Testimonials

Allyn Ray, Jackson, MS

“If you have always wanted to go to Italy but did not know where to begin in planning such a trip, your FIRST step should be contacting Beth Watts with Inside Italy Tours.  You will thank yourself many times over.  Beth will craft a personalized trip and experience for you that will exceed all that you want in seeing the magnificent sights of Italy and experiencing the culture of this enchanting country. Her knowledge of the country is vast, and she speaks Italian fluently.  Plan and book your trip with Beth and Inside Italy Tours!”

Trisha Zito, Madison, MS

“I was very fortunate to discover Inside Italy on the internet and thrilled to find that it was a locally owned company. From the onset of contacting our guide, Beth Watts, I received the information I needed to make a commitment to a trip to Italy in May 2024. The itinerary was adjusted to accommodate the small group that we would be traveling with(7 total). I can't explain what a difference individual attention meant to me. Our trip was truly a trip of a lifetime in terms of all that we were able to see and do. Beth has a wealth of knowledge about not only sites in Italy but history. She speaks fluent Italian which gave the entire group a sense of comfort. I highly recommend contacting Inside Italy for your travel needs especially if you are looking for a small group.”

Marion Sapen Fox, Jackson, MS

“Beth planned the best trip for me and my friend Avery! We spent about 2 weeks traveling in Italy. It was the smoothest trip. She worked with us and planned for the things we wanted to do. She got our tickets, organized our hotels and trains, and was always available if we needed her! Highly recommend using Beth for your next Italy adventure!!!”

Richard Younce, Jackson, MS

“I helped chaperone 20 male and female students on Beth Watts’ 2022 Spring Break trip to Italy. I have never been on a trip so wisely planned and executed.  Beth knows where to stay, where to eat, how to adapt to unexpected obstacles, when to see which sites, and what to say (and not say) about those places so the learning and the fun stay balanced. Frankly, I am reluctant to travel on a group trip that Beth is not running.”

Kimberly Van Uden, Jackson, MS

“Traveling with Beth is like experiencing Italy with your sister, your best friend, and your favorite teacher.  She’s organized, full of adventure , and extremely knowledgeable of the landscape and culture.   Her years of travel and Italian studies are evident when she guides you to the best gelato in each town, perfect spot for a sunset picture on Ponte Vecchio, or the painting in the Uffizi that you mentioned while reading a book.”

Edward S. Ligon, Classics Chairman, The Roxbury Latin School

“I have done two tours with Patsy and both were terrific. Drawing on her meticulous reseach and broad knowledge, she makes every site come alive, and I felt as if I had a good understanding of both the history and significance of each site. And equally important for travellers, her Southern charm and vivacious wit allows for never a dull moment. She is an absolutely superlative guide and person. Thanks, Patsy!”

Vicky Brucia & Lincoln Greene, Burlington, Vermont

“Patsy Ricks is a wonderful tour leader. Her knowledge, scholarship and passion for Italy made our trip one we will remember for a lifetime.”

Lynn Williams, Jackson, Mississippi

“My husband’s grandparents were Sicilian, and for years he and his brother had dreamed of going to Cefalu. We also wanted to see as much of Italy as possible, and since we only had two weeks, we needed help. Patsy helped us decide what we wanted to see and planned a fabulous Itinerary that included Venice, Florence , Rome, Cefalu, and even day trips to Tuscany and Pompeii! Inside Italy Tours helped us plan and enjoy a perfect trip to Italy. Patsy’s knowledge and love of the country, her fluent Italian, and her attention to details made our experience joyful and effortless! The small group tour is the way to go and we can’t wait to go back.”

Richard Hamilton, East Lansing, Michigan

“I would very much like to thank you for the splendid trip that I recently made to Italy in your care. The planning of the itinerary, the care you took to find us the most pleasant accommodations matches only your constant concern for our comfort, amusement, entertainment, and instruction. I cannot express too highly my delight in all of this. As a veteran teacher of Latin and Roman history, you added an element to the trip that would be very difficult to find in other hands. As an inveterate traveler to modern Italy over so many years, you saw to it that we were able to visit the very best of each town and city that we visited. And as an expert student of Italian wines, you took care that our dinners were as memorable as the rest of each full day. Thank you again for such wonderful memories.”

Sarah Barr, Jackson, Mississippi

“Thank you so much for the best vacation ever! Touring Italy with Inside Italy Tours was much more than I ever imagined. In addition to visiting all of the important sites that one must see, we most especially enjoyed having an Italian-speaking guide with years of experience who could take us off the beaten path and tell us fascinating stories of the famous and infamous! We stayed in wonderful hotels, both elegant and quaint, and we ate in out-of-the-way restaurants with amazing food and unbelievable views of the countryside. Thanks to our very knowledgeable guide, we experienced Italian life, art and culture in an especially personal and unforgettable way. I can’t wait to go again!”

Jeanne Drewes, East Lansing, Michigan

“Dear Patsy, Thank you for a wonderful trip to Italy. I still dream about the beautiful sites I saw, the amazing art at the museums, the views from the towers. I loved all the walking, kept me from gaining any weight in spite of all the delicious food we had every evening. I loved going to local restaurants that you knew, rubbing elbows with the local folk after a day of tourist sights. And oh the sights, from Rome and the Vatican, to Siena and that amazing church to Florence and the Uffizi. Well I could just go on and on and name every place you arranged for us to go because every single visit was spectacular and each had its own charm. I also just have to say a word about the hotels, both in Florence and in Rome they were stellar. The more modern hotel in Siena was also fine, but the other two were my favorites, great locations and great service and lovely buildings. When I returned home I was talking with a Swiss friend of mine and mentioned the Tournabuoni in Florence. She knew the place and was amazed that I could afford to stay there as she remembers it from her many visits to Florence and wishing she could stay there. I felt quite lucky, and I owe it to you since you did all the arrangements. Thanks so much, I am ready to go again!!!!”

Celia Wood, Jackson, Mississippi

“When traveling with Patsy, I have seen others drawing aside to hear her lectures, leaving the group whom they accompanied or with whom they were assigned. Sometimes, they would ask me, usually at the rear of our group, if they could remain with us throughout a museum, and one group of college-age girls were so impressed with Patsy’s knowledge and manner of presentation that they requested to tour with Patsy for the duration of their time in Florence. When I went to Pompeii without Patsy, my tour lasted one hour. With Patsy, we wear jeans and feel we have covered the general outline of the place in around eight hours. She once spent a semester studying and working on a paper there, so she even knows which restaurants serve the best Buffalo Mozzarella there. She is also a scholar, who has led other scholars of the classics on many tours. She knows Italian and where the Italians actually stay, rather than Americans, some of whom confuse the American-like hotel in which they lodge for the country which they are visiting. She brings the study of a lifetime to bear on her tours, having studied and taught the ancients, art, wines, and a life of bounty and discovery. She still presents each day of a tour as if it were an adventure in itself, and anyone who selects her as a guide has the opportunity to experience a life-changing journey.”