Penelope Witherspoon's Travel Thread

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

Now that there is a vaccine, I'm pinpointing Jan 2022 as when ill start traveling again for pleasure.

My birthday is in January, so these are my tentative plans for 2022 and 2023.

Jan 2022 - Paris (5 nts) and Venice (7 nts)
Fall 2022 - Peru and Machu Picchu (the MP plan is to take the Hiram Bingham up and back.and stay at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge @ MP to gain great access....afterall, ill only do it once)
Will most likely do 2-3 small city trips as well to Western Europe as its an easy hop from the East Coast.

Jan 2023 - Paris (5nts) and Rome (7 nts)
Fall 2023 - Egypt and Jordan/Petra (I like the Abercrombie and Kent package. Given the price, I'm going to start saving ASAP).

2020 made me realize I need to just say fuck it and start doing some of these bucket list trips.

[SimonBolivar 10911]

1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Now that there is a vaccine, I'm pinpointing Jan 2022 as when ill start traveling again for pleasure.

My birthday is in January, so these are my tentative plans for 2022 and 2023.

Jan 2022 - Paris (5 nts) and Venice (7 nts)
Fall 2022 - Peru and Machu Picchu (the MP plan is to take the Hiram Bingham up and back.and stay at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge @ MP to gain great access....afterall, ill only do it once)
Will most likely do 2-3 small city trips as well to Western Europe as its an easy hop from the East Coast.

Jan 2023 - Paris (5nts) and Rome (7 nts)
Fall 2023 - Egypt and Jordan/Petra (I like the Abercrombie and Kent package. Given the price, I'm going to start saving ASAP).

2020 made me realize I need to just say fuck it and start doing some of these bucket list trips.

Anywhere specific cities you have an eye on or is it more of waiting until time to decide type of thing?

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

Anywhere specific cities you have an eye on or is it more of waiting until time to decide type of thing?

I have a whole list, but since these smaller trips would be long weekends (4-5 nights), my first list is:

Europe

Milan
Barcelona
Madrid
Berlin
Stockholm
Edinburgh
Valencia
Naples
Lyon
Marseille

Central and South America

Mexico City (again)
San Miguel de Allende
Merida
Tulum
Cartagena
Bogota
Buenos Aires

I've not done the research yet on direct flights and pricing of hotels/AirBnBs.

Once I do, I can narrow this down.

[tx 3 putt 76314]

I’d highly recommend Guadalajara 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

I’d highly recommend Guadalajara 

No direct flights from NYC. That is one of the criteria.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

 

21 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

3 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

I’d highly recommend Guadalajara 

No direct flights from NYC. That is one of the criteria.

She said........Ohhhhhh no...... Guadalajara won't do....

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

I miss traveling.  That is all. 

I have also neglected my travel blog.  With Bloomberg naming NYC as one of the places to go in 2021, there will start to be tons of NYC stuff starting soon.  Want to get up to having 4 posts a week.   

 

[CycleTex87 2953]

I would strongly recommend Lima Peru in the Latin/South America list.  I mean, UAL has flights but there is a stop in Houston.

[crash_davis 23083]

2 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I miss traveling.  That is all. 

I have also neglected my travel blog.  With Bloomberg naming NYC as one of the places to go in 2021, there will start to be tons of NYC stuff starting soon.  Want to get up to having 4 posts a week.   

 

without knowing much about your private life, are you independently wealthy and have no job?

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

45 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

without knowing much about your private life, are you independently wealthy and have no job?

I wish.  I make very good money, but I also work a lot.  I cram as much as I can on weekends.  Helps that I am single with no kids, except for the furry kind.

[Cajun 11675]

1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Helps that I am single with no kids, except for the furry kind.

 

[iodeac 138]

Colombia is amazing. I spent a week in Medellín with an immersion group in February before the bottom fell out and I never wanted to come home. The city just had an enormous energy to it and I felt like I was at home. I'm really hoping to get back there later this year if things improve enough.

Enviado desde mi SM-G973U mediante Tapatalk

[Landomatic 3813]

On 1/15/2021 at 11:18 AM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I miss traveling.  That is all.

I have also neglected my travel blog.  With Bloomberg naming NYC as one of the places to go in 2021, there will start to be tons of NYC stuff starting soon.  Want to get up to having 4 posts a week.

