St. Catherine s Episcopal Church

Transcription

1 St. Catherine s Episcopal Church

2 Officially Sponsored Choral Festivals International Choral Festival in Tuscany Festival by invitation from the city of Montecatini Terme International Choral Competition in Verona by invitation from the Association of Choirs of Northern Italy Advent Sing in Vienna by invitation of the Cultural Affairs Department

3 Services Full-time professional Music Contact International Tour Manager Local guides and guided tours Motor coach transportation Hotel Accommodations Traveler s Resource Website Customized handbooks

4 Lucca Montecatini Terme Pisa Siena Florence

5 Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Depart from Atlanta Afternoon departure from Atlanta to Florence, Italy Select meals, snacks and refreshments will be served on flight

6 Thursday, June 15, 2017 Arrival in Florence Arrive in Florence Meet your Music Contact International Tour Manager Transfer together by motor coach to Montecatini Terme and check in to the hotel Orientation Walk In the evening welcome Dinner is arranged for your group at the hotel Tuscany International Choral Festival Opening Ceremony

7 Tuscany

8 Friday, June 16, 2017 Tettucio Spa Concert Breakfast at the hotel Open-Air concert at Tettucio Spa Free afternoon for exploring Montecatini Terme Dinner arranged individually Open-Air concert at Piazza del Popolo

9 Tettuccio Spa

10 Saturday, June 17, Florence Breakfast in the hotel Guided tour of Florence Tuscan dinner at Villa Medici Closing Ceremony with Awards Group sing at the Closing Ceremony

11 Santa Maria delle Fiore The Duomo Florence

12 Sunday, June 18, 2017 Pisa Breakfast Church service Excursion to Pisa Guided tour upon arrival Free time for lunch arranged individually Dinner in the hotel dining room

13 Monday, June 19, 2017 Lucca Breakfast Excursion to Lucca to explore with your tour manager Lunch arranged individually Visit the Vineyards of Montecarlo en route back to Montecatini Terme

14 Tuesday, June 20, 2017 San Gimingnano & Siena Breakfast Excursion to San Gimignano Free time for lunch on your own Transfer to Siena for time to explore with your tour manager Farewell dinner in Montecatini Terme

15 Wednesday, June 21, 2017 Departure Breakfast at the hotel Check out and depart for the Florence Airport and your return flight home

16 Travel Documents Each traveler requires a passport Please send Music Contact International a photocopy of your passport 4 months prior to departure Passport must be valid for 6 months after the return date of the trip No visa required for US citizens

17 What to Bring Passport Tour handbook Flight e-ticket record, located inside the front cover of your handbook Concert attire and shoes Music for concerts, if applicable Credit and debit cards with PIN numbers Secure purse or wallet for your valuables, ideally with a zipper Phone and/or camera with extra memory card Chargers for electronics and phone MCI electrical adapter (we will send this to your Group Leader prior to travel) Personal toiletries Medications in original bottles Weather-appropriate touring clothes (please no bare shoulders or short shorts at churches and holy sites) Comfortable, weather-resistant walking shoes or sneakers A light weatherproof jacket or raincoat Collapsible umbrella, just in case! Wash cloth Hand wipes or liquid sanitizer Band aids and tissues Refillable water bottle

18 Luggage We recommend that you travel with one suitcase with wheels that you can easily maneuver and one compact bag, backpack or purse. Limiting your luggage to one piece makes it easier for you to handle getting in and out of buses and hotels. Please refer to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website at or your individual airline's website for up-to-date packing restrictions. Note that certain items are not allowed in your carry-on bag, such as bottles full of water or large tubes of toothpaste. For a comprehensive list of these items, refer to your airline s website.

