Day 1 | Departing for Atlanta
Sat., 23 March 2024
 Group 1 Departing CVG on Delta 2330 at 1:43 pm Arrival in Atlanta 3:15 pm |  Group 2 Departing CLE on Delta 630 at 1:40 pm Arrival in Atlanta 3:37 pm |
Day 2 | Arrival in Rome, Italy
Sun., 24 March 2024
Days 2-3 | Rome, Italy
Sun. – Mon., 24-25 March 2024
Best Western Hotel Artdeco
The hotel is located a short walkfrom Termini Train Station, the Colosseum (1.2 mi) and Palatine Hill (1.3 mi). It features a 24-hour front desk, a concierge, and room service. The included breakfast provides a pleasant respite from your busy day. (Info) (Map)
Via Palestro 19, Roma, 00185
Monday March 25th 10:00 am
Meeting Point 9:45 am
Piazza del Colosseo, 21, Piazza del Colosseo, 21.
Meet the staff of Discover Rome Tours in front of the lower level of the Colosseum Metro station. Look for the Discover Rome Tours sign near the green newsstand.
Colosseum Underground Tour
Explore the world’s most famous amphitheater with an official guide and journey back to the days of the Roman Empire at the monumental Colosseum.
See where the wild animals were kept before they released onto the arena and where gladiators waited for their turn to fight. Learn about the innovative techniques the engineers used to build the monument and hear how it has survived for hundreds of years Maximum group size 24.
Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Originally a marketplace, the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections and the venue for public speeches, criminal trials and gladiatorial matches. It has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history.
Monday, March 25th 3:30 pm
Vatican Museum (Directions)
There are requirements for entry to the Vatican Museums. Please read this prior to your visit. This is a timed entry with an audio guide and you can plan on 2-3 hours for your visit.
Cipro – Musei Vaticani: The closest stop to the Vatican Museums and to the Sistine Chapel.
Day 4-5 | Florence, Italy
Tue. – Wed., 26-27 March 2024
Today we will depart Rome at 11:10 am for a train to Florence.
We will be travelling in Business Class Coach 4 of Frecciarossa 9514.
Please watch this video on the train between Rome and Florence.
Loggiato dei Serviti
This upscale hotel in a 16th-century structure facing a square is a 3-minute walk from the Accademia Gallery, a 7-minute walk from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The elegant rooms offer period furniture, Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, and desks. They also come with minibars.
Breakfast is served in a casual dining room. Other amenities include a low-key bar, a TV room and a lobby lounge.
Days 6-7 | Felitto, Italy
Thur. – Fri., 28-29 March 2024
Thur. – Fri., 28-29 March 2024
We will depart Florence Station S. M. Novella at 10:24 am for our train to Salerno.
We will be travelling in Business Class, Coach 2 of Frecciarossa 9519.
Review my Trenitalia page for options on seating.
Arriving in Salerno at 2:16 pm, we will pick up a rental van and a car for our drive to Felitto.
We will be hosted by Allessandro, in a centuries old building he lovingly converted into a charming B&B. Breakfast is typical Italian fare of the region, with delicious local fresh fruits and pastries.
Breakfast pastries from our last visit.
Azienda Agricola Marco Rizzo
The Marco Rizzo Farm is a young Cilento company that produces cold-pressed organic extra virgin olive oil. The company covers an area of 111 acres in the municipality of Felitto, located close to the Gole del Calore: the pristine hinterland of the Cilento National Park.
MarcoRizzo extra virgin olive oil is the result of a project to recover and study some native varieties of the Salerno Valle del Calore, such as Carpellese, Rotondella, Nostrale di Felitto.
Four labels of organic extra virgin olive oil are produced from these varieties. The three monocultivars, bottled with the names Ìncipit, Impronta, Talismano, are olives harvested while still green and exclusively on the plant. Racconto is a blend of farm cultivars.
The result is an extra virgin olive oil with very low acidity, rich in polyphenols, vitamins and aromatic substances. (www.oliorizzo.it 2024)
Imprint Experience €70
- 10 am Excursion among the centuries-old olive trees to discover the native cultivars of Cilento / Guide to the processing processes in the mill.
- 11 am Sensory analysis lesson on the recognition of the organoleptic merits and defects of olive oils / Guided tastings of extra virgin olive oils
- 12:30 pm Pairings with food and olive oil / 6-course tasting menu.
- 3:30 pm Guided walk to the Calore Gorges.
Min. 8 people – Max 24 people
Area Attractions
The Gate of Cilento Underground
At the gates of the National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni, the Castelcivita Caves are about 4800 m in length. The complex is one of the largest speleological complexes in southern Italy. Download an audio guide before entering.
