beachbum2

Looking to book our airline tickets for a trip next spring. We are looking to fly into zurich (arrive early on the 15th, spend 1 night and take the train to Italy across the pass. Here is where we get stuck...I'm trying to figure out the best route so I can book out of Rome or Milan. Hubby and I are traveling with our 11, 8 and 5 year old. We want to go to Venice, Florence/Tuscany area and Rome. I'm open to other suggestions too. We arrive in Zurich on the 15th of april and will depart from Rome or Milan on the 27th. Easter is on the 24th. My original thought, being Catholic was to end with Rome so we would be in Rome for easter Sunday, then the mom in me took over and thought (how boring and horrible for kids) None of us deal with crowds well and the city will probably be a mob scene to get anywhere. With that said, I'm trying to figure out an itenerary that will make sense utilizing trains and possible rental car in Florence. Please Help and give me any tips on how many nights in each place, things to do, other places to consider and where to fly out of. I currently have a Rome departure on hold, but Milan is still available. Thanks!

Peter_S_Aus

Just a comment on “the rental car in Florence”. The centre of Florence is not a great place to have a car – minimal, expensive parking, and also there is the ZTL – an area where you can’t take a rental car. It is heavily policed, traffic cameras, fines, difficult.

You can take easy day trips from Florence by train (say to Pisa) or by bus (Siena). In rural Tuscany, you’d need a car. Sounds like a great trip for you and your family.

12 Nights – 11 nights after Zurich.
Say Venice – 4 nights.
Florence and surrounds – 4 nights, and you might concentrate more on the “surrounds’ than Florence, which can be pretty crowded. The bus system in Florence is not all that flash – you do need to do a lot of walking to get anywhere, and the pavements are narrow. Slow going for a party of five. Florence is really all about Art, with a capital A, whereas the hill towns in Tuscany might be more fun.
Rome – 3 nights. The “Big” stuff in Rome can be interesting for kids – Colosseum, etc.

Venice is great for kids. No traffic and getting around on ferries.

jgg

I'm wondering why you are choosing to fly into Zurich? It seems like you are taking time away from the heart of your trip. We did a similar trip a few years ago when our kids were 9 and 12 at Easter time as well. We decided to start in Rome so we were not there during the Easter festivities. We did 5 nights Rome, 4 nights Venice and 4 nights Florence. (This was our first trip to Italy - and just returned last week from our 3rd!)

If I were you I would fly into Rome and out of Venice and do 5 nights Rome, and split the remaining 7 between Florence and Venice - if want to spend a day seeing someplace in Tuscany then probably 4 Florence, 3 Venice. Agree that there is really no need for a rental car on a trip like this.

Here is a link to my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...or-2-weeks.cfm

beachbum2

Wow, love the report! We can't work our frequent flyer miles to go into Rome, or that would be the perfect option. That's part of the reason we ended up flying in to Zurich (and I've wanted to do that amazing train ride through the alps as I hear it is one of the most amazing trips). That's what make it a little tricky! I only wish I could fly into Rome and out of Venice....no such luck. I am thinking that we need to spend more time in the surroundings rather then Florence as 2 museum cities back to back could push the kids over the edge. Would Zurich (1 night) to Florence/Tuscany, Rome, then Venice and a train back to Milan to leave(just overnight for am flight) work or am I making this crazy? We did Brussels, Bruge, Paris, Amsterdam (1 nt) and Monchou (1 nt) Germany in 10 nights 2 years ago with the kids. It was pushing it and alot of travel, but we all loved it and and actually considered London, UK or France countryside, then finish in Paris. It may come to that if I can't figure this crazy schedule out. I just hear so many people talk about Italy and how they return again and again and I love to visit new places. I'll take all the sugesstions I can get! Thanks to both of you. Nice to know that I can get away without a rental car or should I plan on Tuscany and picking one up somewhere for that?

Peter_S_Aus

We've not travelled in rural Tuscany, but here's my impressions of Venice (lots) and Rome (a little).

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm