rachellynn99

I'll be graduating with my PhD in 2019 and we would like to take a trip abroad to celebrate and relax and have fun.

It's myself and my husband and three children ( 12, 10, 6) . The kids are good travelers and not super needy. They kind of just go where we go. We travel a lot in the states and have been to Mexico and Canada several times- but never abroad.

We have no idea where to go. Where is a good starter abroad vacation?

We don't speak any other languages other than English and I think would feel more comfortable somewhere that spoke at least some English. We were thinking Ireland perhaps? I feel like we would love Rome- but maybe that isn't the best place to visit the first time abroad. It seems overwhelming.

PalenQ

English is widely spoken everywhere in tourist-related things at least and practically a local language in Belgium, Netherlands and Scandinavia. Don't let the language thing deter you.

If you can go in June or early July Italy could be great - Rome, Florence and Venice and some seaside areas for kids. Trains are great everywhere (except Ireland which begs for a car) - for lots on trains check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check their free and superb IMO online European Planning & Rail Guide for rail itineraries in lots of countries and www.seat61.com.

Cars and cities do mix well, especially Italy where many cities ban them from city centers. Kids that age often get cheap train tickets.

A London - Eurostar train to Paris - night train or to Venice (great experience for kids) or fly and train to Cinque Terre for seaside gems, Florence and Rome.

Nice three-week or so trip.

Ireland is nice (too cool for swimming usually though) but I think more of a Continental tour with the likes of London, Paris and Italy would be cool.

elberko

Does your local PBS station show Rick Steves shows?

Even if not, his website and his books are geared towards making first time travelers to Europe comfortable by giving them useful information and tips. You might want to buy, or borrow from the library, his "Europe though the Back Door".

Have fun planning!

xcountry

"The kids are good travelers and not super needy."

That's a good start. How are their parents?

This is a travel forum with people (well most of them) who travel. You will hear "save x for next time". Well in our experience there is often not a next time with kids. The next time they go is without their parents. So figure out what you want to see with your kids and go there. Someone will speak English.

greg

>>> I think would feel more comfortable somewhere that spoke at least some English.

What is the role of "English" in this context? Do you derive "comfort" from speaking and listening English regardless of the other contexts? Or is "English" a tool for communicating your need and receive information? If that is the case, then practically any place frequented by tourists would speak good to very good English for the purpose of communicating with you. Of course, they would speak native languages, whatever they are, among themselves. But if that is irrelevant to you, but if you keep that restriction, you could be ruling out a huge swath of exciting destinations.

>>> Where is a good starter abroad vacation?

This depends on many factors. Your goal is probably the key driver. How much time you care to spend planning also matters. For example, Switzerland, if you can stomach the high prices, is one of the easiest destination to plan. All the travel logistics are superbly coordinated and easy to comprehend. Depending on what you want to do, Italy can be very easy or challenging to plan. If you want to visit some popular museums or monuments, you need reservations often months ahead. You need to know where you need a rental car and where you should never even think of driving a car, etc.

StCirq

Read a bunch of guidebooks and see what interests you. Not speaking another languge is not a crutch these days except in very rural areas.

Not sure why it seems overwhelming.Millions of people hop on planes every day and go to other countries where none of their customs are normal

Going to the USA seems overwhelming to me right now. And I live in Europe. And am Americn. One of the scariest places on earth for me, to put it in perspective.

PalenQ

I find it easier understanding Dutch or Scandinavians than Irish folk speaking 'english'!

StCirq

Me too,Pal.

I just can't understand "speaking English" as the main criterion. Granted, I've spent most of my life learning foreign languages and rarely flinch at a greeting from someone, but come on! Get OVER IT! You're in another country! What DID you expect?

Italian is a very easy language. Maybe you should study it a bit.

PalenQ

Some Scots and English Midlanders are even worse than Irish English.

elberko

Travelling outside of your home country, and dealing with another language IS scary! Not everybody finds other languages easy.

But it's totally do-able, and yes, somebody will speak english almost everywhere you would care to go.

danon

"Travelling outside of your home country, and dealing with another language IS scary! Not everybody finds other languages easy."

The OP traveled to Mexico..they obviously managed without speaking Spanish.

I met a Japnese couple in Berlin restaurant who told me they come to Erope every year and tour a different country - by train!
Their English was extremly limited - I guess language apps help.

rizzo0904

Italy is a great choice. The food is familiar...pasta, cheese, pizza, wine. And many in Rome speak English.

MmePerdu

When friends ask how I manage in places where little or no English is spoken I tell them it's perfectly possible to communicate one's needs without a common language. Those needs fall into a small number of categories - food, beds, transport, the occasional toilet..what else? And what you need at any given time is usually pretty obvious but sign language works if it isn't. I've been places where there were no English speakers for miles and never starved or slept on a bench. Go to places that interest you and don't worry about it. I promise you'll be fine.

janisj

I've been to 3/4 of the countries in Europe and speak no other languages except basic pleasantries and understanding most menu terms in French German and Spanish (not something I'm proud of but honest) you can go absolutely ANYWHERE. So your first task is to get some guidebooks and figure out what you want to see/do. Then book it and go.

Everyone here will have a different 'best first trip' recommendation whether it is italy, or france, or the UK, or a meditereanean cruise, or scandanavia or wherever (mine would be London and Scotland) - but language should not be your determining factor.

nukesafe

One of the easiest things I can think to do is to get your kids into classes for whatever language is spoken in the country to which you will be going. They could be your translators. You have until 2019, and kids pick up languages really quickly. If you are nice to them, they may even teach you a few phrases.

Bedar

The first place you should visit is glorious PARIS, then Venice, and then Rome. If you never return, you will have seen the very best of Europe. But, having seen those, of course you will return and then can go to places like London, Amsterdam, Vienna, etc. Remember, Paris first of all !

nukesafe

I forgot to mention that my German grand daughter just turned seven, and she has already started English classes in her school in Aachen. It would be a shame if such were not available through your schools in the U.S.

Andee01

I understand your worry about language difficulties as I too was concerned about that before our first trip. However, you shouldn't worry, English is widely spoken in Europe. I suggest you start in London, a good first stop to get your feet on the ground and explore without any language barriers. Then as suggested above Paris and Rome are two wonderful destinations. I have friends who have taken their younger children to all of these destinations in recent years, and they loved it.

As suggested a good guide book will help you with ideas, and also check out travel blogs online. Good luck.

marvelousmouse

Pretty much everything mmeperdue said. Easy to find lodging and food even if you don’t speak the language. And cellphones make everything very simple.

If you hadn’t said Europe, I would say Japan.

But since you said Europe, I vote Italy. The food is easy, Italians are friendly, all of the art history you know probably goes back to the Italians. Rome is wonderful- and a lot of its historic markers and signs are written in English because they have so many tourists from all different countries visiting. Second pick would be Germany or Switzerland for fairytale associations. And German trains are amazing.

I went to UK this time and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t like the awe I felt wandering around Rome or Paris. That said, I love London, and there’s a lot there that kids would enjoy.

I think it’s a nice idea for your kids to learn some language (and culture) in advance but I would not think you’d need any kind of translating they could do anyway.

marvelousmouse

Also, if it helps- consider that you’re not breaking ground here. Tourists have visited Europe for centuries (the Grand Tour). And we live in a global economy- you’ll see Sephora, Victoria Secret, Burger King, etc. even in Venice and feel right at home.