Day 1 | Sat. 11/30/24
Depart Greater Cincinnati Airport
Day 2 | Mon. 12/01/24
Arrival in Rome, Italy
Train from Rome to Florence
Depart pm- Arrive pm
You will be travelling in Business class on Train TBD. Please visit my page on Trenitalia for information on the types of tickets you can book, and sample pricing. Don’t forget to watch the Partenze board for your Binario!
IMPORTANT: Be at the platform at least 20 minutes before departure.
Your train tickets include access to the Italo Club Lounge, so arrive early and relax!
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.
Day 3 | Mon. 12/02/24
Florence, Italy
Christmas Market – Piazza Santa Croce
Day 4 | Tue. 12/03/24
Florence, Italy
Day 5 | Wed. 12/04/24
Florence, Italy
Day 6 | Thur. 12/05/24
Rome, Italy
Today you will depart Florence at TBD am for a train to Rome.
You will be travelling in Business Class Coach TBD of Frecciarossa TBD.
Please watch this video on the train between Florence and Rome.
Day 7 | Fri. 12/06/24
Rome, Italy
Day 8 | Sat. 12/07/24
Rome, Italy
Day 9 | Sun. 12/08/24
Rome, Italy
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception (known as L’Immacolata Concezione in Italian) is a significant Italian public holiday celebrated annually on December 8. This day commemorates the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was graced by God to lead a life “free of sin” according to Catholic tradition. Here are some key points about this holiday:
- Origins and Significance:
- The celebration of the Immaculate Conception can be traced back to when the Vatican officially declared the feast on December 8, 1854.
- According to Catholic dogma, the Virgin Mary was free from original sin from the moment of her conception. This belief is rooted in Catholic tradition and was affirmed by Pope Pius IX in 1854.
- Italians honor Mary, whom they believe is immaculate, or “free from sin,” on this special day.
- Observances:
- Many Italians attend a church mass to honor Mary.
- One of the highlights is a celebration led by the Catholic pope in Rome. During this ceremony, the pope kneels in prayer and lays a floral wreath on the statue of the Madonna at the Piazza Mignanelli.
- In some places, there is street entertainment by jugglers and street clowns for the public.
- Public Life:
- The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a nationwide public holiday in Italy.
- Organizations and businesses that are closed include:
- Government offices
- Post offices
- Banks
- Schools and other educational institutions
- Many shops remain open during this time of the year for people to start their Christmas shopping.
- Transport options, such as taxis, rail services between major cities, and major long-route bus lines, are available, but travelers are advised to check routes and timetables with local transport authorities.
Day 10 | Mon. 12/09/24
Rome, Italy
Christmas Party in the Streets
Amalfi Coast Style
Day 12 | Jan. 5, 2024
Celebrating the Epiphany
Amalfi, Italy
9:30 am
Amalfi Heaven Gardens
Cooking Class
Learn the secrets of Italian cooking from local chefs in the terraced gardens of the stunning Amalfi Coast. Enjoy the intimate and friendly atmosphere of a small-group cooking class, taste typical local products and savor the dishes you’ve prepared.
Arriving from Amalfi
- On foot: Take a nice walk of about 20 minutes in the direction of Positano and up the stairs from the road. Gardens entrance is on the right, in front of G.A.S. Bar.
- By bus: Take a bus in the direction of Sorrento, Agerola or Pogerola and ask the driver to be dropped off at G.A.S. Bar. The journey takes just 3 minutes. We are just up the stairs in front of G.A.S. Bar. Tickets CANNOT be bought on board; you need to buy them before to get on the bus. Bus schedules can be checked on sitasudtrasporti.it/orari (select Campania).
Arriving from Amalfi
- On foot: Take a nice walk of about 20 minutes in the direction of Positano and up the stairs from the road. Gardens entrance is on the right, in front of G.A.S. Bar.
- By bus: Take a bus in the direction of Sorrento, Agerola or Pogerola and ask the driver to be dropped off at G.A.S. Bar. The journey takes just 3 minutes. We are just up the stairs in front of G.A.S. Bar. Tickets CANNOT be bought on board; you need to buy them before to get on the bus. Bus schedules can be checked on sitasudtrasporti.it/orari (select Campania).
Need transportation? Mimmo Taxi is the #1 taxi in Amalfi, literally! Look for the white van with taxi license #1 on the rear. If my cousin Mimmo’s taxi isn’t available, Marcello in the white van with taxi #5 can provide you with excellent service.
The Amalfi Coast
Discover the stunning Path of the Gods, without stress on this private tour along the Amalfi Coast. Be led by a professional, local tour guide. If you want to enrich your day, you can best choose the option with private transfer and local lunch included.
Click here for info and to book.
Days 13 | Depart Amalfi for Rome
Ferry to Salerno, Train to Rome
Dinner at Trattoria Vecchia Roma at 8 pm
Vatican: Museums & Sistine Chapel
Take a stirring journey through art and religious history with skip-the-ticket-line entry to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Avoid the long ticket lines and then enjoy your visit at your own pace. Wander through the Greek Cross Gallery to see elaborately-carved sarcophagi that might just contain the earthly remains of some of antiquity’s famous kings and queens.
Peek at the Cabinet of the Masks, or tour the Sala degli Animali to see a virtual menagerie of fantastic beasts, real and imagined. Walk the Upper Galleries, including the Gallery of Maps, to see how cartographers depicted the world through the ages.
See masterpieces by Renaissance masters in the Raphael Rooms, and rest for a while in the Borgia Apartments. Then, it’s time to marvel at Michelangelo’s exquisite Sistine Chapel, the crown jewel of the Vatican, and perhaps even of all the world’s art treasures.
Rome: Castel Sant’Angelo with Reserved Ticket
Click here for some history on the Castel.
Day 12- Rome
Monday, 2024
Hotel TBD
Day 13 – Depart Rome, Italy at 9:45am
Sunday, 2024
Rome Fiumicino Airport Plaza Platinum Amex Lounges
Arrive at 3:10 pm – 7h 25m Layover in Atlanta (ATL)
Depart ATL 10:35 pm on Delta 1398
Day 13 | Sept. 17, 2023
Arrive Cincinnati (CVG)
11:58 pm on Delta Flight 1398
PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP
Cellular Phone Service | Verizon Phone Service
Plan your trip overseas with our travel planner | Verizon
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.
Links for More Information
Rome with Kids – Fun things to do, what’s free, what to expect (romewise.com)
Rome Taxi- Guide to Taxi to/from airport and city center.
GetYourGuide – Please book through this link.
PACKING LIST
Water Shoes, the beaches are primarily rocky.