Updated itinerary with performances - Incantato Tours welcomes the Palos Verdes Peninsula HS Touring Choir to Italy

Day 1, Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Overnight flight to Italy

Day 2, Thursday, June 13, 2013

Benvenuti in bella Italia!

Upon arrival in Rome, meet your Incanato Tour Manager and bus driver. Transfer to Hotel Liola near Montecassino for a traditional Italian welcome dinner. Check into hotel for overnight.

Day 3, Friday, June 14, 2013

Visit Pompeii & explore Naples

Spend the morning visiting the ancient site of Pompeii. After a recital in this historic venue, transfer to Naples for check-in at the Royal Continental overlooking the marina and Fortress, dinner and overnight.

Day 4, Saturday, June 15, 2013

Capri Excursion 

The island of Capri is one of the highlights when visiting the Naples area. Enjoy an excursion as you take a boat to the Marina Grande, Capri’s main harbor. After exploring the enchanting and picturesque island made of limestone rock, return to Naples in the late afternoon for a traditional pizza dinner and overnight.

Day 5, Sunday, June 16, 2013

Via Montecassino (Recital) to Rome

Bid farewell to the Coast as you journey to Italy‘s exciting capital city. Em-route, stop at Montecassino Abbey. Perched on a mountain top, this working monastery was founded by Saint Benedict in 529, making it one of Europe’s oldest monasteries. Enjoy a sightseeing tour upon arrival, then sing in the Abbey. Countryside picknick lunch afterwards. Continue to Rome for sightseeing  including entrance to the Coliseum and Roman Forum. Dinner and overnight in Rome at H10 Hotel Roma Citta.

Day 6, Monday, June 17, 2013

Vatican Visit & Highlight performance followed by Baroque Rome

Start the day with a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel followed by a visit to St. Peter‘s Basilica where the choir is singing for Mass at noon at the Altar of San Giuseppe. Thereafter, transfer to Rome‘s city center for a walking tour of the beautiful Baroque Squares (Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and Pantheon).Traditional Roman dinner and overnight in Rome. 

Day 7, Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Charming Perugia
Bid farewell to Rome as you transfer to the lively medieval walled hill town of Perugia, also known as the Green Heart of Italy. Upon arrival, enjoy an afternoon tour of the city with its people-filled squares and modern shops. Conclude the day witha dip into the pool and dinner at the hotel. Hotel Meridiana for overnight.

Day 8, Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Assisi Excursion & Performances

The birthplace of St. Francis, Assisi is a medieval city built on a hill. Enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Assisi, which boasts sights such as the Basilica of San Francesco (recital confirmed), named a UNESCO world heritage site. Return to Perugia for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 - 10, Thursday, June 20 and Friday, June 21, 2013

Rieti in-depth - Highlight Concert

Next and final stop is Rieti, in the heart of Italy and one of Incantato Tours‘ favorite small Italian town. On Thursday, the choir will be the featured guest singers for Mass at the Basilica of Sant‘ Agostino. On Friday, meet with students from a local school for an exchange, then prepare for one of the trip’s highlights as you will present a special  concert in the magnificent Teatro di Rieti at 6 pm. Overnight at Hotel Cavour.

Day 11, Saturday, June 22, 2013

Return flight home

After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for your journey back to the US.

Flight Schedule change for PVPHS group to Italy

Departure for Europe

Wednesday, June 12, 2013:

Air Berlin flight AB 7023 leaves Los Angeles (LAX) for Berlin-Tegel (TXL), Germany at now 02:55 pm local time, arrival in Europe is on Thursday, June 13^th at 11:00 am local time. 

The group then connects from Berlin (TXL) with Air Berlin flight AB 8872 at 03:20 pm to Rome (FCO), Italy with an arrival time of 05:25 pm.

Return to the USA

Saturday, June 22, 2013:

Air Berlin flight AB 8841 departs Rome (FCO) at 10:05 am local time for Duesseldorf (DUS), Germany to arrive at 12:20 pm.

The group then connects from Duesseldorf (DUS) at 01:25 pm with Air Berlin flight AB 7430 to Los Angeles (LAX) with an arrival time of 04:15 pm local time in California on the same day.

