Massachusetts to Gettysburg, PA – Wednesday, July 24, 2024 (Author: J)
We woke up early on July 24, packed the car, hugged our dog and cat goodbye, and hit the road by 6:30 am. (Pro tip: Have just 1 kid. It leaves extra room in the backseat for road trip snacks). The early start was essential because we had a 7.5-hour drive ahead of us. I confess that I selected Gettysburg as our first destination because it was somewhere that I had wanted to visit ever since my US history nerd elementary school days. I figured that P and D would not have much interest in a Civil War battlefield. But I also figured that they would not have much cause to complain since no one wanted to drive the 11 hours to Shenandoah without stopping somewhere. And Gettysburg is certainly somewhere.
The first 3 hours of our drive passed uneventfully. Then, we missed an exit somewhere in New York. At that point, D realized that turning on the sound on the navigation was a good idea. That way he could ignore both the image on the screen and the verbal instructions telling him where to go. (Sample dialogue: “It’s not my fault I missed the exit. The instructions were confusing.” “How is ‘take the next exit confusing!’”) This added about 30 minutes of driving and several minutes of carping to our drive. (Sample dialogue: “I don’t understand why the GPS sent us this way.” “Maybe because you left it no choice when you missed the exit, and then the next exit, and then ….”).
At this point, P expressed disappointment in his decision to join us for the trip. This was our signal that it was time for lunch. We decided to picnic at one of the lovely rest stops on the Garden State Parkway. I say this without any hint of irony. I am a Jersey native and fierce advocate of Jersey style rest stops with free bathrooms and copious food options. (This one even had *oh joy* a cake slice vending machine).
After lunch, we finished our drive without incident. As we reached Pennsylvania, I queued up an episode of the Addressing Gettysburg podcast that promised a high-level overview of battle for noobs. What it delivered was an in-the-weeds look at the battle for Civil War fanatics. Not quite what I hoped for, but I still learned some interesting factoids about the foreign policy implications of the Emancipation Proclamation. Happy times. We switched back to D’s road trip playlist without finishing the podcast.
We arrived in Gettysburg around 3 pm and quickly located our hotel, the Hotel Gettysburg. It’s located in Lincoln Square right in the heart of town. We found parking in the municipal lot near the hotel; paid using Pay by Phone, the same parking app our hometown uses; and headed inside to check in.
The Hotel Gettysburg.
The Hotel Gettysburg is in a historic building from the 1700s, but it was recently renovated. While the lobby and common areas preserve some period touches, the rooms look quite modern (in a non-descript hotel renovated in the 2020’s type of way). We had a suite on the 3rd floor, which was ready when we arrived.
After dumping our bags and moving our perishables from the cooler to our in-room fridge, we decided it was time for that most pleasant of road trip activities: snack time. Thus, we set out on foot in search of junk. After rejecting a chocolatier’s wares as too melty, we wandered into Sweeet!, a retro candy and soda shop. Sweeet! has an extensive selection of everything from penny candies to the hair of once and future presidents. We selected some taffy, an assortment of moon pies, and some local sodas, then settled on the bench outside for some people watching while we ate.
Apparently Trump Hair tastes like fruit punch, and not — as I initially anticipated — spray tan and fried chicken.
Then we headed back to our room to stash our candy and rest before dinner. P is usually a fan of long rest breaks, so I was surprised when he suggested that we head out for further exploration just 20 minutes later. I guess 8 hours in a car was rest enough. We decided we would visit Cemetery Ridge and then continue on to the Dobbin House when we were ready for dinner.
Cemetery Ridge, a ridge located just south of town, was one of the Union’s primary defensive positions during the battle. It is an easy 20-minute walk from the Hotel Gettysburg. We took a bit longer to get there because we stopped and read just about every historic placard we passed along the way – and there were plenty of placards.
Learning some stuff.
I decided to lighten my load during our walk by carrying only my camera and leaving my cell phone in the hotel. (Yes, I have a camera that does not send text messages). This was a mistake. I had downloaded the National Parks app on my phone before we left home, and I quickly realized that the app would have been great to have as we wandered around on the ridge. Even without the benefit of narration, though, Cemetery Ridge is an evocative place. After reflecting on Cemetery Ridge, we popped into Soldiers National Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for veterans of multiple wars, not just the Civil War; we poked around a bit reading the grave markers of those who served. When the heat began to get to us, we knew it was time for dinner.
Cemetary Ridge is haunting.This prayer from the American Legion seems as timely now as it was in 1955.
We had dinner at the Spring House Tavern at Dobbin House, which is inside the oldest standing structure in Gettysburg. The Dobbin House also has a fine dining option, the Alexander Dobbin dining room; we selected the tavern based upon its menu. We enjoyed our meal, the historic rum punch (for education purposes, of course), and the tavern ambiance. After P and D shared a slice of cheesecake, we hoofed it back to the Hotel Gettysburg for relaxation and bedtime. The trip was off to a great start.
This is the beginning of a long overdue trip report for our 2024 summer vacation: a 3-week Southeast US road trip. I initially delayed writing the report because it felt odd to write about the trip right after Hurricane Helene impacted some of the places we visited. From there, inertia set in. But with a new year and new destinations ahead, I finally feel ready to look back on last year’s adventures.
Cemetary Ridge, Gettysburg National Military Park
Trip Backstory
I know that our family vacation time is limited (18 years, or maybe less if P boycotts family vacations as a teen). So, I would gladly let P pick our vacation destinations from now until he moves out. D does not feel the same way. After our 2022 trip to Singapore and Malaysia, D declared that he was “done with jungles.” P, a lifelong monkey fanatic, was by no means ready to be done with jungles – and has very little interest in the European history that D would gladly make the focus of 100% of our vacations.
So, I dictated a compromise. We now rotate selecting vacation destinations, meaning that we each pick the trips every 3rd year. D had the first pick in 2023, and selected Italy and Colombia. P surprised us with his pick for 2024 by requesting a road trip to Alabama (to see where our cat, Tarzan, was born), stopping at as many national parks as possible on the way.
Cyprus Knees, Congaree National Park
With that mandate and help from the Tripadvisor road trip forums, I put together a couple of possible routes that included 5 national parks: Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, Congaree, New River Gorge, and Mammoth Cave. Once I had finished my research, we had a family meeting to select our final route. We agreed that our priority was to loop the destinations together in a way that minimized driving time. This meant skipping the Blue Ridge Parkway – a decision that I am sure some will question. But the reality is that P – like most kids – is unimpressed by scenic drives. And since this was his trip, cutting something that didn’t really appeal to him was an easy choice.
Cave formations – Mammoth Cave National Park
Here is what we wound up with.
Itinerary
Day 1: Drive from our house just north of Boston to Gettysburg, PA
Day 2: Drive from Gettysburg, PA to Shenandoah National Park
Day 3: Explore Shenandoah
Day 4: Begin driving from Shenandoah to Columbia, SC; stop in Charlotte for the night
Day 5: Continue on to Columbia, SC (and Congaree National Park)
Day 6: Explore Columbia area
Day 7: Begin driving from Columbia to Huntsville, AL; stop in Atlanta for the night
Day 8: Continue on to Huntsville
Day 9: Explore Huntsville
Day 10: Drive from Huntsville to Mammoth Cave National Park
Day 11: Explore Mammoth Cave
Day 12: Drive from Mammoth Cave to Gatlinburg, TN
Days 13-15: Explore Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Day 16: Drive from Gatlinburg to New River Gorge National Park
Days 17-18: Explore New River Gorge
Day 19: Begin driving from New River Gorge to Massachusetts; stop in NJ (to visit family) for the night
Day 20: Finish drive home
Views from an overlook in Shenandoah National Park
Highlights
Overall, we were very happy with the itinerary. We loved all the national parks, and we were pleasantly surprised with the bonus stops we added to break the drive up into manageable chunks. It was sheer luck that the way we structured our itinerary also ensured good weather. We very often arrived in a location just before or just after rain. Most notably, when Tropical Storm Debby hit Charlotte and Columbia during the 3rd week of our trip, we were west of most of the rain.
