Three Weeks in Europe
Day One, Italy
First Day in Italy
Hello, fellow Disney fans! You might wonder why I’m writing about a trip that’s not directly Disney-related. Rest assured, almost everything I share can be experienced through Disney, whether via a Disney Cruise or Adventures by Disney. This European adventure begins with EFTours, a group trip organized through my niece’s high school.
I’m my niece’s favorite person in the world, and I love her as if she were my own. When she got the chance to join this trip, she immediately asked, “I wonder if Aunt Kelly can join?” I couldn’t say no to my “little bird,” so here we are in Europe together!
Our first day mainly involved getting here, so I’ll share some travel tips along the way.
The Flight
We flew from Houston to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, then from Frankfurt to Milan. The plane ride was cramped and uncomfortable. The plane was huge, with entertainment screens and a large middle section with four seats, plus two end sections with three seats each. My niece and I sat in the middle of the middle. Surprisingly, there were only three underseat storage areas for the four seats. I can’t explain this. Also, airplane food is terrible and smells even worse. Tip #1: Bring your own food!
We had a 45-minute layover in Frankfurt, just enough time to race from one end of the airport to the other for our connecting flight. Thankfully, everything in the airport was in English, which eased my stress about navigating foreign-language airports. We reached the gate for our Milan flight, scanned our boarding passes, and boarded…a bus! The bus took us across the airport to the plane. This Lufthansa flight had more legroom, storage space, and was generally more comfortable. We landed in Milan, collected our luggage, and were greeted by Caterina, our EFTours guide.
A Pleasant Escape from the Airport
Since my niece and I extended our vacation to include France after her school trip, we were on a different flight and arrived over an hour before everyone else. Rather than waiting at the airport, Caterina took us to the nearby lakeside town of Arona for a quick lunch. After stretching our legs, enjoying a meal, and downing three shots of espresso, we returned to the airport to meet the rest of our group. Finally, our Italy trip officially began!
“Leonardo, Leonardo…”
On our way to the hotel, we stopped in Verona at a guest’s request. I loved seeing Juliet’s balcony and couldn’t resist reciting, “Leonardo, Leonardo, wherefore art thou Leonardo?” After all, he played Romeo, so why not go for it? A long line of people waited to take photos with Juliet’s statue. Legend says that grabbing her right breast brings luck in love. Already feeling lucky, I didn’t feel the need to join in, but I did snap a photo. You might notice her right breast looks much cleaner than the rest of her body.
Will We Ever Get There?
To enter the Venice area, you need permission. We were running late after our stop in Verona, so our driver called ahead to inform the guards of our estimated arrival. We arrived, saw our hotel in the distance, but couldn’t enter because the guards had left their post! We waited in an abandoned parking lot, wondering if we’d ever get to eat dinner. After about an hour, the guards returned, and we finally gained access to Venice.
At Long Last!
We finally reached our hotel outside Venice. I’d never stayed in a hostel before, but I was pleasantly surprised. While it lacked aesthetic appeal, it made up for it in function. The rooms were clean and comfortable, with enough space for a bed and a shower. The property also offered amenities like a pool table, foosball, and a fully equipped guest kitchen. I was pleased with the service and the accommodations.
We had dinner at a restaurant next to the hostel. The meal began with bread, olive oil, and Caprese salad. The main course was gnocchi, the best I’ve ever had! Dessert was a light and delicious tiramisu. After a long day of travel, I treated myself to an Aperol Spritz, a popular cocktail in this part of the world. Satisfied and grateful, we returned to our hotel and settled in for a restful night.
Stay tuned for the next day… Bella Venezia!
For all your travel advisory needs, Disney or otherwise, contact me at kelliott@curatedtravelcollection.com. Happy travels!
