The ABCs of Greece & Italy! X, Y, and Z, and that Friends is THE END!!! :) See you in Asia and Australia, Join Me THERE!!

[juniorbugman]

I am ready to follow along. Sounds like a fun and busy trip.

 

[pkondz]

Whelp, this long ago, aborted trip to Italy is, God-willing, finally moving forward!

Hey! Great news!

This girl is so excited, but I have to be very, very honest, it took a long, LONG while to get there again. Covid destroyed hundreds of hours of time, emotional energy, and not a small amount of money over the several iterations of this trip, with planning, cancelling, re-planning, re-cancelling, and now finally, finally(?!) planning once more.

Yeah...
I had to cancel a trip or two due to Covid as well. Nothing nearly as ambitious (or time consuming) as you, but... I do get it.

Follow me now, Dear Reader?

Me, My Folks, and Mikki will all depart the US on October 1st and meet up in Venice.

Are you all travelling separately?

Anara and I will continue to do a 2 1/2 week Land Tour

Whoa! Holy cow! Nice!

Oct 3 Travel from Venice to Ravenna where the cruise actually departs from

Took a look. About a 2.5hour drive.

Oct 6 Santorini, Greece

My folks did a Mediterranean cruise 40 (40!) years ago and they still talk about Santorini.

Oct 19 Pompeii

oooooohhhh... I'm so envious! I've wanted to go there for... well, more than 40 years.

Before I go to Italy, I also have a trip to Disney with @Malia78 and Mary Ellen (some of you may remember her from many years ago on the DIS) for some Food and Wine and a more "relaxing trip".

Nice! Say hi to Kari for me.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Yay for a fresh start with cruise/Italy planning. We did a similar cruise on Princess cruise line. We loved it. I have also toured around Italy in the past and wow beautiful country!
I’m excited to see live updates at Disney!
I wish it would have worked out to see you at Disney again! One of these times for sure!

 

[Dreams&wishes]

I'm Italian if you need any tips and suggestions!

 

[rdkeim]

Wow - sounds like a dream trip! A month - wonderful! Can't wait to read about it. We just spent 3 weeks in the UK - we absolutely loved it and it was so nice to make it a longer trip. So enjoyable!

 

[Steppesister]

I am ready to follow along. Sounds like a fun and busy trip.

That's GREAT!!! I'm so happy there are still a few folks out there who might be interested! I always have a few adventures to pass along and it's great to be able to share about them!

 

[Steppesister]

Hey! Great news!

I KNOW!! Squeeeee!

Yeah...
I had to cancel a trip or two due to Covid as well. Nothing nearly as ambitious (or time consuming) as you, but... I do get it.

I think the hardest part was allowing myself to get to the point that I even wanted to plan it again and be excited for it. I didn't want to set myself up for another huge disappointment.

Are you all travelling separately?

Sort of... Partially.

Mom, Dad, and I will all leave from Nashville and fly together. Mikki will fly from Portland and meet us an hour after our flight arrives in Venice. Anara is flying by herself from Portland as well on the 13th and Mikki and I will take a Vaporetto to meet her at the airport that afternoon.

Took a look. About a 2.5hour drive.

Yes, but!!!

We are going to do an experiment...

Mom and Dad wanted the "safety" of booking a Cruiseline sponsored transfer. It cost about $110/pp. Mikki and I wanted to save money and experience the high speed train so we will take that which should be faster and only costs about $45. So... we're going to do a REAL LIFE "GREAT RACE"!! Kinda excited about it actually.

My folks did a Mediterranean cruise 40 (40!) years ago and they still talk about Santorini.

It's once place I'm particularly looking forward to!

oooooohhhh... I'm so envious! I've wanted to go there for... well, more than 40 years.

I hope you will someday!

Nice! Say hi to Kari for me.

I certainly will.

 

[Steppesister]

Yay for a fresh start with cruise/Italy planning. We did a similar cruise on Princess cruise line. We loved it. I have also toured around Italy in the past and wow beautiful country!
I’m excited to see live updates at Disney!
I wish it would have worked out to see you at Disney again! One of these times for sure!

