Travel Monkeys

Trip Report: Italy with Adventures by Disney ABD Day 6

July 9, 2023 (Author: J)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

Trip Report: Italy with Adventures by Disney ABD Day 5

July 8, 2023 (Author: J)

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.

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.

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.

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.

Italy with Adventures by Disney: Trip Report ABD Day 4

July 7, 2023 (Author: J)

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.

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 3^rd 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.

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.

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.

We spent the afternoon relaxing at the hotel and visiting the hotel pool. Dinner that evening was at Castello di Oliveto, a 15^th-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.

Italy with Adventures by Disney: Trip Report ABD Day 3

July 6, 2023 (Author: J)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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 3^rd wine-tasting of the day, but I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Italy with Adventures by Disney: ABD Day 2 Trip Report

July 5, 2023 (Author: J)

Trip Report: ABD Day 2

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.

Italy with Adventures by Disney: Trip Report for ABD Day 1

July 4, 2023 (Author: J)

Trip Report: ABD Day 1

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.

Italy with Adventures by Disney: Trip Report for Pre-Day 2

July 3, 2023 (Author: J)

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.

Italy with Adventures by Disney Trip Report: Travel Day and Pre-Day 1

July 1 & 2, 2023 (Author: J)

Our Adventures by Disney tour started on July 4. We chose to fly to Rome on July 1. That gave us two days in Rome before the tour started. If everything went well with our flight, then we would have those two days to recover from jetlag. And if something went wrong, odds were we would still arrive in Rome before the tour started.

We chose to fly Delta for two reasons. First, Delta’s customer service is wonderful. Second, and more importantly, we had some credits on Delta that were set to expire. Happily, Delta had a direct flight from Boston to Rome. Unhappily, it cost $1400 per ticket – for economy – expensive enough that we considered postponing our trip. Our decision to shell out for our tickets was vindicated when Disney raised the price of the Italy tour by $1000 per person for 2024, ensuring that we came out ahead on the price for the trip – even with the ridiculous airfare.

Our flight left Boston Logan at 4:30 pm. Because it was a holiday weekend and I did not know if there would be traffic, I arranged for an Uber to pick us up at 12:15. This was my second time using Uber Reserve, which allows you to request a ride up to 30 days in advance. A driver who accepts the ride is paid a premium, which both makes it more likely that someone will accept the ride and also compensates the driver for their wait time. I was nervous that we might not find any takers for our pickup because we live in the burbs (the near burbs, but the burbs nonetheless). When a driver accepted our ride around 8 am on the 1^st, my worries dissipated.

There was no airport traffic, which meant that we arrived at the airport before 1 pm. Despite the empty roads, our driver spent the entire trip complaining that we had chosen to book a flight that left in the afternoon when traffic was “guaranteed to be terrible.” To stress his point, he spent every redlight gradually lurching through the intersection – I assume to make up for the imaginary traffic to which we had subjected him. I spent my time en route trying to figure out if the driver would know if I gave him a less than 5-star review. But I ultimately chickened out and gave him both 5 stars and a generous tip. He repaid me by giving me my first less than 5-star review on Uber. Despite all of this, Uber will be our new go-to for getting to the airport because the reserve feature has worked well for us on our last two trips.

When we arrived at Logan, our terminal was empty. We made it through security in 5 minutes and headed to one of the restaurants for some overpriced veggie burgers. (On our last vacation, our airport meal was the most expensive of the trip. On this trip, it came in at number two – but only because we treated ourselves to a fancy meal in Rome to celebrate our anniversary). We ate as slowly as possible, but we still wound up with more than 2 hours to kill in the airport. P and I powerwalked two laps around the entire terminal and looked at all of the stuffed lobsters in all of the gift shops. While we browsed, we noticed the terminal was beginning to fill up. If we had left a bit later, we would have stood in quite a long security line, it seemed. This somewhat vindicated my overly cautious airport arrival time.

