Verdi Festival in Parma Italy

Gemma Green Close December 12, 2019

Festival Verdi 2020 Preview Programme
Parma and Busseto, Emilia Romagna, Italy

24 September – 18 October 2020

I Lombardi alla prima crociata at Teatro Regio di Parma
Rigoletto at Teatro Verdi in Busseto
Macbeth (French version) at San Francesco del Prato Church
Ernani (concert performance) at Teatro Regio di Parma
and other important concerts and events

For those who love classical music and especially Verdi!

To celebrate its being the Italian Capital of Culture 2020 and to seize the challenge of the slogan “Culture beats the time”, Parma will turn into a great, amusing and innovative art and history laboratory, this way expressing its vocation as a city always in balance between past and inclination for future innovations.

If you wish to book a trip to Italy, kindly fill out the form on the right.

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Organised and orchestrated by the knowledgeable

A wonderful 7 weeks in Italy, organised and orchestrated by the knowledgeable, and ever helpful Gemma! One of the cornerstones of our trip was to experience the great opera houses of Italy – La Fenice, La Scala, the Verdi Festival and Teatro Regio in Parma, San Carlo – and we saw great performances in them… Read more “Organised and orchestrated by the knowledgeable”

Ifor and Catherine

All of the accommodation was of a high standard

Dear Gemma, We have finally returned from our Italian odyssey and want to thank you for all of your help in creating a wonderful holiday. The accommodation which you booked for us in Florence, Chianti and Rome was excellent. In every case our special requirements were met and exceeded. The villa in Chianti was superb.… Read more “All of the accommodation was of a high standard”

P. Reynolds

I highly recommend Passion for Italy to anyone

Gemma’s enthusiasm is infectious and I highly recommend Passion for Italy to anyone wanting to design a personalised holiday to one of the most beautiful and captivating countries in the world. Nothing was too much trouble and Gemma went out of her way to provide for my interests, arrange comfortable authentic accommodation, and offer valuable… Read more “I highly recommend Passion for Italy to anyone”

Jacqui Dalwood

Talk to Gemma if you are planning to go to Italy!

Gemma’s suggested itinerary and careful planning resulted in a wonderful, month long holiday in Italy with no hassles. There were many highlights. One of the best was the week we spent in Umbria with a package tour. We loved the history and the art and met some very interesting people. The hotels we chose from… Read more “Talk to Gemma if you are planning to go to Italy!”

John Holt

What a magnificent Italian experience

What a magnificent Italian experience – thanks to Gemma and her passion for Italy. The hard work of discerning and booking accommodation was taken care of…leaving us to arrive at each destination (not an easy feat) . Gemma took on board our budget and desire to mix up accommodation styles…booking for us a great value… Read more “What a magnificent Italian experience”

Kaylene Benson

Always reliable

My 26yr old daughter and I have had the most memorable 5 weeks in Italy. Gemma’s help and expertise in organising an itinerary that satisfied our requirements enabled us to experience places we may not have found ourselves. The sharing of her vast knowledge and experience of the country gave us tips that I’ve no… Read more “Always reliable”

Julie

I wish I were there again

This mother/daughter trip was my Sarah’s 21st gift……….It was the hardest trip I have ever prepared for and also the easiest.This was to be the first time I have travelled without my Husband, on my own, in a country I knew very little of the language. And as Sarah couldn’t find a tour that she… Read more “I wish I were there again”

Karen and Sara Ipswich

Passion for Italy did a great job for us!

Our accommodation was wonderful. The connection with the apartment contact in each situation was easy and smooth. The apartments were in great locations and clean. Passion for Italy did a great job for us!

Chris with his Family of Five

I am really getting your “passion” for this place

“Sent while on holiday in Italy….”Thank you Gemma. I am really getting your “passion” for this place. I am having an experience of a life time”! Second trip to Italy – Hi Gemma. Just had to let you know how much we are enjoying this trip. As we say goodbye to each place we have… Read more “I am really getting your “passion” for this place”

Marsha

We had a very pleasant stay

We have arrived back safe and sound from our Italy trip. Thank you. Your villa recommendation was terrific, we had a very pleasant stay, we saw a lot, ate a lot and laughed a lot. Marsha joined us and we thoroughly enjoyed our Villa.