New River Gorge National Park
Our favorite destinations were:
D: Gettysburg
P: Rafting in New River Gorge
J: Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
A black bear in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The best feature of the Hilton Molino Stucky is undoubtedly its air conditioning. Even when it is 95 degrees outside, the Hilton’s rooms are cool and comfortable for sleeping. Thus, I woke up well-rested on the final day of our tour. I immediately opened the window, inviting the stifling heat into our room. Our window overlooked the Giudecca Canal, and I was curious to hear the sounds of Venice in the morning.
The sun sparkled on the water, boats whizzed by, and from below me drifted the sweet sounds of … a group of American tourists waiting for the hotel shuttle boat to take them across the canal. Apparently, our room was right above the shuttle boat queue. I quickly shut the window and the blinds so that we could dress without an audience.
D got ready first and headed downstairs to sign us up for pool time later in the day. Once P and I were ready, we also went downstairs. We passed the pool signup line on the way and joined D as he inched closer to the signup sheet. After securing an afternoon swim time, we set off in search of breakfast, stopping only to say hello to Gabby and Massi. Like the other hotels on this trip, the Hilton had a buffet breakfast that was included in the tour price. But, unlike the other hotels, the Hilton is a large hotel with hundreds of rooms. That increase in hotel size translated directly to an increase in buffet size. The Hilton had the most elaborate buffet breakfast of the trip, with easily triple the selection of the other two hotels.
After our meal, we gathered in the lounge area of the hotel to meet Gabby and Massi. Once our group was assembled, we boarded a private shuttle and made the short journey across the canal. Although it was early, Venice was already thronged with tourists. Fortunately, we had priority access to our first sight of the day: the Doge’s Palace.
View from Bridge of SighsA portrait of some lawyersceilings in Doge’s Palace
The Doge’s Palace was the residence of the doges, Venice’s elected rulers (no relation to the Shiba Inu who appears on certain cryptocurrency). The palace was just a short walk from where the shuttle boat dropped us. But even a 5-minute walk in the heat was long enough for P to enquire hopefully about air conditioning. “Well, we are going inside a building,” I said without confidence.
Our guide explaining how to rat out law breakers at the Doge’s Palace.
Once inside the Doge’s Palace, which is not air-conditioned, we were divided into groups. Adults and teens went on a tour of the palace with our step-on guides, while the youngest of the junior adventurers – including P — did a scavenger hunt activity with Massi and Gabby. After an interesting tour, we found P (and the other two scavenger hunt participants) happily eating snacks on benches near the café with Massi and Gabby. The kids reported that they were the best behaved and cleverest group to ever participate in the scavenger hunt activity, which checks out as far as I’m concerned. I was grateful to join the kids on the bench for a rest. Although it was another scorching day, I had started to shiver and shake by the end of the palace tour.
Once everyone in our group had the opportunity for a break, we set out on foot for our next activity: mask making at Tragicomica. The walk took us on what seemed like a meandering route through Venice’s streets and allies. (Every walk in Venice feels like wandering through a maze). The longer we walked, the worse I felt. By the time we arrived at the mask shop, about 25 minutes after we had set out, I was feeling weak, nauseous, and unsteady. I would love to tell you that – had I known how long the walk was – I would have skipped mask making. But the truth is that I probably would have stubbornly powered through either way. I had been looking forward to my arts and crafts time.
At the shop, there was a quick opportunity to look at the masks on display and select a blank mask to paint. Then, we were herded upstairs to an area that had been set up for mask painting. D, P, and I found 3 seats together and sat down. By now, D realized that I wasn’t doing well, and he was making his best effort to help. Our whispered conversation drew the attention of one of the girls who worked at the shop, and she came over to chastise us for failing to pay attention to the instructions. I was momentarily filled with a middle-aged person’s indignation at being lectured by some young whipper snapper – about a vacation art project, no less. But heat exhaustion won out and I simply said, “Cut me some slack. I’m sick,” and put my head down on the table. Incidentally, if you miss the instructions at the mask painting activity, they are: use a brush to apply paint to your mask.
By this point, Gabby had noticed that I wasn’t doing well, and she came over to check on me. I told her I just needed some water and rest. This was a mistake on my part. There were apparently snacks set up downstairs. I’m willing to bet that Gabby would have let me know about them if I hadn’t been so sure about not needing help. And I’m also willing to bet that a sugar infusion would have been a good thing.
I spent most of the mask making activity with my head on the table trying to recover from my heat exhaustion. In the last few minutes of painting time, I requested some paint and applied it to my mask. Then I requested a second color, applied that, and immediately hated the results. Meanwhile, D and P completed their own masks. (P’s mask is now displayed on my shelf at work. Mine is in a landfill somewhere in Italy. D’s is in our basement). When everyone was done painting, we left the masks at the shop for final touches and ventured back out into the heat.
Our first order of business was to find a place to eat lunch. We stopped at the first pizza shop we saw and requested an indoor table. This was easily the worst meal of the trip, but the restaurant’s air-conditioning did allow me to successfully stave off full blown heat stroke.
After lunch, we continued walking. Our goal now was to get back to the hotel shuttle, which meant that we were following arrows pointing us towards St. Mark’s Square. As we were making our way through a particularly narrow alley, I heard a loud noise behind me and then a scream. The first sound was D falling. (Don’t worry. He caught himself when his head hit the cobblestone.) The second was the sound of P watching his father fall.
“I’m okay,” D said as he picked himself up off the ground.
“I think I’m going to cry,” said P.
“Me too,” came a voice from behind us.
Another family in our group had caught up to us. And while none of them was bloodied, they looked like they were doing about as well in the heat as we were. We all continued in the direction of St. Mark’s Square. When we finally arrived at the hotel shuttle, we were dismayed to find that the shuttle runs hourly – except at midday when there is a 2-hour gap in the shuttle schedule. (Relatedly, I don’t recommend the Hilton Molino Stucky to those on their first visit to Venice). We briefly entertained the idea of finding a café and having a drink, but that seemed like a lot of effort. So, we found a shady alley and sat for a while, staring forlornly at our hotel just across the canal.
Gabby had warned us that the shuttle often fills us, so with 45 minutes to go, we decided to head down the pier to the shuttle waiting dock. Inside, we found Gabby drinking frozen slush. As soon as I saw the slush, I knew I absolutely had to have one. So, D ran top speed up the ramp to procure one. While we waited for D to return, several more families on our tour arrived to board the shuttle.
“I hope your dad gets back in time,” I said to P.
“Don’t worry. He knows what time the boat’s leaving,” one of the new arrivals assured me.
Apparently, D had shouted the shuttle schedule information at them as he ran by in pursuit of frozen beverages. And D did, indeed, make it back in time to catch our boat. The frozen slush was everything I dreamed it would be.
We spent the early part of the afternoon at the Hilton’s rooftop pool. After our swim, we decided on gelato. My attempts to find a gelateria on Giudecca bore no fruit (or dairy), so we dined at the gelato cart in the hotel’s lobby. The gelato was not much by Italian standards, which meant it was still much better than anything we can get back home in the US.
While eating our snack, we all agreed that we were feeling well enough for the final activity of the trip: a farewell cruise. So, after eating, we went upstairs to change and then came back downstairs to board our pirate ship. Then, we set sail with drinks in hand to see the sun set over the islands of Venice.
This was another trip highlight. We had absolutely perfect weather for a sail and everyone in the group was in high spirits eating, drinking, and admiring the views. As the evening progressed (and more prosecco was consumed), the adults in the group turned the main level of the ship into a dance floor. “Cringe,” P pronounced. D and I knew what we had to do. We busted out our most embarrassing parent dance moves and then pointed at P. P responded with his own dance move. Dance off challenge accepted!
