Italy Solo Trip - May/June 2026

After a bad night’s sleep, I shook off Bari, and I was back to Trani for two nights at my favorite room in the B&B that was so special last year! The host warmly greeted me & remembered me from last year. I opened my door at Dimore Marinare & there was that special view out the balcony again! I like the view so much that an evening photo from last May has been my phone screensaver photo for the past year. (Heart). When I thought of where I could plan to relax after the RS tour, Trani immediately came to mind. “Aah” summarizes my thoughts of Trani where the only “must do’s” don’t involve a ticket, queue, or planning. My 2-day schedule was soaking up that amazing view from my balcony room, sketching, Bible reading, a beautiful time exploring those lovely warm-hued stone lanes, photographing for future pastel painting ideas, and repeat! : ) I had to chuckle; I have several photos from that balcony, but it didn’t stop me from taking several more…just in case! Last year I went through the castle while they were having a special art exhibit from Queen Margarita’s collection. I was hoping they’d have something similar this year. Well, yes, it was similar…it was the same exhibit! LOL! To my delight, I could enjoy those paintings & pieces once again and now with a new eye since I’ve added pastel painting to my art repertoire of hobbies. I took several close up photos of some of the oil paintings to see the color mix that I might utilize at home. I went into the cathedral again. I actually prefer the outside of it to the interior. Otherwise, I was having some issues with my feet swelling - possibly from the heat, so I concentrated on focusing on my health for an afternoon & elevated my legs to be better in the long run. My first night’s meal was a prawn & shrimp pasta where I was doing a little scarpetta with the yummy bread afterwards in the remaining red sauce. The seafood was SO fresh & tender!

I was supposed to go to Locorotondo for two nights, but a train strike on the website gave me notice to switch the second night over to Polignano a Mare. Originally it was Locorotondo - 2, PaM - 1. But as the time came closer, and I saw the amount of people on trains, I decided to forego the bus from Bari-to-Locorotondo because it stops at Alberobello, first, which makes that bus queue a zoo on even previous years. So, what to do? Ostuni could work, Matera was considered but impractical to return, Monopoli would make it too many seaside cities, so I settled on Ostuni for the night between Trani & PaM. Last year I had seriously looked at a refurbished palazzo for my two nights in Ostuni - even had a reservation for a short period, but I changed it to stay up in the oldest, winding lanes. I checked this time, and the palazzo was available, plus the specific room I wanted was still an option! Score! Some places are a clean, handy place to stay; some places have a little something extra that makes them memorable. But the Palazzo Stunis is incredible! I chose “The Pergola of Roses” room which has a copper pot hanging in the wall where it originally was located. Every single item in this room - from the floor, to the bedding, to the pristine antique furniture is stunning! I’ve stayed in palazzos in several parts of Italy, and they usually have their cracks & their quirks. This one was perfect craftmanship with no noticeable flaws, where dining room linen curtains were perfectly ironed, cyrstal chandeliers look like they were deep-cleaned yesterday, and the breakfast assortment - wow! I could go on & on. Just book it! : ) The owner, Matteo, is very personable! When Rick finally covers Puglia thoroughly in a guidebook, no doubt this palazzo will be in it because of the warmth of the owner & the unforgettable experience. We sat down during my check-in over an espresso (always a good start!) and talked about the philosophy of traveling, about this home which has been in his family for three generations, & about other regions in Italy. When he asked where I was going on this trip, and I mentioned Assisi and then little Spello, he got wistful.

In Ostuni, i spent time in the church, wandered the lanes, just total relaxation & enjoyment of a beautiful, sunny day. And yeah, I was finally back to a great gelato city! Trani’s were inadequate or some weren’t making it that day. I ate at Restaurante La Reggia again in the lower “cave” type setting. The waiter happened to lead me to “my table” - the same nice one where I ate a year prior. I don’t know why, but that is just special when it happens. : )

While in Ostuni, I noticed on the forum that Ekscrunchy was in the Puglia region, so I sent her a PM through the forum. We thought it would be fun to get together for dinner since they were outside Fasano, but between me traveling by train, and she understandably not wanting to drive in the dark, it didn’t work out this time. But, it was fun to chat a bit by text and “wave” as I passed by Fasano on the train.

My taxi driver down to the Ostuni train station again the next morning was friendly & willing to talk. I asked him how the city feels about so many tourists. He said it’s the main economy now. He does prefer the amount during May & September. He mentioned the olive tree bacteria that I learned about two years ago & is now spreading north to the Ostuni area - very sad! He was interested where I would be traveling, and he highly recommended Gubbio in the Umbria area while I’m there. My first year in Puglia I was taking early trains to the next location to maximize my time. Now I feel so laid back & comfortable without a rushed feeling, so I chose the 11:07am train, for instance, to reach Polignano a Mare by noon.

