Imagine sitting in awe as you gaze at the original painting of The Last Supper in Milan, experience the Tuscan countryside, lean over for a photo in Pisa, taste the best gelato in the entire world, and stare in disbelief from within the Sistine Chapel – all in one trip!

AAA Travel Consultant Sarah Feldmann and a group of her colleagues are fresh off a marvelous trip to Italy with Insight Vacations--and they’re ready to share their experience with AAA members. 

“It was such a good combination of big city feel with the Tuscan countryside as well,” Feldmann said. “We had the best of both worlds. You are almost taking a step back in time.”

Travelers often have trouble choosing between escorted tours or independent travel, and Feldmann says that’s a matter of personal preference. 

“I think it’s best to cover as much ground as possible. They have tours you can do in a week, or there’s a tour you can do in 21 days, so we can find the best tour for you based on the amount of time you have, when you’re interested in going, and the style of trip you want to do,” Feldmann explained. “We also arrange for totally independent travel. It’s best to have a conversation to make sure your needs are met.”

Feldmann’s top tips for travel to Italy:

•    Talk to a travel consultant to plan out the best trip to meet your needs.
•    Buy skip-the-line tickets from AAA for popular attractions.
•    Plan your tours in advance with a trusted guide through AAA to make sure attractions are open and that you will have an English-speaking tour guide.

And when it comes to cuisine, be prepared for plenty of delicious gelato, along with some incredible meals.

“We were touring Cinque Terre (on the Italian Riviera) and I decided to splurge a little bit, so I had a red sauce pasta meal with half a lobster that was just caught that day,” Feldmann explained. “It was the best meal of my life! It’s one of those things that I’m going to remember forever.”

Italy was the topic of a recent AAA Talking Travel program featuring Feldmann, on December 1, which airs on WECK Radio on Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. or Sundays at 6:30 a.m. You can listen to the podcast here at AAA.com. For more information on travel opportunities for any season, simply call 1-855-862-6651 to speak with a AAA travel consultant or visit AAA.com/Travel.

Whether you’re planning a trip or just vacation dreaming, you won’t want to miss this episode of AAA Talking Travel.

Ciao!