Our delight was short-lived. After giving us his best shimmy, P doubled over in pain. He had somehow scraped himself against something sharp and his stomach was now bleeding. If you are keeping track, this completed our family’s punch card. We are now entitled to one free injury on our next ABD! I found the guides, obtained a Band-Aid, and dressed P’s wound. Once P had been assured that Italian pirate ships don’t cause tetanus, we all went back to enjoying the cruise (with a moratorium on dance offs). In a day that had had many lows, we were so glad that we were able to end our time in Venice on a high note.
ABD day 6: time for our final transfer of the trip. The logistics for this transfer were a little more complicated than the last one because we were saying goodbye to the coach and heading to Venice by train. That meant that anything we carried on the train would need to be toted around Venice until our afternoon hotel check-in. Along with my wallet, the passports, my camera, and my water bottle, I reluctantly agreed to carry P’s book so that he could read on the train. (Spoiler: he did not read on the train). Then, we put our suitcases in the hallway for pickup and brought our day packs downstairs with us while we ate our final meal in Tuscany.
After breakfast, the guides air dropped or emailed the train ticket information to each family. Then, we boarded the coach, which took us to Florence to catch our train. In Florence, we bid farewell to our driver, Massi, and our guides, Massi and Gabby, led us into the train station to wait for our train. This entails waiting until the track for your train is posted a few minutes before departure time and then scurrying to board before the train leaves. Tip: there was no restroom access after security at the train station and ABD enters via an entrance that takes you directly past security. There was, however, a restaurant, so I purchased a soda for P to carry on the train and added it to my already heavy pack.
When our track was announced, we boarded the train en masse and found our seats. They were already occupied. “Are you sure these are the right seats?” I asked D.
The American couple in our seats responded, “We’re in the wrong seats. Ours are too close to the bathroom. It smells over there, so we decided to sit here.” The couple looked at us expectantly. When it became clear that we weren’t going to give up our reserved seats, they gathered their things and moved to their own seats.
When we sat down, the first thing I noticed was that the seats were filthy, with pastry crumbs on the chairs and garbage stuffed in the seat back pocket. My first thought was, “Service on first class trains in Italy is not what I expected.” In hindsight, though, I’m willing to bet that the seats were clean before they were commandeered by our entitled friends.
The train trip from Florence to Venice is about 2 hours long. It’s not a very scenic ride. But we had boxed lunches provided by ABD and a snack service to pass the time. And P had my phone, which he played with instead of reading his book. Gabby and Massi also came by to suggest restaurants for dinner that evening and assist with reservations as needed.
in front of the Grand Canal
The drive to Venice from Tuscany is not much longer than the drive/train combo we employed. I suspect that we took the train because it creates a more dramatic arrival in Venice. As you exit the train station, you are greeted by the Grand Canal. It looks just like you’ve always imagined. But you’re really there.
more views of the canal
We posed for photos and then took a short walk to the boarding spot for our gondola ride. As others in our group were boarding their boats, Gabby asked if we would be okay with some extra people in our gondola. Having read other reports about this trip, I had a strong suspicion about who the extra people would be and offered an enthusiastic yes. Shortly after we stepped into our gondola, my hunch was confirmed. We were joined by two Italian men, one of whom was carrying an accordion.
a memorable gondola ride
As we paddled through the canals, D sang along with the musicians. He was apparently unbothered by the fact that he didn’t know the words to any of the songs and undeterred by the repeated smacks and invitations to shut up that P offered. (One common question that people ask about family travel is whether to wait until the kids are old enough to remember the trip. I suppose that’s a valid concern, but there is something to be said for travelling with kids before they are old enough to consider their parents a horrible embarrassment). D and I had a wonderful time on the gondola. And P was also there.
somewhere in Venice
We disembarked our gondolas somewhere in the winding maze of streets that is Venice. There, we were met by our local guide, who led us on a walking tour through the city. Venice receives about 4 million visitors a year, but no more than a handful venture to the area in Venice where our tour began. In fact, one of the few people we encountered was Marco Polo himself. He regaled us with stories from his travels, then sent us on our way. (Once again, D and I were delighted and P was too cool to participate, even when assigned the plum role of an elephant in Polo’s story. “You’ve seen wild elephants. You know what sound they make,” I coaxed, doing my own feeble impression. Only daggers from P. No elephant noises). As our tour progressed, the size of the crowds on the streets and in the squares gradually increased. This was our sign that we were approaching St. Mark’s Square.
During the time we were in Venice, there were concerts scheduled in St. Mark’s Square. This meant that the square was full of scaffolding, sound equipment, and other things that were little more than eyesores to those of us without tickets. We headed right into St. Mark’s Basilica, which was not only decidedly not an eyesore, but also mercifully cool after our walk. Writing this now, more than 6 months after our trip, what I most remember about the Basilica is how excited D was to be somewhere so old. The building was first constructed in the 800s after two Venetian merchants stole St. Mark’s body from Egypt and brought it back to Venice to give the city a big attraction. Churches housing the body parts of dead saints were the Disney World of the Dark Ages. And people are still lining up to see St. Mark (or whomever the merchants stole) today.
interior St. Mark’s Basilica
After our tour of St. Mark’s, we took a short boat ride across the grand canal to our hotel, the Hilton Molino Stucky. The Hilton sits on Giudeca, just across from the main island that everyone thinks of when they think of Venice. We were hot and sweaty and excited to go for a swim in the hotel pool. Unfortunately, we quickly learned that the pool requires reservations that must be made at 8 am the morning of your swim. I was a bit angry about this. Anyone who travels with kids knows that no matter where you take them in the world, they are most interested in the hotel swimming pool. If a hotel limits access to its pool, the website should be clear about that so parents can brace their children for the disappointment.
view from our room
Instead of a swim, we had some sodas at the welcome reception and then went upstairs to enjoy the air conditioning in our room. The room did have a beautiful view of the Grand Canal. But you can’t swim in the Grand Canal, so it didn’t quite make up for the lack of pool.
Later that evening, we had an early bird dinner (by Italy standards) at the hotel restaurant and then went back upstairs for an early bedtime. If we hadn’t been so worn down by the heat, we probably would have ventured back across the canal for more exploring. Worn down as we were, we all agreed we had made the right choice. (My only regret is that I ordered the tiramisu for dessert instead of the sweet wine and cookies).
Our final day in Tuscany was spent visiting Florence. For me, this was the weakest day in the itinerary. Florence is a city full of must-see attractions and deserves several days at least. Squeezing our time there into a day trip felt a little “check-the-box” to me; I would have preferred to skip Florence in favor of more time in the countryside or visiting another hill town. But we did go to Florence, so let’s talk about it.
Our day started according to a now familiar pattern: wake up, get ready, eat breakfast (more pistachio croissants for me, thanks), and board the coach. During our drive to Florence, the guides entertained us with a surprisingly competitive round of Disney trivia.
As we arrived in Florence and watched the other travelers put on their headphones, I realized we had left our whisper devices back at the hotel. I had a moment of guilt, then reminded myself that I was traveling with two other people who also hadn’t remembered the devices. It was only 33% my fault. We decided that we would just stick close to the guide and make do. That plan lasted about a block before Gabby noticed that we didn’t have our whispers and gave us sets to use for the day.
Our first official activity for the day was a visit to the Accademia to see the David. First, though, I had a very important task to attend to.
A David
Social media humor out of the way, we divided into two smaller groups and entered the Accademia via the entrance for those with reservations. Although it was still quite early, it was already stiflingly hot; not for the first time, I was thankful that someone else was there to point me to the correct entrances at crowded sights.
Inside the Accademia, we made the obligatory pit stop. Then, our guide told us a bit about Michelangelo and the David before sending us off for free time in the museum. Although the David is certainly the showstopper here, there were plenty of other sculptures and paintings to explore. So, after I took a photo of the backside of the David (no one else in my family was even curious enough to peek at the David’s behind!) we had a wander around the galleries.
