My wife and I toured the most famous sites of Venice, plus a few behind-the-scenes spots, for a full day with Cristina. She was amazing! Cristina conveyed the rich history... read more of Venice, back to the days of its inception with barbarians forcing the local Romans into hiding in the archipelago of islands which is now the Venice we know. We navigated in and out of St. Marks and the Doge's Palace, through the crowds, never having to wait for admission. In St. Mark's she took us up to the altar, and the sarcophagus of St. Mark, and showed us the great gilded Byzantine altarpiece turned currently away from the sanctuary. Behind the busy square, we popped into the small workshop of one of the few remaining Remeri, the carpenters who specialize in creating the forcola and oars for the gondolas (like stepping back in time). In a city which could appear like little more than an anachronism and tourist trap, this tour highlighted an Italian city with a very special and rich history, and ongoing artists, musicians, and craftsmen who keep alive the creativity we cherish in the Italian culture. Kudos to Cristina, and the Grand Tour Team!

  My husband I attended Mario's Caravaggio virual tour on a Zoom presentation.
It was the third such presentation we have been involved in, and we absolutely loved it!
Mario... read more is extremely knowledgeable and his presentations are always interesting. I particularly like his use of Ultra high definition pictures that allowed us to take an almost microscopic lookout the painting detail in many instances, it was amazing.
He also laces his presentations with humour, and allows his own character to shine through.
We will definitely be looking to do more online presentations and, when covid permits our travels back to Italy will certainly be taking personal tours of Rome with you too.
Keep up the ke great work, many thanks and kind regards, Adrian and Sara.

  I have been joining The Grand Tout Italy Virtual Tours regularly in 2020 and 2021. They are informative and entertaining - and can be joined from wherever you are in... read more the world. I have even been "on tour" when I was on holiday somewhere else in Australia - away from my home town - just by opening my laptop!I Mario is not only incredibly knowledgeable, but has a gift for how to select, package and present information (in this case for online tours) - a rare skill I think. I miss seeing Italy in person because of these very uncertain times - but joining a virtual tour with Mario is the next best thing. Highly recommended.

  Mario has an unbelievable abiity to create a virtual experience by taking a person or a place, putting them in a setting of the art, music, and culture of the... read more time. Its extraordinarily entertaining. My wife and I have held 10 vritual cocktail parties for our friends.
Mario has provided entertainment for my companies prospects and clients. He is also speaking a several charity fund raising events. He has spoken a the downtown Rotary Club. He is so knowedgable that we pick a topic and he creates the experience. He is currently scheduled with a Rotary Networking group to talk on "The Racer and the Tractor maker: Ferrari vs Lamborghini, The Beatles: Graveyards and Submarines, and Dali: the Brillant but Bizzare Surrealist. So he is so much more that a tour guide.

  I attended few of quarantine talks and virtual visits. Brilliant,instructive, funny, exciting, passionate, inspiring, just to mention few adjectives.
Mario is such a mix of academic background, love for funny... read more details, philosophical insights and friendly feeling that you hardly may figure out a better way to spend your time while in quarantine.
Bravo Mario

  Mario was very patient, considerate, punctual, flexible and had an engaging sense of humour. His extensive knowledge of Italy and Rome ranged from ancient times to the best gelateria in... read more town! My 4 days as his Vespa passenger flew by. I cannot wait to return. Whatever you wish for, Mario will make it happen.
I highly recommend him. Grazie mille, Mario.
michela