Accommodation/Travel

Travel Note

Accommodation Booking

Feel free to take a look at the websites for both accommodation options, but please don't book on your own as Rachel and Mike will coordinate all booking. The majority of apartments at both Villa il Castellaccio and Podere Giusti can hold 4-6 people and consist of private rooms plus a shared kitchen, living area, and pool. Podere Giusti also contains rooms that accommodate two people and would be good for guests or couples who would prefer not to share an apartment with other guests. If you have an idea of what type of accommodation you would prefer (apartment or room), how many days you will be staying, and who (if anyone) you would like to stay with, please let Rachel or Mike know! We will be updating the accommodation options below with which units have been assigned to guests and which are still available.

Hotel

Villa il Castellaccio

Villa il Castellaccio is made up of apartments that consist of multiple bedrooms with a shared kitchen and living room, as well as a villa that is ideal for a large group of friends to share. Each apartment unit can hold 4-6 people and has a private outdoor space such as a terrace or patio, as well as shared access to a pool. The villa can house up to 12 people and boasts its own outdoor space and pool. The venue, Podere La Specola is a 12-minute drive while the Figline Valdarno train station is an 18-minute drive. UNITS RESERVED: Castellaccio 4--Up to 4 people, two bedrooms (1 double, 2 twins) La Villa--Up to 12 people, 5 bedrooms (4 doubles, 2 twins 1 sofa bed) UNITS AVAILABLE: Castellaccio 1--Up to 5 people, 3 bedrooms (2 double beds, 1 twin bed) Castellaccio 2--Up to 5 people, 2 bedrooms + loft (1 double, 3 twins) Castellaccio 3--Up to 6 people, 2 bedrooms (1 double, 2 twins, 1 sofa bed) Castellaccio 5--Up to 5 people, 3 bedrooms (2 doubles, 1 twin)

Hotel

Podere Giusti

Podere Giusti is made up of apartments that consist of multiple bedrooms with a shared kitchen and living room, as well as private rooms that are similar to hotel rooms. The property contains a shared pool and apartments have their own terraces. The apartments can hold 2-6 people while the rooms hold 2 people on average. Podere La Specola is an 18-minute drive while the Figline Valdarno train station is a 12-minute drive. UNITS AVAILABLE: Apartments Ser Bartolomeo--Up to 6 people, 2 bedrooms (2 double beds, 1 sofa bed) Ser Bartolo--Up to 6 people, 2 bedrooms (2 doubles, 1 sofa bed) Ser Neri--Up to 4 people, 1 bedroom (1 double, 1 sofa bed) Ser Goro--1 bedroom, up to 4 people (1 double, 1 sofa bed) Ser Pandolfo--Up to 2 people, 1 bedroom (1 double) Private rooms Monna Lisabetta--Up to 4 people (1 double and 1 sofa bed in same room) Monna Nanna--Up to 3 people (1 double and 1 lofted twin) Monna Mea--Up to 2 people (1 double) Monna Beatrice--Up to 2 people (1 double) Monna Bice--Up to 2 people (1 double)

Travel Note

Travel Authorization

ETIAS is a travel authorization that will be required for anyone travelling to certain European countries, including Italy. There is a small cost of 7 euros to apply, and the application process should take around 15-20 minutes. The system to apply is not live yet, but should be in mid-2025. Please plan to apply at least a month before you travel. Once you get authorized, it will be valid for three years or until your passport expires.

Travel Note

Passport

If you do not have a valid passport or if it will expire soon, please apply for renewal ASAP! Due to the new ETIAS rules, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date from Italy.

Travel Note

Jubilee 2025

The Jubilee is a year-long celebration of the Catholic Church which will be occurring in Rome in 2025. Due to this, it is estimated that around 35 million people will visit Rome at some point in 2025. This hopefully won’t impact travel through Rome, but if you decide to visit Rome before or after the wedding, definitely keep this in mind.

Flight

Travelling to Italy

Flights will likely be overnight, so if you plan to arrive on Wednesday, September 24th, you should fly from the U.S. on Tuesday, September 23rd.

Train

Trains to Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence

From Milano Centrale Railway Station: ~2 hours From Milan Malpensa Airport: ~3 hrs From Roma Tiburtina Station: ~1.5 hours From Fiumicino Airport in Rome: ~2.5 hours From Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia: ~2.5 hours From Venice Marco Polo Airport: ~3 hours

Travel Note

To Figline Valdarno from Florence

By train from Firenze Santa Maria Novella or Firenze: ~30 minutes By taxi from Central Florence: ~35 minutes By train from Florence Peretola Airport: ~1 hour By taxi from Florence Peretola Airport: ~35 minutes If arriving to Figline Valdarno by train, it is a quick taxi ride from the train station to your accommodation.