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Welcome |
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Travel Guide to visit the Home of our Ancestors |
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Written by John Cofrancesco
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Wednesday, 17 September 2008 |
A Travel Guide
to visit the Home of our Ancestors
by John A. Cofrancesco
If you are an Italian American who has never been to Italy you are in for a treat. Many
people consider Italy to be among the most beautiful and historically significant
countries in the world. And even if you have been to Italy before, there is nothing like
a return trip to visit the birthplace of the Cofrancescos, San Lorenzello, and the nearby
towns in the Province of Benevento, particularly if you have been fortunate enough to
have established contact with a relative in the area. Take a look at A visit to the Home of
our Ancestors by John A. Cofrancesco, on this web site to get an idea of what a trip can
be like. Then look for information on our web site about San Lorenzello and the nearby
towns under Our Towns .
The Basilica of St. Peters in Rome at midnight
Three basic ways to visit Italy
An all-inclusive Tour
You can take an all-inclusive tour that provides round trip air, lodgings, and most meals,
as well as in country transportation, admissions, and touring with an English-speaking
guide. Among the many operators of tours to Italy are PerilloTours , Trafalgar , and
Elderhostel . Such tours take most of the work out of travel, make efficient use of your
time, and are often good values. However the trips generally only cover the well-known
Italian cities and famous sites (Elderhostel Tours are more specialized) and do not visit
the area where our ancestors originated. It may be possible to leave the tour before the
group returns to the United States, and then travel on your own for a few days, but it
could get complicated unless a delayed departure is a standard option offered by the tour
operator.
A do-it-yourself tour
The other extreme is a do-it-yourself tour. This will enable you to explore San
Lorenzello and the nearby towns of Massa, Cerreto Sannita, and Faicchio at your own
pace. You can also see more of Italy on your own if you so choose. However unless you
are fluent in Italian and have some experience with do-it-yourself travel, you may run
into unexpected difficulties and delays, which could waste time and money, and reduce
the enjoyment of the trip.
A compromise
There is, however, a compromise. Make your own airline and most lodging
arrangements, visit the San Lorenzello area on your own or with a bilingual guide/driver,
and then use an Italian based tour operator for several tours to other areas of interest. For
example, you could fly into the Leonardo Da Vinci (Fiumicino) International Airport (8
hours from New York) and take the convenient Leonardo Express Train to Rome (35
minutes). Make Rome your base of operation. You will need a detailed map of Rome (see Michelin Roma). Stay at a hotel near the Piazza della Repubblica that is convenient to
the Stazione Termini (RR Station), the Rome subway system, and at least two local tour
operators. Then spend a day in Rome to adjust to the 6-hour time difference from New
York.
You can rent a car in Rome and drive to the San Lorenzello area, but traffic in Rome and
the major highways near the city is very heavy. You could hire a car with driver in Rome,
but the rental cost, as well as paying for the driver’s expenses including a night or two in
the San Lorenzello area, may be prohibitive. However to see if this travel option is for
you, particularly if there are several people in your party, check out Chauffeur Services at
Benvenuto.
Perhaps a more economical way to go is to take a train for a 3-hour trip to the City of
Benevento. See Trenitalia . You could stay at the Bei Park Hotel in Benevento. They
provide shuttle service to and from the railroad station and may be able to recommend an
English speaking person to act as a guide (see Venere Benevento). You probably will
need to rent a car to visit San Lorenzello and the nearby towns. Traffic in that area is
much less congested than in Rome, and San Lorenzello is only about 20 miles from
Benevento. Both Avis and Hertz have agencies in Benevento. (Autonoleggio Avis Via
dei Mulini, 85 Tel. +39 0824 52249, Hertz Autonoleggio Via Torre della Catena, 132
Tel. +39 0824 21487.)
You will need a good map of the Province of Benevento to find your way around. The
absolutely best map is “Benevento Carta Della Provincia” from Map Link. It shows even
the smallest towns, along with primary, and secondary roads. Renting a car with a GPS
can prove helpful. Rather than finding lodging in Benevento, you could choose to stay in
the tiny town of Massa where there is an Azienda Agrituristica situated in the middle of a
vineyard. It is the “Marchese” on via Sciardi, Tel. +39 0824.814102.
At the Marchese, an Azienda Agrituristica situated in the middle of a vineyard
An alternative is a
new bed and breakfast at the foot of Mount Acero, which will be located in an old home
owned by Alessandro Cofrancesco. Watch for a notice of the opening date in a future
Newsletter. In the meantime, be sure to visit his shop where he makes decorative and
useful items with wrought iron. See his products on line at Lavori Artistici in Ferro
Battuto, Tel. +39.0824.814378.
On your return to Rome you could see more of the eternal city and travel to other places
of interest. Two tour operators that offer semi-exclusive walking tours of Rome are Great
Tours and Presto Tours . The Appian Line , and Green Line Tours offer motor coach tours
of Rome as well as other cities. These tours, which are as short as one half day to as long
as 7 days, go as far south as Naples, Sorrento, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast, and as far
north as Milan and Venice. The motor coaches are comfortable, have an English speaking
guide, and the tours include lodgings and meals.
You may wish to reverse the order of your touring, i.e.: visit the San Lorenzello area
towards the end of your stay in Italy. This will give you several days of escorted touring
to become somewhat familiar with Italian customs, language, dining, lodgings,
transportation, etc. before venturing out on your own.
Need some help?
And best of all, our relative living in Rome may be able to assist you with your travel
arrangements in Rome as well as other places in Italy! Did you know that Ryan
Cofrancesco, born and educated in the United States, has been a free-lance tour guide
based in Rome for several years, and has helped other Cofrancescos visiting Italy? His
email is
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Five tips that you may find useful
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Get a good travel guide such as Frommer’s Italy and learn as much as possible about
Italy before you go. The chapter, “Planning your Trip to Italy” is must reading. The
sections on Entry Requirements (passports), Money (ATMs and credit cards), and
Getting Around Italy (trains and rental cars) are particularly important. Also note the
information on tipping practices in the Fast Facts Section. See Frommer's Italy 2008 . |
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If you do not speak Italian, become familiar with the language, even if you select an
all-inclusive trip. As a minimum, get a copy of Rick Steves' Italian Phrase Book and
Dictionary . It is concise and well organized, and will give you a very basic knowledge of
the language. While you will find English-speaking people in large cities, this is not the
case in the smaller towns. |
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If you are not using an all-inclusive trip, use the Internet to get information on lodging,
including reviews by recent travelers. See Venere Italy and Trip Advisor . Detailed
information is also available on train schedules, car rental agencies, and of course Italian
based tour operators. |
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Before you leave this country, get a few hundred Euros in small denominations to use
upon your arrival in Italy. Then get more Euros as needed from ATMs, which are readily
available in all but the smallest towns. They are called Bancomats, and Cirrus and
BankMate are the two most common banking systems. Check with your bank to be sure
that your bankcard is compatible with the Italian ATMs (most are). Use your credit cards
for other purchases, just as you would in this country. Master Card and Visa are preferred
by most venders, however be prepared to pay in Euros at shops, restaurants, and lodgings
in small towns. |
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And last but not least, travel light: one wheeled bag that you can easily move by
yourself, and a second small bag for use on the airplane and for day trips. It is a plus if
this bag, when empty, folds and can be stored in your wheeled bag. Nothing can spoil a
trip more quickly than lugging around large, heavy bags! Older Italian hotels often have
small elevators, or none at all, and help with luggage may not be available. When trains
are crowded, luggage space is at a premium. And remember, many airlines now charge to
carry luggage, a service that used to be free. |
Buon Viaggio!
John A. Cofrancesco
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Last Updated ( Friday, 03 October 2008 )
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