Culinary and Adventure Tours - Europe,Italy,France

Travel Info

	The links below can help you with your trip planning. Choose one of the categories below, or simply scroll down the page.

	Transportation Flights, airports, train schedules, and driving Passport & Customs Obtain a passport & find out what you can bring home Weather Check the weather before you go Packing Packing list, packing light, travel gear Language Learn to communicate with the locals Communication Telephoning, online calls, and internet access		Currency Currency converters Accommodations Where to stay before or after your time with us Health & Safety Travel insurance, health alerts Metric Conversion How to figure our how hot is it or how much cheese to buy Travel Books Read about the destination before you go and get more our of your trip

		Transportation	Back to the top
		Flights Expedia, a search engine for flights Orbitz, a search engine for flights Travelocity.com , a search engine for flights Kayak.com , searches many airline for the best price 1800FlyEurope, discount flights Airports Milan Malpensa Airport Florence Amerigo Vespucci Airport Genova Airport Pisa Airport Airports of Paris Barcelona Airport Beijing Airport Trains Official site of the Italian Railways The Deutche Bahn Rail Site Offical site of the French Railways (including the TGV trains) Driving Michelin Site for Driving Directions in Europe Auto Europe – Car rental in Europe Alamo Rent a Car, 800-522-9696, for international reservations Avis Rent A Car, 800-331-1084 Budget Rent a Car, 800-472-3325 DER Tours, 888-337-7350 or 847-430-0000, fax: 800-282-7474 Dollar Car Rental, 800-800-6000, fax: 918-669-2441 Europe by Car, 800-223-1516, fax: 212-246-1458 Hertz International, 800-654-3001 ITS (International Travel Services), 800-521-0643, fax: 954-566-0036 Kemwel Holiday Autos, 800-678-0678, fax: 914-825-3000 National Car Rental System, 800-227-7368 Renault Eurodrive, 800-221-1052, fax: 212-725-5379 Sixt Car Rental, 011- (49) (180) 525 2525 (in Germany) Thrifty Car Rental, 800-847-4389.
		Passports & Customs	Back to the top
		These links will give you more information about obtaining a passport and what you can bring home with you. Passport Services and Information: How to apply for a US passport. Foreign Entry Requirements: Visa requirements for Americans. U. S. Customs: What you can bring home from your vacation.
		Weather	Back to the top
		We have provided some links below so you can check the weather just before you leave for your trip.
		The Weather Channel European Weather: Five-day forecasts from CNN.com Ten day forecasts from Weather.com

