In the middle of winter, when it is cold and snowy here, my thoughts often turn to travel. While I do not currently have any travel plans for this year aside from the occasional visit to my parents’ house (only three and a half hours away) and my annual trip to Cape Cod, it is nice to think about trips that I would like to take some time in the future. When people think about places that they would like to visit, they often think about going somewhere that has personal significance to them. Visits to the home lands of your ancestors can be a wonderful way to build a deep connection with your roots and perhaps even learn more about your ancestors.
When I was younger, some of my cousins were able to accompany my paternal grandmother on a trip to Ireland. They visited the county where our ancestors had lived. Since the trip happened so long ago I do not recall any details from what my grandmother and cousins told me about the trip, but I do know that I would like to travel to Ireland myself to explore my family’s Irish roots. My husband also had Irish ancestors, so when we do get to go to Ireland we can explore both of our families’ histories and we can show our son where his Irish ancestors lived.
The other major genealogical destination that I would like to travel to is Italy. My maternal grandmother was from Italy, and I would like to see where she lived in Arsoli. When I go there, I would like to see how far back I can trace my grandmother’s family history. The prospect of traveling to Italy is very enticing, not just because I could learn more about my grandmother and her family but also because Italy is also a major culinary travel destination and I would like to learn about Italian food and cooking while I am there.
Thinking about genealogical travel is a great way to stay entertained on a cold winter’s evening. Has anyone done any genealogy travel? Where did you go? What (or who) did you discover?