Testimonials:

“Ciao Anna and Marcello
First of all, may I thank you for organising a wonderful walking holiday for me. Every part of your detailed information was useful and ‘worked’, all the way to Rome… I have not been able to email you before, as I was then in Rome for a week on an academic conference, a very different experience indeed! I am now back in London, and have just looked at the 290 photos I took of my trip to the Amalfi Coast – unfortunately, as my camera is just a cheap digital one for snapshots, they don’t do it any sort of justice, but they did remind me of some of the outstanding sights I saw.
All of the travel advice and timetables were absolutely right, and the only difficulty I had was finding the bus in Salerno – because it was right in front of me! I was too impatient and went on to other bus stops before returning to the obvious one. The drive to Amalfi, sitting on the left hand side, was amazing.
The hotels were each very different: In Amalfi, big room, friendly, old-fashioned (which I liked); Praiano, rather small room, but very friendly staff, great breakfast, great view; Positano, amazing room! though it was a little more impersonal as Positano is ‘something else’ altogether! and the Hotel in Sorrento was a very good ‘solution’ for my brief stay in Sorrento.
As for the walking: I followed all your advice about clothing and walking sticks and you proved to be absolutely right. I was worried about the heat, but with the hottest day at 31 it was OK and I didn’t get burnt or exhausted. Each one of the walks had something interesting, different and special about them, and I enjoyed each day. On day 2 the gardens of the Villa Cimbroni were very restful and, as a great reader of D. H. Lawrence, all this was very interesting to me. I think probably just for walking, day 3, the Valle delle Ferriere with the waterfalls, was my favourite. And perhaps my favourite place was the little church and square at Minuta – just a pity the church was not open.
One of the highlights of the holiday was definitely climbing Monte Tre Calli, because that was the first point from which I saw the amazing view all the way down the coast to Capri. While I was up there it came on to rain quite hard, so I returned to Bomerano rather than going all the way round because I was on my own, and thought it would be a bit irresponsible to be scrambling over the wet rock.
The whole walk on the next day was great. I loved the Monastery of San Domenico, where there is a fresco dating from about 1400, and also a man selling refreshing lemonade, figs and olives. And the path of the Gods was lovely with all the views down the coast and to Positano. Great view from the Santa Croce! And then you hit Positano – something of a culture shock!! Get out the smart clothes. The visit to Capri was memorable. Huge crowds, but as soon as I started to walk to the Villa Jovis, very few people indeed. Coming rpound to the Faraglioni rocks was remarkable, another highlight. However, on a Sunday the Villa Jovis and Certosa di San Giacomo both close at 1 pm, so you have to make a choice between them. Perhaps go quickly to San Giacomo first? By the time I got there it was closed, which was my only disappointment in the whole trip.
I decided not to go to Pompeii as I had been there 40 years ago, but if I had had another day I would have liked to go to Herculaneum. I am very grateful for all the information you provided, and the reading on history and art. It was a wonderful six days, full of variety, interesting places large and small, and great vertical! views everywhere – quite ‘do-able’ for a reasonably fit but 65 year-old red-haired Englishman in the height of summer. I strongly recommended you to friends in Rome who were thinking about the same sort of experience, and I will certainly recommend you to any friends in London who are looking to go walking in Italy in future. It could not have been better, and your helpfulness in the instructions and on email from both of you was truly outstanding – so grazie mille!
Ciao belli, Hugh”

“The Jewels of  the Amalfi Coast & Sorrento ” –   tailor made self-guided walking tour – July 2013

“Ciao Anna and Marcello,
ICNOS Adventures’ The Jewels of the Amalfi Coast package was more than what I imagined. Pre-trip emails were responded to quickly and thoroughly. The customer service prior and during our trip exceeded my expectations.
Anna was more than helpful, offering and providing aid for our trip that was not related to ICNOS’ hiking package. Her above and beyond assistance was invaluable to myself and husband in making our trip a success. The hiking instructions were very good. At the end of the first day of hiking, I recommended ICNOS to another hiker who was not happy with his company’s hiking directions. Marcello telephoned me twice during the trip to confirm that everything was going well. The customer service is superb. I would not hesitate to recommend or use ICNOS again.
Well done Anna and Marcello and all who work at ICNOS Adventures!
A grateful client, Jan Gentry”

