Our Europe 2026 Adventure

Travelers2

Destinations3

Flight legs3

Big momentsBirthday + RuneFest

Day by day

Fri · Sep 25

Los Angeles

Our adventure begins

Depart LAX at 3:15 PM on ITA AZ 621, nonstop to Rome.

Confirmed

Sat · Sep 26

Rome

Buongiorno, Roma!

Land at 11:55 AM; hotel at 3:00 PM. Keep it light with Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and an easy dinner.

Confirmed + suggested

Sun · Sep 27

Rome

Vatican and Centro Storico

Last-Sunday Vatican strategy, or St. Peter’s plus Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Trastevere.

Suggested

Mon · Sep 28

Rome

Ancient Rome

Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine; Monti or Trastevere in the evening.

Suggested

Tue · Sep 29

Rome

Birthday splurge day

Noon hotel move, lunch near Via Veneto, Baglioni at 2:00 PM, then Villa Borghese, spa, or a hotel experience before dinner.

Hotel confirmed + suggested

Wed · Sep 30

Rome → London

London calling

Pre-dawn transfer; AZ 202 leaves FCO 7:50 AM and lands LHR 9:40 AM. Easy afternoon around Spitalfields, Shoreditch, or Tower Bridge.

Confirmed + suggested

Thu · Oct 1

London

London anchor day

Tower of London, Thames, Borough Market, and St. Paul’s—or British Museum and the West End.

Suggested

Fri · Oct 2

London

Flexible London day

Westminster, Buckingham Palace, St James’s, theatre, or a current exhibition.

Suggested

Sat · Oct 3

London → Solihull

RuneFest day one

Hall 5 at the NEC, 10:00 AM–8:00 PM. Coordinate travel and luggage around the 3:30 PM hotel check-in.

Event confirmed

Sun · Oct 4

Birmingham

RuneFest day two

Hall 5 at the NEC, 10:00 AM–8:00 PM.

Event confirmed

Mon · Oct 5

Solihull → L.A.

Homeward bound

Leave Forest of Arden early. UA 935 leaves LHR at 1:05 PM and lands LAX at 4:25 PM.

Confirmed + transfer needed

Flights

ITA Airways

Confirmed

Sep 25 · AZ 621 · LAX 3:15 PM → FCO 11:55 AM next day
Sep 30 · AZ 202 · FCO 7:50 AM → LHR 9:40 AM
Economy · nonstop flights

United Airlines

Confirmed

Oct 5 · UA 935 · LHR 1:05 PM → LAX 4:25 PM
Economy · nonstop · Boeing 787-9
Seats and baggage allowance still to verify

Where we’re staying

Palazzo 4 Fontane 12

Confirmed · 3 nights

Rome · Sep 26–29

Deluxe Suite
Birthday touch and nice-view request submitted
Prepaid; property fee due

Baglioni Hotel Regina

Confirmed · 1 night

Rome · Sep 29–30

Final Rome birthday night
Brunello restaurant, spa, and special experiences
Pre-dawn departure for FCO

Batty Langley’s

Confirmed · 3 nights

London · Sep 30–Oct 3

Superior Double Room
Two linked reservations; no move intended
Requested placement near friends

Forest of Arden

Confirmed · 2 nights

Solihull · Oct 3–5

Deluxe Room
RuneFest weekend base
Prepaid

Rome ideas

Sep 26 · Arrival

Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, an easy dinner, and an early night.

Sep 27 · Vatican

The Vatican Museums list last-Sunday entry from 9:00 AM–2:00 PM with free admission, so expect crowds. St. Peter’s and Centro Storico are the backup.

Official Vatican hours

Sep 28 · Ancient Rome

Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine. Official timed reservations open 30 days ahead.

Official Colosseum tickets

Sep 29 · Birthday day

Villa or Galleria Borghese, Baglioni spa, or a Vespa/FIAT 500 experience before birthday dinner.

Villa Borghese information

September 29 lunch

Recommended: move luggage first

Eat near Via Veneto after moving bags, avoiding backtracking before the 2:00 PM check-in.

Osteria Barberini — Roman classics and truffles
Il Piccolo Mondo — polished Roman and seafood
Brunello — easiest option, inside Baglioni

Alternative: eat before moving

Da Roberto Alla Mole Quattro Fontane is close to Palazzo if we want lunch immediately after checkout.

London ideas

Sep 30 · East London

Old Spitalfields Market, Brick Lane, Shoreditch, and the Tower Bridge riverside.

Oct 1 · Classic route

Tower of London → Thames → Borough Market → St. Paul’s. Alternative: British Museum and West End.

