Once we decided when we could travel, we began to play with an itinerary. That took us to the bookstore to browse travel books on Italy. Some locations were obvious (Rome, Tuscany), but others weren't (Umbria, the lake district). When we agreed on our top sites, we tried to link them in some logical order. Trade offs were necessary to minimize travel time. Since our time would be limited, we decided a three-week stay was the best way to get the most from a trip. First we bought plane tickets. Finding that we could arrive in Rome and leave from Milan really opened up our options. By not spending a travel day back to Rome, we were able to have a two-night stay on Lake Como.
We began to ask friends about their trips and recommendations, and borrowed their books and maps. With a trial itinerary penciled in on a blank calendar, we began researching accommodations online. This is Sanda's forte. Although time-consuming, it gave us a good feel for each area. When all rooms were booked, we decided on ground transportation. Bill booked two car rentals through Auto Europe. We'll travel by train to several places, buying those tickets in Italy. Now if we just spoke the language!
Sure hope the two of you have as much fun as Jay did this summer. While I worked (and enjoyed working in a small Italian town), Jay and his two friends really got to explore and take in the local color (and local food).
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