Polignano a Mare - by now you know my favorite place to stay in Polignano a Mare, but it was already booked months ahead. I settled for Covo Dei Saraceni since it was just one night. Later with the switch because of the train strike on Friday, I also gave myself a night at Dimore Talenti in their least expensive room - just to not need train transportation Friday morning. CWsocial, Dimore Talenti has a perfect rooftop area for your evening enjoyment which is also the location for breakfast. And it’s located almost across the lane from my favorite restaurant, Mint Fresca! Actually I had a reservation there, already, but it’s for the second evening. The next day, my room at the Covo was a basic double with a balcony. I was expecting a balcony looking out at a street, but they gave me a room with a view of the inlet across from the POSEA! I could see when someone was on “my POSEA balcony” of that special room! My room here was on the third floor with some stuff below me that blocked some of the lower view, but I had a completely private balcony with a small table & chairs, plus two lounge chairs. I’m writing this right now from one of the lounge chairs in the late afternoon shade. : ) I sketched some of the inlet view this morning while standing near the Domenico Modugno statue. It seems that the tour groups have found Polignano a Mare now, and everyone needs a lame photo with their arms outstretched like the statue pose. This year I only saw one “Instagram girl” - maybe that phase is finally over.

My dinner at Mint Fresca was amazing! Such a specially decorated intimate, little place with 6 tables for 2 and 1 table for 4 people. This was my third year to eat at this restaurant that’s a few steps down into a curved ceiling dark green scene ready to serve creative vegan & fish dishes. I had the same main dish as last year because it tasted so good, knowing this was probably my last time in Polignano a Mare to visit them.

The next morning as I was walking to the train station, someone called out, “Jean!” Who would know me in Polignano a Mare? It was one of the couples I met this time during my travel! Since I was early, I sat down with them at their outdoor breakfast table, and we chatted for ten minutes. I certainly appreciated the timing of our encounter; I’d been feeling a bit lonely a few minutes earlier.

Lecce - my “no itinerary” relaxation eventually needed to come to an end - LOL! I reserved a city bike tour & a food/wine tasting activity for my two days in Lecce. In 2024, I did the combo ticket for all of their baroque churches, had a city walking tour, and took a market/fish/cooking class with Awaiting Tables. I raced through the churches that year because the baroque interiors were not warm or personable - what I appreciate in a church, so I didn’t plan to go through them again. I do love the exterior of the duomo, though.

One of my main reasons for selecting Lecce vs. other cities in Puglia was because of the timing. This was a 2-day stop because it falls on a weekend. I have quit trying to travel on a Sunday in Italy with public transportation. ; ). The other obstacle was that this weekend is followed by the Italian Republic Day on Tuesday. So, I wasn’t taking any chances on potential train strikes. The guaranteed fast train from Puglia to Rome during strikes or holidays only stops at Lecce, Brindisi, and Bari. So Lecce it was to be!

For Lecce, I stayed at another Palazzo. The owner at Palazzo Dei Giorgi B&B showed me how to use the three keys to go from the street into my room. And actually at this location, I had a huge living room with a breakfast table to eat whenever I wanted breakfast, a large bedroom and a nice bathroom. I am taking a break right now and writing while relaxing on this comfortable sofa in the main room. I don’t know how high the ceilings are, but it’s way up there, beyond the extremely tall doors! It’s definitely not decorated or restored to the level of the beauty of the palazzo at Ostuni, but this is very comfortable. I chose it solely because I narrowed down my options to lodging close to the train station with a Booking rating of 8+ since my guaranteed train will leave early at 6am. I am just a 5-minute walk from the train station.

Returning to Lecce, I was familiar with some highlights of landmarks, churches, and the location for pasticciotto! Oh yes, I wasn’t leaving Puglia without having a couple of these! During this time I had a lemon and an amerano cherry one - both excellent! Before savoring a pasticiotto, though, I walked over to the bookstore I had stood in both days in 2024, contemplating how I could get a large, heavy coffee table book home. During that trip, I still had flights to/from Palermo, trains over to the Abruzzo & Umbria regions, and yes, it was completely unreasonable to even contemplate it. But, I would stop in to the bookstore each day, hold it, flip a few pages that have gorgeous professional photography of small & large towns of Puglia and accompanying life stories written side-by-side in both Italian & English and regrettably return it to the shelf.

After describing the book “Puglia, A Love Story” to both my husband and adult daughter during some FaceTime video chats in 2024 with each of them, my sleuth daughter somehow found a source in Italy where she could buy it. The two of them talked to each other about how surprised I would be when it arrived at home! My husband never saw it, but the book did come while my daughter was staying with me after his unexpected death. That book is my most treasured souvenir now from Italy after my photos. So, seeing two copies here again in Lecce on the bookstore shelf made me so happy - both remembering this whole story & hopefully thinking those two books could also fulfill someone else’s special love story!

My first activity in Lecce turned out to be very odd. I signed up for a group food/wine tour, and I was the only person! I appreciated that he didn’t cancel it, but I was expecting a group setting vs. being in a tiny restaurant with a person sharing information about each item he was bringing me. He did serve some nice Local Primitivo and Negroamaro wines, though.

The second day I had a city bike tour in the afternoon. As I was walking around Lecce late morning after sketching, I stopped over at Doppiozero coffee shop. The walking tour I did in 2024 stopped here, and we had a wonderful Lecce coffee, “Caffè Leccese”.

