Chiara Donati

First time using a travel agency or company like this but was very impressed and would use again on my
next big trip. Every detail was laid out and the app was extremely useful. Everyone we worked with was very professional. Chiara and her team were great anytime we had a question they immediately answered. Using this company allowed us to enjoy our trip and not worry about anything else. read more

First time using a travel agency or company like this but was very impressed and would use again on my
next big trip. Every detail was laid out and the app was extremely useful. Everyone we worked with was very professional. Chiara and her team were great anytime we had a question they immediately answered. Using this company allowed us to enjoy our trip and not worry about anything else.

Activity Reviews

Private boat tour: Pearls of Lake Como

Italy

Must do in Como!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cinque Terre Villages and Vineyards

Cinque Terre

Incredible guide so much knowledge an amazing views

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No

Wine tour from Florence: discover vineyards, olive groves, cellars and wineries

Florence

Never having used the services of KimKim/Storywalking, I must say I had a little skepticism since all was developed through emails and no real “fave to face” conversation. Well, I’m here to say that this was perhaps one of the BEST planned trips I have ever taken! Everything went like clockwork. From the planning of Chiara, who listened to what I wanted in a trip, to Jessica and Barbara assisting us during the journey…they were all superb! Easily accessible for questions and able to adjust... read more

Never having used the services of KimKim/Storywalking, I must say I had a little skepticism since all was developed through emails and no real “fave to face” conversation. Well, I’m here to say that this was perhaps one of the BEST planned trips I have ever taken! Everything went like clockwork. From the planning of Chiara, who listened to what I wanted in a trip, to Jessica and Barbara assisting us during the journey…they were all superb! Easily accessible for questions and able to adjust and assist exactly as requested. We certainly were able to experience a true taste of NW Italy and Chianti. All the excursions, drivers, train tickets, car rental all were perfect! We could not have asked for better execution during a trip. I think our favorite spots were the Royal Victorian Hotel in Varenna and the Hotel Belvedere in Chianti. Not to say the Buranco
BnB in Monterosso was not great, just a different experience. We really enjoyed visiting with Mary, one of the winery/BnB owners and the food and wine were fantastic.
I would definitely use KimKim/Storywalking again!! Many thanks to all of you who assisted in planning this trip, especially Chiara, with a perfect 10 for this trip!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Royal Victoria

Beautiful hotel and location in Varenna, Lake Como!!

Authenticity & Character

Really felt special at this hotel.

Location

Accessibility to village and ferries.

Staff

Very attentive !!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nothing was missed or left to chance.

Hotel Nazionale

Desenzano del Garda

Good location for visiting the main areas of Desanzano. Close to restaurants and ferries which were both within a 8 minute walk from hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Very stale hotel. Felt like the hotel was more for your groups than individuals.

Location

A little off the beaten path but close enough to what we needed.

Staff

Not very friendly towards Americans.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All was good, except for the view overlooking the Audi dealership.

Belvedere di San Leonino

Castellina in Chianti

Love, love, love this hotel!! The views were spectacular!! Very authentic country farm/winery hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like we were part of the area. Very authentic!!

Location

Easy to get anywhere you wanted to go in Tuscany.

Staff

Very attentive!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!!

Agriturismo Buranco

Monterosso al Mare

Sort of hard to get to but worth the effort! Outstanding views and location!!

Authenticity & Character

We stayed in Casa Blanca one of only 4apartments in this winery/BnB.

Location

Easy walk into Monterosso and train station and ferries, shops and restaurants.

Staff

Outstanding care!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could use a little updating in the apartment with regards to AC/ceiling fans.. but… overall was great.

Hotel Lancaster

Milan

Great location if you want to spend the day visiting the Cathedral.

Authenticity & Character

Very Milanese!!

Location

Other than proximity to Cathedral, might be a little too distant for other sights.

Staff

Attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No complaints!!

Activity Reviews

In the footsteps of Leonardo - Last Supper- Skip the Line

Milan

So glad we had a tour! Amazing guide and tour.

Quality of Experience

Our guide was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Attentiveness!!

