Travel
Flight
Flying to Italy
Ganci Farm is located in a small town, Celle Ligure. The closest airport is Genoa (GOA) roughly 45 min away; however, it is probably easiest (and cheapest!) to fly into the much larger airport in Milan (MXP). The drive down from Milan is about 2.5 hours, easily done in a rental car or by train!
Travel Note
ETIAS Travel Authorization
Some of you might have heard that the European Union will be implementing a new travel authorization requirement. This is not a visa but rather an online authorization that must be completed prior to travel for all US Citizens. Good news is that, though it was first projected to go into effect in 2024, ETIAS will NOT BE REQUIRED until mid-2025! No need to worry for this trip. Just make sure your passports are current! More information about ETIAS can be found at the link below.
Train
How to Travel via Train
There is a robust train system all across Italy! If you want to forgo renting a car, taking the train is a great way to get around. There is a train station right out of both terminals (T1 and T2) at MXP making it easy to jump on after a flight. As a general rule, T1 is international and T2 is domestic. At all train stations there are kiosks to purchase tickets on the spot. But please know that tickets can be MUCH cheaper if bought in advance. Luckily smart phones have made the process very easy to find trains and book tickets. There are probably several apps that will accomplish this. Below is a link to Omio. From there download the app to your phone using the QR code, create an account, and easily manage your train journeys! Trips from Milan to Celle Ligure are about 3.5-4 hours and cost $40-50. Google Maps is also very helpful navigating public transport. One thing I did find on the trains in Italy is that the name of the stops were often not called over a PA system; this made it hard to know exactly where you where on the journey! Google Maps can solve this problem. They give exact details regarding train times, different routes and how many stops to ride before any transfers. I would suggest preplanning your travel, purchasing tickets 2-3 weeks in advance, and then using Google Maps to navigate while riding the train. If you have any questions or want some help planning, please feel free to reach out to Alexa!
Rental Car
How to Travel via Rental Car
If you are interested in renting a car, I have a few suggestions to make things easier. First, and probably most important, it is best to go with a small car. Roads in Europe are generally smaller and even more so in tiny coastal towns like Celle Ligure. Navigating small roads and finding parking is a nightmare in a larger car; trust me, my family found this out the hard way! I would not go larger than a midsized SUV. Also please know that there are a lot of toll roads on the way down to the coast from Milan. All can be paid by card (just make sure you go to the correct lane!) and are roughly €20. When looking to reserve a car, I would suggest looking for good deals using AutoSlash.com (link below). They will help you find a great deal on international bookings. They even look for deals through your credit cards, airline rewards accounts, USAA, AAA, Costco etc.
Rental Car
International Drivers Permit
If you plan on renting a car while in Italy, although NOT required, I would suggest getting an IDP. Its quick and easy. Please see the link to AAA below for more information!
Hotel
Accommodations in Celle Ligure
Guests should plan on staying in the town of Celle Ligure. This small beach front town is just down the hill from Ganci Farm. There are many hotels, B&Bs, villas, AirBnB, and VRBOs in the area. The wedding is during peak season, so accommodations go fast! We will have shuttles going to and from Celle to Ganci Farm for wedding. Once we get a better idea of where people are staying, we will set pick up locations. Celle Ligure is not very big so no matter where you stay, catching the shuttle should be easy. The only hotel willing to do a block of rooms was Hotel Riviera. If you choose to stay there, enter the code “Wedding 2023” when booking. Couple of Options: Hotel Riviera ★ ★ ★ - close to town center - older and less stylish - cheaper in price - paid parking Hotel San Michele Celle Ligure ★ ★ ★ ★ - bit farther from town center (<1 mi) - slightly more expensive - breakfast included - paid parking $9/night - very popular, best to book soon as rooms are limited! https://www.hotelrivieracelle.it/ https://www.hotel-sanmichele.it/ As always please feel free to call or text Nick or Alexa for questions! The bride, groom and their immediate families will be staying at Ganci Farm.
Shuttle
Shuttle To and From Ganci Farm
June 26, 2024 4:00 pm - 1:00 am
Ganci Farm is about 10 minutes up a rather steep and rough road from Celle. Though there is room for parking, we thought it best to provide transport for guests. A shuttle will bring guests to Ganci Farm before the ceremony and return during/after the reception! More specifics to follow.