I traveled to Italy twice — once as a drinker and once sober. I preferred the latter.
I've been to Italy twice, each trip exactly two years to the day apart. While iconic spots like Rome's Colosseum or Florence's Piazza Santa Croce haven't changed at all, there's a lot about me that's unrecognizable since my first visit.
In recent years, I've started therapy, abandoned toxic friendships, and embraced a consistent exercise routine. But one of the most notable changes I've made was my decision to stop drinking alcohol.
I've been sober for about 600 days, and the idea of returning to the land of vineyards and Aperol Spritzes didn't worry me at all. Getting sober has changed everything about me, from what I put up with in relationships to how I parent. I have found traveling alcohol-free rewarding.
During my weeklong vacation across Italy with my teenagers, I soaked in every single moment of the country's beauty, and never once missed alcohol.
Here's why my weeklong sober trip was one of the most memorable vacations of my life.
Embraced alcohol-free activities
The trip across Italy started in Rome with stops in Tuscany and Florence before wrapping up in Venice.
While there were wine tastings and Aperol Spritz signs everywhere, I found plenty to do that didn't involve alcohol. In Rome, we shopped downtown and visited St. Peter's Basilica. I soaked in architecture in Florence, attended a pasta-making class in Tuscany, and did everything from Venetian mask-making to a gondola ride in Venice, all booze-free.
On my previous trip to Italy, everything revolved around my next drink, from buying bottles of limoncello on the Amalfi Coast to finding wine windows in Florence. Much of my initial trip to Italy was based on drinking.
It felt great to be sober and focus on other Italian treasures, like gelato and pizza.
Traveled with my kids
My teenagers had never visited Italy, and I enjoyed seeing the country through their eyes. From my film-loving son's fascination with the Colosseum, which he'd previously only seen on-screen in "Gladiator," to my daughter's absolute delight at how delicious pasta tastes in Italy.
Fully present and not impaired by alcohol, I made memories with my teens that I'll actually remember.
Started my days early
Because our trip was a guided group tour, we had lots of early-morning wake-up times for special access to things like the Vatican Museum or a bullet train ride from Florence to Venice. Waking up at 5:30 a.m. can feel overwhelming, especially if you've been throwing back cocktails the night before.
Instead, I was in my bed each night by around 10 p.m., reading a book on my Kindle and drinking herbal tea in my pajamas. I'd wake up ready to take on whatever the day's itinerary had in store.
On my previous trip to Rome, I remember visiting the Colosseum and feeling a bit hungover. I was stressed out by the heat and the crowds because I'd already started my day a bit under the weather. Sober mornings truly never get old, whether at home or while traveling.
Stuck to a structured itinerary
Alcohol is a huge part of life in Italy. I wasn't sure if it'd be tough to have a pasta dinner without my formerly beloved glass of red. To my delight, I didn't miss drinking.
It helped that we were on a highly organized group trip with guides and a detailed itinerary. I chose the trip in part because I could see the itinerary in advance and knew that, while there were a few alcohol-related activities, the majority of the trip was about experiencing Italy's history and culture and trying lots of incredible food.
Even in Tuscany, Italian wine country, I busied myself with a farm tour. While other travelers in my group tried wines.
My choice to abandon alcohol had less to do with a "drinking problem" and more to do with wanting to eliminate anxiety, exhaustion, and health issues in my life. Plenty of travelers still include alcohol in their vacations, my husband included.
Comparing my two trips to Italy — one when I had a vacation buzz going on most of the time and the other when I was sober and fully present — I'd take the latter any day.
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