Most Italy trips go wrong before anyone books a single flight. Too many cities squeezed into too few nights. A route that zigzags back across the country. Travel days packed with sightseeing. Destination combinations that don't hold up in the time available.
These problems are almost never obvious until you're already there. Standing in front of a closed museum on a Monday morning. Realising the Borghese Gallery filled up three months ago. Waiting for a ferry that runs once a day in season and not at all in October.
I'm Lucy. I'm Italian, I grew up near Naples, and I've lived in Verona for years. I've been helping North Americans plan Italy trips for long enough to know exactly where the plans break, and how to fix them before they cost you anything.
This is not a generic checklist. It's a complete review of your specific itinerary, checked against real Italian logistics, delivered in writing within 48 hours.
Hi, I'm Lucy.
I run ItaliaLikeALocal.com and the Speak Italian Like a Local Substack. I'm Italian by birth, partly raised in Brooklyn, and currently based in Verona. I've spent years helping English speakers plan trips to Italy that actually work, not the highlight-reel version, the real one.
The Itinerary Review exists because the questions I get asked most often aren't "what should I see in Florence." They're "does this plan make sense." That's the question I'm here to answer.
Choose a pricing plan
Italy Itinerary Review
€87
You did the planning. I'll tell you what won't work.
Send it to me before you book flights.
Not because you're definitely wrong. Because the things that break Italy trips are almost never obvious until you're standing in front of a closed museum at 9am on a Monday, or waiting for a ferry that runs once a day in season and not at all off it, or realising the Borghese Gallery filled up three months ago and there is genuinely no way in.
What I catch most often: too many cities for the nights available. A route that zigzags instead of flowing in one direction. Travel days with sightseeing scheduled. Back-to-back day trips that destroy energy by day three. Destination combinations that don't work together in a given timeframe, Amalfi and Cinque Terre in ten nights, Venice as a one-night stop, a Puglia trip using Bari as a base. These are fixable. They just need catching before you've locked in flights and hotels.
I go through your itinerary completely. Every city, every routing decision, every night count. I check it against real Italian logistics: actual train times, museum opening days and seasonal closures, ZTL zones, which neighbourhoods your hotel needs to be in for the trip to feel right, which experiences require booking months out and not weeks.
I tell you what holds. I tell you what doesn't. I tell you exactly what to change, with specific alternatives where the fix isn't obvious.
Back to you in writing within 48 hours. No calls. No back-and-forth. One document you can act on immediately, with your itinerary open in front of you.
What you send me: your draft itinerary in any format. Google Doc, PDF, notes app screenshot, or your filled-in Italy Trip Planning Framework. I'll ask if I need anything else.
What you get back: a complete written assessment covering your routing logic, night counts, transport connections, accommodation placement, must-book experiences, and anything else I see that could cause a real problem on the ground.
Not sure your itinerary is ready to review yet? Download the free Italy Trip Planning Framework first, five rules, four routing patterns, and a pre-booking checklist to build a solid draft before you send it over.
Want restaurant and accommodation recommendations built into the review? That's the Full Local Intelligence package below.
Send it to me before you book flights.
Not because you're definitely wrong. Because the things that break Italy trips are almost never obvious until you're standing in front of a closed museum at 9am on a Monday, or waiting for a ferry that runs once a day in season and not at all off it, or realising the Borghese Gallery filled up three months ago and there is genuinely no way in.
What I catch most often: too many cities for the nights available. A route that zigzags instead of flowing in one direction. Travel days with sightseeing scheduled. Back-to-back day trips that destroy energy by day three. Destination combinations that don't work together in a given timeframe, Amalfi and Cinque Terre in ten nights, Venice as a one-night stop, a Puglia trip using Bari as a base. These are fixable. They just need catching before you've locked in flights and hotels.
I go through your itinerary completely. Every city, every routing decision, every night count. I check it against real Italian logistics: actual train times, museum opening days and seasonal closures, ZTL zones, which neighbourhoods your hotel needs to be in for the trip to feel right, which experiences require booking months out and not weeks.
I tell you what holds. I tell you what doesn't. I tell you exactly what to change, with specific alternatives where the fix isn't obvious.
Back to you in writing within 48 hours. No calls. No back-and-forth. One document you can act on immediately, with your itinerary open in front of you.
What you send me: your draft itinerary in any format. Google Doc, PDF, notes app screenshot, or your filled-in Italy Trip Planning Framework. I'll ask if I need anything else.
What you get back: a complete written assessment covering your routing logic, night counts, transport connections, accommodation placement, must-book experiences, and anything else I see that could cause a real problem on the ground.
