Let me begin by thanking all the regular contributors to this board for their help (especially Elaine for her wonderful files). Any helpful or productive comments are appreciated. The trip will be for two weeks from Dec 19,2003 thru Jan 3,2004 and the dates cannot be changed. I will try to stay at Hotel Navonna near Piazza Navonna as they have a quad room.
In the past we have visited museums in the morning and shopped in the afternoon. My family( children 13 and 11) loves shopping in Covent Garden in London or the small shops on the Left Bank in Paris near Notre Dame wandering for hours thru the merchandise. So I need help in finding a similar location in Rome.
Traveling with a group of four (especially two children) makes it difficult to change hotels and cities. This is why I'm using Rome as my base city and using day trips to visit other cities. Again many thanks for the generous information provided on this board.


12/19 Fri Depart LAX to Rome

12/20 Sat Arrival Rome Walk around Piazza Navonna/ Spanish Steps

12/21 Sun Try to take Scala Reale orientation tour/ Walk around Colesseum and Forum

12/22 Mon Take Scala Reale tour of Roma Antica

12/23 Tues Travel by train to Pisa and return late afternoon

12/24 Wed Relax / Walk around Trestevere

12/25 Thurs Christmas / Go to St Peter's/ Vatican City

12/26 Fri Travel by train to Florence and return evening

12/27 Sat Relax

12/28 Sun Open for suggestions

12/29 Mon Take an organized tour to Pompeii from Rome

12/30 Tues Vatican (Maybe take another Scala Reale tour)

12/31 Wed Vatican again

01/01 Thurs Wander the streets

01/02 Fri Shop?

01/03 Departure for LAX

<<Traveling with a group of four (especially two children) makes it difficult to change hotels and cities.>>

Is it less difficult to make two long day trips to Pisa and Florence, which as so near each other? This is the only flaw I see in your plan. Making that long trip twice for just a visit to Pisa--you'll spend at least four hours traveling for a three hour visit.

I suggest you do an overnight in Florence. Keep your Rome hotel, leave the major luggage behind and just take a change of clothes. The money you save by not buying tickets for an additional roundtrip for four can be put toward a moderate hotel for one night in Florence. See Florence the day you arrive. Go to Pisa the next day, then return to Rome.

Do not miss Galleria Borghese !

I also think you should go to Florence straight on arrival and stay 2-3 nights. You can take a train from the airport to Termini and then take a 1.5 hour Eurostar to Florence. It may not be much longer than trying to get to city center Rome.

That looks pretty good, but I agree Pisa is a bit long for a daytrip from Rome. Its worth going to if you are somewhat near, but not otherwise. If you keep researching you can probably find other daytrips closer to Rome that are just as interesting to you.

mendota98: You might want to find out what kind of train travel day Dec 26 is going to be, esp being a Friday in a 4/5 day long weekend?
Would this be a popular day to visit relatives or take a tourist visit to another city for Italians? Or is traveling at a minimum, everyone is where they want to be (like the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US)? Just a thought. Regards, Walter

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I will go to Florence after arriving in Rome. Does anyone know the cost of a taxi from the airport to the EuroStar station?
I could stay Saturday and Sunday night in Florence and visit Pisa on Monday. Returning to Rome Monday night.
Does this sound better?
Thanks again,

==Mike

Yes, sounds like a better plan, eliminating one round-trip day trip. (I kept imagining cranky kids in an enclosed vehicle.) It will also be nicer for you to begin your trip in Florence which has a lower energy level than Rome.

I think a cab to the Eurostar would cost 50E or more--haven't done it recently so can't quote a price. I've lately taken the train from the airport to Termini, or arranged a van, which was about 22E per person last December. If you take the train, you could buy tickets at the airport that would get you all the way to Florence--you would change trains at Roma Termini.

For your Florence segment if you are interested in going to the Uffizi consider buying your tickets in advance at this site:
http://www.weekendafirenze.com/museifi/uffizi.htm

My girlfriend and I used this service on a recent trip and were able to walk right in through a separate entry way and bypass a huge line waiting to buy tickets. Good for a quick trip. (If you are planning on seeing the David at the Accademia this might help too although haven't used it there but it is another spot with huge crowds at times.)

I think the areas around the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Campo de Fiore would all be fun for kids. The area just beyond the Pantheon heading in the general direction of the Palazzo Borghese has good shops and cafes (and you will probably pass through here for gelato at Giolitti.

There is a train from FCO to Termini. Thats what I would suggest. Hope you have a great time. I was in Rome and Florence around that time last year and had a great time.

Just a couple of things: on 12/20 You can walk from your hotel (piazza Navonna) to the Spanish Steps and the Fontana Di Trevi is on the way (maybe a fifteen minute walk).

If you walk from your Hotel or Piazza Navonna to the Albergo Portoghesi (maybe two blocks), you will find a very nice caffe shop, small grocery, bakery and to the left of the Hotel if facing North is a very nice Restaurant. We always stay at the Portoghesi when in Rome and know the block very well. On the otherside of the same block is Fettucine Alfredos . They claim to have invented Fettucine Alfredo. A friend of mine who was with me in Rome this year and his wife were in the same Restaurant 30 yrs ago. It is really worth the trip and they will treat you special.....remember to ask them to make the Fettucine at your table. You won't be disappointed.

The other thing I might add is when you go to Florence, arrange to get tickets to the Uffizi in advance. You can also buy a phone card in Florence for a Euro and call the Museum and arrange a time. That will help you avoid the long lines. You will be able to walk right up to the will call door.

By all means walk the 4 blocks from the Uffizi to Santa Croce. Michelangelo, Machiavelli and Galileo are entombed there (inside the Church).

One last thing, save some money to buy leather goods.....all the leather good stores are on the street between Uffizi and Santa Croce.

Forgot to tell you about the world famous "87" Bus. At the North end of the Piazza Navonna on otherside of buildings is a bus stop....the 87 Bus will take you many places/stops on the way to the Coliseum. Don't bother with taxis.

I'll address the shopping ? for the teens....They will love Florence, it has everything, inexpensive jewlery, great outdoor markets with everything a teen might want to bargin for, leather belts, purses, note paper and pensils. Give them enough time to wander and shop. Rome is a great street scene for teens, go out at about 5:00 in the winter for the passegiata (evening walk) around the via cavor, up to the Spanigh steps and down to Piazza del Popolo, especially Sat. nights. It is packed with people, especially the young and the shops on the via cavor are all for the young (at heart). Don't miss the McDonalds by the Spanish Steps...small little sign because it is not well liked by locals, huge huge inside with salad bar, gelato bar, reg. Mc food and good clean bathrooms! Buon Natale

You might consider renting an apartment for two weeks in Rome. This might be cheaper than a quad hotel room and give you more space. It will also give you a kitchen to prepare small meals so you do not have to eat out all the time. I have children the same age and we have found this works better for us. This by the way may also get you laundry facilities which we find to be quite helpful in our travels.
A less expensive base in Rome would allow you to do two day trips outside of Rome to Florence and Pisa, or to the Amalfi coast, etc. We have done this and paid for a moderate hotel for these short trips outside our base lodgings, and it has worked out very well. The money we have saved by renting for two weeks easily has paid for the extra hotel nights.