- Perillo Tours is a U.S.-based tour operator specializing in guided trips to Italy.
- Here’s everything you need to know—updated for 2024—about Perillo Tours to decide if it the tour company is a good fit for you.
Perillo Tours is an Italy-focused tour specialist for travelers coming from North America. Started in 1945 and operated by three generations of the same Italian-American family, Perillo has folks on the ground in both the U.S. and Italy. In more recent decades, the tour company has offers guided tours to Hawaii, Spain, and Greece in addition to its signature Italy tours.
TourScoop Takeaways
- Countries: Italy, Greece, Spain, and Hawaii
- Tour size: Up to 40 passengers
- Tour types: Group coach tours and private group coach tours
Credibility Check
On the USTOA (U.S. Tour Operators Association) and Travelstride site, Perillo gets 4.8 out of 5. Perillo is not BBB accredited but earns an A+ rating from the organization.
Tour Destinations
Perillo is best known as an Italy specialist, with tours that range from nine to 15 days all across Italy. The company also offers a limited number of itineraries to Greece and Spain. And for 30 years, Perillo has also been hosting guided tours to Hawaii.
Tour Types
Perillo’s group Italy tours focus on either a geographical region or a theme. So for instance, you could opt for a tour that focuses exclusively on Rome and the Amalfi Coast, or Sicily and Italy’s South; or you could choose a themed tour like Renaissance and let the topic take you to cities (like Florence) that were important during the period. Some tours are more food-focused (for instance, Green Heart of Italy) but all Perillo tours are focused on good food experiences.
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Perillo’s Greece tour itineraries are more limited in number, but most offer a mix of land and sea excursions. The company currently offers just one Spain tour, a 13-day trip that covers much of the country. Perillo’s Hawaii tours focus on multi-island excursions that give travelers an easy way to experience the different islands of Hawaii on one itinerary. Hawaii tours range from about nine to 13 days.
Tour Guides
Perillo uses both tour directors and local guides, and both must pass a rigorous series of written and oral exams before becoming Perillo tour guides. According to Perillo: “This is a very difficult process, with approximately only one in 10 applicants passing the examinations.” And All Perillo guides are trained in the “Perillo style of ‘over-the-top’ guest service.”
Excursions/Extras
Perillo tour prices include hotels, sightseeing with expert guides, transfers, baggage handling, daily breakfast, select scheduled meals, tips, taxes, and complimentary WiFi on all Perillo coach buses. While Perillo does offer competitive airfare, it’s not included in the base price of the tour.
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There are often additional optional activities offered at (a fair and modest) extra cost during tour free time. Examples of such extras include a gondola serenade in Venice, the Illuminated Rome at Night experience, a Lake Como boat cruise, and a visit to Villa D’Este in Tivoli.
Typical Travelers
The majority of Perillo Tours’ guests fall in the 59-77 age range, and most are from the United States. Perillo Tours are popular with couples, but about 13% of tour travelers are solo travelers.
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Communication
Perillo communications come via via phone, email and website. Payment reminders and alerts are emailed. Final documents are mailed along with baggage tags, instructions with a travel wallet, and a travel pouch.
Loyalty Program
Perillo offers a discount, a special gift, and best available rooms for repeat travelers.
Private Options
Perillo Tours, offers private escorted tours for groups with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 20 people. These tours are popular with multigenerational and extended families, and groups of close friends. Eight of Perillo’s signature itineraries are available as private tours, and all feature hand-selected, immersive experiences like olive oil and wine tasting in Tuscany, private boat rides around Capri, and parmigiano cheese sampling in Parma.
