Genie Williams, DS, LS

Interests & Specialties
Genie has been with Central Travel for 14 years and has decades of travel experience.  In addition to her knowledge of South Africa, she has been on more than 30 cruises. She holds a Caribbean Destination Specialist Certificate and has visited almost every major island in the Caribbean. Genie has extensive experience with villa rentals on St. John, St. Barts and St. Martin. She is also a certified Spa Specialist and has visited some of the top spas in the world.  Her recent travels have taken her to Greece and Italy.  Located in the Perrysburg, Ohio office, Genie can be reached at 419 874-2457, 888 295-5038 or genie@centraltravel.com

Expert Bio

Whether you are considering your first journey to Africa or a repeat visit to the land you have come to love, Genie Williams, our South Africa Specialist will make your trip special.

Given any destination in the world, Ms. Williams would choose Africa!  She has experienced the amazing diversity of cultures and animal life and these experiences keep her longing to return. Quite familiar with the finest accommodations available, Genie can recommend the Private Tent or Lodge Safari that is perfect for you.

She is especially fond of South Africa and recommends the Mala Mala Game Reserve, one of South Africa's premier game parks where game viewing is available in open land rovers and on walking safaris.

And you must spend time in Capetown! The city's history and culture, encapsulated these days in distinctive neighborhoods like the Bo-Kaap or on Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, offer experiences of a lifetime. 

Ms. Williams holds an Africa Destination Specialist Certificate from The Travel Institute and Virtuoso's prestigious S.T.A.R. South Africa Designation.

My Recent Trips

I have recently returned from a wonderful visit to Italy where I explored the wonders of Venice and Rome.  Today Venice is home to 62,000 people in its old city - Down from its peak of 200,000.  Venice is Europe’s best-preserved big city.  It is a car free urban wonderland of 100 islands laced together by 400 bridges and 2000 alleys.  It survives on tourism.  Vaporettos (motorized bus-boats) take you anywhere you want to go - Get an unlimited pass – Grand Canal is Venice’s Main Street – two miles long, 150 feet wide and 15 feet deep and it is lined with impressive palaces.

Must Sees:

St. Mark’s Square – Venice’s grand main square – and Clock Tower
St. Mark’s Basilica -  Cathedral with mosaics, saint’s bones, treasury, and viewpoint of square –
Doge’s Palace – Art-splashed palace of former rulers, with prison accessible through Bridge of Sighs-
Rialto Bridge – Distinctive bridge spanning the Grand Canal with a market nearby for locals and tourists –
Accademia-   Venice’s top art museum
Peggy Guggenheim Collection – Popular display of 20th century art –
Frari Church- Franciscan church featuring Renaissance masters –
Bridge of Sighs – famous enclosed bridge, part of Doge’s palace
La Salute Church – Striking church dedicated to the Virgin Mary
Murano – Island famous for glass factories and glassmaking museum
Burano- sleepy  lacemaking island with a lace museum
Be prepared to splurge - Venice is expensive.  Things just cost more here - everything has to be shipped in and hand-trucked to its destination.  One just must succumb to its charms and enjoy the experience!

Rome is a magnificent showcase of Western Civilization with wonderful ancient sights.
Must Sees:

Colosseum – Hugh stadium where gladiators fought
Roman Forum – ancient Rome’s main square with ruins and grand arches
Palatine Hill – Ruins of emperor’s palaces
Pantheon - Defining domed temple
National Museum of Rome – Greatest collection of Roman sculpture anywhere
Borghese Gallery -   Bernini sculptures and paintings by Caravaggio
Vatican Museum- Four miles of the finest art of Western civilization culminating in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel
St. Peter’s Basilica – most impressive church in the world with Michelangelo’s Pieta and dome
Arch of Constantine – This honors the emperor who legalized Christianity
Trajan’s Column – Tall column with narrative relief
Trevi Fontain- Baroque hotspot into which tourists throw a coin to ensure a return trip to Rome

Walking is the most popular way to see Rome as well as the metro trains and buses which are very easy to use.   Get a pass which enables you to use all public transportation.  You have to buy the passesat all metro stations and bus stops, but not on board. I would be happy to assist you with your next Italy adventure!

I have recently returned from a visit to the fascinating and unspoiled spots of Tuscany, Italy. This was an unforgettable to opportunity to see the countryside in Tuscany, and experience Virtuoso’s incomparable hotel and on-site partners!

My itinerary included accommodations provided at Virtuoso properties HOTEL BYRON, IL PELLICANO, FONTEVERDE NATURAL SPA RESORT, GRAND HOTEL CONTINENTAL, RELAIS LA SUVERA, and CASTELLO DEL NERO. The HOTEL L’ANDANA hosted us for a lovely luncheon. Each hosting property provided breakfasts, hosted site-inspections, dinners and hotel presentations.

In addition to being royally wined and dined by our Virtuoso Properties I was totally spoiled by our outstanding Tuscan on-site, ARNO TRAVEL. They arranged a truly amazing program for visiting the best places in Tuscany including show-stopping sight-seeing, various meals throughout the region, outstanding events and all transfers.

Alberto Bonini, owner of Arno Travel, personally invited us to his picturesque home - quite literally, as his beautiful residence in the countryside near Florence includes an apartment available on a weekly basis.  Such hospitality is common in this captivating region, and Arno Travel welcomes individual and group travelers with personalized programs and the highest level of service.  The company pays the closest attention to each client request, be it securing an architectural expert for a private talk on Renaissance structures to a privileged off-hours tour of the Uffizi Gallery.

One could spend a life time in Tuscany and still not see all its artistic wonders.  Arno Travel highly recommends that you not only explore Florence (home to 63 museums) but the charming towns of Lucca, Siena – site of the famous Palio horse race, which has taken place here every year since the Middle Ages – and lovely San Gimignano.  Arno takes great pride in creating innovative special-interest programs for you, such as culinary excursions to top restaurants, private cooking classes and wine tastings at the most heralded vineyards and special reservations at museums.

Tuscany is a land of interesting landscapes and compelling medieval hill towns, a center for Renaissance art and architecture.  The region also produces some of the finest wines in Italy.  From the Etruscans to the Romans to the Renaissance, Tuscany is possibly the greatest repository of art in the world ranging from extraordinary paintings and sculpture to frescoes and architectural masterpieces.  One comes to Tuscany in search of fine art, to explore the countryside, to experience wonderful cuisine and wines.  You may also enjoy mountain paths, cycling on the rolling hills and, in the summer, the sea coast and its islands.

If you can go to only one Destination Spa in your life, Canyon Ranch is the place.  Opened in 1979, its founders, Mel and Enid Zuckerman have set the trends in the spa industry with programs emphasizing fitness of mind, body and spirit.

I have just returned from a lovely stay filled with exercise, spa treatments, hiking and excellent dining.  The gorgeous southwestern style accommodations, all with Frette bed linens, are delightful. 

One of my recent travel experience included an extended stay in Greece where I visited Athens and the Acropolis, Delphi (the site of Apollo's Oracle), and Corfu, the jewel of the Adriatic over which many flags once flew.  I also spent time in the cities and countryside of this magnificent country.  In additin I traveled to the magical and culturally rich cities of Venice, Verona, Padua and Florence to complete my expertise on Northern Italy.