Italy, Here We Come!
June 20–28, 2026

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📘 Trip Overview – Table of Contents

• 📁 Trip Folder
• 💶 Euro Currency Converter
  • € Getting Euros from US Bank
  • Getting Scammed? Click and play📛.
• 🚅 Italy by Rail
• 🚕 Freenow by Lyft Taxi App
• ✈️ Day 1 – Depart Cincinnati (Sat. 6/20/26)
• 🚆 Day 2 – Arrive Naples ➡️ Sorrento (Sun. 6/21/26)
  • 🚌 Curreri Viaggi bus from Airport
  • 🏨 Hotel Il Faro (booked)
  • 🗺️ Map of Sorrento and Hotel
• 🌅 Day 3 – Sorrento (Mon. 6/22/26)
  • 🏨 Hotel Il Faro (booked)
  • 🎟️🧑‍🍳Cooking Class 5 pm (booked)
• 🌴 Day 4 – Sorrento (Tue. 6/23/26)
  • 🏨 Hotel Il Faro (booked)
  • 🎟️ Capri Boat Tour 9:30 am (booked)
    • 🍽️Eating on Capri
    • Funicular Tickets
      • Visit to Anacapri
• 🏛️ Day 5 – Depart Sorrento for Florence (Wed. 6/24/26)
  • Sorrento 🚕 ➡️ Naples + High-Speed Train ➡️ Florence
    • Welcome Pickup from Sorrento Hotel to Naples Train Station ($151)
    • 🚅 Italo Train 9932 Prima Business
      • Depart Napoli Centrale 11:20 am – Arrive Firenze SMN at 2:17 pm
      • Download Italo App and use your Trip Email and Password to create your account.
    • Taxi to hotel
    • 🏨Hotel Orto De Medici
• 🎨 Day 6 – Florence (Thur. 6/25/26)
  • 🏨Hotel Orto De Medici
  • 🎟️ Dome Climb, Bell Tower, Duomo Complex Passes
    • Dome Climb 12 pm sharp
  • 🍝 Eataly – Wine Windows – Rosso Crudo
  • 🧪 Leonardo Interactive Museum
• 🚄 Day 7 – Florence ➡️ Rome (Fri. 6/26/26)
  • 🚅 Italo Train 8953 EVO Prima Business Flex
    • 🚕Taxi – Ⓜ️Metro -🚶‍♀️‍➡️Walk to Hotel Napolean
  • 🏨Hotel Napolean (1/2)
  • 🗺️ Map of Rome
  • 🎟️⛪ Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel 1:15 pm (booked)
• 🏨 Day 8 – Rome (Sat, 6/27/26)
  • 🏨Hotel Napolean (1/2)
  • 🎟️🏟️ Colosseum, Forum & Palatine Hill 4:00 pm (booked)
    • The time was rescheduled from 3:30 pm
• 🛫 Day 9 – Depart Rome (Sun. 6/28/26)

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Before You Go — What to Know

🇮🇹 Entering Italy and the E.U.
UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
🇺🇸 Mobile Passport Control (MPC)

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TAXI APPS

🚕 ITTaxia (Italy) (📱app)
🚕 Freenow by Lyft (📱app)
🚕 Uber (📱app)

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🌤️ Weather

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Your trip folder contains all of the documents and an itinerary for your trip. They are ordered day-by-day and can be printed out or accessed during your trip. The password is texted, and the link emailed to you for security. I can also print them out and mail them to you upon request.

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Day 1 – Saturday, June 20, 2026
Depart Cincinnati (CVG)

✈️ 11:35 am depart Cincinnati (CVG) on DL5096
1:40 pm arrive in New York (JFK)
💺 3h 40m Layover
✈️ 5:20 pm depart New York (JFK) on DL232
8:10 am arrive in Naples (NAP) (+1 day, 6/21)

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Getting from the Airport to the Hotel

Curreri Viaggi: Naples Airport → Sorrento

The new Entry/Exit System is causing some headaches for arrivals in Italy. Your flight is scheduled to arrive at 8:10 am. There are buses departing at 9 am and at 11 am. It is very unlikely you will make it through the process to make the 9 am bus. With tickets to the 11 am bus, if you do happen to speed through, you technically can board the 9 am bus (space available). Show the driver the ticket and ask if there is space.

(“C’è posto?” Pronounced: cheh POH‑stoh)

What it is: Curreri Viaggi is the only direct coach service between Naples Airport (Capodichino) and Sorrento — no transfer at Naples Centrale, no Circumvesuviana connection. You board at airport arrivals and step off in central Sorrento about 80 minutes later. BlueKeys Guide (📺The ride)

Cost & Schedule: There are 8 departures daily, tickets are €10 single / €18 return, and luggage is included. The final stop is Piazza Lauro in Sorrento. (Tickets).

