The Itinerary · Italy Trip Planning

The essentials,
expertly handled.

Your hotels booked with VIP perks where available, your transfers handled, and a polished day-by-day framework to build the rest of your trip around.

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✦ Starting at $399  ·  ✦ FORA-Certified Italy Specialist
Karissa, FORA-certified Italy travel advisor and founder of Traveling Balanced
FORA-Certified Italy Specialist
Part-Time Italy Resident
VIP Perks at 4★ & 5★ Hotels
Personally Vetted Recommendations
Is This Right For You?

You're spending thousands on this trip.
Don't piece it together alone.

The travelers who book The Itinerary Service aren't people who can't plan a trip. They're people who are too smart to gamble their best vacation on hours of guesswork.

They're honeymooners who want the perfect destinations and pacing. First-timers who don't want to realize in hindsight what they should have done differently. Repeat visitors who want to finally go beyond the obvious.

If you've spent an evening in a planning spiral and thought "I don't actually know if any of this is right," this service was built for you.

DIY Planning vs. The Itinerary
DIY
✦ With Me
Research time
40–80+ hours
Zero
Itinerary
Blog posts & Reddit
Custom-built for you
Hotel perks
Transfers & trains
You figure it out
Fully handled
Insider access
Booking management
Stress
Constant
None
WHAT's INCLUDED

Everything that makes a trip actually work

Three things most travelers patch together from a dozen different sources, all handled in one place by one person who knows Italy from the inside.

01

Your Day-by-Day Framework

Not a template. A route and pacing plan built around exactly how you like to travel, sequenced to make logistical sense in Italy. This covers your destinations and day structure: the foundation your trip is built around. Restaurant and activity research is yours to own.

  • Day-by-day route and destination sequencing
  • Pacing adjusted for your travel style and group
  • Logical flow between cities and regions
  • Destination-level recommendations to explore further
  • One complimentary round of revisions
02

Hotel Bookings with VIP Perks

At most 4-star and 5-star properties, booking through me unlocks perks you can't access on your own. These come from the relationships I've built with these hotels over years.

  • Complimentary daily breakfast
  • Room upgrades on arrival
  • Resort or property credits
  • Early check-in / late checkout (when available)
  • VIP welcome amenities
03

Transportation Coordination

Trains, private transfers, airport pickups, ferry connections. Italy's logistics can derail a trip before it starts. I map it all out and make the bookings so you don't have to.

  • Train routes and ticket booking
  • Private airport transfers
  • Inter-city transfer coordination
  • Ferry and boat logistics (Amalfi, Capri, islands)
  • Timing matched to your itinerary
The Process

From first conversation to framework in your hands.

1

Book & Confirm

Complete checkout and your spot is confirmed. You'll receive a scheduling link and a short trip details form within minutes.

2

Planning Call

We talk through your destinations, travel style, pacing preferences, and must-haves so I can build around what matters to you.

3

I Build Your Plan

Your day-by-day framework, hotel proposals with available VIP perks, and all transfers mapped out. Delivered in one organized document.

4

Refine & Go

One round of revisions, then I confirm all bookings. Optional pre-departure call to walk through everything before you fly.

Full process breakdown
1
Book & pay securely

Complete checkout at the link below. Your spot is confirmed and a scheduling link lands in your inbox within minutes.

2
Submit your trip details form

A short form covering your travel dates, destinations in mind, group size, and anything that matters most to you on this trip.

3
Planning call

We talk through your route, pacing, travel style, and priorities. This is where I get everything I need to build your framework.

4
I build your day-by-day framework

Your route and pacing plan built out day by day. Hotels researched, proposed, and booked with any available VIP perks. All transfers identified and booked.

5
One round of revisions

Swap a hotel, adjust the route, change the pacing. The plan should feel right before anything is finalized and I'll make it so.

6
All bookings confirmed

Hotels and transfers confirmed. You'll receive a document with all booking references, hotel details, and transfer logistics in one place.

7
Optional pre-departure call

A final walkthrough before you fly to make sure you feel confident about the plan and know exactly what to expect on arrival.

Your Advisor

Not a travel agent.
An insider.

I'm Karissa, a certified FORA Travel Advisor splitting my time between the U.S. and Italy. I've built itineraries for honeymooners, milestone birthday trips, anniversary getaways, and first-time Italy travelers who didn't know where to begin.

What makes these trips different isn't just knowing Italy. It's knowing which Italy matches which traveler. I've stayed in the hotels I recommend. I've eaten at the restaurants I send clients to. I've taken the transfers I book for you.

My clients consistently come back with the same message: "It was the best trip of our lives." That's not luck. It's what happens when every detail is handled by someone who cares about your trip as much as you do.

