VIVA TOURS TO BOOT!  From our strolls beneath the elegant, shady porticos of Bologna "la dotta" to the picturesque majesty of Lago Maggiore, I can say without reservation that the tour I recently took with Tours To Boot was incomparable to any tour I have been on to Italy or anywhere else for that matter.  Immaculate attention to detail was given to everything from where we ate to our personal accommodations.  The charming places we visited were hidden gems well off the beaten tourist track, and this is very important to me.  I wanted to be able to partake in "la vita italiana" and not just some randomly thrown together tourist package and I was able to do just that.  I could practice the language with locals, take evening walks through historical centers filled with lively and welcoming Italians, and feel "unhurried" when I woke up in the mornings, knowing that the trip wasn't the standard chaotic train wreck of a different city (or two, or three!) each and every day.  If someone is reading this comment section and is considering traveling to Italy for the first time (or even returning for the third or fourth time!) but is concerned about time or money, rest assured that every reasonable cent is more than worth it--you'll see!  Thank you, Nicki and Tours To Boot, for the best trip of my life!

Tracy S., San Diego, CA

Nicki, just wanted to tell you what a wonderful time Lillian and I had this summer with Tours To Boot. Hope to drink many more glasses of wine with you and the group. We are already looking forward to our next trip with you. Thanks so much for a great time and wonderful memories.

Larry and Lillian A., La Quinta, CA

"I can’t say enough about my trip.  Thoroughly enjoyed the small group and all the meals we had together.  Emilia Romagna is a beautiful region and Tours To Boot Inc. presented it so well.  I truly appreciated your attention to detail.  I’ve told all my friends!!"

Kay L., Oroville, CA

"What a trip!!,  I cannot say enough.  I’ve bragged to all my friends.  I have traveled extensively and even lived abroad; this is by far the best trip I have ever been on.  The coordination of our daily activities coupled with the diversity of food and wine, could not have been planned any better.  I enjoyed the entire trip so much that I’m thinking of joining your ‘Tutto Verdi" itinerary in 2001.  Until next time."

Esther D., Pittsburgh, PA

"Mimi and I want to thank you all for making our first trip to Italy so very enjoyable.  We can’t imagine how it would have been any better without Tours To Boot.  The personal insights you provided were, to us, ‘what made the trip’.  We appreciated the itinerary, the food, the wine, the food, the wine…..We liked it all.  Did I mention the food and the wine? We think the small size of the tour was especially convenient and cozy. Also, we would be happy to recommend your tour to anyone smart enough to take advantage of it."

Tom and Mimi B.  Upland CA

"After two trips to Italy with a small, independent tour company, my wife and I want to share what we think is a great way to spend 11-14 days in several regions of Italy. The company, TOURS TO BOOT, Inc., is owned and operated by Nicki Mistri, a retired school teacher. She dedicates her time to running her company, and personally escorts those of us lucky enough to travel with her, to a small group experience that is hard to surpass.

Our first adventure with her, a 14-day “Wine, Food and Opera” tour, was in June 2000 and included visits to wineries, out of the way villages including a visit to a cobbler who will make custom shoes just for you, and an evening of opera under the stars in a 2000 year old Roman arena. Our most recent trip, in October 2002, was 11 days of food, wine and olive harvests. A big PLUS is that Nicki personally escorts each tour!

Our hotels were not just luxurious but distinctive. Typically, they are former monasteries, castles or palaces that have become fabulous hotels with outstanding views, staffs and accommodations. Some of our meals were taken in our hotel dining room; but many of the meals are in restaurants personally selected by Nicki and feature cuisine and wine representative of the region. These restaurants offer warm, friendly service and are certainly not ‘touristy’.

TOURS TO BOOT limits these tours to no more than 14 people: we had 10 in October and traveled in roomy 9-passenger mini vans. We stayed in each hotel 3-5 days (no constant packing and unpacking), taking the included day trips to other cities or interesting places. We always had a local guide who added so much to our outings.

Our fall trip was truly amazing! Of course fall is truffle time and we spent an afternoon learning about (and tasting) the importance of the truffle in Italian cuisine. Twice we were able watch the process whereby olives are turned into oil. We spent part of a day on a grape and olive farm with the young owner, a third generation farmer, and got to actually help with the olive harvest. After lunching with the owner, we traveled to a ‘frantoio’ to watch the ‘fruits of our labor’ turned into that precious oil.

My wife and I give full kudos to Nicki for such a well-planned, exciting and satisfying time. We urge all you Italian travel buffs and aficionados of fine food, wine, and culture, opera and fun, to think about travel with TOURS TO BOOT, Inc. We are already planning our next tour with Nicki!!

Richard and Elissa F., Palm Springs, CA

"Even if we were not opera buffs, we would have enjoyed 'Tutto Verdi'.  With all the constant attention to details and the continued attempt to make one feel at home, this tour far exceeded our expectations."

Ruth G.  Tampa, FL