July 10, 2024 - What NOT to Be Planning: Italy 2025
Italy's OUT for 2025!
I'm throwing the usual planning guide on its head this month: instead of telling you what to plan, I'm going to tell you what you shouldn't be planning for 2025, and that is Italy, particularly Rome.
2025 is a Catholic Jubilee Year, which means on December 24, 2024 the Holy Door in the St. Peter's Basilica will be opened declaring the start of the Jubilee. The yearlong period is a time when Catholic pilgrims can come to receive special blessing and celebrate the momentous occasion.
Jubilee years happen only once every 50 years, after the instruction found in the book of Leviticus where God instructed the Israelites to take a year of rest every 50 years (side note: regardless of your religious beliefs, I think this particular idea of a year of rest is quite good - we should all prioritize rest a bit more in our lives!).
Throughout the Jubilee Year, there will be various events for different groups and demographics, and this means that Italy, and more specifically, Rome, will be very busy in 2025. If your interest is not in a religious pilgrimage, I'd suggest you find a different location to explore in 2025, and reserve Italy for sometime in the remainder of 2024 or 2026 and beyond. Or at the very least - avoid Rome!
If you're looking for some suggestions for 2025 that are similar in feel to Italy, check out these:
Great Food: Spain - Spain's food culture is delicious and diverse, and different areas of Spain are renowned for unique dishes.
Architecture & Art: France - France has tons of buildings of many different architectural styles, and with the Louvre and other museums, it has plenty of art for you to gaze at.
Ancient and Medieval History: Greece - While the Roman Empire is definitely a huge reason to visit Italy, the Greek world came before and paved the road for the Romans to thrive in the way they did.
Wine: Portugal - Portugal is famous for its wine, including Port, Vinho Verde, and Douro reds. The country's long tradition of winemaking and diverse wine regions make it a great alternative to Italy.
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