The trip I took on the Cinque Terre – Tuscany ‘Lost in Italy” tour was my fifth time in Europe. For all other excursions I have planned the itinerary, made reservations myself, and decided which special features I would add to the trip. This has always worked well and so I decided long ago that I would NEVER go on an organized, leader-led trip.
After participating in the Jeff/Amber leader-led trip, I eat my words. I have come to realize that these leaders know where to take the group that “the group” would never discover on its own. They also, because of their personal history with Italy and its charming people, have made contacts that open magical doors. Only by chance would a tourist discover the restaurants where we ate, and even then, the personal touch of the restaurant owners would not be as evident. The doors we entered were sometimes not even doors that resident Italians could enter, but because Jeff and Amber have previously established relationships and trust, we were allowed to walk through and learn all about what was inside. The days were full and rich. I loved the trip and would go again in a minute!
