Lodging Lobby

It was a nice place with an open, spacious lobby but this is where we got our first introduction to a European difference; very tiny elevators that barely fit four people. This turned out to be similar through all the hotels.

First Hotel

The Grand Hotel Tiberio was our first destination and place of lodging.

Putting On The Boot

We got our luggage sorted and met Emma and June in the passport check line who happened to be on the same tour and became our travel buddies. From the airport our first taste of Italy was delivered by shuttle driver Giacomo.

Fiumicino

Leonardo da Vinci Airport, AKA the airport with the coolest name in the world. Bright and early for our first day in Italy. Sleeping on the plane had various degrees of success, but we all seemed to be doing OK at this point.

Dulles To Rome

Then it was off to Rome. This leg was going to be tricky because our tour started the next day. With Italy's seven hour time jump, the next day meant the day we got there so sleeping on the plane was a must. I did some research and we ended up with some of these Trtl "pillows". They worked pretty well but nothing makes sleeping on an airplane exactly comfy.

Dulles

We had almost five hours to burn in Dulles which I expected to drag, but we had a nice relaxed lunch and it seemed to go pretty quickly.

Nashville To Dulles

The trip started here in Nashville obviously. Our first flight was very early in the morning and took us out to Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C.