Where to board at the airport: At Naples airport, the bus leaves from the space dedicated to tourist buses. Once you exit the terminal, follow signs for Alibus, go past the taxi rank and bus stop, then turn right at the sign for tourist buses (bus turistici). Curreri also has a walkthrough video of this route on their own website (📺curreriviaggi.it). Sorrento Insider

Tickets: The ticket booth is open 6:30–20:30. If you arrive outside those hours, you can buy on board from the driver (cash only). Online booking via curreriviaggi.it is useful for peak July–August weekends when the bus can fill up. Note the system only allows reservations up to 4 hours before departure.

The ride: The bus takes the A3 motorway from Naples to the Castellammare exit, then the SS145 along the Sorrento peninsula coast, stopping at Piano di Sorrento and Sant’Agnello before Sorrento Piazza Lauro.

Day 2 – Sunday, June 21, 2026
Arrive Naples → Sorrento (1/3 nights)

Hotel Il Faro delivers a completely different experience—right on the water at Marina Piccola, steps from the ferry docks to Capri, Positano, and Amalfi. Its nautical style and harbor views make it ideal for travelers who want to wake up by the sea and enjoy the energy of the port. The rooftop pool and bar add a scenic place to relax, and the on‑site Vela Bianca restaurant is popular for seafood and pizza.

Map of Sorrento

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Sorrento Lift

Marina Piccola to Downtown Sorrento

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Local dining – consider Ristorante Donna Sofia

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Day 3 – Monday, June 22, 2026
Sorrento (2/3 nights)

Explore Sorrento and day-trip options:

• Sorrento Lift – Elevator to Seaside
• Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi, Ravello)
• Pompeii / Herculaneum
• 🎟️ Cooking Class Reserved for 5:00 pm

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Day 4 – Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Sorrento (3/3 nights)

A Visit to the Isle of Capri

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🍴🔗Eating on Capri 🍷

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Anacapri

Anacapri sits high above Capri Town and offers a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere with sweeping views over the Bay of Naples. Its whitewashed lanes, artisan workshops, and easy access to highlights like Villa San Michele and the Monte Solaro chairlift make it a perfect place to slow down and explore at your own pace.

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Funicular on Capri

To get to the center of Capri from Marina Grande, the fastest method is the funicular which climbs uphill through lemon groves and drops you directly in the Piazzetta.

• Departures: every 15 minutes (more often at peak times).
• Duration: 15 minutes
• Ticket price: EUR 2.40 (one-way)

The Marina Grande ticket office is not located at the entrance to the funicular, but at the end of the arrival pier to the right (facing land), near the high-speed ferry ticket offices. You can also bring small pets on board. To transport large suitcases, you must purchase a supplement ticket.
The funicular closes from January through March for maintenance. During these months, you’ll need to take the substitute bus route.

Walking Times

• Capri – Marina Grande: 15 minutes or less. The road begins at the Piazzetta behind the clock tower, then follow the signage for the port.
• Marina Grande – Capri: 30 minutes – Take the road that climbs opposite the “banchinella”, where ships and boats dock (pier 21). The road is a steep uphill climb with a number of steps, so best avoided if you have luggage!
• Capri – Marina Piccola: it’s not worth the effort to take the bus! Just walk there by taking the Via Mulo stairs down to the port, which begin at Due Golfi.
• Anacapri – Marina Grande: 20 minutes along the spectacular Scala Fenicia stairway, which begins at the gardens of Axel Munthe’s Villa. There are around 1,000 steps that are quite high, so you need to be in good shape!
• Capri – Anacapri: 1 hour – Note: all uphill!
• Anacapri – Capri: Half an hour – Keep a close watch for the staircases that are a shortcut!

Do you want to call a taxi?

• Taxi Anacapri, Piazza Vittoria – 081 8371175
• Taxi Capri, Piazza Martiri D’Ungheria – 081 8371175
• Radio Taxi Capri – 081 8370543 (24h)

Mount Solaro Chairlift Hours

• From March to October: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
• From November to February: 10:30 am – 3:30 pm
• From March to April: 9:30 am – 4 pm
• Prices: €12 roundtrip, €9 one way. Children 7 and under: free.

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Day 5 – Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Sorrento🚕→Naples🚅 → Florence (2 nights)

Welcome Pickups 9 am Pickup at Your Hotel
Sorrento🚕→Naples

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IMPORTANT: Be at the platform at least 20 minutes before departure. (Realtime Tracking)

Check the partenze. Partenze means departures in Italian, whereas Arrivi means arrivals. Find your train number under the Partenze column and go to the correct platform for your departure. Knowing your train number is key because the Partenze will display the final destination of the train. If you are traveling from Florence to Rome, your train might actually keep going to Naples – so it will be Napoli which shows on the board. If you keep watching, all of the stops will scroll by in the smaller letters next to the main destination.

