Every year my wife and I take a group of students abroad for spring break. This year, its Italy. I'm not as excited as you might imagine about our trip. Sure, it'll be fun to watch the kids experience a new culture et cetera, but I've found Italy (at least the parts most frequently visited by Americans) to be entirely too touristy. I mean, if it were any more geared towards large tour groups, there would be actors dressed in large plush costumes selling candy.
Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those snobby backpacker types that needs everything to be as "authentic" as possible. I really don't like the idea of getting malaria, or being uncomfortable to prove just how worldly I am. I just find the major Italian cities to be a bit too much. In Madrid for example, one could find a really nice little spot to have a coffee and not feel like a total outsider looking in. A lot depends on our tour guide...will she shuffle us from site to site or will be permitted time to roam free? I swear that pun was NOT intended....Now I kinda wish it was...shit.
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