“The Jewels of the Amalfi Coast” self-guided walking tour – June 2014

“Ciao Anna and Marcello,
Apologies for sending this in so late! William may respond separately but I wanted to send you my feedback while the impressions are still relatively fresh in my mind.
We were both so happy that we chose to have ICNOS plan our trip. We had a wonderful time and so enjoyed hiking along the coast and connecting with the land and the people in a way that I don’t think would have been possible in such a short time had we just travelled to each place via car or bus. Walking down from Ravello to Amalfi through the lemon groves and hiking on Capri were some of my favorite moments – and I loved the poetic, beautifully written plaques along the trail on Capri describing the local flora and fauna.
I was really quite impressed with the level of detail that went into the daily itineraries, maps, restaurant recommendations and descriptions of the highlights of the different places on our trip. I liked the historical background as well – really very comprehensive – thank you.
You were so kind when William suddenly had some health issues – very quick to respond, you had great information, you were caring and gave us both comfort that everything would be okay, which thankfully it was. We had a great laugh afterwards at the humor of the situation, with the doctor, 2 ambulance drivers and the hotel manager all gathered in our hotel room, and everyone trying to communicate via sign language!
We enjoyed all of the hotel choices. Gracious, attentive and helpful hotel staff everywhere we traveled.
I will have very special memories of this trip always, and hope to visit your beautiful corner of the world again soon!
With much appreciation,Laura”

“The Jewels of the Amalfi Coast” self-guided walking tour – June 2014

“Ciao Icnos,
We enjoyed our trip to Italy very much. Italy is a beautiful country with incredible natural beauty, amazing art and architecture, and delicious food and wine!
On the Amalfi group walking tour, our guide was very good. She is a native to the coast, and loves and knows the areas very well. Some of the hikes were hikes she had done since childhood. She is a naturalist who cares about preserving the natural habitats, while sharing their beauty with people from around the world.
The Hotel in Amalfi could not have been better. It was super well-located, with a lovely rooftop terrace, comfortable rooms with handpainted tile floors, and delicious and expansive breakfasts. [….] The winery visit with lunch and tasting was lovely – I will remember the lemon risotto – definitely a trip highlight.
We appreciate all the help from Icnos in planning our trip. It definitely made our planning easier to have a contact in the country. Next time we want to visit the Cinque Terre and the northern mountains!
Thanks, Icnos! Cindy “

“Hikes, food & wine on the Amalfi Coast” guided walking tour and “Rome, Florence & Venice” – self-guided cultural tour – June 2014

“Hello Marcello, we are still in Italy enjoying our second week but want to send you a big thank you for all the work you and your team obviously put into your tours. I know once I get back home to Canada I will be very busy with everyday life so now is best. When we met you on our arrival the first night in Cava di Tirenni, you spoke with such passion about the experience you and your company are trying to provide- the real Italy not the touristy Italy. You never stopped smiling and we felt your passion. every single day we were amazed at the special attention we received- from the hosts of the beautiful places we stayed ; from  the chefs at the restaurants you booked for us. And of course our wine tasting! I hope our two cases of wine arrive in Canada safely!!); from the chauffeurs some of whom we got to know… In short we felt like honored guests each and every day. We hiked hard each day, but liked that there were some easier options to consider, including bus options which we sometimes took. The directions were very detailed and there was only one day where we lost our way, but it quite likely was our fault. We often experienced that- where locals were happy to help even when they couldn’t speak more than a word of English, and my limited Italian, but they would go out of their way to help. My memories of this trip will last a lifetime. If I get a chance to come back to Italy, your company will be my first choice, absolutely and maybe even we can convince our husbands to join us next time!! Please feel free to give our email to anyone who would like to ask us questions.
It was an experience of a lifetime and grazie Mille. Debbie and Heather “

“Highlights & backroads of the Amalfi Coast” self-guided walking & gourmet tour – June 2014

“Hello Anna, Marcello, and everyone else
We are just back in Houston (well, three days now), and as I sort through my pictures and settle my accounts, I was planning to send you some further thoughts about the trip and our experience. I will do so shortly.
But first, I do want to say that everyone had a wonderful time. This trip ranks among the very best that I have taken, and this is due in no small part to the pre-organization Icnos provided. The trip instructions were excellent, the hotels were delightful, the trails were a pleasure, and the sights and scenery were gorgeous. I really enjoyed that each day’s hike was a bit different, with new challenges, new views, new towns. Even the stairs were fun (at least most of the time). And your recommendation to stay  in Naples was perfect!
I will follow up with more information, and some pictures – we must have thousands in our possession now :-). And I hope to get back to that area very soon – and to spend more time in Naples next time!
Until later, Juli”

“The Jewels of the Amalfi Coast” self-guided walking tour – 12 participants – June 2014

“Ciao Anna and Marcello,
What a great trip we all had visiting Italy! The hikes with the views and all the culture were amazing. We loved eating the local specialties, the food, bread and wine, and of course, gelato. Your daily directions were very helpful and the accommodations worked out extremely well.
We are now in Milano and winding the trip down. Time for one last pastry and gelato!
Gratis milli (Many thanks),
Kris, Craig, Nancy and Ted”

