m179

Hi we are a family of 3 adults and three children ages 15,13,9. We are going to Italy in April. We will arrive in Venice on Thursday afternoon and stay there for 3 nights. On Sunday we will leave for Rome for 5 nights, we fly home from Rome on Friday morning. We would like to see Verona or Florence and Capri as day trips. Does this seem feasible? Originally we were going to spend two nights in Venice, 2 in Florence and 4 in Rome, but switching hotels involves too much packing and unpacking.Any insight would be greatly appreciated. We have never been to Europe, so no matter how much or how little we see, it will be wonderful. We love to eat and socialize. We would like to do some tours and see the main attractions. We will be traveling by train. THANK YOU!

ira

Hi m,

It is 2:45 hr from Venice to Florence. You can certainly do this as a long daytrip, but I don't know how happy your kids will be.

It's about 1/2 the travel time to Verona.

You will only have 2 days in Venice, I wouldn't suggest a daytrip.

You will have almost 5 full days in Rome. I suggest a daytrip to Orvieto. I think the kids will like the funicular and St. Patrick's Well.

See http://en.umbriaonline.com/orvieto.phtml

Cicerone

1. I would NOT recommend a day trip as a way to see Capri. In the first place in April it will be cool to cold and there is a good chance of rain. It will be difficult to enjoy the ferry ride or a boat trip out to the Blue Grotto in that weather, and there is a good chance that rain and winds will mean that the Blue Grotto will be closed. Secondly, it is a very LONG day trip, about 4 hours each way, including the ferry ride. If you use public transportation, you have to time your sightseeing to the boats and trains. I wouldn’t recommend this even in the warm summer months, and really think you should reconsider this for an April trip.

There is plenty to do in Rome with your 5 kids, and two suggestions for good day trips would be:

The Catacombs. This are a short drive from Rome. You can do a walking biking tour of the countryside around the catacombs, take a look at www.enjoyrome.com Enjoy Rome also does a 3.5 hour bicycle tour of Rome which I think would be great for young people. They might be able to organize a bike tour of the countryside around the catacombs or other areas of Rome.

Ostia Antica. These are ruins which are just about as good as Pompeii and much less crowded and spread out. Ostia Antica is south of the port, near Fumicino airport. Rick Steve's has a good self-guided tour to Ostia, go to http://www.ricksteves.com/news/0202/ostia.htm. The little town of Fumicino is nearby on the water and has some good and very casual seafood restaurants. You can get to Ostia in about an hour by train; with your large group you may find it easier and more economical to hire a van and driver, that way you have a bit more control over your itinerary and could stop in Fiumicino for lunch or dinner.

2. Florence is not my best suggestion for a day trip, but is doable from Rome as it is only 2.5 hours by train each way. I doubt the 3 and 9 year old would be much interested in museums, but they could climb the Duomo or the Duomo bell tower (easier and just as good a view, plus you get to see the Duomo) while some lucky adults are at various museums. If you want to see the David, etc, make an advance booking, run a search here as the info is constantly reprinted. There is also a bike tour I have taken of the countryside which the old erchildren and some adults may like, not for the feint of heart, but I managed it and I am an out of shape middle aged woman. . .take a look at www.artviva.com. They offer walking tours of Florence as well which have a pretty good reputation.

3. I have not been to Verona, so can’t comment, but as the train time is less this may be better if you really feel you need a day trip. I assume you know that “Juliet’s balcony” is just someone’s imagination, as Juliet is a fictional character. . . I don’t know if the town is a small charming one or a kitschy tourist place.

4. I like the Orievto idea. Also Tivoli gardens in Rome (suburbs) would be a nice half day excursion.

5. Run a search here for ideas on what to do with kids in Rome, as there have been several threads. I know there is a church made of human bones and a church with cats that seem to be popular. . . .

baldrick

It is a good thing to have an open jaw ticket.
Two full days in Venice is nothing too much. Verona is nice, but I wouldn't sacrifice a part of Venice for it.
Five nights in Rome is also excellent. No problem in filling 5 days of visits. If you want to get out of town for a day, Orvieto is excellent. Wonderful setting, wonderful town. This trip schedule will give you time to relax.
Your other suggestions will cause unnecessary stress.