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Karissa, FORA-certified Italy travel advisor
Karissa
FORA Certified Travel Advisor · Traveling Balanced
"I'll take you to the Italy I fell in love with, the one I still go back to. The one you can only access when someone who has truly lived there hands you the keys."
FORA Certified Advisor Italy Specialist Based in Italy + U.S.
Client Stories

Real trips. Real results.

"I wanted to plan our own trip but needed someone to get the bones right. Karissa built the itinerary, booked our hotels with perks we never would have gotten on our own, and handled every transfer. We took it from there and it was perfect."
Lauren & Tom B.9-day Amalfi Coast & Capri trip
"Karissa's Itinerary Service saved us weeks of research. Every hotel was exactly right, the transfers were all pre-arranged, and we arrived at each destination seamlessly. The planning fee was nothing compared to what we got back in time."
Marcus D.11-day Rome, Florence & Cinque Terre
"We're independent travelers who just needed the logistics handled. Karissa got us into hotels with breakfast and an upgrade included at most stops, built a day-by-day framework we could actually follow, and figured out all the trains. Exactly what we needed, nothing more."
Nina & Carlos F.10-day Sicily itinerary
Questions

Everything you're wondering.

What exactly is included in the day-by-day framework?

+

The framework covers your route, destinations, and pacing: which cities, in what order, for how many nights, and how to move between them logically. It is the structure your trip is built around. It does not include curated restaurant lists, activity bookings, or a minute-by-minute daily schedule. Those details are yours to research and enjoy. If you want that level of depth, VIP Planning covers it fully.

What exactly is the $399 planning fee for?

+

The planning fee covers the time I put into building your day-by-day framework, researching and proposing hotels at eligible partner properties where VIP perks may be available, and coordinating all transportation logistics. The framework covers your route, destinations, and pacing, not restaurant picks or activity bookings, which are yours to explore. The fee does not include the cost of hotels or transfers themselves. For longer or more complex trips, the fee is adjusted accordingly.

What destinations do you cover?

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My specialty is Italy, including the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Sicily, Rome, Florence, Venice, Lake Como, the Dolomites, Puglia, Sardinia, and beyond. I cover both the iconic destinations and the lesser-known spots that make a trip genuinely memorable.

What VIP perks can I actually expect?

+

At most 4-star and 5-star partner properties, perks may include complimentary breakfast, a room upgrade on arrival, a property or resort credit, and early check-in/late checkout. These are not guaranteed at every hotel and depend on the property's participation in my partner network. I'll tell you upfront which hotels on your trip are eligible and what perks are likely at each. You can learn more at travelingbalanced.com/vip-hotel-booking.

How far in advance should I book?

+

Ideally, 3 to 6 months before your travel dates, especially for peak season (May through September) when availability at top properties fills quickly. That said, I can sometimes work with shorter timelines, so reach out even if your dates are sooner.

What if I already have some things booked?

+

No problem. I'll work around any confirmed bookings and build the rest of your trip to complement them. Just let me know what's already locked in when we speak on our consultation call.

Is there support during the trip itself?

+

The Itinerary is focused on the pre-trip design and booking phase. If you're looking for full on-trip support and a more comprehensive planning experience, that's covered under VIP Planning.

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The essentials,
expertly handled.

Your hotels booked with VIP perks where available, your transfers handled, and a polished day-by-day framework to build the rest of your trip around.

The Itinerary · Planning Fee Starting At
$399
planning fee
for trips up to 10 days
  • Two 1-on-1 Consultation Calls
  • Day-by-day framework covering your route, destinations, and pacing
  • Hotel bookings with VIP perks at eligible partner properties
  • Full transportation coordination and bookings: trains, transfers, airport logistics
  • 1 round of revisions based on your feedback
  • Optional pre-departure call to walk through everything
Book The Itinerary →

Traveling for more than 10 days? Email [email protected] for a custom quote.

FORA Certified
🔒Secure Booking
🛡️Satisfaction Guaranteed

Featured Partners

Virtuoso Belmond Bellini Club Four Seasons Preferred Partner Diamond Club by Dorchester Collection IHG Luxury and Lifestyle Impresario — Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, LXR Rosewood Elite Hyatt Privé Marriott Stars and Luminous Small Luxury Hotels of the World Leaders Club — The Leading Hotels of the World Mandarin Oriental
Ready When You Are

The essentials,
expertly handled.

Your hotels booked with VIP perks, your transfers handled, and a polished day-by-day framework to build the rest of your trip around.

Book The Itinerary
Looking for complete end-to-end planning? Explore VIP Planning →