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

I am taking the dogs to Salem, MA the last weekend in February.  Need to get out of the city for a little bit.

[Brisketexan 104556]

3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I am taking the dogs to Salem, MA the last weekend in February.  Need to get out of the city for a little bit.

I mean.....you're SURE you're not a witch, right?  Just want to note some risks for you....

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

I mean.....you're SURE you're not a witch, right?  Just want to note some risks for you....

I wish.  I would have magiced myself a win in that $1B mega millions if I were.  Alas, no witchcraft here.  Besides, I think Salem stopped with the witch hunting yonks ago.

[thunderlounge 7754]

Hey P, would you think the EU should be ok to schedule for in December? I’ll be shot up in about a month, so not overly worried  but you’re paying closer attention than I have been, so thought I would see what you thought  

 

I have a $2400 credit for BA that I have to use by early next year or lose it.

[Underdog 28445]

Salem's a neat area if a bit touristy. 

[conVINCEd 21468]

My mom’s side of the conVINCEd clan settled in Salem in the 1600’s.  They avoided drowning or being burned at the stake.  My grandfather really got into genealogy when he retired.  They may have snitched, but I’m not sure we ever got resolution on that.  Godspeed.

[CooterBrown 17904]

Hey P, would you think the EU should be ok to schedule for in December? I’ll be shot up in about a month, so not overly worried  but you’re paying closer attention than I have been, so thought I would see what you thought  
 
I have a $2400 credit for BA that I have to use by early next year or lose it.

Some countries will still require you to quarantine for 10-14 days.

However, some are joining the vaccine passport so watch which countries do and have your shots well documented and you won’t have to quarantine in those countries.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

2 hours ago, thunderlounge said:

Hey P, would you think the EU should be ok to schedule for in December? I’ll be shot up in about a month, so not overly worried  but you’re paying closer attention than I have been, so thought I would see what you thought  

 

I have a $2400 credit for BA that I have to use by early next year or lose it.

 

11 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Some countries will still require you to quarantine for 10-14 days.

However, some are joining the vaccine passport so watch which countries do and have your shots well documented and you won’t have to quarantine in those countries.

What @CooterBrown said.  I think it is too early to tell right now.  I am keeping an eye on costs at the moment.  Nothing booked just yet.  If push comes to shove and I have to quarantine, I might head over early.  Provided I am still in the same role I am in now, that wouldn't be a problem as I work fully remotely.  

I will start paying more attention in May or June.  I am in the same boat as you.  I have a BA credit that must be used up.  Also, I still have my BA status.  I am hoping they roll it to the 2022 qualification year, as it looks like 2021 is going to be a wash for the most part.  I worked hard to get almost to gold (SO CLOSE), and I would like to get Gold in 2022.  The perks are very nice.

[thunderlounge 7754]

17 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

Some countries will still require you to quarantine for 10-14 days.

However, some are joining the vaccine passport so watch which countries do and have your shots well documented and you won’t have to quarantine in those countries.

 

4 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

 

What @CooterBrown said.  I think it is too early to tell right now.  I am keeping an eye on costs at the moment.  Nothing booked just yet.  If push comes to shove and I have to quarantine, I might head over early.  Provided I am still in the same role I am in now, that wouldn't be a problem as I work fully remotely.  

I will start paying more attention in May or June.  I am in the same boat as you.  I have a BA credit that must be used up.  Also, I still have my BA status.  I am hoping they roll it to the 2022 qualification year, as it looks like 2021 is going to be a wash for the most part.  I worked hard to get almost to gold (SO CLOSE), and I would like to get Gold in 2022.  The perks are very nice.

 

 

 

Thanks to you both. I would be looking at booking sometime this summer, unless I ran across one hell of a deal of course. I ended up just short of gold myself, and ended up silver again. I'm still riding that TP year from being rolled over as well. The "bad" thing for me would be trying to start running for gold in December, and my TP year resetting in August. I'll lose 4 months or so where I would have been close to 300TP at least for a normal year.

