2005 Umbria

ITINERARY

Saturday, May 14: Fly from USA
Sunday, May 15: Arrivals/Transfers in Rome: Find each other after you clear customs. I should arrive at about 8:40 and will lead you to the driver or van. 9:00 a.m. transfer: David Dooley & Larry Richards, AA, 7:15, Dale Fleishman & Ron Jenkins, CO, 7:45, Jorja Merrick & Judy Skeen, AA, 7:50, Richard & Ann Adams AA, 7:50, George Beddingfield, AA, 7:50, Sue Edwards, US, 8:40.11:00 a.m. transfer: All on DL at 10:10: Paul Alessi, Mary Rose Walls, Jay & Evelyn Rogers, Maureen Nowotny & Judith Vallery, Dan Rains & Catherine Gilbert, Joe Di Dio & Bob Terhune, Jeanne & Bowen Moursund. Take Alitalia Express: Ken & Joyce Kennamer, AF 11:50. Upon arrival at Hotel Diana, shower, nap, grab some lunch, do what you need to recover from the flight. 3:00 departure from the hotel for visit to the Villa Giulia, a museum containing pre-Roman artifacts. Independent return to hotel. Dinner at La Grotta Amatriciana (choices). Overnight in Hotel Diana, (01139) 06 4827541Rome.
Monday, May 16; Breakfast at the hotel (every morning throughout the tour). 8:45 am departure–with luggage–from hotel. We will first take an orientation drive, including a panoramic view from the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) followed by a 10:00 am reservation to visit Domus Aurea. After visit, continue on to the Roman town of Prenestina, now called Palestrina. The archaeological museum is open and the town has some great ruins, some unearthed after a WW II Allied bombing raid. After lunch (independent) continue on to La Casella, (01139) 074298989 near San Terenziano. The rest of the day is given over to recovery from the flight and the busy time in Rome; nap, walk in the country, weather permitting, a soak in the hot tub. Dinner (fixed menu) and overnight in La Casella.
Tuesday, May 17: 9:30 departure for excursion to Todi where we will meet Barbara Moriconi, our local guide. She will show us the Gothic church of San Fortunato, the Roman Cistern, Palazzo del Popolo and the Museo Pinacoteca, and several other churches. After lunch (independent), we will drive on to the Roman Ruins at Carsulae where our own Dr. Alessi will serve as our guide. Afternoon return to La Casella. Dinner (fixed menu) and celebration of the Moursund’s 25th Wedding anniversary. Overnight in La Casella.
Wednesday, May 18: 9:00 departure for excursion to Montefalco and Bevagna to explore several churches and museums with our local guide, Maila Orazi. The day will include Chiesa S. Chiara and the Museo di San Francesco, a very special lunch (fixed menu, included) in Montefalco at Ristorante/Enoteca Antico Fantoio Brizi, a visit to Maila’s small winery, and S. Silvestro, Teatro Torti, and some Roman mosaics in Bevagna.. Return in the late afternoon for dinner (fixed menu) and overnight in La Casella.
Thursday, May 19: 8:30 transfer to Norcia and the Hotel Grotta Azzurra. (01139) 0 743 816513 Norcia is a small, charming little town. After checking into the hotel and finding some lunch, take the rest of the day to poke around the town. There are some interesting churches, a small museum and a large piazza dedicated to the native son, San Benedetto. Dinner (fixed menu) and overnight in the Hotel Grotta Azzurra.
Friday, May 20: 8:30 excursion to the nearby national park in the Monti Sibilini. We will stop along the way in Castelluccio and then cross over the Sibilini. mountains via Visso & Fiastra to visit the medieval village of Sarnano and the Italian headquarters of BET (my apartment). I will arrange for lunch (optional) in one of the local restaurants. Return to Norcia in the late afternoon for dinner (fixed menu) and overnight in the Hotel Grotta Azzurra.
Saturday, May 21: 8:30 transfer to Perugia and the Hotel Locanda Della Posta. Since a number of you had a city tour of Perugia on an earlier tour, we will instead focus on museums. I will buy us all passes that will get you into four museums of your choice. 7:30 dinner at La Taverna (choices). Overnight in the Hotel Locanda Della Posta, Perugia.(01139) 075 5728925
Sunday, May 22: The bus will go to Assisi today (time TBA) for anyone who is interested. Explore the basilica or just sit in the central piazza. Or, you can choose to stay in Perugia and put up your feet! Dinner at Da Cesarino (choices). Overnight in Hotel Locanda Della Posta, Perugia.
Monday, May 23: 10:00 a.m. departure for Orvieto and the Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini (01139) 0763 391014. Since we have the time, we will stop en route in either Chiusi or Città d. Pieve. City tour of Orvieto at 2:30 with our local guide, Manuela Turco. Dinner at Trattoria del Moro (choices). Overnight in the Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini, Orvieto.
Tuesday, May 24: Free day for shopping and to visit any museums which we didn’t visit yesterday. Dinner at Le Grotte del Funaro (choices). Overnight in the Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini, Orvieto.
Wednesday, May 25: 8:30 transfer to Rome via Tivoli and the Villa Adriana. Blow-out lunch and birthday celebration for Dan at Ristorante Sibilla (fixed menu). (0039 0774 335281). Evening free. Overnight in Hotel Diana, Rome.(01139) 06 4827541.
Thursday, May 26: Those of you who are new to Rome or have not been on a Classical Rome tour will go to the Forum w/Dr. Alessi. Option for others: A visit to selected Baroque churches with me (S.M. degli Angeli e Martiri, S.M. della Vittoria, S. Carlo, S. Andrea di Quirinale, S. Luigi dei Francesi, the Gesu Church, and ending with S. Agnese in Agone on the Piazza Navonna. We will meet in the Pantheon around 1:00, find some lunch (independent) and then Dr. Alessi will lead an optional walking excursion to some of the lesser-known attractions of Rome. NOTE: Since I included both lunch and dinner on May 18, I will not be including dinner tonight. (I can offer recommendations for dinner including which restaurants near the hotel to avoid!) Overnight in Hotel Diana.
Friday, May 27: Today all “newbies” and anyone else interested will visit “Holy Rome.” We will start first at St. Peter’s and then continue on to the Vatican Museums (entrance fee for Vatican not included.) Dinner (choices) at Alfredo’s, a simple trattoria that Dr. Alessi found years ago, Overnight in Hotel Diana.
Saturday, May 28: Tour ends after breakfast. I will arrange for one airport transfer. At this point it looks like a 7:45 departure from the hotel will work for most of the departures with the exception of the 7:20 flight.
DL 8497 at 7:20
Paul Alessi, Ken & Joyce Kennamer,
AA 163 at 10:35
Judy Skeen & Jorja Merrick, David Dooley & Larry Richards
DL 33 for Cincinnati at 10:55.
Catherine Gilbert & Dan Rains,
US 2 at 11:15 a.m.Sue Edwards
DL 149 for JFK at 12:10
Bowen & Jeanne Moursund, Judith Vallery, Maureen Nowotny, Jay & Evelyn Rogers, Mary Rose Walls, Joe Di Dio, Bob Terhune
Transfer not needed:
Laurence Barker, Smittie Rucas (6/18-19), Dale Fleishman & Ron Jenkins (5/27) Richard and Ann Adams (5/31), George Beddingfield (5/29))