Italy: Viva Italia Meets Thread

[OKW Lover]

we can take a trip by train back to Orvieto where I can buy some more ceramics. These are two pieces I purchased there in 2018. OKW it's always nice to hear another adventurer with wanderlust share similar experiences.

We love Orvieto too! We bought several pieces from Ceramiche Giacomini right across from to duomo over a couple visits to that town.

 

[jackienut]

We love Orvieto too! We bought several pieces from Ceramiche Giacomini right across from to duomo over a couple visits to that town.

That is the same shop where I purchased mine!

 

[leannak]

ABD doesn't take you to the top of the dome at St. Peter's, correct? Is there time to do it on your own on the Vatican day?

 

[lovetotravel]

ABD doesn't take you to the top of the dome at St. Peter's, correct? Is there time to do it on your own on the Vatican day?

We did this trip years ago. I do not think there was time. We did however arrive a few days early and went to see the Pope's Wednesday gathering. We could have fit in the dome climb during our OYO days, but did food tours instead. We love Rome, have a great trip!

 

[TravelJunkieHubby]

We did the trip back in 2018 and I don't recall there being enough time for this either. The hotel is walking distance from their though so I'd suggest using a prenight to do this.

 

[acndis]

I am excited to get the Meets Threads going again! We are booked for this one 12/20-27 2022. Anyone else?

 

[jcb]

I'm 11 days from the 10 year anniversary of our Viva Italia trip. It is still a spectacular memory.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm 11 days from the 10 year anniversary of our Viva Italia trip. It is still a spectacular memory.

We weren't on that trip with you and Cathy, but Viva Italia was Val & I's first ABD trip out of the US. We still talk about it to this day and might just repeat it sometime.

 

[Jess_S]

I booked my family on the July 4, 2023 departure for Italy as a gift to my husband. (Literally right after the deposit became non-refundable, my parents caught covid on a group tour to Sicily. It definitely made the reveal of the gift less fun). My husband and I will be traveling with our son, who will be 10. This is our first ABD in 5 years. Our fingers are crossed for a great trip.

 

[jillinastoria]

Fun to see this thread, and congrats, Jess_S! We are taking our first ABD ever with our son, who is 7, leaving on August 12. Less than six weeks away, and we are so excited!

 

[ShuisFan584]

Fun to see this thread, and congrats, Jess_S! We are taking our first ABD ever with our son, who is 7, leaving on August 12. Less than six weeks away, and we are so excited!

It's been forever and a day since I posted here but I still browse often. I figured I had to comment to say that my family will also be on this trip! My kids are 9 and 6 and this is their second ABD trip. We were originally supposed to go to Italy in 2020 but we all know how that worked out. We ended up doing the AZ/UT trip last August since we figured we would have the best luck with a domestic trip. It was a fantastic trip - my kids loved it and still talk about it. Now they are very excited to finally get to Italy this year!

 

[jillinastoria]

It's been forever and a day since I posted here but I still browse often. I figured I had to comment to say that my family will also be on this trip! My kids are 9 and 6 and this is their second ABD trip. We were originally supposed to go to Italy in 2020 but we all know how that worked out. We ended up doing the AZ/UT trip last August since we figured we would have the best luck with a domestic trip. It was a fantastic trip - my kids loved it and still talk about it. Now they are very excited to finally get to Italy this year!

Thank you for posting, ShuisFan584! I am thrilled to hear this—and especially glad that you have kids around the same age. And also that you guys loved AZ/UT. That one is actually next on our list!

 

[ShuisFan584]

We booked super last minute (like 2 - 3 weeks ago). After talking to our travel agent, it sounded like there were a good number of guests on this trip and two kids under age 10, so my kids would make four under 10. I know they'll have a few times where the kids go off with one guide and do their own thing, so I think they'll have a good time!

 

[jillinastoria]

We booked super last minute (like 2 - 3 weeks ago). After talking to our travel agent, it sounded like there were a good number of guests on this trip and two kids under age 10, so my kids would make four under 10. I know they'll have a few times where the kids go off with one guide and do their own thing, so I think they'll have a good time!

That’s fantastic, and agreed, just what we were hoping for. So glad you guys decided to join on our date, sounds like it will be a great group of kids!

Did you get a sense of the overall number of guests on the trip? I have nothing to compare it to since it’s my first ABD, but I’m curious!

 

[ShuisFan584]

When I originally contacted my travel agent about 3 weeks ago, there were 20 already booked, with 6 being kids. So, my family would make 24. I imagine there could have possibly been others that booked after us, but I believe our trip closed for booking shortly after we booked (at least a week ago). ABD will provide number of guests and kids ages when asked, which I've found helpful when deciding on trips.

 

[jillinastoria]

That sounds like the perfect number. And very good to know for the future, too!

 

[Jess_S]

I thought I would bump this thread to see if anyone else is doing Italy this summer. We are on the July 4 trip and not so patiently waiting for our box.

 

[hilarys]

I thought I would bump this thread to see if anyone else is doing Italy this summer. We are on the July 4 trip and not so patiently waiting for our box.

We are going on the June 9 trip. We received our box several weeks ago so I would guess yours will be coming any day. Our itinerary is quite different from the published standard one, I am suspect it is because of Vatican activities. We only get a morning in Florence vs the full day. None of us have been to Italy before and we know that we will want to go back, so we are just going with the flow - there will be way more to see than we can cover in this trip anyway.

Sorry we won't get to meet you, I have enjoyed your trip report - my kids are quite a bit older - this was my daughter's pick for her high school graduation. My kids (18 and 20) love ABD and she picked this when offered any kind of trip (solo, private, cruise etc). She wanted guides and other families etc - said it would be boring to be on a private trip. We missed celebration trips in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid - so this is going to be a big one, we are all really excited. Unfortunately I have had zero time due to work to book anything for our pre and post day.

 

[jimmymc]

I thought I would bump this thread to see if anyone else is doing Italy this summer. We are on the July 4 trip and not so patiently waiting for our box.

I think mine arrived 3 weeks before the trip.

 

[Jess_S]

We are going on the June 9 trip. We received our box several weeks ago so I would guess yours will be coming any day. Our itinerary is quite different from the published standard one, I am suspect it is because of Vatican activities. We only get a morning in Florence vs the full day. None of us have been to Italy before and we know that we will want to go back, so we are just going with the flow - there will be way more to see than we can cover in this trip anyway.

Sorry we won't get to meet you, I have enjoyed your trip report - my kids are quite a bit older - this was my daughter's pick for her high school graduation. My kids (18 and 20) love ABD and she picked this when offered any kind of trip (solo, private, cruise etc). She wanted guides and other families etc - said it would be boring to be on a private trip. We missed celebration trips in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid - so this is going to be a big one, we are all really excited. Unfortunately I have had zero time due to work to book anything for our pre and post day.

I'm sorry I won't get to meet you too. I hope that you have a great trip and look forward to reading about it if you have time to report back after the trip. It's nice that your daughter gets to have her celebration trip after everything that young people have missed out on in the last few years.

I think mine arrived 3 weeks before the trip.

Thank you for sharing this. I have been wondering when I should call ABD to inquire about the status of our box. I will try to be patient a little longer. (I do already have stickers waiting to decorate the water bottles when they come, so I am not being that patient).