Washington, Dulles Intl (IAD)- USA to Paris, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) - France
Flight/Aircraft : AF039
Departs : Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 4:40 PM
Arrives : Friday, July 1, 2011 at 6:00 AM
Flight time : 07h20
Meet at the Air France Desk no later than 2:00 PM on Thursday June 30th..
Welcome to the VYS United's 2011 Italy Cup blog! I will be posting pre-travel information in preparation for our big trip. And while we're in Italy, our travelers will try to capture as many of our exciting activities as possible! Please feel free to view & post a comment to our blog anytime.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Our Itinerary
June 1 - July 3, 2011
Montecatini/Italy
Accommodation: Hotel Manzoni Montecatini
Manzoni Nord, 28
51016 Montecatini Terme (PT)
Tel. 0572-70175
Thursday June 30, 2011
03.40pm Depart IAD AF 039 Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Friday July 1, 2011
06.00am Arrival Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
07.15am Depart Paris AF 1212 from to Milan Linate.
08.45am Arrival Milan Linate airport.
10.00am Transfer to your hotel
2:30pm Arrival at your hotel.
After arrival an information meeting will take place. During this information you will receive detailed information about dinner and breakfast times, excursion options, etc.
08.00pm Evening dinner.
Saturday July 2, 2011
08.00am Breakfast.
09.30am Sight seeing in Florence. Visit major sights such as the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, the Oltrarno, the Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria and of course Piazza Michelangelo. From here you will have a beautiful view of Florence.
00.00pm Evening dinner.
00.00pm Game vs.
Sunday July 3, 2011
08.00am Breakfast.
09.00am Transfer to Cesenatico.
July 3 - 9, 2011
Italy/Cesenatico
The Italy Cup
Sunday July 3, 2011
08.00am Breakfast.
09.00am Transfer to Cesenatico. Palazzetto dello Sport.
12.00pm Arrival Palazzetto dello Sport
Via Magellano, 23
47042 Cesenatico
Tel +39 393 1689708 (Euro-Sportring Coordinator)
07.00pm Evening dinner.
Italy Cup program
Monday Morning Welcome ceremony and team managers and coaches reception
Afternoon Tournament – preliminaries
Evening Free program
Tuesday Tournament – preliminaries
Evening Team managers and coaches game in main stadium
Wednesday Day Tournament – preliminaries
Evening Social evening for all participants
Team managers and coaches buffet
Thursday Day Tournament – intermediaries&classification matches
Evening Free program; suggestion: visit “Peter Pan”
Friday Tournament – (classification matches and) finals.
Afternoon Grand prize-giving ceremony
Saturday July 9, 2011
04.00am Transfer to Bologna airport.
05.30am Arrival Bologna airport.
07.25am Departure flight AF 1029 from Bologna to Paris.
09.10am Arrival Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
10.40am Depart Paris AF 028 to Washington.
01.00pm Arrival Washington Dulles airport.
Montecatini/Italy
Accommodation: Hotel Manzoni Montecatini
Manzoni Nord, 28
51016 Montecatini Terme (PT)
Tel. 0572-70175
Thursday June 30, 2011
03.40pm Depart IAD AF 039 Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Friday July 1, 2011
06.00am Arrival Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
07.15am Depart Paris AF 1212 from to Milan Linate.
08.45am Arrival Milan Linate airport.
10.00am Transfer to your hotel
2:30pm Arrival at your hotel.
After arrival an information meeting will take place. During this information you will receive detailed information about dinner and breakfast times, excursion options, etc.
08.00pm Evening dinner.
Saturday July 2, 2011
08.00am Breakfast.
09.30am Sight seeing in Florence. Visit major sights such as the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, the Oltrarno, the Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria and of course Piazza Michelangelo. From here you will have a beautiful view of Florence.
00.00pm Evening dinner.
00.00pm Game vs.
Sunday July 3, 2011
08.00am Breakfast.
09.00am Transfer to Cesenatico.
July 3 - 9, 2011
Italy/Cesenatico
The Italy Cup
Sunday July 3, 2011
08.00am Breakfast.
09.00am Transfer to Cesenatico. Palazzetto dello Sport.
12.00pm Arrival Palazzetto dello Sport
Via Magellano, 23
47042 Cesenatico
Tel +39 393 1689708 (Euro-Sportring Coordinator)
07.00pm Evening dinner.
