Chris Russo
Scottsdale, Arizona Travel Agent
Alternative Travel Services, LLC., a Internova Travel Group Network affiliate agency
Email Me
Everything Italy
I have been in the travel industry for over 30 years and have done every aspect of the industry. My list includes being a travel advisor, travel agency owner, President of a host agency, Director of Sales for an Escorted tour company and Business Development Manager for a tour company. On top of that I was President of ASTA the American Society of Travel Advisors for 3 years.
During Co-vid when everyone's world changed so did mine. I met a wonderful woman who is now my wife and like many others in the travel industry had to reinvent myself. That reinvention started with me finding my heritage in Southern Italy as we pursued living abroad. A trip to Italy in 2021 got us close and we decided to take up root in a little town named Rieti, Italy which is considered the belly button of Italy. 1.5 hours Northeast of Rome we have had the pleasure of meeting great people and traveling the country.
I applied for my Citizenship through my Great Grandparents in my comune and received my Italian Citizenship on October 4, 2023. I am happy to be a dual citizen now.
Since I have been here I have met wonderful people and some wonderful local tour companies to give you a very unique experience to your Italy vacation. I also have the unique opportunity to be on the same time zone when you are traveling through Italy in case something comes up last minute. Such as Taxi strikes (even I get caught by those), train strikes, mask mandates and of course the major one these days airline delays. Contact me for your personal Italian Experience.
Testimonials
My home town of Rieti Italy!!
Chris Russo went from a name I was recommended to a name that my husband & I were singing all honeymoon long! “That Chris Russo did it again!” From the first email to the last day of our honeymoon, Chris was over-the-top responsive, friendly, efficient, & gracious. Working with Chris was like working with a great friend just as interested as I was in making the whole experience flow magically. My husband and I will treasure our honeymoon adventures for the rest of our lives, and we will continue to sing Chris Russo’s name to anyone looking to see their dream trip become a reality!
My Areas of Expertise
Honeymoon Trip of a Lifetime!
Reviewed By Lizzie & John Imperiale - Long Island, NY | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Chris Russo went from a name I was recommended to a name that my husband & I were singing all honeymoon long! “That Chris Russo did it again!” From the first email to the last day of our honeymoon, Chris was over-the-top responsive, friendly, efficient, & gracious. Working with Chris was like working with a great friend just as interested as I was in making the whole experience flow magically. He found every type of tour we had hoped for & sent options to choose from at different costs and experience levels to turn hopes into reality! He found & booked our flights & seats, hotels, transfers, tours, and even made dinner reservations for us! When we arrived, we had nothing to do but enjoy smooth sailing adventures! He was our pocket concierge wherever we were- both before and during our trip. My husband and I will treasure our honeymoon adventures for the rest of our lives, and we will continue to sing Chris Russo’s name to anyone looking to see their dream trip become a reality!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Great service
Reviewed By Jerri - Vero Beach florida | Traveled to Rome ~ Italy ~ Europe
I would recommend Chris for all of your travel needs! He booked hotels, trains and excursions for the 6 days I was in Italy. He was knowledgeable about the kind of places I had wanted to see and booked the perfect tours. While in Rome the taxi drivers were on strike and I could get to one of the tours and I was able to contact him early in the morning and he got the time changed so I could make it .
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Honeymoon of a Lifetime
Reviewed By Sil - Long Island, NY | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Booking with Chris was one of the best decisions we could have made when deciding on our honeymoon trip to Italy. He truly made the whole experience feel custom tailored to us, and planned a trip we will never forget. From soup to nuts, we felt taken care of at every turn. Dining reservations, excursions, hotels, and general experiences were all top notch, and his recommendations never let us down. Communication was excellent both prior to the trip and during our stay. Chris took the time to listen to us and plan a trip that would simply not have been possible if we attempted this on our own. The whole thing was so stress free, and I feel that we got the absolute best value for our money through him and his recommendations. Whether it's for your honeymoon or just a general visit, it's simply a no brainer to book with Chris. He made arguably the most important trip of our lives feel that much more special, and we owe him a debt of gratitude. Grazie di tutto Chris!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Best trip-we want to go back!
