Reviews

"I met Francesca a few years ago and knew that when the time came to go to Italy, she’d be our best contact. Being a native Italian, I trusted her to build a custom itinerary to Sardinia last year. She planned a wonderful week for myself and my husband. No stone was left unturned on our trip from transportation, to beach excursions, to cooking classes and all arrangements were handled perfectly. We will be contacting her again in a few years!"

"Our trip with Francesca was pure delight. Her knowledge of the customs, the cooking, the language, and her friendship with the name native Italians in the area significantly enriched our experience. Of course, we enjoyed the superb and plentiful Italian cooking every step of the way including our morning in Helena’s charming Italian kitchen where she and Francesca taught us to make our own tagliatelle and tortellini. Our small group bonded quickly, our interactions were warm, inclusive, fun and relaxed. Our hotel was lovely, comfortable, homelike and just steps from Bologna’s happening places. Our group trips, to a Parmigiano cheese factory, balsamic manufacturing plant and pottery showroom among others, rounded out our Bolognese adventure. Thank you Francesca!"

"I have just returned from a week-long cooking trip to Italy. Francesca was responsible for our itinerary, transportation, visits to wineries, restaurants, and our accommodations, as well as providing the ingredients and tools for our cooking classes. All went smoothly, and was worry free. She arranged for special requests from members of the group, sch as no dairy, gluten free, vegetarian at the restaurants we visited with aplomb and within the cooking classes themselves. Not only were our arrangements flawless, thanks to Francesca, but she is also very knowledgeable about Italy, Italian food and wine and is quite a good cook in her own right. She also speaks Italian fluently. She is pleasant and was always cheery, even early in the morning. I highly recommend Francesca if you want a wonderful experience of Italy’s food and wine."

"My wife and I just returned from Bologna with Francesca and we had a fantastic time! The hotel was in a great location, central to everything and very comfortable. Our pasta class was a lot of fun and we made some delicious pasta. The walking tours were informative and loaded with food. All the restaurants Francesca selected for our dinners were top notch. The visits to facilities that produced Parmigiano-Reggiano, Balsamic Vinegar and Prosciutto were educational and tasty. Francesca is a great tour guide. She makes you feel like you’re sending time with a friend who just happens to know the area. Everyone on the tour chatted, laughed, ate and drank together. We were like family. If you are planning a trip to Italy and want a truly memorable time, call Francesca, you won’t be disappointed."

"Judy and I have been home from Sicily for almost a week now and we are starting to readjust. I wanted to take a minute and talk about the tour company we used. We traveled with the Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures, Francesca Montillo is the owner and tour guide. Traveling with Francesca is like traveling with a close friend who knows Italy and the language. The groups are small and the culinary adventures are huge! Since they are small groups, you, get to visit places, like the open air markets and cooking classes, on an intimate basis. Something you can’t do with 40 people. Francesca always ensures there is plenty of free time to explore sights and restaurants on your own. If you are looking to visit Italy, and I highly suggest it, travel with the Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures; it will be the trip of a lifetime."

"My family and I recently returned from a week trip to Puglia, Italy with Francesca. It was everything that we wanted. This trip all started with a Google search, an email and a very good phone call. After the call, I felt that Francesca was a longtime friend. Her knowledge of Italy, the long hours of research that she did to put this trip together were evident in the quality of the trip. The small groups enables Francesca to give everyone that personal treatment that the big tours can’t. We weren’t just a number, we are a new family. The food, wine, and sites were great but the best thing was the life-long memories that we have area all thanks to Francesca."