I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know what a fantastic time we had. From the moment we arrived at the airport, until we left for Florence, we were well taken care of.
I loved the whole experience. It would have taken us twice the time to do these things on our own and some of the things not available to a regular tourist. The hosting vineyards families were most gracious.
One thing when traveling that helps you have a great time is to enjoy the moment and to be flexible. We had a little rain which changed some plans, but you cannot control mother nature.
I have the highest respect for your profession and your associate, Marcello. He was great.
I think it must be a bigger challenge with a small group dealing with different personalities / abilities. Marcello really looked after each person individually as well as in a group.
Our days were filled with plenty of activities and the bus allowed for viewing the countryside.The cooking day at the culinary Institute was great, we went to the boat to pick up the fish with the Professor chef, we learned how to clean and prepare many dishes, and had a beautiful formal lunch service. Really great.
The truffle day was unbelievable, great. Marcello discussed with us what our hopes were for visiting this town of my mother's grand father. He offered to take us personally. My mother was thrilled of this idea. Marcello said that if we didn't do everything that we wanted there we could still do Saturday.
Marcello took us to the town, we went to the town offices, met with the vice-mayor of the town. We took photos for the newspaper, They gave her a book on the city, and toured us thru the town, to see the church where my Great grandfather was baptized and sang in the choir. They opened the theater for us. Marcello really did his thing for us.
My mother was so happy. Everyone was so emotional. We did everything and more than we could have hoped for.
I can't thank you enough for putting this trip together.
Best Regards

Bravo! Bravo! Marcello,
Thank you for a life changing experience.
Thank for the lessons learned.
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to spend time with my son and share this wonderful experience.
Thank you for the opportunity to meet young, intelligent and incredibly talented people.
Thank you for the varied experiences all enlightening and educational.
Thank you for making time to take us to Montemarciano. To be in the town where my grandfather was born was a life long dream finally realized. Words cannot describe my feelings....only tears of joy.
Most of all, Marcello, thank you for your genuine hospitality which cannot be described, but felt and put us at ease.
Please thank all who so warmly greeted us and made us feel like family.
Oscar Wilde once said..."The memory is the diary that we carry about with us"....thank you, again for all the wonderful memories that I now have in my diary.
Ciao, Marcello......most sincerely.
Regards to your wonderful wife and daughter.........

Paige and I returned yesterday from our FABULOUS holiday with Raffaella in Bologna. I couldn't
imagine that the Tuscany experience could be beat but then I went to Bologna and met
Raffaella!!! From beginning to end everything was perfect.
It was the most wonderful week. We bought so many treasures along the way that we had to buy
a new suitcase to get them all home. It's an experience that I won't soon forget and
will be replayed a thousand times when my days back in the "real world" are too long and difficult.I could write a book of accolades about your tours.
I am already thinking about next years. All I know, I'd like
to do another tour with Marcello and Raffaella. Maybe Umbria??
As always, I am happy to be a reference for any of your prospective clients. It's the least I can do.
Many thanks for all of your efforts and for making the
tour so wonderful.
Best regards.

Ciao, Ciao Italy! A trip to Italy is a wonderful adventure. A trip with your family is an awesome
experience. And a trip to Italy with Marcello as your guide.....well, you can't possibly imagine!
Our incredible family trip included visits to Rome and Florence, wonderful yet typical cities to explore.
But our venture into the region of Umbria with our 24 hour guide Marcello left us feeling totally
immersed into the culture and history of these amazing hill towns.
Marcello scheduled tours to many of the special places that he felt embraced the heart of this region,
while at the same time making every effort to include any requests we made along the way. Our cooking
lessons with Phillipo, Maria and Eros were great fun, informational, andpacked full of memories. We started as a group of spouse proclaimedculinarily challenged individuals and ended up a little less challenged
with a few improved cooking skills and definitely a greater appreciation
for the cuisine of the Umbrian Region of Italy. Our new motto is "Olio
& Aglio, Sale & Pepe"!
If we are ever afforded the opportunity to take another trip like this,
we couldn't possibly imagine it without Marcello and Bluone. Chi Chi!
Ciao Ciao!

