Italy!

[ItsAllGood]

We are just back from a fabulous 3 weeks in Italy. What a beautiful country. The art, the history, the food, the wine, the people, the scenery - nothing but fabulous! It was my first visit, and most certainly not my last.

For those interested in crowds & current Covid restrictions. While we were there, the "green pass"/ vaccine checks ended. KN95 masks were required for trains, and a few sites. Otherwise, simple masks while indoors. Although even that is being eased in May. Crowds are still very light, except for Rome. No trouble with trains where and when we wanted. All sights open. One of our tour guides remarked how pleased she was that life was returning to normal. Such a nice feeling!

We spent a short time in London on the way back and we were a little startled with no masks anywhere, even transit. Even though we heard that was the case, it still felt a little odd.

 

[Bamaman]

We're taking our granddaughter to London in a month and then flying to Athens to start a one week cruise around the Greek Isles--ending outside of Venice.

All you've said about Italy is right. They were especially hit hard in Northern Italy with COVID. I'm glad things are normalizing throughout the world.

So many European countries' entire GDP is based on tourism, and it's the utmost importance that they make traveling as easy as it can be. And Italy is #1 on every European's favorite place to go on vacation.

I heard from my favorite agriturisimo owner last week in Zagarolo--20 mi. south of Rome. He's still in business and needing business. He taught us that there is as much to see in the suburbs of Rome as there is within the center city. And Rome is not a 3 day place to visit.

 

[Freedom56]

Italy is a great place. The food is among the best in the world.

 

[Luvtoride]

It’s All Good, thanks for the enthusiastic and positive comments about Italy. We are going in October and although it is still 6 months away, I am very encouraged by your comments and status of how things are recovering now.

If you don’t mind, I might PM you to get more details as we are still planning much of our trip.

Stay well.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have been to Italy twice and it was so fun. The first time we spent a week just in Rome.

 

[Life2.0]

Glad you enjoyed the trip! Wife and I leave next week for our 3-weeks in Italy! Starting in Rome, then to Sorrento, Montepulciano, and Venice. Can't wait!

 

[Gumby]

I love Italy. We've been seven times and can't wait to go back.

 

[marko]

Italy is a great place. The food is among the best in the world.

We lived in France for several years and love it still, but I have to say given a preference, I'd live in Italy; a more relaxed way of life and the food is a lot more 'simpler'/excellent. The French can be a little intense at times.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I've been to a few Italian cities multiple times on multiple cruises. But I have never done a land vacation. It's on my bucket list. I LOVE Italy! Glad you had a nice trip.

 

[brett]

When I am planning a trip that I suspect DW won't be as enthusiastic as she might be I always include a stop in Italy. That always does the trick.

Last time it was Vienna, Budapest, and Prague followed by 10 days in Malta. DD was not so sure about the first part. Then we added 20 days wandering around Sicily and the deal was done!

What we like about Italy.....every region is so different.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

It gets more and more Italian as you go south. I highly recommend a visit to Sicily if you can.

 

[oiseux]

Italy is wonderful, glad you enjoyed your time. Such a large, diverse country that you can go to many different regions for variations on food and cultural influences. There is just so much to discover and explore, even for us, having lived in/near the country.

 

[brett]

It gets more and more Italian as you go south. I highly recommend a visit to Sicily if you can.

We had 2 1/2 weeks of wandering around Sicily. It was wonderful. Spent a few days on the Aeolian Islands. So different than anywhere else we had been in Italy. Definitely at the top of our list to go back. The other good part....it is only a ferry ride or a short flight from Malta.

We were on the beach and swimming in the latter part of October.

 

[rodi]

I *love* Italy. I'd been 3 times prior to meeting my Italian American husband. He connected with 2nd cousins in Sicily. Since we've been married we've been 5 times. I'm learning Italian. Husband and sons are now dual citizens after I did the research/documentation. I'll get my dual citizenship if I can ever pass the livello b1 exam.

DH and I have talked about living there for 6 months to a year. Mi amo Italia

 

[cyber888]

Been to Italy like 8-9 times - mostly Venice, Florence, Lake Como, Capri, Sorrento, Sienna, Cinque Terre/Maranola .. truly wonderful .. planning to go to the Amalfi coast next year

 

[Midpack]

Been to Italy 3 times, though all long ago. Loved it every time!

 

[kcowan]

When I am planning a trip that I suspect DW won't be as enthusiastic as she might be I always include a stop in Italy. That always does the trick.

Last time it was Vienna, Budapest, and Prague followed by 10 days in Malta. DD was not so sure about the first part. Then we added 20 days wandering around Sicily and the deal was done!

What we like about Italy.....every region is so different.

in September it is the same three cities then Lisbon, Porto, Toledo, Madrid with a Duoro River cruise in between. The latter part serving the same purpose hopefully.

But we have done Italy from Lake Como to Sicily with all points in between during many trips. Never gets old.

 

[brett]

We enjoyed Toledo. We took the fast train from Madrid, stayed in Toledo for a few days, and then picked up a car. It was the first time that we went through airport like security at a train station.

We were sitting outside McDonalds having a cold beer when we met this lady. She was a widow of a USAF pilot. In her 70's at that time. She told us she travelled 9-12 months of the year going back periodically for a month, sometimes two to see her family.

When she was not travelling she lived with her daughter and family in CA. She would do a month, sometimes more in various cities. Renting apts or rooms-not high end hotel rooms. Her family wanted her to stop with the travel. She was not inclined to do so.

 

[Rianne]

We have close relatives in Italy. My DH's sister, husband, niece, and grandbaby live in the Apennine mountain region. We skype with them almost every day. Cannot wait to go back and visit. We've been there 9 times. The nice thing, is they speak English and translate for us in small villages in Tuscany and around their home. They take us to the smaller unknown places to eat, wineries, and historic sites.

I keep thinking about moving there. Covid hit them so hard. Partly because they have an aging population. Italians living in the mountains live into their 90's+. They eat fresh vegetables, and pasta, and walk up and down the hillsides. Robust healthy air and social activity among townsfolk keep them active. I love Tuscany most of all. Magical!

 

[Bamaman]

Italy is one of those places where it's very easy to get overloaded on culture, art, history, and great food. Many cannot take in so much of what the country has to offer.

We've been to Venice so many times that we lost count @ 10 times in the last 52 years.

We've had some great times in agriturisimos, and wholeheartedly suggest anyone spend a few days staying out on a farm--doing day trips. We find renting a car maximizes our enjoyment of Italy.

I heard from our Zagarolo B&B hosts last week, and the Covid was tough--but he's still in business. He took us to the top of a mountain south of Rome one Easter, and we hiked down 2500 year old trails that took us to a pagan temple of Palestrina. I opened the door to a private Catholic church and barged in during the middle of their service.

We were in Rome two other Easters too--last of which was 5 years ago with maybe 150,000 people watching the Pope ride through the Vatican crowd. It's always an experience to go to Rome.

 

[ClarkeK]

We're heading to Italy for 4 weeks starting end of September. We plan on hitting all the southern spots starting in Amalfi, then over to Puglia, down to Sicily and finishing up with a few days in Malta. Flights are booked, I just need to arrange our stays. Can't wait!

 

[Bamaman]

We were in Venice 3 days ago and got home via London that night. Venice is very much like it was when I first visited 52 years ago. That scaffolding on the front of St. Marks is still there--just as it has been on my last 10 visits.

We stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment next to the train station since my wife travels by power scooter. In order to get to Plaza Roma, I had to haul the power chair and a couple of suitcases over a big arch bridge--about all I could handle. Venice is not a good place for a handicapped traveler.

I told my 10 year old granddaughter to get off her smartphone and we hiked all the way to St. Marks. And I showed her the views of the great travel sites--like St. Marks Square, the Clock Tower, Salute and many of the churches. We felt like a pair of rats in a maze--in the rain. We didn't know where we were or where we were going. Nothing like Venice.

FYI: The vaporetto's are 7.50 Euros per trip--very excessive. A day pass is available, however. And the city still has that old lake water/fish smell it always has had.

 

[Freedom56]

In my opinion, Stresa and the Borromean Islands (Isola Bella in particular) is one of the nicest places in Italy. It's an easy 30 minute drive north from Milan. We normally drive over the Simplon Pass in Switzerland to visit. The Amalfi coast is also nice also but a little too crowded. During the past 30 years I have been to Italy about 38 times (mostly for business). These days we avoid the large cities Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, and Naples, and visit the smaller villages where it's much less crowded and parking is easy.

 

[Marita40]

Hope you make it to Positano--I loved my time there.

 

[NW-Bound]

I am planning a month-long road trip through Northern Italy to see and hike the Dolomites.

I certainly will have time to revisit Venice. Been pondering if I should delay the trip from late summer 22 to early 23 to coincide with the Venice Carnival, in order to commemorate our first visit there 20 years earlier.