Sue and Graham

The tour you had arranged worked well

Just catching-up after the holiday…We had a great time in Italy. Everything worked out smoothly and the itinerary was the right pace for us. It was my first time driving in Europe but my wife and I were able to find our way with little difficulty, mostly because she navigated. Our red eye flight to… Read more “The tour you had arranged worked well”

Gilbert

I have no hesitation in recommending her business

I first met Gemma Green Close at Griffith University when we were completing Italian Studies and have since had the privilege to come to know her well. She has a passion for all things Italian and has a great ability to listen to her client’s brief, so all the trips she organizes for the independent… Read more “I have no hesitation in recommending her business”

Catherine

It was GREAT! It was MARVELOUS!! It was a BLAST!!!

Allow me to take a few minutes of your time to listen to our thoughts about our last Europe holiday. It was GREAT! It was MARVELOUS!! It was a BLAST!!! Thank you sooo much for your time and effort that made our vacation a memorable experience. With endless requests coming from our big family and… Read more “It was GREAT! It was MARVELOUS!! It was a BLAST!!!”

Amelia- family of 11

We had a fabulous and memorable trip

Dear Gemma, We had a fantastic vacation in Italy. We were very pleased and have already told many about the how much we appreciated your assistance. All of the vouchers were accepted without issue and the transportation arrangements were flawless. At the airport were met by our driver for the who drove us to our… Read more “We had a fabulous and memorable trip”

Marianne and Frank

We couldn’t have done it without you Gemma!

Okay, we loved the place in Milan it had a wonderful morning breakfast and was bright and cheery. We loved the homemade breakfast and cappuccino! All of the accommodations were great and some very unique and special – like the Contessa’s apt in Venice. She was delightful and so very helpful. We enjoyed a spectacular… Read more “We couldn’t have done it without you Gemma!”

Myra and Don Kelly

Everything went smoothly

Hello Gemma, Many thanks for organizing us such a wonderful Italy experience. Everything went smoothly, and exceeded our expectations. Tivoli good but rushed. Vatican good, great getting into Sistine before the crowds, bought a book so I could get it clear in my head! Car worked out well, as did Tuscany. Cinque Terre excellent, the… Read more “Everything went smoothly”

Howard and Jan Bale

I just wanted to say a big thank you

Hi Gemma, I just wanted to say a big thank you, our trip was amazing. Everything you booked was great from the accommodation, private transfers and tours. We were very lucky with the weather over the whole time, had maybe 3 days of rain overall, the temperature was great for doing lots of walking. We… Read more “I just wanted to say a big thank you”

Lisa

Such a wonderful experience

Gemma, We can’t thank you enough for helping us plan our wonderful trip. There is so much to share, it would take a novel to write it all. Every aspect was incredible, ran so smoothly and fit our style of travel perfectly. We have so many photos and wonderful experiences that we will remember forever.… Read more “Such a wonderful experience”

Robert

I felt completely relaxed

Sabrina did a fabulous job booking our trip. We had very specific itineraries that we wanted to complete. Sabrina found the perfect guide for us! All of Sabrina’s recomendations were spot on. She was quick to answer all of my many e-mails. She was so nice to work with that I felt completely relaxed before… Read more “I felt completely relaxed”

Betsy Davidson

I’m so glad we found them!

We had such a fantastic time on our two and a half week trip PFI planned for us! I love planning vacations, but I was intimidated about our first trip to Europe. Lindsay provided me with enough information and travel guides that I felt comfortable exploring each city on our own, but they also gave… Read more “I’m so glad we found them!”

Cameron Calhoun

We were extremely pleased!

The tour company and the tour of Prosecco was perfect. We were extremely pleased! We plan to be back to Italy again and will use your services again!

Shona Fisher

We loved all the accommodation

“We just wanted to say thank you very much for helping us plan another amazing trip to Italy. We loved all the accommodation you arranged for us and their location each time was perfect. The transfers were great however we did miss Giuseppe from Campania, this time as our transfer to Cinque Terre, could not… Read more “We loved all the accommodation”

Ann

She made it all so easy

In 2016 we wanted to go to Italy, but alas in never happened because the planning was overwhelming since it was our first trip to Italy. 2017 was shaping up to be the same but then we found PFI. We told Lindsay what we wanted and how we liked to travel. She made it all… Read more “She made it all so easy”

Rocky

Every accommodation was perfect

We are both busy professionals and didn’t have time to do the research or make the bookings for our ‘bucket-list’ holiday to Italy, so when we came across Sabrina and PFI we were thrilled. Sabrina was always responsive and very warm, nothing was ever too much trouble. We adored our time in Italy and will… Read more “Every accommodation was perfect”

Carina

It was a day well spent

Hi Lindsay, Thank you, yes, the Epicurean Tour in Sorrento was great. It was a day well spent. Our driver “Cocacola” was a good driver, and a good tour guide. Nice man and helped us learn a lot. He also went out of his way to get us water and to get us to an… Read more “It was a day well spent”

Frederick Polli

We will recommend you to our friends and family.

