La Dolce Colone Famiglia '26

Il Nostro Viaggio (Our Journey)

10 days in Italy, 5 cities, 1 unforgettable family adventure. Here's the day-by-day. ✓ = confirmed & booked.

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Depart USA

Ci vediamo in Italia! Most of us fly out tonight from Detroit and Raleigh. The Denver Colons left a day early (June 10) for Venice. Next stop: Firenze!

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Arrive Florence — Sunset Picnic

Afternoon

Arrive & check in B&B Le Stanze del Duomo · Via de' Martelli 8

Late aft.

Neighborhood explore — Duomo exterior & Baptistery

5:00 pm

Depart for picnic — grab sandwiches & wine All'Antico Vinaio · Via dei Neri 74r

5:45 pm

Cross the Arno Ponte alle Grazie

6:00 pm

Piazzale Michelangelo — panoramic views

6:15 pm

Option A: Continue up to San Miniato al Monte

6:15 pm

Option B: Rose Garden (Giardino delle Rose)

~8:56 pm

Sunset · picnic · wine over Florence

~9:15 pm

Walk back to lodging

Florence • 3 Nights

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Day 3Sat, June 13

Florence: Walking Tour & the David

8:30 am

Walking tour begins — Guide: Paola Migliorini Meet at Via de' Martelli 8

11:00 am

Accademia Gallery — Michelangelo's David ✓ Via Ricasoli 58–60

~12:30 pm

Lunch — Hosteria Ganino Via dei Cimatori 4r

1:30–4:30

Free time in the centro storico

4:30 pm

Depart for Oltrarno walk

4:45 pm

Ponte Vecchio — cross into the Oltrarno

5:10 pm

Palazzo Pitti area

5:50 pm

Piazza Santo Spirito — aperitivo

7:30 pm

Dinner — Trattoria La Casalinga ✓ Via dei Michelozzi 9r · leave by 9 pm

9:00 pm

Slow walk home · gelato

✓ Tour + Dinner Confirmed

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Day 4Sun, June 14

Florence: Uffizi & Gelato Class

8:30 am

Depart for Uffizi — Guide: Paola Meet at Via de' Martelli 8

9:30 am

Uffizi Gallery ✓ Piazzale degli Uffizi 6

~12:30 pm

Lunch — local osteria nearby

Afternoon

Free time — see the Florence sites guide

4:30–6:00

Gelato class with Vetulio Bondi ✓ Gelati Del Bondi · Via dell'Isola delle Stinche 7

7:30 pm

Dinner — Il Grande Nuti Trattoria ✓ Borgo San Lorenzo 22r

✓ Tour, Gelato Class & Dinner

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On the Road

Montepulciano & Orvieto · Jun 15

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Day 5Mon, June 15

Florence → Rome via Hill Towns

8:00 am

DEPART — two vans, 8:00 am sharp Via de' Martelli 8

Midday

Montepulciano — Piazza Grande · lunch · Vino Nobile

Mid-aft.

Orvieto — Cathedral · Underground (optional)

~7:30 pm

Arrive Rome · check in Via dell'Esquilino 38

Evening

Casual dinner · explore the Monti neighborhood

Rome • 3 Nights

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Rome: Vatican & Iconic Evening Walk

Morning

Free — Monti wander & laundry

12:45 pm

Walk to Termini · Metro Line A → Ottaviano

1:20 pm

Meet Dr. Sara Magister Vatican Museums entrance

1:30 pm

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel ✓

4:00 pm

St. Peter's Basilica ✓

After

Metro back to Termini · quick refresh

5:45 pm

Depart · Metro Line A → Spagna

6:00 pm

Spanish Steps · golden hour · Barcaccia fountain

6:40 pm

Trevi Fountain · coin toss

7:10 pm

Pantheon exterior · Piazza della Rotonda · gelato

7:30 pm

Piazza Navona · Bernini fountain · aperitivo

8:15 pm

Dinner — Ponte e Parione ✓ Via di Santa Maria dell'Anima 62

After

Navona by night · gelato · walk home

✓ Tour + Dinner Confirmed

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Day 7Wed, June 17

Rome: Colosseum & Trastevere 🎂 Happy Birthday Emily!