 

I'm not sure if I'll be 100% into traveling at that point, but I also don't want to lose that credit either. I even looked into using it to buy avios, just an emergency backup. Not a great thing, but better than losing it all. Don't really want to do anything off the wall, just hit some of the Christmas markets again. Had a lot of fun, and would be most likely an initial attempt to hit the UK (Manchester, London), Paris, and would love to do Brussels again as well. I think those should be as safe of an attempt as anything. However, as you say, when buy time shows up it may be who knows what. Pretty much I'll take the best deal for an entry/exit point to the area, then work out internal flights later in the year. So if an entry ended up being in/out of Brussels, but France has a quarantine regardless of shot, or the UK, or whatever, then it wouldn't be impossible to move around other places that are more receptive. Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Norway or Sweden. Whatever works. Hell, Amsterdam, Brussels, and London would be a good time too.

Hell, if I wanna catch up on some TP's, I could hit the BVI via London, and rent a little sail boat and park it off a deserted island for a week. 😁

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

5 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to you both. I would be looking at booking sometime this summer, unless I ran across one hell of a deal of course. I ended up just short of gold myself, and ended up silver again. I'm still riding that TP year from being rolled over as well. The "bad" thing for me would be trying to start running for gold in December, and my TP year resetting in August. I'll lose 4 months or so where I would have been close to 300TP at least for a normal year.

 

I'm not sure if I'll be 100% into traveling at that point, but I also don't want to lose that credit either. I even looked into using it to buy avios, just an emergency backup. Not a great thing, but better than losing it all. Don't really want to do anything off the wall, just hit some of the Christmas markets again. Had a lot of fun, and would be most likely an initial attempt to hit the UK (Manchester, London), Paris, and would love to do Brussels again as well. I think those should be as safe of an attempt as anything. However, as you say, when buy time shows up it may be who knows what. Pretty much I'll take the best deal for an entry/exit point to the area, then work out internal flights later in the year. So if an entry ended up being in/out of Brussels, but France has a quarantine regardless of shot, or the UK, or whatever, then it wouldn't be impossible to move around other places that are more receptive. Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Norway or Sweden. Whatever works. Hell, Amsterdam, Brussels, and London would be a good time too.

Hell, if I wanna catch up on some TP's, I could hit the BVI via London, and rent a little sail boat and park it off a deserted island for a week. 😁

 

You are lucky that your year is in August.  Mine is in February.  I assume they will role it given all the uncertainty, but I could see them completely fucking me over.  That is kind of how my luck goes.  I am looking right now at Paris via London (will take the Eurostar with my friends if things are kosher) and then back from Venice most likely via London, though could go via Madrid.  I found RT business class for 2500, so with my credit, that makes it basically the same as I would pay for economy plus.  Since I am looking at January, I would expect those flights to stay pretty damned cheap.  The most expensive leg of the flight is that direct leg to London. If I went directly to Paris, it might be cheaper, but I hate flying into CDG.  

[thunderlounge 7754]

1 minute ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

You are lucky that your year is in August.  Mine is in February.  I assume they will role it given all the uncertainty, but I could see them completely fucking me over.  That is kind of how my luck goes.  I am looking right now at Paris via London (will take the Eurostar with my friends if things are kosher) and then back from Venice most likely via London, though could go via Madrid.  I found RT business class for 2500, so with my credit, that makes it basically the same as I would pay for economy plus.  Since I am looking at January, I would expect those flights to stay pretty damned cheap.  The most expensive leg of the flight is that direct leg to London. If I went directly to Paris, it might be cheaper, but I hate flying into CDG.  

 

 

Wow. Direct into London. Love those taxes, huh?

I don't find CDG terrible on premise. There are certainly better, but also a lot worse too. Then again there are a lot of airports other people seem to loathe and they don't bother me either. There are airports I try to avoid for sure, but more on the level of something like, "fuck flying long haul in/out of Detroit/Philly/NYC/Northeast because it kills the amount of sleep I can get."

 

I love DFW->LHR, to be honest. For me it's just enough to get in the air, quick serve, and crash until breakfast and get enough sleep to be good to go on arrival. Hopefully with enough time (if connecting) for the AA Arrivals lounge. 😁

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

 
 
Wow. Direct into London. Love those taxes, huh?
I don't find CDG terrible on premise. There are certainly better, but also a lot worse too. Then again there are a lot of airports other people seem to loathe and they don't bother me either. There are airports I try to avoid for sure, but more on the level of something like, "fuck flying long haul in/out of Detroit/Philly/NYC/Northeast because it kills the amount of sleep I can get."
 
