My wife Julie and I, along with three other couples, visited Italy in late June 2012 - with Mario as our guide, and his brother Salvatore (Enzo) as our chauffeur/assistant.
This trip is easily the best 2 week vacation we have ever had! The combination of people, places, and dining/ great food was just right. We enjoyed the Amalfi coast with its beautiful views, Laurino with its small town charm and history ( a great chance to see a typical/traditional Italian village that is not "touristy"), and southern Italy- Agropoli, Positano, and Paestum- each with its own special flavor.

It clearly is a benefit to have native Italians such as Mario and Salvatore to lead the group. They know the people, the areas, and obviously the language. The trip was so much easier and more relaxed having them lead the way. By the way, special "props" to Signore Salvatore for his great abilities (and patience) with instructing/teaching us basic Italian language skills. He is a Master!

Our cooking classes were all excellent. The chefs were quite good at teaching us, and they clearly love what they do. One can see their pride in their professions, and they were a delight to work with. And clearly, the food and wine was just spectacular. We loved the variety of foods we tried, and the whole process- from shopping in the markets, to food preparations, to the actual cooking process, to the final meal. A very satisfying way to learn from Mario and his team.

There were many beautiful places to visit- some old and some new. A very good blend of both, I think. And throughout it all, we were very pleased with the fact that we had plenty of time to rest. The time seemed to go slowly, and we were not rushed or too busy at all. This is one of the few vacations I've taken where I can truly say I felt rested when I returned (rather than exhausted!). Overall, though, I must say that my best memories of this trip are of the wonderful people we met. The Italian folks were truly kind, thoughtful, and genuinely friendly. It was a pleasure to get to know a new group of people, and I very much look forward to visiting again!

I highly recommend this trip to anyone interested in visiting central and southern Italy. The combination of sightseeing, relaxing, learning how to cook, and meeting wonderful new people; all while traveling with friends and excellent tour guides, is a one of a kind experience. I am blessed and thankful to have had this opportunity.

Ciao,
Dan McLaughlin