I enjoyed repeating that experience! I stopped back at my palazzo, and it was really getting hot outside! The thought of doing a bike tour at 3pm, although normally a fun activity, just didn’t make sense. I am affected by heat that can trigger a migraine, and I needed to feel well the rest of the day & getting up very early for the 6am train. So, I finally walked over to the bike shop and let him know not to wait for me today. : (

My last evening, I walked over to a street that I especially liked when I was here in 2024. I chose an outdoor table at a favorite eating spot. A young man at the close outdoor table in front of me was asking excellent, thought-provoking career questions to the woman at his table. She didn’t answer much - sort of defensive generalizations & shut down. When she went to the bathroom, he glanced to a side, so I spoke up from behind & said, “You asked some excellent questions! May I ask some in return to you?” He was glad I spoke up & liked my questions and was very interested in my varied career path, plus still setting 1-year goals. When I asked him what his 5-year goal is, he said to win a Tony. Turns out he’s a Canadian actor…and the solo woman at the table next to me was from Toronto, so she joined our conversation! As we were talking, she shared she recently took a pastel painting class (my upcoming trip focus). Serendipity connections! We had some great conversations - all from deciding to go have a delicious bruschetta as a dinner at a 2024 repeat restaurant because it was too hot for a real meal!

I took the 6am train to Rome and purchasing my ticket early, I selected the business class at the cheaper price. Six hours of boredom, sleeping some & also entertained by two moms & their little girls.

I like to stay at the City Hotel Cardinal dei near the Barberini metro stop. It’s not horribly crowded in that area, and I like to avoid the need for a taxi.

Rome - ahh, Rome! I was very happy to be back in the action - where lots of variety of people vs. mostly couples were vacationing. I literally walked off my feet and returned to my honeymoon suite to soak my feet in a lovely in-room modern tub. Honeymoon suite? Yep, they upgraded me since I was a return customer, so I unlocked my room to find a giant round bed, balcony & standing tub in the main room. I found it both ironic & also a little humorous!

I have always wanted to see the Galleria Sciara, and it is close to this hotel, so I stepped into the courtyard and gazed lovingly at all of the gorgeous fresco, plus intricate design work. I wandered over to the Trevi Fountain to see how nuts it is now with crowds. Yes, it was very busy, but I was able to take some decent photos because I’m tall and could stretch up for some clean photo shots.

Tomorrow is Italy’s Republic Day. There were 12 helicopters flying overhead a few times while I was walking around playing tourist & later their version of the Blue Angels practicing for the Trifeca tomorrow. They’re supposed to do the Italian 3-color formation at 9am down at Vittorio, so I will be there!

My sketch today was an easy choice! My husband’s favorite monument in Rome was the Pantheon. Rome was our last destination of our second independent trip (Switzerland-to-Italy), and back then the obelisk in front of the pantheon had a few steps where a few tourists would congregate, be entertained by a talented street artist, have an evening gelato & gaze at the Pantheon looks even older when seen in the evening light. I ordered a beverage to cool off now at one of the surrounding tables with a good locale to sketch the Pantheon. Doing it made me so happy, easily stepping back to those wonderful memories of relaxing together at such a historical site!

The next day, I hurried over to see the flyover by the Frecce Tricolori. Whew, there were a lot of people doing the same! Yes, it was crazy, and everyone wanted to make their own route through the crowds - ha! But, it was a lot of fun! I’m so glad I came to Rome for this one! I stopped into the Museo del Corso Palazzo Cipolla afterwards. I’ll admit I partly wanted to cool off from the heat & crowd, but this was an excellent one! Art from the Hapsburgs, plus explanations of the collaborations of architects for some of the iconic domes kept me occupied for at least of hour.

My next city was Spoleto….except it wasn’t. I boarded the “old goat train” as I refer to those ancient ones way out at Line 2Est where you walk a long way before you get to see your train. ; ). We were supposed to leave at 9:30am and we were waiting, and waiting, and waiting. The bus connection due to maintenance work wasn’t answering their phone as the Trenitalia operator kept trying to contact them. I decided to walk off the train and go with Plan B. A couple of quick checks on Booking.com & the Trenitalia app, and I was off to Florence ten minutes later. I stayed at Room Mate Hotel Luca, selecting their cheapest single, but they gave me a nice double room. I paid just under €100, so I was happy with that option. While on the train, I booked an afternoon Florence Food Tour with Eating Europe. Half of the people in my varied age group were from a cruise. We had a lot of fun & an entertaining guide. I was fully sated by the time we finished.

Afterwards, I walked over to the Ponte Santa Trinita bridge to have the view of the Ponte Vecchio instead of walking back over it. I stood on the bridge for awhile, listening to some wonderful jazz (about the only reason to have some cash), watching some solo rowers going under the bridges, and just loving the chance to relive memories of my husband & me staying in the nice hotel at the end of Ponte Vecchio and also our first time coming with the RS tour. Lots of warm thoughts as I walked back to my hotel. A bonus - I missed the rainy weather in Spoleto; Florence was sunny.

