Mariano gave us both the experience of a lifetime. I so wanted Larry to see the Amalfi coast. It was so much more than we expected. Mariano is so knowledgeable and charming. We learned so much about his culture and life style. I did not want to return home. The highlight of the day was the visit to his beautiful home. It was a paradise. Larry loves gardens. We so enjoyed the visiy. Mario gave me cherries to eat right from one of his trees. Meeting his Mother was very special. A lovely lady. Leslie the dog was a true delight as we were missing our dogs at home. We would highly recommend Mario to anyone travelling to Italy. He is well spoken and so caring towards his clients. Our tour with him was the highlight of a wonderful vacation. His warmth, generosity and love of his family and home were deeply touching. Thank you again Mario. Your Canadian friends Larry and Cathi

Larry and Cathi

We absolutely LOVED our time with Mariano. We had problems with our flights & arrived in Rome for transfer to Sorrento almost five hours late. Mariano waited patiently for our bags to arrive and without complaint got us to Sorrento. Our day tours with him were perfect. He went above and beyond to make everything special for us. Our daughters were carsick one day & he even stopped & bought them medicine. What a gentleman! One of the highlights of our trip was meeting his family & touring his lovely farm, topped by a taste of their fruit & wine. He recommended wonderful restaurants, both in the Sorrento area & in Rome which were very affordable. When Mariano dropped us at our hotel in Rome the whole family was very sad to see him go...he was THE BEST!!! We loved meeting Mariano & would recommend him most highly. Hopefully, we will see him again one day.

Peggy, Steve, Lisa, Wes, Amy & Cole

On Saturday, 31-3-07, Mariano picked us up at the Hotel Bristol in Sorrento to go to Grottaminarda. We were on a journey to find Pat's family whom he has never met nor seen. Thank goodness for Mariano because with his agressiveness and help, he fulfilled a longtime dream. No one spoke English in the town and we didn't speak Italian. Not only did he find Pat's family but he was so informative on our journey that we were thrilled to have had him for our driver. We hope to return to Sorrento/Naples and when we do, you can be sure that Mariano will receive a call from us to take us back to Grottaminarda. Thank you Mariano for the wonderful memories.
Jackie & Pat

Jackie & Pat

I just want everyone to know what a great time my mom who is 82 and myself had on our day trip with Mariano traveling the Amalfi coast. He was very prompt in answering my emails and gave great directions for the pick up at the Naples train station. We were traveling from Rome. His expertise in the region was very educational and seemed to know where to take us for us to get the most of our day. We had a wonderful luncheon at a local restaurant that looked out over the coast and bay. It was a dream come true for my mom. His recommendations were 1st class and the conversation you couldn't beat. I would recommend Mariano to anyone who wants to have a pleasant day enjoying the most spectacular scenes of the Amalfi Coast. Thanks again Mariano, and hope to see you again.

pattie edwards

From the time Mariano greets you at the airport, until he drops you off, you are in another world, Mariano's world. To travel to the Amalfi coast with Mariano is to insure a truly enjoyable trip; he even worked around the weather to insure a 5* trip.
Food, restaurants, side trips, shopping, all were superb with his guidance and explanations; HIGHLY recommended!

Robert and Nancy Wallace

Dear Mariano,
Thank you so much for making our trip to the Amalfi Coast so special! Your knowledge of the area really helped give us an insiders view. We took your advice for the restaurant that you recommended in Rome and it was great! Whenever I know someone traveling to the Amalfi Coast, I will definately give them your name!
Thanks again,
Ellen Weiner
Cleveland, Ohio

Ellen Weiner

Hi Mariano,
It was great having someone with your superb local knowledge and enthusiasm for the Amalfi coast to take us around. You were tour guide, driver and friend wrapped up in one, and your generosity with your time and knowledge made it an unforgettable experience for us. Thanks too for your recommendations on restaurants (Zio Sam was a highlight). We had a great time, and we’ll happily recommend you to our friends.

