lindsinco

Hello. I'm looking to travel somewhere in Europe with my kids (9 year old twins) in March 2017. Last year, we went to Paris, Bruges and Amsterdam, and they had a blast!

This time, I'm considering either Italy or Spain, but I'd be open to other opinions as well. I realize that neither place will be balmy beach weather in March, and I'm ok with that since it's the only time that we have to travel next year.

We will have around 9-10 days on the ground, and I'd like to split time between exploring cities and visiting smaller and more quaint areas.

One idea would be to do Venice, Rome and somewhere on the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

Another idea I've looked into is Barcelona, Granada and maybe one more side trip in Spain. I would also consider something in the South of France to add to Barcelona if that's recommended.

We would fly open jaw in order to maximize our time and be able to see 2-3 destinations. We would love to use trains for all transport or non-stop quick flights. I don't want to deal with renting a car. We would likely stay in vacation rentals in a neighborhood area to try to get the 'local feel'.

My kids love seeing anything new and different, and they actually like history and museums. That said, they also loved being in a place like Amsterdam where we could bike everywhere and stay in a houseboat. Anything that feels different than home and is unique is a real plus. Budget isn't a big concern.

OK - I know that's a lot of info. Any ideas on whether the Italy or Spain trip would be recommended and, if so, what locations, especially in Spain?

Dukey1

History AND Museums? I would definitely add Florence into this mix even of it meant forgetting the Amalfi.

Jean

I'd skip the Amalfi Coast in March. Other than Pompeii, I don't know what the appeal would be at that time of year, esp. for 9 year olds. Not all hotels, restaurants and vacation rentals will be open. Unless you could fly into or out of Naples, a lot of time would be eaten up getting there and back for a brief stay.

With only 9-10 days, I'd probably only visit Venice and Rome and, depending on the weather, make a day trip from each. Verona or Ferrara are easy from Venice. From Rome, there are several options to choose from, such as Ostia Antica, Orvieto, Tivoli.

If you could extend the trip by a day or two, I'd add Florence.

PalenQ

We would love to use trains for all transport>

for good stuff on trains check www.seat61.com - great info on discounted train tickets; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check out their free online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of suggested rail itineraries; and www.ricksteves.com.

Bedar

I would take them to Italy - the usual spots, Venice, Florence, and Rome. You don't have time for more and by going in March you avoid the horrid crowds and heat later on.

kerouac

Mulhouse has the biggest collection of industrial museums in Europe -- cars, trains, electricity, motorcycles, etc. As it is just on the Swiss border, you could consider seeing some of the excellent sites of Switzerland.

bvlenci

The Amalfi Coast is a long way from Venice. I wouldn't consider two places so far apart if I had only 9 to 10 days. No matter how you cut it, you'd be spending a lot of time on internal travel. Actually, the Amalfi Coast isn't all that near Pompeii, either, especially if you're traveling by bus and train.

Even Rome, Florence and Venice is really too much for nine days in my opinion. Rome is a big city, with a lot to see, and October is still high season.

I think the Venice and Rome option would be the best for Italy. Fly into Venice and home from Rome. I would spend three or four nights in Venice and the rest in Rome.

Ostia Antica is a great idea if your kids like history. It would pay to get a really good private guide who can make it come alive for them. Context Travel has private tours that they'll tailor to your family's interests, and Daniella Hunt, or www.rome-tours.com is excellent at this. It's really not a day trip from Rome, because it's inside the Rome city limits.

It would also be worth your while to hire a good private guide for the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. The Colosseum has not as much need of a good guide, as it's a less complex site, and there are good official tours that cost very little.

There are many, many other fascinating places to visit in Rome, such as the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, in a splendid Renaissance palace, with rooms furnished in period style. Or the Domus Romane, with an excellent sound and light show that brings to life an upper middle class ancient Roman home. Or Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, with a world-class collection of Roman art, but also with lots of Roman household items, jewelry, coins, and even a mummy, of a little girl buried in Rome, Egyptian style.

My granddaughter loved these two museums; she's fascinated by Greek and Roman mythology, and stopped at nearly every statue in Palazzo Massimo to tell me the story behind it. It's the one museum she asked to return too on a later trip. She also loved the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, which has an excellent audio tour narrated by a descendant of the powerful Renaissance family. She wanted to punch every number on the tour tele-commander, and I thought we'd have to spend the whole day there.

If the weather is pleasant, you could spend at least half a day at the Villa Borghese park, where you can rent bikes, go-karts, and all manner of other vehicles to travel around the park.

The Castel Sant'Angelo is also very interesting, originally the tomb of the Emperor Hadrian, but later fortified by an early pope to protect inhabitants from invasions. There are great views of Rome from the upper terrace.

A day trip to Orvieto is also a great idea. From the train station, you go up to the town by a funicular railway. There are interesting tours of underground Orvieto, where grottoes, galleries, and storerooms were carved out over the centuries from the soft tufa rock. The Well of Saint Patrick has a double-helix stairway, so that people going up and down don't pass each other. This was designed so that mules who went down to haul up water didn't get distracted by their brothers going in the other direction.

All in all, you could easily spend a week in Rome without seeing everything that would appeal to two kids who love history and museums.

Bedar

Bvlenci - Their trip is in March, not October !

Dukey1

OK, we can have the Venice vs Florence thing now.

bvlenci

March isn't much different from October as far as crowds are concerned. Here's what the Vatican Museums looked like in Mar, the last time I was there.

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/...U63A6NYjE_rnpY

HappyTrvlr

I think children would love Venice the most and then Rome. A good duo.

PalenQ

Kids may also enjoy the mysteries of the Catacombs in Rome and the Underground Orvieto tours thru tunnels hewn out over the ages in that large volcanic rock.

Sally30

We took my nine year old daughter in April to Venice and Paris. We had a great time and she liked Paris but LOVED Venice. It is so magical she really enjoyed the architecture and the absolute beauty. We rented an apartment which was convenient for our family of four. We spent a lot of time taking the vaporetto around and a gondola trip was a highlight. it will be great to go in March without the crowds. I think Rome would be fascinating for a nine year old as well.

ssander

With 9/10 days on the ground and a couple of 9-yr-olds, I'd do Rome, Florence & Venice in that order (or reverse) with an open jaw flight. So much to see that will fascinate them.

Buy your train tickets in advance and it will fast and amazingly inexpensive going from one city to another:

Rome-Florence - ~1:30 - ~20€
Florence-Venice - ~2:05 - ~20€

The whole family for 160€ and less than a half day each day getting from hotel to hotel...very little time wasted.

Your kids will be amazed at Venice. If they like history, Rome has it all...everywhere you look.

ssander

PalenQ

kids of all ages will Love Venice- the boats, the gondolas, the pigeons in St Marks Square,etc.

suze

Venice is a perfect idea.

PalenQ

Take the kids to Murano an island right off the main part of Venice - nice boat ride and kids can see venerated Murano Glass being blown and crafted in the several workshops open to the public.