Tentative Itinerary - Roma Arrival

Buon Giorno, Tutti!

SPI has worked diligently with me to establish an AMAZING tentative itinerary for our trip! Rather than just copying and pasting the itinerary, and letting you guess how awesome these places are, I thought I'd talk to you about each location, for the days we stay there. (also, as I've been put on bed rest, there's only so much typing I can do before I lose patience with typing sideways!)

Again, please remember that this is the TENTATIVE itinerary - we all know how some things happen . . . especially when we're in the middle of the Lenten season!

Saturday March 10, 2012

DEPARTURE DATE

SPI's Statement:

FLIGHT INFORMATION: Please book your flight on one of the designated flight itineraries. Everyone is responsible for booking their own airfare. If you wish to use a different airline, please be advised that you may be responsible for making your own arrangements to arrive at the hotel in Rome. Please review booking details located online: http://www.spiabroad.com/flightinfo.asp

ITALIAN/LATIN INSTRUCTORS: Laura Hudec

Please contact SPI directly info@spiabroad.com or 866-502-7505 with any questions you may have!

DESIGNATED INTL FLIGHT OPTIONS

OUTBOUND: Saturday, March 10, 2012 ***Please book connecting flights with 3 hours of time between flights! American Airlines #110 Departing ORD (Chicago) 8:40 PM Arrive FCO (Rome) 10:05 AM (March 11) RETURN: Saturday, March 17, 2012 American Airlines #111 Departing FCO (Rome) 11:35 AM Arrive ORD (Chicago) 2:15 PM

SPI has designated these few above flights as their "designated itinerary," but if you book your own different flight by miles, that works fine, as well - it just means you won't see my shining face until we all arrive into Rome! Our trip officially begins when we meet at the hotel in Rome, but I'm here to prepare you for your travel day experience - just send me a note! Please, please share your itinerary with me as soon as you have it, and I'll be organizing my own arrival plans to make sure everyone has a smooth experience arriving into Roma!

If you inform me about when your flight departs from DFW, I'll try to meet you at your gate to see you off that morning.

Sunday March 11, 2012

ROME

Arrive to FCO, and catch transfer to hotel. As long as you've shared your flight itineraries with me, I'll know to meet you as you exit Customs!

11:00 - Assistant (English Speaking) for Airport-City Transfer.

Accommodation: Hotel Diana - I have stayed here a few times in the past - outstanding hotel - http://www.hoteldianaroma.com/en/

LUNCH: On Your Own (if we go to St. Paul Outside the Walls first, there's a great market just outside of there where you can get awesome to-carry food)

12:30 Half Day Sightseeing with Guide (4 hours). Private bus for 5:30 hours included. Visit to St. Paul Outside the Walls (headphones compulsory for Guide's explanations inside); Combined ticket for entrance to Colosseum and Roman Forum.

Afternoon Free at Leisure - we are located just around the corner from St. Maria Maggiore, another of the four Major Basilicas (like St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Peter's) - for a virtual tour, see http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/sm_maggiore/vr_tour/index-en.html - figured anyone interested can go with me to Vespers there, before we have dinner in the hotel.

20:00 Dinner at hotel - 3 Course Menu

After dinner: Brief stroll - "una piccola passagiata", and early to bed, to fight jetlag

Monday March 12, 2012

ROME

7-9 Breakfast Buffet at hotel (yes, on the roof - FANTASTICO)

9:30 - Meet local transport - Full day sightseeing (8 hours!) with Guide. Be sure you're in PROPER DRESS CODE, as we're visiting churches today! The Fashion Police WILL stop you from entering important churches!

VATICAN VISIT

Entrance to the Vatican Museums, including Sistine Chapel, with reservations. Visit St. Peter's Basilica (PROPER DRESS CODE). Headphones compulsory for Guide's explanations inside.

Lunch: On Your Own

Entrance to San Giovanni Laterano and St. Maria Maggiore. Headphones again compulsory.

20:00 Dinner at hotel - 3 Course Menu

Evening Stroll with Laura: See the truly Roman Sites (Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon) and end at Piazza Navona for an evening of seeing and being seen.

Tuesday March 13, 2012

ROME

7-9 Breakfast Buffet at hotel (again, on the roof - FANTASTICO)

FULL DAY FREE AT LEISURE OR ***OPTIONAL TOUR TO POMPEII***

Pompeii/Ercolano:

USD 125.88 Minimum of 20 Passengers

7:30 - meet bus at hotel - Transfer - Hotel to Pompeii - Guide duration 4 hours

Entrance to Pompeii excavations, including guide. Also, entrance to Ercolano (Herculaneum) excavations, including guide.

Lunch: On your own

20:30 PM - Dinner at Hotel - 3 Course Menu

After Dinner: Evening Stroll with Laura - traveler's call - where do YOU want to visit? (I've got some suggestions, of course)

Well, that's our stay in Rome! Of course, our last evening will be in Rome, before we depart the next morning, but that's for another entry . . .

Next up: Tuscany!!!

P.S. Did you know that you can subscribe to these posts? They can be sent directly to your e-mail, rather than your having to check this out every so often! Check the link at the bottom of this page . . .