October 7, 2004 -- October weather provides some of the nation's finest days. A few of our favorite packagers have deals well into the autumn, so let's share some with you right now.
Slendida Italia, affiliate of Picasso Travel, has several dozen inexpensive packages to Italy that can be booked through November 30, 2004, the most astounding of which is a $389 Rome deal for just four nights, air included from New York City. The travel dates are from January 11 to 31, 2005, but you can fly out earlier or later for slightly more ($419 from November 11 to December 10, 2004 or $429 from February 1 through March 10, 2005.) You stay at the Hotel Center, said to be within walking distance of the Coliseum. Other trips include four nights in Florence from $499; four nights in Venice from $459; three nights each in Rome and Florence from $699; three each in Rome and Venice from $769, and more. Contact Splendid Italia at 800/462-8875 or at www.picassotours.com.
TourCrafters, based in Illinois, has three great packages that run through October 2004, two until the end of the month. The "Luxury Italian Lakes" package takes you to Lake Como, costing $869 per person through the end of October, and including roundtrip airfare from New York, four nights of hotel lodging, five days of car rental, daily Italian buffet breakfast, and hotel taxes and service charges. You stay at one of these four-star hotels -- the lakefront Barchetta Excelsior in Como or the Grand Imperiale in the lakeside village of Moltrasio. The Excelsior throws in a complementary dinner. Add-on for departures from other cities include $25 for Boston or Washington, D.C., and $125 for Miami/Chicago/Los Angeles/San Francisco.
If you opt for the Riviera, again until the end of the month there is a four-night package for $859 that includes the roundtrip air from New York, and four nights at the marvelous Hotel Europa in Rapallo or the deluxe Grande Albergo in Sestri Levante. As well, you get four days of car rental, daily Italian buffet breakfast, and hotel taxes and service charges. Add-ons samples are the same as in the previous paragraph.
For more information or to reserve, contact the sponsors at www.tourcrafters.com or phone 800/482-5995.
You Can Call Me David
The Jolly Hotel in Florence has a deal for all the Davids of the world. To mark the sesquicentennial of Michelangelo's famous statue, the hotel is giving all guests named David and party complimentary tickets to the Galleria D'Accademia. In addition, Davids will receive four nights for the price of three. Rates start at $132 per night per room, including daily American buffet breakfast. The David deal lasts through March 31, 2005. Contact them at www.jollyhotels.it or e-mail firenze@jollyhotels.it. Their phone in USA is 800/221-2626 except NY State, which is 800/247-1277.