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3735 messages

Francesca Stoppani

Hi everyone! I am a northern culture enthusiast and specialist. I have studied and worked in most Nordic and Scandinavian countries where I trained as a linguist and political scientist.
Traveling and living in the North is the spice that makes my life more balanced.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in the northern destinations and Scandinavia. Mostly Iceland, Finland, Norway, the Faroe Islands and Greenland."

How did you get involved in travel?

"I started off working as a tour leader in Norway during the Summer. Mostly involved with French and Italian groups, I occasionally guided multinational visitors. I am a northern lights hunter, nature whisperer and a greedy consumer of culture and art."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"I have traveled to Greenland for one month to attend a language course in the capital, Nuuk. I was invited there to a baptism where I tasted narwhal meat for the first time!"

Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Francesca

Our second trip to Iceland booked through Kim...
Iceland | Aug 29 - Sep 8, 2023

Jon
Jon A.
Akron, OH | Reviewed on Sep 11, 2023
Our second trip to Iceland booked through Kim Kim was just as amazing as our first. Francesca did a wonderful job of putting my vacation ideas into a wonderful real life experience. We got to see everything on our Iceland bucket list including seeing the amazing puffins on Westman Island and the Northern Lights in the West Fiords. Could not have been better. Read more

Our second trip to Iceland booked through Kim Kim was just as amazing as our first. Francesca did a wonderful job of putting my vacation ideas into a wonderful real life experience. We got to see everything on our Iceland bucket list including seeing the amazing puffins on Westman Island and the Northern Lights in the West Fiords. Could not have been better.

Hotel Reviews
Fosshotel Baron
Reykjavík

The Fosshotel Baron in Reykjavik was a typical tourist hotel. They often booked a lot of retiree buses and it was pretty crowded. But I was on one of the upper floors and it was very quiet. The lobby was crowded, but I didn't spend a lot of time there. Overall, it was a decent place to stay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Country Hotel Heydalur
Latur

This country hotel was a real comfort amid the desolate landscapes. It was situated about 10 kilometers off the main road on a bumpy gravel road. The food here was the highlight. They had the most wonderful smoked trout, which they actually caught right on the farm. The only downside was the uncooperative weather, but hey, that's Iceland for you.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Guesthouse Gullsól

I stayed at this guesthouse on Grimsey Island. It was one of the only three options on the entire island. They had a nice shared living room where we had coffee. There was no breakfast option at the guesthouse, but we grabbed a bite to eat on the ferry back to the mainland. Overall, it was a pretty decent place to stay given the limited choices.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Sep 27, 2023

Wow! Thanks Jon, it was so fun to plan your off-beat trip. Let's explore the North-East and Eastfjords next time!

I can't wait to book my next trip with Kimkim!
Iceland | Aug 19 - Aug 27, 2023

M
Mason G.
Herndon, VA | Reviewed on Sep 01, 2023

First Francesca is absolutely incredible! Her expertise, recommendations, and itinerary made our trip to Iceland an incredible adventure! Thank you so so much! We enjoyed our whole trip. I only wish I had known about this company sooner. If you are looking to book an Iceland adventure look no further! Thank you so much for coordinating our trip and making it a trip of a lifetime.

Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Sep 05, 2023

Thank you for the great review Mason!

Amazing hiking and sightseeing tour of South Ring
Iceland | Aug 17 - Aug 27, 2023

Dina
Dina L.
Greenfield, MA | Reviewed on Aug 28, 2023

Francesca planned the trip of a lifetime for us. I cannot imagine anything that would have improved our trip. I hope to work with KimKim in the future and to recommend Francesca to friends that wish to travel to Iceland. Thank you for a trip that was beyond my wildest dreams!

Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 28, 2023

Thank you Dina, anytime!!!

5 Stars and More for Francesca! :)
Iceland | Aug 17 - Aug 27, 2023

J
Joanne B.
Greenfield, MA | Reviewed on Aug 28, 2023
Thank You, Francesca, for creating a 5-star fly, drive, hike and horseback riding vacation for us along the southern coast of Iceland. Your attention to detail, listening and including all of the activities that we dreamed about doing on our trip was amazing. Everything from in-country flights, to rental car, hotel confirmations with breakfast, activity bookings, complex travel from the interior after our hiking the Fimmvorouhals Trail, EVERYTHING, went off without a hitch! You made this... Read more

Thank You, Francesca, for creating a 5-star fly, drive, hike and horseback riding vacation for us along the southern coast of Iceland. Your attention to detail, listening and including all of the activities that we dreamed about doing on our trip was amazing. Everything from in-country flights, to rental car, hotel confirmations with breakfast, activity bookings, complex travel from the interior after our hiking the Fimmvorouhals Trail, EVERYTHING, went off without a hitch! You made this trip to Iceland such an easy and magical experience and I would highly recommend Kim Kim and Francesca to assist with planning your next journey! I would like to also Thank Francesca for responding promptly to all our questions prior to booking our trip and presenting our trip in such an organized and easy to access format. You made this such an easy experience. Thank you so much for doing all of the hard work so that all we had to do was sit back and enjoy our vacation! Thank you. Thank you! I will definitely recommend you to family and friends as well as consider using Kim Kim for future travels to unknown destinations.

Hotel Reviews
Fosshotel Baron
Reykjavík
Vatnsholt Hotel & Guesthouse
Selfoss
Hotel Skógá by EJ Hotels
Hótel Klaustur
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Höfn - Berjaya Iceland Hotels
Höfn
Hotel Framtid
Djúpivogur

Love the open space and enjoyed having our own kitchen. Convenient walk to harbor and diner.

Seydisfjordur Guesthouse
Seydisfjordur

Excellent location! Walk to restaurants. Nice community space with kitchen. Appreciated the use of free washer and dryer.

Location
Activity Reviews
The Secret Lagoon
The Secret Lagoon
Iceland

Wonderful experience. I was expecting all of the lagoons and "spas" to be a much quieter experience, but they are more of a tourist attraction and family pool. I would definitely go back though! I loved floating around and apprecia!ted the use of the "noodles" for floating. Locker rooms and showers are clean and well maintained.

Horse Riding Tour
Horse Riding Tour
Iceland

A lovely farm and wonderful horses! Our guide (Seeno? spelling) was from Denmark and was wonderful. We had a semi-private ride over to the waterfall. The horses were amazing and so well behaved and friendly. We stopped for photos and loved the views! A wonderful and relaxing 2- hour ride. Even for an experienced rider, I would recommend this trip as the scenery was amazing and I had never experienced the "Tolt" gait. It felt like such a priviledge to ride these beautiful animals.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The Geothermal Vok Baths
The Geothermal Vok Baths
Iceland

The baths were amazing, but crowded.

Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 28, 2023

I am so humbled by your amazing review - Thank you so much, glad you had a blast!

Awesome family Ring Road trip!
Iceland | Jun 11 - Jun 19, 2023

Charley
Charley S.
Manchester Center, VT | Reviewed on Aug 11, 2023
We had an awesome time on the Ring Road! Francesca made a great itinerary for us, with a great mix of hikes, scenic stops, and cool towns. The logistics of the rental car and all of the great lodgings couldn’t have been better! It was very relaxing to know that so many highlights had been organized for us. Read more

We had an awesome time on the Ring Road! Francesca made a great itinerary for us, with a great mix of hikes, scenic stops, and cool towns. The logistics of the rental car and all of the great lodgings couldn’t have been better! It was very relaxing to know that so many highlights had been organized for us.

Hotel Reviews
Seydisfjordur Guesthouse
Seydisfjordur

We were in the separate rental apartment, which was awesome for a family of four.

Authenticity & Character
Super clean Nordic style
Location
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Framtid
Djúpivogur

We had an apartment suite that was excellent

Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Geysir
Bláskógabyggd

Super clean and stylish! The restaurant was excellent, too!

Location
Easy walk across the road to the geyser
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Blue Lagoon
Iceland

This was a great finale to our trip. Definitely the nicest hot spring of our trip

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
It was worth swimming over for the storytelling session
Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Aug 13, 2023

Thank you so much Charley - looking forward to helping out with your next trip!

Francesca and her collegues did a great job! ...
Iceland | Jul 5 - Jul 14, 2023

Traci
Traci B.
Troy, OH | Reviewed on Jul 15, 2023
Francesca and her collegues did a great job! Francesca had so many great sites for us to visit. It was a lot packed in to a 10 day trip, but so worth it. We had great weather the entire time we were there. Sunny but windy at times. I've never seen so many waterfalls in one place! The towering cliffs and mountain views are just unbelievable! My kids loved Selijalandsfoss. They walked behind the waterfall and got soaked, but both said it was worth it! Bruarfoss was absolutely stunning and an... Read more

Francesca and her collegues did a great job! Francesca had so many great sites for us to visit. It was a lot packed in to a 10 day trip, but so worth it. We had great weather the entire time we were there. Sunny but windy at times. I've never seen so many waterfalls in one place! The towering cliffs and mountain views are just unbelievable! My kids loved Selijalandsfoss. They walked behind the waterfall and got soaked, but both said it was worth it! Bruarfoss was absolutely stunning and an easy, short walk from the parking lot. A must stop! My favorite place was the quaint, charming town of Heimaey on the Westman Islands. Especially visiting the puffin colony. We spent just one night there and wish we had more time. The Katla ice cave was spectacular but not for the faint of heart. I felt safe but if you have a fear of heights, it might be tough. Another favorite of ours was Diamond Beach and the Fjallsarlon area. I've never seen so many icebergs! Reykjavik City is a great place to walk around and try local cuisine. We all felt very safe there.
As far as the touristy, Blue Lagoon...we did that right off the plane when we arrived in Iceland. It was a great relaxing experience but later in our trip we did Sky Lagoon on our own and liked it much better. Smaller yet less touristy of a feel and overlooked the ocean, where we could see the erupting Fagradalsfjall volcano in the distance. How lucky were we to be there when the volcano erupted?! Something my kids will always remember. While we weren't prepared for the very long hike to the volcano site and we couldn't secure a helicopter trip, it was still awesome to be there at the time. I had some concerns the days leading up to the eruption, but Francesca assured me we would be safe and provided a website to follow for updates and warnings that may be issued. Overall I can't say enough about the trip. It was a great experience and well planned. Iceland is truly a beautiful place. I hope to return some day to visit the North.

Hotel Reviews
Skuggi Hotel Reykjavík by Keahotels
Reykjavík

American travelers must remember if traveling in the summer, while Icelands summers are cool compared to US, there's no A/C and the rooms get warm. Luckily the windows open!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fosshotel Nupar
Kálfafell

American travelers must remember if traveling in the summer, while Icelands summers are cool compared to US, there's no A/C and the rooms get warm. Luckily the windows open!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Overlooks the glacier.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Guesthouse Hamar
Vestmannaeyjar

American travelers must remember if traveling in the summer, while Icelands summers are cool compared to US, there's no A/C and the rooms get warm. Luckily the windows open!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Skalholt
Selfoss

American travelers must remember if traveling in the summer, while Icelands summers are cool compared to US, there's no A/C and the rooms get warm. Luckily the windows open!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hellnafell
Grundarfjordur

Very clean and great views of Kirkjufell Mountain.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching
Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching
Reykjavík

It was very choppy seas. Apparently, the day before was also choppy. We saw no whales and many suffered from sea sickness. I wish the tour company Elding, would have canceled. They most likely knew we wouldn't see whales in those conditions. It was a little disappointing that we went out in such rough conditions for 3 hrs. I understand that there's no guarantee, in any conditions, but this tour should have been canceled and refunded.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The capt was very informative about the whales and ocean.
Katla Ice Cave
Katla Ice Cave
Iceland

Very cool experience. If you are afraid of heights, this might not be for you. While it's not crazy high, two people in our tour had problems and turned back.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The super jeep that took us out to the cave was a fun experience.
Fly Fishing in Golden Circle
Golden Circle

A great experience! We were new tonfly fishing but got the hang of it pretty quickly. Three out of six people in our group caught fish.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Maria and Freddy were great. Even when we tangled the line for the 100th time!
Vatnshellir lava cave tour
Vatnshellir lava cave tour
Iceland

Quick lava cave experience and educational. Two sets of spiral staircases to go up and down.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable.
Blue Lagoon
Iceland

Very relaxing after the flight from the US.

Quality of Experience
The Secret Lagoon
The Secret Lagoon
Iceland

We opted to skip this lagoon due to it being very small and crowded.

Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jul 17, 2023

Thank you so much Traci for your wonderful review!

It’s been a year since I travelled to Iceland...
Iceland | Jul 26 - Aug 2, 2022

Gurshan
Gurshan S.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 27, 2023
It’s been a year since I travelled to Iceland and any time someone mentions travelling to this country, I recommend they go and check out the Kim-Kim team.
Francesca was amazing to deal with. She made the trip worry free (from the car rentals to hotel check ins to all the fun planned activities). This trip really was stress and worry free.
Words honestly can’t describe how amazing this trip was💕💕
Read more

It’s been a year since I travelled to Iceland and any time someone mentions travelling to this country, I recommend they go and check out the Kim-Kim team.
Francesca was amazing to deal with. She made the trip worry free (from the car rentals to hotel check ins to all the fun planned activities). This trip really was stress and worry free.
Words honestly can’t describe how amazing this trip was💕💕

Hotel Review
Viking Café Guesthouse
Hofn

The staff were amazing and extremely friendly and helpful…the views weren’t half bad either 😜

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
The Geothermal Vok Baths
The Geothermal Vok Baths
Iceland

Amazing experience. Beautifully designed

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Skaftafell Ice Climbing & Glacier Hike
Skaftafell Ice Climbing & Glacier Hike
Iceland

The guides were very resourceful and provided amazing information

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jun 28, 2023

Hi Gurshan, thank you so much for the lovely words!!

Francesca is Great!
Iceland | May 9 - May 25, 2023

Deb
Deb S.
New Brighton, MN | Reviewed on Jun 19, 2023

It was a delight to work with Francesca in planning the trip. She developed an itinerary that was perfect for us. The tours she booked were great as were her restaurant suggestions throughout Iceland. We loved how she gave us daily optional activities. The hotels we stayed at were very nice. We needed to make a few changes in our itinerary because of flight cancellations. Michele and Francesca were very responsive adjusting hotels and activities.

Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jun 20, 2023

Hi Deb, the delight was mutual and I hope our paths cross again. If you'd like to go to the Faroe Islands or Finland, I would be glad to help with another of your trips!

Francesca organised a fabulous trip to the Faroe Islands!
the Faroe Islands | May 8 - May 15, 2023

Tanya
Tanya D.
Australia | Reviewed on May 28, 2023
Francesca organised a fabulous trip to the Faroe Islands for us. Contact and payment in lead up to the trip was simple and quick. We were a little unlucky with weather on the trip, which unfortunately resulted in morning ferry cancellations to Mykines (we tried three days in a row!) but we appreciated Francesca and her colleague's support to keep re-booking the ferry so we could keep trying. Anytime we had little hiccups we received prompt assistance from KimKim. Highlight of the trip was a... Read more

Francesca organised a fabulous trip to the Faroe Islands for us. Contact and payment in lead up to the trip was simple and quick. We were a little unlucky with weather on the trip, which unfortunately resulted in morning ferry cancellations to Mykines (we tried three days in a row!) but we appreciated Francesca and her colleague's support to keep re-booking the ferry so we could keep trying. Anytime we had little hiccups we received prompt assistance from KimKim. Highlight of the trip was a day out on Kalsoy Island (beautiful black basalt wall where James Bond gravestone is erected given scenes filmed in the iconic 'No Time to Die' film). Tip: arrive at least an hour early to get in line for the 10-car-max ferry to go across to Kalsoy Island as queues build quickly and we were unable to get the morning one, but tried again and got on the afternoon one. (also bring a phone charger+ any medication in case you get stuck there for the night if weather turns or the return ferry is full). Food can be a little hit and miss (and expensive) in Faroe Islands if you are a bit fussy like myself, but fresh fish (especially Cod) was always delightful. Despite much of our trip leaving the islands as a blanket fog of mystery with the weather, we had a great time and would book through KimKim again.

Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on May 29, 2023

Hi Tanya, thank you so much for your review!

Personalized service, on call while traveling.
Iceland | May 15 - May 25, 2023

Anna L
Anna L C.
Clovis, CA | Reviewed on May 26, 2023
I’m most happy to have chosen KimKim and Francesca for my first trip to Iceland. All of the accommodations were really great. It would be hard to choose one above the others. The weather was an issue and forced cancellation of a few activities but it was no problem getting a new plan and refunds for cancelled ones. The Silfra Snorkeling was amazing and such great staff, I felt totally safe the whole time (and I’m 72yrs old.) All of the food I ate while in Iceland was amazing!!!! Read more

I’m most happy to have chosen KimKim and Francesca for my first trip to Iceland. All of the accommodations were really great. It would be hard to choose one above the others. The weather was an issue and forced cancellation of a few activities but it was no problem getting a new plan and refunds for cancelled ones. The Silfra Snorkeling was amazing and such great staff, I felt totally safe the whole time (and I’m 72yrs old.) All of the food I ate while in Iceland was amazing!!!!

Hotel Reviews
Aurora Hotel at Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport Terminal KEF
Reykjanesbær

Lackadaisical staff, dim ugly lobby, but the room has the basic necessities and it’s clean. Walking back and forth from car rental and airport is difficult in bad weather and not the safest (no sidewalks part of the way.) But dinner at the restaurant was excellent.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Glacier View Guesthouse - Hrífunes
Hrífunes

The rooms are exceptionally well designed with an eye to color, light, views, privacy. And lots of little details like makeup mirrors. The location is near nature - when the weather is clear you can see the glacier (two views.) Lots of hiking in the area and centrally located for drives to beach, waterfalls, and canyon hikes. But the best thing about this place was the warm, gracious hosts, Elin and Born. The food was outstanding, too.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Blue View Cabin 1A with Hot Tub
Bláskógabyggd

Fantastic, quiet, private, location with great views. Everything you need, including kitchen and hot tub. Don’t forget to shop for groceries before leaving the urban areas. I had a problem with door locks, but someone came immediately when I called about it. Problem solved.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fosshotel Baron
Reykjavík

Clean, basic rooms. Generous breakfast each morning and happy hour in the evenings. Close walking distance to waterfront, shopping (clothing, bookstores, wool, galleries) art museums, and more.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Francesca Stoppani
Francesca
Francesca Stoppani
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on May 28, 2023

Hi Anna, it was a pleasure to help you out with your Iceland adventure! Really looking forward to work together again.