The David
After visiting the David, we started our whirlwind walking tour of Florence. Due to the heat and the speed of the tour, I retained very little of what we saw. I do know that we saw the Duomo from the outside, visited the Ponte Vecchio, and had some gelato. The tour finished around lunchtime. At that point, there was the option to learn about Florentine leather or the option to begin the on your own time in Florence. Anyone who knows me knows that at lunchtime I eat lunch. So, the leather presentation was summarily rejected in favor of eating at a restaurant that our local guide recommended.
After a tasty meal (I had a stuffed eggplant) and some aperol spritzes that were probably ill advised given the heat, we set out on foot to check off some must dos for P and D. First, we visited the local football fan shop to buy a Firenze soccer jersey for P.
Then, we headed across the Arno River to purchase wine from a wine window. There are nearly 200 buildings in Florence with wine windows: small openings that were used to sell wine without opening the shop. They were apparently quite useful during times of plague. Nowadays, there are still a few businesses that use the wine windows for their original purpose. We learned about the wine windows on social media and D was intrigued. If you enjoy chugging a glass of wine on the sidewalk while getting the stink eye from the restaurant’s security guard, then visiting a wine window is a must do for your Florence trip.
wine window
After D downed his wine, we hoofed it back across the river with the idea of stopping for an afternoon snack and rest. We decided to stop at Caffe Gilli, the oldest café in Florence. It’s quite popular with tourists, so we had a bit of a wait to be seated. While we were waiting, I decided to peek inside the café. It was a short walk, but I nonetheless managed to fall and bruise my arm. I saved face by acting like I had tripped on something; the truth is that I had just collapsed, likely due to the heat. Fortunately, by the time I limped back to my family, there was a table ready for us. We ate our fairly lackluster snack and then decided to head back to the meeting point to catch the early coach back to our hotel.
Back at the meeting point, P had the brilliant idea of visiting the leather shop where ABD had done the leather talk. Our goal was not to find the perfect purse, but rather to soak up some free air conditioning. (The shop also has restrooms if you need them). As soon as we entered the shop, one of the clerks noticed P’s Florence jersey and struck up a conversation. We spent a good twenty minutes chatting with him – just what we needed to recuperate from the heat.
Soon enough, it was time to meet Gabby and Massi for the early bus back to our hotel. We had the choice of returning at either 4 or 8 pm. Because of the heat, though, everyone on the tour elected the early option. We made a final stop at a viewpoint for a last look at the city, and then made the drive back to Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda.
At the hotel, we had another dip in the pool and relaxed in our room for a bit. Then, we walked into town for dinner at a local pizzeria. The town of Tavarnelle Val Di Pesa looks much like any suburb anywhere, with rows of tract houses and small pockets of parks. The town almost seems out of place given the splendor of the Tuscan setting. We had a cheap and tasty meal at one of the local pizzerias (sadly, I have not retained the name). By the time we were done eating, it had cooled off a bit, which made for a more pleasant walk back to the hotel. Then, it was sadly time to pack because we would be leaving Tuscany the next day.
The fourth day of our ABD tour was probably my favorite of the trip. I woke up to a beautiful Tuscan morning – clear sunny skies, rolling green hills, and peaceful quiet. Because we had a later start, I decided to begin my day by visiting the hotel gym.
Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda’s gym is a small, windowless room in the basement that contains a few pieces of ancient cardio equipment. I was the only person there. I stepped onto the elliptical and started to pedal; nothing happened. After an unsuccessful attempt to revive the dead machine, I switched to the treadmill. I stepped up on the machine, started the treadmill, and … nothing. Then, as I was standing on the treadmill fruitlessly adjusting the speed and incline, the belt suddenly lurched to life. I pitched forward but thankfully managed to catch myself. (If I hadn’t, I imagine it would have been weeks – if not months — before anyone discovered my mangled body).
After the excitement of my workout, I went back upstairs to get ready for the day and wake up my family. While D and P were getting dressed, I got a jump start on breakfast. The highlight of the breakfast buffet at Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda is the pistachio croissants, which receive a coveted 10/10, must eat rating. I would have been happy with just the croissants, but I did round out my meal with fruit, yogurt, and coffee. In case you were wondering, D and P did eventually join me. Neither of them tried the croissants.
From breakfast, we headed directly to the lobby to meet our group for the day’s activities. We boarded the coach to find it adorned with streamers, banners, and balloons. One of our fellow travelers was celebrating her 50th birthday and Gabby and Massi had gone all out with decorations. It made for a festive atmosphere on the bus as we made the short trip to Fattoria Poggio Alloro, a family farm in the rolling hills near the town of San Gimignano.
Views from the farm
At the farm, we were greeted by Sarah, one of the farm’s proprietors. Then we were given aprons and Sarah showed us how she makes homemade pasta, effortlessly turning out everything from long, skinny fettucine to cute little bowtie farfalle. After the demonstration, it was our turn to make our own pasta dough. Each of us received the flour, water, and eggs needed to make Sarah’s recipe. As we laboriously turned out hunk after hunk of overworked, dry noodle, we began to worry that we would actually have to eat the fruits of our labor. Fortunately, it turned out that our pasta was for display purposes only. (And it does look almost edible in the photos that Gabby took).
This man does not know how to make pasta.
After pasta making, we had a short tour of the farm, led by Sarah and her dog, Cappuccino. We learned a bit about wine making, met some heifers, and saw the various crops the farm produces. Then, it was time for wine tasting. (If you are counting, this was our 3rd wine tasting in 2 days). The wine tasting was held on a patio with glorious views of the countryside with the towers of San Gimignano in the distance. While the adults tasted wine, the guides took the junior adventurers for an olive oil flavoring activity. P was light on details about what the activity entailed, but he did present us with a small bottle of sage and basil flavored olive oil upon his return.
our furry tour guideSarah shares her winemaking knowledge
While P was laboring, D and I did the hard work of drinking several glasses of wine before lunch. Then it was time for lunch – and more wine. Our meal included a classic Tuscan bruschetta, which is just grilled bread with olive oil; two types of homemade pasta, fettucine with a red sauce and a saffron vegetable sauce; salad; and a choice of chocolate mousse or panna cotta.
hard at work tasting wineone of our pasta courses
After our meal, there was time to visit the farm’s gift shop before returning to the bus. I purchased a copy of Sarah’s cookbook and suggested that we ship some wine home. D refused, claiming that he “did not drink wine.” (As you may recall, this same man had just participated in 3 wine tastings over a 24-hour period). As I sit typing this without any Tuscan wine, I regret my decision to go along with D’s wine purchase veto.
Castello di Oliveto
We spent the afternoon relaxing at the hotel and visiting the hotel pool. Dinner that evening was at Castello di Oliveto, a 15th-century manor home. The castello sits at the top of a dirt road that our big coach could not navigate, so we were divided into two smaller vans. As we set out for our destination, we quickly noticed that the van’s air conditioning was blowing hot air. The twisting roads combined with the roasting temperatures were a recipe for motion sickness. Fortunately, however, once made aware of the situation, our driver was able to fix the air conditioning by administering a gentle beating to the van’s dashboard. After the temperature in the van improved, I was able to enjoy the rest of the ride to the castello.
the castello’s slightly spooky wine cellar
Castello di Oliveto was once a vacation home of the Dei Pucci family, nobility from nearby Florence. Today, it is an event venue. On this evening, our group had the castle and grounds to ourselves for a private tour and meal. We ate in a large banquet hall surrounded by portraits of the castello’s more illustrious visitors, they included popes and kings, but no tour group participants. The food was excellent. And there was more wine, of course. Our meal began with Pappa al Pomodoro, a Tuscan dish made of tomato sauce and old bread. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but it was delicious. The vegetarian entrée was a tagliatelle with a meatless ragu; again, it was delicious.
the men in our group all had amazing hair
After dessert, we were serenaded by a group of comedic folk singers. The highlight for me (and low point for P) was when D was selected to play the part of a guy in a long wig during one of the songs. I have no idea what the song was about, but D really sold the hair. Our evening at the castello ended with a sunset walk back to our coaches, which returned us to the hotel for another good night’s sleep.
