NEW TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT!

Italy April 2028: Some Trips Are Meant to Be Shared With Someone You Love 🇮🇹

14 Days Discovering Italy — A Special First Invitation for My GoNaked Travel Family

Gents, I've got something wonderful to share with you!

We're going to Italy in 2028, and before I announce this trip to the rest of the world, I wanted my GoNaked travelers to hear about it first.

But this trip is a little different.

I'm inviting you to bring your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your partner, or that wonderful friend who's been saying for the last 20 years, "Someday, I'm going to Italy."

This is a family-and-friends affair. Everyone is welcome, and yes, we'll be keeping our clothes on for this one!

We're talking about 14 glorious days discovering Italy, with beautiful hotels, comfortable transportation, knowledgeable local guides, unforgettable experiences, and somebody else taking care of the details.

But before I tell you about the trip, I want to tell you why this one means so much to me.

The Trip My Parents Never Got to Take

Growing up, my parents always talked about going to Italy.

"We'll go when the kids are grown."

"We'll go when we have a little more money."

"We'll go someday."

And then someday ran out.

My dad died unexpectedly at 67. It was November 13, and suddenly all those plans he and my mother had talked about for years were gone.

Mom was devastated.

Her health wasn't particularly good either. In fact, we'd always expected her to go before Dad.

I wanted to do something to help her through her grief. Something that would give her a reason to look forward instead of always looking back.

So I booked us a trip to Italy.

Just Mom and me.

Now, if you've ever traveled with Bob and me, you know we're pretty adventurous. We'd show up in a city, find a hotel, jump on a subway, walk for miles, and figure things out as we went.

There was absolutely no way Mom could travel like that.

She needed comfort. She needed someone else handling the logistics. She needed a vacation where she could enjoy Italy without worrying about how she was going to get through the day.

So I booked a guided motorcoach tour.

And I have to admit, I wasn't particularly excited about it.

I pictured myself as the only 30-year-old "kid" traveling with his mother, surrounded by retirees.

Well, wasn't I in for a surprise!

Six Other Mothers and Their Kids!

As it turned out, there were six other parent-and-adult-child pairs on that trip!

There were gay couples, husbands and wives, and people who had been dreaming about Italy their entire lives.

Several were Italian Americans who couldn't wait to visit the old country for the first time.

We became this wonderful little traveling family.

And my mother? She had the time of her life.

She was easily the least physically fit person in our group. On days when everyone else was hiking through olive groves or tackling sightseeing that required more stamina than Mom had, our guide would quietly arrange something different for us.

Maybe we'd sit in a beautiful park. Maybe we'd visit a nearby attraction. Maybe we'd enjoy a leisurely afternoon together while everyone else was off exploring.

Nobody made her feel like she was holding anyone back.

Nobody made her feel like she didn't belong.

The guide simply made sure she had a wonderful vacation, too.

My mother talked about that trip until the day she died.

All those years later, she could still remember the people, the meals, the beautiful places, and the experiences we shared.

And I still remember the joy of watching her finally get to see the country she and Dad had dreamed about for so long.

That trip taught me something I've never forgotten.

Sometimes the greatest gift you can give someone isn't a thing.

It's a memory you make together.

I Went in a Skeptic. I Came Home a Believer.

I also learned something else on that trip.

A well-organized guided tour is an absolutely marvelous way to travel.

Our motorcoach was beautiful and comfortable. Our hotels were lovely. Our bags were collected and delivered to our rooms.

We didn't have to navigate unfamiliar train stations, figure out transportation between cities, or spend hours researching what to see and how to get there.

We'd settle into a hotel for a couple of nights, explore the area, and then continue to our next destination.

Many meals were included, but we also had free time to discover little restaurants and explore on our own.

And because somebody else was handling all the details, we could concentrate on actually enjoying Italy.

There was something wonderfully liberating about that.

And That Beautiful Motorcoach? I Became a Believer!

I have to laugh when I think about how skeptical I was.

The coach was luxurious, comfortable, and beautiful. The hotels were lovely. Our bags were collected and delivered right to our rooms.

We didn't have to figure out transportation, navigate unfamiliar train stations, or spend hours trying to decide how to get from one city to the next.

Every detail had been thoughtfully planned.

We'd arrive somewhere, settle into a hotel for a couple of nights, and explore from there.

There were organized sightseeing experiences, but also plenty of free time to wander off on our own.

Many meals were included, but not all of them. So we still had opportunities to discover that little neighborhood restaurant or spend an afternoon doing exactly what we wanted.

It was the perfect combination of adventure and comfort.

And I understood something I'd never really appreciated before.

Having someone else take care of the logistics doesn't make you less of a traveler. It gives you more time to enjoy the traveling.