Sabrina – First, overall, the trip was outstanding. Each city is unique and special and we truly enjoyed them all. Thank you for all your hard work for us. It made a difference in the quality of the trip. 1. All the hotels were excellent. I would recommend that you keep using all of them… Read more “We will recommend you to our friends and family.”

Jude

Personal service and attention was very valuable and appreciated

Hello Lindsay, We are just now headed home. Thanks for your services. We were really pleased with the tours you arranged. They prioritized the things we wanted to see, and you were incredibly responsive to our preferences for sights, schedule, and pace. The car service made transitions so easy, and were efficient ways to travel… Read more “Personal service and attention was very valuable and appreciated”

Lisa

The accommodation was perfect for our group

Hi Sabrina We have finally made it home safely – what a wonderful adventure! Thank- you so much again for all your help in organising our getaway, everything was wonderful. All the transfers were on time – Antonio was delightful. The accommodation was just as we expected and perfect for our group. The night time… Read more “The accommodation was perfect for our group”

Bernadette

Accommodation in Positano was good

The transport to our accommodation in Positano was punctual courteous and clean as were all of the transfers – am happy to recommend company quite highly! Accommodation in Positano was good – three star standard (but no wine glasses at all unbelievable in Italy ). Positano overall horribly crowded,certainly overpriced,and not a lot to do… Read more “Accommodation in Positano was good”

Peter

The trip was outstanding

First, overall, the trip was outstanding. Each city is unique and special and we truly enjoyed them all. Thank you for all your hard work for us. It made a difference in the quality of the trip. All the hotels were excellent. I would recommend that you keep using all of them in the future.… Read more “The trip was outstanding”

Jude Vick

Lindsay you did an amazing job!

The organization and communication not only before the trip but while in Italy was outstanding. You can tell you have a great knowledge of the areas and tours. You had this trip planned perfectly and your recommendations were spot on. Your hand picked guides were beyond knowledgeable as well as extremely friendly. I truly wish… Read more “Lindsay you did an amazing job!”

Scott

Tour guides were awesome!

Good morning Lindsay, we had a blast! All of the tours you set up were a lot of fun and the tour guides were awesome! We had a lot of laughs and I think they did as well. Tom used several different techniques to tip our tour guides at the end of each excursion to… Read more “Tour guides were awesome!”

Craig Komp

These were the best rooms

Dear Lindsay, I want to thank you so much for everything you did helping me plan our vacation to Italy. This was one of the best family vacations we have had (and we have had some great ones). Your advice was spot on from the hotels, transportation, to the tours we took. I had not… Read more “These were the best rooms”

Patsy

I can’t imagine travelling to Italy without their expertise!

Lindsay with Passion for Italy was a dream travel planner. She immediately understood the type of vacation my mom and I wanted to plan and was invaluable throughout the entire process. We had never been to Italy before, and it was intimidating beginning to plan this on our own. We are so thankful we chose… Read more “I can’t imagine travelling to Italy without their expertise!”

Hannah & Tami

We could not have done this without you

Dear Lindsay, We can’t thank you enough for working with us to prepare for such a wonderful trip to Italy. We had an extraordinary time. Much of that is because you took the time to really get to know us and listen. You took the time to understand what motivated our own passion to go… Read more “We could not have done this without you”

Ed Klimek & Family

Thank you PFI Travel!

We can’t speak highly enough of our experiences working with PFI Travel, and in particular, Lindsay. Lindsay helped us to plan a dream vacation, with just the right amount of touring, balanced with relaxation. She paid attention to every last detail of the trip, taking away all of the stress that comes with planning a… Read more “Thank you PFI Travel!”

K. Libera & Family

Thank you so much for making sure it all worked right

The trip was wonderful! We loved Italy and everything you set up for us was spot on. Our apartment locations ending up being perfect and we never had to get a taxi. Walked almost 13 miles the day we went to the Vatican. Needed more time in Pompeii – but needed an extra day which… Read more “Thank you so much for making sure it all worked right”

J. Wise & Family

We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you and your services to anyone travelling to Italy.

