Tuscany Italy

Italy March 1-12, 2005

Tuesday March 1 - Fly US to Rome

Wednesday March 2 - Arrive Rome 9:50 am. Transfer to hotel. Store luggage if we can’t check in. Stroll around the Trevi Fountain area, have lunch. Check into hotel. Plan to have dinner somewhere in the area.

Thursday March 3 – Take the two-hour Vatican Tour (reservations made for 10:30 am), linger around St. Peter have lunch and do a little shopping in the area. Spend the rest of the day sightseeing, Trestrevere, and Piazza Navona,

Friday March 4 – Tour the Coloseum do a little more shopping, sightseeing, and have a wonderful dinner near the Spanish Steps “Arrivederci Roma”

Saturday March 5 – Depart hotel 8:00 am. Pick up rental car drive North to Orvieto (49 miles) - visit the Duomo, explore the town and have lunch. Continue to Asciano, enroute stop at a supermarket; pick up what we’ll need for the villa. (46 miles)

Sunday March 6 – Go to church at the villa at 10:00 am, or in Asciano (I’m sure the people at the villa can tell us about mass times). Drive to Arezzo - there is a large market on Sunday (19 miles) Have lunch, shop, and tour Arezzo. We most likely have time to take a side trip to Cortona or Chianti – *see mileage below. This evening have a wonderful dinner to celebrate Charlie’s birthday!

Monday March 7 – Leave at 8:00 AM -Travel to Assisi (55 miles). Visit the Duomo, explore the town, and have lunch then depart for the wine country - explore the hilltop towns of Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino. Visit the Sant’ Antimo Abby – Chants are at 5:00 PM – *see mileage below

Tuesday March 8 – Early start since Florence is a big city and there is a lot to see. (I would like to leave at 7:30 am).Day trip to Florence. Reservation for the Accademia to see statue of David at 2:00 pm. (60 miles 1 way)

Wednesday March 9 – Leave at 8:00 AM - Go to Siena (16 miles) in the morning (one of the best markets in Italy on Wednesdays), Then go to San Gimignano and Volterra - *see mileage below

Thursday March 10 – Leave at 8:00 AM -Tuscany to Venice (218 miles). Take the vaporetto to our hotel, explore around San Marks Square.

Thursday March 11 – Full day to tour Venice and it’s islands

Friday March 12 – Transfer to the airport. Flight for home departs Venice at 7:45 AM.

Mileage:

Arezzo to Cortona - 17 miles; Cortona to Asciano - 29 miles

Arezzo to Greve – 24 miles; Greve to Asciano 48 miles

Assisi to Montepulciano – 38 miles; Montepulciano to Pienza – 8 miles; Pienza to Montalcino – 14 miles; Montalcino to Asciano – 18 miles

Siena to San Gimignano – 17 miles; Sam Gimignano to Volterra – 18 miles; Volterra to Asciano – 29 miles

Hotel Directory

Rome: Dec 2, 3 & 4Villa: Dec 4 – 9

Hotel Accademia Villa Panorama

P. Accademia S. Luca, 74 Tuscany

Rome Italy No phone at villa

Tel. 06.69922607 Owner’s phone: 0577.718591 or

328.4777021

(US contact: Villanet 800-964-1891)

Venice: Dec. 10 & 11

Hotel San Moise

San Marco 2058 – 30124

Tel: (+39) 0415203755

Estimated Costs Per Couple:

· Three nights centrally located Hotel Accademia a 3 star hotel in Rome - $420.97

· Transportation from airport to hotel in Rome estimated at $60-75

· Car Rental - 2 station wagons $1147.20 ($296 per couple)

· Air on Delta – $566.75 per person ($1133.50 per couple)

· Villa rental – Villa Panorama - Asciano. $2088 ($522 per couple)

· Two nights centrally located Hotel San Moise a 3 star hotel in Venice - $287.09

· Heat at villa – estimated at $50

· Gas for the cars – estimated at $100

· Food – estimated at $100 less per day per couple

· Admissions estimated at $100

· Transportation to Airport in Venice estimated at $75

Estimated cost per couple: $4250