Shortly before boarding, the gate crew checked everyone’s passports. Then we boarded our flight and found our seats. “This is not a very nice plane,” P remarked. He was not wrong. If Delta was trying to design an economy class that was uncomfortable for everyone, they succeeded. No leg room for tall people. Narrow seats to confine larger people. Headrests that hit short people right in the back of the head. And no seat padding so that everyone gets a good jab in the back throughout the flight. On the plus side, Delta’s customer service was as friendly as ever, our meals were tasty, the wine was free, and the entertainment system was loaded with enough content to get us to Rome and back several times over. D and I toasted to our trip and then I relaxed by watching Silence of the Lambs while my ten-year-old sat next to me. I am pretty sure he kept his eyes on his own screen. Maybe.

The timing of the flight, coupled with the uncomfortable seats, made sleeping difficult. None of us got more than a 30-minute nap in. We arrived in Rome on July 2 exhausted and, if I am being honest, more than a little bit stinky. We dragged ourselves to immigration, which took about an hour to clear. In defense of the Italian immigration folks, our plane arrived about an hour early, at a time when only one person was on duty. Additional windows began to open about 30 minutes into our wait. So, I assume that if we had arrived on time, we would not have waited so long for our arrival stamp.

Once we cleared immigration, we proceeded past customs and baggage claim to the arrivals area of the airport. An ABD representative was waiting for us. Even though I did not introduce myself, she knew exactly who we were and introduced us to our driver. Within minutes, we were on the road.

(Photo: The Gran Melia)

From the airport, it is about a 40-minute drive to the Gran Melia. We passed through the suburbs of Rome, which reminded P and I of the outskirts of cities we have visited in Central and South America. Before we knew it, our driver was leaving us at the Gran Melia. The staff there took our bags and checked us in. As expected, our room was not ready. Seeing how exhausted we were, the front desk staff suggested that we visit the hotel restaurant for a complimentary welcome coffee. Unfortunately, the coffee did not have the desired effect of perking us up; I nodded off several times while drinking it. So, we returned to the front desk to ask where we could freshen up.

Although the Gran Melia has a gym and pool, it does not have locker rooms. That meant that we could not shower. Because I was exhausted and fixated on the idea of a shower, it took me several walks back and forth between the front desk and the bathrooms to realize that the accessible restroom would work as a locker room in a pinch. We were all able to freshen up and change into our swimming gear. We then headed to the pool for a nap on the pool chairs. (The pool does not open until 9:30). When the pool opened, we also had a quick swim. At around 11, the front desk called to let me know that our room was ready. I was amazed that they had a room ready for us so early given how crowded the hotel was. I expressed this to the front desk staff in rambling and incoherent English. I think they understood that I was happy.

We headed to our room where we were finally able to shower (yay!) and eat a room service lunch. After lunch, we took another nap. I suspect that this will be controversial because it is almost universally insisted that the best way to recover from jetlag is to force yourself to stay up the day of your arrival. I have tried that multiple times and it has always been miserable. In contrast, when I travelled to Europe in college without the benefit of the stay awake advice, I took a long nap on arrival and adjusted to the new time zone immediately. So, on this trip, we decided to try naps. I did set an alarm to ensure that we didn’t sleep the day away.

(Photo: Castel Sant’Angelo)

When the alarm went off at 2:30, we dragged ourselves out of bed and out the door for a walk. Castel Sant’Angelo, which was built as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, is only about 10 minutes from the Gran Melia, so we picked it as our destination. According to my pre-trip research, there is never a long line at the Castel. And sure enough, when we arrived, the line was not long. It was very, very long. I decided to try and buy tickets online in the hopes of skipping the line. No tickets were available. Further research revealed that was because no tickets are necessary on the first Sunday of each month. We gave up on skipping the line and queued up. Because no one had to pay for tickets, the line moved quickly.

(Gallery: photos of views and sights during our visit to the Castel)

We were soon inside the building, which is an interesting mix of old and new. The building has had many uses over the years, from mausoleum, to Pope’s palace, to defensive structure. These are all explained on signs. In its current incarnation as tourist attraction, the building also hosts some modern art displays, a shirtless man in pantaloons prancing around a fountain, and a café with wonderful views of the city. After wandering around for a bit, we had some lemon sodas at the café while we looked out over the rooftops of Rome.

