Vittorio Veneto

It’s a little bittersweet, but here we are: the final stop of our three-month whirlwind tour. Three weeks sounds like plenty of time — but our flight is looming.

Vittorio Veneto has been such a delightful surprise. It is a charming little town, tucked snugly at the foot of the Dolomites. The Meschio River meanders through the heart of it, and we’re staying near Serravalle — the old town with cobbled streets, faded pastel buildings, and arched porticoes. There are peaceful trails along the river and up into the hills, and just enough buzz in town to keep it lively without losing its small-town soul.

The rain has officially moved in, and we’re even bracing for a medicane — a Mediterranean cyclone. The girls only have a few days left before they fly home, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for some blue skies.

Chasing a little sunshine, we hopped in the car and drove to Trieste — about an hour and a half away. Fantastic decision, at least weather-wise. After an adventure (read: mildly chaotic) trying — and failing — to find parking, we gave up and found a waterfront café outside of town. The view was stunning; the service… let’s just say it was a little less so. Luckily, the Castello di Miramare more than made up for it. We wandered through the perfectly manicured gardens and admired the striking white castle perched dramatically above the Adriatic. Bonus: we even spotted a few patches of blue sky!

Back in Vittorio Veneto, Laurel has already conquered the steep trail up to the Santuario di Santa Augusta — not once, but three times! The old church, perched high above town, offers jaw-dropping views of the valley below. It’s the building on the hill in the picture below.

One dreary and rainy day, we made our way to Maniago — because what better souvenir than Italian scissors? Sophie picked out a pair while Jim, who hasn’t had a haircut since we arrived, mulled over the knife displays. Might the souvenir actually be a haircut? Maniago may be tiny, but it’s world-famous for its cutting tools. Laurel stayed back to tackle some work, and we took the scenic route home, winding our way through Lake Barcis and Longarone — one of our favorite drives from when we lived here.

Despite the rain, we were lucky — the northwest of Italy wasn’t so fortunate, with Turin getting hit hard by flash floods.

We also took the train to Treviso, also known as “Little Venice.” It turned into a day full of sunshine, lazy wandering, and souvenir shopping. It is also known as the birthplace of tiramisu. We wrapped up with a cozy dinner at San Giorgio’s in Aviano.

On their last full day, we took a drive up to Cortina and spent the day exploring the Dolomites — the perfect grand finale. After dinner, we played a few rounds of Scopa and reminisced about our two weeks together that flew by way too quickly!

Easter morning arrived way too soon. We loaded up and took the girls to Mestre, where their journey home began. We squeezed in two more rounds of Scopa at a little coffee shop while we waited for the train. We made sure they were safely ensconced, and off we went. We were off for a visit to the beach at Bibione before heading back to Vittorio Veneto.

The girls stayed near the Milan airport on their last night. There was a bit of a hiccup with Sophie’s online check-in (because what’s a big trip without a little last-minute drama?), but thankfully, she breezed through check-in in person. And just like that, off they went. She just texted — she’s home safe and sound.

paleremo presto