The next morning I took the train to Assisi. At Assisi my reservation was Asisium Boutique Hotel. Looking through the details Robert has shared on the forum about his love of this specific city, I just planned to go with his recommendations.

I will pause here to explain my beginning line - “I had a portion of this itinerary that was unfinished from 2024.” When my husband died two years ago, I was in Sulmona, Italy while he was home in Idaho. Besides the plan to spend a day with our forum participant, Nelly, my final days of that itinerary were to loop into the Umbria region to stay in Spoleto, Assisi, and the finale of staying in Spello again for their beautiful Infiorate. During my trip in 2024, there were a few train strikes, and one announced a few weeks earlier was going to prevent me from returning from Spello to Rome on a Monday for my flight home on Tuesday. During a FaceTime with my husband, I said I should probably skip Spello & just stay in Rome to keep it simple, so I could fly home on the date. He knew how special Spello was to me, so he said, “No, you stay & enjoy it. I will call & change your flight.” He admitted to our adult kids afterwards this was a big deal, making him nervous to change my flight details because I always did all of our travel planning logistics! After two years, I feel ready now to complete what feels unfinished & also something he’d be very happy I am doing. He was so supportive of my love of European travel as I was of his love of golf.

Now it’s interesting that back in 2024, Spoleto was also knocked off the itinerary because of work on the train line. I guess it’s just not met to be!

Assisi - my husband & I stopped here during our RS 17-day Best of Italy tour back in 2006, but I’ve never stayed here. So, Assisi gets to be #50 of the number of cities I’ve stayed in Italy. I kind of like that #50 ended up being this one, instead of Spoleto.

My hotel is up, up, up the hill! The bus from the train station left us off at the Basilica. When I reached my hotel, my room was on the top floor so three extra flights. They offered to carry my bag up the stairs but there was no need. No elevator in this small boutique hotel, but wow, the view from my window & even a bathroom window made it all worthwhile! I have the church, the stone buildings, the countryside - all depending on which way I glance out the window. And I found a balcony behind a door! I can see the castle from the balcony! Yes, this is a big recommendation for this one, especially for $110/night including breakfast.

I started with lunch two doors away - of course it’s a steep stone stairway with tables on it, plus up on the higher level. I had the asparagus, truffle, bacon pasta & finished it with an espresso. After lunch, I was revived for more walking - all uphill (ha!), stopped into churches, the town hall & took time to frame a lot of perfect photos shots since I’m traveling solo. I saw three artists oil painting with their easels on the main piazzas. Several onlookers were standing way too close to them -clueless sometimes. ; ) Hopefully they’ll give me space when I sketch here the next two days. I’ll comment that it’s been interesting to see people’s behavior when I’m sketching. Some of it makes me smile and some makes me want to shake my head - ha! If someone is sketching at a large overlook view - a long terrace with lots of room, the spot directly in front of the person sketching is not the place to stand. If I had a paintbrush, I could paint their hair - LOL! Anyway, while I was sketching an archway with the hillside of the castle behind it, a young lady approached me and asked if she could see my sketch. She said she’d been watching me from a distance for awhile. We had a nice conversation about art; she’s from Bologna and was feeling inspired after we talked. She liked my 5-minute approach when starting out; only sketch for 5 minutes so pick the most important elements & stop. Your mind will fill in the rest…and it all can be considered just practice. : )

My FaceTime video call with a daughter that night included the sound of drums & bugles from my hotel windows. (Screens on the windows, so I slept with them open.). The music, especially the drumming reminded me of Siena parading within their local neighborhoods weeks after the Palio.

The next morning, I walked over to St. Francis Basilica after breakfast. Somehow I was going way downhill & then steep uphill. Another day where gelato calories won’t count! Wow, the basilica interior is so stunning! I’d forgotten how nice it is, and since I wasn’t with a tour, I could pause where I wanted & also not listen to a guide. This was just a time to reflect & enjoy the surroundings. I was surprised it was free & also not a timed entry. I just walked right inside.

At lunchtime, I walked up to La Lanterna - a Robert recommendation for lunch or dinner. I ate a wild boar pasta & mixed salad outside in a lovely covered spot with greenery. The food tour guide in Florence told us Italians are happy when someone eliminates a wild boar because they damage vineyards.

A major side topic: I became a great grandmother today! While I was sketching yesterday, I told the girl from Bologna that I was sketching to pass the time while my oldest granddaughter went into labor early. She told me I am a Bisnonna, like biscotti is twice-baked. So, I am officially a “bisnonna” twice-generation grandmother now! : )

Well, this evening a big cry bubbled up as I was climbing the flights of stairs to my room. I wasn’t expecting to feel such mixed emotions with this happy day that put me into a major mood of sadness this evening, missing my husband on this momentous occasion.