After our snack break, it was time for dinner. I used the Taxi Now app to call a cab to take us to Pizzarium Bonci, a restaurant known for Roman style pizza. Roman style pizza is rectangular in shape with a thick, crispy crust. It is sold by weight. Bonci is so popular that you need to take a number upon arrival and wait for your turn to order at the counter. When our number was called, we went in and ordered the first pizza that looked vegetarian. In hindsight, we should have taken a deep breath and looked at all of the options before ordering. But, fortunately, our eggplant and tomato/cheese selections were tasty. We enjoyed them standing outside the restaurant, where there were a few counters for leaning.

After dinner, which was devoured quickly, I summoned another taxi for our return to the Gran Melia. By this point, it was nearly 8 pm, so we felt okay about putting on our jammies and reading. I passed out with my book around 9 pm and slept through until 5 am. Instead of getting up, I stayed in bed and reminded myself that resting with my eyes closed was almost as good as sleeping. Before too long, I fell back to sleep and did not wake up until P poked me at 8 am. (Thanks for the technique, YouTube video on insomnia). Overall, it had been a successful first day of sightseeing, eating, and vanquishing jetlag.

Trip Report: Italy with Adventures by Disney

July 2023 (Author: J)

(Photo: Venice as seen from the pirate ship farewell dinner)

About the Trip

In July 2023, we took a trip to Italy with Adventures by Disney (ABD), a high-end family group tour company. The itinerary included Rome, Tuscany, and Venice. We added 2 nights in Rome before the tour, bringing the trip to a total of 9 nights: 4 nights in Rome, 3 in Tuscany, and 2 in Venice.

Why did we choose a group tour? Two words. Heat and crowds. Because Italy is hot and crowded in the summer, I knew that pre-booking major sights would be essential. The tourist who decides they are going to just drop-in on the Vatican when the whim strikes finds themselves in a long line – or worse – turned away. Given that reality, I knew that our trip would be fairly structured regardless of whether we went on our own or with a group. So, I decided to let someone else handle all the planning and logistics for our trip.

Prior Experience with ABD – Scotland 2018

This was our second trip with ABD. We visited Scotland with ABD in 2018 when P was almost 6. In my trip report for that trip (which I hope to add to this blog at some point), my big picture review of ABD was that it was an option that we would consider for future travel but only for the right trip. I liked having someone else be the “mom” for our family, handling the logistics and carrying the items (snacks, water, first aid kit) that I would usually carry. The trip included activities that we would not have tried and locations we would not have visited on our own that became trip highlights. And the guides (two adventure guides who travel with you, along with local guides at each destination) were wonderful with children. However, I was really surprised that – despite billing itself as a family travel company – ABD attracts very few families with young children. Most of the “kids” on our trip were older teens or young adults. P was the youngest traveler on the trip by several years and there were only 2 other children under the age of 13 (a pair of 10-year-olds).

The biggest negative for us was the pace of the trip. We generally like to take our time and enjoy sights at a leisurely pace. ABD often packed multiple big-ticket sights into a single day, which meant that our time at each place was very limited. For that reason, I decided that we would only use ABD again where we felt the benefits of using a tour company outweighed this negative. Using ABD to visit Italy in July passed that test. There wasn’t going to be any lingering in a packed Coliseum or Vatican Museum, so we weren’t given anything up by travelling with ABD – only gaining benefits.

(Photo: The Tiber River in Rome)

Impressions of ABD Italy Trip

Italy in July is brutally hot – hot enough that it brought more than one person in our group to tears. (Yes, I was one of them). If you can travel in the shoulder season, you absolutely should. But, if you must travel to Italy in the summer, ABD is a great way to do it. At most of the attractions we visited in Rome, Florence, and Venice, we walked past long lines of tourists waiting in the hot sun and were immediately admitted via a separate entrance for pre-booked groups. The exception was the Vatican and that’s because we visited the Vatican museums 2 hours before they opened, so no line had formed when we entered the museums. Between the heat and crowds, I would have been overwhelmed coordinating tickets and finding the correct entrances for sights; I really appreciated having someone else in charge.

