Rome and the Amalfi Coast at Thanksgiving

November 21-28, 2009

Early sign ups are a must for this holiday time trip!
            This wonderful  Thanksgiving trip is going to be a fun and beautiful way to spend the holiday week! We will be staying 3 nights in both cities, the seaside resort town of Sorrento and the exciting and historic city of Rome, so you’ll have time to really enjoy the sights these areas have to offer. We’ll have some organized group activities and we’ll have time to pursue other activities that you’ll want to see and do with others from the group.
            In Sorrento we’ll spend a day seeing the beautiful cliffs and steep hillsides of some of the most gorgeous coastal scenery in the world along the Amalfi Coast including Positano and Ravello.  Then, a day to explore on your own or with group members, the many interesting areas surrounding Sorrento…maybe the Isle of Capri. 
            Then on to Rome via Pompeii for 3 nights; we’ll see the Vatican including the museums; the Sistine Chapel with its’ famous painted ceiling and the beautiful St. Peter’s Basilica.  Then, a free day to explore Rome-see the Spanish Steps, walk (or shop!) along the Via Dei Condotti, see the Parthanon, or throw a coin in the famous Trevi Fountain while enjoying a gelato!
            You’ll love this week in Italy---come join us for a wonderful vacation in one of the most visited countries in the world for tourism……..see why it is so popular! We did this trip 2 years ago at Thanksgiving and the group loved it!
The Coast of Sorrento, with its terrace gardens, mountains with steep cliffs and amazing villas, has been attracting visitors from all over the world for 200 years!

Price Includes all this and more!

• 6 nights accommodations in moderate to first class hotels 
• 3 nights in Sorrento
• 3 nights in Rome
• Professional English speaking guide throughout until end of Vatican tour in Rome
• Porterage of 1 piece of luggage per person at hotels
• Hotel taxes and service charges
• Singles Travel Company Representative (Restrictions apply)
• Deluxe motorcoach with professional driver 
• Sorrento to Rome via Pompeii
• Included excursions & sightseeing listed in itinerary
• Total 6 breakfasts
• Included Excursions as follows:
• Full day guided Amalfi area drive tour
• Positano
• Amalfi
• Ravello
• Pompeii Guided Tour including entrance
• Half day guided Vatican tour, including entrance to the
• Vatican Museums
• Sistine Chapel
• St. Peter’s Basilica

Added Value when you book with Singles Travel Company’s group........

• Coordinated single get-togethers throughout the week
• Past and new Singles Travel Company travelers from our years of past cruises and trips
• Opportunity to dine together if  you want each night
• Socializing, dancing, activities with our singles group at local restaurants & clubs if you want
• Roommate matching to avoid the single supplement
• Singles Social Director Host (restrictions apply)

Available: Download Itinerary Now (Acrobat Reader required - allow up to 20 seconds for file to download completely)

Itinerary

Sat. Nov 21                            USA to Naples
Depart USA airports for your overnight flight into Naples, Italy, for your week long vacation!

Sun. Nov 22                           Naples – Sorrento
Upon arrival at the Naples airport, transfer to our hotel in Sorrento. Depending on your flight arrival time, the balance of the day is at leisure to start exploring this interesting city with it great shopping and coastal location. However, make sure you are back in time for our welcome get together early evening.  Dinner is at leisure to meet your new travel companions.
The Sorrento Coast is known for its terrace gardens, mountains with steep cliffs and amazing villas that have been attracting visitors from all over the world for 200 years.  Sorrento, on the coast, is a small city in Campania, Italy, and is a popular tourist destination. It overlooks the bay of Naples and has many views of Naples across the bay and Vesuvius. Sorrento is very popular because of its’ good location to all the surrounding sights in the area as well as its’ gorgeous vistas and cliffs. 
Sorrento and the Amalfi coast are known for their wonderful big lemons.  Products from Sorrento are produced with these "Limoni" such as Limoncello, a very tasty lemon liqueur; lemon chocolate; colorful ceramic articles with lemon motives or lemon soap. Other agricultural production includes many citrus fruit, wine, nuts and olives. Also Sorrento is known for its’ hand made ceramics and wood craftsmanship which includes some beautiful in-laid pieces. Enjoy!
Hotel for 3 nights: Hotel Central or similar.