Chris, Cathy, Rebecca and James Richardson

Mariano,
We had the best time ever during our day with you touring Amalfi and Pompeii. The knowledge and history of the area really made the day enjoyable. I will recommmend you to everyone I know that plans on visiting Naples/Amalfi. Again, thank you for the personal touch that made our visit the highlight of our trip to Europe!
Steven

Steven A

Mariano,
Again, We want to Thank You for the wondeful time we had with you. The hospitality was fantastic. We so enjoyed meeting your family and seeing you farm. Your area is so beautiful, your excitement is contagious. We look forward to seeing you again.
Ty, mary, Grace, Trey and Amery VanDeGrift

The VanDeGrift Family

Dear Mariano,
Thank you so much for the lovely tour that you organised for my family and i. Everything was perfect ... we had a lovely day and saw so much in one day. We will definitely come back to your part of Italy- absolutely stunning.
Thank you so much again - it was wonderful

Chantal and Roni Auerbach

Sorry this is so late, but we wanted to say THANKS for the great tour you provided on July 13th.

Of all the tours that we took, we enjoyed yours the most. We really enjoyed your knowledge of the Amalfi coast, the restaurant that you selected for our lunch, but especially your "enthusiasm" for your job. That day was the highlight of our cruise.

The best part, however, was the last church that you stopped at to see the "most important Crucifix in all of Amalfi". I've never been on a tour where the church was locked up, but the tour guide was able to get a key from the local Gelato shop. It's a great story, which I've told many times to my friends.

I will be referring all of my friends to you, whenever I hear that they will be visiting in your area. Of course, we will be back someday, and will arrange to have you help us again, when that day happens.

In the meantime......if you ever come back to California to visit your cousins......please let us know. We'll give you a tour of the Paso Robles Wine Country. (And also cook you a great Steak!)

Grazie!

Randy & Gemma Krumland

Hello Mariano,
Your tour of beautiful Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast was truly one of the highlights of our trip. I have reflected many times about how preferable your tour of this beautiful area was to taking one of the ‘mass tours’ that are offered by the cruise lines. We certainly felt comfortable in your vehicle (and VERY safe with you as our driver), and I loved being able to have impromptu stops along the way. I’m also very appreciative that you allowed us to visit Amalfi, Ravello, and Pompeii, but the absolute best memory I have of our entire trip was the special visit to your home. That was such an honor to be able to share that part of your life - please thank your wife and mother for allowing us to visit.
Thank you so much for helping us experience the real flavor of Italy. If you should ever come to East Tennessee, we would love to show you our area and home.
Thank you again for the wonderful memories,
Carolyn Forster

Carolyn Forster

Dear Mariano,
Sorry I didn’t write to you sooner. We are all doing very well, thank you. Our travel experience was more than great....as I mentioned to you. You did so many things beyond our expectations to make our trip pleasant ( your business name suits you perfectly!) Just today I wrote in your web site guest book, although my writing does not do justice to capture all that you impart. You really made a wonderful impression on me and my family, we feel very fortunate to have met you. I have been telling EVERYONE about you.
We made it back home without any problems and even though it is always good to be home, we miss so much about Italy. Especially the food and the people. I am constantly thinking about the delicious food!!! And the wonderful times my family and I shared while in your beautiful country.
You were such a special part of our trip. I can’t thank you enough for everything. The special gifts,(the ceramic set from Ravello is lovely!, the wine, the olive oil....) you are too generous. The visit to your home and your sincerity and warmth was more than we ever imagined. Most memorable of all were our long conversations while driving as we exchanged our culture and traditions. That special connection that we made with you we will forever treasure.
Please know that you and your family are always welcome in our home. I hope that your dream of touring the USA comes true in the near future. And when you make that trip we will be more than happy to assist you with your plans.
Our regards to your sons, wife, parents and little Vittorio (what a charming little boy).

Elaine Sinnott

Mariano,

You made us feel like family.

This is a compliment which I hope reflects our appreciation of the wonderful tour of the Amalfi Coast you provided for us and our friends, the Forsters.

We expected a competent driver, who could communicate with us and tell us a little about the scenes we were seeing.

You gave us so much more - a real appreciation for the wonderful people who are so fortunate to call your area 'home'.

Thank you for the careful driving, the wealth of information, the perfect stops, the delicious food, and the opportunity to meet your family.

Your trip was the highlight of our trip.

Carnival Liberty - July 19,2006

Sue and Joe Dawson

Dear Mariano,
We were on the Carnival Freedom... there were six of us.
In thinking about our tour of Italy's beautiful Amalfi Coast, with your fine explanations and expert knowledge to make the tour come to life, we were most impressed by the beauty and the history of the region. Thank you for inviting us to your home! We'll never forget your family's warm hospitality, along with the great homemade snake we enjoyed there. We really enjoyed meeting everyone, especially including your grandfather!
Even though there was some rain while we enjoyed some great Pizza at the restaurant. I recommend your tour service to anyone who wants a truly great tour with personal insights into some of the most beautiful countryside/seaside on earth!

