(31 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Linda Gartner

Cincinnati, OH
Luxury Travel and ITALY Specialist

Linda Gartner – Leisure and Group Travel Consultant Interests: Europe.  I began my second chapter of life career as a travel consultant with Prestige Travel of Cincinnati, Ohio in November of 2015. Prior to this new chapter I was a JH choral direc...
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Luxury Travel and ITALY Specialist

A Tuscan agriturismo outside of Buonconvento.
A Tuscan agriturismo outside of Buonconvento.

Linda Gartner – Leisure and Group Travel Consultant Interests: Europe.  I began my second chapter of life career as a travel consultant with Prestige Travel of Cincinnati, Ohio in November of 2015. Prior to this new chapter I was a JH choral director at Sycamore Junior High for 34 years!  


I have traveled to 12 European countries and over 44 European cities. Additionally, I have visited several destinations within Canada, the Caribbean, Taiwan and Mexico.  There are SO many beautiful destinations in our world, but Italy has my heart!  


As an agent with Prestige Travel I hope to share my knowledge and passion for travel with you. I will do my absolute best to insure that YOU have a love of travel, too! Thanks to my affiliation with Travel Leaders I can research the best possible pricing, experiences and offerings for you and your family.  My varied background in travel also makes me a great resource for you and your group — of any size!


As a former Choral Director, I have taken literally thousands of students, staff members and parents throughout the Mid-West, to Washington D.C, and to 9 countries and 32 cities in Europe. (Group travel is unlike anything you have ever experienced; there is always someone different to talk with at breakfast!)


One of my most favorite group travel memories was taking a group to sing mass at St. Peter’s in Rome – a true highlight of my travel and choral music career. I will forever cherish the memory of leading in song this group of 108—inside the World’s largest cathedral — and then escorting them to sing, once again, for thousands of people on the piazza outside!


Besides leading large groups, I’ve planned trips with my husband and sons to Hawaii, Italy (10 trips!), Spain, France, the UK,  Greece, San Francisco, Wine Country, Seattle, the San Juan Islands, the Canadian Rockies, Taiwan, Mexican resorts in Playa del Carmen, Cabo San Lucas and Cancun, on cruises in the Caribbean, and for an extended stay on St. John, USVI.


Because of my varied experiences in trip planning, I would like to help plan your ideal vacation — whether you are a family of two or twenty.


I must share with you about my favorite - ITALIA!   Not only have I led choral groups throughout this wonderful country multiple times, but my family has vacationed there four times, as well. One of those great Italian trip memories was a three-week experience that highlighted pasta, wine, cappuccino, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, gelato and, of course, some Italian history! Cities like Bologna and their famed arches, Ravenna and the breathtaking mosaics, Siena with its magnificent cathedral, and Lucca home of the BEST opera composer, Giocomo Puccini, should be included on everyone’s Italian travel list! And, obviously, Rome, Florence, and Venice shouldn’t be missed; but what about Verona the home of Juliet, Sorrento and its football size lemons that soon become Limoncello, Montalcino in the heart of Tuscan vineyards and Orvieto.   Do not forget Monopoli a true undiscovered GEM!  We’ve had fabulous experiences and made wonderful memories in all of these locations. The Italians are like no other!


In the fall of 2019, I escorted a group of 14 on a Wine and Dine Trip throughout Tuscany and the Lake Como region.  We ate, we tasted wine, we ate again.  It was another wonderful experience.  Group travel!!!  Some of the people on the group knew some of the people on the group....!  BUT no one knew everyone.....until the END!  Lots of laughter, lots of adventure!  Have you ever walked the rooftop of the Duomo in Milan?  We did!  Have you ever had a private tour of the Ferrari museum?  We did!  Have you ever sat in an Italian garden restaurant where the owner MADE you deposit your cell phone prior to being seated so that we all actually TALKED?  We did!  GREAT TIMES!


It would truly be my pleasure to help you plan your trip — from the very beginning to the very end of your travels. I will treat your wants as if they were my wants, researching the best possible pricing with the best possible experiences! If you’re on a tight budget, I will help find you the most outstanding experiences available within that budget. If you want a luxury vacation, I will help find you the most sumptuous accommodations and unique adventures.


I look forward to meeting you and helping you learn about the world through travel. Where would you like to go first?


Linda

I Want to Go Back - ALWAYS

Buongiorno!  I had to share about my most recent Italian adventure!  Yes, I had to return post Covid.  The three year wait was definitely worth it!  I planned my trip for 6 - three couples.  As always, my friends understood that I had to go somewhere that I had never visited.  SICILY!  Long journey from Cincinnati, OH to Catania, Sicily but well worth it!  Taormina, Mt. Etna, wineries, Agrigento, massive Greek Temples, Palermo, incredible cannoli, Cefalu, another winery (!) then off to the mainland, Milan, Como, Bellagio, Bologna, and Florence.  I just got back and I'm ready to go again!  The Italians are like no other.  They are SO happy to have tourists again!!!  Hoping you are planning where you want to go now!  Don't wait! 