I love DFW->LHR, to be honest. For me it's just enough to get in the air, quick serve, and crash until breakfast and get enough sleep to be good to go on arrival. Hopefully with enough time (if connecting) for the AA Arrivals lounge.

I like the all day flight into Heathrow out of JFK. No jet lag.

The issue with CDG is it is so fucking far out. I much prefer London, then catching the train where we drink on the way to Paris. Gare du Nord is so central as well. Can avoid the shitty taxi ride, which I’d there is a wreck, can take forever.

Two airports I like a lot are Madrid and Copenhagen. Both are great.

[thunderlounge 7754]

I could see the day flight maybe. Overnights don’t bother me if there is enough sleepy time. A nap under 4 hours and it isn’t worth it for me. 
 

Eurostar is a great time, although most of the trains have been for me. Did that London to Brussels last time, Paris a few times before that over the years. 
 

Guess I’ll keep my eyes open, and maybe consider the day flight. Usually not an option for me since I would have to connect before connecting at JFK. Positioning flights aren’t out of the question though. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

41 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

I could see the day flight maybe. Overnights don’t bother me if there is enough sleepy time. A nap under 4 hours and it isn’t worth it for me. 
 

Eurostar is a great time, although most of the trains have been for me. Did that London to Brussels last time, Paris a few times before that over the years. 
 

Guess I’ll keep my eyes open, and maybe consider the day flight. Usually not an option for me since I would have to connect before connecting at JFK. Positioning flights aren’t out of the question though. 

Can always fly up to NYC the day before, or even a few days before.  They named NYC one of the top places to visit in 2021 on Bloomberg.  I know they are hoping things are back open in the fall, and if the vaccine distribution picks up, I do not see why it shouldn't be.  I believe Hugh Jackman in the Music Man revival is already on the calendar for previews.

[thunderlounge 7754]

I’ll keep it in mind. Depends what flights I can find available through BA. Certainly options though, and I'll see what ITA Matrix finds for me. It usually does me pretty good.

 

[CycleTex87 2953]

My Jr. daughter at UT (no pix) was scheduled to do her Maymester in London this year, which just got cancelled.  She's bummed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

....but my pocketbook did a little dance.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

I am getting a lot more optimistic that travel in late 2021/early 2022 is going to be occurring.  

I am currently working on my trip to Paris in January.  Plan right now is to fly into London around the 7th of January to see my friends, then I would train to Paris on the 10th (my birthday).  I would spend Monday through Thursday in Paris on my own, at the Hotel Bienvenue (have been wanting to stay there, and actually had to cancel a trip in May 2020), then a group of friends is going to join me on that Thursday (the 13th) where we would be in a Marriott Villa Apartment in the Palais Royale.  Not sure if we are staying until Monday or Tuesday, but in any case, I would return to NYC on Tuesday, the 18th.  

Second trip of 2021 would be to Venice.  Current plan would be to leave on the 28th of April, and be in Venice the 29th of April through the 7th or 8th of May.  I would stay in an AirBnB (found one I really like in the Cannaregio) in Venice the whole time, only doing day trips outside the city.  By staying so long, I would have time to explore some of the other islands, and would have time to hit up vineyards in the region and even Verona, Padua, Vicenza if I wanted to.  

Final planned trip of 2021 would be Machu Piccu.  Will only spend 2 nights up on Machu Piccu (we are trying to book the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge which is actually at the entrance, so you are already up there before everyone arrives.  Would spend 2-3 days before and after in Cusco/Sacred Valley.

2023 plans are something for my Birthday (January), a trip in April/May, then something around end of October to Thanksgiving timeframe.  April/May might be a good time for my previously cancelled Easter Trip to Seville/Spain.  Others on my wish list are Rome, Bali, Thailand, and Egypt.  

[thunderlounge 7754]

Thanks Pdub. That makes me feel a bit better with arranging something for the Christmas markets in December.

Might not be perfect, but it should still be a great time if things trend the way they are looking.

I wonder if BA would be willing to extend the use by date on my voucher a bit. Probably a pipe dream, but can’t hurt to ask.

I have a feeling a lot of “trips” this year for me will be in the woods. Oh well. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

8 hours ago, thunderlounge said:

Thanks Pdub. That makes me feel a bit better with arranging something for the Christmas markets in December.

