Our Amazing Itinerary

Well...we're ready to go. We've got the itinerary lined up, we have someone to house-sit, we've stopped the paper and the mail, I've got my packing list done...we need to do laundry, but other than that, I believe it's time to go to Italy.

Saturday, August 22
Flight to Chicago then on to Rome

Sunday, August 23
Arrive in Rome 9:15 am.
We are picked up by our driver and taken to the Hotel Zombie, I mean, the Hotel Sant’Anselmo, where we can freshen up a bit, grab a bite to eat and get ready for our 2:30 pm tour of the sacred basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni Laterano and Scala Santa (the Holy Stairs). After the three hour tour, we’re on our own for the evening. Perhaps we'll go to the Hotel Eden, behind the Spanish Steps. On the top floor, at the La Terrazza restaurant, maybe we'll get a window seat and be treated to a panoramic view of the city while we enjoy our dinner...hopefully we won't pass out in our plates...that would just be rude.

Monday, August 24
At 9:00 am, we head to Colle Oppio (a large park built upon the ruins of Trajan's baths...a huge bathing complex built, itself, on the ruins of Nero's palace) and begin our full day tour. We will visit the San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) Basilica, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Capitol Hill, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona to see the Fountain of the Four Rivers. We return to our hotel around 3 pm, exhausted, but looking forward to an evening on our own.

Tuesday, August 25
At 9:30 am, we are taken to the Vatican Museum to meet our guide. We will visit the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. At the end of the tour, about 2 pm, we find ourselves on our own, free to explore more of the city...particularly the gift shop at the Vatican, where you can have the items you buy blessed by the Pope. Yeah...the Pope.

Wednesday, August 26
At 9 am, our driver will pick us up at the hotel and take us on a tour of the Roman countryside. We’ll see Castelgandolfo (the summer residence of the Pope...But I don't think he'll be there...I'm sure he's back at the gift shop, blessing merchandise). We will see one of the deepest volcanic lakes and then continue to Ariccia and Nemi, the town of the wild strawberries, overlooking the Mirror of Goddess Diana lake before heading back to Rome at 2 pm. We have the rest of the day on our own...but it’s time to pack.

Thursday, August 27
We check out of Hotel Sant’Anselmo and take a taxi to the train station. We have train tickets to Florence. We arrive in Florence just after noon, and we will take a taxi to our hotel, La Residenza. It's actually only about a 10 minute walk, but I really don't want to wander the streets of Florence, lugging suitcases, looking for our hotel. We have the rest of the day to begin exploring. Probably will go see the Duomo and the baptistery.

Friday, August 28
Reservations to the Accademia (Michelangelo’s the David, et.al.), a stroll down through town, shopping and eating our way towards the Uffizi Galleries where we’ll spend the afternoon. The evening is for exploring and eating and shopping.

Saturday, August 29
We take the train to Pisa to see the Baptistry, the Duomo and the Leaning Tower, along with whatever else we can get done by the middle of the day. Then we’ll hop a train to Siena and do the Plaza, the cemeteries, some shopping and eating before catching a train back to Florence.

Sunday, August 30
Happy Birthday, me! I bought myself a trip to Chianti! A driver/guide will pick us up and take us along the old wine road, the Chiantigiana way. We’ll stop at Impruneta, Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, San Gusmé, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Asciano- Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore. After eight hours of eating, drinking, shopping and taking in the breathtaking scenery (just what you’d expect to see in the Tuscan countryside), we’ll return to the hotel for a nice long nap or a drink out on the terrace.

Monday, August 31
Check out of La Residenza and catch our train to Naples. It’s quite a haul...we arrive in Naples at about 2 pm...I’m hoping we can sleep on the train...we’ll need it. Upon our arrival, Doug and Silvana will pick us up (or we’ll cab to their home) and we’ll begin our week-long adventure in Southern Italy: Amalfi, Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, Isola Procita, etc.

Sunday, September 6
Take a train back to Rome where we’ll camp out at the airport hotel, Hotel Club Isola Sacra before we head home the following morning. We'll spend the evening crying or looking through the real estate ads.

Monday, September 7
Flight back to Chicago departs just before noon; we get back to Dallas about 8:30 pm

I'm sure it will be over before we know it. I'm just gonna hate that.

Italian lesson for the day: Dov'è il bar? (Doe-vay eel bar?) Where is the bar?
Ciao