Your tour program
Start Packing Stay Connected Make a photocopy of your passport & keep it in a separate pack from your travel docs Don t forget to bring an adaptor, your camera & a lock Make sure you pack a swimsuit, beach towel, bath towel, moskitos repellent, hat, sunscreen, sun glasses ( summer only ) A nice dress or a shirt for a night out. In many Italian bars the dress code is important. Pack a nice pair of shoes, flip flops are not allowed expecially on guys Print your travel documents, itinerary and contact details of the tour operator VISIT OUR FACEBOOK Find us on Facebook italy on a Budget tours and be updated on the last minute events or new tours. Follow the other travellers and the photos taken during our trip. WATCH US ON We have our own YouTube channel where you can watch awesome videos of our tours including the Amalfi coast one. WATCH US youtube.com/italyonabudgettours Contact Details FOLLOW US ON TWITTER & INSTAGRAM ITALY ON A BUDGET TOURS info@italyonabudgettours.com Ph. +39 055 0503517 Mob. +39 393 8363746 Join the conversation #italyonabudgettours @italyonabudget We are on hand to aswer your questions about our destinations.
WWW.ITALYONABUDGETTOURS.COM How to reach Rome city centre Transportation from/to the airport Fiumicino Transportation from and to the airport Ciampino BY TRAIN The Leonardo Express is the direct train that serves the route between the airport and the centre of the city of Rome every 30 minutes.trains from Termini depart from the track 24 on the right. Ticket costs euro 11, available at the counter as well as the Termini news stand. Tickets sold at the departure platform are more expensive. Get your ticket stamped in a yellow validation machine just before using it. Ticket expires 90 minutes after validation. The ultramodern train Leonardo Express, covers the distance in 30 minutes. There is also the possibility to use the older technology city s metropolitan train that has a correspondence with the Metro. The metropolitan train FM1 links the airport of Rome with the regions Roma Tiburtina, Fara Sabina, Poggio Mirteto and Orte. The Metropolitan train leaves from the track on the left but does not stop at Termini. Get off at Tiburtina Station or at Ostiense Station to connect to the Rome Metro. BY TRAIN The good news: There is a train station at Ciampino. The not-as-good news: It's not right at the airport. To get there, you have to take one of the COTRAL/SCHIAFFINI buses from the airport. They depart every 30 minutes and cost 1; the drive to the train station takes 5 minutes. From there, the train to Rome s Termini train station takes 15 minutes and costs just 1.50. If you time it right, this can be the fastest way to get to Rome's center, as well as the cheapest. But if you have a lot of luggage, or just want to have as few transport legs as possible, I'd go with the next option a direct bus instead. BY BUS ( recommended option ) Several buses run directly from the Ciampino airport into Rome. These include buses run by ATRAL (atral-lazio.com), COTRAL (cotralspa.it), SIT (sitbusshuttle.com), and Terravision (terravision.eu). Prices are usually about 5 each way, and the ride takes about a half an hour, depending on traffic. Figuring these buses out couldn't really be much easier: When you exit the baggage claim at Ciampino, you'll see the kiosks advertising them right in front of you. Just walk up and ask when the next one is leaving (I recommend asking at both, so you can buy your ticket for the one leaving first!). You can buy your ticket right there no need to reserve in advance and they'll direct you to where exactly the bus is. 2
MEETING POINT INFO MEETING POINT: MEETING TIME : DIRECTIONS: in front of HOTEL ROYAL SANTINA in via Marsala 22 9:00 am. Departure time 09:15 am Exit Termini train station in Rome by the right in via Marsala and then go left. Walk up for about 200m and you will find HOTEL ROYAL SANTINA on the right hand side of the road. Your local Italy on a Budget guide will meet you there so look up for our logo! Day 1 Pompeii - Sorrento Meet your Italy on a Budget tour leader and your new travel friends in the morning, jump on board and hit the road towards the South. During the ride your guide will explain the itinerary in details and will be available for any questions. Information about the region, the sites and the traditions will be given on board for you to jump straight into the Southern culture. After a 2h30 ride we will reach our first stop Pompeii, the UNESCO world Heritage destroyed and buried under 4 to 6 m of ashes and pumice in the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. ACCOMMODATION DETAILS Camping Santa Fortunata via Capo, 39 - Sorrento Ph. +39 081 807 3579 Camping facilities: Swimming pool Private rocky beach Bar & Restaurant Mini market Laundry facilities Wifi to buy 24hr reception Towels Hire 