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🏨 Hotel Orto De Medici (booked)

🏨 Hotel Orto de’ Medici is perfectly located for exploring Florence on foot — just a quick 🚶‍♂️ 4‑minute walk from the Accademia Gallery (David), about 🚶‍♀️ 10 minutes from the Duomo, and roughly 🚶 15 minutes from Santa Maria Novella (SMN) train station — making it an easy, convenient, and central base for your stay.

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Florence Attractions

• Accademia Gallery (Michelangelo’s David)
• Duomo complex (Cathedral, Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Opera del Duomo Museum)
• Uffizi Gallery
• Ponte Vecchio & Oltrarno
• Eataly Firenze (lunch & shopping)
• Florence wine windows (try Babae)
• Bistecca alla Fiorentina dinner – Rosso Crudo recommended
• Leonardo Interactive Museum

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Day 6 – Thursday, June 25, 2026
Florence 🏨 Hotel Orto De Medici

🎟️ Dome Climb 12 pm (sharp)

You have Brunelleschi Passes with a 12:00 pm (sharp) timed entry to Climb the Dome. (map to entry). You can visit the other sites of the pass on the same day without reservations.

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Your Brunelleschi Pass includes access to all monuments of Piazza del Duomo allowing visitors a complete experience with a single ticket: the Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Brunelleschi’s Dome, the Opera del Duomo Museum and the crypt of Santa Reparata with one access per monument. You can visit them without reservations on the day of your Dome Climb.

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Day 7 – Friday, June 26, 2026
Florence 🚅→ Rome (2 nights)

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Taxis to Hotel

There is a taxi stand just outside the Roma Termini station. Make sure to go to the stand at the end of the station and enter the queue for an official taxi. Make sure that they use the meter and confirm before getting in that they will accept a credit card. If someone approaches you and asks if you need a taxi, it is likely a scam! Wait at the actual stands.

If you don’t have time to watch the entire video below, please 📺watch the section on how to avoid being scammed! Confirm the full rate before getting in a taxi!

Problem with a Taxi Driver?

Click Here for them to see and hear!

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Walking (directions) or Metro to Hotel Napolean

The walk from Roma Termini Station to Hotel Napoleon is about 10–12 minutes at a normal pace. It’s a straight, flat route down Via Gioberti / Via Carlo Alberto, passing Santa Maria Maggiore and continuing directly into Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, where the hotel sits on the north side of the square.

Taking the metro is even faster: just 1 stop. From inside Termini, follow signs for Metro Line A (the red line) and board any train heading toward Anagnina. Get off at the very next stop, Vittorio Emanuele, which opens directly onto the square where Hotel Napoleon is located. The hotel entrance is about a 30‑second walk from the station exit.

🔗Read Using the Subway in Rome

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Hotel Napoleon sits directly on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, giving you a central but more local-feeling base in Rome. The area has cafés, bakeries, and everyday neighborhood life, and it’s an easy walk to Santa Maria Maggiore and Termini. It’s lively during the day, convenient for sightseeing, and well connected without feeling overly touristy.

The Vittorio Emanuele Metro stop (Line A) is right outside the hotel’s front door, making it incredibly simple to reach the Colosseum area, the Spanish Steps, or the Vatican. Termini Station is just one stop away or about a 10–12 minute walk, so arriving, departing, and taking day trips is straightforward

Rome Map

🎟️⛪ Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel 1:15 pm (booked)

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• Early-entry Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica
• Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• Trastevere neighborhood (evening)

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Day 8 – Saturday, June 27, 2026
Rome

🎟️🏟️ Colosseum, Forum & Palatine Hill 4:00 pm (booked)

Everyone must present a valid ID to gain entry.

Meeting point: Santi Cosma e Damiano, Via dei Fori Imperiali, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

End point: Colosseum P.za del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

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Getting from Hotel Napoleon to Santi Cosma e Damiano by Metro

A quick and easy metro route from Hotel Napoleon to the historic Basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano in Rome, perfect for travelers who want a fast and scenic way to reach the Roman Forum area. Time Required: 15–20 minutes.

• 🚶 Exit Hotel Napoleon: Turn left onto Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. The metro entrance is a 1–2 minute walk on your left.
• 🔴 Vittorio Emanuele — Line A toward Battistini: Buy a single ticket (€1.50) or use your transit card. Board Line A toward Battistini (NOT toward Anagnina). Ride one stop to Termini.
• 🔄 Termini — Transfer to Line B toward Laurentina: Exit the Line A train and follow signs for Linea B. Board Line B toward Laurentina (NOT toward Jonio). Ride two stops to Colosseo.
• 🔵 Colosseo — Exit Line B: The Colosseum is right in front of you as you exit. Turn right onto Via dei Fori Imperiali and walk toward the Roman Forum. Santi Cosma e Damiano is 4–5 minutes ahead on your left.
• ⛪ Santi Cosma e Damiano: Meeting point is at Via dei Fori Imperiali 1. Look for the bell tower and arched entrance set into the ancient brick walls. The group will be gathered at the gate — easy to spot from the road.
• ⏱️ Total journey: 15–20 minutes.