Might not be perfect, but it should still be a great time if things trend the way they are looking.

I wonder if BA would be willing to extend the use by date on my voucher a bit. Probably a pipe dream, but can’t hurt to ask.

I have a feeling a lot of “trips” this year for me will be in the woods. Oh well. 

I talked with BA a couple of weeks ago, and they said my voucher was good through 2022, so I would imagine you are good.

[virinchi 2]

I've also been at many places in Chicago but unfortunately couldnt take

pictures

[thunderlounge 7754]

4 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I talked with BA a couple of weeks ago, and they said my voucher was good through 2022, so I would imagine you are good.

Correct. It’s good through April of ‘22, Through the end of 22 would have been better for me though. Oh well, it is what it is. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

On 2/26/2021 at 1:53 PM, thunderlounge said:

Correct. It’s good through April of ‘22, Through the end of 22 would have been better for me though. Oh well, it is what it is. 

I just used mine.  It was a pain in the ass, but it eventually happened.

Flying into Naples.  A friend might join me (waiting for her to decide).  

Right now, plan is:

4 nights Naples

2 nights Capri

4 nights Ischia

1 night Naples as we fly the next day

Leaving August 31 and coming back September 12.  BA Business Class fare - 2,012.  Some really good deals in September on BA.

 

[CycleTex87 2953]

That's cheap for business class.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

That's cheap for business class.

I know. BA has been having some cheap Business Class fares. So has Virgin Atlanticm

[Orale 1087]

11 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I just used mine.  It was a pain in the ass, but it eventually happened.
Flying into Naples.  A friend might join me (waiting for her to decide).  
Right now, plan is:
4 nights Naples
2 nights Capri
4 nights Ischia
1 night Naples as we fly the next day
Leaving August 31 and coming back September 12.  BA Business Class fare - 2,012.  Some really good deals in September on BA.
 

Just my opinion, but four nights might be a bit long for Naples unless you're just using it as a base for day trips to Pompei, Almafi Coast, etc... I saw most of the interesting sites in town in a day. It's a rough place so be mindful where you're at at night.

Edited June 29, 2021 by Orale

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

35 minutes ago, Orale said:

3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I just used mine.  It was a pain in the ass, but it eventually happened.
Flying into Naples.  A friend might join me (waiting for her to decide).  
Right now, plan is:
4 nights Naples
2 nights Capri
4 nights Ischia
1 night Naples as we fly the next day
Leaving August 31 and coming back September 12.  BA Business Class fare - 2,012.  Some really good deals in September on BA.
 

Just my opinion, but four nights might be a bit long for Naples unless you're just using it as a base for day trips to Pompei, Almafi Coast, etc... I saw most of the interesting sites in town in a day. Also got robbed and roughed up a bit by two Italian dudes, so be mindful where you're at at night.

We are doing Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Vesuvius (probably cannot do all three in one day), I want to do the Archaeology museum as well.  I am well aware of Naples' seedier side, and when I was there for a day back in 2018, it was completely fine.  

We might do a boat trip to the Amalfi Coast (i.e. find someone who would take us for a day via boat), but we may do that from Ischia or Capri.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

I watched the No Reservations episode on Naples, and then watched some Parts Unknown. Damn, I miss Tony. My appreciation for Parts Unknown has grown. It really was a fantastic show.

[washparkhorn 9935]

I could spend months in Campania and never grow bored. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

9 hours ago, washparkhorn said:

I could spend months in Campania and never grow bored. 

I think it is one of the prettiest parts of Italy.  Looking forward to it.

[thunderlounge 7754]

On 6/28/2021 at 10:17 AM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I just used mine.  It was a pain in the ass, but it eventually happened.

Glad you found use. I’m probably going to just end up eating it. Sucks, but maybe something will pop up for early spring. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

41 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

Glad you found use. I’m probably going to just end up eating it. Sucks, but maybe something will pop up for early spring. 

Welp, my new flight is about to go back into voucher.  Thanks to the Delta variant, while as a vaccinated American, I can enter Italy and not quarantine, if I transit through the United Kingdom, even airside in Heathrow, I would have to quarantine for 5 days on arrival in Italy.  Fuck that.  

