Destination: Italy
by Bobbie Murphy

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About 300 travel professionals - suppliers, advisors and writers - attended this symposium to learn about the region, share experiences, and break bread together. As one of the lucky invitees, I absorbed as much as possible during the five-night trip, and I'd like to share my knowledge with you. Please take advantage of me, so to speak! Travel is my passion, and Italy is certainly becoming one of my greatest passions of all. Allow me to share just a few of the wonderful memories. (Email if you would care to see my photo album on Picasa - I took more than 400 pictures!)

Our journey began on flights from Cincinnati to Chicago to Rome to Verona, a little airport just outside the city where it's rumored Romeo and Juliet lived and died. After checking into my lovely hotel (Accademia) in the center of a wonderful shopping district, we had some time to roam the first afternoon, and I took full advantage by walking the city with two new friends. The river - with its trees in full fall colors - was beautiful. Little did I realize that this would be my only chance at experiencing an Italian cafe! I giggled when I realized that my friend's glass of white wine cost the same as my cup of hot tea (2.5 euros)! Silly me - what was I thinking?

The cities we toured included Verona, Vicenza, Padua, and Treviso (staying two nights at the Accademia in Verona and three nights at the NH Mantegna). I had exactly four hours to see Venice on the last afternoon before arriving at the Palace Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista for our Farewell Dinner. I was truly amazed at the architecture I saw - so many periods, of course, that my brain hurt trying to catalog it all. We had one dining experience after another, with wine pairings, my first taste of both Grappa and Prosecco (a liqueur made from the waste of wine-making and an inexpensive sparkling wine) and (thankfully!) lots of stairs and alleys to explore to keep my waistline from expanding. And those “squatting” toilets - now I know why Italian ladies' quads are so strong!

Highlights for me on this journey were many, but perhaps the most impressive was the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. Frescoed entirely by Giotto, there are 38 different "episodes" painted all over the walls. Fascinating to me, the restoration was completed in 2002 and is now protected and sealed, with only a few visitors at a time allowed to enter. The chapel dates to 1305. Photos are not allowed, so you'll have to Google it! I was also intrigued by the old town of Padua, where a university was founded in 1222 (Galileo studied and taught there).

The city of Vicenza and the surrounding countryside have many buildings designed by the famous Andrea Palladio (our own Monticello, the Jefferson Memorial, and the White House were inspired by him), including the lovely villa where we had an inspiring and delicious luncheon. Of particular interest was the Teatro Olimpico, Europe's oldest surviving indoor theatre. The stage has a backstage area that is only 12 meters long, sloped upward to look larger. I gasped as I walked inside - it's truly an architectural gem.

The Symposium always includes two educational sessions with the sponsors: the Italian Travel Professional Council (ITPC) and the Italian Government Tourist Board (Italia). The companies selling Italy have representatives intermingled with our bus groups, allowing for some important one-on–one encounters with fantastic and knowledgeable tour operators. My only regret was that, this year, we didn't have a chance to speak to all of them individually. In years past, there was a lunch-time segment for this. You will find many of our OSSN member suppliers on the ITPC website. Check it out the next time you are researching Italy for your clients.

This wasn't a FAM trip where you see lots of hotels (use your providers to guide you), but one of our luncheons was served at a special little palace about 20 minutes outside Venice called the Villa Pace Park Hotel Bolognese. If the price of a hotel stay in Venice scares your clients away, this could be a wonderful alternative. On a bus route into the city, the entry level room was only 100 euros, a suite 200 euros! The lovely grounds, spa, outdoor swimming pool and amazing chef (you should have tasted our buffet lunch!) would be enough to make me consider it for my next journey to the region. The signage on the highways was great, making it possible to consider a car rental to really experience the entire area.

The Dolomite Mountains are in the Veneto region, and probably my only frustration of the trip was to be so close and not see them!

One of my favorite memories is of my gondola ride with new friends in Venice. What a unique city this is - I was charmed beyond words and had the pleasure of being guided by a native of Italy. As we worked our way through the numerous narrow "streets" and shops to our Grand Farewell Dinner in yet another architectural wonder, I happened upon a little gift shop on top of the famous Ponte Rialto (bridge). My cute little leather purse will be a sweet reminder of my brief love affair with Veneto, Italy.

Bobbie Murphy is the owner of Bobbie's Travel Ltd. in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the director of the OSSN Kentucky Chapter. You may reach her via her listing (under "KY") in the OSSN chapter directors roster.

(Credits: Bobbie Murphy)