Rowing on Lake Como was a highlight of our recent trip to northern Italy. Rowing Concierge organised this for our crew, we simply set the date which suited us and Ruth Marr took care of the details. We rowed in a beautiful wooden 8+ ‘Città di Como’, built in the 1950s.  Our rowing partners from Lario club were delightful and hospitable. A marvellous and truly memorable experience.

Ruth Marr organized for us as a group of five the tour on the Shannon, just a week after the FISA World Rowing Tour.  We had a very individual tour with highly interesting sights and adventure on the river and sightseeing points, perfectly organized by Ruth. Ruth chose nice hotels and picked beautiful places to eat. Thanks to her, when the water was not rowable, we got a well-organized alternative program, so we got to see other beautiful places in Ireland. She was a very agreeable guide and companion…we love her for that and thank her deeply!

I have been lucky enough to spend a fair amount of time in Italy and Switzerland, for business and pleasure. But I have never before experienced anything like rowing out of Bellagio, on Lago Maggiore and at Orta. The Rowing the World Tour was an amazing variety of incredibly scenic six days of glorious rowing combined with great engagements with wonderful Italians and Swiss who love rowing as much as I do but in very different ways. Michele in Bellagio was the consummate guide, full of knowledge and warmth. Rowing was more than a sport or activity. It was a way of engaging the people and absorbing the unique and special places of the lake region of northern Italy and southern Switzerland.

The row at Societa Canottiere was excellent. The door was open, Alberto was at his desk and had me out in a classic wooden boat in just a few minutes.  I rowed for about an hour and it was wonderful to be on the Arno rowing under the Ponte Vecchio. Alberto was very gracious and I felt very privileged to be welcomed in their club for a short visit.  Thank you very much for all your work on my behalf to arrange the row with Alberto. You did a great job at being the “rowing concierge” and providing me with this great opportunity.  It was a wonderful way to end my first trip to Italy.