Holiday trip with kids - suggestions please!
 

We are floating around the idea of a Europe trip next thanksgiving (2017). The kids will be 8 (girl) and almost 12 (boy). They haven't been overseas before, and we are thinking this may be a good time to do a short trip to get their feet wet and fits in well with our time off from work / school. We have had the Europe itch for a while now, I haven't been since my older child was born. Hubby goes often for work.

Thoughts? Suggestions? together my husband and I have been to France, Germany (Bavaria) and London. I've also been all over Italy. I would love to see something new but also completely ok with repeating and enjoying with the others for their first trip.

My thoughts - I love Rome and it would be relatively warm (compared to , say, Munich and the alps). But not sure the kids would really dig it. The food would be a hit but would they care too much about the Vatican, Sistine chapel, all the sights that adults care about? Venice I think they would love - but only for a couple of nights. Worth it to do 3 nights Rome and 2 Venice?

Germany / Bavaria - I have always thought they would love it there with the castles and mountains and hiking. It could be very cold though and that may be limiting to those activities. But the Christmas markets would be in full force which may be a fun thing to do...

Prague?? My husband's family is czech and none of us have been... maybe a connection to family history... again maybe cold...

Ok enough rambling. Any suggestions for Europe at that time and with kids ?

How many days do you have in total? Have the kids made any requests? Are they familiar with ancient Rome - with kids I would focus on that rather than the Vatican.

How does this fit with what they have learned in school? Any fans of Gladiator movies?

The first trip we took out DDs, then 11 and 14, they did a lot of the planning, including sights, activities and even some restaurants - looking at the Let's Go Student Guides as well as online lists of what to dot with kids in these cities.

As for weather, yes Rome will be warmer - and Prague chillier (although I think it's a fantastic city). I have some Czech in my background and a lot of what we saw there was fascinating.

I think Christmas markets are like catnip to kids. So I'd do some of that. Food, ornaments, kids' activities, that special feeling of staying out late, what's not to like.

I think Rome is dependent on what they have learned in school and what their interests are. I wouldn't have been very interested Ancient Rome at that age because I knew a lot more about religious art (I went to a Catholic school). But in terms of what I was reading for fun- Paris and London and Amsterdam would have featured prominently on any itinerary I drew up as a kid. Have you asked what they really want to see? They probably have a few ideas.

I think it was context tours- I ran across a "lion treasure hunt" tour in Venice aimed at families with kids. Fairly sure it was very expensive but it sounded like a lot of fun- basically, learning about the history of the city through spotting the city's symbol in the architecture.

Hmm. I'd be torn. If you go somewhere you've been, you can pick stuff you know they'd like. If you go somewhere new, you'll all be discovering a new place, which was my favorite type of trip as a kid (least favorite as the chief planner now). Either option is terrific though- have fun!

I think Rome for 3 nights and Venice for 2 would be the better option, but that's me - snowy Germanic venues don't hold much appeal for me. I can't imagine kids not falling for Rome - mine certainly did when they were young - and I'm not sure why you mention the Vatican as if it were a must-see or even a highlight of Rome. Once there as a 20-something and again with two babies in the late 1980s was enough obscene opulence for me and I never went back and will never. There's a LOT more to Rome than the Vatican. But yes, it does depend on what history they've been exposed to and what interests them - ask them.

I would just skip the Vatican Museums altogether when traveling with kids. You say this is a first trip. There's plenty of time to see those places when they're older and can appreciate it more. There are plenty of other places, including museums, that are much more accessible to children.

Rome is likely to be warmer than the Alps, for sure, but there's always a chance that it could be chilly and damp.

London is another city that has lots of things to interest children. My granddaughter, who has been to both cities, can't decide whether she wants to live in Rome or London when she grows up. (We haven't taken her to the Vatican Museums yet.)

Did you say something new? Istanbul and Cappadocia. Their first call to prayer. An underground city. Rock formations that almost 12 year old boys love. They can tell their friends they went to Asia too. The weather will be ok.

http://m.accuweather.com/en/tr/istan...weather/318251

I suspect there is zero chance you will accept this suggestion. But someday.

Rome will likely be dull dull dull for the hobbits.

London is catnip for kids. At last check, there are ton(ne)s of castles near London including a couple in the city, a Palace of some note, a Palace a short train ride away, a Castle a short train ride away, and more.

And if you only have a week and are traveling from the US, Turkey is a serious haul.

