IL VIAGGIO TRAVEL is a local ground operator in Costa Rica that specializes on the creation of tailor made travel experiences.
We are registered and licensed to operate by the Tourism Institute of Costa Rica.
We are pioneers in accessible travel and the first local travel operator with all government certifications in ELITE LEVEL “the highest level” based on our fair and Sustainable tourism for all.
We are local experts with great experience, knowledge, who love their country and enjoy sharing it with you by designing unique journeys with special details.
We emphasis on giving all of our clients a fair price united with the opportunity of being part of the country’s social and natural environment to become not a mere tourist, but a real traveler.
We specializes on the creation of tailor made travel experiences.
Owners and staff are 100% Costa Ricans with great experience, knowledge, who love their country and enjoy sharing it with you by designing unique journeys with special details. IL VIAGGIO TRAVEL offers immediate response to all your questions and needs while offering a 24 hour service and support during your visit.
Its important to mention that we emphasis on giving all of our clients a fair price united with the opportunity of being part of the country’s social and natural environment to become not a mere tourist, but a real traveler.
Let us know your goals, needs and expectations for your trip. IL VIAGGIO TRAVEL experts will provide advice and honest recommendations.
Costa Rica has always been on my bucket list because of the flora & fauna and their environmental stewardship and she did not disappoint. In fact, it was better than I had hoped thanks in large part to Il Viaggio’s services and the amazing guide that they provided.
As a traveler with disabled accessibility needs it’s always stressful traveling to another country but from the get-go I was confident that we were in good hands with Natalia, our travel consultant at Il Viaggio. She asked the right questions and was very responsive to any of our requests. Finding accessible restrooms is one my biggest concerns and I was pleasantly surprised how rare of a problem that was. Even a roadside fruit stand in the middle of nowhere had not one, but two accessible restrooms.
Our guide Juve, embodied the Pura Vida spirit and by the end of the trip we were referring to him as Juve-pedia (as in Wikipedia) because his knowledge base was so vast. Instead of just feeling like tourists we felt immersed in the history & culture of Costa Rica. It was a stress-free vacation knowing that either our guide or Natalia could handle any issue that arose thus allowing us to just enjoy the fun stuff.
Speaking of fun stuff, one of my favorites had to be watching monkeys navigate the forest canapy at Mistico Aranal Hanging Bridges. Because I’m a foodie, coming in second was the cooking class at an organic farm and learning to make a version of vegetarian picadillo; it was some of the best food of the trip and I’ve recreated it at home. Stopping at roadside stands that Juve was familiar with also ranked high. Yum to mango ceviche and water apples.
On our last day, we took a boat ride to do some birding and it was the perfect end to a fabulous vacation. I’ve never seen a bird that looks like pink cotton candy. Even when we weren’t off to our next destination I enjoyed just lounging at our various hotels and listening and looking for colorful birds and butterflies.
I saw this as an investigative trip to see if Costa Rica was possible in a motorized wheelchair and now knowing that it’s possible I will certainly be back to explore more of this beautiful country. There are some things I will do differently next time, like avoiding San Jose and be more adventurous but sign me up for more Costa Rica.
Bonnie Lewkowicz
,
USA
Spectacular International Field Study in Costa
Our second International Field Study in Costa Rica was spectacular! Working closely with Stephanie, our daily itinerary was designed to deliver practical lessons in sustainable tourism ingrained in cultural Costa Rican experience. Each day had elements of all study areas at our College and represented by students from various fields of study, including: Tourism Management, Esthetician, Fitness & Health Promotion, Culinary Innovation & Food Technology, Greenhouse Technician, Game Development, Hospitality, and Human Resources.
Even though this wide range of programs may seem challenging, students commented the trip was very applicable and made them think about what they were studying. Hotel inspections as well as community interaction like Mascaradas y Cimaronas were a hit!
Having with us the driver and guide from Il Viaggio was another benefit for smooth, informative and safe experience throughout our stay. Students had daily opportunity to ask our wonderful guide to interpret what they were learning about the Costa Rican culture.
Many wonderful insights and personal exchanges took place during our travels, thanks to such wide range of experiences which were hand-picked for our students.
I am very grateful to Il Viaggio for their continued efforts in sustainable tourism and look forward to working together next year. J Pura Vida!
Agnes, Niagara College
,
Canada
The trip was absolutely brilliant
We had planned to pop in and see you but coronavirus issues seem to have put an end to such social niceties. We had the joy of returning to an empty larder, an empty fridge and empty shops! Fortunately it didn’t affect our holiday as the first cases in Costa Rica weren’t identified until the day we left. The trip was absolutely brilliant.
Organisation in Costa Rica was first rate from pick-up at the airport on day one to drop-off on the last day. Alexis, our guide for the first 18 days, was superb. Very friendly and helpful, he seemed to know everyone in Costa Rica, and was excellent at arranging visits to locations we would never have found if we had travelled independently. He even arranged for one restaurant / viewpoint to open 1/2 an hour early so it fitted with our schedule. He was also very good at getting the best out of the included trips at the different location – such as arranging for the morning boat trip on the canals at Tortuguero to be a private trip (not sure what the other guests thought as we went off in a boat all by ourselves!) As a bonus we had a tortilla making lesson from his wife, which was great fun. We would definitely recommend him to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica – in the end we saw 276 different species of bird, 3 out of 4 species of monkey, both species of sloth (several times), plus turtles, caiman, crocodiles, lizards, frogs, spiders and lots more.
Almost without exception the accommodation we stayed at was excellent. Rooms were very good, as was the food, and staff and local guides were very friendly and helpful. The only exception was the room at Tapirus Lodge – we expected it to be pretty basic but it had an added element of neglect (damp, not serviced during stay). That said, the restaurant (food and staff) and the guides were all good. Can’t pick favourite from the other locations as all very good, from the Margarita’s at sunset over the Pacific (which even a little earth tremor didn’t spoil) to views of the smoking volcano at Arenal, and hot water bottles in the bed at Trogon Lodge (no, it wasn’t that cold!).
Any minor hiccups were dealt with extremely well by Alexis and Il Viaggio. Actually, there were only two – the return of one of our suitcases from Sierpe to San Jose as Alexis wasn’t returning there (solved by dropping it off on the way to Turrialba) and a mismatch between our itinerary for Trogon Lodge (DB&B) and the hotel booking (B&B). On querying which was correct, Melisa(?) immediately organised for the D part to be settled by Alexis. Excellent service.
The final day in San Jose was also really well organised and we really enjoyed it – managed to fit in the Pre-Colombian Gold Museum, the Jade Museum, the Cathedral and an excellent and very entertaining tour of the National Theatre / Opera House. All sandwiched around lunch in a long-established Soda in the Central Market. We are away for a couple of days stocking up for elderly parents before they are locked up but will complete the survey as soon as we get back.
Many thanks for arranging our trip – we had a really great time and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to others. Hopefully we’ll be able to call in and thank you personally in the not too distant future.