1 Shuttle bus from/to Sorrento Transfers to/from Naples Airport. *ROOM TYPE: Cabins Bed linen, pillows, covers provided, heating /fan. No AC In Pompeii you will have free time to explore the ruins at your own peace (entry ticket to the site included) or organize with us a 2h guided tour with a professional local guide ( see optional activities pag.6). The trip will continue to Sorrento, the wonderful pearl on the Amalfi coast overlooking the bay of Naples where our accommodation is located. After you all have checked in your room, you will have free time to relax, go for a swim and get ready before you meet back again with your guide. Head down to Sorrento town and follow the guide for an orientation walk around the center and to a Limoncello shop where you will be able to learn how this typical liqueur is produced and obviously taste it at the end. In the evening you have the choice to spend time on your own or join your guide to a local restaurant for an optional delicious 4 course dinner and to a club later on for some drinks ( see optional activities pag. 6). Day 2 Boat trip to Capri island What a perfect way to start the day with a boat trip to Capri island. Our boat tour will depart from the campsite at 9.30am. We recommend you to bring: Hat & Sunglasses Comfortable shoes Beach towel Sunscreen lotion Motion sickness tablets 3
WWW.ITALYONABUDGETTOURS.COM During our boat trip to Capri you will be enchanted by the magnificent bay of Sorrento, the beautiful coast line and the blue Gulf of Naples. Once in Capri you will have time to discover the island with your guide or in complete freedom. There will be plenty of things to do in Capri; relax on the beach, visit Anacapri town, take the chairlift up to the top of Mt. Solaro for a breathtaking 360 degree view of the island, explore the little Capri town with its lovely squares and enter the Blue Grotto ( see optional activities pag. 6 ). We will board the boat again at approx 4:00pm approx to continue the journey, around the island admiring the Grotta Verde (Green Grotto) and Punta Carena, (the furthest point of the island). We will return back at the campsite for 6:00pm. In the evening you will have the choice to either spend time on your own or join your guide at the restaurant of the campsite for dinner and an easy & relaxing night. Capri island is probably one of the most expensive place. Make sure you bring enough cash with you. Travelling on the island is by public bus & funicular : 2.00 per person per journey. Bus tickets can be bought on the bus or at the ticket offices. We have estimated at least 4 bus journeys / 6 if you wish to reach the Blue Grotto. Blue Grotto : The price to visit the grotto is 13,50pp and includes the entry tickets to the grotto and a row boat ride to access the cave. For an extra tip your driver may allow you to swim in the fluorescent water. The cave is not always opened depending on the level of water of the day. The ticket can be purchased on spot Anacapri and the chairlift to Mt. Solaro: Take the chairlift to the highest point of the island for fantastic and breathtaking views for only 11.00pp. Day 3 Amalfi and Positano Our third day is all for the Amalfi coast, Positano, Amalfi and all its wonders. Our bus will come to pick us up from the accommodation in the morning. During the journey to Amalfi, we will pass by the Island of GALLI (Isola di Nurejev) and Praiano, the quietest village on the Amalfi coast, famous for its crystal-clear seas that are awarded the Bandiera Blu (Blue Flag) for cleanliness, the encompassing views and its cathedral located 365m above the sea level.. We will reach Amalfi at 11:00 am approx. We will stop in the town for about 2h to allow you to discover the town at your own peace, visit the famous cathedral, lie down at the beach and have a bite on one of the typical shop selling fresh local food. Here you will also have the option to visit the Emerald Grotto 15.00 ( Grotta dello Smeraldo ). We will board again after lunch for the splendid town of Positano with its cascade of colourful houses, clinging magically to earth. Its pastel buildings form a vertical wonderland. Narrow, threadlike streets provide boutiques, cafes, restaurants and bars. In Positano we will stay 3h to allow you to relax at the beach, go for a swim and discover this little gem of the Amalfi coast. We will return back our campsite at approx 6:00 pm. Our last evening in Sorrento you have the choice to spend time on your own or go with your guide back to Sorrento. Day 4 Naples - back to Rome It s time to say goodbye to the wonderful Amalfi coast. We will depart the campsite early in the morning to Naples. You can t leave the South of Italy without taking at least a small peek at Naples, home of the Italian pizza and Italian customs. We will stop in one of the area of Naples famous for its shopping and monuments. Your guide will take you for an orientation walk passing by some important places of interests; San Carlo theatre, Umberto I 's gallery, Via Toledo, Royal Palace to conclude in Plebiscito square. You will be given free time to walk around the centre to explore this amazing city in complete freedom and taste the local products and the famous Neapolitan pizza. We will depart from Naples at 1:30pm approx to return to Rome. We arrive back in Rome termini station approximately at 5:00pm. Bye Bye AMALFI COAST ITINERARY PART 2 4