(Photo: Our Adventure Guides, Massi & Gabby)

Adventure Guides: Our adventure guides, Gabby and Massi, were a great team. They were wonderful with P, ensuring that he had fun despite his total lack of interest in Italian history or culture. And they made everything run smoothly in a friendly and unobtrusive way. (For example, when I got heat exhaustion in Venice, Gabby could tell something was wrong and checked in with me. But when I told her that I didn’t need help and just wanted to sit the activity out with my head down, she didn’t push or argue).
Itinerary: I thought the itinerary for this trip was well-balanced with a good mix of seeing marquee attractions in major cities, relaxing in the countryside, and doing hands-on activities like mask making. Just like with Scotland, several of the trip highlights – pasta making on the farm, the pirate cruise in Venice, etc. – were not things that I would have booked on my own.
Fellow Adventurers: We had 42 people in our group. I did not find the group size to be a problem on this trip. At many of the attractions, we were broken into two or three smaller groups – each with its own local guide. And when we were in a larger group for walking tours, we were in such a sea of people that the size of our tour group was irrelevant. Most families on the trip were parents traveling with their teen or college-age children. There were 3 kids under 13 in our group, P (10) and two brothers (12 and 9ish) and two adult only groups (a couple and an adult daughter with her mom). Everyone in the group was friendly and respectful of their fellow travelers. For example, no one was ever late for our meetups. My son and I are shy with new people – something that has gotten worse since the pandemic. That meant that we were probably the least friendly and outgoing people on the trip. But we still enjoyed chatting with other travelers from time to time and always felt welcome in the group.
Food: I was a little worried about food because the vegetarian options on our Scotland ABD were very repetitive. The options in Italy were more varied and much tastier. Massi, who is from Tuscany, said that it has become very easy to find vegetarian and even vegan options in Italy. He felt that gluten free is still a challenge (but ABD did accommodate the person in our group with a gluten allergy).
Accommodations: The Gran Melia in Rome and the Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda in Tuscany were both exceptional. The Gran Melia is located near the Vatican on expansive grounds that used to be the villa of Emperor Nero’s mother. It is close enough to the main tourist attractions in Rome that you can walk, but far enough away that you can get away from the hordes of other tourists. Service here was exceptional. Hotel Borgo di Cortefreda is more rustic but so charming. We had beautiful views of the countryside from our loft-style room. We did not love the Hilton Molino Stucky in Venice. It is on Guideca Island, just across from St. Mark’s Square. Views from the hotel are lovely and the rooms are updated while maintaining the historical character of the old mill from which the hotel was converted. However, the shuttle boat to the hotel has a sporadic schedule that can mean waiting as much as an hour to get to or from the main sights in Venice, something that made on-our-own sightseeing difficult in the heat. And the hotel’s beautiful pool can only be used by those with a reservation, which must be made by waiting in line at 8 am each morning. P also did not love that the hotel staff took squirt guns to the pigeons repeatedly during our stay – but maybe the pigeons appreciated the cool shower?
Value: ABD is very expensive. However, for this itinerary, I felt that it was an acceptable value. When you add the cost of hotels (particularly the Gran Melia, which was upwards of $1200 per night this summer) and tours ($300-$500 per person for an early morning tour of the Vatican Museums, for example), there were days where it would have cost us more to book everything in the itinerary on our own. That made the overall markup for the trip pretty reasonable, in my opinion. ABD did raise the opening price for this trip by about $1000 per person, so my math might not check out in future years, though. (I reference opening prices because ABD does not have flat pricing for their trips. The per person price increases as the trip fills, meaning that booking on opening day is the cheapest option).
Packing Tips: Believe it or not, Italy does not have a standard plug type. They have C, F, and L outlets. We brought our Ceptics universal adaptor with the type C and F outlet plug pieces. We needed both types. The hotels in Rome and Venice used one plug type and the hotel in Tuscany used the other. (An L outlet can take a C or F plug, so we didn’t bring the third type of adapter). In Italy, you need to cover your knees and shoulders to visit most churches. I packed lightweight linen pants and t-shirts to wear on the 3 days when there was a dress code. If you forget to bring correct attire, you can sometimes borrow it. Otherwise, there are vendors selling cheap shawls in front of major tourist attractions.