Why Everyone Needs to go to Italy at least once

This summer we took a vacation.  It wasn't just any old vacation though.  Did we go to the beach? Did we eat ourselves silly?  Did we see absolutely breathtaking views and walk through churches that are over 1000 years old?  Did we see Roman ruins?  Yep.  We did all that and more.

But this vacation was a long time coming.  It was the first real vacation we've had in 12 years.  Oh, we've been away for a day or three here and there, but not a real GO SOMEWHERE NEW vacation in all those years.

So I saved.  And saved some more.  Who would've thought it would take so long?

Our daughter and her family are in Spain every year, visiting her in-laws.  This year they did that, and then spent some time in Southern France with a bunch of friends, sharing an old Chateau near Andorra.  One day last winter she suggested that we meet her and the kids for a vacation since her husband would be headed home, out of vacation days, after the visit to Southern France and a few days in Paris.

We talked, talked some more, mulled it over and decided this was the year to do it.  There were logistics pulling this off, financially, but also WHERE to go and what to do.  After much discussion, we decided to go to Italy.  My daughter has a friend who lives there, and she offered her home to us.  So in July we all headed to Venice and then on to a town near Vicenza for the start of our vacation.

It was awesome.  We went to the beach, at Lake Garda, saw the Adriatic Sea, town after amazing town where there were sights to behold and shops to wander in and out of.

But the best reason to go to Italy is the food.  Now, those of you who know me know that I could honestly ignore food and be completely happy.  But wow!  Italian food made in Italy.  Every meal I ate featured pasta, freshly made with sauce that didn't come out of a jar.  Gnocchi.  Pizza.  Spaghetti.  I have never, in my entire life, had pasta to match what we had there.

Being able to see the sights between meals was wonderful though.  Churches, Basilicas, the Grand Canal in Venice...breathtaking!  If you ever have the chance to visit Northern Italy...don't hesitate.  Just go!  Of course, it's just my opinion!

And I'll add our days in France another time!!