What If… A Cancelled Holiday to Northern Italy

Spring of 2020 was like no other with the entire World coming to a halt. I remember sitting in front of the television when Boris Johnson told the country not to go out or see anybody all the way back in March. I remember thinking that this would last for a few weeks, maybe a month; how wrong I was. In the early months of the year we had planned yet another epic trip around Europe, venturing through Germany and Austria before spending most of our time by the lakes in Italy. When the news broke that Italy were in lockdown back in February, again I thought that our trip wouldn’t be affected and that the world would have sorted itself out by that point.

Now as I write this post in October, having not been abroad for the entirety of this year (despite running a travel blog – oh the irony) I’m looking back at what could have been. Even though I wasn’t physically there, through my research of different places I feel like I have a good idea of what could have been on this epic adventure and holiday to Northern Italy.

Our adventure would have started by taking the Eurostar to Brussels one afternoon. This is always one of the best parts of the trip as the excitement always kicks in by the time we approach St. Pancras in the taxi. We then run to the nearest coffee shop and indulge ourselves in a coffee and a pastry, before heading on to the Eurostar. In Brussels we would have, of course, tossed ourselves into a waffle and chocolate food coma, before heading in for the night after one or two local beers. Brussels is quite familiar to me as we go there every year before the start of our holiday, however the feeling as we go to bed in the Belgian capital is always one of adventure.

The next morning, we would have woken up at around 05:00am, which is always a bit of a killer I won’t lie. Drunk on caffeine, we would have jumped upon a train heading to Mannheim to see one of my closest friends – this is one of the missed journeys that I am most disappointed about as I haven’t seen her in years. I am sure that we would have spent some quality time together exploring her neck of the woods and catching up on all the news. The next morning, we would be travelling to one of my favourite European cities; Munich. Famed for its stunning architecture, unique culture and Bavarian beer and food, a few days here would have been just the thing I would have needed after a long Summer Term at school. Jack and I would have made sure that we saw all of the sights as well as soaking up the local customs and sunny weather. In hindsight, the days we were meant to have been here were supposedly riddled with thunderstorms, so perhaps it was a blessing in disguise! That being said, I am sure that a portion of cheesey Spätzl would have taken our mind off the weather quite quickly.

After two days in Munich we would then be heading down through Austria, spending time in the Alpen city of Innsbruck. The city is famed for its spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and allegedly is one of the best cities in Austria to immerse yourself in nature. Having just had 6 weeks of dealing with moody teenagers, I am sure that this would have been a perfect setting for relaxation. From here, it was just a short(ish) train journey down towards Italy, land of pizza, wine and gelato ice cream; the holy trinity of relaxation. We would begin our stay in the romantic city of Verona, home of Romeo and Juliet. It is also fabled for having some of the best pizza in the world! We would have spent our days walking along the cobbled Medieval streets, taking in the gorgeous architecture along the way. Continuing our Italian adventure, we would head to Milan, the fashionistas dream. Here we would have strolled along the busy shopping streets, looking at clothes that we certainly couldn’t afford and we would have culturally enriched ourselves by feasting our eyes on some of Leonardo da Vinci’s most treasured artworks and then feasting our stomachs on some incredible Italian food. After a full year of school, Italy would have delivered on a relaxing vacation.

Our next destination in Italy was the legendary Lake Como, one of the most beautiful places in Europe. We would have stayed along the lakefront, taking in the magnificent views that surrounded us and drinking wine to keep ourselves hydrated. I would have wanted to explore the nearby town of which I knew nothing about, before heading down to the lake again to stroll along the shores. I imagine that, in a way, I would have been transported back to our trips to Khao Lak or to Annecy and would have loved every second of it. Out of all of the places that could have been on our cancelled holiday to Northern Italy, I am going to miss Como the most. Having had our last day on the beachfronts, we would have then moved north to Switzerland, starting with the town of Interlaken. This mountainous town is built between both Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, allowing us to soak in yet more of the traditional Alpen views. I can imagine chomping down on a hot cheese fondue overlooking the turquoise lakes and faded mountains and thinking that this is my idea of heaven. I saw something similar back in Salzburg in 2018 and can honestly say it is a view that stays with you forever.

Alas our retreat in the hills was not to last and we would soon see ourselves moving on to Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. I can honestly say that I know very little about this place and so was very eager to do some exploring. I would have enjoyed walking through a city famed for its stunning old buildings and its roaring river, before stopping and finding a little café to have a drink in. After one night, we would have moved on to Konstanz on the northern border between Switzerland and Germany. This university city would have again given us wonderful lakeside views and an incredible medieval city to explore, including a ruined Roman fortress and fortified city walls. Leaving the Swiss states behind us, we would then move on into Strasbourg in France. Of course, I was looking forward to the coffee, pastries and cheese in this country and was excited to see the Notre-Dame. We would have spent a few days here exploring the old city and eating as much food as possible, before heading back to the familiar Paris for one last day of relaxation. I would want to spend my last day on holiday taking in as much of the culture as I could, eating out for each meal and taking my time exploring all of the little hidden places.

With coronavirus, all of this did not happen. Whilst there are positives, such as us completing a lot of work around the house or being more prepared for work, I can honestly say that I miss the holiday that could have been. 2020 has, overall, been a horrendous year but I am still thankful that we have not been affected by the devastating consequences of this virus. Next year promises to be that little bit brighter and, who knows, maybe I will be drinking cocktails on the shores of Lake Como afterall.

My Travel Tips and Recommendations

Flights

My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.

Accommodation

Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.

Things I can’t travel without

As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my

Canon EOS M3
GoPro Hero5 Black
I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro

Travel Insurance

It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.