Travel Consulting
WHAT IS TRAVEL CONSULTING?
You've traveled before. Maybe you've even been to Italy. You know how much work it is to plan a trip that flows smoothly and is designed around the things you want to do, at the pace you want to do them. Use our Italy travel planning services and let us take care of the details so you don't need a vacation from the vacation when you get home.
We start with a phone or email consultation (no cost to you) to understand your interests, preferences, travel style, budget, etc. Then we focus first on destinations, accommodations and inter-city travel. We offer several options, point out the pros and cons of each, and explain the difference in prices. Then we book it all for you: tours, activities, wine tastings and anything else that strikes your fancy among the things we propose to you.
Your job is to show up, itinerary in hand, and enjoy a stress-free and memorable vacation.
WHAT DO YOU GET?
We provide you with a detailed itinerary of your vacation, with which includes details of every day and all contact details of hotels, transportation arrangements and guides. Your itinerary includes hotel confirmations, restaurant reservation information, car rental vouchers, train tickets and anything else we reserved and purchased for you (museum tickets, bike rental, cooking classes, etc.) and custom maps as appropriate. Before departure, we’ll set up a phone call to walk you through your itinerary so that everything is clear. If you’d like, we can include historical and/or cultural information in your written itinerary.
DO WE (PASCAROSA) EVER ACCOMPANY TRIPS?
We plan your trip so that you travel on your own with ease. You have the option to include privately guided tours, private drivers and activities; you'll also have a detailed daily itinerary you can follow—both with scheduled activities and recommendations on how to best utilize your “free time.”
On occasion, we have remained in telephone and text contact with some of our clients during their trip upon their request. Since we speak fluent Italian and are deeply familiar with the ins and outs of life in Italy, we can help negotiate or help facilitate a purchase. This service can be made available for an additional fee.
All that said, we travel with small groups or upon special request depending on timing and details. We also offer scheduled day tours and week-long tours in Puglia; check out our itineraries and dates here.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS/FEES?
We charge a flat rate for planning your trip, which depends on your needs and group size. Our rate covers only our time. We don't receive commissions from the places we recommend, which allows us to focus exclusively on your individual interests. All accommodations, tours, activities, tickets, etc. will be prepaid with your credit card or paid for directly by you once you arrive in Italy (in euros).
HOW ARE PRE-PAID COSTS HANDLED?
We keep your credit card on file and get your approval before making each and every advance purchase item such as train tickets, hotels, or museum tickets. This allows you to save money on service fees, see the exact amounts being charged, and earn credit card points on your purchases.
We also keep a detailed budget outlining all trip costs, specifying what is prepaid and what you owe in person.
HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?
First, we schedule a phone call (or email) for your initial consultation. Prior to the call, we'll send you some guidelines to inspire you and maximize our time together. Then we put together an overall itinerary that will incorporate everything you wished for, and some things we think you’d love. Once you have a chance to look it over, you might say "Great! Let's go for it!" Or, you might want to discuss, tweak a few things, or compare to a different possible itinerary. At the end of this phase, you’ll know what the highlights of your Italy trip are, how long you’re spending in each place and how you’re traveling from point to point.
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Based on the length of your trip, the number of people participating and the scope of your plans, we'll provide you with an estimate of our fee. For example, the consultation fee for a week-long itinerary for two with accommodations, recommendations and booking typically costs $500.00. Then we request a non-refundable deposit ($100) to start working on your trip. The balance payment is due when we provide you with your final trip documents, generally two to three weeks prior to your travel. Additional consultation beyond the initial itinerary is billed separately.