Thank you again,

Larry & Linda Linke

Larry & Linda Linke

I just want to say, once again that it was a great pleasure meeting you. Thank you for opening your home to me. It was the highlight of trip to spend time with you and truely experience Italian life...it is a wonderful life you lead. You have a warm heart Mariano, and I will be forever grateful and have a
found memory of my time spent with you. I will remain in touch with you. Ciao! Teresa Martello

Teresa Martello

Dear Mariano,
I truly apologize for not writing this entry sooner. As we discussed while spending time with you and your family, our lives are very hectic while home. I have just read some of the entries and concur with all the wonderful things people have said. Without question our time with you touring the Amalfi Coast and visiting with your family was our favorite time in Italy. It's easy enough to buy a book and tour on your own but much more pleasant to have someone with your knowledge of the area, customs and history. I have spoken of your company to many others as we've talked about our vacation and as others read this entry I hope they decide to add a personal touch to their trip as well. A nicer person to tour with they will not find. Our best to you and your family. Cheers - Dianne and Steve
P.S. When you make that trip to the US please allow us to do the driving. :-)

Dianne & Steve Day

Dear Mario,
Thank you for the FABULOUS day on the Amalfi Coast. You were so informative, kind, and careful - the day was absolutely perfect! I enjoyed getting to know you and your country. Thank you also for the help in getting around Naples - your recommendations were perfect! You are so knowledgeable and helpful - a true jewel in a wonderful country! I will contact you when I return to buy that farmhouse in Amalfi!

Deborah

dear mariano
sorry to be late in sending this to you on behalf of our group we want to thank you for such a fantastic time in Italy. We want to particularly thank you for our lunch with you everyone of us makes that lunchs as one of the highlights of our whole trip. The combination of your company with us, the food, and the atmosphere made it clearly our best and most special time. i must add that you in rome and florence did a great job for us in those cities, your providing Bennie was an extra and very enjoyable treat we will recommend you loud and oftern and when we return you of course will be one of our first contacts.
Our very best to you and your family,
Dale Wagerman

Dale Wagerman

Pleasant Travel is the best. They deliver. Florentino Mariano is just a kind person that will make your trip very pleasant, comfortable and educational. I will without reservation use Pleasant Travel again. I can't say enough good things about them.We used Pleasant Travel Oct.3,4 and 5. Excellent, first class

Tony DeFranco

Thanks Mariano... you were the BEST ever guide we had in all of Europe. Pastries; coastline drives; historic adventures; lunch in Ravello; all the way home to your farm & family... it was the best! Your wife & children were so nice & so polite. Thanks again and I will be recommending you to everyone with confidence! Steve & Peggy

Steve & Peggy Steggell

Mariano, Your constant attention to ALL of our needs has seldom been equaled in all of our many travels around the world. The guides and other drivers who spent those four days with the four of us are very valuable assets to your company. Seeing Sorrento, Naples and the Amulfi coast this way made it all the more special. The information you all constantly supplied where ever you took us proved interesting and valuable. Sorry we did not have the time to visit your farm and your family. I would really have enjoyed that being a gardener myself. Thank you for the olive oil. Our friends Alfred and Erna equally share our feelings. If you ever need a recommendation, please do not hesitate to give our email address.

Dr. Joel and Linda Davidson

Dear Mario,
We can't thank you enough for making our visit to Amalfi and Sorrento the most enjoyable of our 17 day vacation. We enjoyed seeing all the spectacular places you drove us to as well as the scrumptious local restaurants. The most enjoyable of all was visiting your Farm, meeting your family, picking figs from your tree and having coffee with you and your charming wife. The olive oil & artichoke hearts made it safely home to California. Again, thank you for the special time. See you again.
All the best to you and your family. Linda and Harry

Linda & Harry Kellogg

Thank you Mariano, for a memorable tour of the Amalfi Coast. Your expertise made the tour perfect for us; it was the best we had our whole time in Italy. We'll call you again when we come back, we hope soon!

Ginny Corrigan

hi mariano, diane, sandy, charle and I just want to say that you made our week in positano just wonderful, from the time you picked us up in rome until the following week when you took us back to rome. meeting your family was just another great touch. we would like to think of you as friends. thank you again and god bless. dennis,diane,charles,sandy

dennis lademar