Aviano Air Base has a wonderful resource to help with these stressors and make traveling affordable and easy: ITT. (bbsferrari (Adobe Stock))
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Without question, Aviano Air Base is one of the most highly sought after assignments for members in the Air Force.
Located in beautiful Northern Italy, the base provides a unique opportunity for Airmen to be in very close proximity to a variety of diverse locations. The base is just south of the Carnic Pre-Alps, which are easily accessible in less than an hour by car. If you’re more of a beach person, you can also reach an ocean in less than an hour by car. On top of this, Venice, Milan, Lake Como, Verona and Florence are some of the many world-famous cities that are accessible for day trips.
Despite all of these wonderful possibilities, I’ve found that it can be extremely overwhelming to effectively plan trips that are both cost and time efficient, especially for those like me who are relatively new to the military and new to living in Europe. Fortunately, Aviano Air Base has a wonderful resource to help with these stressors and make traveling affordable and easy.
The trips are planned on a monthly basis with a diverse set of trips each weekend of each month. (Rene Hartmann (Adobe Stock))
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Information, Travel, and Tickets (ITT) is an office of travel enthusiasts who plan unforgettable trips for members of the base. The trips span all throughout Europe and are generally reached via coach bus. ITT typically plans day trips on Saturdays; however, there are occasionally trips on Sundays as well. As someone who works on Saturdays, this is very much appreciated. Furthermore, it is also common for there to be weekend trips as well. The trips are planned on a monthly basis with a diverse set of trips each weekend of each month.
For each trip you pay a one-time fee for your spot on the bus. This covers all transportation and any ticket or admission fee that may be required where you are traveling. On weekend trips, the price also covers your stay at the hotel.
Although ITT operates from base and is designed for DOD personnel and their dependents, it is also available for friends of military members. Non-DOD members are welcome to sign up for trips if they are sponsored by a DOD member for the duration of the trip.
I have been living in Italy for only a few months and have already been lucky enough to travel through ITT several times. First, I signed up for a day trip to the peninsula of Sirmione and Lake Garda, Italy. For just over $100, the trip included transportation to the peninsula as well as a boat tour across beautiful Lake Garda. On the boat, there were also complimentary snacks and wine.
I took a trip through the magnificent German Alps to the Eagles Nest. (Garret Locy)
Then, I took a trip through the magnificent German Alps to the Eagles Nest. Located in southeastern Germany, the Eagles Nest is a historical site from World War II. It was a birthday present for Adolf Hitler and served as a diplomatic meeting point for the Germans during the war. Once again, for just over $100 the cost of transportation as well as the ticket required for access to the Eagles Nest was covered.
As someone who loves to travel, I am very appreciative that ITT exists. Life in the military can be very busy and finding the time to plan memorable trips can be overwhelming. ITT makes the itinerary, provides the transportation, and consequently eliminates much of the stress that traveling in foreign countries can induce.
If you are interested in learning more about ITT, or signing up for one of their trips, you can visit your local ITT on post.
Life in the military can be very busy and finding the time to plan memorable trips can be overwhelming. (Garret Locy)
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of War.