Morning

Free — Monti wander · coffee on Via dei Serpenti

11:15 am

Depart · Metro Line B → Colosseo (2 stops)

11:45 am

Ancient Rome tour — Patrizia Sfligiotti (~3.5 hrs) Colosseum · Forum · Palatine

~3:30 pm

Late lunch — Fuorinorma / La Pressemolina / Saporizzo

~4:30 pm

Hotel reset

5:00–5:30

Monti aperitivo (optional) Piazza della Madonna dei Monti

6:00–6:30

Tram 8 to Trastevere Board at Largo di Torre Argentina

~6:30 pm

Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere · basilica · aperitivo

~7:00 pm

Via della Lungaretta wander

8:00 pm

Dinner — Roma Sparita ✓ Piazza Santa Cecilia 24 · cacio e pepe in a parmesan bowl

After

Come il Latte gelato · cross Ponte Sisto home

✓ Tour + Dinner Confirmed

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Gaeta

June 18–20 · 2 nights

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Day 8Thu, June 18

Rome → Gaeta

Morning

Free · final Rome morning · coffee

11:00–12

Check out · depart for Gaeta with Roberto +39 349 093 0300 · ~1.5 hrs

~1:30 pm

Arrive Gaeta · check in Hotel Mirasole · Via Lungomare Caboto 36

Afternoon

Serapo Beach · first swim · lungomare walk

7:45–8:00

Dinner Pending — Monci / Mare Fritto / Comeilmare call ahead

Gaeta • 2 Nights

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Day 9Fri, June 19

Gaeta: Boat Charter & Beach Club

9:30 am

Boat charter — sea caves & grottos, ~4 hrs ✓ Gaeta Escursioni · depart harbor

~1:30 pm

Return · Lido Aurora beach club ✓ Serapo Beach

Afternoon

Beach time · optional bikes or Montagna Spaccata

8:00 pm

Dinner — Adriano a Mare ✓ Via Lungomare

✓ Boat + Beach Club + Dinner

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Day 10Sat, June 20

Last Beach Day → Airport Hotel

Morning

Lido Aurora ✓ — last beach morning hotel holds luggage

Afternoon

Gaeta old town · Montagna Spaccata · gelato

6:00–7:00

Depart Gaeta with Roberto

~8:00 pm

Arrive Hilton Rome Airport Via Arturo Ferrarin 2, Fiumicino

Evening

Final dinner together at the hotel or nearby

✈️ Steamboat / Denver Colons (6): your flight now departs FCO 9:30 pm tonight (June 20) via Paris & Reykjavík. You'll head straight to Fiumicino this evening rather than overnighting at the airport hotel — plan to leave Gaeta with time to spare. See flights →

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Heading Home

June 20–21

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Day 11Sun, June 21

Arrivederci, Italia!

Morning

Check out · transfer to the terminal

Departure

Fly home from Rome–Fiumicino (FCO)

WAH! But what memories we'll carry with us.

Explore each stop in detail: Firenze · Roma · Gaeta

La Dolce Colone
Famiglia '26

Quanto manca? (How long until we go?)

Quick Links

Il Nostro Viaggio (Our Journey)

Departure

Depart USA

Florence

Arrive Florence — Sunset Picnic

Florence: Walking Tour & the David

Florence: Uffizi & Gelato Class

On the Road

Florence → Rome via Hill Towns

Roma

Rome: Vatican & Iconic Evening Walk

Rome: Colosseum & Trastevere 🎂 Happy Birthday Emily!

Gaeta

Rome → Gaeta

Gaeta: Boat Charter & Beach Club

Last Beach Day → Airport Hotel

Heading Home

Arrivederci, Italia!

📇 Key Contacts

🎨 Tour Guides

🚐 Drivers & Transfers