Transport

On time!!

Varenna and Bellagio Tour

Italy

So beautiful! Our guide was very knowledgeable and attentive to our questions.

Quality of Experience

Enjoyed learning more about the history of the Melzi family.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All great!

Transport

Took the ferry and enjoyed all.

Sirmione Walking and Boat Tour & Scaliger Castle

Italy

Wow!! Great tour!! Beautiful surroundings and so interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Truffle hunting with lunch and tasting

Italy

Very interesting! Great winery!

Quality of Experience

So much good food and wine!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marengo, our truffle guide was great along with his truffle hunting dogs. Great learning experience.

Transport

We drive our rental car. Very easy.

Cinque Terre Trekking & Train Card

Cinque Terre

So easy to view all 5 villages!!

Wine Experience

Italy

Unfortunately we did not participate in the event as we were exhausted. Sorry to miss this,

Our trip to Italy was amazing! The tours setup by Chiara were great. All the tour guides knew a lot of information and the small groups were perfect. It was so nice to not be in a huge tour group. We had a great mix of scheduled tours and time to explore the cities ourselves. It was also easy to reach Storywalking when we were late for one of our tours. The hotels Chiara picked were beautiful as well! Overall it was a great trip, and having someone knowledgeable plan it made it less stressful and I could just enjoy it!

Chiara did a great job understanding what we wanted from the trip and help set it up to match the interests of our party. The guides we had all along the trip were great and very knowledgeable. They were able to gauge the specific interests of our group and play more to them. We didn't have a single bad tour or guide. Really appreciate the small group setting. We had one small issue with flights arriving and she was quickly able to accommodate handling transfer for the group that got... read more

Chiara did a great job understanding what we wanted from the trip and help set it up to match the interests of our party. The guides we had all along the trip were great and very knowledgeable. They were able to gauge the specific interests of our group and play more to them. We didn't have a single bad tour or guide. Really appreciate the small group setting. We had one small issue with flights arriving and she was quickly able to accommodate handling transfer for the group that got delayed.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lancaster

Milan

The location of the hotel was great. It is just a little tired and needs some refreshing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to walk to many of the historical sights and shopping. Lots of restaurants and cafes nearby.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel is a bit tired and needs some updating.

Hotel Orto De' Medici

Florence

The hotel is in a great location and the staff were very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dei Mellini

Rome

The location was super and the staff were very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walking distance to everything you needed - shopping, the Colliseum, Vatican City and restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colosseum Tour with Underground, Arena & Gladiator Gate with Roman Forum

Rome

The guide we had was very knowledgeable and did a great job of understanding our specific interests and could easily adapt her focus to our interests. Also was very good about giving restaurant suggestions and other must see things in the City.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuscany Vespa Tours

Florence

We absolutely loved this tour. The company was great and did a great job making sure that everyone was competent in driving. The scenery was amazing and it was a great way to tour the Tuscany area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour and Saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

The tour guide was very knowledgeable and again, adapted the tour to our specific interests. Being able to do this first thing in the morning ahead of the crowds is a must.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Como and Bellagio– Full Day Trip from Milan - Shared

Milan

This is a must do tour. Getting a full tour of Lake Como is amazing and a great way is via boat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are so glad we made our trip arrangements through kimkim! While we had some ideas about where to go and what to do while in Italy, we had no idea where to begin. Chiara from Storywalker filled in all the details - and it worked out beautifully! The hotels were lovely, the drivers who got us to and from our planes, trains and hotels were always courteous and on time and the tours could not have been better. (Many thanks to Luciana who guided us through the Vatican, Suzanna through the... read more

We are so glad we made our trip arrangements through kimkim! While we had some ideas about where to go and what to do while in Italy, we had no idea where to begin. Chiara from Storywalker filled in all the details - and it worked out beautifully! The hotels were lovely, the drivers who got us to and from our planes, trains and hotels were always courteous and on time and the tours could not have been better. (Many thanks to Luciana who guided us through the Vatican, Suzanna through the Colosseum and Roman Forum, Marta to the Appian Way and the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, Catia in Assisi, Tommaso to the Tuscan countryside and Sylvia through the museums of Florence!) Chiara responded to every message and request I sent during the planning phase and, along with her teammate Jessica, were available and responsive while we were in Italy.
Our days in Rome, Assisi and Florence were the perfect blend of history, faith, art and natural beauty we had hoped for. We would not hesitate to work with kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dei Mellini

Rome

Perfect location, clean and comfortable, excellent breakfast, friendly and helpful service.