GUIDED TOUR IN POMPEII If you haven t booked the guided tour of Pompeii online together with the package but if you wish to join the guided visit with a professional guide and receive more detailed info about the site in Pompeii, please get in touch with us in order to organize it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: 15.00 PRIVATE BUS TOUR OF CAPRI ISLAND Capri is one of the most visited island during the summer months by million of tourists daily so be ready to wait long time in lines or be squeezed on local buses. Join our private tour of the island in the comfort of an air conditioning minibus together with our guide to see as much as possible of the island with no stress or too much waiting around. With this solution you will be able to fit in a day Capri town, Anacapri town, Mt Solaro, lunch in a nice café and also time left to go for a swim before boarding back to the boat. The price is for the transport and guide only. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Marina + Capri + Anacapri + back to Marina: 12.00pp Marina + Capri + Anacapri + Blue Grotto + back to Marina: 17.00pp Tour confirmed with a min. of 6 participants WELCOME DINNER Add to your booking the 4 courses yummy dinner on the first night in Sorrento. It is a great opportunity to meet your new friends and enjoy a traditional Napolitan meal. Antipasto Cherry tomatoes focaccia First course - to choose between sorrentina gnocchi pasta with tomatoes sauce and mozzarella cheese or scialatielli pasta with sea food sauce. Second course Dessert of the day Water, 1/4 wine per person, limoncello Only: 20.00 Please note: The price is for the private transport and guide only Minimum number required to confirm Bus Tour 2 : 8 pax The entry tickets to the Blue Grotto and the chairlift in Anacapri are not included in the price of the bus tours. The tickets can be bought directly on spot JOIN THE TOUR FROM FLORENCE or END THE TOUR IN FLORENCE We depart from Rome at 09:00am so if you are in Florence we can organize for you to depart from there and meet the rest of the group on time. Get in touch with us and we will take care of everything. If you wish to continue traveling north when returning from the trip and head straight to Florence, we can organize the transport for you from Rome to Florence. You just need to select the return from the add box. PRICE: 41.00 one way On your free time chill out or join our optional activities. Book your spot in advance directly online on Www.italyonabudgettours.com 5
WWW.ITALYONABUDGETTOURS.COM ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: WHAT S INCLUDED? Private transport from/back to Rome Small groups - max 25 Entry ticket to Pompeii heritage site 3 nights accommodation in a cliff-top camping village Orientation tour of Sorrento Limoncello and chocolate tasting Boat tour to and around the island of Capri Full day on the Amalfi coast Free time in Amalfi and Positano 4h stop in Naples Orientation walk of Naples Your Italy on a Budget tour leader Info and local facts of each destination Welcome pack WHAT S NOT INCLUDED? Personal expense money Visas, personal insurance, medical fees Flights & local transport Entrance fees other than those specified on the trip page Meals ( Breakfast, Lunch and Dinners ) Tips to the guide City Tax of 4.50pp to pay at check in. Starting from April 1st 2012 all clients staying in any hotels/ hostels / campsites in Italy have to pay a city tax. The fee is compulsory and must be paid directly in hotel in cash. CAN I EXTEND MY STAY IN ROME WITH YOU? Yes! We can organise the accommodation in Rome for you before the start of the tour or when returning from the tour. We work in collaboration with several hostels and budget hotels which are closed to the tour meeting point. Please get in touch with us. HOW DO I ADD THE OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES TO MY BOOKING? If you are interested in adding to your booking any of the optional activities, make sure you if you book them online on our website at least one week prior arrival. If you are not sure about adding the dinner on the first night, you can still decide on the day, all the other activities must be organised in advance. HOW MUCH MONEY DO I NEED? You will be able to use debit & credit cards for most items however in the South of Italy