That's Why I've Chosen Globus for Our 2028 Italy Adventure

Globus has taken the traditional escorted tour and turned it into something much more than transportation and sightseeing.

Think about what happens when you plan a trip to Italy on your own.

First, you've got to figure out where to go. Then which hotels to book. How to get between cities. Whether you should rent a car, take a train, or hire a driver.

Then there are the admission tickets, the restaurant reservations, the language barriers, the long lines, and all those little unexpected complications that inevitably pop up.

Before you know it, you've spent half your vacation playing travel agent.

With Globus, much of that work is already done.

They've spent decades perfecting the art of escorted travel, and it shows.

The hotels. The transportation. The sightseeing. The local expertise. The thoughtful details.

It's all designed to give you more time to enjoy the things you came to Italy to experience.

And here's the part I particularly love.

The Guides Don't Just Show You Italy. They Bring It to Life.

Anybody can stand in front of the Colosseum and take a picture.

But imagine having someone beside you who can tell you the stories behind those ancient stones. Someone who knows the history, the culture, the traditions, and all those fascinating little details you'd never find by wandering around with a guidebook.

That's what a great Tour Director and local guides bring to the experience.

They help you understand what you're seeing.

They make the history come alive.

They share the stories that turn a beautiful building into an unforgettable experience.

And while they're doing that, they're also working behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly.

You get to enjoy the destination instead of worrying about the logistics.

It's the difference between simply visiting Italy and truly experiencing it.

Fourteen Days. One Incredible Country. No Guesswork.

I specifically wanted a two-week trip because, for many people, this may be their one and only opportunity to visit Italy.

Or perhaps their last big international adventure.

And I don't want them to come home wishing they'd had more time.

I want you to experience those places you've dreamed about seeing for decades.

I want you to have time to sit at a café, order another cappuccino, and watch the world go by.

I want you to enjoy a wonderful dinner without worrying about how you're getting back to the hotel.

I want you to have the comfort of a beautiful motorcoach, the expertise of professional guides, and the pleasure of traveling with interesting people.

And I want you to have free time when you feel like doing your own thing.

That's the beauty of this style of travel.

You get the convenience of an organized trip without having to give up your independence.

And Wait Until You See the Price!

This is another reason I'm so excited about this particular itinerary.

For a full 14 days in Italy, the price is remarkable.

When you consider the accommodations, transportation, included sightseeing, professional guidance, and all the little details that are taken care of along the way, I think the value is extraordinary.

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised to see a comparable experience priced 75% higher.

But don't take my word for it. Look at the itinerary and what's included, and decide for yourself.

(Take a peek at the price here!)

Now, Here's Where You Come In

I want you to think about somebody in your life who would love to see Italy.

Maybe it's your mother, who's been talking about going for 40 years.

Maybe it's your father, who wants to visit the country his grandparents left behind.

Maybe it's a brother or sister you've been meaning to spend more time with.

Maybe it's your husband, your partner, or a dear friend who has always wanted to see the world but hasn't quite worked up the courage to go.

This is the perfect opportunity to invite them.

And if you're the person who's always dreamed of visiting Italy but hasn't wanted to tackle an international trip alone, this is for you, too.

You'll be traveling with a group of friendly people, with the major details already arranged.

This is not a clothing-optional GoNaked retreat. It's a traditional tour where we're opening the doors to our families and friends.

And I can't think of a better way to introduce the people we love to the travel friendships we've made over the years.

You're Getting the First Invitation

Before I open this trip to the rest of the Three Ring Travel Group audience, I'm giving my GoNaked travelers the first opportunity to explore it.

Take a good look at the itinerary.

Share it with your family.

Talk it over with your partner.

Call your Mom. Call your Dad. Call that friend you've been meaning to travel with.

And whatever you do, don't automatically assume they're too old, too inexperienced, or too nervous about international travel to enjoy themselves.

My Mother would have told you otherwise.

[EXPLORE OUR 14-DAY ITALY ADVENTURE]

One Last Thing...

My dad never made it to Italy.

He kept waiting for the right time.

But my mom did.

And all these years later, I'm so grateful I made that trip happen while she was still here to enjoy it.

Because here's what I've learned after a lifetime of traveling.

You can always make more money.

You can always buy another pair of shoes.

But you cannot buy back time with someone you love.

So if Italy has been sitting on your bucket list, let's get it off that list and onto your calendar.

And if there's somebody special you'd like to share it with, bring them along.

Eat the cake. Take the trip. Buy the shoes.

And for heaven's sake, don't wait forever to make the memories.

Love, Pasta, and Cheek Pinches,

Nick

Nick Vannello
Founder & Travel Curator
Three Ring Travel Group