Linda

My Travel Albums

ITALY FAVORITES
Sorrento hotel breakfast!

My Travel Stories

The Great Road Trip WEST

During our Covid time in the United States, some of us just had to get out of our homes and travel to see the grandchildren.  When you live in the Midwest and have little ones in Southern California and are requested to drive instead of fly, that's exactly what you do!  There is NOTHING more wonderful...Read more.

My Reviews

50 of 71 people found this review helpful
Tour of Italy
It was a pleasure to work with Linda Gartner when planning our family trip to Italy this past summer. She is a true professional! From beginning to end, she was instrumental in planning and coordinating our trip. We started with a meeting to discuss our interests while traveling in Italy, and she quickly sketched out a starting-point itinerary. We tweaked that itinerary until we were completely satisfied and excited for our upcoming trip! Linda took care of everything we needed for our international trip, from airline tickets to rail tickets, to planning excursions including a private tour of Tuscany and our private wine tasting at a lovely vineyard! Bellissimo! The hotel she suggested in Positano was breathtaking! Also, after experiencing a family emergency at home, she and her colleague worked quickly and diligently to get us home on an earlier flight! Given all this, her attention to detail and extensive knowledge of Europe, I would HIGHLY recommend working with Linda Gartner!
By  Cindy  from  Cincinnati, OH
Traveled to  Italy ~ Europe
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
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51 of 76 people found this review helpful
Awesome from start to finish
She did such a terrific job for us on every level, put together a wonderful trip in a short amount of time, and was there for us no matter what question we had or when we had it! Her knowledge, energy and enthusiasm made for such a great experience from the day we contacted her to the post-vacation visit to tell her all about it, and we can't wait to plan our next trip with her.
By  Happy Travellers  from  Cincinnati, Ohio
Traveled to  Germany ~ Europe
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
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39 of 58 people found this review helpful
Amazing Wine and Dine tour through Italy
It was so easy! Prior to the trip, she communicated regularly to the group to let us know deadlines for invoices, etc., She does all the work. We just show up and enjoy! I can't say enough how amazing this experience was for us. The amount of planning that went into the trip was so obvious once we got started. We went from Sept 5-16. The vacation was Wine and Dine through Italy. And we did just that! We wined and dined in Orvieto, Florence, Siena, Modena, Bologna, Como, and Milan. With that much in the itinerary, you would think that the trip would be exhausting. But the planning was impeccable…therefore very, very easy. So…would I recommend you contact or travel with Linda? You bet. It truly was the trip of a lifetime. I can’t wait to go on her next one. Hope to see you there with me!
By  Sharon  from  Cincinnati, OH
Traveled to  Italy ~ Europe
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends

Linda Gartner responded:
Grazie mille, Sharon! Traveling with great people is always a winning equation. ....ESPECIALLY in ITALIA! So glad you have wonderful memories! Yes, let's do it again! Kindest regards, Linda

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34 of 48 people found this review helpful
Amazing Trip!
Just returned from an amazing trip to Italy & Greece and have to say Linda nailed it! The itinerary, hotel locations, tour recommendations - everything was absolutely perfect. The entire trip was completely seamless from start to finish due to Linda's planning and expertise. If you're planning a trip I would highly recommend working with Linda. She is a great resource especially if you're not familiar traveling abroad. Thanks for all of your help!
By  Jim   from  Cincinnati, Ohio
Traveled to  Greece ~ Europe
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
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43 of 66 people found this review helpful
Awesome trip on very short notice.
Knowledgeable. She has been there, done that, as a traveler so she is able to have valuable input to guide to the new traveler that may save them angst and money. Also able to show the client how to be the most efficient with their time.
By  Bob Stevens  from  Cincinnati
Traveled to  Normandy ~ France ~ Europe
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
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Destination Expert:

  • Europe
  • Italy
  • Austria
  • France
  • Spain

Travel Specialist:

  • European Culture
  • Family Vacations
  • River Cruises
  • Food & Wine
  • Groups

Top Travel Partners:

  • Viking
  • AmaWaterways

Certifications/Awards:

  • Certified Destination Specialist - ITALY
  • Rocky Mountaineer Specialist
  • Luxury Travel Specialist
  • Viking Cruises Certified Expert
  • AMA Waterways Certified Specialist

Industry Affiliations:

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