Dear Sabrina, Mark and I wanted to express our appreciation for the wonderful trip you planned for us. Everything was seamless and we loved all of your recommendations for the locations, accommodation and tours etc. The bespoke planning with so many different experiences of our passion for great food, wine and soaking up the culture… Read more “We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you and your services to anyone travelling to Italy.”

Fiona Chapman

Wishing all of you a successful week!!

On behalf of my husband, and our three friends, I want to take the time to “Thank you” for your assistance, in creating a trip of a “lifetime”!!! The hotel selections were fabulous!!! We always found ourselves enjoying a great view, in a great location that allowed us to walk out, and enjoy Italy!!! The… Read more “Wishing all of you a successful week!!”

L. Brewer

Thanks for giving such a lovely time.

We had four days to spend in Italy and Sabrina was able to organise a trip that covered everything on our wish list and make it happen in a short time and within our budget, something we had been unable to organise with local travel agents here or by ourselves. She organised our stay in… Read more “Thanks for giving such a lovely time.”

Peter & Jane

I highly recommend both PFI Travel

I first contacted Lindsay Sinko at Passion for Italy Travel in November of 2018, discussing our possible trip to Italy in May of 2019. Right from the start, Lindsay was informative, knowledgeable, and easy to work with as we discussed a potential itinerary. Lindsay’s experience with travel situations, and her knowledge of all things Italian,… Read more “I highly recommend both PFI Travel”

Geno Capone

It saved us so much time

We can wholeheartedly recommend Lindsay and PFI for any Italian trip. On our recent trip Lindsay’s experience ensured that we got the most out of every day. She listened to all our preferences and made perfect accommodation bookings, tour arrangements and amazing recommendations which there is no way we would have found on our own.… Read more “It saved us so much time”

Emma & Chris Kenward

We had a fantastic time in Italy

I just wanted to say, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. We had a fantastic time in Italy. A whirlwind. It wouldn’t have been as enriching or enjoyable without your help! (You can quote me on that). The experiences made the difference. The cooking class and wine tasting in Florence were great. We may be… Read more “We had a fantastic time in Italy”

June, R. Sullivan

You are the best

Lindsey, Thank you so much for your hard work. It really paid off. We had an amazing trip that we will talk about for many years to come. It is just what we needed. It’s been a rough year for me. We all needed lots of beauty, good food and good wine as well as… Read more “You are the best”

Renee Peluso

All of your recommendations were outstanding and right on.

Allison – We had the best honeymoon ever thanks to you! You made everything so easy for us, especially the transportation. Everything was absolutely perfect, and we really appreciate all of the hard work you put into our Honeymoon! All of our tour guides were so personable, amazing, and very easy to talk too and… Read more “All of your recommendations were outstanding and right on.”

A. Solano and A. Royce

You did such a great job

Hi Lindsay, We wanted to send a quick note to thank you again for helping us with our Italy trip. Saying it was amazing doesn’t even encompass how great our experience was! You did such a great job of helping us organize and plan one of the best vacations we’ve taken. We were also so… Read more “You did such a great job”

July, M.

Thank you for helping us plan such a special trip.

We highly recommend Allison Spiegel at PFI Travel. She planned our memorable vacation to Rome/Amalfi Coast and managed everything from soup to nuts – hotels, tours, transfers and restaurant recommendations. Allison is a travel agent who only books Italy so she knows the in’s and out’s. Thank you for helping us plan such a special… Read more “Thank you for helping us plan such a special trip.”

July, Lauren Beck and Brett Heimov

Expert advice and assistance

Buongiorno Sabrina, We arrived home yesterday after a wonderful month away. I just wanted to say thank you again for your expert advice and assistance with the southern Italy part our trip, particularly as we were booking so late as well. We loved all the recommendations and the transfers were all reliable and went very… Read more “Expert advice and assistance”

Lucy and Ed Phelan

PFI travel, did for our family in Italy

I just wanted to share with all of you the great work that Allison Spiegel, at PFI travel, did for our family in Italy. She planned every detail for us, from a private car in Tuscany, train travel from Venice to Florence, personal tours that interested all three of my girls, private cooking class and… Read more “PFI travel, did for our family in Italy”

G. Strauss

Good access to sites and very knowledgeable guides

Good morning Sabrina, We had a brilliant time in Italy, and many thanks for the excellent work you did in organising all the travel, tours and accommodation for us. The accommodation in Venice, Florence and Rome was well located, the small group tours were on time with good access to sites and very knowledgeable guides,… Read more “Good access to sites and very knowledgeable guides”

Jones & L. Bielenberg

I appreciate all your knowledge, advice and recommendations.

