Reflections

The Best of Italy in 17 Days Tour turned out to be far more than just another trip. Rick Steves’ tour had more to offer than we could have ever imagined! One of our main goals was to make the most of each experience and opportunity that came our way. We have no regrets.

 

Returning with a wealth of knowledge about the history, art, music, food, culture, politics, economy, and education in Italy, we feel like our lives have become more enriched. This was an opportunity to visit a wide variety of large cities and small towns in many different regions of Italy:  Lombardy, South Tyrol, Veneto, Tuscany, Liguria, Umbria, and Lazio. We especially loved the time we had to get to know and learn from the fascinating people of these regions.  In addition to learning about our differences, we discovered that we have much more in common with the people of Italy than we realized.

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Traveling with a group of people from all different parts of the United States, from the west coast to the east coast, the south, and even Puerto Rico, gave us a chance to make new friends and form new bonds. Our hope is to continue to stay in contact with all of these terrific people.

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What we have come to realize is that even with a pre-arranged trip like ours, each person will take away something different. This was our journey through Italy. Although other people may have visited the same cities and towns, this experience is unique and special to us. Traveling is not just what you see with your eyes or through the lens of the camera, but rather what you hear, smell, taste, and touch which all become embedded in memory forever.

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As our tour came to an end, our emotions were in a jumble. Sadness at the prospect of saying goodbye to our wonderful travel buddies was mixed with happy anticipation of sharing our amazing adventures with family and friends. Finally, add in excitement as we consider where our next Rick Steves' tour will take us!

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