Called BA. They said they would put the whole thing in voucher, and I was able to get a flight on Swiss Air (no issues getting into Italy from Switzerland or getting into Switzerland for that matter) for $1,950 in business.  

Oh well.  Still looking forward to the trip.  Gotta love COVID travel.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

And, Amalfi Coast day on a boat is booked.  With the same captain we went out with last time I was there.  

Best 500 Euros I will have spent this entire trip.

Last time I went, we took these photos.

 

 

 

[ClubWhatever 12087]

Fuckin A that is beautiful

[burntorangebongos 10681]

moar?

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

Will definitely post photos from our trip.  Right now, keeping my fingers crossed that things will not shut down before we get to go.   

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19093]

We have all the hotels booked now.  

We arrive in Naples on September 1 at 2 PM. So we have an evening just to pal around.  We decided to grab an AirBnB right in the Centro Storico.  It gives us each our own bedroom, which will be nice.

On September 2, boat trip to Amalfi Coast.  Will be fantastic. 

Then we are in Naples on September 3 and 4.  We are going to to Pompeii and some wine tasting on the slopes of Vesuvius one day.  We are also looking at doing a cooking class with a real Italian Nonna (though with Delta, that is less certain).  We will head to Capri after we check out on Sunday AM so we can have lunch there. 

We are staying at Hotel Gatto Bianco which is right in the center of Capri.  While there, we are going to do a half day private boat trip around the island.  We also plan on doing a few hikes to see some of the sights.  My friend loves Vespas, so she wants to rent one.  I am afraid of killing myself on one, so I may go hang at the beach club while she zips around.  

On the 7th, we head to Ischia.  We are staying at the Miramare e Castello. It has its own private beach and looks amazing.  We are going to head to Procida for a day from Ischia.  

I am not sure what else we are going to do.  I want some serious beach and thermal bath times while we are there.  

We go back to Naples on the 11th for one more night as we fly out the next day (my friend has an AM flight and I have an afternoon flight).  

I have an overnight in Zurich on my way back.  Any recommendations?  I have my hotel booked (it is halfway between the city and the airport, but came highly recommended as one of the best hotels in Zurich), but have no idea what I should try and see or do in the one afternoon/evening I have.

Would love to hear any recommendations anyone might have.

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by PenelopeWitherspoon

[Doug E. Fresh 452]

8 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

We have all the hotels booked now.  

We arrive in Naples on September 1 at 2 PM. So we have an evening just to pal around.  We decided to grab an AirBnB right in the Centro Storico.  It gives us each our own bedroom, which will be nice.

On September 2, boat trip to Amalfi Coast.  Will be fantastic. 

Then we are in Naples on September 3 and 4.  We are going to to Pompeii and some wine tasting on the slopes of Vesuvius one day.  We are also looking at doing a cooking class with a real Italian Nonna (though with Delta, that is less certain).  We will head to Capri after we check out on Sunday AM so we can have lunch there. 

We are staying at Hotel Gatto Bianco which is right in the center of Capri.  While there, we are going to do a half day private boat trip around the island.  We also plan on doing a few hikes to see some of the sights.  My friend loves Vespas, so she wants to rent one.  I am afraid of killing myself on one, so I may go hang at the beach club while she zips around.  

On the 7th, we head to Ischia.  We are staying at the Miramare e Castello. It has its own private beach and looks amazing.  We are going to head to Procida for a day from Ischia.  

I am not sure what else we are going to do.  I want some serious beach and thermal bath times while we are there.  

We go back to Naples on the 11th for one more night as we fly out the next day (my friend has an AM flight and I have an afternoon flight).  

I have an overnight in Zurich on my way back.  Any recommendations?  I have my hotel booked (it is halfway between the city and the airport, but came highly recommended as one of the best hotels in Zurich), but have no idea what I should try and see or do in the one afternoon/evening I have.

Would love to hear any recommendations anyone might have.

 

Sounds like a great trip. Annoyed that I can’t get to Italy without a 5 day quarantine but Spain and France have opened up to UK travelers so that’s my likely option now.

Can’t recommend much for Zurich, it’s a bit sleepy. Used to go there for board meetings for a night or two and stayed at the Dolder Grand, which was pretty nice. We would go into the old town for dinner or drinks but nothing ever stood out.