciao Paolo,
I just wanted to drop you a belated thank you
for all your help, during our recent trip to
Italy. It gave me great peace of mind to know
that I was dealing with a very professional,
organized individual such as yourself. I really
appreciated that you would phone during our
tours to "check in" and to also confirm the
details for the next stop.
The four "private" excursions we organized with
you were great! All the drivers were on time,
and very friendly. (The only one we had a few
minutes of worry over was Paolo in Capri, who
was about 20 minutes late, and we also ended
about 1 1/2 hours early, but the car was
fabulous! It got looks wherever we went on the
island! Talk about La Dolce Vita!!!)Alberto in
Amalfi was an absolute doll, and I have to say,
our favorite. He was extremely funny and very
knowledgeable about the areas! I would
definitely recommend him to any traveler who
wanted a great guide! |
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Gianni in Livorno
for Siena/San Gimignano was also very nice and
helpful, and I again would recommend him.
The pickup from the port in Civitavecchia with
drop off and pick up in Rome, worked out very
well (in fact, there were 8 of us, and when
other people heard what we did, they wished they
had gone with us), not to mention being a lost
more cost efficient then what was offered by the
cruise line.
In Capri, we certainly enjoyed touring around in
Paolo's beautiful 1961 stretch Fiat convertible.
We definitely felt like movie stars as wherever
we went, we definitely got stares (yes, I know
it was the car and not us, but...).
Thank you for all your help. I am sorry that I
did not get to meet you, or use "your" tours,
but I will definitely keep you in mind when I am
next in Italy. Please feel free to use me as a
reference if anyone has any questions about
excursions. I have also given your name to
several people so they can organize independent
tours, so hopefully you can get some future
business from others also!
Grazia tante!
Elin
Elin Lawrence |
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Ciao Paolo
I will mail the disc with the pictures today.
Paolo I would like to pass along our thanks and
compliments for the fantastic job you did in
guiding my wife Diane and I around your
wonderful country during the two days we spent
together. The first thing we noticed is that
even though you do this for a living every day
you really enjoy it and that makes it easy for
your clients to relax and enjoy the experience
also. You also have an extensive grasp of the
history of Italy and all of the villages and
towns we visited or passed by and that also
added to the total experience. You also did a
great job of being flexible on the itinerary
each day adjusting it on the run to fit our
particular interests. Finally those lunches we
had first at " Ristorante Mustafa" overlooking
the Bay of Naples and then in Orvieto at " Le
Grotte Del Funaro". Those were special
experiences Paolo.
I would not hesitate to recommend your services
to anyone and of course it goes without saying
that the next time we visit we will look you up.
Thanks a million Paolo.
Ciao
Jim and Diane mc Gee |
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Hello Paolo,
How are you? My whole family would like to thank
you from the bottom of our hearts. We all had
such a great time. The hotels you chose for us
were great and your guides were so very helpful
they couldn't' do enough for us.. I would like
to especially thank Francesco for taking my
family to Gondola because we got to meet my
grandmothers cousin who is 86 years old. She
invited us into her house with out even knowing
we were coming. What a great day. I have to say
Pontremoli is a beautiful place. We all learned
so much. Yes, you could read about Italy in a
book but to see it is to believe it. When our
friends ask us what did you like the best, we
tell them each place has something you will
like. Do you realize we were at 10 different
places in 14 days. Whew! Just thought I'd let
you know being home is a vacation. haha. We miss
Italy already. I'm sure we will be back. Thank
you and please extend all the guides a thank you
from us.. Mike, Louis, John, Elizabeth, Paolo in
Capri, Paula, Francesco, and a couple others we
had for a short period. Your the best!!
The Fazzio Family, Chris, Rose, Christopher,
Caitlin, Nick and of course my mom, Rosemarie
and friend, Jim. |
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