19 Money CARDS: We recommend using ATM/debit cards to get cash abroad. They ensure that you get the best exchange rate and do not limit you to banking hours. Be sure to inform your bank that you will be traveling abroad. With the increase in identity theft, banks and credit card companies are constantly monitoring for any suspicious activity on your account, including overseas purchases, which could result in a declined transaction if they are not notified prior to your departure. When you notify your credit card company that you will be traveling in advance of your trip, also inquire whether a service charge, currency conversion fee, or international transaction fee will be applied for using the card abroad. These fees are generally lower than any exchange fees you would pay for exchanging cash or traveler's checks. We do not recommend using credit cards to withdraw cash abroad as the cash advance fees are usually quite high.

20 Currency The currency in Italy is the Euro The exchange rate as of March 2016 is: $1.00 =.89 Euro ( )

21 Additional Tips for Travel in Italy When entering churches and cathedrals: Bring a cardigan or scarf to cover your shoulders Wear skirts that are at least knee-length Public restrooms in Italy may require a payment to enter Motor coach parking areas may be a 10 to 15 minute walk from the venue or destination each day

22 Staying in Touch CALLING: To call Italy: Dial (country code Italy) + city code (06 Rome, 045 Verona) + phone number To call USA from Italy: Dial (country code) + area code + phone number When dialing on a cell phone, you may simply press and hold 0 + the (country code) + city code + phone number. This eliminates the need to dial 011. The same holds true if dialing from a foreign country back to North America. This eliminates the need to dial 00 before the phone number. Note: It may be necessary to dial additional digits for operatorassisted or non-direct calls.

23 Land Package Includes ACCOMMODATIONS 6 nights Montecatini Terme TRANSPORTATION A private, modern motor coach with a professional driver is provided for all transportation as described in the itinerary, including roundtrip transfers between the airport and the hotel MEALS Breakfast daily at the hotel Welcome Dinner at hotel Festive Tuscan Dinner at Italian Villa as part of the Festival Farewell Dinner at the hotel TOUR MANAGER Full time Music Contact International Tour Manager to accompany your group from arrival to departure

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25 Land Package Includes PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES Open-Air concert at Tettucio Spa Open-Air concert in Montecatini Terme Town Square Participation in a Catholic service LOCAL GUIDES AND SPECIAL EVENTS Full-time local Italian Festival guide to assist with Festival related activities and events Participation in Opening Ceremony with performance by a local Italian choir ½ day guided City Tour of Florence ½ day guided City Tour of Pisa Vineyard tour and Wine tasting in Montecarlo

26 Land Package Includes TRAVELER S RESOURCE WEBSITE Featuring: Itinerary, Photo Gallery, Blog, Maps, recommended books, movies, and more! WEB PAYMENT SYSTEM Group leaders have the option to use our Web Payment System, allowing each traveler the opportunity to make payments online with a debit or credit card via their Traveler s Resource Website. Individuals receive electronic reminders, receipts and statements. Group leaders can track payments made online, and receive automated reporting with balances and due dates.

27 Land Package Includes ADDITIONAL MATERIALS Customized handbook for each person traveling with your choir, including a detailed program and travel information. Luggage tags and electrical adapters. FLIGHTS We offer competitive group airfare. Please contact us for airfare quotes from your nearest airport. For estimated airfare from different regions of the country please visit the festival page on our website.

28 Land Package Price BASED ON A MINIMUM OF 25 PAYING TRAVELERS IN DOUBLE OCCUPANCY $1, per person Land Package $1, per person estimated air package Total Land and Air Package: $3, BASED ON A MINIMUM OF 20 PAYING TRAVELERS IN DOUBLE OCCUPANCY $1, per person Land Package $1, per person estimated air package Total Land and Air Package: $3,453.00

29 Additional Tips for Travel in Italy When entering churches and cathedrals: Bring a cardigan or scarf to cover your shoulders Wear skirts that are at least knee-length Public restrooms in Italy may require a payment to enter Motor coach parking areas may be a 10 to 15 minute walk from the venue or destination each day

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32 The End St. Catherine s Episcopal Church