Aviano AFB Italy
 

My daughter is transferring to Aviano AFB next year. We've been to Venice and know it's an hour or two from there, but I'll welcome any information to pass on to her. In particular, she's hoping she'll be able to find a large rental that will allow pets.

I went with a group a few years ago to Aviano. We met with AF personnel. Aviano is a great little town. I remember one bakery in particular that was wonderful! You can tell the order of my priorities! The area is beautiful. Aviano has some great restaurants. Pordenone is not too far away and has great shopping. In her free time she will be able to go on some wonderful day trips. It's gorgeous north of there in the "Little Alps."
Maybe someone else will have some info on places to rent.
The AF people were so helpful directing us to their favorite restaurants and places to visit.
Oh, I almost forgot, Gelato every night!

Lucky daughter Postal! Aviano is located in such a beautiful area of Italy (and yes all of Italy is beautiful). Do go to Google and type in Aviano AFB, Italy as you will find a wealth of information from all the various websites. I hope you will be able to go to Italy while your daughter is stationed at Aviano. Best regards.

In my experience Italian landlords slightly prefer cats over dogs (they're afraid dogs will make noise) but even so, most accept pets, no problem. Italians tend to have smaller kitchens and baths than Americans do, and it's not uncommon to find an apartment with many bedrooms but only one bath. Since most socializing is done in the piazza, the grand American living room is not common in Italian apartment, but the big family dining room often is.

In my part of Italy, rental apartments come nicely furnished, right down to the coffeemaker, the area rugs, the curtains and the mops, so she should hold off on shipping furniture or household items until she knows what she has.

Likewise in my part of Italy (Liguria), marvelous apartments can be located in old buildings with very narrow staircases and small doorways. It would be difficult to move most American sized furniture into these spaces. So again, it's best to wait until she knows where she is moving, and if she decides she needs a different sofa or chairs, do what the Italians do -- get it from Ikea!

There are "ex-pat" sites that I think are more geared toward British ex-pats but they can sometimes have useful information about day-to-day transition issues, like cell phones, how to pay an electric bill, etc.

And of course, I'm sure the AFB does something to help.

Hope she enjoys living in Italy as much as I do.

She is very lucky, I completely agree.
Friuli is wonderful and magical, also.


Vincenzo

The base and the airfield are a bit apart. The base itself is pretty much right in town. I was able to easily walk to most places in Aviano from the base. Aviano has a train station but the best schedules and service are from Pordenone, about a 15 minute drive. There are also buses between Aviano and Pordenone. The distance from the Pordenone train station to the bus station is walkable- I have done it. The trains from Pordenone to Venice run often and are a much better choice than driving.

I hope that she will have a car since it is a wonderful area to explore. It is not a long drive from the base into the Dolomite Alps- spectacular. She should get familiar with the military space a flight system. There are usually a fair number of hops into Ramstein AFB in Germany and other places if she has enough leave.

Best of all, you now will have a great excuse to visit that beautiful part of Italy. If you go to visit there are several nice hotels just outside of the base gate. I like the 3* Hotel Oliva - nice place, good price.

Good luck to her - she is already lucky for being stationed there.

Thank you for all the wonderful replies! I have been to Italy many times and this was just what I needed - another excuse to visit! Luckily I found avianoclassifieds.com which gave her a great look at the types of rental housing available. I don't know whether she'll stay in town to be closer to the base (she is a veterinarian and always on call) or get a house out in the country. But I'm so happy for her - Aviano was her first choice and how often does the military give you that!?

The housing office will have lots of info on rentals. I'll give you a heads up and say that it's not the most customer service oriented place, but you can get on the computers there and look at pictures and details of houses to rent (with landlords who are used to renting to Americans). And the office can set up appointments with the landlords and translate for you.
As far as furniture; I don't want to put you in a pickle in case she does get a narrow halled place, but you would be amazed at the way Italians find to fit things in LOL They used a crane to put our sectional through the second story balcony doors. If the info says no pets try calling anyways. We found that sometimes they will change their minds if they really want to rent.
Some of the most fun and best memories have come from visiting the small towns. The touristy stuff is great and something you have to do :) but we just look at a map and find a close town and take off; we've found some wonderful places.
Just add anymore questions you or her come up with. We have been here for almost 5 years now. It can be an adjustment, but just keep an open mind and remember the experience you are getting.

My son leaves tomorrow to serve at Aviano AFB. How lucky for him!
We've never traveled to Europe at all; but would love to start planning a trip to see him next year. Any advice as far as what airport to fly into? Looking to do this as inexpensively as possible. (IF that is even possible)
Thanks so much,
tammy

Postal started this thread August 2008. I wish we had received an update regarding her daughter and what she found in the way of a rental.

Stanfield, I so envy you being at Aviano AFB for five years. I imagine you have had many wonderful trips around Italy and perhaps a lot of Europe!

Tammy, I would start with checking out airfares for the Marco Polo Venice airport. Very best wishes to your son and do try if at all possible to visit him next year. You will have a beautiful time I am sure.

As LI says, Venice is the closest international airport. From there, take a train from Venice to Pordenone. Pordenone to Aviano would be by bus, taxi, or have your son pick you up. Pordenone to Aviano is about 15 minutes max by car or taxi. You can walk from the Pordenone train station to the bus station, it would be about a half mile as I recall.

Thank you so much! Let the planning begin:-)

Tammy - if your son can pick you up from the airport (more than likely you'll fly into Marco Polo) it would be the easiest - in my opinion. The trains are convenient for travel once you are here, but personally I wouldn't want to get on and off with a lot of suitcases.
For instance, if you go to Venice once you are here the train is usually the best. It brings you right into town. I can still remember the first time we walked out of the train station and got our first glimse of the town.
You can have your son look at the ITT trips that are offered when you are here as well. They are nice when you are visiting and don't want to get lost or worry about driving. Well, I could go on for ever - we have really enjoyed it here. Hope you have a great trip and good luck to your son.
Sonya

stanfield_clan's suggestion to look into ITT trips is excellent. You can also rent a car once at Aviano for a day trip into the Dolomites depending on the season. The road has lots of switchbacks, but it is spectacular.

Wht are ITT trips? Thanks for your help!

ITT stands for Informations, Tickets and Tours. Most military bases have an ITT office - it is sort of a travel agency that does exactly what the name says - one can buy tickets to local and not so local popular venues, various tours and such. The tickets are usually at a discount - some good some not so much.
The office will sell tickets to active duty and retired uniformed services members.

"Information" above should be singular.

I'm puzzled. What need would an air force base have for a veterinarian?

Briefly, many bases have veterinarians. They not only care for animals on the base such as guard dogs, horses if the base uses them for ceremony, research animals and private pets, they also do research into diseases that have animal vectors such as West Nile encephalitis and others as well as other types of scientific research.

OK, but I'd be stunned at an Air Force base that would still use ceremonial horse guards. The need to keep guard dogs well is quite understandable, but I would think that use of local vets would do quite well for that, and I would think that private pets would be the responsibility of the owners.

I could understand the need for a full time vet if the base were running their own herds of cattle, flocks of chickens, and flocks of sheep, but I'm pretty sure that beef, eggs, and lamb are supplied by local suppliers.

Of course, having worked for the Government, nothing needs to make economic sense.

:-)