Authenticity & Character

Quaint but not too small. Quiet street with residences and small businesses.

Location

Walking distance to the Vatican and other historical sites (Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, etc.)

Staff

Helpful and friendly - answered all of our touristy questions with a smile.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Slept great, felt safe.

Il Palazzo

Assisi

Great location near the Basilica of San Francesco. Clean room, delicious breakfast, friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Modern accommodations in a historic building. Loved the view from our room!

Location

About halfway between the main square and the Basilica. Quiet, even during the busy Christmas season.

Staff

So friendly and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Roomy bathroom, comfy bed - great place to rest!

Hotel Berchielli

Florence

Terrific location away from the Christmas crowd. Beautiful view. Clean and comfortable with a helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely accessible community patio, great view, modern conveniences in a historic location.

Location

Within walking distance to the Duomo, Uffizi and Academia. Set on the Arno River with a beautiful view of the bridges.

Staff

Friendly and helpful. Breakfast staff made sure we had everything we wanted.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable!

Activity Reviews

Highlights of the Vatican & Sistine Chapel Tour

Rome

Very crowded at Christmas time, but our guide Luciana did a beautiful job and kept us moving.

Quality of Experience

As lifelong Catholic, the Vatican has been on our bucket list for years. So much beauty, and such a great education. Our tour ended just in time for us to participate in 5:00 Mass.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luciana was a pro! The museum could have been overwhelming but she showed us the highlights and answered our questions.

Guided Visit to the Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Rome

An amazing walk through history with an exceptional guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Suzanna met us right on time in the planned location. She was so knowledgeable and personable! We very much enjoyed our time with her and learned so much!

San Callisto and walk through the Appian Way

Rome

This came about because of a last minute scheduling change, and was a real bonus! Interesting history and beautiful site.

Quality of Experience

A wonderful learning experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marta taught us so much we did not know about the Appian Way and history of Rome. She gave us the important background information before we joined the guide for the Catacomb tour.

Free afternoon in Assisi

Assisi

We loved exploring Assisi. What a beautiful, spiritual place. We did not expect the crowd, but it was wonderful seeing people enjoying the Christmas displays.

Quality of Experience

Loved the character and spirituality of this charming place!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.

Transport

Train from Rome to Assisi. Easy and restful. So glad to have been driven up into Assisi!

Assisi Private Walking Tour including St. Francis Basilica with Giotto frescos

Italy

Catia met us on time in the designated location. She taught us so much about Assisi and the region, and showed us the beautiful sites. Although she could not go into the Basilica with us due to the Christmas holiday, she prepared us well. She even gave us recommendations on other places to see in the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We can't say enough positive things about our experience with Jessica and Chiara. If you can afford it, the concierge approach to planning and experiencing your family vacation is the ONLY way to go. It's worth every penny! The investment was worth the amazing service, attention, and care we received throughout our trip to Italy. During a turbulent time when the service industry is inconsistent and at times lacking, Jessica and Chiara were a breath of fresh air. Jessica, who is the head... read more

We can't say enough positive things about our experience with Jessica and Chiara. If you can afford it, the concierge approach to planning and experiencing your family vacation is the ONLY way to go. It's worth every penny! The investment was worth the amazing service, attention, and care we received throughout our trip to Italy. During a turbulent time when the service industry is inconsistent and at times lacking, Jessica and Chiara were a breath of fresh air. Jessica, who is the head of Storywalking in Italy, worked with our budget to create an itinerary to maximize our 8 day family vacation. All her recommendations were spot on. Chiara checked in frequently to make sure every detail of our trip was locked in. We loved our tour guides from LivTours (Adriana, Sara, Raf, and Frederica)- they were great with our 9 yr old son who wasn't always so awake or chipper, but they ALWAYS got him to smile at some point during the walking tours.