the many bars and places do not take cards. You will need to allow enough money to cover meals where not included ( breakfast, lunch & dinner), souvenirs, shopping, drinks, optional excursions and activities, entrance fees to attactions & evening entertainment. The local currency is EURO. You won t spend lot of money especially in the South of Italy. We have estimated 15/ 25 for meals a day, 20 for sightseeing. Consider a total of 25/ 40 daily. HOW MUCH LUGGAGE CAN I BRING? The trip will depart by minivan or small bus. Due to the size of the boot and cabins we recommend you to bring a 1 medium size luggage per person ( backpacks are fine ) and a carry bag to have with you all the time where to keep all your valuable things ( ei: money, passports, cameras, etc ). WITH WHOM WILL I BE SLEEPING? HOW IS THE ACCOMODATION ORGANISED? If you have booked a shared accommodation, each cabin can host 3 people. If you are a group of 4 or more friends travelling together, it will be impossible to accommodate the whole group together in the same cabin. The tour operator doesn t allocate the beds in advance unless it is a private cabin. On the first day the tour leader will pass around the accommodation list, where people will choose who to share the accommodation with. If you don t want to share your room with other people, we also offer the private ensuite cabins. CAN I FINISH or START THE TOUR IN NAPLES? Yes it is possible! Just make sure you inform the tour company and tour leader in advance. We depart from Naples at 2pm approx so instead of returning back to Rome, you can finish your tour in Naples. Same if you wish to start the tour in Naples. You can meet the group directly in Pompeii on the first day instead of Rome. Naples is connected to Pompeii by the circumvesuviana trains. We arrive to Pompeii at 12:30pm and we depart from there at 3:00pm. DO I NEED A TRAVEL INSURANCE? Cancellation, unexpected medical expenses, injuries, theft, lost luggage or money can significantly disrupt & ruin your holiday. Italy on a Budget strongly recommends that you take out comprehensive insurance cover for cancellation, medical expenses, evacuation & repatriation expenses, personal accident, personal baggage, money & public liability before you travel. HOW DO I GET AN ITALIAN SIM CARD? We HIGHLY recommend you to get an Italian sim card once you arrive to Italy. The main Italian networks are TIM, VODAFONE and TRE. The cost for a sim card is only 10 but it would be useful to have a phone number in the event you need to get in contact with us during your stay in Italy. Please inform your tour leader about your phone number. Also keep in mind that free wi fi is hard to find sometimes especially in the South of Italy so having an Italian sim card will allow you to always be in contact. HOW MUCH SHOULD I TIP? Every country in the world has different tipping policies and in Italy tipping is a common practice. Tipping is totally up to you. Indeed in Italy we do not have a specific rule for tipping however tour drivers and tour leaders will expect a tip from you at the end of the tour. A recommended tip for 4 days is 10 for the guide to hand in at the end of the tour. WHAT TIME DO WE GET BACK TO ROME ON THE LAST DAY? We return at 5pm. If you are catching a flight or a train after the tour, please take in considertion that in the event of traffic or road accidents, it will be possible to arrive later to Rome. For this reason we do not recommend to make any travel plans close to 5pm. CONTINUING TO FLORENCE? Yes it is possible! Florence is very well connected to Rome by fast speed train every 30 mins. We can organise the train tickets for you in advance, simply get in touch with us. Don t forget to check out the many day tours and activities we run there.
Continue travelling with us. Link the Amalfi coast tour with the following tours for a full Italian adventure. Visit our website for further details www.italyonabudgettours.com On Sunday after returning from the Amalfi coast trip, join our 7D Buongiorno Italia starting on Monday and continue travelling throughout Italy. In July and August you can also take the Buongiorno Italia first and connect it with the Amlafi coast trip starting from Sunday to Wednesday. Combine the Best of Tuscany with the Amalfi Coast trip. You can do the Best of Tuscany from Sunday to Wednesday and then head down to Rome to start the Amalfi coast from Thursday to Sunday OR take the Amalfi coast first from Thursday to Sunday and then come to Florence afterwords for the Best of Tuscany. We recommend the first option. It s time to head North. This is the perfect tour for you to take when returning from the Amalfi coast on a Sunday. Continue exploring Italy and visit Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Venice, Milan, Lake Como and lots more. Check out the full itinerary on our website.