I first became aware of Bluone through the Fine Living Network television channel. Fine Living was featuring several options for cooking tours of Italy. Some were for professional cooks others were general Italy tours with some cooking classes also.
What struck me about the Bluone tour feature was that it took place in an Italian farmhouse – specifically the home of Maria and Gianni. This is a family that raises it’s own food, makes its own wine and olive oil – it was the story of successful subsistence farming and a richly animated family life. This is what appealed to me – I wanted an off the beaten path experience – not a canned “Italian Encounter”.
I wanted to be included in the every day chatter of Italian living – even if I didn’t understand what was being said!
Marcello and Raffaella Tori, Bluone’s creators, personally tailored the tour to satisfy what I wished to capture in my visit to Italy. Our correspondence prior to my visit helped me develop a confidence that “everything was going to O.K.”. It wasn’t long before I felt like we were long lost friends – and we hadn’t even met!
I took the tour with my brother, John. Raffa greeted us at the airport and from that moment on for the rest of our tour we felt completely safe and well informed about the customs and habits of our host city Bologna and the surrounding villages. Even when we were exploring on our own in our free time we felt protected knowing that we had Marcello and Raffa a phone call away.
What we experienced in the next week is almost beyond description. We visited many small entrepreneurs who are making a go of it in the agri-tourism business. These were not large “tourist traps” that are impersonal and routine. The farmers and artisans were hosting only us, speaking directly to us and revealing the trials and joys that go along with establishing small fledgling businesses. All of the people our guides introduced us to were enthusiastic about their work and showed a genuine love of food and service. Our hands-on cooking sessions reminded me of learning from my mother or grandmother – nurturing and intimate.
We left Italy feeling part of an extended family – exactly the type of experience I had dreamed of….genuine.

Hello Marcello and Raffa!
Wow, do I miss you guys!!! I miss Italy so much. It is good to be home but I miss everything you introduced my heart to! When I try to explain my experience to my friends and family finding the right words to give Italy such good justice is hard. Even the pictures can not portray or define the beauty of it all. My trip truly changed my life and I thank you both so very much! I can not pick my favorites from either tour... I loved it all!
Again, thank you for everything. For gracing me with new friends and memories my soul will hold forever!!
Love and miss you both!

Dear Marcello,
thank you for making this week a wonderful holiday for us. We learned to love Umbria, the towns, the good food, the people and our adventures.
We will not forget this and we look forward to another visit. Enjoy a glass of wine with Raffaella and think of us.
Grazie tanti.

Dear Marcello,
having you as our guide in Emilia Romagna was the best thing to happen to us in Italy, I felt like I had a friend in town. You showed us how to live like Italians. It is really "La Dolce Vita"! Raffaella's and your hospitality will always be remembered and appreciated. I have already passed the word on to friends and family about your tours. The wonderful part about bringing foods from the region home was I get to share the wonderful tastes ofItaly with my family. All my trips to Italy cannot compare to the one I shared with my brother and you!! Thank you again for everything. Also, thanks to all your friends that welcomed their homes and businesses.
Sinecerely.

How can I thank you for introducing us to such a wonderful people and experiences on our tour of Umbria?
Everything was perfect and the ladies thoroughly enjoyed our trip.
Marcello and Agata were most gracious and we will treasure them for a long time!!
The food was more amazing than we expected, but some how we ate every bite and never gained a pound, the walking helps.
The B&B was perfect for us and Maria and Guolfo were so welcoming.
The beauty of Umbria will be forever etched in our hearts!! Thank you SO MUCH from all of us.

Good evening Marcello and Rafaella!
What a wonderful time I had in Italy! It could not have been better! It was sad to leave after only a week, but I know I will be back! Next time perhaps for a longer stay. You both did a splendid job of showing us your 'real' country and making us feel at home. I would and will recommend this kind of tour and service to everyone! The personal touches made it very special indeed!
Thank you again for your part in making this a truly passionate adventure and for sharing your family, friends, food, wine, and country! Fantastico! Sincerest best wishes for a joyous and boutiful holiday season and new year!
PS: I got on the bathroom scale this morning...something I was dreading...and...C'e illusionismo!!!???...All that marvelous food and wine and I have not gained a single pound!!!!! Questa si che e` vita! Molto bene!!!

We are so happy we found your tour. Seeing Italy with an Italian was so different than just looking at things on our own. Thank you for giving us such a wonderful first experience. I know we will be back to see another part of Italy with you someday.
I wanted to contact you and let you know what we thought of our Italian adventure. In one word,GREAT! We had the time of our life. Marcello was absolutely fantastic from the minute he picked us up. First thing we asked was how many were on the tour. When he said just us,we were speechless. Our own private tour!!! Who could have dreamed that?
If you were to ask what we liked best and what we liked least it would be hard, but I will try.
Everything set out in the itinerary and more was supplied. The accommodations were lovely, also. Once again, all I can say is the trip was all and more than we expected. Wilbur and Marcello hit it off like long lost friends. In fact, I think they have become true friends, not just client and tour director. I certainly expect we will return for another tour with them sometime in the future.
Thank you for being part of creating this and I hope more folks take advantage of it.
PS San Domenico...what can I say !!!

Dear Marcello and Raffaella,
Where do I begin to express my gratitude to you? So often a long awaited trip cannot live up to expectations when you finally get to take it. Not the case for me. Because of the two of you, it far surpassed anything I could have anticipated. From the day you picked me up at the airport, to the day you took me back for my departure flight, you amazed me. Even after every other wonderful thing you did for us during our tour, you continued to amaze me by bringing us lunch for the trip back. What a treat it was to have my last taste of your delicious Mortadella (you remembered how I love it) and Prosciutto.You touched my heart with your thoughtfulness and your generosity. You anticipated our every need and always went that extra mile to fulfill each of our desires. Our entire group was in awe of your ability to constantly strive to make things better for us. You put together a trip that was designed to please each and every one of us, making changes as you got to know our likes and desires. If you heard one of us say we liked something, it appeared the next day. It was clear that we were more than clients to you and you became a dear friend to all of us. I know that I speak for everyone when I say how very grateful we are to the two of you for making our trip so memorable.Again, I want to thank you for the best trip I can ever remember taking. You truly made a dream come true for me. I look forward to seeing you on another trip one day. I will think of you each time I pour a glass of the Nocino you so graciously gave me when you saw how much I enjoyed it. When you make that trip to the states, I hope you will make Denver one of your destinations and give me the opportunity to return to you some of the hospitality I received on my wonderful Italian holiday.

Dear Marcello and Raffaella,
I do not know how to thank you enough. I had such a wonderful experience in Italy and I have not stopped talking about my trip since I returned home. You really have created a delight for both chefs and food lovers and I was delighted to have taken your tour.
The tour you planned for me was perfectly balanced. I particularly enjoyed the dichotomy of cooking one day in the "country kitchen" of Maria Grazia to the next day observing the fine epicurean mastery of the chef at San Domenico. This allowed me to contrast the styles of the simple Italian family to the complex Italian culinary design. I must have over 200 recipes that I can use on a regular basis. The meals which you selected to be prepared were well chosen to highlight the various strengths of each chef and the skill with which they exercised their skills was extraordinary.
Your rapport with the chefs in your program is very special. I think that you have developed strong personal ties to your chefs and they clearly trust you deeply. It became evident to me that I received more insight and instruction from these chefs because you made them enthusiastic to teach me. They shared many tips and secrets" which I do not think they would have been as free to divulge if you were not so close to them personally. In particular, when Ms. Idanna gave us her secret recipe. I knew that I was very lucky to be with you.
Finally, on a personal basis you made me feel at home. Your hospitality was beyond compare. You not only catered to my every need and want for the week, but you welcomed me into your home with your family. This made my cooking experience not only personalized but extra special. I truly appreciated this because I was traveling alone and you made the extra effort to make sure that I was fully occupied at all times. Even when there was nothing formally scheduled, you invited me for lunch in your home. This allowed me to feel like I had my own family in Bologna.
I hope you realize that you always have a special friend in New York. I certainly cannot wait to come back for another visit in Bologna with my family (once our new member arrives).
Sincere Thanks

Dear Marcello and Raffaella,
I just want to thank you both for the wonderful tour you provided for Kris, Jim and me. Even though I was tired, I enjoyed every minute of it. You provided a terrific learning experience as well as plenty of variety to see and do. And the food . . . Outstanding!!! I have already written to my brothers and sisters and told them I'm taking them on your tour. They will love it!

Thanks again for taking such good care of us. The trip exceeded all of our expectations and we had a fantastic time. Your warmth, caring, attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile in providing the best service possible was extremely appreciated.We hope that all is well with you and that the people at the tollway have now (at Marcello's suggestion) put up huge signs warning of even the slighest delay in traffic (in time to do something about it!)
With great appreciation and affection,