I agree that I would prefer to travel independently with my family (more flexible and cheaper). However, if you're still interested in a tour, I suggest you try a company like Intrepid Travel, Peregrine, Gap, Gecko, Kamuka or other similar small group tour companies. Any tour with 40 people, most of them over 50, and having to follow a rigid timetable (e.g. up at 7am each day) sounds like hell to me, let alone teenagers. However, not all tours are the same and not all like that.

It's winter, it's coach travel with teenagers, it'll be hell on earth.

Please reconsider your plans

Picture this..... an early start for breakfast so that you can pack and be on the bus by 8am. Drive for a couple of hours, with perhaps a retail opportunity and a tourist attraction that may or may not interest you and the teens. Lunch in a restaurant, back on the bus and everyone falls asleep for a few hours. Another touristy stop then back on the bus to drive to the hotel, check in, have dinner which is usually very average, a stroll around the village/town you are in to try to get a feel for where you are, bed and then in about 6 hours do it all again. We did a four day bus tour of mainland Greece the first time we travelled because we weren't sure how we would manage the language etc. We would NOT do it again.

I agree with the others that you can travel independently and that everyone here will help you plan a great trip. Do involve your kids and then they will feel more engaged with the trip. You will have much ore time to wander and try to get the feel of a place if you are doing your own thing.

We travel out of Sydney and honestly don't feel too jet lagged when we arrive in Europe, but the jet lag when we get home is awful if you don't break the trip. So, maybe you could fly straight to London and just have a stop over on the way home. You have to get off the plane in Malaysia or where ever so they can clean it so you have a good opportunity to walk around and stretch your legs.

Have a think about which places you would really like to see and then come back with more specific questions. If you ask about accommodation make sure you give us a budget of some sort so that you get the right answers.

Fodor's contributors are fabulous and you will get lots of help if your questions are specific enough. Don't be afraid to make the headings of your posts detailed enough. Posts that are headed 'Italy' for instance, often don't get much response. As an example, you are better to put "I need a 2 bedroom apartment in Rome for under 200 euros per night" and then you should get lots of help.

Don't waste too much time deciding what to do as the best accommodation will book out fairly quickly.

Have fun planning, it's great fun once you get into the swing of it. I spent lots of time using Fodor's to plan our last trip and my husband tormented me for it. However, once we got there he couldn't believe the things I knew in advance re transport and great recommendations for things to see and do.

You might be better with something like this if you don't want to be absolutely independent
http://www.goaheadtours.com/tours/LP...aris-rome.aspx

I'm sure that there are Australian companies who do something similar. The company deals with all the travel hassle and finding accommodation. You have time to explore or take excursions if and when you please.
I agree that a coach tour sounds grim.

We’ve spent a while in Venice over winter, and it might work for your family for a longer stay – say half a dozen nights. Venice is good for kids – there’s a whole lot more than churches and art. A chance to get to know a place a bit better, become acquainted a bit. Plus catch up with the laundry.

We’ve stayed at this place twice, for a couple of months each time, and it might work for you. (We're there right now.)

http://realvenicevacationflats.com/

Owner is in California, and is easy to deal with.

Thanks everybody for your advice and tips on travelling with our teens. We've decided to travel independantly rather than taking a tour. The flexibility of independant travel will be fabulous and also having the ability to plan our own sightseeing.

I'm sure it will be an adventure to learn the basics of a few languages and with the mountain of information that is available through fodors - I have no doubt that I can plan an awesome trip.

Now to narrow it down to 4 or 5 countries before I start trawling through all the info on here!

Thanks again!