Spello - with yesterday evening feeling so sad, I woke up wondering if I did the right thing, planning to come back to Spello. Was it too much, too soon? I took the Assisi bus catching it up at the Nueva Porta this time instead of the long walk downhill to the basilica. My throat felt thick as I rode the train to Spello, and the first site of it reminded me to keep it together until I met the owner to pick up the key. Up, up, up the hill (no gym memberships needed in this town!), and I was staying in such a nice room! “Rooms in Spello” has three rooms, and mine was on the top floor, of course - ha! Lovely with a little sitting area, nice bed (slept well) & modern bathroom. My windows looked out over the countryside & on the opposite side, over the little lane. I enjoyed having the windows open and looking out over my multi-colored tile roof to the countryside with a slight morning breeze.

I immediately went out and walked the Infiorate path for tomorrow. Oh, it felt so good & so right to be here! What a sweet warm hug feeling to be back finishing an unfinished plan with my husband’s blessing! I took many photos in a tiny village where it’s difficult to take a bad photo! Flowers decorating doors along the little lanes makes this a special occasion even before the Infiorate begins! I even had the chance to meet the woman who owns the often-photographed home - my favorite, and she was happy to pose for a photo when I asked permission.

Not many things make me excited to wake up & shower at 5am and head outdoors without coffee! But the next morning, there I was walking those steep lanes with the murals and paths of flowers for the 2 kilometer route. Such beauty! You know I like to attend local festivals & events when I travel. The Spello Infiorate will always be #1 of my long list.

Here’s how Spello describes it: “After a night of work and creativity, Spello prepares for the Sunday of the Corpus Christi Infiorate. At dawn, the village will awaken transformed into a vast open-air art gallery: over sixty flower displays, including paintings and floral carpets, will brighten the historic center along a nearly two-kilometer route, offering a unique and unforgettable spectacle for thousands of tourists and visitors.”

“At 8:00 a.m., the creation of the works will officially conclude and the judging of the 63rd Infiorate Competition will begin. Hundreds of flower arrangers, hard at work for months and the stars of the Night of Flowers, will keep their fleeting floral creations fresh and beautiful. “

“The heart of the event will arrive in the late morning: from the Church of San Lorenzo, at 11:30 a.m., the solemn Corpus Christi Procession will depart. Presided over by the Bishop of the Diocese of Foligno, Felice Accrocca, it will pass through the floral carpets, renewing the most authentic meaning of the Infiorate: the transience of earthly life symbolized by the ephemeral beauty of flowers, destined to fade in a few hours but capable of leaving a profound impression.”

By 6:30am many people were coming and by 7am, I went back to my room for a relaxing coffee break, so happy & content that I’d come here. (There’s a special ambiance during that early morning walk that disappears when the lanes are full of people. If you come, get out early & don’t miss it!). Absolutely perfect weather this year, too. Last year’s report was that they had a rainy day, ruining some of their murals. I had all of the photos I needed, and I had photographed the Corpus Christi procession in 2022. So, the rest of this day was just going to “be in the moment”. I walked the route again and waited up at the crest for the procession reached that point. Afterwards it was time for a 30-minute nap. I probably walked the route at least four times before evening, with an extra exploration again of all of the twisty inner walkways, too, midday.

The rest of my day was relaxation, some sketching, walking the lanes as it cooled down & just reflecting on this trip.

Tomorrow I’ll be staying at the Rome Airport at the Hilton airport hotel. It’s over-priced, but the convenience factor gives me extra sleep before the long flights back home.

Trains:

The train from Bari to Trani was busy! The train from Bari to Ostuni was extremely full, standing room, only. It looked like a college inter-campus bus bringing students back to the cafeteria at lunch!

At Bari, a young couple was asking an employee how to take a bus. I overheard them and gave them additional info, such as the “station” is a sign. Before they walked away, I confirmed they had bus tickets already. Unfortunately, they didn’t. They weren’t getting on the next bus to Alberobello; that one was already sold out. And there were only 5 seats available on the one an hour later. Hope they could get on the later bus.

Packing:
Cotopaxi 35 L backpack
ORI black Kennington crossbody purse

Purchased in Italy during my trip:
Bialetti - 2 very cute espresso cups in light yellow & blue with the look of Puglia. I blame Cathy from our local RS group for this one, making me walk into a Bialetti shop when I already have a Bialetti at home - ha!

2 sets of silver color inexpensive earrings & a scarf purchased from a couple of Vestopazzo shops in Ostuni & Rome. I like that they’re a little unique, and the silver color is all I wear now. I have a pair of hoops from them purchased in the Puglia region last year that I enjoy wearing.

My sketch journal: (this is more for my records than for you readers)
Trani - harbor view from my B&B balcony
Trani - fishing boats & selling the daily catch
Trani - pastel study of buildings

Ostuni - Palazzo Stunis - the special hanging pot feature in my room

Polignano a Mare - the steps, ancient grape vine & roses where the steps say in Italian, “Ogni viaggio lo vivi tre volte - secando sogni, quando lo vivi e quando lo ricordi.” Essentially, “Every trip is lived three times - when you plan it, when you are living it, and when you remember it afterwards.”

Polignano a Mare - the inlet buildings on one side with a crowd of people on the terrace overview.