When we left off, we had returned to the Gran Melia after a wonderful final night in Rome. The following morning, we were up and out of our room by 7:30 – the luggage pickup time. (Whenever there is a hotel transfer, ABD picks up luggage from the hallway outside your room and delivers it to the next room). After our final breakfast in Rome, we still had quite a while until the 8:30 meetup time. Fortunately, it was another sunny day in Rome, so we relaxed in the courtyard and chatted with some of the other folks in our tour group while we waited.
At 8:30, we piled into the coach for the short drive back to the Vatican to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. This was a change from original itinerary for our trip, which had the basilica visit scheduled right after our breakfast at the Vatican. I did not ask the guides the reason for the change, but I suspect that the goal was to avoid the long security lines to enter the basilica that develop by mid-morning. By the time we arrived, there was already a decent line to clear security and enter St. Peter’s. We were told that the line usually moves quickly. Unfortunately, there was only one security lane open that morning, so we had a 20-to-30-minute wait.
Once our whole group cleared security, we divided into two smaller groups for our tour of St. Peter’s Them we headed straight for . . . the bathroom. After our potty break, it was finally time to enter the basilica. Our visit began with a short, guided tour with Christina. We then had time to explore on our own.
St. Peter’s; it’s hard to convey the scale of this place in words or pictures
I have never found God in a church, and I did not find Him in St. Peter’s. However, standing in the immenseness of the basilica and looking up, I felt very, very small. In that way, it is the manmade place that – for me — has come closest to recreating the experience of being in nature. All that, and there are mummified popes.
mummified pope
After exploring for a bit, we reassembled with our group to visit Michelangelo’s famous Pieta sculpture. The Pieta is easy to identify because it is ringed with throngs of tourists. “Fortunately, you had time to see the sculpture up close before it got too crowded,” Christina told us, in an example of a situation where late and never were about equally useful. Even with the crowds, I was able to weasel my way close to the sculpture. Then, I looked into Mary’s face and fought back tears. There’s plenty written about why this particular Pieta is a masterpiece; all I can say is that if you see it, you will understand.
We then exited St. Peter’s for some photos in St. Peter’s Square and an opportunity to visit one of the Vatican gift shops. We always buy a Christmas ornament from each of our trips, and I can see the nativity scene that we purchased in the Vatican hanging on my tree as a type this. (As an FYI, there is a charge to use the restrooms in the Vatican gift shop, but those who make a purchase get a coupon for a free potty break. So, shop first, dear reader).
By the time we were done shopping, it was late morning, and I was starting to get hungry. But I decided to tough it out because I felt confident that there would be snacks on the bus. This meant that I spent my last minutes in the Vatican hangry; I channeled the hanger into angry looks at the many people puffing cigarette smoke into my face. My faith in our guides was rewarded when we climbed aboard the bus, though. As we left Rome, they passed a bucket of candy and a basket of other snacks. I had my final look at the Tiber as I munched on pistachio cookies and listened to Dean Martin sing Arrivederci Roma. I thought the music was cute touch; D thought it was a good incentive to dig out his noise cancelling headphones.
view from the walls of Orvieto
Our next destination was the Umbrian town of Orvieto, about 90 minutes outside Rome. Orvieto is a hill town, so called because it is on top of a hill. The bus parked at the base of the hill, and we took an elevator up into the town. Then, after some family photos in front of the duomo, we headed to a local restaurant for lunch and wine tasting. Now, as you probably don’t recall because it has been months since my last post, I was still struggling with dizziness from allergies. But the wine was included in our tour price, so I had to drink it. (They had non-alcoholic options, of course. But they also had wine. So, really, I had no choice).
This was a leisurely and enjoyable meal. We sampled different cheeses and vinegars, some appetizers, a main, dessert, and – of course – wine. After lunch, we had time to explore the town. As you might expect, our first order of business was to find some gelato. Although I am not sure how I managed to eat it, I thought my ricotta and marmalade cone was the best of the trip. After gelato, we spent some time in the duomo. The duomo was built in medieval times and updated over the intervening centuries. Its most important feature remains the flying cows on its façade.
inside the duomo
I’m making most of this up, other than the flying cows. The duomo clearly has some stories to tell. The scorch marks on the stone and the melted stained glass were of particular interest to us, but there wasn’t much in the way of interpretative material inside the building. So, we were left to wonder.
a flying cow
After visiting the duomo, we walked around town a bit more and poked into some of the shops. Unfortunately, before too long, it was time to head back to the bus to finish our journey to Tuscany. (I suspect that our morning visit to St. Peter’s had cut short our time in Orvieto. But I don’t know that there is a better solution to the puzzle of how to fit St. Peter’s in the schedule).
After another two-hour bus journey, we pulled up to Hotel Borgo Di Cortefreda in the Tuscan town of Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. We were welcomed to the hotel with an outdoor reception. As we mostly didn’t eat prosecco, fruit, and caprese salad (everyone was pretty set on food by this point), our guides passed out our room keys and the hotel cat made the rounds. One of our fellow guests later told us that the same cat had presented them with a mouse later in the day, so the human staff weren’t the only ones providing a warm welcome.
welcome reception
Once we had our keys, we headed to our room. It was straight out of central casting for a Tuscan hotel room, from the views of rolling hills to the colorful vespas parked below our window. P was excited to find that he had his own private loft and immediately made himself at home by decoratively scattering his socks around. Before too long, our luggage arrived, and we changed into our swimming gear for a visit to the pool. Like our room, the pool was ideally situated with views of the Tuscan countryside on 3 sides. (The pool is quite small given the size of the hotel, though, so actually swimming is something of an issue).
view from our room
Soon, it was time to get cleaned up for dinner. This evening’s meal was one I had been looking forward to: a soda tasting and kids’ dinner for P and an adult dinner and wine tasting for D and me. ABD does an adult meal with separate activities for the kids on most of its trips and it had been a highlight of the Scotland trip for me. The dinner in Italy did not quite live up to the high standards set by the Scotland trip. Food-wise, it was my least favorite meal of the trip. (We had pasta and a rather bland stuffed artichoke; the main dish for meat eaters was platters of meat with a side of more meat). After dinner, D and I took a short walk around the hotel grounds, then headed downstairs to pick P up. P reported that the “lawn games” listed on the itinerary did not happen. However, he did have a soda tasting, dinner, and a movie night. Although the lobby bar was still open, we elected to head to our room to relax. I don’t know if it was the heat or the 3rd wine-tasting of the day, but I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
After another good night’s sleep (the Gran Melia’s beds are super comfy), we were up at 5 am for what I was expecting to be a trip highlight: a private tour of the Vatican Museums. Unfortunately, I woke up to an earache. I took a minute to feel sorry for myself. Then I took some aspirin and got ready for the day.
This was the first of 3 days where we needed to have covered knees and shoulders. D and I had purchased linen pants especially for the trip. (These were a great purchase; my pants were full length, but the linen material made them much cooler than the capri pants I had used for church and temple visits on prior trips). P wore hiking pants.
When I read the itinerary for this trip, I was a little worried about touring before breakfast. I get hangry when my mealtimes are off. It turns out that I needn’t have worried. The “breakfast at the Vatican” mentioned in the trip itinerary is actually second breakfast at the Vatican. Our first breakfast of the day was available from 5 am in the hotel’s lobby bar. We arrived in the bar around 5:30 to find a subdued group of fellow travelers enjoying the spread of pastries, fruit, yogurt, meats, and cheeses. I fueled up with some fruit, a croissant, and some much-needed coffee.