I just can't wait to sip Italian wine in a little Osteria looking over the Tuscan countryside, visiting the Trulli villages of Puglia and ogling at the marble works in Naples and Rome!

Kari and I will have to take it very slow and easy. We're really planning a super low-key trip with TONS of F&W eating!

Yes, I really hope it works out again. I adored the times we've gotten to hang out a bit and chat.

 

[Steppesister]

I'm Italian if you need any tips and suggestions!

Holy smokes!! Yes, any tips for sure!! I have a zillion questions. Our itinerary is pretty set with already booked Airbnbs, and I do know it's almost too much and crammed. I am probably grossly underestimating the time it'll take to get from place to place, but this may be the only time I get there and I want to see all I can.

One thing I'm honestly pretty nervous about is driving from Rome, through Tuscany, and into Bologna. I am terrified of getting a speeding ticket or entering a prohibited zone without knowing/accidentally. Or worse, causing an accident because of a different driving culture.

We've got our Vatican tickets, Uffizi time slot/tickets, Florence Duomo tix and I developed very detailed self-guided walking tours for each city.

Do I need to pre-purchase train tickets in advance or is it okay to mostly rely on the Trainline App and purchase after we get into the country?

 

[Steppesister]

Wow - sounds like a dream trip! A month - wonderful! Can't wait to read about it. We just spent 3 weeks in the UK - we absolutely loved it and it was so nice to make it a longer trip. So enjoyable!

YES!! An absolute dream trip! I am so, so lucky to have the time off and means to do this. I've saved up for a very long time for it!

The UK is on my list, but there are a lot of other places too. Some other trips I really want to do are Costa Rica or Belize, an East African REAL safari, the Canadian Maritimes, and the South Pacific like Tuvalu, Fiji, Bora Bora, etc....

 

[GAN]

One thing I'm honestly pretty nervous about is driving from Rome, through Tuscany, and into Bologna. I am terrified of getting a speeding ticket or entering a prohibited zone without knowing/accidentally. Or worse, causing an accident because of a different driving culture.

I’ve made that drive ..getting In/Out of the larger cities can be tricky, but honestly it’s not a lot different than a big city here in the US. I would have a good co-pilot and you should be fine. I ended up in some unusual situations for sure, but that’s half the fun of doing it on your own! We took a wrong turn in Tuscany and ended up in someone’s backyard , chickens running around, laundry on the line …the whole bit. They came out of the house and fortunately I know enough Italian to apologize and introduce myself properly() …everyone including the person living there had a pretty good laugh!

Not sure if it’s your first trip, but best piece of advice would be to familiarize yourself with some basic phrases as much as possible -any effort, even if it’s poor, will generally be rewarded.

 

[Steppesister]

I’ve made that drive ..getting In/Out of the larger cities can be tricky, but honestly it’s not a lot different than a big city here in the US. I would have a good co-pilot and you should be fine. I ended up in some unusual situations for sure, but that’s half the fun of doing it on your own! We took a wrong turn in Tuscany and ended up in someone’s backyard , chickens running around, laundry on the line …the whole bit. They came out of the house and fortunately I know enough Italian to apologize and introduce myself properly() …everyone including the person living there had a pretty good laugh!

Not sure if it’s your first trip, but best piece of advice would be to familiarize yourself with some basic phrases as much as possible -any effort, even if it’s poor, will generally be rewarded.

I"m CERTAIN there will be some major wrong turns along the way, but as you say, totally part of the fun for sure! I don't speak any Italian whatsoever, but hopefully it'll all end up ok. I'm surprised they didn't invite you in for a 3-hour meal. LOL!!

It is my 2nd trip to Italy, but my first was during high school and I remember very little about it. And certainly didn't appreciate it as an adult for the art, architecture, and culture. I'm so excited to go and really dig in deep with a more mature perspective and eye. My daughter is working on her Italian through an app and I should learn a few too!

 

[Malia78]

YES!! An absolute dream trip! I am so, so lucky to have the time off and means to do this. I've saved up for a very long time for it!

I have everything possible crossed that 2022 is the year for this trip...

