Italy with my 22 year old son

Old Nov 25th, 2015, 06:51 PM
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Italy with my 22 year old son

I'm always both pleased and amazed at all the great advice here...so I thought I would reach out for some help. I am traveling end of May 2016 for 3 weeks with my 22 year old son. We like art/museums, hiking , beaches (a must do for him!)...he has voiced his opinion that he is not into "running around", seeing ruins, wine tasting nor churches and he loves sports! I'm a bit stuck as to where we should even fly into as I am not sure of distance, since we will be taking the train. I was thinking maybe flying into Milan and taking the train to Cinqua Terra, Florence, Lucca and Venice ...but am flexible if I am missing anything. Suggestions please?
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Old Nov 25th, 2015, 09:02 PM
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Art/Museums, hiking, beaches and sports. I am thinking the Amalfi Coast and Naples would suit but of course I am biased as I live there from time to time

It depends on your airline schedule - if it is cheaper to fly into Milan then it will clearly suit you to stick to the north.

If it is cheap for you to fly in and out of Rome or even Naples, then you could consider south.

The Amalfi Coast has beaches and hiking - as does Capri. Naples has the Archaeological Museum with its Farnese sculptures and Pompeii/Vesuvian archaeological finds as well as the Capodimonte museum (from Andy Warhol to Caravaggio). It also has some off-beat history such as the Underground tour which encompasses everything from a garbage dump to a WW2 bomb shelter to an ancient Roman amphitheatre.

It also has the convenience of train accessibility - no need for rental cars in this region.

See here:
http://www.napoliunplugged.com/
http://www.capri.net/
http://www.amalficoast.com/
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 12:40 AM
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Beaches: I suppose you know that seawater temperatures in May will be around 16 degrees centigrade (61 degreees Fahrenheit) in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, about 18 (resp 64) degrees in the Southern Thyrrenian, the Ionion and the Adriatic Sea. Most beaches will be deserted or just opening.

The weather in May is rather unpredictable all over Italy.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 01:21 AM
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I think your plan looks fine. Suggest you give some consideration, though, to reversing the order of the trip so that you begin in Venice and end in le Cinque Terre, so that you maximise your chances for warmer temps at the seaside and fewer crowds in Venice. Also see what possibilities there are for flying out of Pisa (or into Pisa, if you'd rather head to le Cinque Terre first).

Also suggest that you rent an apartment in Florence and visit Lucca as a day trip from there. You and your son might also enjoy a day trip to Siena from Florence.

Spending enough time in Venice to allow for a day trip to Verona might be fun for both of you. Also, there have been reports here of people really enjoying taking gondola-rowing lessons in Venice, or going kayaking.

Can't help you with sports events schedules for that time frame, but maybe somebody else can.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 02:11 AM
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By the end of May the football season will be over, especially as it's the Euro Football Championships in June onwards in France. Maybe it's time he looked at a bit of culture, rather than sleeping all day!
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 02:23 AM
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Not quite understanding what looks like an insult despite the "wink" face (insincere?) against a young man who enjoys art, museums, hiking and swimming, but sensibly doesn't want rush around Italy, has no interest in wine tastings (neither do I) and is simply being candid in saying that ruins and churches are of less interest than other activities -- and whose mother mentions he loves sports. OP was nice enough to say she gets good advice from Fodor's, and great that her son in giving her honest input on the trip, so the gratuitous remark seems particularly odd. Maybe Rubicund could use a good night's sleep.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 04:52 AM
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Not clear if you have been to europe before. But if going to the beach definitely check out the weather - May is very early in the season - and the type of beaches (many/most in europe are pebbles or even rocks rather than sand, are small, mobbed and nothing like beaches in the US or the Carib) and they can be very disappointing. Also the Med is quite flat - no pounding surf for surf bobbing or body surfing.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 06:31 AM
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Maybe sandralist's well known propensity for a humour bypass has surfaced again.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 07:01 AM
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>>>Also the Med is quite flat - no pounding surf for surf bobbing or body surfing.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 07:48 AM
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Also, just noticed this posted above, regarding Naples and the Amalfi Coast:

"It also has the convenience of train accessibility - no need for rental cars in this region."

There is no need for rental cars in your original itinerary but, moreover, there is no train access to the Amalfi Coast as there is to the Italian Riviera, where the train runs right along the seaside. While you can certainly reach Naples or Sorrento by train, if you want to get to the Amalfi coast hiking and beaches there is no train going there. You need to go by bus, private taxi or ferry.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 07:58 AM
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I for one like your son's style. I think your initial ideas sound fine. The train works for what you describe and fits with the not rushing around pace. I also like the suggestion to flip and put Venice first.

For sports, have your son get online and search around for special events, classes, etc. that might be happening at the time you are in the various locations. It's fun to find local events to attend.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 09:04 AM
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I am not sure if your son is interested in watching sports or participating. While in Lucca, it is easy to rent bikes and ride around the walls. You can also rent bikes to explore the countryside, either individually or with guided tours.

When we were in Lucca two years ago, the Mille Miglia car race came through town. There were many antique autos on display. I think there is a different route this year through northern Italy, from Brescia to Rome, but with stops further east towards Parma.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 11:14 AM
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To clarify - the train accessibility I was referring to is points at either end of the Amalfi Coast with a train to Salerno the more convenient way rather than Sorrento - then link to either Amalfi or Positano by ferry - a truly beautiful way to see the coast. I'm sorry to not clearly point that out.

In terms of sport, calcio (aka football/soccer) - the Champions League season runs to the end of May. Juventus and AC Roma are the Italian teams participating.The final on May 28 is in Milan which would be amazing to see if you are in the area and can get tickets.
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Old Nov 26th, 2015, 07:41 PM
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Even if you don't want to spend much time in churches, many of them contain some really lovely art.

Lee Ann
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 10:45 AM
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Thanks for all the great information. I have taken your advice and flipped the order of our trip to May 28 fly into Venice and June 16 fly out of Pisa, but I have not booked flights yet. I am still a bit confused as to which city to fly home to San Francisco from. I am trying to look at train times and shortest flight and reasonable airfares....and am overwhelmed and over thinking all this��

Answers to a few questions and comments above that might help clarify things..my son prefers viewing a sporting event vs participation in one but sports are low on this Mommas list (our dates do not work for Mille Maglia, which looks fantastic!), art is a high priority for both of us (in museums or churches), as is hiking, photography, a cooking lesson, beach time (?Italian Riviera for some relaxation??) and food!
He is by no means lazy, but chooses to move at a slower and more thought-through pace. My husband and I have been to Italy 30 years ago, but I will repeat towns and sites...it was so magical.

Here is what I am thinking for our 21 days: (by train and bus)
Venice -4 or 5 days(side trips Murano, Torcello, kayaking or gondola rowing lesson),
Florence 4 or 5 days ( side trips to Lucca, Siena),
Cinqua Terra 4 or 5 days (trips to Rapallo, Camogli),
Pisa 1 day

I'm trying to find the perfect balance of seeing much as we can, but not overwhelming him. We have 19 days in Italy, plus a day on each end for travel. I feel like we have 3 days that I have not accounted for. Any suggestions for adding a town or adding more time to a town already on my itinerary? Cooking lesson suggestion? We love "off the beaten path " ideas for things to do!

This is such a special time in our lives, and to be able to create and execute an Italian holiday with my "child", well, it is a memory we will carry for a lifetime. Can't thank you enough for your help!
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 11:17 AM
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You can easily visit Pisa as a day trip from Florence; if you only want to see the famous crooked tower, you could even combine it with the day trip to Lucca.

I don't believe you'll find a direct flight to San Francisco from any of the cities you're visiting. You'll have to change in Rome or Milan, or some other European airport, or else you'd have to go to Milan or Rome the night before. That being the case, you should probably search for itineraries that start from the closest airport to where you'll end your trip. For instance, you could search for a mult-city itinerary flying into Venice and departing from Florence (or Pisa).
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 11:18 AM
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For day trips from le Cinque Terra, consider Sarzana and possibly Chiavari as places that are quite a contrast to the 5 villages, and very interesting in their own right. Plus, both make very good rainy day destinations should you get a spot of rain.

It is easy to get to Chiavari by train, and it is most fun to go in the afternoon when the cocktail hour is on, or early in the morning for the food market and shops (or on weekends there is often an antiques fair). Just don't during the long lunch hour, when nearly everything is closed.

I am sorry I am not exactly sure how to get to Sarzana from the le Cinque Terre villages. I think it is short train ride to La Spezia, and then a short bus ride. But perhaps someone else knows. Most of what there is to see in Sarzana is outdoors, so it really doesn't matter what time of day you go. It is a nice food destination (they have a special local cake they make called a spungata, plus pleasant restaurants).

If you do go to Rapallo, and you like quirky things to do, you can take the cable car ride high up into the mountains, for panoramic views and to visit the santuario.

Depending on your interests you might prefer a day trip to Verona rather than Murano.

You will probably have the most choice taking a cooking class in Florence than any of your other destinations.

One way to get a handle on what might be the best way to get back to SF from Pisa is to use the Orbitz website and play around with open jaw ticket configurations, SFO>VCE/PSA>SFO. You will surely need to switch planes somewhere, one hopes with a reasonable layover. You might also look at whether flying out of Genova (GOA) offers any advantages, since it is not hard to do if your last stop is le Cinque Terre. No non-stops, alas.
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 11:19 AM
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Sorry for my typo -- especially since I had meant to tell you that "le Cinque Terre" is the correct spelling (it means "5 lands" -- plural).
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Old Nov 29th, 2015, 01:07 PM
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Kayaking in Venice.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...g-kayaking.cfm
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Old Feb 22nd, 2016, 08:31 PM
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Thought I was finished with the planning of our trip, but the never ending researcher that I am has additional questions and concerns. Thus, here I am asking my Fodor's community again. Thank you in advance!
Here is our itinerary: May 27 Venice - June 14 Milan
Venice 5 nights. Arrival for dinner. 1 day to Murano
Florence 5 nights. 1 day Siena, 1 day Lucca/Pisa
Rome (just added- 4 nights)
Cinque Terra- 2 nights
Milan- 1 night, early afternoon flight next day
Does the order of things seem doable? We were originally staying in Siena, but have decided to switch it out for Rome. Any hotel suggestions around $175 in Rome? Cooking class recommendations in Rome or Florence? Is train the best way to travel between cities, or is the bus better for some routes?
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