Chauffeur or private car service in Italy
Jun 12th, 2016, 05:33 PM
#1
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Chauffeur or private car service in Italy
Has anyone used a private car with driver/ limo service for Italy? Specifically I am looking for a driver to go one way from Venice to Perugia.
This is a request from a dear friend who is in her 80's who will be traveling with another friend of hers. And yes, I know that the train is much cheaper, frequent, etc., It also requires schlepping bags on and off, a train change, getting to and from the train station etc. She prefers not to do that. This is the way she prefers to travel and I am helping her with a search. If I am fortunate enough to be as active and vibrant as she is when I am 80 something, then I am going to travel whatever way I want to as well!
I have found mydriver and ICS and a few others, but thought someone might have a personal recommendation. Thank you!
This is a request from a dear friend who is in her 80's who will be traveling with another friend of hers. And yes, I know that the train is much cheaper, frequent, etc., It also requires schlepping bags on and off, a train change, getting to and from the train station etc. She prefers not to do that. This is the way she prefers to travel and I am helping her with a search. If I am fortunate enough to be as active and vibrant as she is when I am 80 something, then I am going to travel whatever way I want to as well!
I have found mydriver and ICS and a few others, but thought someone might have a personal recommendation. Thank you!
Jun 12th, 2016, 05:55 PM
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I can highly recommend Simone Violi of Tuscan Private Driver.
email: [email protected]
website: tuscanprivatedriver.it
Cell: 366 36 30 896
I hired him in March to take me from Florence to a small village in Umbria near Perugia. All communication from him was prompt and clear and he was punctual in picking me up.
As well as being a very good driver he is a very pleasant man in his mid thirties. He is based in Cortona but drives people all over Italy and even to Monaco, Nice etc. I am not positive but would imagine he would go to Venice, it doesn't hurt to inquire.
He recommended a great restaurant in Cortona at the end of my outing and the food was fantastic.
You can read reviews (including mine under paulalovestotravel) on Trip Advisor.
Good on your friend! I also hope to be travelling in my '80's. I think she would be in good hands with Simone.
email: [email protected]
website: tuscanprivatedriver.it
Cell: 366 36 30 896
I hired him in March to take me from Florence to a small village in Umbria near Perugia. All communication from him was prompt and clear and he was punctual in picking me up.
As well as being a very good driver he is a very pleasant man in his mid thirties. He is based in Cortona but drives people all over Italy and even to Monaco, Nice etc. I am not positive but would imagine he would go to Venice, it doesn't hurt to inquire.
He recommended a great restaurant in Cortona at the end of my outing and the food was fantastic.
You can read reviews (including mine under paulalovestotravel) on Trip Advisor.
Good on your friend! I also hope to be travelling in my '80's. I think she would be in good hands with Simone.
Jun 16th, 2016, 02:30 AM
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Long one-way trips can cost an absolute fortune in Italy. Definitely try and negotiate a day rate rather than pay per mile/km. Even so it is still going to cost several times the price of a fast comfortable train and taxi at either end. The fast trains, Freccia Rossa, go at up to 300km/hr, and no car is going anywhere near that speed!
There are porters at the larger stations- more info here-
http://umbria-italia.blogspot.it/201...l#.V2J8Cyh942w
Anyhow, if money were no object I would take the private driver myself!
Another Simon, at Slow days tours (www.slow-days.com) also does transfers but I think only within Tuscany.
There are porters at the larger stations- more info here-
http://umbria-italia.blogspot.it/201...l#.V2J8Cyh942w
Anyhow, if money were no object I would take the private driver myself!
Another Simon, at Slow days tours (www.slow-days.com) also does transfers but I think only within Tuscany.
Jun 16th, 2016, 07:21 AM
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italy2012, the restaurant is called Ristorante La Loggetta. Piazza di Pescheria, 3 Cortona.
Their website: www.laloggetta.com
They are closed on Wednesdays. I'm quite sure if she does go with Simone, he could book the restaurant for her as well, he is local and seemed to know everybody in town.
Regarding the remarks above about cost: my trip cost 350.00 euro. ( I think the price was based on a full day's outing)
That was for Simone to drive from his home in Cortona to my hotel in Florence and pick me up, then take me to Solomeo, wait for me, then take me to a cashmere outlet. Then he recommended lunch at Lake Trasimeno so we drove there (not far) but the restaurant wasn't open yet for the season so he recommended La Loggetta and took me there.
After lunch he returned me to Florence and drove home to Cortona. Well worth it to me. And certainly would be worth it if I were in my 80's and looking for a stress free transfer.
Contact him and get a quote but I don't think it will be 1,000.00 euro as blueeyedcod has suggested.
Blueeyedcod, the person in question is only doing a one way trip.
Their website: www.laloggetta.com
They are closed on Wednesdays. I'm quite sure if she does go with Simone, he could book the restaurant for her as well, he is local and seemed to know everybody in town.
Regarding the remarks above about cost: my trip cost 350.00 euro. ( I think the price was based on a full day's outing)
That was for Simone to drive from his home in Cortona to my hotel in Florence and pick me up, then take me to Solomeo, wait for me, then take me to a cashmere outlet. Then he recommended lunch at Lake Trasimeno so we drove there (not far) but the restaurant wasn't open yet for the season so he recommended La Loggetta and took me there.
After lunch he returned me to Florence and drove home to Cortona. Well worth it to me. And certainly would be worth it if I were in my 80's and looking for a stress free transfer.
Contact him and get a quote but I don't think it will be 1,000.00 euro as blueeyedcod has suggested.
Blueeyedcod, the person in question is only doing a one way trip.
Jun 16th, 2016, 10:14 AM
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Yes, it is expensive but not $1000 Euro. The quote from raincitygirl's driver is about $630 for Mercedes transport. I got a quote from mydriver for $538 Euro for a more modest car. I'm sure a tip is expected as well, but all tolls, gas, etc are covered in this cost.Some of the driver offers include taking time for a tour of a town. The drive will take around 4 hours one way, without stops, according to my quotes.
Colonna -Thanks for the idea of checking with the hotels on either end. I did check with the Venice hotel and have not heard back yet, but I didn't think about contacting the Perugia hotel.
And yes, of course it is more expensive than the train, but we all do things based on comfort, cost and pleasure and security. For example, I am no longer stay in a hostel or a shared bath inn when I travel because I can afford not to and staying in a nice interesting hotel or apartment is part of the pleasure for me. I also don't need to stay in a suite at the Ritz in Paris to enjoy myself! So I might spend a lot more or less money on a hotel based on my cost benefit choices. That's how I see this for the driver/train discussion in this case.
Colonna -Thanks for the idea of checking with the hotels on either end. I did check with the Venice hotel and have not heard back yet, but I didn't think about contacting the Perugia hotel.
And yes, of course it is more expensive than the train, but we all do things based on comfort, cost and pleasure and security. For example, I am no longer stay in a hostel or a shared bath inn when I travel because I can afford not to and staying in a nice interesting hotel or apartment is part of the pleasure for me. I also don't need to stay in a suite at the Ritz in Paris to enjoy myself! So I might spend a lot more or less money on a hotel based on my cost benefit choices. That's how I see this for the driver/train discussion in this case.
Jun 16th, 2016, 10:40 AM
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Oh good you got some quotes. Simone would not take a tip from me (it is his own business, with his brother), however he did have lunch with me.
And yes, everything was included in my cost, no extras, and I am pretty sure he would not expect a tip. Also he was game to stop wherever I wanted to.
I feel the much the same as you do about travelling, there are many ways to take a trip and it is up to each of us to decide how we want to spend our money. I used a driver twice on my trip in March and don't regret a penny of it. Although I will say the other service I used to take me on two wine tours was stupidly expensive in hindsight, my hotel in Florence arranged it all.That driver was based in Florence and only took me about an hour and a half's drive from Florence round trip but cost 100 euro more than Simone who had to come all the way from Cortona and took me to Umbria and back and then took himself home again.
So I would not use that driver again but it was still a fun day and I'm not crying over it.
And yes, everything was included in my cost, no extras, and I am pretty sure he would not expect a tip. Also he was game to stop wherever I wanted to.
I feel the much the same as you do about travelling, there are many ways to take a trip and it is up to each of us to decide how we want to spend our money. I used a driver twice on my trip in March and don't regret a penny of it. Although I will say the other service I used to take me on two wine tours was stupidly expensive in hindsight, my hotel in Florence arranged it all.That driver was based in Florence and only took me about an hour and a half's drive from Florence round trip but cost 100 euro more than Simone who had to come all the way from Cortona and took me to Umbria and back and then took himself home again.
So I would not use that driver again but it was still a fun day and I'm not crying over it.