Lecce - a portion of Santa Croce Church’s gorgeous exterior.

Rome - the Pantheon

Spoleto - N/A

Assisi - a scene with the castle
Assisi - Piazza del Comune
Assisi - the girl who talked to me about Bisnonna. : )

Spello - a portion of one of the Infiorate flower murals
Spello - my favorite steep lane where the flower “carpets” fill the walk, beginning with the small “Spello & year” in flower pieces.
Spello - fountain at Piazza della Repubblica

Italy plans:
I told myself that I would skip Italy in 2026. Ha, that didn’t happen! And then I said, okay, but not in 2027. Well, I’m signed up for a 1-week workshop at tiny Montelparo in the Le Marche region in September 2027 for Susan Kuznitsky’s Pastel painting class at the Hotel Leone facility.

Final thoughts:
I really enjoyed having the chance to take a 1-week RS to see Prague & Budapest! And the contrast of southern Italy to that tour provided good variety, plus that wonderful feeling of being back in such a familiar setting! I rarely used my map app when arriving at a train station. I pretty much could walk right to the B&B or vicinity if staying someplace new. It’s fantastic to see new places, yet there was also a warm settling of my mind, returning to past locations in Puglia and seeing that some things don’t have to change.

I recently read, “The biggest souvenir you give yourself in Italy is the version of yourself you become.” I think for this trip, it gave me more layers of understanding how I’ve changed in the past two years regarding travel. What used to be a perfect itinerary is changing. Previously, I loved staying in the smaller cities and enjoying an evening FaceTime conversation with my husband about what I experienced. Smaller cities are still very special, but I need to lean more towards busier cities with more activities now for awhile if traveling solo, or at least staying just a day at the smaller cities.

The highlight of this trip was attending this Spello Infiorate. I’m returning home with very special memories in my heart! Happy travels!

I played “The Prayer” at the Rome Airport - lovely that there always seems to be a grand piano by my gate. A woman came up to me afterwards and said this meant so much to her because it was played at her father’s funeral, he loved to travel to Rome, and she was missing him. A blessing to others is a great finale. (Heart)

Another lovely report Jean. I admire your openness and reflection about your travel style, sometimes you don't know what you need until you're in the midst of it. And congrats on becoming a Bisnonna, what a perfect gift to return home to!

Thanks Jean for a lovely report. My husband and I were just discussing today going to Puglia. It sounds like such a special place.

Jean, Nice to enjoy your ‘being there,’ vicariously.

Mille Grazie.

Another wonderful trip report, Jean.....thank you so much! I like your travel style and I love how often you encounter others along your path. I wonder if being solo encourages these encounters or if other folks can just sense your openness? I imagine it is a little of both......:)
My work has allowed me the privilege of walking alongside many people in their experiences of grief and loss and I have learned something valuable from all of them. Who knew I would learn more from a travel forum? Jean, you weave the beauty and the pain of your memories of your husband and your journey of processing his loss throughout your stories in such quiet and graceful ways. Thank you for sharing so generously and honestly of yourself.

I am off to Umbria in October and Spoleto is our first stop after Rome. This will be my third time in Italy but it's been awhile so your need to pivot (so effortlessly it seemed!) to Florence was a good reminder to be prepared for the inevitable train strikes we might encounter. After Spoleto, it's on to Spello, which I am even more excited about after reading your report - although of course we will miss the Infiorate, sadly. We will then head to Gubbio followed by a couple of days in Arezzo, to throw a bit of Tuscany into the mix before returning to Rome.

I fell in love with Assisi during a stay there on a previous trip, which inspired my desire to delve deeper into Umbria this time around. Did you make it up to the Rocca Maggiore above town during your stay? We visited it during the day and then returned after dinner one evening to watch the sunset......it was stunning and I will always treasure the memory of being there with my family. That dinner is also a great memory: we ate at a restaurant called "La Fontanella" which is no longer around. The views from the stone terrace were beautiful and the meal was prepared and served by the owner with whatever she was cooking that day. She had been picking mushrooms in the hills earlier that afternoon and these were featured in the pasta course, which thrilled us as we enjoy mushroom picking ourselves in our corner of the world. The owner's dog -a big guy named Argo - was lying on the floor of the restaurant when we came in and rose to greet us. I love dogs and missed my own back at home so I fussed over him for a bit after which he promptly threw up all over my leg and sandaled foot!!! It was pretty funny - thank goodness I love dogs! It was such a special, memorable evening in a beautiful town that shines at night after all the day trippers leave.

Congratulations on becoming a great-grandmother, Jean! How special!

Again, many thanks for your great report!

Sue

Wonderful trip report. Always so vivid. Isn't it nice to revisit those places that give you comfort and joy? I've yet to make it to southern Italy, but you make it so inviting. And it's wonderful you were able to take care of some "unfinished business".

“Ogni viaggio lo vivi tre volte - secando sogni, quando lo vivi e quando lo ricordi.”

This is so true. Congratulations, bisnonna! Thanks for sharing.

CL, thanks for the congratulations! A special milestone in our family. : ). He’s the first baby for both sets of grandparents, so I will have to share cuddle-holding time.