Hey Lindsay, Now that Ben and I have gotten back to reality from our Italy travels, I just wanted to reach out and thank you for helping us plan a fabulous trip. We had such a good time and loved everything about Italy. For the most part the trip went very smoothly (just a couple… Read more “I appreciate all your knowledge, advice and recommendations.”

Kitchell

It was GREAT! It was MARVELOUS!! It was a BLAST!!!

Thank you sooo much for your time and effort that made our vacation a memorable experience. With endless requests coming from our big family and you tried to accommodate all of them, definitely it was everyone dream-come-true holiday. Everything was so neatly and carefully organized, and all fit our needs and requirements and standards. I… Read more “It was GREAT! It was MARVELOUS!! It was a BLAST!!!”

Amelia

Our accommodation was wonderful

The connection with the apartment contact in each situation was easy and smooth. The apartments were in great locations and clean. Passion for Italy did a great job for us!

Chris and Family

Our trip went without a hitch, no dramas at any point.

The accommodation Gemma booked, was exactly as she had described and each place we stayed in was clean and friendly.

Karen and Sarah Hislop

One of the best!

Gemma’s suggested itinerary and careful planning resulted in a wonderful, month long holiday in Italy with no hassles. There were many highlights. One of the best, was the week we spent in Umbria. We loved the history and the art and met some very interesting people.

John and Chris

Knowledgeable and ever helpful Gemma!

A wonderful seven week opera trip in Italy, organised and orchestrated by the knowledgeable and ever helpful Gemma!

Ifor and Catherine

We can’t speak highly enough of our experiences working with PFI Travel

June K. Libera & Family

Such a wonderful Italy experience

Hello Gemma, Many thanks for organizing us such a wonderful Italy experience. Everything went smoothly, and exceeded our expectations.

Howard and Jan Bale

Thank you Lindsay

My daughter says we need to make a trip to the Amalfi Coast so I may be calling you again. I wish you also booked Scotland and Ireland.

Patsy, Nashville

We loved every minute of the trip

Hi Gemma, Thanks for everything, we loved every minute of the trip. It’s hard being back at work!

Elisa Bale

Thank you for helping make our 25th wedding anniversary celebration an experience of a lifetime

From Rapallo, we caught the train to Como via Milan. We found the trains very easy after the first one we caught from Rome to Florence, and we were very grateful for your tip to take suitcases that had four wheels on the bottom, so we could roll them sideways down the aisle. Not every… Read more “Thank you for helping make our 25th wedding anniversary celebration an experience of a lifetime”

Brad & Jenny,

Stunning Accommodation May 2023

We have just completed a one month trip around central Italy. Our travels were organised by Sabrina Barro of Passion for Italy. Sabrina is so talented and caring. She organised simply stunning accommodation and ground transport. Her support to us before travel and while we were in Italy was wonderful. It seemed that any time… Read more “Stunning Accommodation May 2023”

Steve Grant

Our Italy Trip was so wonderful July 2023

Hi Gemma!! The trip was absolutely AMAZING! Thank you so much for everything you did to make our trip fun, convenient, safe, and unforgettable. The itinerary was really great. Also, your recommendations for restaurants and various locations were fantastic, and we’re very grateful to have had them. Sincerely, Joanie. Gemma, the trip was so wonderful!!… Read more “Our Italy Trip was so wonderful July 2023”

Joanie & Emily

Touring in Italy seemed easy with PFI Travel June 2023

We have engaged Passion for Italy Travel for two vacations previously in Italy. In May and June this year 2023 Gemma delivered an exciting itinerary for Northern Italy involving places we hadn’t visited previously. It was online, detailed, nuanced and introduced us to such fabulous places as Venice, Malcesine, Lake Garda, Asti in the Piedmonte… Read more “Touring in Italy seemed easy with PFI Travel June 2023”

Jenny & Cam Henderson

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Festival Verdi 2020 Preview Programme Parma and Busseto, Emilia Romagna, Italy

For those who love classical music and especially Verdi!

Book a travel in Italy consultation with us today!

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Festival Verdi 2020 Preview Programme
Parma and Busseto, Emilia Romagna, Italy