The past few weeks in the family have been crazy! There have been graduations, meeting of fiance’s families, moving, hospital stays and doctor visits, therapy, and more. But we’re back to posting and I plan on posting now TWICE a week.

Given all the craziness, planning for Italy is…going unexpectedly different than imagined.  Remember there are four people going on this trip, but somehow I’m the only one planning and making decisions.  The one decision my sister made is the worst travel decision I have ever made and I literally have no idea how she talked me into that one.  As a recap, in less than one week my sister, mom, dad, and I will be traveling to Italy (mostly Rome).  With my sister completing her OB/GYN residency this month and I completing my MBA in May, we thought it would be fun to take a trip to a new destination.  She nor I had ever been to Europe, so we decided on Italy and to bring the parents along.

Deciding on the date was rough.  I wanted to go during the Fall to avoid the heat and crowds, however,  her new work schedule significantly limited the possible dates.  (I’m seeing a common source of problems, hmm).  Thus, we’ll be in Italy for the first two weeks of July.  The absolute WORST decision is going with my sister’s opinion for the flights.  We are flying out of Cleveland (where none of us live) then have a layover in JFK in New York City (ugh), Paris, then to Rome.  Absolutely terrible. Getting there isn’t going to be too bad, but I’m definitely not excited about going through customs at JFK during the summer travel months in the afternoon (Lord be with me).  I’ll update you guys on that experience post trip.

My dad’s mobility issues have added a level of complexity to the trip.  I’ve changed from our originally booked Airbnb to one that is more central (still Ah-mazing tho); I’ve learned to always ask about alternative activities and accessibility before booking any activity.  Just communicating and asking before booking has made the process longer, although I believe will make the experience much better as we won’t have to stress about how he will get around when we’re in the heat of it all.  I’ve also gotten more creative in my searches for activities, looking up senior friendly things to do, reading specific accessibility travel sites, and things like golf cart tours.  Since walking is the issue and we plan on doing a lot of it,  we’ll also be taking a wheelchair or walker (or both) with us.  Planning a trip keeping in mind mobility issues has been a bit of a struggle, but my sister and I wanted to make sure both of our parents had the opportunity to go.

Ok, fun stuff.  Activities!  If you read my previous post, 48 Hours Anywhere, I’ll be using many of the same travel tips for this extended vacay.  I’ve long looked at reviews on sites like trip advisor, free walking tours, but for this trip, I will be using Airbnb Experiences for the first time.  They still have reviews, details about what’s included, and will be fun to meet other travelers and locals.  We are all super excited about the Pizza, Pasta, and Tiramisu cooking class.  Fun fact, I was watching “To Rome for Love” on Bravo (don’t judge me) and noticed the same chef teaching a class for one of the dates. What what! Another Airbnb experience is Kayaking in the volcanic crater lake, Lago di Castel Gandolfo.  While my sister and I are kayaking, the parents will be touring the Pope’s summer home and gardens.  Both of these will give us a nice break from the city as we spend some time in nature.

While I have some set events planned, we’re leaving some room for last minute booking, ample rest for the parents, and time to just walk around and explore the city.  One planned “relaxed night”  is an in home spa night! I’m about that face mask life.  I’ll be sharing the final itinerary when we get back!  Arrivederci!

-Me

Been to Rome or Italy?  Have must visit locations or things we should do?  Awesome travel tips for Europe?  Simply, share in the comment section below!