BethFL, good timing to be thinking of the beautiful Puglia region! It still wasn’t overcrowded except on some of the trains.

Fred, I love how we can travel through others’ trip reports on the forum! Glad you enjoyed it!

Jean, a great trip report as usual! And congratulations on the grandchild! That's so exciting!

Every time you write about Italy, it just makes me think about getting back there, and one day I will. My grandkids have been talking about going there, so that might be a trip to take with them in a couple of years.

I'm so glad you got to spend the night in Assissi— I really do love that town. I think it was one of my favorite places I went to in Italy. Although I imagine it wasn't as crowded as it is now. Back when I was there, there were crowds, but not near what I've seen in recent photos.

Jean, thank you as always for your beautiful trip reports. I always read and enjoy every word. You have a wonderful way of expressing your travels and making me feel as if I see it too. I am not a traveler like you, many different hotels and locations in small towns, but I love sharing in your adventures. And like Mardee, you really brought back memories of Assisi. I loved Saint Claire’s church and remembering hustling a long way down, down to get back to meet my group by St Francis’. Italy has so much to offer doesn’t it?

I’m plotting a return trip to Rome and Florence in the winter of ‘28. Can’t believe my dance card is so full that 2027 is already taken. Good lord willing and the creeks don’t rise, right?

Thank you for sharing. I really enjoyed reading this. And thankful your piano playing could minister to another person, too. Congratulations on your grandbaby. Grief is such a journey and such an inventory of losses but I'm thankful you could visit the towns you did and you had this beautiful trip. I also like the idea of going to 2 completely different places to keep things interesting.

Sue, ah, you understand the specialness of the Umbria region! I hear Gubbio mentioned several times - wish there was a multiple bus route/day option to go see it. Although there’s no way I could ever ride up in their open birdcage cablecar funicular! Nightmares…

There is a tendency during solo travel for more opportunities to talk with people, or people are initiating conversations with me. I find it refreshing & enjoyable.

The dichotomy of joy & grief intermixed becomes part of the current journey. I’m usually very happy & upbeat, so I don’t try to temper the grief down on those times when it needs to come to the surface. Solo travel naturally provides more time for self-reflection.

Jean, yes, the Gubbio birdcage funicular! Too funny......my sister and I were just talking about it last night! Although I am not overly fond of heights, we decided that we must take it!! Hopefully, I won't chicken out. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.......although I won't be surprised if my sister loves it and I am dying to get off. A few years ago, we were in Kauai on my birthday and decided to take a helicopter tour. I became extremely motion sick within about 10 minutes and spent the next 30 with my head between my knees, praying for it to be over while she was having the time of her life and kept elbowing me to "look at that!!!" while I could barely raise my head.
Nonetheless, the Gubbio funicular is only 6 minutes long so even if I am not loving it, it will surely be more tolerable than that endless helicopter ride. :)

J, I have my list of Italian cities that I started when I reached about 30 cities where I stayed. I have a few notes on some where I specifically stayed there to attend a festival or event. Otherwise, all of the details of all 50 are in my trip reports I’ve posted over the years.

5 Favorites among many, many more I love:
Venice - unique & magical! Will always be #1.
Stresa - my definition of the perfect, peaceful beginning of any northern trip. Prioritize staying out on tiny Isola Bella the last night of any stay in Stresa.
Spello - the #1 local event of beauty & worship.
Polignano a Mare - early morning walks & stunning blue water
Palermo - fascinating, gritty, mosaics & lively

Mardee, actually I didn’t notice any crowds to speak of in Assisi. Even the morning I walked into the basilica wasn’t what I would call crowded. There were a few tour groups with their umbrella signs, but I was walking around the interior and sat for awhile so no issues.

Maybe I was wandering the upper lanes when tourist groups were in the main piazza.

It’s possible that all of the photos where Assisi was crowded were from last year. I know Assisi was a main site for the Year of Jubilee - one of the reasons I avoided it last year.

Lyndash, everything in Assisi is either way, way uphill or steeply downhill, isn’t it? LOL!

Happy planning for Italy in 2028! What are your destinations for 2027? I am heading to France in 2027 & the art class in Italy. I’m not planning to travel in February this time.

jeanm, thank you! I’m planning to have a canvas enlarged photo made of that saying. The color of the stone steps contrasting with the pinks & peaches of the rosebush is lovely, plus the bonus of the words. : )

pbscd, thank you for your kind words!

Jean --- I continue to learn from The Jean Way and I try to remember to ask myself when things don't go as planned, WhatWouldJeanDo?

Nancy

Nancys8, it doesn’t even stress me out - at least in Italy, where I’m familiar with the train routes and the options on Booking.com are easy to pull up,

”Jean would walk through the options and just take the next step.”. ; )

You always have interesting itineraries, Nancy! Where are you headed next?

Headed to Portogruaro in the Veneto for a few nights, then to Udine in Friuli for a week, then to Venice for 16 nights. That's after already having stayed in Venice for a total of 3 weeks --- talk about enjoying return trips!

