This was my first time in Italy, and the sites, activities and food were fantastic. The tour guides were incredibly knowledgeable. I would definitely take other trips with Susan — Bravo!

“Dear Susan, I can never thank you enough for that wonderful adventure we got to share with you. It is right at the top of my favorites…it was just so beautiful there you simply have to see it to believe it. This is the only time in my traveling life that I really wanted to stay. I think I should quit traveling now because I have seen the best with the best.”

“After spending several days with Susan I came to realize her love for Italy is as deep as the Mediterranean, she is as warm as the sun that sets in Capri…”

“Susan’s humor, knowledge and surprises really made this vacation one of my very favorites!”

“Susan Van Allen is amazing, she went above and beyond to make this trip extraordinary.”

“Susan Van Allen did a phenomenal job as our leader. The group of women was delightful.”

“A great time traveling with Susan Van Allen, she takes great pride with her groups. I loved traveling with all the ladies and sharing this experience with all.”

“It doesn’t get any better than traveling with Susan Van Allen. Her choices and talents are so appreciated. She goes out of her way for each of the guests personal needs. I love traveling with her and feel very spoiled now to travel with anyone else.”

“The Golden Week in Santa Margherita Ligure was terrific. Susan put an excellent trip together, filled with many interesting tours seasoned with a variety that everyone would enjoy. Her shopping, dining, and other recommendations were always to perfection. It was like we all become a family during our stay.”

“Susan made me feel like every detail of this week was planned for me personally. I did have reservations about going on a scheduled tour, but was delighted to see the activities were not rigidly dictated by time constraints. I was not rushed through to keep to a strict schedule, but allowed enough time to enjoy each activity. I also appreciated the amount of free time that was built into the schedule. It allowed me to personalize my experience in this beautiful city. Perfect.”

“My thanks to Susan Van Allen for making her book come to life!!! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this Golden Week. Susan’s heartfelt desire for everyone to enjoy their time was evident each and every day.”

“Susan Van Allen is the BEST Travel Guide ever! Her expertise and knowledge was the key to everything! Susan takes you to places you would never find on your own! I would absolutely refer her to anyone! And I myself would travel with her again!”

“What a wonderful week. Susan’s attention to detail, expertise and genuine love for Italy was infectious and made the week so special. We made new friends and had amazing experiences.”

“It was an incredible experience to see Italy through our awesome host Susan Van Allen. The work behind the scenes that takes place to ensure an unforgettable memory for me was etched in my journal and heart. So thankful I said Yes to this trip!” 

“Amazing…All my passions were enlightened at each breathtaking step…I recommend it highly.”

“Susan Van Allen made my first trip to Europe a wonderful/awesome experience. She had everything planned out to the smallest of details. I didn’t have to think or worry about anything because everything was done for me. I can now say that I am spoiled for all future trips. I cannot wait to take another trip with her.”

“My Golden Week experience was wonderful…more than I had anticipated. Everything was so well planned, including all of my transportation arrangements. Susan helped to make our experience pleasurable as well as memorable. I would recommend this tour to anyone looking for a cultural experience while the enjoying the full flavor of Italy.”

“Susan Van Allen infuses her tours with enthusiasm, engagement and enchantment! She is exceptional in her knowledge of the areas we visited and ensured we felt both part of a group yet individually independent. We had the trip of a lifetime last year, (Florence 2016), and this year was even better!!!! Hard to believe our first experience could be topped, but since it was—already saving up for the next trip with Susan!!!!”

“What a wonderful trip. Susan made it all so enjoyable and fun – and always with the exclamation point to finish each day. Our group managed to mesh very well. It is always nice to let people go at their own pace.”

Great group of women. Fun to get to know one another. Susan Van Allen knows how to lead a tour. I appreciated her work to keep us informed, engaged, moving, with plenty of time for relaxation. I’m sure each tour participant had different expectations regarding the overall experience, and Susan knew how to cater to each so everyone felt included.