The Vatican is literally across the street from the Gran Melia, so I thought that we might walk to the museums. Instead, at 6 am, Gabby and Massi led us into a garage where our bus was parked. We then made a short drive to the far side of Vatican City where the museums are located. The longest part of the drive was the series of turns we had to make to get ourselves pointed in the correct direction after leaving our hotel.
(Above: Vatican gates)
When we arrived at the Vatican Museums, we assembled outside the museum gates where we were assigned to either the Pinocchio or Geppetto group and met our local guides. (At many of the attractions we visited, we were split into two smaller groups due to group size restrictions. I think this may be a relic of Covid, but it was a positive one. The smaller group sizes made it easier to maneuver in crowded locations). We were then briefed on how to clear security and made our way into the building. There was an opportunity to use the restrooms before we joined our guide, Christina, who led us into the museums.
The entrance to the Vatican Museums is via a spiral ramp that takes you up several stories. There are also elevators for those with mobility issues (and Christina, who – despite her high energy – doesn’t care for walking up hills). At the top of the ramp, we entered the museum. As we toured, the keeper of the keys walked in front of us, opening the rooms to the museum. Now, I knew from my pre-trip research that the Vatican Museums are typically very crowded, so I had some appreciation for how special it was to see the rooms completely empty. For that reason, I took just as many pictures of the empty rooms as I did of the art.
(Above: scenes from an empty museum)
The Vatican Museums are a maze of rooms filled with centuries worth of amazing art, from Greek statutes and Roman mosaic to Renaissance masterpieces like Raphael’s the School of Athens and, of course, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling. You could probably spend days here. We had about an hour to explore, with Christina pointing out highlights for us. Then, at the end of the tour, the Pinocchio and Geppetto groups both assembled in the Sistine Chapel where we had a full 30-minutes to admire the ceiling. With just 40 people in the room, there was plenty of space to wander or to sit quietly and contemplate the art. This was one of those indescribable experiences where words fail. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos, so my inadequate description is all I have to share.
(Above: P admires Laocoon)
(Above: School of Athens)
As we left the Sistine Chapel, the museums opened to the public. Rooms that we had moved freely in filled with a sea of people packed in so tightly that it was difficult to see the floors. D, who until that moment had been complaining that he would have liked more time in the museums, quickly changed his view. An hour in an empty museum was just right, he now agreed.
We headed to a courtyard restaurant that – for some reason — serves “American” breakfast. There, we had eggs, pancakes with imitation maple syrup, breakfast pastries, juice, and coffee. There was also plenty of meat for those who ate it. The quality of the food was on par with that of an American fast-food restaurant, but the convenience and opportunity to continue to experience the Vatican’s ambiance made it a special meal.
(Above: American breakfast)
After breakfast, we braved the crowds inside the Vatican museums to use the restrooms. (This is worth doing just to appreciate how special the private tour was). Then, we walked back to the bus. Next on our packed itinerary was a walking tour of the historic heart of Rome. Our driver (Massi, but not that Massi) took us back across the river and dropped us off in a neighborhood at the top of the Spanish steps. Of course, I did not realize this right away. It was only when D elbowed me knowingly as we were walking down a rather large set of stairs that I realized we were on those stairs.
Entering the most touristy part of Rome by descending the Spanish steps is a great way to do it. You get a panoramic view of the area from the top of the steps and then slowly descend into the tourist crowds. From the Spanish steps, we walked to a fountain where we were able to fill our water bottles with the same water that fills the Trevi fountain. (The water in the Trevi fountain is recycled, though, so you definitely don’t want to fill your bottle there).
(Above: Trevi Fountain)
Then, we made our way to the Trevi Fountain itself. Gabby had coins ready for us so that we could perform the coin-throwing ritual that would ensure our return to Rome. I’m not a particularly superstitious person, but I certainly hope that this particular ritual works. After coin throwing and family photos, we had some time to spend at the fountain. We found a shady spot to sit where we could both admire the fountain and recover from the heat.
Our next stop was the Pantheon. This was another location where covered knees and shoulders are required. It was also the first place where we encountered aggressive vendors. I suppose that I should admire the zeal with which they tried to sell shoulder coverings to people who were very clearly wearing sleeved shirts. While we were declining to purchase various wraps and shawls, Massi and Gabby were showing our tickets to security. When we were finally cleared to enter, a family who had moments earlier been told they were in the wrong line seized the opportunity to gain free priority admission to the Pantheon by mingling with our group. So, budget traveler tip, I guess?
The Pantheon is one of the best preserved ancient Roman buildings. Like the Colosseum, it was spared from destruction because it was turned into a church. But, unlike the Colosseum, the Pantheon was converted to its current use before its marble was stripped away. The most noteworthy feature of the Pantheon is its doomed roof. It was the inspiration for two other domes we would see later in the trip: St. Peter’s in the Vatican and the Duomo in Florence.
After our time in the Pantheon, we made a brief stop in Piazza Navona to view the fountain of the four rivers. There, I impressed our guide by correctly guessing that the animal chosen to represent the Americas was supposed to be an armadillo. When our guide asked how I knew, I pointed to the animal’s scales. The real answer, of course, is that I spent many years watching Wild Kratts with P. If an animal was featured on that show, you bet I know it.There were no screen time limits in our house, folks. And look how it paid off.
(Above: An armadillo, obviously)
Our final activity for the day was lunch at a Neapolitan pizza place. Soft drinks, salad, and pizza were included in our tour price. Wine and beer were also available for purchase. The first pizza to come out was a traditional margherita. I found it to be bland and soggy. (I’m not sure if this is because I don’t like Neapolitan pizza, or if this just wasn’t a great representation of Neapolitan pizza). After the margherita, we received a 4 cheese that we enjoyed a bit more. It was still soggy, but the cheese blend was flavorful.
By this point, we had eaten 3 salads and 2 full pizzas between us. We were full. We declined the diavolo pizza explaining that we did not eat meat. Then, we started to gather our things to leave. As we were standing, our waitress returned with a vegetable pizza. We politely declined, explaining that we were full. The waitress left with the pizza. Then, she returned with the pizza and another woman, who I assume was her manager. The new woman told us that we had to take the pizza because we had ordered it.
“We didn’t order another pizza,” I responded, puzzled.
The two women left with the pizza. A few seconds later they were back with the pizza still in hand. This time, they offered to pack it to go. It was a nice thought, and I am pretty sure we offended everyone at the restaurant when we declined the to go option.
After lunch, everyone was given the option to either return to the Gran Melia on the bus or stay in the historic center to explore. We followed the majority back to the bus. A short and delightfully air-conditioned ride deposited us back at the hotel. Once there, P and D made a beeline for the pool. I stayed in our room because the time had come to deal with my earache.
I was not looking forward to a doctor’s visit in a foreign country (or figuring out the process for obtaining an insurance reimbursement for that visit). Fortunately, my health insurance offers 24/7 telemed visits. I decided to videochat with a provider in the US to figure out if my ear could be treated without an in-person doctor’s visit. This turned out to be a great decision. The doctor I spoke with felt strongly that my ear problems were allergy related and recommended that I try OTC allergy pills. I hung up the call feeling quite grateful that a telemed visit had been an option. Then, I researched the Italian name for the medication I had been told to find and took a walk to the nearest pharmacy.
Unlike American pharmacies, Italian pharmacies keep most of their OTC medicines behind the counter. That meant that I had no choice but to speak with the pharmacist. She immediately realized that I was a foreigner and was able to help me in flawless English. The pharmacy had exactly what I was looking for. And, again unlike American pharmacies, the medicine was priced at an affordable 4 euros.
I went back to the hotel, took my pill and rested for a bit. Then I repacked our suitcases in anticipation of our transfer to Tuscany the following day. After my rest, I found P and D at the pool. We stayed there until it was time to get cleaned up for dinner.
A few weeks before our trip, I learned about a restaurant called Mater Terrae on the Tripadvisor forums. It is a vegetarian restaurant that earned a Michelin Green Star. As the Michelin website explains, “the Green Star highlights restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices.” Although the restaurant is pricey, we could not resist the opportunity to eat a Michelin-awarded vegetarian meal. We decided to call it an early anniversary dinner (our anniversary is at the end of July) and I made a reservation.