May Entrance Hours
Mon.- Sat. 10:30 am -12:00 pm
1:30 pm -3 pm
Sundays 10:30 am -12:00 pm
1:30 pm -4:30 pm
Days 8-11 | Amalfi, Italy
Sat. – Tue., 30 March – 2 April 2024
Return Van and Car to Salerno
Travelmar Ferry (timetable)
Salerno, Piazza Concordia ➜ Amalfi
Departures at 08:40 ⛴️ 09:40 ⛴️ 10:40 ⛴️ 11:40 ⛴️ 13.00*⛴️14:10 ⛴️ 15:30 ⛴️ 16:40*⛴️ 18:00* ⏱️35m €10
*via Vietri/Cetara/Maiori/Minori ⏱️60m
Map from Salerno Train Station to the Ferry Port
La Bussola Hotel
The hotel is in a building that in 1900 was originally a pasta factory. It is on the seafront and conveniently located, just a short walk to the center of the city. Your breakfast is included. (map)
Amalfi to Capri
The weather in Amalfi is not quite summer, so the boat tour may not be feasible.
We can take the ferry to Capri for a day trip.
Private Boat with Skipper and Visit to Grottos and Capri
You will enjoy a relaxing private boat excursion with pickup and return in Amalfi. Cruise along the beautiful coast, enjoying the drinks that are included. Visits to the Blue Grotto (entrance fee 14€) and Emerald Grotto (entrance fee 7€) and stops along the way. Lunch in Capri before returning to Amalfi. The 10-meter nel blu di pinto is all yours’s! (€1000)
Day 10 | Amalfi, Italy
Monday, April 1, 2024 | 10 am
The Amalfi Lemon Experience Classic Tour
We are all booked for an Amalfi Lemon Experience. Wear comfortable clothes and good walking shoes as there are steep stairs. Lemon trees are grown on terraces.
Monday, April 1, 2024 | 2:30 pm
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).
Day 11 | Amalfi, Italy
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.
S. Croce Beach – Amalfi
Da Teresa restaurant is a great place for lunch while enjoying a relaxing day on the beach at Santa Croce. You arrive by a free shuttle boat from the pier in Amalfi. This is where many Amalfi locals enjoy a bella day on the beach. Check out this video and their reviews on Trip Advisor and a travel blog.
The restaurant is open from 12:00.
The beach service and the bar await you from 09:00 in the morning.
Santa Croce Beach, 1 – 84011 Amalfi (SA)
Tel.089831237
Mobile 3351596166
Email: info@ristorantedateresa.it
Facebook
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.
Day 12 | Rome
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Best Western Hotel Artdeco
The hotel is located a short walkfrom Termini Train Station, the Colosseum (1.2 mi) and Palatine Hill (1.3 mi). It features a 24-hour front desk, a concierge, and room service. The included breakfast provides a pleasant respite from your busy day. (Info) (Map)
Via Palestro 19, Roma, 00185
- Cipro – Musei Vaticani: The closest stop to the Vatican Museums and to the Sistine Chapel.
- Ottaviano – San Pietro: This station is a few minutes’ walk from St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Spagna: Very convenient for visiting Piazza di Spagna and Villa Borghese.
- Barberini – Fontana di Trevi: This station is five minutes away from Trevi Fountain It is also the closest station to Piazza Navona and the Pantheon.
- Termini: Stops at Roma Termini railway station. Here, visitors can take the Leonardo Express to get to Fiumicino Airport.
Dinner at Trattoria Vecchia Roma | Wed. at 7:30 pm
Vecchia Roma
The antipasto on one of our visits.
This is a restaurant enjoyed by the locals and a must do on every trip I make to Rome.
The menu.
Basilica of Saint Peter Self-Guided Tours
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 13 – Depart Rome, Italy at 12:25 pm
Thursday 4-April 2024
Rome Fiumicino Airport Plaza Platinum Amex Lounges
Arrive at 5:35 pm – Layover in Atlanta (ATL)
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Arrive at 5:35pm
Group 1 Departs Atlanta for Cincinnati | DL2395 10:30 pm
Group 2 Departs Atlanta for Cleveland
Return Home
Group 1 Depart ATL on Delta 2395 at 10:30 pm Arrival CVG 11:51 pm | Group 2 Departing ATL on Delta 2750 at 8:30 pm Arrival in Cleveland 10:15 pm |
Links for More Information
Rome In 3 Days – How to Get the Most Out of Your Trip!
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.