Mon. Nov 23                          Sorrento -Amalfi Coast
Today is a full day to enjoy our guided drive on one of the most famous and beautiful coastal areas in the world-the Amalfi Coast-with views of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.  The Amalfi Drive (connecting Sorrento and Amalfi) is a narrow road that winds around the high cliffs above the Mediterranean. The Amalfi Coast is on the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula of Italy and extends from Positano to Vietri sul Mare. The Amalfi Coast is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is known for its rugged terrain, scenic beauty, picturesque towns and diversity
During our drive we will visit the town of Amalfi which lies at the mouth of a deep ravine and is surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery.
Also see Ravello, a peaceful, historic village popular with tourists and it is one of the most attractive destinations on the Amalfi Coast with a population of around 2,000. It is perched high above Amalfi, overlooking the Mediterranean and is famous for its views and gardens. The town has served historically as a destination for artists, musicians, and writers. 
Positano is the most vertically scenic of the villages along the coast and has come from a artists' colony and poor fishing village to an upscale resort. The main part of Positano sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast.  It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953.  Today tourism is the major industry in Positano.
After our full days’ journey, we return to Sorrento and dinner is at leisure to enjoy some Italian cuisine and wine with friends from the group. Maybe then we can find some local nightlife? (B)   

Tue. Nov 24                           Sorrento at Leisure
Today we have a full day at leisure to enjoy Sorrento on your own or with friends from the group.  We have listed many interesting things to possibly do for the day in the area, but make sure you research and discover things you may want to do in and around Sorrento on our free day.  Explore, hike, shop………..it’s your free day to see this beautiful area up close!
Things to do in and around Sorrento:
You could take a ferry boat or hydrofoil to the famous Isle of Capri- a breathtaking area of natural beauty in the Bay of Naples. Maybe go hiking in the nearby hills to see the breath-taking ocean views and vistas that surround Sorrento.
Or you can visit the many attractions in town such as:
--Chiesa di San Francisco-A 14th Century Monastery that features a fine cloister with arches and gardens set in the midst of the busy resort town.
--Museo Correale di Terranova- has ancient sculpture and antiques housed in a former palace. A highlight is the local art of intarsia, using wood to make thin, nearly flat figurines. 
--Antiquarium Aequano- a archeological museum with a collection of finds from the Etruscan and Greek periods.
--Duomo (Cathedral of Sorrento)- The outside is whitewashed and does it no justice at all, inside the building is beautiful, the ceilings and the altar are very impressive.
After your full day of exploration of the area, dinner is at leisure to enjoy your last night in Sorrento!  (B)
 
Wed. Nov 25                          Sorrento – Rome via Pompeii
This morning we depart after breakfast for Rome via motor coach.  We’ll enjoy a stop at Pompeii for a visit to these very famous ruins of the city that was destroyed, and completely buried, during a catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning 2 days in 79 AD. 
Rome (Roma) is Italy’s capital, and the country's largest and most populous comune, with about 2.7 million residents. It is located in the central-western portion of the Italian peninsula.  Also called "the city of the seven hills", it is modern and cosmopolitan but central Rome is very Renaissance and Baroque in character, as it was one of the few major European cities that escaped a lot of damage in World War II. The Historic Centre of Rome is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.   
            After getting settled into our hotel in Rome, start exploring and enjoying this fascinating city.  Dinner at leisure tonight with friends from the group and maybe enjoy an evening walk and a glass of red Italian wine. (B)
Hotel for 3 nights: Massimo D’Azeglio or similiar—www.romehoteldazeglio.it

Thur. Nov 26                          Rome
After breakfast we have a half day guided tour of the Vatican, including entrance to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica.  
The Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo from 1508 - 1512, is one of the most famous artworks of the High Renaissance and the beautiful St. Peter’s Basilica is inside the Vatican City.  The Basilica’s dome is prominent in the Roman skyline and is one of the largest religious buildings in the world and is often used by the Pope.
Vatican City is a landlocked sovereign city-state within the city of Rome.  It is the smallest independent nation in the world and is ruled by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, and it is the Pope's official residence.
Your afternoon is at leisure…so much to see and do in Rome!  (B)

