Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Like most avid travelers, I’ve been obsessed with checking the daily news about border re-openings, quarantine restrictions, and the delta variant. In April, I found a great deal on business class seats to Italy in late August, and I jumped on them. The Italian border wasn’t even open and we weren’t vaccinated at the time, but I couldn’t resist. Luckily, the border has since reopened, the quarantines have been lifted, and my husband and I are both fully vaccinated. Fingers crossed, we’ll be leaving in two weeks to finally take the trip that was cancelled last year.

Lately, I’ve read several articles from well known travel figures saying that they’re excited about vaccines, but don’t have plans to visit Europe this year because “it won’t feel the same with museums closed and safety measures in place”. That somehow, this will completely change your travel experience for the worse and keep you from connecting with others. Maybe I’m crazy or just desperate to travel, but I’m actually really looking forward to how things might feel different. Here’s four ways I think our trip will be different and probably better.

Fewer Crowds

Obviously, this is a major draw for regular visitors. If you’ve ever visited Europe in the summer, you know the crowds are unbearable. And, if you visit the same place regularly, you’ve probably noticed that the crowds keep getting bigger and bigger. Summer crowds bleed into the shoulder months so much that I don’t really know if there is an off-season anymore.

I remember sitting on the balcony of my room in Riomaggiore one evening in 2019, with tears in my eyes because of the proliferation of day-trippers to the Cinque Terre. It’s no longer the sleepy fishing village that I remember as a hiker fifteen years ago. The place where you’d just hop off the train and ask around for a room. Day trippers come in on the train from La Spezia, fresh off a cruise ship or from a larger town. They pour out of the station in a huddled mass and hurriedly rush through each of the five villages, stopping for a slice of focaccia and a gelato, and posing for an endless number of Instagram photos; without ever stopping to take in and appreciate the magic of my favorite place on earth. 

Sure it’s profitable for some of the restaurants, but the day trippers often don’t buy hiking passes, which means that there isn’t any additional money going to help rebuild the flood-damaged hiking trails. The trails that run through the national park are some of the most breathtaking views I’ve seen in my life, and it’s devastating to see them in ruins. In an ideal world, I think day trippers should be required to buy a day-long hiking pass to enter the area and help fund the rebuilding of the park.

Supporting Small Businesses

Roughly 13 percent of Italy’s economy comes from tourism, so they are desperate to reopen. Over the years I’ve met some wonderful people in Italy and I love to revisit them and support their businesses. We often plan our itinerary around our favorite room rentals and restaurants. Throughout the pandemic, I have been emailing my contacts to make sure they are ok and selfishly to make sure they’re still in business.

Like many of you, my husband and I made sure to regularly order carry-out from some of our favorite local restaurants during the lockdown, and made sure to leave generous tips. We did this in the hopes of keeping these businesses alive and keeping people employed. The same is true for Italy. This country has enriched my life in countless ways over the years and I want to contribute to their recovery. The sooner we’re able to visit, means a greater likelihood that these businesses will survive.

Now is also a great time to find deals on Airbnb rooms that are normally booked out many months in advance. One of my favorite pastimes is curating bucket lists of unique stays by city in my favorites tab. I’ve also had really good luck with booking Airbnb Experiences, which is a great way to interact with locals. This money goes directly in the pockets of the people providing the services, rather than a big corporation (obviously Airbnb gets their cut).

Deeper Connections

For me, the people of Italy are one of its biggest draws. There’s Marco in Florence that always gives me a bottle of wine when we leave his restaurant. There’s the brusque but likable waitress that’s always at our favorite bar. And I can’t forget the cooking instructors that we love so much that we’ve taken the same class three times.

I love how an Italian will still do their best to explain something to you even if they don’t speak English and you don’t speak Italian. Or, how the little grandpa of the family-run trattoria will come sit with you at the end of your meal and share some of his homemade limoncello.

These simple things are often the ones that resonate the most with me and become some of my favorite memories. These are the moments that remind me to slow down and appreciate the little things. I’m sure the Italians are just as eager to be interacting with people again as I am and I’m excited about making new friends.

Shifting Focus

As an art history major, you’d probably think I’d be heartbroken that some museums are closed. In actuality, I’m looking forward to a trip that doesn’t revolve around viewing the typical famous works of art. Italy’s churches are full of amazing, often overlooked works of art by masters. In Rome, I love popping into Santa Maria della Vittoria to view Bernini’s theatrical sculpture of The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, or to Santa Maria Sopra Minerva for Michelangelo’s early work, Christ Bearing the Cross. There’s also a plethora of amazing architecture that can be appreciated outdoors.

I’ve given up on the vacations where I run myself ragged trying to see and do everything. The only thing that accomplishes is exhaustion. Now I seek out la dolce far niente, “the sweetness of doing nothing”. The Cinque Terre has really helped me learn to slow down and to appreciate a lazy day. I love hiking between the five villages through the terraced vineyards or spending a day on the beach in Monterosso. We’ll be staying a few nights in Montepulciano and I’m eager to spend some time in the quiet countryside with some fabulous wine.

The Verdict

So yes, Italy is going to look and feel different this year, but that isn’t something I want to miss. Difference isn’t a bad thing, in fact, it’s what makes the world a more interesting place. I’ve always loved that each city and region within Italy have a completely different feel and an hour-long train ride can place you somewhere that feels like a different country. I’ve been working from home for the last year and a half, with very minimal interaction with people outside of my husband, so I’m really anxious to get out there. Italy has given me so many unforgettable memories, and this year’s trip will be no different. I want to give back and help them rebuild, and there’s no better way to do that than to visit.

I’ll be blogging during the trip, so be sure to check back for updates through September.

-emily