 

[Malia78]

Nice! Say hi to Kari for me.

When do I get to say hi in person again

 

[Steppesister]

I have everything possible crossed that 2022 is the year for this trip...

YES!!!! Please... no ugly surprises in the next 6 weeks!!!

 

[Dreams&wishes]

I generally suggest to take the train in Italy as the driving can be challenging and the train is very well organised and a great way to relax and see the scenery.
The website is the https://www.trenitalia.com/it.html and yes I would start booking it now.

I feel you are cramping too much between the 25thand 28th in these days you won't be able too see all those things on each given day.
Definitely go to San Gimignano Siena and Montepulciano, I would skip the rest not because they are not beautiful but all very similar. And if you have time, although I doubt it, do lucca.

Again Bologna Modena and Parma is too much. I would rather do Mantova and maybe Verona.

Oct 25 Tuscany (Montepulciano, Pienza, San Gimignano, Sienaa

Oct 26 Tuscany (Petronagno, Montecatini Terme, Pistoia)

Oct 27 Tuscany (Petrognano, Lucca, Montecarlo)

Oct 28 Bologna, Modena, Parma



In Rome definitely go to eat to Da Felice a Testaccio their cacio e pepe pasta is the best!

https://www.feliceatestaccio.com/
Finally in Rome don't miss to see the San Paolo fuori le Mura basilica it's by far my favourite.

 

[Steppesister]

I generally suggest to take the train in Italy as the driving can be challenging and the train is very well organised and a great way to relax and see the scenery.
The website is the https://www.trenitalia.com/it.html and yes I would start booking it now.

I feel you are cramping too much between the 25thand 28th in these days you won't be able too see all those things on each given day.
Definitely go to San Gimignano Siena and Montepulciano, I would skip the rest not because they are not beautiful but all very similar. And if you have time, although I doubt it, do lucca.

Again Bologna Modena and Parma is too much. I would rather do Mantova and maybe Verona.

Oct 25 Tuscany (Montepulciano, Pienza, San Gimignano, Sienaa

Oct 26 Tuscany (Petronagno, Montecatini Terme, Pistoia)

Oct 27 Tuscany (Petrognano, Lucca, Montecarlo)

Oct 28 Bologna, Modena, Parma



In Rome definitely go to eat to Da Felice a Testaccio their cacio e pepe pasta is the best!

https://www.feliceatestaccio.com/
Finally in Rome don't miss to see the San Paolo fuori le Mura basilica it's by far my favourite.

Wonderful advice! I'll adjust some things on those days to be a bit more realistic. None of it is really for sure stuff except the 2 you've mentioned. Petronagno is only mentioned because that is where our Airbnb "homebase" is. I'd hoped to soak at Montecatini for 2-3 hours and do the underground tour in Pistoia the other part of the day.

I've accessed that train website a million times to help me get better ideas of schedules and trip times.

I guess I'll have to choose EITHER a parmesan cheese tour OR a balsamic tour. Tough choice!!!

I'll add those places in Rome! Thanks!

 

[pkondz]

I KNOW!! Squeeeee!

I think the hardest part was allowing myself to get to the point that I even wanted to plan it again and be excited for it. I didn't want to set myself up for another huge disappointment.

I’m glad you were able to get enthused again.

Yes, but!!!

We are going to do an experiment...

Mom and Dad wanted the "safety" of booking a Cruiseline sponsored transfer. It cost about $110/pp. Mikki and I wanted to save money and experience the high speed train so we will take that which should be faster and only costs about $45. So... we're going to do a REAL LIFE "GREAT RACE"!! Kinda excited about it actually.

Cool! Can’t wait to see who gets to the mat first!

I hope you will someday!

Me too

When do I get to say hi in person again

Hi!
Well I’m in Disney now. Get your butt down here and I’ll give you a (gentle, careful) hug.

 

[vamassey1]

Wow, what an itinerary!

I can't wait to read the report when you get back.

 

[Steppesister]

Wow, what an itinerary!

I can't wait to read the report when you get back.

I hope I get gobs of fun photos!!!