Buon Anno! I wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous new year. If traveling to Italy is even a possibility for you in 2023, please listen up: Start planning, start booking NOW! There’s no better advice that I can give you.
Don’t feel pressured but do start taking action especially if you plan to visit Italy in the summer. Why? Italy is booking up – already! For example, some popular hotels already sold out for most of the summer season. Bonkers! The reasons are probably fairly obvious, the pent up demand of those Covid years and a fantastic exchange rate* (today, I checked and it is 1 euro = $1.06 – not as good as it was a few months ago when it was 1 to 1 for the first time in 20 years but better than it has been in years).
*My personal advice on the exchange rate – pre-pay your travel in euros NOW where you can, once you are comfortable with any cancellation policies. This is still an incredibly good exchange rate.
Have no fear, I am here to help. This is what I love to do. In brief, here are some resources Dream of Italy and I can provide:
- Need ideas on where to go and what to do? Well there is no more comprehensive Italy travel resource on the Internet than Dream of Italy. A membership includes 6 new issues this coming year and access to a staggering 190 back issues on hotels, villa rentals, tour guides, taking the kids, restaurants, cooking lessons, workshops and classes, art experiences, vineyards to visit and more articles on every Italy travel topic. Join now if you’re not already a member.
- Want a trusted, experienced professional to plan your trip? I will match you with one of my favorite travel planners via The Dream of Italy Travel Service. The service isn’t for everyone as our planners book fully customized trips for 4- and 5-star travel or villa rentals in select areas of Italy. You can fill out the form (honestly, we need to redesign it) or it may be easier to email me directly and I will connect you. Warning: Last year our planners were overwhelmed and couldn’t take on new clients for several months, so get in touch now.
- Thinking about going to Italy for an extended stay of up to 90 days, maybe to look for a home or to explore moving to Italy? Then you simply have to join me and the best of the best A-Team experts for the 2-part virtual workshop How to Plan an Extended Stay or Move to Italy later in January. The first session our special guest will be attorney Nick Metta and our second session our special guest will be Italy-based real estate agent Sean Carlos plus American expats! The best part is that this $97 workshop is FREE to all Dream of Italy members, so a great reason to join. If you’re currently a member or join today, you don’t need to take any action, you will receive the Zoom invites, workbook and video recordings via email in the coming weeks.
— Kathy McCabe
