“Whenever we were thinking outside of the box, we’d remind ourselves, ‘What did Mandy say about this?'” -Peter Graves, Phoenix, AZ, trip to Rome and Venice

New this year, I’m offering the ability to give a classic or unlimited session as a gift. Purchase with the button below. Or read on to learn more about what each session entails!

How these sessions work:

“Worth every penny. We never would have discovered gems like Pastificio or Open Baladin without having connected with Amanda. And besides the insider’s perspective, distilling the volumes of tourist information about a city as storied as Rome into a few pages of goodies makes planning super efficient.” -Steve McIntosh, Columbus, OH, trip to Rome

Since 2012, I have helped more than 250 clients with my one-on-one consulting sessions on travel to Italy. And I’ve been thrilled to hear their post-trip feedback about what fantastic experiences they had — and, in particular, how our sessions let them discover hidden gems and avoid the kinds of issues that they wouldn’t have known about otherwise… all personalized to their needs and wants.

Who am I? A travel and culture journalist, I write frequently about Rome and Italy for publications including Fodor’s, the BBC, National Geographic Traveler, New York Times, and Travel Channel, among others. (There’s also my blog and e-book, of course). After living in Rome for more than four years, I now split my time between the US and Europe.

New for 2015, there are two options — both available to give as a gift.

The classic consulting session

For one hour via phone or Skype, the recipient picks my brain about Rome and Italy. What we talk about is entirely up to them. Maybe it’s their first trip, and they’re just trying to figure out the basics. Or maybe they’ve already been to Italy multiple times and would like to explore off-the-beaten-path gems and experience Italy as the locals do. Either way, I’m their gal. And because they’ve told me about what they hope to get from the trip, what their interests are, and who’s going, all of my advice is personalized to what they’re going to love the most.

After our session, I’ll send a follow-up email with the names and places we chatted about, and anything else I think they might find useful.

This session is perfect for those who want to talk to someone “on the ground” — and who are confident enough in their trip-planning abilities to use our hour either as a starting point, a check-in to make sure they’re on the right track, or a way to tie up loose ends.

Cost of the hour + follow-up e-mail: $99.

The unlimited consulting session

“All of your recommendations were perfect! This was my 3rd visit to Rome and I naively thought to myself that I had “done” and seen most of Rome. All your recommendations proved that I have so much more to see and experience in Rome… And thank you for the recommendation on stopping by in Narni, Todi and Gubbio. Each little town was so charming and such a treat to explore on our own.” -Kristine Fletcher, Washington, DC, trip to Rome, Tuscany and Umbria

Maybe you want to make sure your loved ones have the maximum amount of guidance possible, and that an hour will only get them started. Maybe they don’t speak Italian, and you think they’d like help booking restaurant reservations. Maybe you just want them to know that I’ll be there for them throughout their entire trip-planning experience, no matter how long it is, and that if they send me an e-mail, I’ll always get back to them right away.

Then the unlimited session may be for you.

With this option, we start with our one-on-one phone chat and follow-up email. But from there, I remain in close contact, helping them along the entire way. My promise: If they e-mail me with a question, I’ll get back with an answer within 48 hours. And yes, if it’s easier to jump on the phone again, we can do that, too.

As a bonus, I can also book anything for them that requires a phone call to Italy, but not payment up-front — namely, restaurant reservations. (These are usually the trickiest things for folks to do on their own; everything else, from hotels to trains, you can book online. Plus, sometimes restaurants require some Italian to reserve).

Cost of the hour + ensuing emails/phone chats: $199.

What Italy secrets can I let your gift recipient in on?

The list goes on and on. But just to start…

• where to eat: why you should never count on Tripadvisor or a guidebook to find the best and most authentic spots, what websites I use to find new restaurants in Italy, my favorite restaurants in Rome and elsewhere, and general rules of thumb for how to avoid touristy spots
• where to stay: why some of Italy’s “best hotels” don’t really merit their €250-and-up price tags, my favorite places to stay in Rome and elsewhere, how to use and what to know about apartment rental websites, and the best-kept secret in rewarding budget accommodation in Italy
• how to get off the beaten path: the most rewarding sites in Rome, and the most rewarding towns and regions in Italy, that hardly anyone knows about
• how not to get ripped off: when to be on your guard in Italy, how to tell if your restaurant bill is right or not, and how to deal with awkward situations where you think you’ve been overcharged
• how to get around: why you shouldn’t necessarily rent a car and drive around Italy, what the alternatives are, and how to use Rome’s public transport
• how to save time and money: how to avoid Rome’s longest lines, how to find the best-value accommodation in Italy, and whether you should get the RomaPass

Other reasons to consider chatting with me, rather than depending on a guidebook or a travel agent:

• I know Italy backwards, forwards, and upside-down. In the past five years, I’ve traveled several times to each of the following places in Italy: Florence, Venice, Verona, Naples, Pompeii, the Amalfi coast, Sicily, Tuscany beyond Florence (Lucca, Pisa, Siena, and more), Puglia, Umbria (Assisi, Orvieto, Bevagna and more), Emilia-Romagna, Cinque Terre, and Matera. I lived in the Italian Alps for two months, too.
• I lived in Italy for more than four years. Even the best travel agents or travel writers are usually visitors. I was a local — which means I was able to really gather the insider’s tips and knowledge I wouldn’t have if I’d just been there on vacation.
• That’s why my articles on Italy have been published in a variety of publications, including National Geographic Traveller, New York Times, Travel + Leisure, BBC and the Guardian. I’ve also contributed to six different Fodor’s guidebooks as well as written my own.
• I don’t take any commissions. So if I recommend a restaurant, hotel, or whatever else, you can rest assured that there’s no kickback to me whatsoever.

Giving an Italy consulting session is simple!

Click this button to purchase your consulting session… and that’s it! Within the next 48 hours, I’ll contact you for more information.

When I email you, let me know the recipient’s full name and email address (if you know it). I’ll also ask you whether you’d prefer a) for me to email a gift certificate directly to the gift recipient (and if so, when), or b) for me to send it to you, so that you can give them a printed-out version.

The recipient(s) and I can take it from there!

Any questions? Email me at revealedrome@gmail.com.