Our Family Trip to Italy, The Vine, Fall 2022
Rod Michael enjoying his family trip to Italy with grandson Luke.This summer our family took the trip of a lifetime to Italy. We had planned this trip years ago so it was wonderful to finally depart for Europe.
Experiencing the beauty of Italy with the love of family around you is an experience beyond words. We stayed with friends of my daughter-in-law in a part of Tuscany that many people do not get to experience. They own and run to perfection a bed-and-breakfast, and we could not have enjoyed better hosts. The architecture of the village of Campiglia is beyond words and their hospitality made us feel like family. We sampled lovely cooking and enjoyed some local bianco and rosso vino.
Every day the five of us, as well as local residents, would carefully wend our way down the winding stoned streets to the Piazza Della Repubblica, the local town square. We would all sit, sip drinks, enjoy appetizers and fill our souls with happiness. Joining the locals every day was a wonderful experience. The sky was always filled with sunshine and swifts, birds that migrate each year from Africa to raise a new family. The town is a getaway spot even for those who live elsewhere in Italy and once there, you truly understand why. We were the only Americans in the village and truly immersed ourselves in Italian culture.
Day trips to the countryside and interactions with the local people were wonderful, as was the cuisine. Many places left us speechless. We bathed in the ocean and spent a lovely afternoon in a mineral bath. The museums and churches house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world and experiencing the genius of the hands of Michelangelo in person was chilling. What perfection. To stand that close to something he created is truly breathtaking.
On a trip like this you are on the go every day and we truly did not have enough time to see it all. We all came away with a different appreciation for life and a memory that we get to share. That is what a multigenerational vacation is all about. We saw the visions and handiwork of geniuses and created our memories amongst those masterpieces.
It was a perfect trip that I got to spend time with my beautiful wife, wonderful son and daughter-in-law, and my awesome grandson.
To my family I say thank you for the memories—and to my newfound Italian friends I say, Grazie!
Map photo: iStockphoto.com/cmcderm1.
