Fullerton Sister City Association (FSCA) established a sister city relationship with Tollo, Italy on September 22, 2021 in honor of longtime resident Tommy Lasorda and his Italian family roots in Abruzzo. FSCA is proud to announce its Third-Year Anniversary Trip to Italy from October 3-12, 2024. Interested travelers are welcome to attend an informational meeting inside the Fullerton Public Library Osborne Auditorium on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 5 pm.
Below is the tentative itinerary (subject to change):
Thursday, October 3, 2024
- Departure from LAX Los Angeles International Airport to FCO
Leonardo Da Vinci Airport, Rome, Italy on nonstop flight aboard ITA Airways
Friday, October 4, 2024
- Arrival at FCO Leonardo Da Vinci Airport in Rome, Italy.
- Bus departure to Hotel at 3:00 pm
- Arrival to Hotel Quirinale
The Hotel Quirinale offers all guests an unforgettable four-star Roman
vacation in the very heart of one of the most celebrated cities on earth.
Each of the 209 rooms are decorated with period furniture and equipped
with every modern luxury.
The excellent service and hospitality of the Hotel Quirinale welcomes
tourists, families and business travelers with efficiency, ease and style.
Guests can enjoy the elegant restaurant, cozy bar, private garden,
exclusive fitness. - All the guests will have a welcome drink at the lounge area of the
hotel and later get together for a delicious dinner.
Saturday, October 5, 2024 – Breakfast at the Hotel Quirinale
- Guided tour of Baroque Rome:
Discover Rome’s beautiful Baroque treasures on this
walking tour that takes you to famous 17th-century
landmarks like the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and
Piazza Navona. Learn about the architects and artistry
that defined the Baroque period from an expert guide,
and delve into the city’s ancient history, too, with a visit
inside the magnificent Pantheon.
The landmarks included in the tour are: - Trevi Fountain
- Spanish Steps
- The Pantheon
- Navona Square
- Piazza Colonna
- Lunch at typical Roman restaurant
- Vatican Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica
With this guided tour in English, you will be able to admire
some of the most famous works of art renown all over the
world: a journey into time and space, into history and
culture, where no exhausting waits in queue are involved.
In a relaxed and informal atmosphere, your official Vatican
guide will tell you stories and curiosities that will help you to
understand the historical, artistic and cultural context that
has molded the masterpieces hosted in the in the heart of
Vatican City.
The tour of the Vatican Museums will culminate with the
visit to the Sistine Chapel where you can admire the
paintings that truly represent the highest peak of Italian
Renaissance art, from the precious frescoes
by Botticelli, Perugino, Pinturicchio, to the extraordinary
vault cycle and the Last Judgement by Michelangelo.
- St Peter’s Basilica tour
St Peter’s Basilica serves as the beating heart of the
Catholic faith. Witness Bernini’s towering Baldachino,
Michelangelo’s Pieta, and so much more.
Discover how Michelangelo constructed the massive, 500-
year-old dome, a masterpiece of renaissance architecture
more than half a millennium ago.
Here you will discover the tombs of the most famous Popes
in history.
− Back to the hotel. Free time to relax
− Free time for dinner.
Sunday, October 6, 2024 – Breakfast at the Hotel Quirinale
- Guided tour to Ancient Rome
Enjoy the privilege of discovering the Roman Forum and Colosseum conducted by an expert specialized in art and history.
Your ancient Rome tour includes an unforgettable visit to the Colosseum, the amazing landmark built over 8 years, on request of Emperor Vespasian. Inaugurated in 80 A.C by Titus, with a feast that lasted 100 days, it used to accommodate over 70,000 spectators and host truly exciting events. Experience a firsthand view of the architecture, learn how it was built and what the performances were like.
The itinerary then leads you on a lovely walk to the Roman Forum, once the center of
Rome’s social, religious, and business, today an uncanny showcase of spectacular ruins.
Roam through the columns and alongside temples, the basilicas and public spaces
that seem to murmur voices of a time long gone by.
The tour will also lead you along the Imperial Forums of the legendary Roman Emperors
to the Capitol Hill, that still serves as the City Hall, to the symbolic building that represents the unity of the Country, the Altar of the Fatherland.
Landmarks included in the tour: - The Colosseum
- Arch of Constantine
- Roman Forum
- Imperial Forums
- Capitol Hill
- Altar of the Fatherland
- Free time for Lunch
- Back to the hotel. Free time for shopping and dinner
Monday, October 7, 2024 – Breakfast at Hotel Quirinale
- Bus pick up and departure to Florence
- First stop at The Mall Luxury Shopping Outlet
An exraordinary shopping experince in the heart of Tuscany. Discover
incredible opportunities at the iconic brands’ flagship stores such as: - Gucci
- Armani
- Dolce & Gabbana
- Valentino and many more…
- Departure to Florence
- Check in at The Palazzo Castri 1874 Boutique Hotel
- Group Dinner in Florence
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – Breakfast at The Palazzo Castri 1874 Boutique Hotel
- Bus pick up for the city center walking tour of Florence
Explore the historical center of Florence, an UNESCO World Heritage
Site in its entirety, on a walking tour with a professional guide. Hear
about the rich history of the capital of Renaissance, as well as its art,
architecture, and culture. The grandeur of the Medici’s city’s
architecture, art, and culture is reflected in the wealth it has
accumulated over centuries. You will see the Basilica of Santa Maria
del Fiore and walk over Ponte Vecchio (Ancient Bridge) on the Arno
river. Discover works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Filippo
Brunelleschi and Giorgio Vasari. During this amazing tour, walk with
a private tour guide, who will illuminate you with the secrets and history
of this amazing city. Discover how both art and creativity are present in
every street and corner of the city as you discover churches, museums,
and monuments, such as: - Ponte Vecchio
- Piazza degli Uffizi
- Palazzo Vecchio
- Piazza della Signoria
- Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, Brunelleschi Dome
- St. John Baptistery
- Republic Square
- Santa Croce Square and Church
- Free time for lunch
You can take advantage of the stalls of the Mercato Centrale, with
food from all regions of Italy - Shopping at Mercato di San Lorenzo
Enjoy a walk among the stands of the San Lorenzo Market, with its
artisan leather products - Bus pick up to the US Consulate: Lasorda Recognition (Tentative)
- Bus departure to the Cooking Class
- Dinner at the Cooking Class
- Back to The Palazzo Castri 1874 Boutique Hotel (Afternoon Tea & Desserts at 4 pm)
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 – Breakfast at The Palazzo Castri 1874 Boutique Hotel
- Bus pick up and departure to Assisi
- Bus pick up and departure to Marina Gardens Boutique & Suites in Francavilla
- Free time at the hotel
- Free time for dinner
Thursday, October 10, 2024 – Breakfast at the hotel Marina Gardens Boutique & Suites
- Visit and tasting at Olive Oil Museum in Bucchianico
- Free time for lunch in Tollo
Tollo is the small town of 3900 inhabitants in the Chieti Province from which Tommy
Lasorda’s family left to seek their fortune in the United States. Today, like then, the
economy is based on the agricultural sector, in particular on the production of DOCG
wines. It is remarkable the creation in 2008 of the DOC Tullum, among the smallest in
Italy and the first territorial denomination of Abruzzo, transformed into DOCG in 2019. It
occupies an extremely limited territory – 300 hectares only and exclusively in the
municipality of Tollo – and is characterized by the rigidity of the production parameters.
Tollo became Fullerton’s sister city on September 22, 2021 in honor of Tommy Lasorda,
on the initiative of his daughter Laura Lasorda, Mayor Angelo Radica, the President
of the Italian Baseball Softball Federation Andrea Marcon and thanks to the work of
Roberto Angotti and the Tollo Baseball Softball Club. On May 7, 2022, Laura
Lasorda officially inaugurated the new Tommy Lasorda Field after the important
renovation works carried out by the Municipality.
- Meet & greet with the Mayor in Tollo
- Visit Lasorda Field
- Visit the Tollo Wine Museum
- Wine tasting and group dinner at Feudo Antico
- Back to the hotel
Friday, October 11, 2024 – Breakfast at the Marina Gardens Boutique & Suites
- Bus pick up and departure to Rome
- Arrival to the hotel Il Quirinale
- Free time for lunch
- Bus pick up at the hotel to go to the Olympic Stadium
(time TBA – according to soccer schedule).
A highly engaging walk consisting of innovative and cutting-edge
technologies. The Stadio Olimpico is the temple of Italian soccer (and
more) and the tour allows you to relive the great events of this facility and
their protagonists, with a unique and unforgettable experience.
A journey that starts from a glorious past, represented by its inauguration
in 1953, the 1960 Olympics, the IAAF European and World
Championships, the 1990 FIFA World Cup, to the contemporary great
variety of events, including major concerts.
A tour that allows guests to visit its most secret places up close (from the
locker rooms to the pitch), the objects related to the great protagonists as
well as reliving the great moments, in a highly experiential environment. - Back to the hotel
- Farewell group dinner at hotel
Friday, October 12, 2024 – Breakfast at Hotel Quirinale
- Bus early pick up to go to FCO Leonardo Da Vinci Airport Rome for return flight to LAX
For further information, visit the Fullerton Sister City Association Facebook page.