(above: view of Rome at sunset)
Mater Terrae is set on the rooftop of a hotel. In good weather, they offer dining on the terrace, which looks out over the rooftops of Rome. The weather was absolutely perfect for outdoor dining and – because it was an anniversary dinner – we were seated at a corner table overlooking the Vatican.
(above: our avian dining companion)
Our meal was special in every way. Special occasion, beautiful views, wonderful food and wine, and our special dining companion, a random seagull. We started with fried artichokes for D and I and a cheese-stuffed focaccia for P. Then D and I each had a pasta course and a main. D went with eggplant, and I decided to order an asparagus dish because it was something unique. Finally, we each ordered dessert: tiramisu for P, zabaglione for D and a crepe and ice cream dish for me. By the time we finished our meal, the sun had fully set, and we were looking out over the twinkling lights of Rome.
After our meal, we walked back to the hotel through the cobblestone alleys of Rome. It was after 10 pm, but cafes were still packed with dinners and many shops were still open. As we crossed the river, we heard jazz music and we peaked over the bridge to see a riverside jazz club packed with people. Although the city was still awake, we were ready for bed.
After two days of exploring Rome on our own, it was time for the start of our tour. Our morning began with another 8 am wakeup and buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then, we stopped at the hotel bar to meet our Adventure guides, Massi and Gabby. We knew where and when to find them because a welcome letter was delivered to our room the night before our tour started.
We introduced ourselves and Massi and Gabby offered some suggestions for how to spend the morning. (Our first activity was a 3 pm visit to the Colosseum. Theoretically, this timing allows guests to arrive the day that the tour starts, something I definitely do not recommend). I made a mental note of some of the possibilities but knew that sightseeing would need to wait until after we had accomplished our primary objective for the day: P wanted to buy himself a football (soccer) jersey. Massi, who is a football fan, was very excited to hear this. His top suggestion was to wait until we got to Florence where P could purchase “the most beautiful purple jersey.” I bet you can guess which team Massi roots for. P did not need a hard sell; he quickly decided to buy jerseys in both Rome and Florence. Massi marked the official fan shops for both of Rome’s football teams on a map for us and we headed out for some shopping.
In front of the hotel, I opened my trusty Taxi Now app and requested a ride. After a short wait, the app informed me that there were no drivers available – again. A long walk in the heat sounded like torture to us. I opened Uber instead. In Italy, Uber has an option to call a taxi. We used it and — after a short wait – we had an assigned driver! We were soon on our way across the river and into the most touristy part of Rome. On our way to the fan shop, we passed ruins, churches, obelisks … and more ruins, more churches, more obelisks. I tried to figure out what we were looking at so that we could return to see some of it on foot, but the city was so densely packed with historic things that I was never quite sure if I had correctly identified them. Before too long, our driver dropped us around the corner from the fan shop, pointed us in the right direction, and bid us “Ciao.”
Rome has two football teams: Lazio and Roma. In consultation with Massi, P had decided that he preferred a Lazio jersey. But the Lazio shop only had adorable baby jerseys and XL men’s jerseys. P is nearly as tall as I am, but he is a long way from a men’s XL. We convinced P that spending a large sum on a shirt that he might never grow into was a bad idea. Fortunately for him, the Roma shop was a ten-minute walk away. We stretched the walk out a bit by stopping frequently to admire old buildings and monuments. I had some success identifying sights by Googling their key features. That our destination on this journey was a fan shop kept P from complaining about walking in the heat. He did, however, question whether it was necessary to cross the street so frequently. (Only if you want good photos of all the columns with little Roman military dudes on them).
(Photo: Column of Marcus Aurelius, if my Googling was accurate).
P had better luck shopping in the Roma fan shop. It was enormous with every size and style of jersey imaginable. P found a jersey that he liked and, even after we explained the unfavorable exchange rate, he was willing to spend his savings on it. Then, we continued our walk. Without the carrot of a souvenir, P soon announced that he was tired, hot, AND hungry.
We had been headed in the direction of the Victor Emmanuel II Monument, a sight that Massi and Gabby recommended for its views of the city. I quickly confirmed that the monument had a café and restrooms and then proposed it as a lunch destination. To my delight, P and D signed off on this plan.
(Photo: The Victor Emmanuel II Monument)
The Victor Emmanuel II Monument – also known as the Alter of the Fatherland, the Vittoriano, and the Wedding Cake building – is an enormous white neoclassical building in the middle of the historic part of Rome. If Rick Steves is to be believed, many people find it unsightly. I am not those many people. Standing at the base of the building with an endless white staircase in front of me and multiple winged victories above me filled me with awe. I assume that’s what the architect intended. Or maybe he just wanted to sell slushies to hot tourists. Either way, his vision was fulfilled. Because after climbing all those stairs in the hot sun, we were ready for some slushies.
(Photo: winged lion statute in front of the monument)
We enjoyed our slushies and a mediocre pizza in the monument’s terrace café. The views are ridiculous. Everywhere you look is some important monument: the Colosseum, the Arch of Constantine, the forum. So many interesting things are crammed together that it is surreal. I had to remind myself several times that I was looking out over the actual city of Rome and not some theme park recreation of it.
(Photo Gallery: View from the terrace of the Victor Emmanuel II Monument)
After lunch, we called an Uber and headed back to the hotel to rest. P vetoed the pool in favor of reading in our air-conditioned hotel room. So, when we arrived back at the Gran Melia, we made a beeline for the room. Unfortunately, upon arrival, we discovered the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door of our room.
“Why did you put out a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign?” I asked D.
“That’s the ‘Please Make Up Room’ sign,” D said hopefully.
“It says ‘Do Not Disturb.’ In English,” I responded, pointing at the words for emphasis. “The other side is Please Make Up Room.”
“What kind of hotel puts ‘Please Make Up’ room and ‘Do Not Disturb’ on one sign!?”
“All of them.”
And that is how we wound up taking an afternoon swim, after all. Before we left, D called the front desk to apologize for his sign mistake. When we returned to the room to change back into our regular clothing, the room was spotless.
My biggest concern about taking a group tour was that we might be forced to spend a lot of time waiting for stragglers. Not wanting to bring my own fear to life, we arrived at the lobby bar 10 minutes before our meeting time for the Colosseum tour. I needn’t have worried. For this tour, at least, everyone was chronically early. When our official meeting time arrived, we were on our way to the bus with whisper headsets in our ears. (ABD uses small headsets to allow you to better hear the guide in crowded locations. On this trip, we each received a set on the first day with instructions to return it at the end of the trip or face a hefty fine).
In addition to our two Adventure Guides, we had one or more local guides in each city who provided the narration about what we were seeing. One of our local guides joined us on the bus and told us a bit about the city as we travelled to the Colosseum. Once at the Colosseum, we parked in an area designated for tour buses and walked a short distance to the arena. It was packed with tourists, but we were able to use an entrance that required only a minimal wait in a security line.
Once inside, there was a quick bathroom break. Pro tip: If you leave your earbud in while using the restroom, you can learn about the bathroom habits of the ancient Romans while using the bathroom. When I came out of the ladies’ room, P was still giggling about poo sticks.
(Photo: me, P, and D in the Colosseum. One great thing about ABD is that the guides take a bunch of family photos for you).
Once everyone was reassembled, we walked out into the arena itself. The feeling that you have while standing in the Colosseum and looking up at the stands is indescribable. I think that even someone who knows nothing about the structure would understand that it is a place that has seen epic things. You need only squint to imagine the stands full of toga-clad spectators. As you have probably guessed, being on the stage was the highlight of the Colosseum for me. But going into the stands to see the stage from the audience’s perspective rounded out the experience.
(Photo: The Colosseum from the stands with portions of the underground visible).