Rieti Hotel Cavour for June 20 and 21, 2013

The Palos Verdes Peninsula HS group will spend the final two nights of Thursday, June 20th and Friday, June 21th in Rieti, Italy at the 4-star Hotel Cavour.

This hotel is situated on the bank of the river Velino. Each of the 34 rooms have LCD satellite TV, safe, hair dryer, air conditioning and internet connection. The hotel also has a restaurant with panoramic view, breakfast room and a gym.

Home away from home while in Perugia, Hotel La Meridiana

Your home away from home while in Perugia on Tuesday, June 18 and Wednesday, June 19, 2013 is Hotel La Meridiana.

The hotel is a four star property and is surrounded by landscapes of Umbrian hills.

Each of the 96 rooms have wi-fi.  The hotel pool and solarium overlook a view of the citadel.

The onsite restaurant "Il Vespertino" offers local Umbrian culinary traditions that uses locally grown, organic ingredients.

Your Rome home away from home: Hotel H10 Roma Citta

Allow us to introduce another home away from home as we continue to share information about the PVPHS Performance Tour to Italy. Incantato Tours takes great pride in selecting nice and safe hotels in good locations for our traveling choirs and are very happy to present the new H10 Roma Città Hotel for your choir group's nights in Rome Sunday, June 16 and Monday, June 17, 2013.

This modern 4-star-hotel is located in the district of Trastevere in a safe location away from the bustle of the city, and features all amenities travelers enjoy including comfortable beds and also a rooftop swimming pool. Do not forget to bring your bathing suits!
Another great perk is free wifi throughout the hotel - and even in high speed so you can upload all pictures and videos. Other standard room amenities include flat-screen television, smart temperature control, safe box and hairdryer. Breakfast is fantastic here, too!

Your Naples home away from home: Royal Continental Hotel

NEW: For the two nights of Friday, June 14th and Saturday, June 15th 2013, the Palos Verdes Peninsula HS music group will be staying now at a new hotel - the Royal Continental Hotel.

The hotel is located on the seafront promenade in front of an old castle called Castel dell'Ovo, the former island of Megaride and now a peninsula on the gulf of Naples. It is very close to the seaside, the city center and the historical area of Naples.

The property offers 379 rooms with a Mediterranean feeling. Most rooms overlook the Gulf of Naples with a balcony or terrace. All of the rooms and suites have either double or twin beds, air conditioning, wardrobe with safe, LCD TV with satellite channels and film on demand, broad-band and wi-fi internet connection.

One of the highlights of the Royal Continental Hotel is the sea-water pool on the panoramic 10th floor. It also has three restaurants with local, Mediterranean and ethnic cuisine, a fitness centre, laundry service and a special disabled access.

Your first night in Italy, Hotel Liola in Castrocielo

The first night of the Palos Verdes Peninsula HS 2013 Performance Tour on Thursday, June 13, 2013, in Italy will be the 4-star property Hotel Liola located in Castrocielo.

The hotel is conveniently located near beautiful Montecassino Abbey and has become a favorite for our groups due to its excellent restaurant and great service team.

Each of the 40 rooms have a flat-screen TV and hairdryers. Free wi-fi is also available in the rooms.

For those of you that want to get a headstart on souvenir shopping there is a gift shop at the hotel.

Vatican City - an Incantato favorite

Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. It has an area of approximately 44 hectares, and a population of just over 800.

Vatican City is a city-state that came into existence in 1929. It is distinct from the Holy See, which dates back to early Christianity and is the main Episcopal see of 1.147 billion Latin and Eastern Catholic adherents around the globe.

Ordinances of Vatican City are published in Italian; official documents of the Holy See are issued mainly in Latin. The two entities even have distinct passports: the Holy See, not being a country, only issues diplomatic and service passports; the state of Vatican City issues normal passports. In both cases the passports issued are very few.

Vatican City is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state, ruled by the bishop of Rome - the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergymen of various nationalities. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace. The Popes have resided in the area, that in 1929 became Vatican City, since the return from Avignon in 1377.

Incantato Performance Venues: the magnificent Teatro di Rieti

The Teatro di Rieti is a magical place where the Palos Verdes group will be presenting a special concert as part of their 2013 Performance Tour in Italy.

The current structure of the theatre dates back to December of 1883 but was not officially inaugurated until September 20, 1893, featuring productions of Goethe’s Faust and Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana.

