FAQ
How many people will be on our tour?
My son, Mimmo Cricchio, and I, Mary Ann Cricchio the Proprietor personally escort each activity of the tour. We feel that 20 guests is the perfect number to give the individualized attention that Da Mimmo guests are accustomed to.
How many times will we change lodging during our ten-day tour?
The beauty of the Da Mimmo tour is that you will unpack once when you arrive and pack once when you leave. Reginna Palace Hotel will be our base hotel in Maiori on our Amalfi Coast tour , Hotel Jolanta e Savoia on our Venice tour and Hotel degli Orafi, our hotel in Florence on our Tuscany tour. Every day we will venture out from that location for our activity. If there is ever a day that you do not wish to attend the activity because we are not moving from town to town you are welcome to just stay in Maiori or Florence and we can meet up later for dinner.
Is airfare included in the cost of our trip?
Everything is included in the price of the trip from hotel accommodations, multicourse meals with unlimited wine pairings, entrance fees to all attractions, English-speaking guides, your costume and ticket to the Venice Masquerade Ball, private transportation; Including an 80 foot yacht to the island of Capri. and a private boat to tour Cinque Terre. The only thing not included is your airfare. Why: because many Da Mimmo customers like to fly business, others coach and a large majority use their mileage points to purchase their tickets. Therefore, just get yourself to the Naples airport for the Amalfi Coast Tour, the Florence airport for the Tuscany Tour or the Venice Marco Polo Airport for the Venice Tour at the designated day and time and leave the rest to us.
Do you offer travel insurance?
Da Mimmo does not offer travel insurance. It is optional. If you so desire, travel insurance may be purchased from your travel agent or the travel agent we use.
What currency is accepted in Italy?
The currency that is accepted in Italy is the Euro. Cash is always king in any part of the world. Therefore, it is always beneficial to have cash with you to make that deal to receive a discount or lower price on your purchase. So as not to take precious time away from your vacation, it is best to bring euro with you from the United States. Euro may be purchased from your local bank. The one that we use is Bank of America. If you have an account at Bank of America and keep $1500 or more in the account there is no charge for foreign currency. While in Italy, if you need to change money, that can be done at the local bank. Remember to take your passport and there will be a commission fee charged.
Which credit cards do they accept on the Amalfi Coast?
VISA/MasterCard is the credit card that is most readily accepted on the Amalfi Coast. American Express is accepted at some stores, but not all.
Which credit cards do they accept in Tuscany?
Tuscany & Venice will accept all major credit cards.
What do I need to be concerned about when it comes to my passport?
All US citizens must travel with a valid passport to enter Italy. Your passport must be valid at least three months upon your scheduled return date to the USA. If you have not yet obtained your passport, or just noticed that it will not be valid three months after your return, urgently contact your local passport office and apply for an expedited passport or passport renewal.
What do I do if my flight is delayed?
If you miss your flight or if you are re-routed you most likely will miss our group transfer from the airport to our hotel. How to proceed in such circumstances: you may take a taxi at your own expense to our hotel or you may contact me personally and I can arrange a private transfer for an additional cost to you. Make sure to obtain a receipt from the taxi or the private transport provided for. Upon return to the USA you may submit a claim with the insurance company or airlines to seek reimbursement.
How will I know where to meet you when I arrive at the airport?
When you get off of the airplane you will go through customs and proceed to the baggage claim area to pick up your luggage. Exit the baggage claim area into the arrival hall where you will be greeted with a sign which reads Da Mimmo Tour.
What should I do if my luggage is lost?
If your luggage is missing proceed to the airline carriers baggage office in the airport terminal to complete a missing luggage form, which will include a description of your luggage. Please make sure to save all paperwork and tracking information given to you by the airlines. Upon locating your baggage, the airlines will bring your luggage to our hotel. It is important that you provide them with the correct address and dates that you will be at the hotel. If your baggage is delayed for over 24 hours you may submit a claim to the insurance company upon your return to the US, only applicable for passengers they purchased travel insurance.
What about jet lag?
Traveling through a time zone may take its toll on your physical and mental well-being. “Jet Lag” is a phrase used to describe the condition when an individual’s internal body clock is out of sync with the actual time in the region to which you have traveled. It is important to try to adjust your internal body clock to receive the most out of your tour. Here are some tips on how to adjust your body to local time. On the day of your departure, get out of bed earlier than usual that morning. Drink alot of water to compensate for the dehydration on a long flight. After your evening meal on the flight, set your watch to the local time. Try to rest and/or sleep as soon as possible on the flight. Try to go to bed around 10 pm the night of your arrival.
Will my electrical appliances, such as hairdryers and curling irons work in Italy?
The voltage used is 220 volts at 50 cycles, twice the voltage of American power systems. You want to have an adapter plug and a voltage converter. An adapter plug is an interface that allows you to plug an American appliance into an Italian socket. A voltage converter or transformer converts the European 220 V to 110 V so that American appliances will operate on European current and not burn up.
Can I use my cell phone in Italy?
When you bring your cell phone, make sure to contact your wireless phone provider and inform them that you will be traveling overseas. Most providers offer an “international plan” that you may sign up for. This will allow you to make calls to the United States, while you are out of the country using your wireless phone. Please check with your provider for exact rates for Italy. Be extra cautious using your data while abroad. If your cell phone has a data plan, be sure to turn data roaming OFF on the phone to avoid potentialy high fees.
Will there be Wi-Fi?
Yes there will be Wi-Fi at the hotel. When traveling outside of the hotel, ask the restaurant or coffee bar for their Wi-Fi code.
Can I drink the tap water in Italy?
While most local tap water will not hurt you, due to the difference in mineral and micro-biotic levels, we recommend that you avoid consuming local tap water, as it may upset your stomach. It is always better to drink bottled water.
What type of clothes should I pack? Will gentleman need a dinner jacket and tie?
Pack as if you were going to a resort town for Amalfi and clothes suitable for warm weather for Tuscany. Dinner jackets, ties, and ladies high heels are not necessary. The most important thing that you need to pack are good walking shoes. To test out your shoes you should be able to put them on and walk on cobblestone streets.
Will there be free time?
The Da Mimmo tour is designed so that you have time together with me for our daily activity and that you also have free time each day to enjoy all that the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany have to offer. There is even one day in the middle of the tour that is totally a free day, so that you may choose something that you would like to do without having any time constraints that day.
What if I need a doctor or a dentist?
Because we have lived in Maiori since 2005 and have been visiting Florence for many years with countless friends there, we are very familiar and have used ourselves the doctors and the dentist. I speak Italian fluently and should need be I will accompany you to your medical visit. It is our priority that you never feel alone or stranded on a Da Mimmo tour. We are a phone call away.
What if I have a food allergy or am gluten-free?
I have chosen the multicourse meals with wine pairings for you, so that you can sample all of the popular dishes of the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany. However, if you have any dietary needs we certainly can address those. The restaurants will be happy to prepare for you an alternative dish.
Is there a gym?
Yes, there is a gym available at a nominal fee.
Will we be able to shop?
Yes, there will be many opportunities to purchase souvenirs and everything from ceramics on the Amalfi Coast to leather and jewelry in Tuscany. You may also order wines from the vineyard at wholesale cost and have them shipped to Da Mimmo with no shipping fee or custom’s charges.
If you have any further questions, clarifications or concerns that have not been addressed here, please feel free to contact damimmo@aol.com or (410)852-2412