After our tour, we returned to the Gran Melia for the welcome dinner. The dinner was held in the same restaurant where we had our breakfasts. It featured an open bar with beer, wine, and soda; some munchies placed on each table; and a buffet of salads, pastas, and meats. At the end of the meal, there was a long delay and then the dinner buffet was switched out for a selection of desserts. We were glad that we asked Gabby before turning in for the night; P would have been heartbroken if we had caused him to miss tiramisu. My only complaint about the evening was that the table set up discouraged mingling. Both appetizers and the main meal were in the same room at assigned tables. I would have appreciated a stand-up aperitivo time so that I could have met more guests early in the trip and – maybe – learned more names.
After the welcome dinner, we headed straight for bed. We were in for a 5 am wakeup the next morning and didn’t want to lose a wink of sleep.
When I was planning our trip, I posted in a Facebook travel group seeking recommendations for “uncrowded, low-key things to do in Rome” before our Adventures by Disney tour started. Most of the responses that I got were variations on “book an all-day tour to Pompei/the Amalfi Coast/the Cinque Terre, etc.” We took none of those suggestions. So, with apologies to that Facebook group and others who enjoy fast travel, I present our second pre-day in Rome.
I woke up with a start at 8 am to the sight of my son looming over me. He was ready for breakfast. We poked D awake and got dressed. Then, we headed down to the Gran Melia’s breakfast, which was included in our room rate. The Gran Melia’s breakfast is served buffet style. The buffet has a small selection of American/British style hot items – runny eggs, baked beans, sausage, mushrooms – that does not change from day to day. There is a larger selection of cold items, including an entire conference table full of baked goods that do change. The food was fine. I would not pay the 30 euros per person the hotel charges for it, but I wouldn’t skip breakfast if it were included in my rate.
After breakfast, we headed back to the room. Our plan for the morning was to rest, and P wanted to start by resting indoors. While he and D read, I visited the hotel gym. Though small, the gym has a good selection of free weights and new cardio equipment with pre-programmed workouts. I did a surprisingly challenging 30-minute program on the elliptical followed by some strength exercises. Then I grabbed a chilled towel and headed back to the room quite pleased with myself.
We spent the rest of the morning reading. As lunchtime approached, we decided it was time to venture out. I used Google Maps to locate a nearby sandwich shop. With that as our ultimate destination, we set out on a leisurely walk. This time, we were headed to the main tourist area of Rome.
(photo: Basilica San Giovanni Battista)
We walked downhill from our hotel, crossed the river, and took our first look at the historic center of the city. The Basilica San Giovanni Battista caught D’s eye and he decided to go in. As churches go, this one isn’t particularly special. But they do claim to have Mary Magdalene’s foot on display. We took a few pictures and continued our walk. Because we kept our distance from major attractions, crowds were thinner than they otherwise might have been. That is to say, there were plenty of people, but not so many that we could not move freely.
(photo: a statute in Basilica San Giovanni Battista)
When we got hungry, we doubled back to our destination: La Salumeria. La Salumeria is a sandwich shop that specializes in pork. It may seem like an odd choice for a vegetarian lunch, but keep in mind that almost every restaurant in Rome specializes in pork. Being a pig in the Eternal City is dangerous. (The name La Salumeria means deli in Italian, so you might reasonably wonder if I have the name of the restaurant correct. I assure you that La Salumeria – capital L, capital S – is correct).
I chose La Salumeria for two reasons: it was close to our hotel and it had a selection of vegetarian sandwiches beyond the Caprese available almost everywhere. After reviewing the list of a dozen vegetarian sandwiches, D selected . . . the Caprese. I went with a cheese, pear, and greens sandwich. P had a cheeseboard. As it was now after 12 pm, D also ordered a carafe of the house white wine. (This began a trend that was almost certainly ill-advised given the heat). I am sure that randomly selecting a restaurant using Google Maps has its risks, but we were very pleased with this gamble. Our meal was tasty and inexpensive.
After lunch, we decided it was time for the first gelato of the trip. I once again called upon Google Maps, which informed me that Gelateria Frigidarium wasn’t too far away. We found the shop and each ordered a small cone. A small at most gelaterias in Italy includes two flavors. Frigidarium also adds your choice of chocolate sauce or whipped cream. I had a very boozy Zabaglione and some pistachio topped with cream. As we were standing in the road eating, a British family stopped to chat with us. They had noticed P’s soccer jersey, which had the name of the local club team that P plays on. It turned out that the British family knew the man who had founded the kid’s soccer league in our town. We chatted long enough to establish that we did not have a friend in common, wished the family well, and finished up our treat.
By that time, P was ready for the pool. We made the sweaty 10-minute walk back to the hotel to find our room had not been made up. We surmised that it was because we had not put out the “please makeup room” sign and called down to the front desk to report our mistake. It was a mistake that we did not learn from on this trip, no matter how often we repeated it. Perhaps someone reading this will learn from it instead. In Italy, put out the “please makeup room” sign if you wish to have housekeeping service.
Down at the pool, there were a number of open chairs in the shade – just what we were looking for. We were promptly informed that those chairs were reserved and directed to sit in the blazing sun. (The pool situation at the Gran Melia is strange. Each day, there were a block of chairs reserved. No matter how long we stayed at the pool, we never saw anyone sit in the reserved chairs. Nonetheless, the pool attendants would sooner turn guests away than allow them to sit in those special reserved chairs).
The early afternoon was spent swimming and working on our sunburns. At around 3, we headed back to the now spotless room to get cleaned up for our evening plans. When we were ready, I again used the Taxi Now app to call for a ride. This evening, however, we did not have luck with the app. After several minutes of effort, the app informed us that no drivers were available. Fortunately, we had allowed for this possibility. We had time to make our way to Trastevere on foot.
(Photo: Alina outside our first restaurant)
Although it was nearly 90 degrees, the walk was bearable because it was mostly shaded. We arrived in Piazza Trilussa with a solid 10 minutes to spare before the start of our evening with The Roman Food Tour. D and P took advantage of the extra time to souvenir shop while I waited at the designated meeting place. Within minutes, our guide, Alina, found me and we chatted until D and P returned and the rest of the tour group assembled. In a continuation of the “small world” theme from earlier in the day, most of the other families on the tour were from New England. One family even ran a dental practice less than 2 miles from our house. The group was a lot of fun and my usual social awkwardness quickly evaporated as the tour began.
(photo: a vegetarian appetizer spread at Essenza)
The Roman Food Tour runs a variety of walking food tours in different neighborhoods in Rome. We chose Trastevere at Twilight, a 4-hour tour that progresses from appetizers to desserts over the course of the evening. Alina, who was born in Romania, but is a long-time resident of Rome, was a friendly and knowledgeable guide. She did a wonderful job of making sure that everyone was well-taken care of, including ensuring vegetarian options for us (and several others) and non-alcoholic beverages for P.
(photo: a door in Trastevere)
The restaurant choices for the evening differed somewhat from the ones listed on the tour company website and I did not keep good notes. (Given the amount of wine we were served on this tour, taking any kind of notes at all would have been a challenge). However, I do know that we started at the wine bar Essenza where we sampled some cheeses and bruschetta. Vegetarians received pumpkin and ricotta spreads in place of the hams usually offered. We then moved on to our second happy hour where we enjoyed fried zucchini blossom; fried sage, a surprise hit that tasted like a savory donut; and eggplant. Then we visited Peppo al Cosimato for our main course, our choice of pasta and a selection of pizzas. The pasta and pizza here were some of the best of the trip. Finally, we wrapped up with our second gelato of the day.
(photo: mosaic detail on a church in Trastevere)
This was a fantastic tour. The food was delicious, and the neighborhood was fun to walk around. We ended the evening happy and overfull. Then we made the 20-minute walk back to the Gran Melia for some much-needed sleep before the start of our Adventures by Disney tour the next day.
Travel Monkeys 