“Naples, The Jewels of the Amalfi Coast, Florence, Cinque Terre & Milan” self-guided walking tour – May 2014

“Dear Friends,
You made me a star for selecting the Icnos self-guided tour of Cinque Terre. My companions and I had a great time making our way from village to village. The weather in mid-May was perfect for hiking and we were blessed with many sunny days.[…]  The information packets were really impressive — perhaps a bit overwhelming at first.
Finally, I think we owe you some money for the train tickets from Pisa to Levanto that you purchased for us when the Trenitalia web site wouldn’t cooperate. Please let me know how much they were.
Best regards, Christine”

“Walking the Cinque Terre & Portofino Peninsula” self-guided walking tour – May 2014

“Ciao Marcello and Anna,
I wanted to thank you travel arrangements for us these past weeks. Carol and I and the Williamses had a wonderful time. I thought I would fill in a little of our reactions.
Walks: The excellent directions were better than any maps and better than those any other walkers we met had…
Our favorite walks were from Amalfi, both the valley of the ancient mills up to Ravello and the other valley down from Scala. And May was perfect for wildflowers and waterfalls. In these walks and the walk to Vietre, surprisingly, we saw very few other walkers.
The 2nd stretch of the path of the gods, above San Domenico, involved the bad luck of good weather. It was a perfect, sunny, Sunday and the walk was full of people. One guided group was one hundred people in a single-file line. We were luckier in Capri. Showers on a Monday reduced the crowds, and your walk up to the Villa Tiberius and the Arco Naturale was peaceful and scenic…
We are all over 60, happy walkers, but these stairs are not part of our ordinary life. And we paused often to examine wildflowers and gardens. So our walking time was slower and the options offered in the directions were ideal for us. We did not take the Tre Calli hike and we took the bus down from Ravello and into Positano.
Accommodations: The hotels were consistently very good. We like the modern decor in the hotels in Naples and Sorrento but also the terraces in the more traditional hotels. Breakfasts were lavish and service was very friendly. Like the walks, we would have never found these hotels without your guidance.
Transportation: The bus advice and schedules enabled easy travel. Ticket purchase, stop locations, and arrivals times made us much more comfortable. The private transfers were always perfectly executed. We especially enjoyed our time with Luigi.
Thank you for your excellent services, Ken”

“The Jewels of Souther Italy – 13 days with ICNOS Adventures” self-guided walking tour – May 2014

“Hello Marcello and Anna and all at Icnos
we returned home safely and we still have the afterglow of the wonderful time that we spent in Italy with your guidance.
Let me share some of our impressions:
Of course the coast and the places are wonderful, and that is a given… but to have all our arrangements so beautifully orchestrated by you in advance made the experience of this beautiful corner of the world even more pleasurable.
From the minute we were met at Naples airport we knew that you guys had your act together.
The wonderfully organised welcome package as well as the daily itinerary packages were thoughtfully assembled and very thorough. We appreciated having you close at hand to check in with when the weather did not cooperate, and to know that you were orchestrating the pickups and hotels and everything worked perfectly.
The walking was perfect for us. None were too strenuous, but all were enjoyable. We enjoyed finding our own way on the walk in the first saturday through the valley of the Mills and back around through Atrani, which was thoroughly enjoyable and we were glad that we had the ride up to Ravello, rather than enduring that walk up which would have left us very little energy to enjoy the town and the gardens of Ravello… so that was actually a great side benefit to the bad weather!!!
Capri was lovely. In fact I have been raving about the hotel to our friends who go there every year!
We also thoughtly enjoyed the walk from Praiano to the path of the Gods… especially the stop for drinks at the old monastry.
The other magnificent walk was the walk to Jeranto bay.
Your directions were all excellent as were your recommendations. The Hotel in S. Agata was a great place to end our tour and we had a hectic one day stay in Napoli.
Pompeii was a challenge to find entrance ticket without waiting in a 45 minute long line to the ticket counter… but we did get a tip from a local on where a side entrance and ticket office was located that shortcut this long line. This is a tip you may want to share with your clients.
My wife and I have done a wide variety of different styles of travel, form self guided to fully guided, but this was the first time we have done a private prepared daily self guided itinerary that you prepared for us, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
We would highly recommend ICNOS to anyone with a spirit of travel and adventure.
Next time … Sicily!!
Ciao, Thanks Brian”

“Amalfi Coast, Capri & Sorrento DELUXE” self-guided walking tour – April 2014