Hi - I lost a brain cell and have decided to take my 10 and 13 year old on a Italy world wind vacation - we are doing B&B's staying 2 to 3 days in Rome, Florence and Venice. Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated!! I have purchased eurorail passes to travel with - I am hoping that is the easiest way
thanks

I just returned from Europe ( 4 countries in 16 days) with my 9 year old. It was great. We shopped and had picnics a lot ( it was easier for him to choose food that way and more casual. I gave him his own digital camera and let him take his own pics of things he thought were interesting. I also had him decide things he really wanted to do and then we would work those into our days. It was a wonderful trip. Good luck and have fun.

what did he like best? anything you did that wasn't worth the time?

He didn't like the guided tours of museums. He thought they were boring and he would rather walk around and see the stuff on his own. We went to Budapest and the tour guide was very condescending and he was turned off after that but I didn't mind because we did the museums at our own pace. I think listening too much is boring for them ( as much as for us). He loved seeing all the big touristy things so that he could tell his friends he went there. He also liked hanging out at the park for a while about day 4 of the trip. We also took a day and went swimming at a pool so that we broke up the touring thing. I would suggest doing something you would do at home for a day out in Europe to lessen the stress of the constant touring.

Hi Philly--

Our daughter is almost 13, and has been to Europe many times.

Last summer we spent 11 weeks in Italy as part of a 14-month trip living and traveling in Europe. We spent a week each in Venice and Rome and then four days in Florence.

We decided to let our daughter (then age 11) take charge of our time in Rome. She took the guidebooks, studied the maps... basically planned and led everything. It was great to let her have some ownership of the trip and she learned a lot too. (And I have to say it was easier for me!)

You might enjoy reading about our week in Rome here: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/kaydee/...es/000843.html (and you could click to see the prior entry to read about Venice).

That said, I think you are trying to do way too much in a relatively-short trip, especially traveling with kids. The train would be the way to go, but you will end up spending a fair amount of time in train stations, on trains, getting in and out of hotels. I would personally suggest leaving out Venice (even though I loved it), which is a three-hour train ride from Florence. Apply those other days to Rome and Florence and maybe you can even get out into the countryside of Tuscany for a day. Save Venice for the next trip.

One other suggestion re the trains. Be sure to pack light. Each family member MUST be able to manage his or her own luggage on and off the train and then through the station.

I agree with all of gregeva1's suggestions too (especially the down time). Our daughter has always loved a place with a pool-- though these will be hard to find in those big cities you've picked!

Kathy

I just re-read your post-- especially the title. What is your three week itinerary? I zeroed in on the part about 2-3 days each in Rome, Florence and Venice.

Kathy

Are you there for three weeks, or staying 2 or 3 days in Rome, Florence and Venice? Your post is contradictory on that point.
My daughter and I recently toured Italy, seeing Rome, Florence, Venice and Santa Margherita Ligure. I wrote detailed trip reports on each, including specifics on our hotels we liked, also restaurants and activities/day-trips. If you click on my name above, you can find them. Or, let me know if you want me to cut and paste them into your thread. Have fun planning.
P.S. Did you do a price comparison to see if the eurail pass is a good buy? Sometimes it's not, given the extra fees for EuroStars. On railsaver.com you can plug in your itinerary and it will compare the prices.

I'd return the eurorail passes if you can. Rail travel in Italy is cheap, it's unlikely you'll even break even. Also you still have to spend extra time and money to make reservations for eurostar trains.

we are starting in geneva for 4 days then that was where I started with the first post - we are going to take the ero over nite to rome --then 3 days - 3 days florence /area - 2 days venice = back to geneva for 4 days then the train to paris for 3 days ..... quite alot I know but....

You asked for suggestions and tips...

Now that I understand the rest of your itinerary, I would suggest even more strongly that you re-think what you are doing... if that is at all possible!

Look at the train schedules and the travel time involved in the route you've laid out. And remember that each train trip likely involves at least an additional hour on each end-- probably more. Then look at the amount of your trip that you are going to spend just traveling, compared to the time you're spending really experiencing the various places or just showing your kids the sights.

Is there some special reason you are passing through Geneva twice-- each time for four days? Otherwise the backtracking doesn't make sense at all...

Have you already booked your airline tickets-- are you flying into Geneva and out of Paris?

Kathy

we have friends in geneva that we are staying with - that is why we are going back to geneva to meet them - I will look at the train schedules today - but what other way is there for us to get around? I don't want to rent a car if I can get around that -thanks

If you are planning to stay in cities (and also don't want to rent a car), then trains are the way to go.

My suggestion would be to go to stay longer in fewer places. That way you and your children will get to see and experience more and not spend so much of your time on trains and checking in and out of the B&Bs.

Rome is a great destination for kids. Our daughter loved it. (You can read about our week in May 2005 here: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/kaydee/...es/000843.html Our daughter (age 11 then) actually planned our entire week. You are going to invest a long time to get there (and who knows how much you will be able to sleep on that overnight train-- especially if you have to change trains). I would stay longer in Rome. There is simply so much to see and do and quite a bit of walking required. Florence will be somewhat on your way back to Geneva. But I would skip Venice (3 hour train trip from Florence, then another 3 hours to Milan to continue on back to Geneva)... I personally don't think this makes sense for only two days. Use those two days to spend more time in either Rome or Florence.

Just my thoughts. I've just learned over the years that you have a much better trip when you try to stay longer at fewer places and that it helps to keep your destinations reasonably close together.

Enjoy your trip--

Kathy

phillycheese,

With a 10 year old and 13 year old, and given the fact you will be going by train all the way, I would suggest that you spend most of your time in Venice, plus 2 nights in Verona, to see its Roman arena and castle, plus 1 day/1 night in Lago di Garda. The lake has an amuseument park you may or may not want to visit. If you don't, a hydrofoil ride to the northern reaches of the lake would be fun and cool.

All of these places are in northern Italy, making train rides in and out (via Milano or Venezia) quite simple. I think your kids will be fascinated by Venezia, and it is such a safe place, you'll be quite relaxed there with them. Verona is a perfect sized city for touristing, and it's Roman arena and castle/art museum are very impressive but manageable. The ambience of Verona is unhurried and friendly. Hanging out in the broad piazzas is a great pleasure. A bit of time on an Italian lake, to eat ice cream and catch the breeze, is good.

When do you leave? This week? Is your airfare already set as into Geneva and out of Paris?
You're getting good advice to cut down your itinerary, and either choose Rome or northern Italy and focus on that area. But, why 4 days in Geneva each time, so a total of 8 days in Geneva?? That's a lot. Especially staying with friends, unless they have kids, too, your kids will get bored and stressed over 'minding their manners' in someone's home (i.e. can't keep TV on till all hours, have to make polite conversation...).
So, the train is the best way, but the advice I and others gave earlier is to re-think the Eurail pass. You probably don't need it. Just buy point-to-point tickets. You can go to BudgetEuropeTravel.com, get their 800 number and call them to help. They are very knowledgeable and friendly, and can set up your whole train schedule plus deliver paper tickets to your home for a slight shipping fee. It could be a solution for you, so you don't have to try to deal with all those stops yourself, and so you can have them purchased in advance if that helps.
So, my advice would be to drop Geneva down to 2 or 3 nights for one visit, then go into Italy with an itinerary that keeps you 3 or 4 nights in each city.

If you are travelling with a 10 and 13 yr old. I really recommend that you get a thermal backpack. Thermos has one for about $30.
Pack a lot of drinks, junk food, sandwiches....
You will save a lot of money and time, by not having to track down the nearest concession every hour ot two.

G.