RufusTFirefly

Agree that you don't have enough time in Venice as it is--so don't daytrip from Vencie to Verona or anywhere else. We spent 4-1/2 days in Venice on our fist trip to Italy together, and we we didn't have enough time to see major sights like the Accademia, the Guggenheim, Burano/Murano/Torcello, among others.

mamc

As it is, you have the minimum amount of time in Venice and Rome so I wouldn't suggest too many day trips. Particularly Capri would be a long, difficult day trip. You might explore taking the train to Florence on your way to Rome and visiting one or two sights such as the Accademia to see the David and the Duomo. This would take a full day from Rome. Ostia Antica is also a good suggestion from Rome.

sandi_travelnut

You and the kids might enjoy Vinci. It's about 30 miles from Florence and if you're kids are interested in his (Leonardo's..or Nardo as his friends called him) wonderful and sometimes wacky inventions it could prove to be time well spent.

kfusto

Florence is 1.5 hours from Rome via Eurostar, not 2.5.

While I would not choose to see it on a daytrip, it is certainly feasible.

Dayle

Hi M,

If your family is big on art, see the major sites in Florence enroute to Rome. No sense backtracking.

I think your kids would enjoy Orvieto much more (you too). Very interesting and unique town. Be sure to do the underground tour! You can easily spend a whole day here.

Buon viaggio!

m179

Thank you to everyone for your comments and suggestions. I will take everything into consideration. The Orvieto trip sounds great as does the bike trip. I will reconsider Capri, since it's probably not the best time of year to visit.Ostia Antica sounds like a better choice. I can't wait to report back in April!

mjs

I actually like your itinerary. I also would not do any day trips from either Venice or Rome. You could however take an early morning train from Venice to Florence, leave your luggage at the train station and spend 1/2 to 3/4 day in Florence before going to Rome later that evening. This is not much time in Florence but if you hire a guide to meet you and take you through the city it might work for you. Would reserve tickets for the Ufizi in advance if you do this and make sure you do not do this on monday when the museums are closed.

Melissa5

Spend 3 nights in Venice and 5 nights in Rome. there's plenty to do and you won't need the day-trips. If you buy a 3-day vaporetto pass in Venice it's 22 euros each and gives you unlimited on and off privileges on the vaporetto which goes all around Venice on the grand canal and also goes to 3 little islands.

In rome we had 4 nights and didn't even come close to seeing everything. We loved rome and didn't want to leave. My teens said Rome was the most fun of all the cities we visited in Italy. rome needs careful planning. Take the eurostar train between Venice and Rome. Enjoyable. Don't drive in rome. Stay in a central hotel near the Pantheon. We liked Hotel Nazionale a Montecitorio on Piazza Montecitorio, near the Pantheon. From there you can walk to the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, Piazza Navona, Giolitti's for gelato, lots of excellent restaurants, we also walked to the roman forum and the colosseum from our hotel as well, and took the bus back because we were tired. Also walked to the spanish steps. took the public bus, very cheap, from our hotel on Piazza Montecitorio to the Vatican and St. Peter's.

Leave the last day in Rome unplanned as free choice day for everyone. The teens loved that and chose to return to St. Peter's a second time to climb the tower with their Dad. I stayed near the hotel to stroll around and write poetry.

Bring some good maps and let the teens show you around. They love it. We liked the restaurants in the Rick Steves guidebook for Rome...great value and fantastic food! Fodors is a good guidebook for deciding what sights to see. After a while my teens said they wouldn't eat anything if it wasn't in the Rick Steves guidebook!!!

peggi

I vote for Orvieto and Ostia Antica! There is much to do in both Rome and Venice. Plus kids need "hang out" time I find...they love eating gelato and watching all the action in the Piazza's. Don't miss the Pantheon in Rome!

m179

I agree that my kids, as well as the adults do need some down time. Thanks again for the comments.