Oct 2 · Flexible day

Westminster, St James’s Park, Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, Soho, theatre, or a current exhibition.

October listings

Keep the day flexible until 2026 exhibitions and West End schedules settle.

Visit London October guide

RuneFest

Confirmed event dates

October 3–4 · Hall 5, NEC Birmingham

10:00 AM–8:00 PM each day. Forest of Arden check-in is 3:30 PM on October 3, so we need to solve luggage storage before heading to the NEC.

Official NEC RuneFest page

Budget snapshot

Booking	Value	Payment	Status
ITA flights	$2,792.60	$792.60 + points	Paid
Palazzo	$2,627.43	Prepaid + $52.13 fee	Paid
Baglioni	$891.78	$868.61 paid + $23.17 due	Paid
Batty Langley’s	£1,297	Due at hotel	Booked
Forest of Arden	$265.98	Prepaid	Paid
United return	$1,146.86	$494.43 + flight credit	Paid

Reservation status

Already booked or no reservation needed

Confirmed bookings and flexible stops that can be visited without advance reservations.

Date	Item	Status	Relevant link
Sep 25	ITA AZ 621 · LAX → FCO	Booked	ITA Manage Flight
Sep 26–29	Palazzo 4 Fontane 12	Booked	Hotel website
Sep 26	Trevi Fountain + Spanish Steps	No reservation	Rome tourism
Sep 27	St. Peter’s Basilica	No general admission reservation	Official Basilica site
Sep 27	Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, Trastevere	No reservation	Rome tourism
Sep 27	Vatican Museums last-Sunday option	No standard paid ticket	Vatican ticket office
Sep 29–30	Baglioni Hotel Regina	Booked	Hotel website
Sep 29	Villa Borghese park	No reservation	Rome tourism
Sep 30	ITA AZ 202 · FCO → LHR	Booked	ITA Manage Flight
Sep 30–Oct 3	Batty Langley’s	Booked	Hotel website
Sep 30	Spitalfields, Brick Lane, Shoreditch	No reservation	Spitalfields Market
Sep 30	Tower Bridge riverside walk	No exterior reservation	Tower Bridge
Oct 1	Thames walk + Borough Market	No reservation	Borough Market
Oct 2	Westminster, St James’s, palace exterior	No reservation	St James’s Park
Oct 3–4	RuneFest 2026	Booked	RuneFest
Oct 3–5	Forest of Arden	Booked	Hotel website
Oct 5	United UA 935 · LHR → LAX	Booked	United My Trips

Needs to be booked or reserved

Priority transportation, required tickets, and optional activities worth reserving in advance.

Date	Item	Action	Booking page
Sep 28	Colosseum, Forum, Palatine	Required: timed reservation; sales open 30 days ahead.	Official tickets
Sep 29	Galleria Borghese	Required if selected: reservations are mandatory.	Official reservation info
Sep 29	Osteria Barberini	Reserve if selected.	Reservation contact
Sep 29	Il Piccolo Mondo	Reserve if selected.	Restaurant booking
Sep 29	Primiera at Baglioni	Reserve if selected; easiest after luggage drop.	Primiera
Sep 29	Da Roberto Alla Mole	Reserve if selected; convenient before moving.	Restaurant booking
Sep 29	Baglioni Aura Spa	Recommended: book at least 24 hours ahead.	Spa information
Sep 29	Baglioni special experience	Optional; request through the concierge.	Hotel experiences
Sep 30	Baglioni → FCO transfer	Priority: arrange a pre-dawn car or taxi.	Hotel concierge
Oct 1	Tower of London	Recommended: secure preferred entry.	Official tickets
Oct 1	St. Paul’s Cathedral	Book timed admission if selected.	Official tickets
Oct 1	British Museum	Optional; free timed entry recommended.	Visit information
Oct 1–2	West End show	Choose a production and seats.	Official London Theatre
Oct 2	Design Museum exhibition	Optional; reserve a paid exhibition.	Ticket information
Oct 2	Tate Modern or V&A exhibition	Optional; paid exhibitions need tickets.	Tate · V&A
Oct 3	London → NEC / Forest of Arden	Priority: choose transport and solve luggage timing.	Avanti · National Rail
Oct 3–4	Forest of Arden dinner	Optional; reserve for a guaranteed table.	Book a table
Oct 5	Forest of Arden → LHR	Highest priority: pre-book an early transfer.	Hotel assistance

Updated August 30, 2026 · Booking references and personal details are intentionally omitted from this shared page. Suggested hours and availability should be rechecked before booking.