Sandy

Taking my family (with two pre-teen sons) to Rome - any suggestions for intersting/fun activies/places to take them where they won't be bored (such as museums, historical sites they can't relate to, etc.) would be greatly appreciated!

nancy

Sandy, <BR>I would be interested in hearing about what you find in Rome. <BR>Next summer we are going to Italy for two weeks, One in Rome. <BR>Our children will be 10 & 13. <BR>What I have found in my travels through the web so far is: <BR>www.twenj.com- this is a great site for Rome!Not only do Ed& June have good info, but there is a whole section on children/traveling. <BR>Also,www.timeout.com/rome/kids- <BR>This site might have come from the Ed& June site, not sure. <BR>I am not sure HOW I got to this site, <BR>www.comune.roma.it . <BR>It is a site for all types of cultural events in Rome. <BR>It is a link from www.venere.it, the Italy hotel site. But I can only get to this going back from the comune.it site. <BR>You could try www.venere.it/roma/guida/indice.html <BR>There is also a book named CULTURE SHOCK ,ROME AT YOUR DOOR. by Frances Gendlin <BR>It is mainly for people who are settling long term in Rome, but it has great general info and a chapter on children, entertainment, parks, etc. <BR>Good luck in your search. <BR>Have a great time and when you return, let me/us on this site if you found anything great for the children! <BR>Nancy

frank

I'm hoping you haven't thrown a dart at the map of the world here. I would wonder why you are taking your two pre-teen sons with you to Rome if you haven't already decided that this would be a good destination for them? There's a lot of history to be learned here. Are they interested in history? The Colosseum, the Forum, the catacombs--fun activities, as in roller coasters? No, if that's what they want then stay at home. Have they ever experienced a culture different from their own, a cuisine different from American burgers, or a language that they don't speak? If you suspect that the kids will be bored, then you shouldn't be wasting your money to take them. You are the parent! and only you can answer this question. I hope you will have a wonderful trip and that your children will learn from it as well as have some fun, but mostly learn from it and appreciate that their parents took the time and effort to take them some place special.

momrath

my 15 year old son has been to rome 3 times and loved every minute. the historical sites are so grand that you don't have to be a scholar to appreciate them and what more could a kid ask for than unlimited pizza, pasta and ice cream! here's what i'd recommend: <BR>1. keep visit to each site to about 1 hour. don't try to see it all. <BR>2. i'm sure you know boys eat all the time. take frequent food stops -- opportunities are everywhere. drink a lot of water. <BR>3. get a guidebook (i liked eyewitness) and sit down in the shade and read aloud a paragraph or two about what you're looking at. <BR>4. our favorite sites are: the colesseum, the forum, the baths, catacombs, parthenon, st simeon, castello. i could add about 10 more. <BR>5. go to the vatican museum, but be selective. it's mobbed. choose one or two works to look at. <BR>6. the sistine chapel is well worth enduring the crowd. wait for a bench, sit down, and work your way around the ceiling with a guidebook. <BR>7. send them to the top of st peters with a hearty (fit) adult. <BR>8. take afternoon naps or rest breaks in your room. get up early: rome is glorious in the morning.

colonita

we are taking our pre-teen dauighter to europe too. buy this book: TAKE YOUR KIDS TO EUROPE&gt; By Cynthia W. Harriman. It is complete with lots of tips where to take them, what to do, where to stay.We are going to Germany, and to Italy for a month... It should be fun!!! <BR>Good luck to you.

colonita

WE are going to spend a few days in Naples and then we are spending some more time in CAPRI. Any suggestions as to where to leave our car while visiting Capri? Anyone has driven Europe in a NEW CAR? Where do you leave it that is safe? <BR>... in NAPLES

Dawn

I couldn't agree with Frank more. If they are not really psyched to go, maybe you should rethink. I would get them very interested before you leave by doing alot of research, reading, and watching some movies set in Italy. If they are kids that live for theme parks, I'm not saying that they would be bored, but you really have to spark an interest. Understanding the history, art etc. before you leave puts the pieces of the puzzle together when there. Fun comes in many flavors.

