Our family is planning on travelling to Italy for a week or more. What is the best way, conducted tours or plan and travel ourselves? Any help/advice is very much appreciated.

Thanks, Sheela

HI--hope it turns out to be a wonderful trip!! Before your question could be usefully addressed, I think someone would have to know a lot more about your group and how you all function. In your previous travels to other locales are you accustomed to researching, planning and making your own arrangements or would you rather have someone else make the decisions while you just go w/the flow?? Hope this input helps...Good luck.

I would say get a few travel books and read as much as you can on travel forum. When you have more specific ideas, you can discuss with the happy fodorites.

topping

Socialworker is correct - we need to know more to help. Have you traveled to europe before? Tour or independent? How many/who are/is going? What specific things do you want to see or do? Are you interested in doing all your own planning/decision makng? Are you willing to adapt your schedule to others (early departures, meals at set times, hotels outside the center of town?) What is your budget level - luxury? moderate? inexpensive?

Thanks for all your responses and sorry for not giving enough details.
I am traveling with my husband and my 4 ? yr old daughter and this is our first visit to Italy. We are hesitant to take conducted tours, as we may not have much flexibility in where and how much time we can spend, but are open to consider though! How challenging is to take the trip independently? Since it is our first visit open to experience the culture, see city sight seeing and absorb the country side ambiance. I can spend the time to make all the arrangements but at the same time don?t want to risk anything.
One other thing, we are strict vegetarians ? but not Vegans, and I know we should not have any issues as Italian cuisine is quite friendly with all their pastas and pizzas.
Any help & directions are much appreciated.

I have a four year old daughter as well, and I cannot imagine taking her on a guided tour where the schedule is dictated. I'd prefer the flexibility to allow her to sleep in, nap, etc. You can do a search for "traveling with kids" here and find lots of helpful information.

Here's a good thread to get you started:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34467255

Considering it's the first time to italy, about 1 week trip and you're bringing your 4 year old, I would recommend either just Rome or Rome and Venice. I don' think your 4 year old would be interested in the art museum of FLorence. In Venice your daughter may enjoy the 'boat' rides whether it be the water taxi or a splurge on a gondola. Rome has Borghese Gardens where she can run around. On a trip with a young child, you'll have to mix site-seeing time, with down time where she can play outdoors or just relax. Italy in general is very kid friendly. If you choose 2 cities, book an open-jaw flight. You can can make it a 10 day trip, you can even spend a night or 2 on the road between Venice and Rome.

We have decided to spend 13 days in Italy. Any ideas on how many days we should spend in each city, Rome, Venice, Milan or ...? Since this is our first time, we are flexible on our stay and things to see.

Thanks, Sheela