{"id":157085,"date":"2026-06-29T08:55:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/?p=157085"},"modified":"2026-07-14T12:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T19:40:14","slug":"a-mega-milestone-for-geocaching-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/2026\/06\/a-mega-milestone-for-geocaching-in-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"A Mega Milestone for Geocaching in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the years, I\u2019ve been fortunate enough to experience many \u201cfirsts\u201d in this game, but my most recent one was especially memorable: attending Italy\u2019s first Mega-Event, Geocaching Made in Italy! (GCBCRTC<\/a>).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

From the moment I arrived in the Castronno region outside of Milan, it was clear that the organizing team had created something special. Throughout a weekend packed with events, they showcased their passion for geocaching and the beauty, hospitality, and food that Italy is known for.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Love.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the best parts of any geocaching event is the people, and this weekend was no exception. I had the chance to reconnect with friends I\u2019ve met through the game while also meeting so many wonderful geocachers for the first time. It was a reminder of how this hobby brings people together across countries, languages, and cultures.<\/p>\n

The festivities began Friday evening with Aperitivo Made in Italy! (GCBKD2R<\/a>), held in a stunning setting along the shores of Lake Varese. As the sun set over the water, geocachers gathered to share stories, laughter, and plans for the weekend ahead. Everywhere I looked, there were smiling faces and joyful reunions.<\/p>\n

Saturday marked the historic centerpiece of the weekend: Italy\u2019s first-ever Mega-Event! Despite the warm temperatures, roughly a thousand geocachers made their way to the event grounds to be part of this milestone. There was always something happening, whether it was exploring Adventures, searching for a creative traditional cache featuring Signal the Frog, or participating in contests designed to put geocaching skills\u2014and sometimes completely unrelated skills\u2014to the test.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Love.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of my favorite memories was taking part in a challenge that involved running as fast as possible while carrying two pizza boxes along a fixed course. Another let me put years of soccer experience to the test in hopes of winning a prize. I didn\u2019t win either competition, but that didn\u2019t matter. The activities were filled with laughter, friendly competition, and the kind of shared joy that makes geocaching events so memorable.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Love.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But the festivities were not over after the Mega-Event. The next day, we helped clean up part of the geocaching gameboard during CITO Made in Italy! (GCBKZV7<\/a>). The weekend concluded with one final gathering\u2014Pizzata Made in Italy! (GCBKZVG<\/a>)\u2014where pizza, friendship, and plenty of stories provided the perfect farewell.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Love.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Looking back, what stands out most is the warmth and generosity of the organizing team. They made me, my fellow Lackeys, and geocachers from around the world feel incredibly welcome. Their dedication and hard work created an unforgettable experience and a historic milestone for geocaching in Italy. I am so grateful to have been part of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over the years, I\u2019ve been fortunate enough to experience many \u201cfirsts\u201d in this game, but my most recent one was especially memorable: attending Italy\u2019s first Mega-Event, Geocaching Made in Italy! (GCBCRTC).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":157087,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[99,48],"tags":[2339],"series":[],"class_list":["post-157085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","category-lackeys","tag-a-mega-milestone-for-geocaching-in-italy"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/d3mo08i005h0zn.cloudfront.net\/blog\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Blog-header-photo-by-Ghiro64-Italy-Mega-Event.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/www.geocaching.com\/blog\/feed\/podcast\/inside-geocaching-hq-podcast","embedCode":"

A Mega Milestone for Geocaching in Italy<\/a><\/blockquote>