pam

My then-10-yr-old son LOVED Rome last summer. Highlights: spotting the feral cats among the ruins at Torre de Largo Argentino; gelato EVERY DAY (at least once--but he was stunned that I'd promised to let him have ice cream every day, guaranteed); learning how to order his gelato in Italian, and figuring out which flavors he liked best and in combination; joining a game of soccer on a playground in Trastevere; putting his hand in the Boca de Verita; imagining what wild beast had roamed the lower corridors at the Colosseum; pretending to drop boiling oil on invaders at Porto San Sebastiano; flicking very cold water on us from street fountains; seeing his first 'Dead Saint under Glass' and saying, as only a boy can, "EWWWWWWW!"; learning his way around the Centro Storico (how awesome to hear your child say 'Let me tell you where we need to turn'); riding the buses and subway, which we don't get to do at home; sketching; chasing pigeons in Piazza del Popolo; playing on the playground in the moat around Castel Sant' Angelo; spending his own lire on souvenirs; writing postcards home; asking our hotel desk clerk for our room key in Italian (only the room #) when we returned; and on and on. Oh, and he even got a kick out of people on the street patting his (red-haired) head and saying, "Rosso, rosso" with big smiles. He even bought me a rose from a vendor at the foot of the Spanish Steps one morning. But if you don't think your kids can get into it, don't torture them or yourself by making them go. Then again, I've heard many parents report that kids, esp. teens, abandon that perennial 'bored with everything' stance when on a trip where they get lots of parent time.

nancy

I agree with all the other comments and suggestions from the other posters to this message. <BR>I think that the few web sites I listed in my first message will have some great ideas on how to make Rome interesting and a place children can relate too. <BR>I also think that as a treat, there is nothing wrong with spending a few hours on <BR>one evening at a Roman amusement park. <BR>When we go next year with our two children (10 & 13), I envision doing siteseeing, etc. during morning hours with breaks to sit and have a cold drink. <BR>Then lunch, then back to our apartment for a few hours of down time. <BR>Then out again in the late afternoon. <BR>This could be a great time to go the the Borghese Park, where I understand there are boats, a zoo and other things to see. Or try and catch an outdoor puppet show. <BR>My husband and I are also planning to each take one morning or afternoon and go out by ourselves while the other stays with the children.My husband is an Architectural Conservator specializing in old plasters.Since he will want to spend some indepth time at some sites/villas/museums, this will give him a perfect ,unhurried opportunity <BR>to do so. <BR>I think the idea from " momrath" about short visits is great,and also getting your children interested in Rome by learning something about it before . <BR>There are some books I found on Amazon.com for children that might be helpful in this. <BR>1-Daily Life of Ancient and Modern Rome,by Joan Barghusen <BR>2-Roman Record ,which is a newspaper type book, by Paul Douswell <BR>3-Spend a Day in Ancient Rome, by Linda Honan <BR>The is also a great language book, Italian for Beginners, which has lots of colorful pictures and good phrases for children to use. <BR>I can't remember the publisher (we lent ours out to friends) but it is $11.95, green cover, cartoon figures,is approx. 10" by 12". <BR>All these things should be helpful. <BR>I also think as tiring as it can be for children to travel away from home, just the fact they are in Italy should make it exciting enough! <BR>Good luck and have fun. <BR>Nancy

lilly

I agree with the above letters. <BR>Try to get your children interested in a few places they will being seiing. <BR>Have them read alittle,and tell each other about it. <BR>Of course, at the end of the school year, you don't want to make it feel like homework. <BR>Make a plan about how much time spent at a museum, etc and try to stick to it. <BR>Ed and June's website is good for all kinds of information. <BR>Make an evening at an amusement park, it should be interesting to see what an Italian Park is like! <BR>And one would certainly be around lots of Italians there. <BR>Children get tired no matter how interested they are in a place. <BR>Ever see children at Sea World /Disney world? <BR>After awhile all children suffer melt downs and so do we adults. <BR>Lilly

sue

Sandy, <BR>Have your children ever traveled out of the country before? <BR>You must have taken some vacations. <BR>How have they done before? <BR>I think everyone above has some good suggestions for you. <BR>I esp. like Ed & June's site. <BR>Have fun with your children!

Seb

I just did something similar to what you are planning to do: I took my 11 year old son, who speaks no French, to Paris. We found lots of stuff to do and he loved it all. <BR> <BR>Learning to ride the subway. <BR>Climbing up the Eiffel Tower on foot. <BR>Visiting the Pere Lachaise cemetery (where many famous Frenchmen were buried) <BR>The Paris sewer tour. <BR>Learning to order from the menu. <BR>Pastries, desserts and ice cream. <BR> <BR>Museums, palaces and churches were OK, if not for too long. <BR> <BR>Anything very large, grand, or spooky seems to have a lot of appeal. <BR> <BR>My son really enjoyed learning about Napoleon. Probably the Roman Emperors will have the same appeal. <BR> <BR>

jackie

We took our 5 and 7 year olds to Cyprus in 1993. The 7 year old loved the ruins, the museum (note the singular, I wouldn't have pushed by taking him to more than one), the food, the beach and the parks. The younger one loved eating outside, staying up late, the beach, the parks and the man who danced with 32 glasses on his head. I think that often our children surprise us. We live in Canada and have no antiquities (by European standards) and don't often have the kind of weather that lends itself to alfresco dining. Even at their young ages, they really enjoyed the differences. <BR>Enjoy your trip! <BR>P.S. anticipate jet lag, ear infections, etc.