Not sure your itinerary is ready to review yet? Download the free Italy Trip Planning Framework first, five rules, four routing patterns, and a pre-booking checklist to build a solid draft before you send it over.
Want restaurant and accommodation recommendations built into the review? That's the Full Local Intelligence package below.
Italy Itinerary Review + Local knowledge
€167
The complete review, plus the restaurants and places to stay I'd actually send a friend to.
This is the Itinerary Review plus the layer that no guide can give you, because the moment local knowledge goes into print, it stops being local.
After I've reviewed your routing and logistics, I build a personalised list for every city in your itinerary. Not from a database. Not the places on the first page of Google.
The trattoria in Bologna where you sit at a communal table and order whatever they cooked that morning. The wine bar in Rome's Monti neighbourhood that has no photos of cocktails on the menu. The fish restaurant in Naples with no sign outside and no English menu that is the best meal you'll eat in southern Italy. The converted monastery in Umbria with fifteen rooms and a garden you'll want to sit in all afternoon. The agriturismo outside Lecce where breakfast is whatever the family made. The boutique property in Cannaregio with a terrace over the canal that actually earns its price.
These are the places I'd tell a friend about. Built around your travel style, not just your budget. Including restaurants that don't take international bookings and need a phone call from your hotel, I flag those so you're not caught off guard.
Everything in writing, delivered alongside your full itinerary review within 48 hours.
What you send me: your draft itinerary in any format. Google Doc, PDF, notes app screenshot, or your filled-in Italy Trip Planning Framework. I'll ask if I need anything else.
What you get back: a complete itinerary review covering routing, night counts, transport, accommodation placement, and must-book experiences — plus a personalised set of restaurant and accommodation recommendations for every city on your list.
Not sure your itinerary is ready to review yet? Download the free Italy Trip Planning Framework first, five rules, four routing patterns, and a pre-booking checklist to build a solid draft before you send it over.
Just want the logistics review without the local recommendations? That's the Itinerary Review above at €87.
This is the Itinerary Review plus the layer that no guide can give you, because the moment local knowledge goes into print, it stops being local.
After I've reviewed your routing and logistics, I build a personalised list for every city in your itinerary. Not from a database. Not the places on the first page of Google.
The trattoria in Bologna where you sit at a communal table and order whatever they cooked that morning. The wine bar in Rome's Monti neighbourhood that has no photos of cocktails on the menu. The fish restaurant in Naples with no sign outside and no English menu that is the best meal you'll eat in southern Italy. The converted monastery in Umbria with fifteen rooms and a garden you'll want to sit in all afternoon. The agriturismo outside Lecce where breakfast is whatever the family made. The boutique property in Cannaregio with a terrace over the canal that actually earns its price.
These are the places I'd tell a friend about. Built around your travel style, not just your budget. Including restaurants that don't take international bookings and need a phone call from your hotel, I flag those so you're not caught off guard.
Everything in writing, delivered alongside your full itinerary review within 48 hours.
What you send me: your draft itinerary in any format. Google Doc, PDF, notes app screenshot, or your filled-in Italy Trip Planning Framework. I'll ask if I need anything else.
What you get back: a complete itinerary review covering routing, night counts, transport, accommodation placement, and must-book experiences — plus a personalised set of restaurant and accommodation recommendations for every city on your list.
Not sure your itinerary is ready to review yet? Download the free Italy Trip Planning Framework first, five rules, four routing patterns, and a pre-booking checklist to build a solid draft before you send it over.
Just want the logistics review without the local recommendations? That's the Itinerary Review above at €87.
Frequently Asked Questions
What format should I send my itinerary in?
Any format works. Google Doc, PDF, notes app screenshot, or your filled-in Italy Trip Planning Framework. Once you purchase, the milestone page walks you through exactly what to upload.
How long does the review take?
You'll receive your written review within 48 hours of sending your itinerary. No calls, no back-and-forth. One document you can act on immediately.
What if I only have a rough draft?
That's fine, rough drafts are often easier to fix than finished plans with flights already booked. If your draft is very early stage, the free Italy Trip Planning Framework is a good place to start before you send it over.
What's the difference between the Itinerary Review and the Full Local Knowledge package?
The Itinerary Review covers logistics: routing, night counts, transport connections, accommodation placement, and what needs booking in advance. The Full Local Knowledge adds a personalised set of restaurant and accommodation recommendations for every city on your list, built around your travel style.
Can I get a refund?
Because this is a service that involves my time and expertise, refunds aren't available once the review has been delivered. If you have any concerns before purchasing, feel free to get in touch first.