If doing large tourist cities go by train - cars are useless in Italian cities especially - for loads of info on European trains and planning such a trip check www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check their online European Planning & Rail Guide for lots of rail itineraries in various countries).

I would stick to Italy and places like Paris or London in late fall - Italy obviously warmer and places like London and Paris not very cold and like Russ says London is great for kids - lots of neat museums and they can understand the language (maybe!)

I don't know why you think Rome would be so dull for kids. I've taken my granddaughter there many times, and my young nieces (11 and 13) once. All of them loved the city.

I think Rome and Venice would be great especially if the kids are interested in ancient history, as the others have suggested.

I have been to Rome with a baby, not an older child, but I think you will find it very easy to travel there as so many sights are outside so the kids can run around if they get bored, be noisy, etc. Fewer lines. And if you do want to see art, it is mostly in churches so kids will not get museum overload - just a few highlights in each spot, interspersed with gelato breaks, seeing ancient sites,etc. it shouldn't be too crowded in November.

My 9 yo girl (and 5 yo girl) LOVED Venice when we were there this April. Kids loved all the boats and beautiful buildings and we did a couple of museums, San Marco Church and mostly walked around. I have been in November and although there is a chance of rain/flooding, it is a lovely time because less crowded and cool. You could take the train between the two and not waste a lot of airport time as you mentioned it will be a short trip.

Assume you are coming from the US? You can fly through NYC straight to Venice. Also fun for the kids to learn a few Italian words.

If you do decide to go to Venice, I'm happy to recommend some good kids travel books (which were surprisingly hard to come by) and we rented an apartment which worked well.

When we were picking our vacation destination, we found some Rick Steves and other travel shows on Netflix or from the library and showed them to the kids to see what interested them.

"Germany / Bavaria... castles and mountains and hiking...Christmas markets...Prague?? My husband's family is czech..."

Bavaria and Prague are almost neighbors. You could do both. Figure around 4.5 hours between Nuremberg and Prague by public transport. Hiking may be out. But I'm guessing that cities like Nuremberg and Prague hold enough walking-exercise potential for kids.

Big thumbs up for Christmas markets but you must watch your dates. Nuremberg's starts Dec. 1 next year. Starting dates do vary though.

Nuremberg and Prague and other great destinations are located on the Castle Road (Burgenstrasse.)

http://www.burgenstrasse.de/uk/Castles-and-Palaces.html

Nuremberg: http://media.belocal.de/120712/1152x768_0,0c.jpg
Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage medieval town, is less than 1 hour from Nuremberg: http://us.hellomagazine.com/imagenes...137_0007-a.jpg

Frankfurt is a common fly-in airport for Germany. You might want to see the Christmas markets in nearby Rüdesheim (Nov. 27 start date in 2017) and/or Mainz if you use that airport.

>>> But the Christmas markets would be in full force
The German Christmas market is timed to the Advent. For 2017 it is more than a week after the U.S. Thanksgiving. For 2016, it is the same weekend as the Thanksgiving.

Looks like you are from TX. Be sure you thought about the departure date especially around the Thanksgiving so that if you have to take a domestic segment, you don't want to compete with other U.S. Thanksgiving travelers. The direct Transatlantic flights are more counter cyclical to the domestic flights, but I still avoid hitting the U.S. airports on worst days.

I know it is over a year ahead, but how many full days will you actually have on the ground? If you won't have much time, I would look more at places where you could get non-stop flights, less time traveling, more time on the ground, and perhaps less jet lag.

As a kid (and not a small one - I was 15/16 at this stage) I could not see the appeal of Rome at all, except for the Colusseum, but I loved Venice, and remember very fondly the day trip to the island of Murano where you can see the glass making. I also enjoyed Florence and the paper markets way more than Rome. I think sometimes the bigger cities are just a bit too much for children unless you are very clever and do them small segments at a time.

From Venice you can also do a day trip to the university of padua with the ancient medical theatre where anatomy students dissected corpses which could be a big hit with kids. The scrovegni chapel is there also - you have to book tickets in advance.

I would build a holiday around Venice and surrounding areas rather than trying to fit in Rome.

enough gelato stops and any city could be fun for kids.

Figure around 4.5 hours between Nuremberg and Prague by public transport.>

comfy buses Nurnberg to Prague are the best way to go between Germany and Prague it seems- see www.bahn.de/en for schedules and fares. Trains take longer.