		Packing	Back to the top
		Cinque Terre Cooking Tour: The dress for the week is casual. The most important thing you pack is a pair of comfortable shoes. The walking and hiking trails in the Cinque Terre are famous and you won't want to miss the view. We have included a general packing list but you will want to alter it to fit your needs. Cinque Terre Adventure Tour: The dress for the week is casual. The most important thing you pack is a pair of sports shoes (sneakers). If you want to do the more extended hiking and have some broken in hiking shoes you might those as well. You will also want to add a bathing suit and bring a windbreaker or sweatshirt for going on a vespa or boat tour. We have included a general packing list but you will want to alter it to fit your needs. Tuscany, Provence and Sicily: The dress for the week is casual. The most important thing you pack is a pair of comfortable shoes. The streets are often made of uneven stone so it is important to have thick soled shoes with some support to avoid aching feet. Even though the dress is casual you probably won't feel as comfortable in sweats or worn out jeans. Look at our general packing list for an idea. Packing List : click here to see the list, you can change it as needed, and print it out. onebag.com: website for packing light TheContainerStore : this site offers travel accessories like leak-proof bottles, packing cubes, collapsible cups and much more.
		Language	Back to the top
		You don't need to speak the language to enjoy our trip to Europe. But if you master just a few phrases it will enhance your experience. It is helpful to be able to ask for things you need and essential to be polite. Slow Travel: Here are some basic Italian lessons including counting, ordering meals, and more. Verba Volant: They will email you an Italian Phrase of the Day Another good idea is to get some tapes or CD's of language lessons to listen to in your car. Even if you are not really paying attention it will go a long way toward training your ear to the rhythm of speech and you can pick up the basics. Try Sam's Club, Costco, Half-Price Books or Amazon to get a good deal on these tapes
		Communication	Back to the top
		Internet Accessing the internet couldn't be easier these days. Here are some places that we know well and recommend. Cyber Link Via del Giglio 29R Tel: 055 53 70531 email: kerala@yahoo.com If you are in Florence then visit this centrally located and friendly English-speaking internet shop. They also offer the following services : Wireless Internet Access, Cell Phone Rental, Courier and delivery services like UPS and FedX, Fax, CD and DVD burning, Photocopies and Printing, Day tours and tickets and even a Baggage Deposit. They are open until after midnight everyday from 9:00am to 12:30am. SKYPE Telephoning Phone cards: There are two kinds of phone cards, one you insert into the phone (instead of using coins) and the other is a card that uses a PIN number. The PIN card is usually the cheapest way to call back to the U.S. These cards are sold at tobacco shops, post offices and some machines near phone booths. Ask for an international phone card for calling America. After you buy the card, scratch off the block to reveal the PIN number, dial the toll free number on the back and follow the prompts. The insertable phone cards are good for calling local numbers and within Italy. Dialing an International Number Dial Dial the international access code: 00 if you are calling from Europe, 011 from the U.S. Dial the country code of the country you are calling: 1for the U.S., 39 for Italy Dial the local number (including the area code) So to call Lori's office from Italy: 00-1-877-576-0975 Remember the 6-9 hour time difference from Italy to U.S .Time Zones Calling Cards Calling cards from your long distance phone company are much more expensive than using an International phone card.
		Currency	Back to the top
		The currency used in Europe is the Euro. The Euro is about equivalent to about $1.40 U.S. at this time. But converting this in your head is much easier than the old Lira which was about $2000 Lira to $1 US Dollar. When shopping just add about 40% to prices you see in Italy. So if it says $20 Euro then it is about $28 US Dollars. XE.com: a money converter for almost any currency OANDA: Currency conversions and cheat sheets Value Added Tax: Refund information
		Accommodations	Back to the top
		Before or after your tour you may want to enjoy other parts of Italy. We have listed some accommodations here that we have visited personally and can recommend. FLORENCE Hotel Burchanti: This is a charming beautiful small hotel in Florence that we have personally visited and recommend to you. Hotel Palazzo Vecchio : This hotel is near the train station so very convenient and the staff are very nice as well. MILAN We prefer to stay in the area near the Duomo and it's easy to take the subway or taxi to the main train station. Near the station: Andreola Central Hotel Via Scarlatti 24 Tel 39 02 670 9141 www.andreolahotel.it Hotel Florida www.hotelfloridamilan.com Hotel Valley (inexpensive) www.hostelinmilan.it Near the Duomo: Hotel Spadari www.spadarihotel.com Hotel Santa Marta http://www.hotel-santamarta.it/deliahotel.htm Hotel Gritti P.za S.M. Beltrade, 4 Tel. 39 02 80 10 56 Fax 39 02 89 01 09 99 e-mail info@hotelgritti.com www.hotelgritti.com
		Health & Safety	Back to the top
		Be sure to check with your health insurance carrier about your coverage while traveling in Europe. We strongly recommend having both travel insurance and health insurance. Travel Health Online: Country health summaries and travel medicine providers worldwide. Highway to Health: Commercial site: Medical assistance to overseas travelers. Hospital and pharmacy locations, drug translation index. Travel Insurance: - Compare and Save Today on Travel Insurance! Global Travel Insurance travelersmed.com: Short-term travel medical insurance.
		Metric Conversion	Back to the top
		Here are some typical metric conversions to help you to read the thermometer or find out how far the next exit is. 1 kilometer = .62 mile 1 liter = roughly 1 quart 0 degrees Celsius = 32 degrees Fahrenheit 1 kilogram = 2.20 pounds SI Navigator: Links to best sites for metric information. Online Conversion.com This site has simple conversions for all kinds of things, temperature, cooking conversions, etc.
		Travel Books	Back to the top
		We've listed both guide books, nonfiction and fiction here. We don't pretend to be literary critics. But if you want to know what we've read and enjoyed here's our list. guide Books Eyewitness Travel Guides by DK Publishing Italian Riviera Cardogan Guide by Dana Facaros & Michael Pauls Italian at a Glance by Barron's A good phrase book for travelers as it puts phrases in scenarios you are likely to encounter ,such as phrases you would need while shopping. 1000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz CookBooks Recipes from Paradise : Life & Food on the Italian Riviera by Fred Plotkin This book is a great one for both the background and food of the Italian Riviera. Enchanted Liguria: A Celebration of the Culture, Lifestyle and Food of the Italian Riviera by David Downie, Alison Harris Travelogues Extra Virgin: A Young Woman Discovers the Italian Riviera, Where Every Month Is Enchanted by Annie Hawes This book is interesting because it shows the character of the Ligurian people, who are a unique culture within Italy. Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes This book is nothing like the movie the book is about the true story of finding a home in Tuscany and restoring it, along with all the local food and people. Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes Traveler's Tales Tuscany Edited by James O'Reilly and Tara Austen Weaver fiction Brunelleschi's Dome by Ross King A fictionalized story of the building of the famed Dome in Florence that gives you a good historical perspective. The Pope's Ceiling by Ross King A fictionalized historical account of the Michaelangelo and the painting of the Sistene Chapel in Vatican City.