We felt like Jessica and Chiara were our personal travel assistants. Whenever we had a concern, question, or need, they were prompt in their response and always came up with a solution or recommendation.

We highly recommend using kimkim, Jessica, and Chiara to plan your next family vacation to Italy. You won't regret the investment. It's worth the peace of mind to ensure you have the best stress-free vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Giorgione

Venice

Small room and a little dated BUT great location and staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

so convenient but tucked away from all the noise!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

just a little dated and musty

Solo Experience Hotel

Florence

Love the location and staff!! Room was generous for European standards. Great breakfast too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

so convenient to everything!

Staff

Nina and her colleague with the braces (forgot her name) were super!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

our room was spacious and didn't feel crowded for three people. Beds were very comfy!!

The Independent Hotel

Rome

convenient to the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

even though it's not located in the prettiest and trendy part of Rome, it was convenient to the train station.

Staff

very attentive and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

large room and well appointed

Activity Reviews

Private Evening Gondola Ride Venice & City Stroll

Venice

Adriana, our tour guide was great. We had a tired, grumpy, and hungry 9 year old. She walked us straight to dinner at the end of the tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gondola ride was so magical!

Best of Venice tour: Murano Island & St. Mark's Basilica

Venice

Great way to visit Murano, see Venice, and learn the history of this unique Italian city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

boat ride to Murano was wonderful

Learn how to make Pizza and Gelato

Florence

My son's fav part of the visiting Florence! A must for families but also fun for all ages

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jon was a great instructor who made it fun to learn how to make pizza and gelato!

Transport

Uffizi Treasure Hunt Family Tour

Florence

Very family friendly way to cover a museum which isn't always fun for kids!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sara had her work cut out for her but she was super with our 9 yr old!

Transport

Colosseum VR Tour | Arena Floor, Gladiator Gate & Ancient City

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Raf was great!!

Transport

Family Experience: Vatican Tour for Kids

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Frederica was super! She kept our son engaged with the activities in book provided with the tour.

Transport

My husband and I planned to do two weeks in Italy for our honeymoon. Since we were in the middle of moving across the country, we didn't have time to plan it ourselves, and really didn't know where to begin since neither of us had been to Europe. Kimkim took all the headache out of planning, and our specialist, Chiara, was incredible.

However, I began to doubt the amount of money we spent on the trip. The hotels weren't quite as nice as I'd hoped. There were still tours and fees that we... read more

My husband and I planned to do two weeks in Italy for our honeymoon. Since we were in the middle of moving across the country, we didn't have time to plan it ourselves, and really didn't know where to begin since neither of us had been to Europe. Kimkim took all the headache out of planning, and our specialist, Chiara, was incredible.

However, I began to doubt the amount of money we spent on the trip. The hotels weren't quite as nice as I'd hoped. There were still tours and fees that we needed to pay out of pocket.

Some of the planned excursions were not as described. For the boat rides, more people were on the boat, they only served bread instead of a whole menu, and didn't stop at as many locations as listed. Our boat excursion to Capri was more of a ferry, yet was hundreds of dollars. Our Colosseum tour did not include the Underground even though it was listed in the itinerary description.

There were several difficulties with the private transfers and meeting points. The expected meeting points for drivers and passengers are different in every city and were difficult to figure out. A call to the number listed for the driver took you to a dispatcher and made finding the driver complicated. The most important transfer, the one to our home-bound flight at 3 am, did not show, and we had to scramble to book a taxi.

Kimkim is a great service for those who don't have the time or energy to spend researching a trip. We could have spent more time working with our specialist to hone in the details. It was really nice that she checked in with us periodically. We also had an emergency contact to help us if there were issues. But at the end of the day, you're really better off saving the extra money and learning what you need to know about your destination for yourself. That way, all of the trip will be to your tastes.

Regardless, using kimkim was exactly what we needed for our situation, so thank you for an overall smooth experience.

