Discovering Italy
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I am lucky enough to have spent a lot of time in Northern Italy.
My Experience in Lake Garda and Lake Como
One of my first jobs in travel was working in Lake Garda and Lake Como. I was based out there for a season in each of them.
Lake Garda
Lake Garda was the first place I was based. I stayed at a resort, and coaches traveled down through the night from the UK to reach me.
Each week, we would visit:
- Venice
- The Dolomites
- Verona
- Do a lake tour
- Take a boat tour
The first time I saw Venice, I cried. It was a place I had longed to see. I have been in love with Venice ever since.
Lake Como
In Lake Como, I switched between hotels in Tremezzo and Varenna. Weekly excursions included:
- Milan
- Lugano
- A lake tour
- Lake Maggiore
How wonderful it was to see these places throughout the year and enjoy them many times.
Honeymoon in Rome
I also honeymooned in Rome. What a beautiful city to explore! I loved:
- The food markets
- The historic buildings
- The architecture everywhere you looked
Future Adventures in Italy
There’s so much more of Italy to see. I can’t wait to get down to the South and explore Sicily.
A Memorable Trip to Naples
I have been to Naples for a training course as a holiday rep. I flew from London, and the approach was so bumpy that an Italian man held my hand to calm me down. He was in the middle seat with his son crying on one side and me on the other. He held the hands of both of us!
After the training course finished, I was due to start work in Lake Garda. The managers headed to the airport for an internal flight. I had to:
- Go into Naples
- Pick up a hire car
- Drive to Lake Garda
- Find our accommodation
All in the space of a day! It was a great introduction to Italian driving.
Love for Italy
I love Italy and the Italian people. They cherish their families, homes, and food. When I was first out there trying to do health and safety inspections at hotels, it drove me nuts that we couldn’t visit anywhere between midday and 2 PM. But before long, I was enjoying a 2-hour lunch as well.
I can’t wait to get back to Italy and do more exploring!
All My Italy Blog Posts
- Saga vs. Travelsphere: Touring Holidays to Italy ComparedTrying to decide about touring holidays to Italy? Italy is a very popular destination with 6.4 million visitors travelling there in 2022. That means there is plenty of choice when it comes to Italian coach holidays. In this article, I’ve compiled a side-by-side comparison of all the coach holidays to Italy available from two of… Read More »Saga vs. Travelsphere: Touring Holidays to Italy Compared
- Coach Holiday to Lake Garda Review – Tips & InsightsAre you looking for a coach holiday to Lake Garda? This is a detailed itinerary review of the Southern Shores of Lake Garda tour which is offered by Saga Holidays. This tour stays in Sirmione, at the Southern end of Lake Garda. It has a good mix of free time and excursions to help you… Read More »Coach Holiday to Lake Garda Review – Tips & Insights
My Recommended Essential Travel Gear List
Find all the items I use on every trip all in one handy Amazon list
My Social Media Links
More Resources
- Independent Travel Agent – a huge timesaver. I specialise in touring holidays & river cruises
- Travel Inspiration – trip reports, reviews, and more to inspire your next trip
- Touring Holidays – everything you need to know about this great value way to travel
- Time Saving Travel Tools – all the things I use to research and plan my trips
- Airport Lounges – Everything you need to know including lots about Priority Pass
- Invergordon Cruise Port – all you need to know to help your plan your visit
- About Melanie – background and travel experience
- About the Professional Traveller – what this website is all about
- Work with Me – details of the services I provide