Susan Van Allen’s warm, friendly and very personable manner was spread amongst each of us. Her unfailing enthusiasm and personal attention made my Golden Week in Venice unforgettable. I will always remember my magical trip to Venice.

“Love the personal service all along the way…Susan takes us all on a journey that brings every aspect of Italy to life!”

Susan Van Allen is truly “One in a Million”!! Susan puts her all into designing the most creative itineraries with exceptional attention to every detail. She cares so much about her clients’ individual needs and makes every woman feel like an Italian Princess. Warm, Caring, Funny, Intelligent… a true expert on everything Italy. My Mother and I have taken two trips with her so far and cannot express how much we loved everything about them! I would recommend Susan to everyone who wants the best experience of Italy and to have those memories to cherish forever.

“Dear Susan, Your zest for Italy and life and independence for women traveling, changed my life and led me onto more amazing travels and new friendships world wide!!”

“I loved our Golden Week! Susan goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is having a good time and does her best to accommodate every need however necessary. The group size is ideal and having Fiorella as our guide was excellent. I hope to do another tour with Susan and would not hesitate to recommend these tours to friends.”

This was my first tour and I was a little worried. But this trip was soooooo good and I am going to book Sicily in 2024. Our group was amazing! Fun fun fun!

“The trip renewed my spirit on so many levels…Susan was a wonderful tour host.”

“I absolutely adored every enthralling, enlightening aspect of my Golden Week experience in Tuscany–a glorious time of female bonding and fun, as well as a feast of our senses absorbing it all!”

Loved every minute!

“Italians really know how to enjoy life. I would love to do this once a year!”

“I will recommend this trip to anyone and would love to join Susan again for a trip….it was great!”

“Dear Susan, My compliments to you on our tour of Southern Italy. Your knowledge of Southern Italy, your gifts, meals, just you Susan, you planned it well. The tour was nothing short of spectacular!! You are the Jewel  of Southern Italy.”

“Loved every minute.”

Susan Van Allen was fantastic! Loved every day on the tour! Thank you!!!

Great trip led by Susan! The group of women were diverse and fun to be with. We had a lot of laughter!

That week will always be one of the highlights of my life. It was special in so many ways–being in beautiful Italy again, sharing it with my daughters and friends and Susan making it so special. Susan’s warm hospitality and love and knowledge of Italy is what makes it special and memorable.
I hope I can join another Golden week with you again in the future.

“Susan exceeded my expectations! Would love to tour with her (and the ladies) again!”

“The BEST way to begin retirement was to be with Susan and two of my close friends from childhood in Italy!! Overall the trip was fabulous!! Susan is the BEST, so knowledgeable, so helpful, so gracious, and immediately a close friend!”

“This trip was clearly designed by an artist–everything flowed along beautifully, a delicious transformational experience of La Dolce Vita!”

“Fantastic! A great combination of busy and relaxing.”

This was a fabulous trip with a lovely group of women. The pace was perfect and the tours were amazing. I wouldn’t change a thing and would highly recommend any of the Golden Weeks with Susan – she thinks of everything and makes your week an awesome journey full of wonderful memories!

This has been my dream vacation. Susan Van Allen is the most thoughtful, caring and warm individual. She made all of us feel at home and was there to assist us in every way. I cannot praise her enough.

This trip was unlike any trip I’ve ever been on. From the booklet that Susan sent prior to the trip to our daily text messages, everything was organized and well-planned — plus Susan kept us informed every step of the way. Even when the weather upended our plans, Susan pivoted and provided wonderful alternatives. Being able to stay in one hotel — and what a wonderful hotel it was! — provided us with a familiar home base from which to set out on our daily adventures.

But the best was spending a week in the company of a group of compatible women — we came from different backgrounds and perspectives but we blended into a group of women who enjoyed each others’ company. Plus, it was a perfect number of travelers — not too many and not too few. Thank you, Susan, for creating this experience and for such great memories! I hope I can join you on another trip in the future!