Italia 08 - Accommodation

As discussed, there will be various types of accommodation available during the Italia 08 trip.

Camping will be booked by PaulBDE

Hotels / Lodges need to be booked by the individuals.

It is my intention to publish the contact numbers for the sites by e-mail within the next week or so.

Please check to ensure you are correctly listed:

Camping

PaulBDE
Pablo666
Steve Morris
Vectis Traveller
Navigator
Carrots Charger
Panzerphil
Major Gadget
Big Dave
Mark Simpson
DV8
Gippo
Stolzy
Seamus & Mrs Seamus

Lodges / Hotel

Baronlebon
Novice
Stevo (+ Hayley)
flash of the gap + trassa
Bryn & Lyn

Deposit update

As we are taking lodges, we are having to pay deposits.

Deposits paid so far are:

Nancy - n/a

Lake Como 35 Euros

Pisa 115.50 Euros

Rome 150 Euros To be paid

Rimini TBC

Venice to be paid 140 Euros

Garmisch TBC

Mainz - booked via CCard

Italia 08 - Final night of the Tour

For our final night together before we head back to the channel crossing, i have organised for us to stay in the heart of Mainz at the IBIS

Costings will be as follows

2 people sharing a room with 2 beds € 59

a couple in a twin room € 59

single occupancy € 59

I will reserve all the rooms via my CCard, and then we will all pay individually on arrival.

We will sort a restaurant in the evening for an "end of tour" meal altogether in the evening.

Paul

Mainz Hotel Update - PLEASE CHECK YOUR INFO!

Accommodation for Mainz is as follows:

PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE LISTED CORRECTLY

Single rooms

Baronlebon
PaulBDE
Vectis Traveller
Panzerphil
Major Gadget
Big Dave
Mark Simpson
DV8
Gippo
Fuddy
Stolzy
Novice

Sharing

Navigator & Carrots Charger
Pablo 666 & Panal has dropped out
Steve Morris + 1

Doubles

Bryn & Lyn
Stevo & Hayley
flash of the gap & trassa
Seamus & Mrs Seamus

Ibis Mainz is now fully booked and confirmed - PL

Day Saturday 14th June
Site Campeole Le Brabois
Location Nancy


Local hotel is Hotel Cottage

telephone 0033 383446900

Rate 55 Euros for a twin / double room.

Thanks for the first hotel details Paul

Just booked the first double room

"you want big bed or two beds?"

His Eengleesh a little rusty but not as bad as my French..

Bonjour is as far as I got

email is reservation@cottagenancy.com

Website Clicky

Accomodation Update

Ladies & Gents,

An update on the confirmation of camping sites & hotels

Saturday 14th Nancy - campsite booked and hotel posted (if you need the hotel hurry up and book see Bryn's post)

Sunday 15th Lake Como - campsite booked and cabins

Monday 16th Pisa - campsite booked and cabins (Turns out Pisa is going to be super special - see separate post below)

Tuesday 17th Rome - campsite booked, cabins booked on site

Wednesday 18th Rome - as above

Thursday 19th Rimini - campsite booked, cabins booked on site

Friday 20th Venice - campsite booked with cabins on site

Saturday 21st Garmisch - campsite booked - hotels tbc

Sunday 22nd Mainz - everyone stays in the IBIS - booked

Hotels and final site details will be published next week.

Please note, as we are such a large group, we have had to pay some deposits for camping pitches and cabins, thus I will need to collect a small amount off everyone, of which I will confirm next week.

Dependent on what deal on the channel Baron gets, this may not be necessary as we may have enough change in the kitty from what has already been submitted.

Regards

Paul

PISA 16th June - Luminara di S. Ranieri

Now I would like to take credit for this, but it turns out that this is a pure coincidence.

When we arrive in Pisa, we will arrive on the night that the city honours its patron saint, they have a special way of doing this - see below

This event takes place on the eve of the patron saint’s feast day (June 16) and transforms the lungarni into a phantasmagoric fairy-tale setting. The architectural details of the palaces – windows, cornices, balconies – the parapets of the river and the bridges glow in the reflected light of over 70,000 ‘lumini’ (small glass lamps burning oil or wax) while thousands of lighted candles float on the waters of the Arno. Sham architecture (‘machines’) and a firework spectacle at the Cittadella Vecchia make this event, which dates back to 1688, even more fascinating.