Fri. Nov 27                             Rome at Leisure
Today we will have a chance to enjoy a full day at leisure in Rome.  Maybe take an optional tour with others from the group or just enjoy the main sights by starting early in the morning and exploring with a few others from the group.   
While in Rome you have many options on how to spend your day and below are some suggestions…………. 
-The Colosseum, from AD 72, is world-renown, and is where gladiators met in combat and prisoners fought lions.
            -Take a stroll through Rome’s historical center, where you can admire sights such as the Trevi Fountain.  Tradition has it that throwing a coin over your left shoulder into the fountain guarantees a return to the world's most beautiful city.
-Visit the Pantheon (visit inside to see the building's sole source of light-it is the opening at the dome's apex).
-See the Piazza Navona-where the Fountain of the Rivers and the Fountain of the Moor are both by Bernini.  It’s a great area for people watching and enjoying lunch or dinner.
-Visit or sit and people watch at the most famous Spanish Steps which lead up to the Chiesa di Trinità dei Monti.
-Rome is also a great place for shopping with designer outlets and department stores all over the city. Do some shopping near the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and then the square leads into several famous streets, Via Dei Condotti, Via Frattina and Via Borgognona with their luxurious boutiques, and Via Del Babuino with its antique shops.  This street is one of the richest streets in Italy and one of the best streets for shopping and people-watching in Rome. The Via Dei Condotti sports designer stores such as Armani, Prada, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, as well as Gucci and other well-heeled notables. This is also the street where the shop owners used to charge you just for walking in the door! Thankfully these days all of the shops sport an "ingresso gratuito" sign which means you can go in and look around without any obligation to buy.
Dinner is at leisure-a farewell dinner can be arranged for our last night in Italy! (B)

Sat. Nov 28                            Depart Rome for the Home
Yes, it really is time to go home……..this morning!  Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)

Don’t Forget to Toss a Coin in the Trevi Fountain…………
The water at the bottom of the fountain represents the sea. Legend has it you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water. You should toss it over your left shoulder with your back to the fountain.

Price—This is a holiday trip……deposits need to be in by the first week or so of August!
For lower airfare, you should sign up by early August. Do not wait if you want to travel with us on this trip. 
It is at holiday time and low priced airline flights will be limited.

 $1499.00         Land only, per person, based on double occupancy
$  389.00         Want a room to yourself?  Add this price to above double rate. Very limited availability!!!

Airfare is additional and you need to fly into Naples, Italy (NAP) and out of Rome (FCO) Airports.
We will be trying to coordinate air flights so we can do 2-3 group transfers on arrival into Naples and 2-3 group transfers on departure out of Rome. Please let us know your flight schedules as soon as possible or we can book your air flights and we will be trying to coordinate flights together for the transfers.

Flight times and airports to qualify for $25 each way transfers:
Arrival-Naples Airport—arrive between 9am-3pm.
Departure-Rome Airport---Departure between 6am-12 noon.

Airport Transfers- $ 25 each way ($50 roundtrip). We will be coordinating 2-3 group transfers on arrival and departure (depends on the times of flights and best times for the transfers-see above), so if you want to be included there may be a little wait on either end.  If you want to do your own transfers the price will be higher, especially from Naples to Sorrento on arrival….it is 90 minutes to Sorrento.

Travel Insurance-  Travel Insurance is highly recommended-information available upon request.
Passport-  A valid U.S. passport is required for travel and should be valid up to 6 months after date of travel. 
Non-U.S. citizens please check your consulate for required passports or visas needed for travel.
Price does not include- Tips and gratuities to drivers and guides, meals not included in the itinerary, items of a personal nature, phone calls, travel insurance, and transfers if not taking group air flights.
This trip is for the active single that likes to ‘get out and about’ and involves a lot of walking and possibly steep terrains and cobblestone walkways

 Fine Print- Rome and the Amalfi Coast over Thanksgiving, November 21-28, 2009  
Your payment for a reservation on this trip constitutes consent and acknowledgement of all the provisions in this Fine Print listed below and in the Singles Travel Company General Terms and Conditions.  Please make sure you read both of these important pieces of information and call us with any questions.  We need the reservation form with your deposit. Per our tour operator, hotels are always subject to change.
 
Deposit of $200.00 is due with your reservation. Early deposits are very important for this holiday time.
Final payment is due 65 days prior to departure date.  Checks are preferred for final payment (payable to Travel Advisors) or credit card.
Cancellation Fees and Refunds     All cancellations must be in writing.  Deposit fully refundable up to 91+ days prior to departure minus a $50 per tour cancellation fee.  Any cancellations at 90 days or within 90 days of travel date – no refund of monies paid. Travel insurance is highly recommended. No refunds on unused portions of the tour.  After airline tickets are issued, airline cancellations are per the airline’s policy/ and or the tour operator if purchased through the tour operator and tickets are usually non-refundable.
Travel insurance is highly recommended in case you have to cancel due to illness.

Download full Terms and Conditions (PDF)

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