Italy Cup program
Monday Morning Welcome ceremony and team managers and coaches reception
Afternoon Tournament – preliminaries
Evening Free program
Tuesday Tournament – preliminaries
Evening Team managers and coaches game in main stadium
Wednesday Day Tournament – preliminaries
Evening Social evening for all participants
Team managers and coaches buffet
Thursday Day Tournament – intermediaries&classification matches
Evening Free program; suggestion: visit “Peter Pan”
Friday Tournament – (classification matches and) finals.
Afternoon Grand prize-giving ceremony
Saturday July 9, 2011
04.00am Transfer to Bologna airport.
05.30am Arrival Bologna airport.
07.25am Departure flight AF 1029 from Bologna to Paris.
09.10am Arrival Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
10.40am Depart Paris AF 028 to Washington.
01.00pm Arrival Washington Dulles airport.
Tipping & Etiquette
In Italy service, which usually ranges from 1 to 3 euros depending on the restaurant, is automatically added to the check and must be visible on the menu. "Coperto," the charge for the tablecloth, silverware, etc., is illegal in Lazio but may be added in other regions.
Normally, just round up the bill, a few Euro. If you were given an outstanding service, a good tip -- 10 euro in cash -- will make the staff happy, but you are not "compelled" to do so.
Normally, just round up the bill, a few Euro. If you were given an outstanding service, a good tip -- 10 euro in cash -- will make the staff happy, but you are not "compelled" to do so.
Italy: Banks & Money (tripadvisor.com)
Italy: Banks & Money (tripadvisor.com)In Italy, as in most of Western Europe, the official currency is the Euro (€). For visitors from the US, it is easy to make a conversion: 1 Euro is, right now, about US$1.32. To make things a bit simpler, consider that 3 Euro equal approx. US$ 4.
Changing money into Euro: you can change money almost everywhere in Italy. You can go to any bank -- public hours are usually from about 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (times may change slightly from bank to bank, but all are closed all day on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays Travelers' checks are almost impossible to exchange at hotels and shops, but can still be cashed at banks and foreign exchange offices .
Credit Cards / Debit Cards / ATMs
Major establishments accept credit cards whose logos are posted in their front windows, just as they do in the USA and Canada. You should check with your credit card company to see if they charge you an international transaction fee or foreign transaction fee. Visa and MasterCard charge a processing fee on international transactions, and most card-issuing banks add their own fees on top of that. They equal to generally a percentage of your overall purchase price, sometimes as high as 3% extra.
ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) in Italy are known as Bancomat, and can be found anywhere in large cities as well as in small towns. The machine operates just as ATMs do anywhere else; at the beginning of the transaction, it prompts the user for the preferred language. Simply withdraw money as you would at home. Of course, in Italy the money will be dispensed in Euro, but when you return home, your bank will have converted the amount of your withdrawal into dollars using the most beneficial exchange rate possible. Pay attention: your bank account may have daily withdrawal limits, e.g. US$300, therefore, you have to account for the currency conversion when withdrawing euro in Italy.
Changing money into Euro: you can change money almost everywhere in Italy. You can go to any bank -- public hours are usually from about 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (times may change slightly from bank to bank, but all are closed all day on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays Travelers' checks are almost impossible to exchange at hotels and shops, but can still be cashed at banks and foreign exchange offices .
Credit Cards / Debit Cards / ATMs
Major establishments accept credit cards whose logos are posted in their front windows, just as they do in the USA and Canada. You should check with your credit card company to see if they charge you an international transaction fee or foreign transaction fee. Visa and MasterCard charge a processing fee on international transactions, and most card-issuing banks add their own fees on top of that. They equal to generally a percentage of your overall purchase price, sometimes as high as 3% extra.
ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) in Italy are known as Bancomat, and can be found anywhere in large cities as well as in small towns. The machine operates just as ATMs do anywhere else; at the beginning of the transaction, it prompts the user for the preferred language. Simply withdraw money as you would at home. Of course, in Italy the money will be dispensed in Euro, but when you return home, your bank will have converted the amount of your withdrawal into dollars using the most beneficial exchange rate possible. Pay attention: your bank account may have daily withdrawal limits, e.g. US$300, therefore, you have to account for the currency conversion when withdrawing euro in Italy.
Top 10 Things to Bring to Italy (tripadvisor.com)
1. Euros--many, many businesses in Italy do not accept credit cards, even in big tourist destinations like Rome and Venice. Don't wait until you're there to try to get local currency.
2. A debit card that's going to work--since credit cards are not widely accepted, you will need ready access to cash. Your bank, however, may suspend your card if they notice unusual activity. Call them before you leave to let them know you'll be travelling so this doesn't happen.
3. A cable-style bicycle lock--If you will be traveling from city to city by train, you can lock up your bags and have a leisurely meal in the dining car without having to worry about someone making off with your luggage at the next stop.
4. Mp3 audio tours--guided tours are a great way to get the most out of your visit, especially since you can ask questions of your guide. They can be expensive, though, especially if you are travelling as a family. There are several mp3 audio tours covering various points of interest in Italy that you can download for free.
5. An extension cord or 3-way splitter--Camera batteries, mp3 players, laptops, PDAs, cell phones...If you are traveling with more than one person, the number of gadgets that need recharging can multiply quickly. Get more mileage out of your outlet adapters with a splitter.
6. An extra outlet adapter--If you lose one, you won't have to waste time or money (as much as 10 times what they cost at a discount store) to replace it.
7. Conditioner & hand lotion--these products, staples in American hotels, are seldom provided in Europe. If you can't live without them, bring them.
8. An Italian-English dictionary--Folks always appreciate your efforts to at least make an attempt to communicate with them in their own language first. And many Italians who speak English are proficient, but not fluent. A dictionary helps to bridge the linguistic gap.
9. A handheld GPS--Many writers, guides, and travelers say the best part of enjoying an Italian city is getting lost in the little alleyways and side streets. Knowing you can get "unlost" any time you're ready can take the stress out of exploring. Just finished up at a museum and you're famished? A GPS can list the restaurants near your current location.
10. Patience--In Italy, a meal at a sit-down restaurant is meant to be a relaxed, leisurely affair that allows plenty of time to enjoy food, wine, and good company, and can easily last 2 hours. With a limited amount of time to see and do everything they hope to, many tourists just want to eat quickly and get back to sightseeing instead. This disconnect in expectations can result in stress and frustration for both the customer and the restaurant staff. If you choose a restaurant with table service, be patient and "enter in" to the Italian way of doing things. You will enjoy your dining experience much more, and come away with a more comprehensive experience of Italy, as well. If you just don't have that kind of time to invest in a meal, choose a restaurant with counter service, instead
2. A debit card that's going to work--since credit cards are not widely accepted, you will need ready access to cash. Your bank, however, may suspend your card if they notice unusual activity. Call them before you leave to let them know you'll be travelling so this doesn't happen.
3. A cable-style bicycle lock--If you will be traveling from city to city by train, you can lock up your bags and have a leisurely meal in the dining car without having to worry about someone making off with your luggage at the next stop.
4. Mp3 audio tours--guided tours are a great way to get the most out of your visit, especially since you can ask questions of your guide. They can be expensive, though, especially if you are travelling as a family. There are several mp3 audio tours covering various points of interest in Italy that you can download for free.
5. An extension cord or 3-way splitter--Camera batteries, mp3 players, laptops, PDAs, cell phones...If you are traveling with more than one person, the number of gadgets that need recharging can multiply quickly. Get more mileage out of your outlet adapters with a splitter.
6. An extra outlet adapter--If you lose one, you won't have to waste time or money (as much as 10 times what they cost at a discount store) to replace it.
7. Conditioner & hand lotion--these products, staples in American hotels, are seldom provided in Europe. If you can't live without them, bring them.
8. An Italian-English dictionary--Folks always appreciate your efforts to at least make an attempt to communicate with them in their own language first. And many Italians who speak English are proficient, but not fluent. A dictionary helps to bridge the linguistic gap.
9. A handheld GPS--Many writers, guides, and travelers say the best part of enjoying an Italian city is getting lost in the little alleyways and side streets. Knowing you can get "unlost" any time you're ready can take the stress out of exploring. Just finished up at a museum and you're famished? A GPS can list the restaurants near your current location.
10. Patience--In Italy, a meal at a sit-down restaurant is meant to be a relaxed, leisurely affair that allows plenty of time to enjoy food, wine, and good company, and can easily last 2 hours. With a limited amount of time to see and do everything they hope to, many tourists just want to eat quickly and get back to sightseeing instead. This disconnect in expectations can result in stress and frustration for both the customer and the restaurant staff. If you choose a restaurant with table service, be patient and "enter in" to the Italian way of doing things. You will enjoy your dining experience much more, and come away with a more comprehensive experience of Italy, as well. If you just don't have that kind of time to invest in a meal, choose a restaurant with counter service, instead
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