Hotel Reviews

Aenea Superior Inn

Rome

The location in Monti was fantastic. The room was comfortable. We wished there was a better breakfast offering, but the espresso machine in the room was amazing. We were also the room right next to the main entrance and office so it didn't feel very private.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Solo Experience Hotel

Florence

We had a wonderful view of the streets of Florence. The breakfast was incredible. Definitely a highlight of our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

B&B Da Baranin

Manarola SP

The bedroom was small but comfortable. But the bathroom was impossibly small. My husband could barely sit on the toilet or fit in the shower. Keep in mind this hotel is at the top of the hill in Manarola, so you'll be climbing a lot of stairs to go to restaurants and get to and from the water.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Prestige 4* Sorrento

Sorrento (NA)

The view of Sorrento is beautiful, and you're up high enough to be out of the line of smoke from the people burning trash in the valley... The hotel was very lovely, with open terraces and a quiet rooftop with an even better view. But... the pool was way too cold, the breakfast was mediocre, and the rooms have cheap plastic finishes and the worst brick beds to ever have disgraced my back. Be aware that the hotel taxi is not complimentary. The same two girls that serve breakfast and poolside lunch also serve dinner at the hotel restaurant. I was worried they work them all day. It was an interesting stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Horrible gd beds

Palazzo Alabardieri

Naples

This is a beautiful hotel in Naples and is super close to the most amazing restaurants we visited on our trip. The bed was so comfortable which was a relief. It was the biggest bathroom we had out of our five Italian hotel experiences. Big issue was that even though we changed the thermostat, the AC seemed to do nothing, which made for an uncomfortable summer night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Skip-The-Line Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica

Rome

We got lucky and had our own guide. She was amazing, well versed, and knowledgeable. The tour was stunning, but it was a lot of walking. We did the Colosseum the same day and that was too much. Apparently every first Sunday of the month, entrance to national museums is free. We went the day after. It would have been nice if kimkim told us that so we could have saved some money... But that's the game.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine tour from Florence: discover vineyards, olive groves, cellars and wineries

Florence

We got lucky and had this tour all to ourselves. Our guide Mateo was incredible and friendly. We know nothing about wine, and don't even really enjoy it all that much, but we still loved this tour. The 900 year old winery was our favorite. We tasted amazing olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Appetizer on Boat - Cinque Terre

Italy

Our guide Christian was very nice and fun. We enjoyed the tour to see all of Cinque Terre and its villages. There were more people on the boat than mentioned in the description. We almost didn't get picked up. We were at the meeting point early, and no boat. We called the number and they told us they were booked but we said we were on the list. They had to send a boat to pick us up. We were served focaccia and prosecco, nothing else.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food not as described, and they almost left us.

Cinque Terre Train Card

Cinque Terre

This was a great way to explore. Vernazza and Monterosso were our favorite villages.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Colosseum Tour with Underground, Arena & Gladiator Gate with Roman Forum

Rome

The Colosseum is breathtaking, of course. However, the description says the tour includes the Underground, which our tour did not. Our guide would not hear it. Also it was not an agile group of 8. It was around 20 people, and it was very hot, and a little bit miserable. But worth seeing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour and Blue Grotto by Sorrento (up to 8 participants)

Italy

We found out from the other couples in the boat just how much this "tour" costs... It's hundreds. And if this "8 hr" tour, we spent most of it stranded on Capri. The boat ride was most just a really expensive ferry to the island. They did let us stop at Blue Grotto where some of us paid the ferrymen extra to get inside the grotto in a canoe. When they dumped us at Capri for 5 hours, we had to pay for a bus to get around. We all really just wanted to be on the water. On the way back, they let us swim at one spot. But it was much less than the boat tour I was expecting. They also did not serve the level of food I was expecting based on the description.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Experience from Sorrento (shared group)

Italy

This was fun but you don't get much time at each town. Our group was big, and so was our bus. It got stuck a few times on the narrow coastal roads. I'd rather just take a taxi or something instead of a tour bus so you aren't on someone else's clock the whole day. And spend more time in Ravello.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport