Thursday 17 through Saturday 26 November 2011
Firenze, Chianti e Siena in Tuscano (con day trip to
Roma); Venezia e Verona in Veneto
OVERVIEW
- Fly Chicago to Florence (Firenze), 17-11-11 (Thu), departing O’Hare Airport at 7:10 PM on Swiss Airlines Flight 9, arriving in Zurich, Switzerland at 10:55 AM (an 8 hr, 40 min flight; 4,428 miles); transfer to Swiss Airlines Flight 1674, operated by Swiss European Air, departing Zurich at 12:50 PM (a 1 hr, 55 min layover, followed by a 1 hr, 15 min flight to Firenze, Italy, 282 miles), arriving at Firenze-Peretola Airport at 2:05 PM on Friday, 18-11
- 4 nights Firenze, 18-11 (Fri), 19-11 (Sat), 20-11 (Sun) & 21-11 (Mon), with an optional day trip to Roma on Sunday (Coliseum, Forum, Pantheon, St. Peter's Square & Basilica) and a day trip for all by 16-passenger van to a Chianti winery and the hill town of Siena on Monday
- Train Firenze to Venice (Venezia), 22-11 (Tue), departing Firenze-Santa Maria Novella at 11:30 AM; arriving at Venezia-Santa Lucia at 1:33 PM (2 hrs, 3 mins, 0 changes)
- 4 nights Venezia, 22-11 (Tue), 23-11 (Wed), 24-11 (Thu) & 25-11 (Fri), with day trips to Murano on Thursday and Verona on Friday
- Fly Venezia to Chicago, 26-11 (Sat), departing Venezia-Marco Polo at 9:45 AM on Swiss Airlines Flight 1661 (operated by Contact Air) to Zurich, Switzerland, arriving in Zurich at 10:55 AM (a 1 hr, 10 min flight; 226 miles); transfer to Swiss Airlines Flight 8, departing Zurich at 12:55 PM (a 2 hr layover in Zurich followed by a 10 hr 5 min flight to Chicago; 4,428 miles), arriving at Chicago-O’Hare at 4:00 PM Chicago-time on Saturday, 26-11 NOTE: Dom, Val & Tony have a different itinerary returning, leaving Venice 30 minutes after rest of the group.
DAY ONE (FRI NOV 18): ARRIVAL IN
FIRENZE, TUSCANO
Free Time Today:
· 5:30-7:30 PM
· 9:30 PM onward
· About 3 hours total
Gathering Times Today:
· 3:30 PM in lobby for orientation walk & snack at Bar San Michele
· 7:30 PM in lobby for 7:45 PM dinner reservation at Trattoria Za Za
Arrival in Firenze; Private Transfer via Vans & One Taxi to Hotel
We’ll arrive at Firenze’s airport at 2:05 PM, clear customs, and proceed toward the exit, looking for our drivers from the Auto Noleggio Giuliani company (http://www.autonoleggiogiuliani.com; +39 055 3061229). With this firm, we've already reserved transport for 13 people plus luggage via two vans at a cost of €50,00 per van (or €100,00 total) to the Hotel Davanzati at Via Porta Rossa 5. Held with a credit card, but we'll pay cash in person. The ride to our hotel will take about 20 minutes. THIS MEANS 3 TRAVELERS HAVE TO TAKE A SEPARATE TAXI TO THE HOTEL.
The average high temperature in Firenze in November is 51°, while the average low is 43°.
Check-in Hotel Davanzati for 4 Nights
At about 3:00 PM we’ll check-in together at Hotel Davanzati, at Via Porta Rossa #5, in the city’s historic center and within easy walking distance to all sites. We’ve reserved 3 quad rooms with private baths; one single room with private bath; and one triple room with private bath for four nights at a total cost of €3,320 (does not include our €658 deposit or 10% cash discount or nightly taxes). Davanzati offers Wi-Fi with laptop in every room, breakfast, a happy hour with free Prosecco, Chianti and bruschetta nightly from 6:30-7:30 PM, a lobby/common area, and a lift: www.hoteldavanzati.it; info@hoteldavanzati.it; telephone is 39-055-286666. Our discounted rate requires us to pay cash. Our booking confirmation # is 25512.
NOTE: Italy’s anti-terrorism laws require hotels to see and sometimes take your passport for a while: don’t worry, give it to them, and you’ll get it back soon. They have to inform the local police who’s in town.
Introduction to Firenze Stroll; Snack at Bar San Michele; Siesta
After check-in, getting settled in our rooms, and freshening up a bit, we’ll head out by about 3:30 PM for an orientation/overview stroll, first checking out the River Arno and Ponte Vecchio--the city’s oldest bridge, built in 1345, lined up with medieval little shops sparkling with gold, gems, and silver--and then heading to Bar San Michele for snack, a wonderful and fast little place across from Orsanmichele Church, near Piazza Republicca (will be a left-hand turn off Via dei Calaziuoli). The spinach and ricotta calzone is the best in the world!
Then will take a relaxing stroll through the old city center, seeing, in order, the Duomo (free), started in 1296, with the Baptistry of San Giovanni and its Gates of Paradise; the San Lorenzo Market (outdoor market for browsing and shopping); Piazza Signoria, the town’s main square, where we’ll have our first taste of Italian gelato, with the Loggia and the government palace (Palazzo Vecchio); and Piazza Santa Croce (famous for gold jewelry) and the Church of Santa Croce, where Galileo, Rossini, Machiavelli and Michelangelo are buried; €5,00 each to enter. See p. 380 in RS for easy routes to take. This walk will provide all with a basic orientation of the city center for individual exploration in the days and nights ahead.
Optional Activities for Late This Afternoon or for the Following Days in Firenze
Following the overview walk—concluding at about 5:30 PM—some may choose to visit one or more of these sites or take a siesta back at the hotel. All need to meet back at the hotel tonight by 7:30 PM for dinner.
People can choose to spend their free time over the next few days on any of these sites, but it would be impossible to see them all; these lists are provided as a menu from which to choose for your free time. Note that while many sites are open until 7:00 PM or later, last entry is usually 30 minutes before closing.
SHOPPING IN FIRENZE
* Piazza Repubblica, Via dei Calaziuoli, or Oltrarno, busy pedestrian areas in the city center
* The upscale Italian department store (like a Marshall Fields), La Rinascente, open 9 AM-9 PM
* San Lorenzo Market: a vast open-air market around the church of San Lorenzo, between the Duomo and stazzione; open daily 9 AM-7PM (haggling common)
* The famous perfumery (a store featuring handmade perfumes, soaps and ointments) at Santa Maria Novella (an historic church); free to enter; open until 7:30 PM
* Mercato Centrale (Central Market): Florence’s giant iron-and-glass market, selling food and a variety of other items; open Monday through Saturday 7:00 AM-2:00 PM (not much haggling here)
EXPERIENCES IN FIRENZE
* Climb Brunelleschi’s historic Dome atop Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo); about €6,00 to ascend the 463 stairs to the top of the dome that helped launch the modern world, with tremendous views high above Firenze; an engineering and architectural marvel, with great views, this was the first dome built by man in a thousand years, and the predecessor for St. Peter’s, the US Capitol, and all other domes; open until 5:40 PM
* Hang out in an Italian bar overlooking a piazza (or inside if too cold), sip a beverage, and read, write or talk (to each other and to locals, too!). Remember: Italian bars are not like bars in the states; they’re small cafes open to anyone, serving hot and cold snacks and all kinds of coffees, sodas and other beverages. Test out your Italian. There is usually a charge of €1-2 for the seat (coperto), but then you’re welcome to stay as long as you like! Don’t tip for counter service, and if you tip for table service, keep it to €1.
* Find a barber shop or beauty salon…and get a haircut.
* Go into a grocery store…and explore!
* Want more climbing? Climb Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower) next to the Duomo (414 steps up, but 50 fewer than the cathedral); €6,00; open 8:30 AM-7:30 PM
*Attend a Catholic mass in Italian, in an historic, centuries-old church (Santa Croce has mass at 6:00 PM nightly (including tonight) and anyone wishing to attend mass at Florence's cathedral (Duomo) can do so Monday morning at 7:30 AM
* Walk or take the bus to Piazzale Michelangelo after dark, for the night-time views of bella Firenze (we’re going here together Saturday afternoon in the daylight, but it’s a different experience at night!)
* Take a 15-minute city bus ride to the small town of Fiesole, high above Florence, to explore the town’s piazza and the park from which you can see Florence and the valley laid out below
AMAZING MUSEUMS IN FIRENZE
* Uffizi Gallery, featuring the greatest collection of Italian paintings anywhere in the world; about €10,00; open until 6:30 PM
* Science Museum, with wonderful instruments, and Galileo’s finger, too; open until 5:00 PM (about €6,50)
* Museo del Duomo, with a late Michelangelo Pieta, Donatello’s woodcarving of Mary Magdalene, and the original Ghiberti doors for the baptistery; €6,00; open 9:00-7:30 PM
* Leonardo Museum (showing about 30 of da Vinci’s inventions; very hands-on): open 10:00 AM-7:00 PM daily; €6,00
* Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s historic town hall, with Michelangelo’s Victory, a Donatello, work by Vasari and a 13,000 square foot Grand Hall; €6,00; open 9:00 AM-7:00 PM
* San Giovanni Baptistery next to the Duomo, with an amazing Medieval mosaic ceiling; open 12:15-7:00 PM; €4,00
* Bargello Museum, featuring all sculptures, including Donatello’s David, the first male nude sculpted in a thousand years (since the fall of ancient Rome), and a wonderful contrast with Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia (we’ll see Michelangelo’s tomorrow, as a group); open 8:15 AM-1:50 PM; €7,00
Dinner at Trattoria Za Za; Meet in Lobby at 7:30 PM
After a siesta, we’ll gather in the lobby at 7:30 PM to head out for dinner, walking just a few minutes to Trattoria Za Za, located in Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26/red, between the Duomo di Firenze and the Santa Maria Novella train station. We've made an online reservation for 16 people at 7:45 PM.
NOTE: Most restaurants in Italy do not open for dinner until 7:00 PM or later. Even places that open for lunch close for three or four hours in between lunch and dinner (bars are the exception). This takes some adjustment, but the best thing to do in Italy is to get on Italian time: up early, full morning and early afternoon, a nice siesta in the late afternoon/early evening, and a community dinner around 7:30-8:00 PM.
After dinner we could check out Piazza Signoria at night…gelato? All are free to turn-in, or explore more of the city. Anyone who wishes to could also gather in the hotel's lobby to hang out and talk about the day. Jet lag makes one tired at first, but then your body will wake you at the crack of dawn the next day anyway! Give it one full day and night, and you’ll sleep great and feel like a million bucks for the rest of the holiday.
DAY TWO (SAT NOV 19): FIRENZE
· 5:30-7:30 PM
· 9:30 PM onward
· About 3 hours total
Gathering Times Today:
· 3:30 PM in lobby for orientation walk & snack at Bar San Michele
· 7:30 PM in lobby for 7:45 PM dinner reservation at Trattoria Za Za
Arrival in Firenze; Private Transfer via Vans & One Taxi to Hotel
We’ll arrive at Firenze’s airport at 2:05 PM, clear customs, and proceed toward the exit, looking for our drivers from the Auto Noleggio Giuliani company (http://www.autonoleggiogiuliani.com; +39 055 3061229). With this firm, we've already reserved transport for 13 people plus luggage via two vans at a cost of €50,00 per van (or €100,00 total) to the Hotel Davanzati at Via Porta Rossa 5. Held with a credit card, but we'll pay cash in person. The ride to our hotel will take about 20 minutes. THIS MEANS 3 TRAVELERS HAVE TO TAKE A SEPARATE TAXI TO THE HOTEL.
The average high temperature in Firenze in November is 51°, while the average low is 43°.
Check-in Hotel Davanzati for 4 Nights
At about 3:00 PM we’ll check-in together at Hotel Davanzati, at Via Porta Rossa #5, in the city’s historic center and within easy walking distance to all sites. We’ve reserved 3 quad rooms with private baths; one single room with private bath; and one triple room with private bath for four nights at a total cost of €3,320 (does not include our €658 deposit or 10% cash discount or nightly taxes). Davanzati offers Wi-Fi with laptop in every room, breakfast, a happy hour with free Prosecco, Chianti and bruschetta nightly from 6:30-7:30 PM, a lobby/common area, and a lift: www.hoteldavanzati.it; info@hoteldavanzati.it; telephone is 39-055-286666. Our discounted rate requires us to pay cash. Our booking confirmation # is 25512.
NOTE: Italy’s anti-terrorism laws require hotels to see and sometimes take your passport for a while: don’t worry, give it to them, and you’ll get it back soon. They have to inform the local police who’s in town.
Introduction to Firenze Stroll; Snack at Bar San Michele; Siesta
After check-in, getting settled in our rooms, and freshening up a bit, we’ll head out by about 3:30 PM for an orientation/overview stroll, first checking out the River Arno and Ponte Vecchio--the city’s oldest bridge, built in 1345, lined up with medieval little shops sparkling with gold, gems, and silver--and then heading to Bar San Michele for snack, a wonderful and fast little place across from Orsanmichele Church, near Piazza Republicca (will be a left-hand turn off Via dei Calaziuoli). The spinach and ricotta calzone is the best in the world!
Then will take a relaxing stroll through the old city center, seeing, in order, the Duomo (free), started in 1296, with the Baptistry of San Giovanni and its Gates of Paradise; the San Lorenzo Market (outdoor market for browsing and shopping); Piazza Signoria, the town’s main square, where we’ll have our first taste of Italian gelato, with the Loggia and the government palace (Palazzo Vecchio); and Piazza Santa Croce (famous for gold jewelry) and the Church of Santa Croce, where Galileo, Rossini, Machiavelli and Michelangelo are buried; €5,00 each to enter. See p. 380 in RS for easy routes to take. This walk will provide all with a basic orientation of the city center for individual exploration in the days and nights ahead.
Optional Activities for Late This Afternoon or for the Following Days in Firenze
Following the overview walk—concluding at about 5:30 PM—some may choose to visit one or more of these sites or take a siesta back at the hotel. All need to meet back at the hotel tonight by 7:30 PM for dinner.
People can choose to spend their free time over the next few days on any of these sites, but it would be impossible to see them all; these lists are provided as a menu from which to choose for your free time. Note that while many sites are open until 7:00 PM or later, last entry is usually 30 minutes before closing.
SHOPPING IN FIRENZE
* Piazza Repubblica, Via dei Calaziuoli, or Oltrarno, busy pedestrian areas in the city center
* The upscale Italian department store (like a Marshall Fields), La Rinascente, open 9 AM-9 PM
* San Lorenzo Market: a vast open-air market around the church of San Lorenzo, between the Duomo and stazzione; open daily 9 AM-7PM (haggling common)
* The famous perfumery (a store featuring handmade perfumes, soaps and ointments) at Santa Maria Novella (an historic church); free to enter; open until 7:30 PM
* Mercato Centrale (Central Market): Florence’s giant iron-and-glass market, selling food and a variety of other items; open Monday through Saturday 7:00 AM-2:00 PM (not much haggling here)
EXPERIENCES IN FIRENZE
* Climb Brunelleschi’s historic Dome atop Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo); about €6,00 to ascend the 463 stairs to the top of the dome that helped launch the modern world, with tremendous views high above Firenze; an engineering and architectural marvel, with great views, this was the first dome built by man in a thousand years, and the predecessor for St. Peter’s, the US Capitol, and all other domes; open until 5:40 PM
* Hang out in an Italian bar overlooking a piazza (or inside if too cold), sip a beverage, and read, write or talk (to each other and to locals, too!). Remember: Italian bars are not like bars in the states; they’re small cafes open to anyone, serving hot and cold snacks and all kinds of coffees, sodas and other beverages. Test out your Italian. There is usually a charge of €1-2 for the seat (coperto), but then you’re welcome to stay as long as you like! Don’t tip for counter service, and if you tip for table service, keep it to €1.
* Find a barber shop or beauty salon…and get a haircut.
* Go into a grocery store…and explore!
* Want more climbing? Climb Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower) next to the Duomo (414 steps up, but 50 fewer than the cathedral); €6,00; open 8:30 AM-7:30 PM
*Attend a Catholic mass in Italian, in an historic, centuries-old church (Santa Croce has mass at 6:00 PM nightly (including tonight) and anyone wishing to attend mass at Florence's cathedral (Duomo) can do so Monday morning at 7:30 AM
* Walk or take the bus to Piazzale Michelangelo after dark, for the night-time views of bella Firenze (we’re going here together Saturday afternoon in the daylight, but it’s a different experience at night!)
* Take a 15-minute city bus ride to the small town of Fiesole, high above Florence, to explore the town’s piazza and the park from which you can see Florence and the valley laid out below
AMAZING MUSEUMS IN FIRENZE
* Uffizi Gallery, featuring the greatest collection of Italian paintings anywhere in the world; about €10,00; open until 6:30 PM
* Science Museum, with wonderful instruments, and Galileo’s finger, too; open until 5:00 PM (about €6,50)
* Museo del Duomo, with a late Michelangelo Pieta, Donatello’s woodcarving of Mary Magdalene, and the original Ghiberti doors for the baptistery; €6,00; open 9:00-7:30 PM
* Leonardo Museum (showing about 30 of da Vinci’s inventions; very hands-on): open 10:00 AM-7:00 PM daily; €6,00
* Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s historic town hall, with Michelangelo’s Victory, a Donatello, work by Vasari and a 13,000 square foot Grand Hall; €6,00; open 9:00 AM-7:00 PM
* San Giovanni Baptistery next to the Duomo, with an amazing Medieval mosaic ceiling; open 12:15-7:00 PM; €4,00
* Bargello Museum, featuring all sculptures, including Donatello’s David, the first male nude sculpted in a thousand years (since the fall of ancient Rome), and a wonderful contrast with Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia (we’ll see Michelangelo’s tomorrow, as a group); open 8:15 AM-1:50 PM; €7,00
Dinner at Trattoria Za Za; Meet in Lobby at 7:30 PM
After a siesta, we’ll gather in the lobby at 7:30 PM to head out for dinner, walking just a few minutes to Trattoria Za Za, located in Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26/red, between the Duomo di Firenze and the Santa Maria Novella train station. We've made an online reservation for 16 people at 7:45 PM.
NOTE: Most restaurants in Italy do not open for dinner until 7:00 PM or later. Even places that open for lunch close for three or four hours in between lunch and dinner (bars are the exception). This takes some adjustment, but the best thing to do in Italy is to get on Italian time: up early, full morning and early afternoon, a nice siesta in the late afternoon/early evening, and a community dinner around 7:30-8:00 PM.
After dinner we could check out Piazza Signoria at night…gelato? All are free to turn-in, or explore more of the city. Anyone who wishes to could also gather in the hotel's lobby to hang out and talk about the day. Jet lag makes one tired at first, but then your body will wake you at the crack of dawn the next day anyway! Give it one full day and night, and you’ll sleep great and feel like a million bucks for the rest of the holiday.
DAY TWO (SAT NOV 19): FIRENZE
Free Time Today:
· Rising until 9:30 AM (Up early? Take a stroll, wander the city! It’s safe. Just wear your money belt)
· 2:15-4:45 PM
· Rising until 9:30 AM (Up early? Take a stroll, wander the city! It’s safe. Just wear your money belt)
· 2:15-4:45 PM
· 6:30-7:15 PM
· 9:30 PM onward
· About 5 hours total
Gathering Times Today:
· 9:30 AM in front of hotel for two-hour walking tour with a local guide
· 4:45 PM in front of hotel to see Michelangelo’s David at Accademia
· 7:15 PM in lobby for 7:30 PM dinner reservation at Trattoria 13 Gobbi
Meet in Lobby at 9:30 AM for a Walking Tour of the Historic City Center (Centro Storico) with Local Guide Paola Barubiani
All should plan to meet in the hotel lobby at 9:30 AM for our two-hour walking tour of the city center led by local guide Paola Barubiani ( www.walksinsideflorence.it; barubiani.paola@walksinsideflorence.it). The cost is €150,00 plus €19,00 tip = €169,00 total, or divided by 16, €11,00 per person. Paola will focus this tour on Florentine life in the Renaissance. We will visit Palazzo Davanzati (€2 each), a recently restored tower, the Horne House, a Renaissance Palace, the church of Orsanmichele, Piazza Signoria, and Piazza Croce among other sites. Paola will conclude the tour in Piazza Santa Croce, where those interested in shopping for gold jewelry can do so (this piazza is known locally for gold).
NOTE: We should be sure to ask the hotel this morning to arrange four taxis for us at 4:45 PM to collect us at the hotel and take us to the Accademia (for our 5:00 PM appointment with David).
Gold Shops at Santa Croce; City Bus to Piazzale Michelangelo
After our tour concludes at Piazza Santa Croce at about 11:30 AM, we’ll have some time to shop the gold shops in this piazza and grab a snack for those interested, before boarding a city bus around 12:30 PM or so to Piazzale Michelangelo for the stunning views of Firenze, the River Arno, and the Tuscan hills around the town. One of us will run into a tabacchi shop for city bus tickets (one per person needed, about €4,50 for four tickets), and we'll locate the fermata (stop) on the piazza for either the #12 or #13 bus to Piazzale Michelangelo.
NOTE: All must validate their tickets on the machine when boarding the bus or face the prospect of a stiff fine.
After taking photos and relaxing at Piazzale Michelangelo (maybe lunch here, too?), we'll take the bus back to Santa Croce or the train station. Anyone wishing to take a taxi back to the hotel (door-to-door) can do so. Another fun option for those interested is to walk back, which takes about 40 minutes—it’s all downhill to the river on a paved path (some steps), and then on a sidewalk next to the river, ultimately crossing back over Ponte Vecchio. The neighborhood on this side of the river—the south side—is called Oltrarno, or in translation, “the other side of the Arno.” It is more residential (less touristy), quieter, grittier, and full of interesting shops and bars.
Free Time for All to Pursue Areas of Interest: 2:15-4:45 PM
After Piazzale Michelangelo—probably will be about 2:15 PM or so—all have free time until 4:45 PM, to take a siesta, shop, read, explore, or visit any of the sites listed as possibilities on yesterday’s itinerary.
Meet in Front of Hotel at 4:45 PM for Michelangelo's David
Then, at 4:45 PM, we'll meet in front of the hotel and take four taxis to the Accademia (see RS color map of Firenze) for our 5:00 PM appointment to view Michelangelo Buonarroti’s marble sculpture of David (1504), one of the most recognizable, iconic images in the world. We had our hotel, before leaving the states, make reservations at the Accademia for us at 5:00 PM today (cost will be about €11,00 each, including the entry fee and reservation). Those wishing to walk back to the hotel afterward can do so (10-15 minutes), while anyone who wishes to can take a taxi, instead. After about 45 minutes at the Accademia, we’ll enjoy a siesta and free time from 6:30 PM to 7:15 PM.
Dinner at Trattoria 13 Gobbi: Meet in Hotel Lobby at 7:15 PM
We’ll gather in the parlor at 7:15 PM and make our way on foot or via taxi (everyone can choose) to Trattoria 13 Gobbi at Via Del Pocellana 9 Red, for our 7:30 PM reservation: an amazing Tuscan restaurant. We had our hotel make a 7:30 PM reservation at 13 Gobbi for tonight, in advance of the trip.
After dinner, we could stroll back along the beautiful river, grab some gelato along the way, and call it a night (anyone wishing to stay out, of course, can do so). Tomorrow morning those visiting Roma will need to gather in the breakfast room at 7:30 AM to depart the hotel by 8:00 AM for stazzione Santa Maria Novella (for an 8:45 AM train). All others have a free day in Firenze, and can sleep as late as they like.
DAY THREE (SUN NOV 20): OPTIONAL DAY TRIP TO ROMA (OR FREE DAY IN FIRENZE)
· About 5 hours total
Gathering Times Today:
· 9:30 AM in front of hotel for two-hour walking tour with a local guide
· 4:45 PM in front of hotel to see Michelangelo’s David at Accademia
· 7:15 PM in lobby for 7:30 PM dinner reservation at Trattoria 13 Gobbi
Meet in Lobby at 9:30 AM for a Walking Tour of the Historic City Center (Centro Storico) with Local Guide Paola Barubiani
All should plan to meet in the hotel lobby at 9:30 AM for our two-hour walking tour of the city center led by local guide Paola Barubiani ( www.walksinsideflorence.it; barubiani.paola@walksinsideflorence.it). The cost is €150,00 plus €19,00 tip = €169,00 total, or divided by 16, €11,00 per person. Paola will focus this tour on Florentine life in the Renaissance. We will visit Palazzo Davanzati (€2 each), a recently restored tower, the Horne House, a Renaissance Palace, the church of Orsanmichele, Piazza Signoria, and Piazza Croce among other sites. Paola will conclude the tour in Piazza Santa Croce, where those interested in shopping for gold jewelry can do so (this piazza is known locally for gold).
NOTE: We should be sure to ask the hotel this morning to arrange four taxis for us at 4:45 PM to collect us at the hotel and take us to the Accademia (for our 5:00 PM appointment with David).
Gold Shops at Santa Croce; City Bus to Piazzale Michelangelo
After our tour concludes at Piazza Santa Croce at about 11:30 AM, we’ll have some time to shop the gold shops in this piazza and grab a snack for those interested, before boarding a city bus around 12:30 PM or so to Piazzale Michelangelo for the stunning views of Firenze, the River Arno, and the Tuscan hills around the town. One of us will run into a tabacchi shop for city bus tickets (one per person needed, about €4,50 for four tickets), and we'll locate the fermata (stop) on the piazza for either the #12 or #13 bus to Piazzale Michelangelo.
NOTE: All must validate their tickets on the machine when boarding the bus or face the prospect of a stiff fine.
After taking photos and relaxing at Piazzale Michelangelo (maybe lunch here, too?), we'll take the bus back to Santa Croce or the train station. Anyone wishing to take a taxi back to the hotel (door-to-door) can do so. Another fun option for those interested is to walk back, which takes about 40 minutes—it’s all downhill to the river on a paved path (some steps), and then on a sidewalk next to the river, ultimately crossing back over Ponte Vecchio. The neighborhood on this side of the river—the south side—is called Oltrarno, or in translation, “the other side of the Arno.” It is more residential (less touristy), quieter, grittier, and full of interesting shops and bars.
Free Time for All to Pursue Areas of Interest: 2:15-4:45 PM
After Piazzale Michelangelo—probably will be about 2:15 PM or so—all have free time until 4:45 PM, to take a siesta, shop, read, explore, or visit any of the sites listed as possibilities on yesterday’s itinerary.
Meet in Front of Hotel at 4:45 PM for Michelangelo's David
Then, at 4:45 PM, we'll meet in front of the hotel and take four taxis to the Accademia (see RS color map of Firenze) for our 5:00 PM appointment to view Michelangelo Buonarroti’s marble sculpture of David (1504), one of the most recognizable, iconic images in the world. We had our hotel, before leaving the states, make reservations at the Accademia for us at 5:00 PM today (cost will be about €11,00 each, including the entry fee and reservation). Those wishing to walk back to the hotel afterward can do so (10-15 minutes), while anyone who wishes to can take a taxi, instead. After about 45 minutes at the Accademia, we’ll enjoy a siesta and free time from 6:30 PM to 7:15 PM.
Dinner at Trattoria 13 Gobbi: Meet in Hotel Lobby at 7:15 PM
We’ll gather in the parlor at 7:15 PM and make our way on foot or via taxi (everyone can choose) to Trattoria 13 Gobbi at Via Del Pocellana 9 Red, for our 7:30 PM reservation: an amazing Tuscan restaurant. We had our hotel make a 7:30 PM reservation at 13 Gobbi for tonight, in advance of the trip.
After dinner, we could stroll back along the beautiful river, grab some gelato along the way, and call it a night (anyone wishing to stay out, of course, can do so). Tomorrow morning those visiting Roma will need to gather in the breakfast room at 7:30 AM to depart the hotel by 8:00 AM for stazzione Santa Maria Novella (for an 8:45 AM train). All others have a free day in Firenze, and can sleep as late as they like.
DAY THREE (SUN NOV 20): OPTIONAL DAY TRIP TO ROMA (OR FREE DAY IN FIRENZE)
Free Time Today:
· All day/night in Firenze—unless you choose the day trip to Roma via high-speed train from 7:30 AM-9:00 PM
Gathering Times Today:
· 7:30 AM in the breakfast room for those traveling to Roma (must leave hotel by 7:45 AM for 8:40 AM train)
· All day/night in Firenze—unless you choose the day trip to Roma via high-speed train from 7:30 AM-9:00 PM
Gathering Times Today:
· 7:30 AM in the breakfast room for those traveling to Roma (must leave hotel by 7:45 AM for 8:40 AM train)
Optional Day Trip to Roma (via high-speed train)
Anyone wishing to visit Roma today--departing the hotel at 7:45 AM and returning tonight at 7:50 PM--can do so. We'll tour the Coliseum, the ancient Forum and the Pantheon, enjoy lunch in the Eternal City, and see St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican & the Trevi Fountain before returning to Firenze via high-speed train.
The estimated cost of the Roma option--including round-trip transport, entrance fees to sites, our guide, and lunch--is approximately €135,00 ($200 US) per person, but with the regular per diem of €56 already built into the trip cost, it's mostly just the €90 round trip train fare to buy, and this can be charged. This day trip is, of necessity, a fast-paced option…a full day in the big, beautiful chaos that is Roma.
ITINERARY FOR DAY TRIP TO ROMA: MEET
IN BREAKFAST ROOM AT 7:30 AM, RETURN TO FIRENZE AT 8:50 PM
Those taking the day trip to Roma should gather for breakfast at 7:30 AM and be ready to depart the hotel for stazzione Santa Maria Novella by 8:00 AM in order to purchase tickets for our round-trip train: train 9591 Freccciarossa, departing SMN at 8:40 AM and arriving at Roma Termini at 10:15 AM (a 1 hr 35 min journey with 0 changes). We'll plan to return by train 9538 Freccirossa departing Roma Termini at 7:15 PM and arriving back in Firenze at 8:50 PM (a 1 hr 35 min journey with 0 changes). The cost for each round trip ticket will run about €90,00 per person, 2nd class.
Upon arrival at Roma Termini stazzione at 10:15 AM, we'll walk to the Roman Metro inside the station and purchase one single ride ticket for each person (about €1,00 each) to get us to the Coliseum. Then we'll board the Metro Line B heading south/west (Laurentina is final stop on this line, this direction), exiting the Metro at the second stop, Colosseo.
Upon our arrival at the Coliseum station (between 10:45 and 11:00 AM) we'll meet our guide for Ancient Rome, Carla Zaia (carlaromeguide@gmail.com), whom we've hired to take us through the Coliseum, the adjacent Roman Forum (the downtown area of the capital city of the ancient empire), and the Pantheon during the course of 3 hours. The cost for Carla's time and expertise is €225 total, including gratuity (divided by the number of people who go with us, presumably 15, that is $15.00 per person), payable in cash, plus €21 each for entrance to the Coliseum and the speaker/microphone for each of us on the tour. Taxi rides from Piazza Venezia to the Pantheon, the Pantheon to St. Peter's, St. Peter's to the Trevi Fountain, and the Trevi Fountain back to Termini for our return train to Florence are additional expenses today, shared by 4-5 people per taxi.
Overview of our day trip to Roma:
Those taking the day trip to Roma should gather for breakfast at 7:30 AM and be ready to depart the hotel for stazzione Santa Maria Novella by 8:00 AM in order to purchase tickets for our round-trip train: train 9591 Freccciarossa, departing SMN at 8:40 AM and arriving at Roma Termini at 10:15 AM (a 1 hr 35 min journey with 0 changes). We'll plan to return by train 9538 Freccirossa departing Roma Termini at 7:15 PM and arriving back in Firenze at 8:50 PM (a 1 hr 35 min journey with 0 changes). The cost for each round trip ticket will run about €90,00 per person, 2nd class.
Upon arrival at Roma Termini stazzione at 10:15 AM, we'll walk to the Roman Metro inside the station and purchase one single ride ticket for each person (about €1,00 each) to get us to the Coliseum. Then we'll board the Metro Line B heading south/west (Laurentina is final stop on this line, this direction), exiting the Metro at the second stop, Colosseo.
Upon our arrival at the Coliseum station (between 10:45 and 11:00 AM) we'll meet our guide for Ancient Rome, Carla Zaia (carlaromeguide@gmail.com), whom we've hired to take us through the Coliseum, the adjacent Roman Forum (the downtown area of the capital city of the ancient empire), and the Pantheon during the course of 3 hours. The cost for Carla's time and expertise is €225 total, including gratuity (divided by the number of people who go with us, presumably 15, that is $15.00 per person), payable in cash, plus €21 each for entrance to the Coliseum and the speaker/microphone for each of us on the tour. Taxi rides from Piazza Venezia to the Pantheon, the Pantheon to St. Peter's, St. Peter's to the Trevi Fountain, and the Trevi Fountain back to Termini for our return train to Florence are additional expenses today, shared by 4-5 people per taxi.
Overview of our day trip to Roma:
Arrive at Coliseum between 10:45-11:00
AM & meet Carla
Tour the Coliseum with Carla from
about 11:00-12:15 PM
Tour the Forum with Carla from about
12:30-1:15 PM
Walk 10 min to Piazza Venezia &
taxi with Carla to Pantheon
Tour Pantheon with Carla from about
1:30-2:00 PM (then pay Carla & she departs)
Walk 10 min to Piazza Navona for free
time for all (shopping, lunch break, rest) from 2:15-3:30 PM
Taxi from Piazza Navona to St. Peter's
Square/Basilica at about 3:30 PM
Visit St. Peter's from 3:45-5:00 PM
Taxi from St. Peter's to Trevi
Fountain at 5:15 PM
Visit Trevi Fountain &
snack/beverage break from about 5:30-6:15 PM
Taxi from Trevi Fountain to Termini at
about 6:20 PM for our 7:15 PM train back to Firenze
Once back at Termini, we'll board our
return train to Firenze, departing at 7:15 PM: train 9538 Freccirossa departing
Roma Termini at 7:15 PM and arriving back in Firenze at 8:50 PM (a 1 hr 35 min
journey with 0 changes).
Tonight in Firenze
Once back at our hotel in Firenze (just after 9:00 PM) all will enjoy a free evening to do what they like, including eating dinner anywhere they wish—in groups or as individuals—from pizza or a sandwich at a casual Italian bar to a ristorante (big, formal, institutional), trattoria (small, family owned) or enoteca (wine bar with snacks). All need to meet in front of the hotel tomorrow morning at 9:35 AM for our day trip by private van and driver to a Chianti winery and the Medieval hill town of Siena.
DAY FOUR (MON NOV 21): DAY TRIP TO A CHIANTI WINERY & THE MEDIEVAL TOWN OF SIENA
Tonight in Firenze
Once back at our hotel in Firenze (just after 9:00 PM) all will enjoy a free evening to do what they like, including eating dinner anywhere they wish—in groups or as individuals—from pizza or a sandwich at a casual Italian bar to a ristorante (big, formal, institutional), trattoria (small, family owned) or enoteca (wine bar with snacks). All need to meet in front of the hotel tomorrow morning at 9:35 AM for our day trip by private van and driver to a Chianti winery and the Medieval hill town of Siena.
DAY FOUR (MON NOV 21): DAY TRIP TO A CHIANTI WINERY & THE MEDIEVAL TOWN OF SIENA
Free Time Today:
· Rising until 9:35 AM (unless you wish to attend Mass in Italiano at the 13th Century Duomo)
· 3:15-6:15 PM in Siena
· 9:30 PM onward
· About 5 hours
Gathering Times Today:
· 7:15 AM in lobby if you wish to attend Mass at the Duomo
· 9:35 AM in front of the hotel for day trip to a Chianti winery and the medieval town of Siena
· 6:15 PM at the Fountain of Joy in Siena for our 6:30 PM dinner reservation at Ristorante Guidoriccio
OPTIONAL Mass in Italiano at Santa Maria del Fiore, the 13th Century Duomo di Firenze
Anyone wishing to attend mass in Italian at Firenze's historic Duomo (construction begun 1296 AD) should meet in the hotel lobby at 7:15 AM for the short walk to the cathedral. The service will run less than an hour. Then we can return to the hotel for breakfast. Those not attending the service can sleep in or do their own thing until we gather in front of the hotel at 9:35 AM for our day trip into the Tuscan countryside.
Trip to a Chianti Winery and the Tuscan Hill Town of Siena
We’ll gather at in Via Vecchietti nearby our hotel at 9:35 AM to meet our driver and 16-passenger mini-bus from the Walks Inside Florence tour company at 9:45 AM. Paola, our guide for the Florence walk yesterday, will have shown us exactly where we should meet the bus this morning.
Our driver will then take us to the Castello di Verrazzano winery (in Greve in Chianti; about an hour from Firenze) for the tour and lunch program called Chianti Tradition, which begins at 11:00 AM (€28,00 each, including tour, lunch and wine; book in advance at info@verrazzano.com).
At this winery--on a site producing vino as early as the 12th Century--we'll tour the castle garden and historic wine cellars, and enjoy a lunch of Tuscan meats and cheeses, along with a wine tasting featuring Verrazzano Rosso red, Tuscan IGT, Chianti Classico DOCG, Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, and Vin Santo DOC.
· Rising until 9:35 AM (unless you wish to attend Mass in Italiano at the 13th Century Duomo)
· 3:15-6:15 PM in Siena
· 9:30 PM onward
· About 5 hours
Gathering Times Today:
· 7:15 AM in lobby if you wish to attend Mass at the Duomo
· 9:35 AM in front of the hotel for day trip to a Chianti winery and the medieval town of Siena
· 6:15 PM at the Fountain of Joy in Siena for our 6:30 PM dinner reservation at Ristorante Guidoriccio
OPTIONAL Mass in Italiano at Santa Maria del Fiore, the 13th Century Duomo di Firenze
Anyone wishing to attend mass in Italian at Firenze's historic Duomo (construction begun 1296 AD) should meet in the hotel lobby at 7:15 AM for the short walk to the cathedral. The service will run less than an hour. Then we can return to the hotel for breakfast. Those not attending the service can sleep in or do their own thing until we gather in front of the hotel at 9:35 AM for our day trip into the Tuscan countryside.
Trip to a Chianti Winery and the Tuscan Hill Town of Siena
We’ll gather at in Via Vecchietti nearby our hotel at 9:35 AM to meet our driver and 16-passenger mini-bus from the Walks Inside Florence tour company at 9:45 AM. Paola, our guide for the Florence walk yesterday, will have shown us exactly where we should meet the bus this morning.
Our driver will then take us to the Castello di Verrazzano winery (in Greve in Chianti; about an hour from Firenze) for the tour and lunch program called Chianti Tradition, which begins at 11:00 AM (€28,00 each, including tour, lunch and wine; book in advance at info@verrazzano.com).
At this winery--on a site producing vino as early as the 12th Century--we'll tour the castle garden and historic wine cellars, and enjoy a lunch of Tuscan meats and cheeses, along with a wine tasting featuring Verrazzano Rosso red, Tuscan IGT, Chianti Classico DOCG, Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, and Vin Santo DOC.
The cost for the private van and driver (English-speaking but knows Tuscano well) is €550 for the day + a €110 municipal fee for driving into Siena’s Medieval city center + a €28 tip for the driver = €688 TOTAL, or €43 per person for private group transport through Tuscany from 9:45 AM through 9:30 PM today (based on 16 total travelers) .
After visiting the winery, we'll depart at about 1:30 PM with our drivers for the Medieval town of Siena (about 90 minutes' drive from Verrazzano, through the Tuscan countryside). We'll arrive in Siena at about 3:15 PM.
Our driver will drop us off near Il Campo around 3:00 PM, and meet us here at 8:00 PM to take us back to our hotel in Firenze. Then all can spend about 3 hours exploring Il Campo, city hall (climb the Medieval tower), the Duomo, strolling the Medieval lanes, and shopping (together or splitting up into groups, depending on what people wish to see and do).
At 6:15 PM we’ll meet back at the Fountain of Joy in Il Campo, and then proceed to dinner at Ristorante Guidoriccio, owned by Ercole and Elisabetta and located just off Il Campo at Via G. Dupré, 2 - Angolo Piazza del Campo (email is info@ristoranteguidoriccio.com). While this wonderful family-owned ristorante does not open for dinner until 7:30 PM, Ercole has agreed to open just for us at 6:30 PM tonight, for dinner. Nice guy!
After dinner, we’ll return to our van (by about 8:00 PM) for the 90-minute drive back to Firenze, paying our driver upon our return (€43 per person, or €688 total, which includes gratuity). Our van is slated
Last Night in Firenze; Pack for Morning Departure
Tonight all will have to pack for our late morning departure for Venezia. Otherwise it's a free night in Firenze (sadly, our last). We'll checkout of the hotel tonight—paying cash for our bill—to make our morning departure easier, and order four taxis to stazzione Santa Maria Novella for 10:40 AM.
DAY FIVE (TUE NOV 22): TRAIN FIRENZE TO VENEZIA; VENEZIA
Free Time Today:
· Rising until 9:30 AM
· 9:50 AM-10:40 AM
· 5:00-7:15 PM in Venezia
· 10:00 PM onward in Venezia
· About 4 hours today
· Rising until 9:30 AM
· 9:50 AM-10:40 AM
· 5:00-7:15 PM in Venezia
· 10:00 PM onward in Venezia
· About 4 hours today
Gathering Times Today:
· 9:30 AM in the breakfast room for checkout
· 10:40 AM in front of hotel for taxis to train station
· 3:15 PM in hotel lobby for orientation walk of San Marco-Rialto in Venezia
· 7:15 PM in hotel lobby for night cruise on Canale Grande and our 8:00 PM dinner reservation at Pizzeria All’ Anfora
Gather in Breakfast Room by 9:30 AM; 10:40 AM Departure via Taxi for Stazzione
We’ll gather in the breakfast room by 9:30 AM this morning, have breakfast and finish packing. Anyone wishing to can do some last-minute shopping in Firenze, take a walk, or enjoy a second Cappuccino at a nearby bar, and people watch. Anyone wishing to skip breakfast and sleep in today can easily do so until about 10:00 AM.
We’ll have the hotel arrange for four taxis to collect us at 10:40 AM to take us to stazzione Santa Maria Novella for our 11:30 AM train to Venezia (2 hrs, 3 min, with 0 changes; train number 9406 Frecciargento; about €43,00 each, 2nd Class). John will have purchased our tickets to Venice earlier in the day, to make boarding easier for all. Remember to validate tickets in the yellow machines before boarding the train, or face the risk of a stiff fine on-board. We’ll arrive at Venezia-Santa Lucia at 1:33 PM.
NOTE: Keep all valuables in your money belt in and around the stations and on the train, with minimal cash in your pockets. Look alert, and all will be fine. Also, if anyone is separated from the group on board or we have to sit in separate cars, our stop is the train's final stop/destination: Santa Lucia/Venezia (not the first Venezia stop, which is Mestre, but Santa Lucia). At our stop, the train will empty completely. If separated on board, we will all meet on the platform once we leave the train at Santa Lucia.
· 9:30 AM in the breakfast room for checkout
· 10:40 AM in front of hotel for taxis to train station
· 3:15 PM in hotel lobby for orientation walk of San Marco-Rialto in Venezia
· 7:15 PM in hotel lobby for night cruise on Canale Grande and our 8:00 PM dinner reservation at Pizzeria All’ Anfora
Gather in Breakfast Room by 9:30 AM; 10:40 AM Departure via Taxi for Stazzione
We’ll gather in the breakfast room by 9:30 AM this morning, have breakfast and finish packing. Anyone wishing to can do some last-minute shopping in Firenze, take a walk, or enjoy a second Cappuccino at a nearby bar, and people watch. Anyone wishing to skip breakfast and sleep in today can easily do so until about 10:00 AM.
We’ll have the hotel arrange for four taxis to collect us at 10:40 AM to take us to stazzione Santa Maria Novella for our 11:30 AM train to Venezia (2 hrs, 3 min, with 0 changes; train number 9406 Frecciargento; about €43,00 each, 2nd Class). John will have purchased our tickets to Venice earlier in the day, to make boarding easier for all. Remember to validate tickets in the yellow machines before boarding the train, or face the risk of a stiff fine on-board. We’ll arrive at Venezia-Santa Lucia at 1:33 PM.
NOTE: Keep all valuables in your money belt in and around the stations and on the train, with minimal cash in your pockets. Look alert, and all will be fine. Also, if anyone is separated from the group on board or we have to sit in separate cars, our stop is the train's final stop/destination: Santa Lucia/Venezia (not the first Venezia stop, which is Mestre, but Santa Lucia). At our stop, the train will empty completely. If separated on board, we will all meet on the platform once we leave the train at Santa Lucia.
The average high temperature in
Venezia in November is 53°, while the average low is 44°.
Arrival in Venezia
We’ll arrive at stazzione Santa Lucia at 1:33 PM. Then we’ll proceed out of the station and, at the vaporetto window to our left, purchase a 7-day vaporetto travel card for each member in our party, 16 persons (the 72-hour is too short, and the next increment sold is 7-days); they will cost just over €50,00 each. This will allow for unlimited movement by boat all the way through our departure from Venezia’s Marco Polo Airport Saturday morning.
Then we’ll board vaporetto # 1 (we’ll make either the 1:44 PM or 1:54 PM boat for the scenic 36-minute ride up the Grand Canal (Canale Grande) to the San Marco-Vallaresso stop (#2 would be faster on water, but would leave us further away from our hotel).
ONCE WE GET OFF AT SAN MARCO-VALLARESSO, WE SHOULD WALK DOWN CALLE VALLARESSO (CAN’T MISS IT, HARRY’S BAR IS AT THE CORNER), TURN LEFT TOWARDS “VIA 22 MARZO” STREET, CROSS THE SAINT MOISE’ BRIDGE AND TURN LEFT AT THE CORNER OF THE BULGARI JEWELRY. WE WILL SEE THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE HOTEL.
Check in Hotel Flora for 4 Nights
Hotel Flora, San Marco, 2283/A • 30124; info@hotelflora.it ; www.hotelflora.it/en; phone is +39.041 5205844. We’ve reserved six standard double rooms with private baths, one single room with private bath, and one triple room with private bath, all including breakfast and Wi-Fi, for four nights. Confirmation # is 38684. The total cost will be €3,724,50, including cash discount.
Piazza San Marco; San Marco to Rialto Stroll
After getting settled into our rooms (by about 3:15 PM), we’ll head out and grab something quick to eat and drink at a nearby bar before checking out Piazza San Marco and strolling from San Marco to the Rialto Market and Bridge (a good orientation walk of the city center).
After checking out the piazza, the exterior of the Basilica, the Torre dell'Orologio, the piazzeta, and the Bridge of Sighs, we’ll stroll from San Marco to Rialto Market & Bridge, exploring and shopping along the way. By about 5:00 PM or so, we'll take a siesta back at the hotel for a few hours (anyone who's tired). Those wishing to can continue to wander the alleyways and bridges of bella Venezia.
Tomorrow we’ll tour the interior of the Basilica (8,000 square meters of beautiful glass mosaics, the body of St. Mark beneath the floor, and tremendous views of the piazza from the balcony) and take the elevator to the top of the campanile (bell tower).
Meet in Hotel Lobby at 7:15 PM for Night-Time Canal Cruise, Dinner at Pizzeria All'Anfora & Gelato/Coffee on Piazza San Marco
After the siesta, we’ll gather in the lobby at 7:15 PM and take vaporetto #1 from San Marco-Vallaresso in the direction of the train station (we can catch the 7:25 or 7:35 PM boat); the Canale Grande is even more stunning when illuminated at night! We’ll exit at the Riva de Biasio stop, a 33 minute cruise from San Marco. and proceed two minutes on foot to Pizzeria All'Anfora, where we've made a reservation for 16 people at 8:00. After leaving the vaporetto, we'll go left a bit and turn right on Calle Zen. Calle Zen turns right and becomes Rano Zen. Then we'll turn right on Lista Vecchia dei Bari--Pizzeria All'Anfora will be on our left.
After dinner we’ll head back toward San Marco via vaporetto (anyone wishing to walk can do so, of course), checking out Rialto Bridge along the way. Once at San Marco, we’ll enjoy some gelato or coffee on the piazza before returning to the hotel (anyone who wants to stay out, should!). One possible choice for gelato on San Marco is the first café to the left of the clock tower (open until midnight), Gran Café Lavena.
Arrival in Venezia
We’ll arrive at stazzione Santa Lucia at 1:33 PM. Then we’ll proceed out of the station and, at the vaporetto window to our left, purchase a 7-day vaporetto travel card for each member in our party, 16 persons (the 72-hour is too short, and the next increment sold is 7-days); they will cost just over €50,00 each. This will allow for unlimited movement by boat all the way through our departure from Venezia’s Marco Polo Airport Saturday morning.
Then we’ll board vaporetto # 1 (we’ll make either the 1:44 PM or 1:54 PM boat for the scenic 36-minute ride up the Grand Canal (Canale Grande) to the San Marco-Vallaresso stop (#2 would be faster on water, but would leave us further away from our hotel).
ONCE WE GET OFF AT SAN MARCO-VALLARESSO, WE SHOULD WALK DOWN CALLE VALLARESSO (CAN’T MISS IT, HARRY’S BAR IS AT THE CORNER), TURN LEFT TOWARDS “VIA 22 MARZO” STREET, CROSS THE SAINT MOISE’ BRIDGE AND TURN LEFT AT THE CORNER OF THE BULGARI JEWELRY. WE WILL SEE THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE HOTEL.
Check in Hotel Flora for 4 Nights
Hotel Flora, San Marco, 2283/A • 30124; info@hotelflora.it ; www.hotelflora.it/en; phone is +39.041 5205844. We’ve reserved six standard double rooms with private baths, one single room with private bath, and one triple room with private bath, all including breakfast and Wi-Fi, for four nights. Confirmation # is 38684. The total cost will be €3,724,50, including cash discount.
Piazza San Marco; San Marco to Rialto Stroll
After getting settled into our rooms (by about 3:15 PM), we’ll head out and grab something quick to eat and drink at a nearby bar before checking out Piazza San Marco and strolling from San Marco to the Rialto Market and Bridge (a good orientation walk of the city center).
After checking out the piazza, the exterior of the Basilica, the Torre dell'Orologio, the piazzeta, and the Bridge of Sighs, we’ll stroll from San Marco to Rialto Market & Bridge, exploring and shopping along the way. By about 5:00 PM or so, we'll take a siesta back at the hotel for a few hours (anyone who's tired). Those wishing to can continue to wander the alleyways and bridges of bella Venezia.
Tomorrow we’ll tour the interior of the Basilica (8,000 square meters of beautiful glass mosaics, the body of St. Mark beneath the floor, and tremendous views of the piazza from the balcony) and take the elevator to the top of the campanile (bell tower).
Meet in Hotel Lobby at 7:15 PM for Night-Time Canal Cruise, Dinner at Pizzeria All'Anfora & Gelato/Coffee on Piazza San Marco
After the siesta, we’ll gather in the lobby at 7:15 PM and take vaporetto #1 from San Marco-Vallaresso in the direction of the train station (we can catch the 7:25 or 7:35 PM boat); the Canale Grande is even more stunning when illuminated at night! We’ll exit at the Riva de Biasio stop, a 33 minute cruise from San Marco. and proceed two minutes on foot to Pizzeria All'Anfora, where we've made a reservation for 16 people at 8:00. After leaving the vaporetto, we'll go left a bit and turn right on Calle Zen. Calle Zen turns right and becomes Rano Zen. Then we'll turn right on Lista Vecchia dei Bari--Pizzeria All'Anfora will be on our left.
After dinner we’ll head back toward San Marco via vaporetto (anyone wishing to walk can do so, of course), checking out Rialto Bridge along the way. Once at San Marco, we’ll enjoy some gelato or coffee on the piazza before returning to the hotel (anyone who wants to stay out, should!). One possible choice for gelato on San Marco is the first café to the left of the clock tower (open until midnight), Gran Café Lavena.
DAY SIX (WED NOV 23): VENEZIA
Free Time Today:
· Rising until 11:00 AM
· 3:00 PM onward
· About 8 hours today
Gathering Times Today:
· 11:00 AM in the lobby for Basilica, Campanile & Ca' Rezzonico
Meet in Lobby at 11:00 AM; Visit Basilica San Marco; Ascend the Campanile via Elevator; Tour Ca’ Rezzonico
All are free to sleep in this morning, have breakfast whenever they wish, and explore Venice. We’ll gather in the lobby at 11:00 AM to walk to the nearby Basilica San Marco and museum, with 8,000 square meters of beautiful glass mosaics and, beneath the floor, the remains of St. Mark; this stunning church was begun in 828 AD. The tiny museum upstairs, a must-see, has great views of the piazza from the balcony and the original bronze horses from the 2nd Century AD (once stolen by Napoleon but eventually returned). Basilica is free, but museum costs about €4,00 each. Need to enter museum to get to the balcony for views of the Piazza.
NOTE: No bare shoulders or bare knees allowed in the Basilica, and only purse-sized bags can be carried in.
We’ll visit the Basilica from 11:15 AM until about 12:15 PM. Then we’ll cross the square and take the elevator 300 feet up to the top of the San Marco Campanile for the amazing views of the city (about €8,00 each).
After the campanile (by about 1:15 PM), we’ll make one more stop before all enjoy free time for optional activities listed below (on their own or in small groups): Ca’ Rezzonico, a palazzo on Canale Grande, where we’ll see how the rich and famous of Venezia (like one Giacomo Casanova!) lived, in decadence, in the 1700s.
To get to Ca’ Rezzonico from San Marco, we will take vaporetto #1 from the San Marco-Vallaresso stop to the Ca’ Rezzonico stop (located between Rialto and Accademia), a ten-minute ride from San Marco. Boats depart San Marco every 10 minutes (toward the train station & P. Roma). Cost is €6,50 each. A visit takes a little over an hour. The palazzo has a bookstore and café. Photography inside the palazzo is prohibited. Free bag check. We’ll visit this palazzo from about 1:45 to 3:00 PM.
An Open Afternoon & Evening in Venezia (with Optional Activities for Small Groups or Individuals)
After Ca' Rezzonico, today's scheduled activities for the group are done. By about 3:00 PM, all can enjoy the remaining afternoon and night-time hours in Venice as they wish.
All are also on their own for dinner tonight: Explore!
· Rising until 11:00 AM
· 3:00 PM onward
· About 8 hours today
Gathering Times Today:
· 11:00 AM in the lobby for Basilica, Campanile & Ca' Rezzonico
Meet in Lobby at 11:00 AM; Visit Basilica San Marco; Ascend the Campanile via Elevator; Tour Ca’ Rezzonico
All are free to sleep in this morning, have breakfast whenever they wish, and explore Venice. We’ll gather in the lobby at 11:00 AM to walk to the nearby Basilica San Marco and museum, with 8,000 square meters of beautiful glass mosaics and, beneath the floor, the remains of St. Mark; this stunning church was begun in 828 AD. The tiny museum upstairs, a must-see, has great views of the piazza from the balcony and the original bronze horses from the 2nd Century AD (once stolen by Napoleon but eventually returned). Basilica is free, but museum costs about €4,00 each. Need to enter museum to get to the balcony for views of the Piazza.
NOTE: No bare shoulders or bare knees allowed in the Basilica, and only purse-sized bags can be carried in.
We’ll visit the Basilica from 11:15 AM until about 12:15 PM. Then we’ll cross the square and take the elevator 300 feet up to the top of the San Marco Campanile for the amazing views of the city (about €8,00 each).
After the campanile (by about 1:15 PM), we’ll make one more stop before all enjoy free time for optional activities listed below (on their own or in small groups): Ca’ Rezzonico, a palazzo on Canale Grande, where we’ll see how the rich and famous of Venezia (like one Giacomo Casanova!) lived, in decadence, in the 1700s.
To get to Ca’ Rezzonico from San Marco, we will take vaporetto #1 from the San Marco-Vallaresso stop to the Ca’ Rezzonico stop (located between Rialto and Accademia), a ten-minute ride from San Marco. Boats depart San Marco every 10 minutes (toward the train station & P. Roma). Cost is €6,50 each. A visit takes a little over an hour. The palazzo has a bookstore and café. Photography inside the palazzo is prohibited. Free bag check. We’ll visit this palazzo from about 1:45 to 3:00 PM.
An Open Afternoon & Evening in Venezia (with Optional Activities for Small Groups or Individuals)
After Ca' Rezzonico, today's scheduled activities for the group are done. By about 3:00 PM, all can enjoy the remaining afternoon and night-time hours in Venice as they wish.
All are also on their own for dinner tonight: Explore!
Options for Free Time Activities Include:
* Shopping & exploring (the San Marco-Rialto axis)
* A traditional 40-minute gondola ride on the Canale Grande (about €90,00 per gondola for 40 minutes (without a singer), with as many as 5-6 people per boat covered by that cost.
* Visit the interior of the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), located on Piazza San Marco; this was the seat of the Venetian Republic and the most powerful piece of real estate in Europe for four centuries; you can walk through the inside of the Bridge of Sighs by entering this palace; about €12,00; open 9:00 AM-5:00 PM (last entry 4:00 PM)
* Cross the Accademia Bridge and visit the Galleria dell’Accademia art museum; costs about €6,50; open 8:15 AM-7:15 PM (last entry is 6:30 PM)
* Santa Maria della Salute church (built by grateful survivors of the 1630 Plague): free, and open 9:00 AM-Noon and 3:00-7:30 PM
* Take vaporetto #2 (Direction: Tronchetto) across the lagoon from the San Zaccaria-Jolanda stop to San Giorgio Maggiore and take the elevator to the top for the views of the lagoon and canal (about €3,00; church is open until 5:00 PM, but last entry up elevator is at 4:30 PM)
* Wander the small, narrow streets of a residential neighborhood to see how Venetians really live!
* Take a vaporetto or walk to see the newest bridge spanning the Canale Grande, the Ponte della Costituzione by contemporary Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava (located just past the train station, around the bend of the Canale Grande); made of glass and steel, and opened in 2008 (at €11 million, many locals think of this modern bridge as a waste of money)
* A nice, lazy siesta back at the hotel or a Venetian bar (cicchetti are the wonderful little Venetian appetizers served at bars around town; a local tradition is to visit a few bars and sample the various cicchetti as you go, even as a meal)
DAY SEVEN (THU NOV 24): MURANO,
THANKSGIVING DINNER, ITALIAN ARIAS PERFORMED IN 15TH CENTURY CHURCH
Free Time Today:
· Rising until 10:45 AM
· 4:00-6:45 PM
· About 4.5 hours today
Gathering Times Today:
· 10:45 AM in hotel lobby for day trip to the island of Murano
· 6:45 PM in the hotel lobby for 7:15 PM dinner reservation at Osteria Oliva Nera, followed by a live musical performance at Chiesa di Santa Maria Formosa at 9:00 PM (one hour)
Meet in Lobby at 10:45 AM for Murano
At 10:45 AM, we’ll gather in the lobby and make the walk from the hotel to the San Marco Zaccaria-Jolanda vaporetto stop to take the 11:21 AM #41 boat to Murano (Faro is the main stop in Murano), about a 40 minute ride.
At Murano, we’ll spend 3 hours strolling and shopping along the main canal, checking out glass shops, bakeries and other stores. We’ll also have lunch.
We will return from Murano via the 3:09 PM #42 boat from Faro to San Marco San Zaccaria-Jolanda, arriving back in San Marco at 3:53 PM.
· Rising until 10:45 AM
· 4:00-6:45 PM
· About 4.5 hours today
Gathering Times Today:
· 10:45 AM in hotel lobby for day trip to the island of Murano
· 6:45 PM in the hotel lobby for 7:15 PM dinner reservation at Osteria Oliva Nera, followed by a live musical performance at Chiesa di Santa Maria Formosa at 9:00 PM (one hour)
Meet in Lobby at 10:45 AM for Murano
At 10:45 AM, we’ll gather in the lobby and make the walk from the hotel to the San Marco Zaccaria-Jolanda vaporetto stop to take the 11:21 AM #41 boat to Murano (Faro is the main stop in Murano), about a 40 minute ride.
At Murano, we’ll spend 3 hours strolling and shopping along the main canal, checking out glass shops, bakeries and other stores. We’ll also have lunch.
We will return from Murano via the 3:09 PM #42 boat from Faro to San Marco San Zaccaria-Jolanda, arriving back in San Marco at 3:53 PM.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Siesta or Free Time from 4:00-6:45 PM;
Meet in Lobby at 6:45 PM for Dinner, Followed by Arias di Italiano at Chiesa di
Santa Maria Formosa
We’ll gather in the lobby at 6:45 PM tonight to share dinner at Osteria Oliva Nera, near Campo Santa Maria Formosa (get walking directions from our hotel; it's northeast of Piazza San Marco, in Castello). Our hotel made a 7:15 PM dinner reservation for 16 people; we should confirm with the hotel today in person to be sure.
After dinner (by about 8:45 PM), we'll walk two-tenths of a mile to Campo Santa Maria Formosa and enter the church to enjoy a live performance of highlights of Italian arias—including works by Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Albaroni, and Schubert (Ave Maria). Performed in the candlelit Santa Maria Formosa church by Italian college students through Collegium Ducale. John reserved 16 tickets through http://nuke.collegiumducale.com before the trip, to be picked up at the church (we each pay cash, about €25.00 per person, but €20,00 for students and seniors). The show runs about an hour.
About the Church
Mauro Coducci built this church in 1492 on the foundations of an older, probably 11th century church (the facade overlooking the Campo and the Baroque bell-tower were added in the 17th century). The result was an extremely successful merging of a basic Byzantine shape and Venetian Renaissance architecture, and an interior which, with its slender columns, little cupolas and barrel-vaults, gives the impression of being Byzantine yet is smothered with marvelous Renaissance ornamentation. The most interesting works of art in the church are Bartolomeo Vivarini's altar-piece "Madonna of Mercy (1473) and a "St Barbara" (early 16th century; Palma Vecchio) in the chapel to the right of the high altar. Every morning the square around the church, Campo Santa Maria Formosa, is the scene of a centuries old fruit market. The church stands in the center of the square, which is bordered by two canals.
We’ll gather in the lobby at 6:45 PM tonight to share dinner at Osteria Oliva Nera, near Campo Santa Maria Formosa (get walking directions from our hotel; it's northeast of Piazza San Marco, in Castello). Our hotel made a 7:15 PM dinner reservation for 16 people; we should confirm with the hotel today in person to be sure.
After dinner (by about 8:45 PM), we'll walk two-tenths of a mile to Campo Santa Maria Formosa and enter the church to enjoy a live performance of highlights of Italian arias—including works by Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Albaroni, and Schubert (Ave Maria). Performed in the candlelit Santa Maria Formosa church by Italian college students through Collegium Ducale. John reserved 16 tickets through http://nuke.collegiumducale.com before the trip, to be picked up at the church (we each pay cash, about €25.00 per person, but €20,00 for students and seniors). The show runs about an hour.
About the Church
Mauro Coducci built this church in 1492 on the foundations of an older, probably 11th century church (the facade overlooking the Campo and the Baroque bell-tower were added in the 17th century). The result was an extremely successful merging of a basic Byzantine shape and Venetian Renaissance architecture, and an interior which, with its slender columns, little cupolas and barrel-vaults, gives the impression of being Byzantine yet is smothered with marvelous Renaissance ornamentation. The most interesting works of art in the church are Bartolomeo Vivarini's altar-piece "Madonna of Mercy (1473) and a "St Barbara" (early 16th century; Palma Vecchio) in the chapel to the right of the high altar. Every morning the square around the church, Campo Santa Maria Formosa, is the scene of a centuries old fruit market. The church stands in the center of the square, which is bordered by two canals.
After the show concludes (at 10:00 PM) all are free until 10:15 AM tomorrow morning when we gather in the hotel lobby for our day trip to nearby Verona.
DAY EIGHT (FRI NOV 25): DAY TRIP TO
VERONA AND OUR LAST NIGHT
Free Time Today:
· Rising until 10:15 AM
· 3:30-5:30 PM in Verona
· 8:00-9:00 PM in Venezia
· About 4 hours today
Gathering Times Today:
· 10:15 AM in lobby for day trip to Verona
· 5:30 PM at Victor Emmanuel Statue at Verona’s Piazza Bra
· 9:15 PM in hotel bar for snacks and a last night celebration
Sleep In (Free Time); Meet in Lobby at 10:15 AM for Day Trip to Verona
We’ll gather in the lobby at 10:15 AM this morning to walk to the San Marco-Vallaresso stop in time for the 10:45 AM vaporetto to stazzione Santa Lucia (Ferrovia), arriving at the station at 11:21 AM. There we’ll purchase tickets for the 11:50 AM train (9718 Frecciabianca) to Verona: a 1 hour ten minute ride, 0 changes; 2nd Class tickets will be about €20,00 each. We’ll arrive in Verona at 1:00 PM. If separated on the train, all should leave the train at this station: Verona-Porta Nuova and meet on the platform.
Free Time Today:
· Rising until 10:15 AM
· 3:30-5:30 PM in Verona
· 8:00-9:00 PM in Venezia
· About 4 hours today
Gathering Times Today:
· 10:15 AM in lobby for day trip to Verona
· 5:30 PM at Victor Emmanuel Statue at Verona’s Piazza Bra
· 9:15 PM in hotel bar for snacks and a last night celebration
Sleep In (Free Time); Meet in Lobby at 10:15 AM for Day Trip to Verona
We’ll gather in the lobby at 10:15 AM this morning to walk to the San Marco-Vallaresso stop in time for the 10:45 AM vaporetto to stazzione Santa Lucia (Ferrovia), arriving at the station at 11:21 AM. There we’ll purchase tickets for the 11:50 AM train (9718 Frecciabianca) to Verona: a 1 hour ten minute ride, 0 changes; 2nd Class tickets will be about €20,00 each. We’ll arrive in Verona at 1:00 PM. If separated on the train, all should leave the train at this station: Verona-Porta Nuova and meet on the platform.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon arrival in Verona at 1:00 PM,
we’ll purchase Verona Cards for each of us (€10,00 each) at the cambio
(exchange desk) across from the station’s TI—this card, not available at the
TI, will cover our bus transport and entry to all sites today. Then we’ll take
the city bus to Piazza Bra, Verona’s main square. The bus will be orange or
green-and-purple. The stop is in front of the station (Platform A). We can take
the 11, 12 or 13 bus to get to the center. Confirm with driver as we board: Per
Centro, si?
At Piazza Bra we’ll exit the bus (the square with the Roman arena, can’t miss it) and meet our guide, Valeria Biasi, who will take us on a two-hour tour of the city center (valeria@veronatours.com; www.veronatours.com; €110 cash for two hours plus €15 tip, or €8 per person, with 16 travelers). We have arranged to meet Valeria at the bus stop in Piazza Bra at 1:30 PM:
Our tour with Valeria will include:
· Piazza Bra
· Roman arena, dating from the 1st Century AD
· Porta Borsari and Corso Porta Borsari
· Piazza Erbe
· House of Juliet (not an actual historic site related to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but a legendary, romantic one, found in the same city as Shakespeare’s play
· Piazza dei Signori/Dante
· Ponte Pietra and a scenic view of the Adige River
· Verona’s Duomo, begun in the 12th Century AD, with Titian’s Assumption
Then, after the tour concludes at about 3:30 PM, all will enjoy two hours of free time in Verona, to eat, shop and explore in small groups or as individuals.
We’ll all meet back at the Victor Emmanuel statue in Piazza Bra at 5:30 PM to take three taxis back to the station (or the city bus if it’s there and convenient; bus is covered by our Verona Cards, while the taxi would be about €8,00 per vehicle). The walk, a boring one, would take 15 minutes.
At the station, we’ll take the 5:57 PM train home to Venezia Santa Lucia: train no. 9735 FRECCIABIANCA, arriving at Santa Lucia at 7:02 PM after a 1 hour 5 minute ride (0 changes). We will have to validate our tickets before boarding, but will have purchased these tickets in advance when we arrived in Venezia earlier this week.
At Santa Lucia, we’ll take vaporetto #1 back to San Marco-Vallaresso, catching either the 7:14 PM boat or the 7:24 PM boat (a 36-minute ride on Canale Grande—our last on the canal—to our hotel stop). We’ll get back to our hotel, then, at about 8:00 PM.
At Piazza Bra we’ll exit the bus (the square with the Roman arena, can’t miss it) and meet our guide, Valeria Biasi, who will take us on a two-hour tour of the city center (valeria@veronatours.com; www.veronatours.com; €110 cash for two hours plus €15 tip, or €8 per person, with 16 travelers). We have arranged to meet Valeria at the bus stop in Piazza Bra at 1:30 PM:
Our tour with Valeria will include:
· Piazza Bra
· Roman arena, dating from the 1st Century AD
· Porta Borsari and Corso Porta Borsari
· Piazza Erbe
· House of Juliet (not an actual historic site related to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but a legendary, romantic one, found in the same city as Shakespeare’s play
· Piazza dei Signori/Dante
· Ponte Pietra and a scenic view of the Adige River
· Verona’s Duomo, begun in the 12th Century AD, with Titian’s Assumption
Then, after the tour concludes at about 3:30 PM, all will enjoy two hours of free time in Verona, to eat, shop and explore in small groups or as individuals.
We’ll all meet back at the Victor Emmanuel statue in Piazza Bra at 5:30 PM to take three taxis back to the station (or the city bus if it’s there and convenient; bus is covered by our Verona Cards, while the taxi would be about €8,00 per vehicle). The walk, a boring one, would take 15 minutes.
At the station, we’ll take the 5:57 PM train home to Venezia Santa Lucia: train no. 9735 FRECCIABIANCA, arriving at Santa Lucia at 7:02 PM after a 1 hour 5 minute ride (0 changes). We will have to validate our tickets before boarding, but will have purchased these tickets in advance when we arrived in Venezia earlier this week.
At Santa Lucia, we’ll take vaporetto #1 back to San Marco-Vallaresso, catching either the 7:14 PM boat or the 7:24 PM boat (a 36-minute ride on Canale Grande—our last on the canal—to our hotel stop). We’ll get back to our hotel, then, at about 8:00 PM.
Our Last Night: Siesta, Packing, Final
Gathering/Celebration
Upon arrival back at the hotel all can enjoy a siesta, resting and packing for our morning departure for home. Then, at 9:15 PM, we’ll gather in the hotel bar/lobby, where John will have arranged for snacks (vegetables, cold cuts, cheeses, and some pasta, with beverages) with Mr. Vinicio at the hotel (cost TBA). Anyone who wishes to can gather here to relax, eat, talk about the trip, etc. Anyone who would prefer to go out, instead, could certainly do so. Service ends at 10:30 PM at the bar, although we can remain longer.
If you have Euros left, you can spend them tonight in Venezia or at the airports we'll visit tomorrow...or save them for a return trip to Europa!
We will checkout of the hotel tonight to save time in the morning, since all have to be ready to depart the hotel for the airport at 6:25 AM.
Upon arrival back at the hotel all can enjoy a siesta, resting and packing for our morning departure for home. Then, at 9:15 PM, we’ll gather in the hotel bar/lobby, where John will have arranged for snacks (vegetables, cold cuts, cheeses, and some pasta, with beverages) with Mr. Vinicio at the hotel (cost TBA). Anyone who wishes to can gather here to relax, eat, talk about the trip, etc. Anyone who would prefer to go out, instead, could certainly do so. Service ends at 10:30 PM at the bar, although we can remain longer.
If you have Euros left, you can spend them tonight in Venezia or at the airports we'll visit tomorrow...or save them for a return trip to Europa!
We will checkout of the hotel tonight to save time in the morning, since all have to be ready to depart the hotel for the airport at 6:25 AM.
FLIGHT (SAT NOV 26): VENEZIA- MARCO
POLO TO CHICAGO-O’HARE
Gathering Time Today:
· 6:25 AM in hotel lobby with bags packed, ready for departure for home (we will have checked out the night before)
Early Departure: Meet in Hotel Lobby to Depart for Home at 6:25 AM
After an early rising this morning we’ll leave the hotel together with our bags at 6:25 AM (checking out last night) to make the short walk to the Alilguna water taxi stop at San Marco-Giardinetti for the 6:50 AM Blue Line boat to the airport (about €12,00 each; a 75 minute ride). Once at the airport dock at 8:08 AM, we’ll walk 10 minutes from the dock to the terminal, check-in, clear security and have breakfast before boarding our 9:45 AM flight.
NOTE: Since our vaporetto passes will have some time left on them, we could give them away at the airport to anyone we see arriving in town.
Details on our 9:45 AM flight to Zurich, Switzerland: Swiss Airlines Flight 1661, operated by Contact Air, arriving in Zurich at 10:55 AM, a 1 hr 10 min flight (226 miles). Then, after a 2 hour layover, we'll transfer to Swiss Airlines Flight 8 departing at 12:55 PM, and arriving at Chicago-O’Hare at 4:00 PM on Saturday (a 10 hr, 5 min flight, 4,428 miles).
· 6:25 AM in hotel lobby with bags packed, ready for departure for home (we will have checked out the night before)
Early Departure: Meet in Hotel Lobby to Depart for Home at 6:25 AM
After an early rising this morning we’ll leave the hotel together with our bags at 6:25 AM (checking out last night) to make the short walk to the Alilguna water taxi stop at San Marco-Giardinetti for the 6:50 AM Blue Line boat to the airport (about €12,00 each; a 75 minute ride). Once at the airport dock at 8:08 AM, we’ll walk 10 minutes from the dock to the terminal, check-in, clear security and have breakfast before boarding our 9:45 AM flight.
NOTE: Since our vaporetto passes will have some time left on them, we could give them away at the airport to anyone we see arriving in town.
Details on our 9:45 AM flight to Zurich, Switzerland: Swiss Airlines Flight 1661, operated by Contact Air, arriving in Zurich at 10:55 AM, a 1 hr 10 min flight (226 miles). Then, after a 2 hour layover, we'll transfer to Swiss Airlines Flight 8 departing at 12:55 PM, and arriving at Chicago-O’Hare at 4:00 PM on Saturday (a 10 hr, 5 min flight, 4,428 miles).
TOTAL COST PER PERSON IN U.S. DOLLARS
(based on 16 persons ) WAS about $3,000, all-inclusive
2 comments:
Quite interesting and different post.. Keep posting..Stay blessed!!
Philadelphia Airport
Thanks, Aimmie! Safe travels to you, and happy holidays!
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