In that year (on March 25th) the urn containing the mortal remains of Saint Ranieri, patron saint of Pisa, was placed in the Cappella dell’Incoronata in the Cathedral (thereafter dedicated to the saint). The Luminara, or better the Illumination of Pisa, as it was called around the 19th century, has been held every year since then, except for a few interruptions. The custom of celebrating in the city with the lighting of fires, bonfires and explosion of gunpowder is documented as early as the 15th century and a real ‘illumination’ seems to have existed before its official beginnings.

On June 14, 1662, Pisa celebrated the passage through the city of Margherita Luisa d’Orleans, wife of Cosimo II, with an abundance of candles, lights and cannon salvoes. As the centuries passed, the custom became ever more spectacular, in particular thanks to the regular use of the ‘machines’ which altered and transformed the actual architectural views along the Arno. A particularly magnificent edition of the Luminara was held when the King of Naples visited the city (june 16, 1836).

How cool is that!​

Paul (damn I'm good!)

PS, the original web page is here http://www.pisaonline.it/PISA/eventi/e-luminara.htm

Camping In Venice

Ladies & Gents,

We have now got confirmation of our camping site on the outskirts of Venice.

As per the other sites in Italy, we have a site that also has mobile homes.

For those of you taking the lodges route, we have been offered 2 mobile homes which have a double room and also a twin bedroom - so 4 people occupancy for 70 Euros per caravan ( 4 people) so, a very good price.

Please note, we have to pay 140 Euros in advance for the mobile homes - perhaps a representertive of the Lodge Brigade could get in touch to discuss.

As for the hardcore section taking the tent route, there will be plenty of space.

The nice thing about this camp site, is that a bus runs to Venice every 30 mins for 1.10 Euro's per person, right from outside the site gates!

By the way, I know for a fact Venice will be mad this year, as we happen to be visiting during the heineken Jammin Festival - A major music event!

http://www.venezia.net/venice-italy...-park-and-vasco-rossi-the-stars-of-this-year/

If you would like to have a look at the campsite, they have a very English friendly website www.campingserenissima.com

Paul

PS many thanks to GS'er Eric_Norman for recommending this camp site!

Camping Rome

Some good news,

Camping Tiber has confirmed that we are able to have 4 x 2 person bungalows for our stay in Rome - this is good because the cost of hotels is very very high.

As with other sites, a deposit in this case, 150 euros is required.

to give you an idea of how good value this site is and the discounts we have recived as a group, we are staying in Rome for two nights for 526 Euros - thats the whole crew, including lodeges, parking and tent pitches.

Can you imagine going to stay in London for 2 days with an average price of 22 Euros each?

campsite details are here http://www.campingtiber.com/content/index.htm

Paul

Rimini

Rimini is now confirmed, for camping and lodges.

Our site can be found here http://www.campingitaliarimini.it/default.asp

did I mention that it has a private beach

Paul

Camping Garmisch

The camping for Garmisch is confirmed, but I the site has no lodges.

the site can be found here http://translate.google.com/transla...itzcamping.de/&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENGB265&sa=G

I have found the hotel below, that looks good for what we need and I think is close to the campsite as well.


Paul

Novice, Stevo is right, please do as he has.

Paul

Stevo said:

Hi Novice,

I'm also going the lodge/cabin/hotel route.

This is what i've organised, others have organised and where i think we are!

13th - personally booked (Dover)
14th - Cottage Hotel, Nancy - personally booked,
15th - Lake Como - sorted after a phonecall from Bryn
16th - Pisa - sorted after a phonecall from Bryn
17th & 18th - Rome - Organised by the main man Paul
19th - Rimini - Organised again by Paul
20th - Venice - Again sorted by Paul
21st - Garmish - Booked Hotel Garni Wetterstein - personally booked
22nd - Mainz - Hotel Ibis - booked.

So for the 15th,16th,17th, 18th, 19th, 20th & 22nd, as far as i know, the deposits have been paid and need to be reimbursed to Paul/Bryn and the balance is to be paid on arrival?!?

I hope this helps. I'm sure Paul will be along shortly to confirm if I am correct.

All the best

Stevo

Click to expand...

Stevo, that sounds about right

Just booked the Garmisch hotel online for Me and Lyn, Tony and Trassa, and Tom

Online booking straight forward and no deposit taken

Linky here if anyone wants to book

Saturday 21 June 2008 is the day we need to book (departure 22 June)

Camping Lake Como

Guys & Gals,

This is were we will be staying on night 2 of the tour - looks pretty good!

site is here http://www.magiclake.it/en/campeggio_en.html

Paul

Camping in Pisa

Pisa details are here http://www.campingtorrependente.it/eng/default.htm

Paul