I really, really want to also visit the Pomposa Abbey, a drive of about an hour and a half south of Venice --- I've been close to it three times and couldn't get there for one reason or another. The public transportation to it looks like a tiny nightmare to me, but I bet it would not faze you, Jean!

Nancys8, wow, 16 nights in Venice! That’s a dream!

I haven’t been northeast of Venice, yet, in that region. Looking forward to your whole trip report!

I’ve had a few specific locations where public transportation wasn’t practical, and they remained off my itinerary. Hopefully you can find an option that might work. Maybe check with your hotel owner to see if they know of a local option.

Nancys8, okay, here’s how I would go to Pomposa Abbey. The caveat is that I’m completely fine with 1-2 night stays.

Take the train to Ferrara. I assume you’ve stayed there previously. Either way, I would stay a night there. Then the next day, there’s a bus that goes out to Codigaro three times a day. If the bus doesn’t become an option, you’re thirty minutes away by taxi. The taxi would probably get you there in 20 minutes - LOL! If you’re doing the taxi, you wouldn’t need to stay at Ferrara.

Il Dosso Agriturismo 2 miles outside Codigaro has good reviews, and they would probably have some type of local transportation to pick you up from the station (if you took the bus) and also take you out to the abbey the next day. It’s the kind of location where there’s wonderful cultural ambience for less than €100/ night.

Jean, I have a big road trip to Fairbanks Alaska coming up in about 10 days with husband and our Lab, then RS tour Best of Germany with husband in October. In 2027 I’m going solo to Lille and Paris for 3 weeks in January, with husband to Ireland with husband, then solo for the Poland tour in October. I’m turning 76 tomorrow and since Covid I have this very strong feeling I shouldn’t wait for things I really want to do. Nothing is promised and I need to keep moving. Seeing the Leonardo in Krakow of Cecilia with the Ermine has been a big bucket list item for me for years for instance. Seeing amazing art feeds my soul, so going back to Florence and Rome keeps coming to mind every time I read these wonderful trip reports you and others share. Italy is like a fine art wonderland, isn’t it?

Lyndash, Happy Birthday a day early! I’m excited for you with all of your travel plans!

”I’m turning 76 tomorrow and since Covid I have this very strong feeling I shouldn’t wait for things I really want to do.”. Nothing is promised and I need to keep moving.

Wow, those both are so true! Our local RS meet up group collectively have each been traveling more since the Covid year. And I’ve certainly lived the situation of my husband & I having plans to do much more and then suddenly….not. I have completed my bucket list of locations, but there’s a lot of “icing on the cake” that I still want to travel more in Europe as long as I’m healthy.

I do feel like I can cut back for 2027 and just do a May & a September trip. Of course, a few months ago I didn’t have Ireland on my plate for this year, so I’m not very reliable predicting even this year!

It’s possible that all of the photos where Assisi was crowded were from last year. I know Assisi was a main site for the Year of Jubilee - one of the reasons I avoided it last year.

Jean, that's probably it. I think I saw the photo when the New York Times listed Assisi as one of the places to travel in 2026, just assumed it was a regular day there, but it was probably taken during the year of the Jubilee period. I'm very glad to know that, so thanks for the clarification. I would love to go back there at some point.

"I do feel like I can cut back for 2027 and just do a May & a September trip. Of course, a few months ago I didn’t have Ireland on my plate for this year, so I’m not very reliable predicting even this year!"

Hahahaha....I nearly snorted coffee out of my nose. No, don't cut back for 2027!!!

May will be the RS Portugal tour, plus I’m hoping to pair it with a few weeks in France afterwards. September will be the Le Marche region of Italy for the art class, plus some other regions of Italy to fly back afterwords from Rome.

No Spring trip planned unless we have a brutal winter.

Dear Jean,

Thanks again for sharing your lovely trip report!
I always learn something from you, thank you!

Congratulations on becoming a bisnonna, such a special gift!

I love reading your trip reports, Jean, and always end up taking copious notes for future travel planning, though I don't often leave comments. You are my special travel hero for three specific reasons: (1) you have a great flexibility for figuring out mid-trip itinerary changes and not getting 'stuck' when obstacles pop up! we only had to pivot once during our many travels, and found it to be extremely stressful but it all worked out......still, I tend to feel way more comfortable sticking to the original itinerary plan; (2) you actually make time to sketch!! I almost always pack my few art supplies and almost never break them out :~); and (3) in addition to the food, the wine, and the physical activity you find ways to nourish your soul. isn't it a joy to experience those spine-tingling, hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck-raising moments of spirituality? I find them in many places, both indoors and outside.
Happy Travels in the rest of 2026 and beyond!!

@Priscilla, thank you! And I enjoyed our phone conversation last week, too! : )

@Milgreen2, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my trip reports & they’ve been helpful! Your three points all ring true, especially on this last trip. My next trip will be a different type of experience. I’m preparing for a 1-week of pastel painting in Ireland coming up. I wasn’t supposed to do this until next year in Italy, but this extra opportunity came up so it’s a milestone birthday gift this year to myself.