Know Before You Go
Activity cards will be provided at the time of check-in with specific information regarding your selected activities. Please make sure to pack comfortable walking shoes for daily excursions as you will experience cobblestone paths and uneven pavement. TRAVEL Because you are traveling outside of the program dates, you will be on your own for transportation to the Westin Excelsior. Please make sure to arrive no later than 4:30 PM as our Welcome Reception & Dinner will begin at 5:30 PM that evening. If you are departing Florence Airport on the 19th, ground transportation details will be provided to you prior to your departure date. Important Travel Tips: » In the event of an emergency or missed flight during your travel dates, please contact the airline directly as they will be in control of your reservation within 24-hours of flight time. » Should you need additional assistance, please contact Gant Travel at 812-817-0384 » Please check your airlines baggage policy. » We have worked to secure your seats in advance. Please check with your airline in advance of your trip to confirm you have assigned seats. If not, please contact Katie Fuller at [email protected]. Based on Dear Chris Hendricks and Liz Johnson, We hope you are excited and looking forward to the Nations Roof Inner Circle trip that will take place in a few short weeks. We have outlined the details of your hotel and activity details below along with helpful information to familiarize yourself prior to your travels. Additionally, please find our updated schedule of events within the body of this email. In the event you have any questions or changes to the information provided, please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected]. HOTEL Reservation Name: Chris Hendricks and Liz Johnson Check-in / Checkout: 4/14/24 - 4/19/24 Hotel Location: The Westin Excelsior Piazza Ognissanti, 3, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Hotel Telephone: +39 055 27151 Time Difference: Florence, Italy is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time 12:00 PM in Florence, Italy, is 6:00 AM in EST - New York. Hotel check-in time is 3:00 PM; check-out time is 12:00 PM. We will do our best to accommodate early arrivals and late departures, but they are based on hotel availability at the time of check-in/out. ACTIVITY INFORMATION April 16th Activity: Medici’s Places April 17th Activity: Enjoy the Day at Leisure
availability, some seats may not be assigned directly together. » Please make sure to verify the ticketing agent issues your bags to check directly into Florence from your originating flight. If you are connecting on an airline that is not affiliated with your originating flight, please make sure you have enough time to exit to baggage claim and re-check into your connecting flights. We suggest no less than 2-hours for this process. RECOMMENDED ATTIRE The most important tip for packing for Florence in April is to come prepared for everything from warm sunny days to chilly, rainy nights. While April is the first full month of spring, it can feel cooler than you might expect. Your days will be spent roaming the city and evenings will include both formal and smart casual events. For daytime activities, you will want to pack comfortable walking shoes, lighter layers as well as a warm cardigan or pullover, so that you will be comfortable if the weather is cooler. April 14th: Welcome Reception & Dinner: Recommended attire is smartdressy attire. This will be hosted in a formal ballroom for a seated dinner. Pants and button-down shirt for men and conservative pants, skirt or dress is appropriate for ladies. April 16th: Group Dinner: Recommended attire is smart casual. This will be in a private venue with dinner and dancing, so comfortable shoes are recommended. April 18th: Farewell Dinner: Cocktail attire is recommended. The reception will take place outside in the garden followed by a seated dinner inside. Jacket and pants are recommended for men and dressy skirt, pants, or dress for ladies. Please note, all guests will be required to make a short walk from the transportation drop-off to the dinner venue, but will not be more than a few minutes of walking. DINING AT LEISURE Prepare your senses for an incredible culinary adventure throughout your stay! You will have two evenings to dine at your leisure while in Florence. We have outlined some recommended restaurants via this link, but you can easily navigate on your own during your stay. The hotel concierge will be available to help make any reservations. Also, OpenTable is widely used at many good restaurants within a short walk from the hotel.
Sunday, April 14th All Day Arrivals and Check-in Affreschi Room, Lobby Level Afternoon Walking Tours Available » 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM and 4 PM *Note, each time slot allows 20 people maximum, and sign-up will be at the hospitality desk in the lobby. 5:30 PM Welcome Reception & Dinner St. Regis Hotel Monday, April 15th Morning Breakfast at Leisure Vespucci Room 9:30 AM Depart Lobby 10:00 AM Day in Tuscany Villa Corsini » Vintage Car Experience » Cooking Experience » Olive Oil Tasting » Wine Tasting 1:15 PM Lunch Villa Corsini 3:30 PM Depart Villa Corsini 4:00 PM Return to Westin Excelsior Tuesday, April 16th Morning Breakfast at Leisure Vespucci Room Morning Activities at Leisure Depart from Lobby » 9 AM - 1 PM - On Michelangelo’s Footsteps » 9 AM - 1 PM - Medici’s Palaces » 9 AM - 1 PM - Renaissance Stroll » 10 AM - 2 PM - Italian Wine Tasting Journey *Please be in the lobby 15 minutes prior to your departure time. All attendees will have received local currency at the time of event check-in to use for your lunch at leisure on this day. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
6:30 PM Depart Lobby 6:45 PM Group Dinner Serre Torrigiani 11:00 PM Return to Hotel Westin Excelsior Wednesday, April 17th Morning Breakfast at Leisure Vespucci Room Morning Optional Activities Depart from Lobby » 7:10 AM - 6 PM - Milan » 7:10 AM - 6:30 PM - Rome » 9 AM - 6 PM - Siena and San Gimignano *The above activities are only applicable to attendees that signed-up and paid in advance for the selected activity. Evening Dinner at Leisure Thursday, April 18th Morning Breakfast at Leisure Vespucci Room Daytime At Leisure 6:30 PM Depart Lobby 6:45 PM Reception Giardino Corsini 8:00 PM Dinner Limonaia 11:00 PM Return to Hotel Westin Excelsior Friday, April 19th Morning Breakfast at Leisure Vespucci Room All Day Departures