Reviewed By Italy and Greece - Islip Terrace, New York | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Chris did an amazing job from start to finish. We communicated quite often over the 8 months of planning which resulted in an all around fabulous vacation to Italy and Greece that my daughters and I absolutely loved. We spent quite a bit of time on the phone right before the trip going over every detail of the itinerary and answering all of my questions. I was 100% comfortable and ready for this big trip. He also contacted us during our trip several times to check in to make sure everything was going well, and was available to answer any questions or concerns we had. We spent 3 days in Rome, and 4 days in Sorrento. Then off to Mykonos for 5 days and Athens for 2. The flights, hotels, private tours, and drivers were all fantastic, including the amount of down time mixed in with a lot of history and culture. Also loved the wine and chocolates he sent! Chris was so kind and professional and planned this amazing trip for us! Thank you Chris!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Deron Roberson's Italy Tour aka Stanley Tucci
Reviewed By Deron Roberson's Italty Trip - Louisa, VA | Traveled to Florence ~ Italy ~ Europe
Chris was excellent! His attention to detail was superb. He made sure that a group of 9 had all that we needed for our tours through Dragon Fly, which is excellent also. The drivers and tours all took great care of us and provided wonderful information about the history of Florence and Venice. I will continue to refer people to Chris if they want to travel the right way. He works with your budget and doesn't push you to do more than you want to. He listens to the group to ensure that the whole group will be able to enjoy the adventure awaiting. Kudos to him and Dragon Fly Tours!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Great Wine Trip in Florence Italy
Reviewed By Deron R. - Upper Marlboro, MD | Traveled to Florence ~ Italy ~ Europe
Chris definitely made it worth while to work with a Travel Agent. I had an outline of what I wanted to do for the 2 week trip, and Chris help me fill in the details. Chris made all the travel arrangement for 3 different day trips, such as Venice, and made all the arrangement for vans and drivers to take us to seven different wineries. Chris was very detailed oriented and ensured our confirmation to all the restaurant reservations and tours to the many museums. Chris's knowledge of Italy allowed him to make recommendations that definitely improved our trip. If their was an issue , he was on call and resolved the issue quickly. Chris treated our trip as if it was his and ensured everything went well. Chris made our trip to Italy a trip of a life time and has us contemplating plans for the next excursion to Italy. If you need a great getaway to Italy , Chris will make it worth your while.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
A Phenominal Trip of a Lifetime!!
Reviewed By Cheryl - Richmond, VA | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
I would HIGHLY recommend Chris to provide you the VERY BEST service and experience. He customizes your travel and listens to your wants and needs. Everything was just wonderful with no problems whatsoever. When there was a glitch, Chris took care of it all. We didn't have to worry about anything. Our walking tours, winery tours, train rides and drivers were all top notch! I can't say enough good things about Chris!! He made our trip unforgettable!!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Amazing Food and Wine Trip
Reviewed By Happy Traveler - Delaware | Traveled to Tuscany ~ Italy ~ Europe
Chris spent a lot of time with our group listening to our needs and wishes, and then he set about (over)delivering everything! We had perfect and perfectly located villa, comfortable transportation with friendly and accommodating drivers, and several tours in cities with the most knowledgable and flexible guides. I wouldn't change a thing!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
Trip of a lifetime
Reviewed By Jackie Leroy Gilliard - Bowie | Traveled to Florence ~ Italy ~ Europe
Chris was wonderful. He walked us through every step of our vacation plan. He was always available when we had questions. We were so happy. This was the trip of a lifetime and it met all of our expectations. Chris even made all of our dinner reservations. We visited several Wineries that were recommended by Chris. He also arranged our Winery visits. We stayed in a wonderful villa. That Chris found and reserved for us. He actually visited the villa to assure that it would be to our liking. Chris and his wife even met us for dinner one night. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a trip of a lifetime.
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
An amazing trip to Italy!
Reviewed By ANK - Florida | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Chris was very responsive, informed and helpful. He made sure he understood our needs and then came up with a plan that was perfectly suited to us. He was even available to help us while we were on our vacation. Given that he lives in Italy, he knows the area. We were so appreciative of all he did for us. We highly recommend him!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Our Incredible Italian Experience
Reviewed By David T - San Antonio, Tx | Traveled to Italy ~ Europe
Chris has been a pleasure to work with and I highly recommend working with him on any vacation experience. Chris has gone out of his way to make our trip successful and fun. I had a million questions and he never missed a beat or got frustrated. Chris even traveled to a specific train station for me to verify where the best place to park was!! No one does that!Chris, thank you so much for making our vacation special, even for our teenagers! Tuscany, Venice, Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, trains, tours. You did it all for us! I would have never pulled this off without you! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
If you are looking for the best. Look no further! You have found him!
I would recommend this agent to my family and friends
0 of 1 people found this review helpful