Our land services

Our listing of three and four star hotels are all centrally located, air conditioned, and easily accessible via public transportation.
The hotel address and telephone number is listed in the Day by Day itinerary viewable on the web site.
Specific hotel details are also listed, as well as information regarding Internet availability and use, and other services offered by the hotel.
SCT groups are ALWAYS accomodated in a single hotel, and our participants NEVER share a room with participants of other groups, as is the policy of our competitors.
Following is a listing of several hotels used for our groups.

Restaurants reserved for group dinners are generally located in the same area where activities are scheduled for that day.

Menus are Italian and our staff takes care to offer a variety of foods and not repeat the same menu. Some dinners are scheduled at the hotel of stay, if the hotel offers a meal service, and same care is taken in planning these menus.
Mineral water is generally included with the meal, and for the Group Leader and his/her assistants, the menu includes a glass of Italian production wine.

The Day by Day will give full details of the meals to be served each day of the itinerary.
Special meal requests must be made in advance, and constitute an exception to the group menu, unless the group has opted for the silver or gold level, which allows for deviations from the menu.
Dinner times are firm and must be adhered so to avoid problems for restaurant management and other groups that may be serviced by the management at the same time.

Hotels serve a typical Italian breakfast
Several also serve a more international menu consisting of eggs, cheeses and ham. These are not usually a part of the Italian breakfast, and are provided to cater to our guests’ tastes.
Menu choices are carefully and scrupulously planned by our staff to provide a variety of selections during the stay in Italy.

Our experience has been that American students do not generally like fish, unless it is fried, and prefer pasta. Pasta in Italy is always served “al dente”, contrary, we find, to what is customary for visitors.
“Al dente” is a term which, literally translated is, “to the tooth”, or, “to the bite”, and refers to the need to chew the pasta due to its firmness. No respectable Italian will eat pasta any other way. It is part of our culture, so, you will be getting a “taste” of our culture.
Young travelers also seem to be averse to pork cutlet, which is a common Italian meal, and veal, which they confuse for pork. Vegetables are not appreciated, while sweets and ice cream are their top choices.

Adult tastes however, are very different and more sophisticated. They want to taste diverse foods, look for variety, and generally appreciate all foods. We have also found that food preparation of traditional Italian dishes in America is quite different than in Italy.

Therefore, when these are seen on a menu, travelers make reference to their knowledge of the American version. But, it is important to remember that an exported recipe or dish is going to undergo a transformation and taste differently than the actual Italian dish. Also noteworthy: the same recipe can be different from region to region, due to preparation, as well as from city to city.

Teachers are advised to prepare their students for the differences they will find in the foods, and encourage them to try new things.
Sharing meals in good spirits and with good friends always proves more rewarding and enjoyable if one is flexible and open minded.

Following are some examples of meals offered to our guests.

The preferred method of transportation is private coach.
All luxury coaches are air conditioned and in full compliance with European norms on emissions and environmental protection.
Drivers are trained for group travel, and are designated to our individual groups.

We do not share the coach with other groups, unless otherwise agreed by two SCT smaller groups prior to departure, or if transfering two groups from the airport who are traveling to the same general location of the hotel.

Mass transportation is used within city centers, unless otherwise specified, due to transit restriction rules for large coaches within historical areas.
This offers a quicker, more efficient method of transportation and allows participants to directly experience daily life in the city visited.

Guides used by SCT are all highly qualified and have undergone a high level of training.
They are government licensed, and speak several languages.
Explanations are given in English to facilitate comprehension of topics and information given to the group on museum visits.

Guides are happy to answer any questions from participants, and can expand on, or limit the amount of information, based on group interest, motivation, and participation.

Meeting times with the Tour Guide are strictly enforced. Delays cannot be tolerated, nor lost time recuperated.
The Tour Guides are themselves on a schedule and have set times and rules.

SCT reserves entrance times at Museums. These times are rigorously enforced as well SCT reserves entrance times at Museums.In some cases the Tour Leader or Guide may be required to retrieve entrance tickets at the museum pick up window, while the group is asked to wait and conduct itself accordingly.

Some museums require a name list prepared by the school on its letterhead and signed by the school principal.
This procedure is not normally required for adult groups. In rare exceptions that it may be required, the Group Leader will be advised at the inset of the group organization process.
During museum visits, you are asked to stay together and avoid getting into other groups’ space. Keep your voices low and behave accordingly.

Some museums have established the use of earphones for explanations. This procedure was instituted to keep down the noise level, as there are usually several groups in attendance at the same time, as well as the general public. The earphones will be distributed by the Tour Leader and must be returned at the end of the visit.