The theater, named for the Roman Emperor Vespasian, required ten years of construction under the direction of Milanese architect Achille Sfondrini. The theater underwent complete restoration from 2005 through 2009. A grand re-opening celebration commenced on January 10, 2009 featuring conductor Marcello Rota, and soloists Karina Grigoryan, Jessica Pratt, Anna Gorayacheva, and Roman Burdenko. The Secretary to the Prime Minister, as well as Senator Franco Marini were in attendance. The restoration efforts totaled more than 3.3 million Euros. The reopening of the theater also fostered the formation of the Flavius Vespasian Foundation, aiming to promote international artistry and music. 

The Rieti Theatre also annually hosts the Rieti Dance Festival, the International Competition for the New Opera Voices of Mattia Battistini and the National Competition for Young Actors. The theatre is well known for its excellent acoustics, a characteristic that earned the structure the very first National Award for the Acoustics. In referring to the acoustics, Professor Bruno Cagli, president of the National Academy of Saint Cecilia, once called the theatre “the world’s best in that respect”. 

Incantato Welcomes You to the Isle of Capri

The isle of Capri is situated just off the coast of southern Italy, near Naples. It has an enduring reputation as a sybaritic paradise. It has seen many uses throughout history, including serving as the home of emperors, the seat of monasteries, and a place of exile. Its popularity is no wonder when considering the constant sunshine and reputation as a Garden of Eden.

Among the sites to see aside from the stunning views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, are the Grotto Azzurra, the Blue Grotto, which is a cave bathed in iridescent blue light. Capri's main port, the Marina Grande consists of an array of colorful houses overlooking the harbor while ferry boats sail to and from Naples. Aside from Capri, the island's main town, and Anacapri, the island's second town, there is also the Certosa di San Giacomo. It was founded in 1371 on the site of Roman emperor Tiberius's villa as a Cathusian monastery. However, it was suppressed in 1808 and now serves as part of a school. By the way, the Villa Jovis, Tiberius's imperial villa covers an enormous area, the ruins of which can still be seen today.

Welcome to Perugia with Incantato Tours

The region of Umbria, also known as the "Green Heart of Italy", has been inhabited since the 8th century BC. Aside from Assisi, the PVPHS travelers will also be visiting the town of Perugia in this region.

Perguia is a lively medieval walled hill town with an old center that is dominated by the Fontana Maggiore, a 13th century fountain at the northern end of the Piazza IV Novembre. Just behind that rises the 15th century Duomo with its entrance flanked by a state of Pope Julius II (1555). The third pillar in the south nave of the cathedral holds a Renaissance painting of the Madonna delle Grazie by Gian Nicola di Paolo. The figure is said to have miraculous powers and mothers bring newly baptized children to kneel before it.  

Perugia's most extravagantly decorated church is San Pietro, which lies beyond the old city walls. It was founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in 1463. One of the most outstanding features of the stunning interior is the wooden choir dating back to 1520. Umbria's finest public building is the Palazza dei Priori with its monumental walls. Its raised doorway is guarded by a pair of large bronzes made in 1274: a lion and a griffin, the medieval emblem of Perugia.

Incantato Favorites: Assisi

There are many reasons why Assisi is one of Incantato's favorite destinations in Italy.
A fairly small city of 30,000 inhabitants, Assisi sits perched on a hilltop surround by the stunning Umbrian landscape. When visiting, you feel like you have stepped back in time, finding yourself in what seems like a village from the Middle Ages with its old gates and main street, the Via de San Francesco. You can also visit the two 14th century forts Rocca Maggiore and Rocca Minore (large and small fort) and enjoy the gorgeous views. However, the most important sight is the Basilica of Saint Francis, named a UNESCO world heritage site. There are also many traces of Roman times around the city, including remains of the city walls or the Piazza del Comune, the main square of Assisi. Here you can find the Temple of Minerva. With six Corinthian columns, it was erected in the 1st Century BC. The square is also a nice meeting point where almost all streets converge. In the streets surrounding the main square there are many shops offering small handicrafts and local specialties. You can also just sit down and relax, knowing that beneath your feet lies an ancient Roman Forum where people used to meet 2,000 years ago.