Travel Agent/Planner Recommendations

Well I’ll be the first to encourage you—all of this info is online, volunteers here will assist you, and if you do find someone competent (I am not really confident in this person’s existence), it is money you could put to much better use on dinners and accommodations.

Sorry, I do not know any travel agents that are located in Italy. If you'd like a guide for visits or a driver for a day in Amalfi, you might check the Rick Steves guidebook where he provides recommended locals.

There are folks that live in Italy that often respond to questions on this forum. There are also many of us that have been to Italy frequently, sounds like you as well. What are you looking to get from a travel agent that you might not be able to get on the forum or with a bit of research? Is it tickets for sites? hotel reservations? transportation logistics?

In terms of visiting Amalfi Coast, unless you are going to Pompeii, you might look at staying in Salerno rather than Sorrento.

The problem with most travel agents, at least in my area, is that they really only deal with commission items (Tours, Cruises, etc.) and if they do offer consulting for independent trips, you then have to fins someone who has actual experience with Italy, beyond the ability to search Google.

There are lots of places online that claim to be planning consultants, if you live someplace with a heavy Italian population, then there may be some local agencies. Them, you pay an hourly fee, or a minimum for so many hours, more if required.

But, like others have said, it is not that hard to do yourself, with some good guides, the internet, and some forums like this.

For example, for your segment from Monopoli to Sorrento, you have two basic options by public transport. Train, via Bari, to Naples, and then to Sorrento. Or Train to Brindisi, then a service like Flixbus to Naples, then to Sorrento, both can take about 6 hours of travel. From there, it is just filling in the details.

People on here would be glad to help.

I have never used a travel agent or planner myself and I am not looking for one, but when I am on the Rough Guides website I have noticed that they provide a tailor made trip planning service that seems to get good reviews. The way it says it works is that you fill out some information and then they send you 3 different trip plans from 3 different experts/planners to choose among. You would need to read about it more carefully than I have but it sounds like you only pay a deposit and sign a contract after you choose one of the proposed plans, which you can then tweak and change with help from the planner. There appears to be quite a bit of information about the process on the website.

What mode of transport would you be using, bus, train , rental car?

You trying to fill a few hours or 5 days?

Has anyone used a travel agent they would recommend?

To address your question, I have not used one, so have no one to recommend.

The best and most competent travel agents on Italy work in this Forum, for free

Thanks for all the recommendations! I appreciate all the help and tips, and have already made arrangements for 4 days in Puglia. We have in the past used trains to travel in Italy, but I thought it might be nice to stop at Matera on way to Amalfi Coast., and for that we need a driver-kind of long distance if we don't rent a car. I would also like someone to talk to about various ideas for the trip, eg where to stay on Amalfi coast, is it worth moving around, should we try to see the Italian Open in Rome, etc. My experiences with travel planners has been great, but agree that they come with a price tag. I will look into the Rough Guides!

Lawrence

Another idea that I just came up with. Sarah Murdoch a former Rick Steves guide, now with her own company, does travel consulting.

I just think that you know what you like and want to spend and with access to this forum and guidebooks, you really could be your own travel agent.

EDITED TO ADD: I removed the reference to the Rick Steves office since it sounds like they no longer do consulting. Maybe different terminology would help you get what you are looking for. I often hear people refer to travel "Consultants". I've never used one, but it's really different than what I think a travel agent does. There's Sarah Murdoch's company (Adventures with Sarah) that offers "travel consultations" also, as another example, when I was planning a trip to New Zealand, the owner/developer of a New Zealand Travel Group (NZTT), offered consulting along with members of her staff.

From what I can see, RS stopped their consulting during Covid and haven’t resumed but maybe I’m wrong?

Thank you everyone for the inputs. The Rough Guides suggestion was great! It is basically what we wanted. I also trialed Italy Vacation Specialists, and they were also reasonable.

Lawrence

Thanks very much for reporting back. Although, as you saw, people here are more likely to suggest being your own planner, there are inquiries like yours. Have a wonderful trip.

I have a temporary plan with a private driver from Naples to Matera, so if you are looking for same,, from Monopoli to Sorrento, this Sorrento-based company has excellent reviews and have been prompt in communicating with me, in English:

https://www.aldolimos.com

I've also found that our hotels, in recent years, have been wonderful in recommending drivers.

Yes, Matera makes the perfect stopping point between the Pugliese coast and Sorrento. We've been several times and will return in May (between stays in Naples and in Puglia) so I am happy to recommend hotels and restaurants in Matera and in the parts of Puglia that I know fairly well. One of the most memorable hotels stays I've had in Italy (and in all of Europe) was in Matera, at the SEXTANTIO CIVITA. Astoundingly great, and certainly unique.

The problem with some travel agents is that their visits ("fam stays") to a destination have very often been by invitation from a particular hotel. So they are going to recommend that hotel to you. And they would have had experience being driven around by the hotel, and dining either at the hotel or at restaurants recommended but he hotel. Their time, on working/scouting trips is usually limited and they will not have the free time to wander around and discover places not on their set itinerary. Nor will most have experience of having taken public transportation.

There are many exceptions, of course. I am with the others here who do not think you ought to use an agent and, in fact, I will go further and say that using an agent might be a negative. So if you do decide to use one, choose a travel planner with a speciality in southern Italy. Look at Condé Nast's annual lists of recommended agents, for example.
Having an agent based in italy would not necessarily be a positive. And be aware that these experienced travel planner will charge you a daily fee, or require you to spend a daily minimum that can reach upwards of the many hundreds, Into the thousands of euro if you choose the luxury hotels that the planner is likely to recommend. You might think I am exaggerating with the "thousands,' but take a look at the recent prices for the luxury hotels in Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, and Puglia....I was shocked myself!!

You are planning to go in May this year, and I think you need to begin booking hotels very soon if you are angling for well-reviewed properties. Many are likely to be booked out already for your dates. Example: We are returning to a favorite masseria hotel in Puglia in May; when I booked last November, many dates were completely booked for the lower-priced room categories.

Anyway, sorry for the long ramble..feel free to ask questions..this is great bunch that can probably help you more than any random travel agent! And we don't work on commission.