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Day 9 – Sunday, June 28, 2026
Depart Rome (FCO) → Cincinnati

✈️ 12:15 pm depart Rome (FCO) on DL231
4:10 pm arrive at Atlanta (ATL)
💺 2h 10m Layover
✈️ 6:20 pm depart Atlanta (ATL) on DL5023
8:41 pm arrive in Cincinnati (CVG)

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Quick Reminders

• ✅ Book high-speed trains (Trenitalia / Italo) as soon as the schedule opens.
• ✅ Reserve major sites (Vatican, Colosseum, Uffizi, Accademia) with timed entry.
• ✅ Comfortable walking shoes – cobblestones & stairs everywhere.
• ✅ June weather: 25–32 °C (77–90 °F) – light layers + sun protection.
• ✅ Vatican & churches: shoulders & knees covered.
• ✅ Consider travel insurance & keep passports / ETIAS ready.
• ✅ Water Shoes for the rocky beaches

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Currency Calculator

Currency Exchange

Foreign currency exchange is the act of exchanging one type of currency for another. For example, if you’re planning an international trip to Europe, you may want to plan ahead and exchange U.S. dollars for Euros so that you are prepared to cover cash expenses as soon as you arrive without having to stop at an exchange office at your destination. Two hundred euros should get you through until you get to an ATM.

Making ATM Withdrawals – USE A BANK ATM!

The best way to get cash in Italy is to make an ATM withdrawal when you arrive. The Visa or Mastercard exchange rate applies and is better than any rate you’re likely to get exchanging currency at an exchange office or a bank.

IMPORTANT: Make sure to select the option for conversion by your bank. It’s a good idea to check with your bank for specific details about their foreign ATM conversion fees and any other charges that might apply.

Italian bank ATMs are called bancomats and some don’t charge a local ATM operator fee — but avoid using independent ATMs. These third-party ATMs charge like a wounded bull, and it’ll be obvious which ATMs are affiliated with a bank and which aren’t.

Cash and Currency Tips for Europe by Rick Steves

Foreign Currency Exchange Services (pnc.com)

How long does it take to receive foreign currency bank notes that are ordered at a PNC branch?

Standard foreign currency orders entered before 4:30 p.m. ET will be delivered to the branch by the end of the next business day. (during business travel season please allow 1 – 2 additional business days)

Customers may request overnight delivery for a $15 charge. Overnight delivery foreign currency orders entered before 4:30 p.m. ET will be delivered to the branch by noon the next business day. Overnight delivery is only available Monday through Friday and isn’t available on bank holidays.

Foreign Currency Exchange | Fifth Third Bank (53.com)

Fifth Third customers can buy and sell foreign currency at their local branch with competitive exchange rates. And when you return from your trip, Fifth Third can buy back any unused foreign currency, exchanging it back into U.S. dollars.  Contact your local branch if you have questions about a particular currency carried.

Foreign Currency Exchange | US Bank (usbank.com)

U.S. Bank customers can order foreign currency online through the mobile app or online banking — select your account, choose Account Services, and place your order. Standard orders placed before 2:00 p.m. will be ready for branch pickup by the end of the next business day; orders placed after 2:00 p.m. are typically ready in two business days. Expedited delivery is available for an additional fee. Only the account holder who placed the order may pick up the currency, and a valid photo ID is required. Contact your local branch to confirm euro availability before ordering

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Italy by Rail

Taxi App – Freenow by Lyft

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Rome – Using the Subway and Bus Network (ATAC)

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You must validate paper tickets or risk being fined when stopped by transit police!

TAP AND GO ON ATAC

With Tap & Go your ticket is in your wallet! With a contactless credit, debit or prepaid card that shows the contactless symbol you don’t need a paper ticket for buses, trams, trolleys, and metro lines. You may also be able to use your NFC-enabled devices (smartphones, smartwatches, wearables) if you have payment setup on the device. No need to register for ATAC unless you want an account to track your travels.

You will tap your card or device to the reader and be charged the going rate for your ticket. Each time you board or pass a turnstile, you need to tap before you go. Taps made to change between different means of transport (bus-metro/railway, metro/railway-bus and bus-bus), if made within the validity period of the ticket (100 minutes), are considered as one single tap and there will be no further charge.

REMEMBER TO TAP ON EACH VEHICLE BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT

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ROMA PASS

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