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Amalfi Coast: World's Best Professional Driver!

We travelled to Italy this past month 9/2-9/21/2014). Our car-and-driver tour of the Amalfi Coast with Francesco Del Pizzo was a highlight. We researched Rick Steves' recommendations for professional car and drivers (driving the Amalfi Coast even with a driver is food for a tranquilizer!). Our research resulted in a 3-day agreement with Francesco Del Pizza for the Amalfi Coast and a 1-day tour of Capri with his wife, Giovanna Donadio.
We couldn't have been more pleased with both Francesco and Giovanna! Both were A++!
We spent three days with Francesco. He picked us up at the Naples Airpot, toured Naples and drove us to our hotel in Sorrento. Next day we spent with him driving the Amalfi Coast. Spectacular! Francesco's attention to detail ( Visits to preferred pottery specialty stores, favorite restaurants, his favorite street fruit vendor and even arranging parking in advance in very difficult parking areas) was very unusual and a highlight of our entire trip.
Further, on the Paris-Naples flight, Air France lost our luggage. After four days of absolute frustration and getting nowhere with Air France, Francesco took it upon himself (without being asked) to solve our problem. After letting us off at Pompeii for a walking tour, Francesco took it upon himself to drive to the Naples airport (no small distance) and find our luggage that Air France hadn't been able to locate for four days! His parting comment: ' If your luggage is in Naples, you will have it today'. Believe me, our reunion with that luggage was a celebrated highlight of the entire trip. All thanks to Francesco and his typical willingness to go the extra mile.
Giovanna's guided tour of Capri was of the same quality. Personable, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and a delight to be with.
If you are planning to travel the Amalfi Coast, contact Francesco (email: francescodelpizzo@yahoo.com and Giovanna (email giovanna_dona@hotmail.com). You will be thrilled.

Posted by
23178 posts

I am curious. What was the fee that you paid for all of this personal service? These of kinds of postings always have a problem with credibility. You come here as a first time poster only to sing the praises (or advertise) about a particular person on the weekend when you know that the site monitoring for advertising is lacking. Since that is slightly unethical who should believe that the services offered will be honest?

Posted by
32523 posts

That's a very glowing report - were you asked to buy anything at his preferred pottery specialty stores, favorite restaurants, his favorite street fruit vendor?

The luggage story takes some sitting down for. Eh?

Posted by
4152 posts

What specifically did you see?

I would run for the hills if any driver offered to take me to "his preferred pottery specialty stores, favorite restaurants, his favorite street fruit vendor and even arranging parking in advance in very difficult parking areas". It would be interesting to know the prices you paid for shopping at these places and the cut that your driver received.

I'm curious, if you had a driver why would you need to worry about parking? Isn't that part of his job?

This is a very "glowing" report. I always find it curious when a person knows such details about the tour guide/driver and yet, mentions nothing about what they actually did that was so terrific. You know both of their first and last names as well as their personal email address. Curious.....

Donna

Posted by
7737 posts

The fact that this is the OP's first and only post also makes me skeptical.

Posted by
9110 posts

Did the driver also sell quality fake passports and library cards?

Posted by
1976 posts

Ooh, I've always wanted a fake library card! Imagine checking out books under someone else's name and taking as long as you want to return them!

And I'm suspicious of Francesco and Giovanna's personal e-mail addresses. Wouldn't they be employed by a company, or run their own small business?

Posted by
4152 posts

That doesn't mean this review isn't a fake. There are no specifics about the tours they were taken on. The OP just goes on and on about the guides. I want to know what was included in the tour aside from the gift shop and restaurants. I also want to know the cost of the tour, where they went, how long the tour lasted and what, exactly, was included in the price. None of this is mentioned but the OP did find out both guides first and last names as well as their email addresses. Seems fishy to me.

Donna

Posted by
9110 posts

It dont mean it aint a self-plug.

Buy Ed's Body Building Book. I did, and now I'm a hulking hunk like him. Wimmins fall all over me just like they fall all over him. It only took three days to become a massive force to be reckoned with and a free tanning kit was included. But wait -- order now and we'll send you a second book at no extra charge -- just pay separate postage and handling.

Posted by
4152 posts

Course we do. Not sure why the nasty attitude but...whatever. You have your opinion and we have ours.

Donna