Reviews

Food, culture, beautiful landscape, great company and just plain FUN…. That is what I call a trip and the culinary tours that Francesca offers are all that and more. Each excursion I have been on, the Amalfi Coast and I just returned from Florence this past December, were chalked full of daily adventures. Whether it is a day of city culture, cooking and eating meals at local businesses, plenty of wine and cheese tasting, holiday markets or down time to do your own thing is a sample of the itinerary Francesca creates. The list goes on. The knowledge, experience, and professionalism she shows along with her connections tells a lot about her business.

"Proscuitto, ragu and tortellini will always remind me of Bologna. We were guided through part of the city by a local expert and were able to taste many culinary treats. Our tortellini class was fun especially when trying to form the tortellini. We all mastered making gelato and then we enjoyed our results. What I will never forget is the 6 foot long charcuterie board, consisting mostly of proscuitto, mortadella and other tasty meats along with cheeses, that we enjoyed at one of our lunches. It was also fun and informative to tour the production of Parmesan cheese and to see all the wheels of Parmesan in storage. Our week in Bologna will always be remembered especially when I see proscuitto, ragu or tortellini. We had a great time."

"My husband and I have traveled a lot, have been to many States and countries. I recently had the opportunity to go on a trip to the Amalfi Coast with our amazing tour Director, Francesca Montillo, Lazy Italian Culinary Adventures, with one of my dear girlfriends. What an absolutely wonderful trip, filled with so many memories that will last a lifetime. Francesca is knowledgeable in all things Italian. The trip to the Amalfi Coast was so well planned, the accommodations, the many modes of transportation to get from one place to another, the restaurants, the culinary adventures, preparing some of our meals and the sitting down with lovely travel companions and enjoying the meal we took part in cooking, learned a lot. I highly recommend Francesca as a tour guide. Book your trip and she will take care of everything else, my idea of a GREAT way to travel."

"First off, Bologna is a somewhat hidden gem for American tourists to discover. So once you have experienced Rome, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast and Puglia, you owe it to yourself to visit Bologna. We were so fortunate to find Francesca and the Lazy Italian for a culinary adventure of our lives in and around Bologna. Francesca had every single detail well planned out and even when some inclement weather hit the region washing out some roads, she had secondary plans in motion before you could even blink an eye. I am so impressed with Francesca’s knowledge, graciousness and tenacity to make sure every guest on the tour had an outstanding time. Grazie!"

"We traveled with Francesca to Bologna and the Amalfi Coast in May 2023. We had a fabulous time on both trips! Francesca provided personal attention to every detail and she was always well prepared and organized. The quality of the places we visited and the people we met made us feel like we had a truly authentic experience. Everything was done in a relaxed manner and the hotel accommodations and restaurants were wonderful and not touristy. As a testament to how much we enjoyed our experience, we are signed up for Tuscany for October 2024! We can’t wait!"

"Our first trip to Italy! Florence was wonderful due to the thorough planning Francesca and the Lazy Italian tours provides. The visit flew by due to the days being filled with sightseeing, food tastings, winery visits, shopping and a cooking lesson. We appreciated how organized the week was and having a talented tour guide with us to share local cultures and history rounded out the trip. Looking forward to another trip to Italy with Lazy Italian tours!"