Italy - 2 Week Trip with Family
Jan 23rd, 2013, 12:25 PM
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Italy - 2 Week Trip with Family
Hi,
We are planning to travel to Italy for 2 weeks in May'2013 with our 2 kids (5 Years & 14 months old). We will be flying in Venice and plan to fly-out from Rome based. Need some feedback/advice on the below itinerary:
VENICE – 3 NIGHTS
o Day 1 – Fly from NYC into Venice; hotel check-in; some sightseeing
o Day 2 – Venice Sightseeing
o Day 3 – Day trip to Verone OR Padua
FLORENCE – 3 NIGHTS
o Day 4 – Train from Venice to Florence (2 hours by Train)
o Day 5 – Florence Sightseeing - Uffizi Museum – make Advance Reservations
o Day 6 – Day trip to Pisa & Sienna
<b>SORRENTO – 4 NIGHTS </b>
o Day 7 – Train from Florence to Naples/Sorrento (3 hours by train); hotel check-
in; Sorrento Sightseeing
o Day 8- Day trip to Naples (Train from Sorrento to Naples is 45 mins)
o Day 9- Day trip to Pompiee OR Ostia Antica
o Day 10 – Day trip to Amalfi/Positano OR Capri
ROME – 4 NIGHTS
o Day 10 – Train to Rome (70 mins ); hotel check-in; some sightseeing
o Day 11 – Rome Sightseeing
o Day 12 – Rome Sightseeing
o Day 13 - A day trip to Orvieto OR to Tivoli Gardens and Hadrian's Villa
Day 14 – Fly back to JFK
All help is much appreciated!
We are planning to travel to Italy for 2 weeks in May'2013 with our 2 kids (5 Years & 14 months old). We will be flying in Venice and plan to fly-out from Rome based. Need some feedback/advice on the below itinerary:
VENICE – 3 NIGHTS
o Day 1 – Fly from NYC into Venice; hotel check-in; some sightseeing
o Day 2 – Venice Sightseeing
o Day 3 – Day trip to Verone OR Padua
FLORENCE – 3 NIGHTS
o Day 4 – Train from Venice to Florence (2 hours by Train)
o Day 5 – Florence Sightseeing - Uffizi Museum – make Advance Reservations
o Day 6 – Day trip to Pisa & Sienna
<b>SORRENTO – 4 NIGHTS </b>
o Day 7 – Train from Florence to Naples/Sorrento (3 hours by train); hotel check-
in; Sorrento Sightseeing
o Day 8- Day trip to Naples (Train from Sorrento to Naples is 45 mins)
o Day 9- Day trip to Pompiee OR Ostia Antica
o Day 10 – Day trip to Amalfi/Positano OR Capri
ROME – 4 NIGHTS
o Day 10 – Train to Rome (70 mins ); hotel check-in; some sightseeing
o Day 11 – Rome Sightseeing
o Day 12 – Rome Sightseeing
o Day 13 - A day trip to Orvieto OR to Tivoli Gardens and Hadrian's Villa
Day 14 – Fly back to JFK
All help is much appreciated!
Jan 23rd, 2013, 12:48 PM
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Hi,
Your children are really too small to be taken to the Uffizi. It is both vast and yet crushingly mobbed with tourists and tour groups. You can't easily push a stroller through there and your 5-year old will see nothing but the backsides of other people.
There are many, many churches and palaces in Florence where you and your family can see glorious Italian painting for free. If you really must see some specific painting hanging in the Uffizi, take turns going in while the other babysits the kids outside.
I think with your very small children that Ostia Antica is much easier than Pompei, and that the Amalfi Coast is simply too many stairs and nauseating bus rides to be enjoyable.
Overall I would say you are overestimating how easy or fun it will be to take "day trips" and underestimating how interesting Venice and Florence and Rome are without day trips. Italians dote on children no matter where they are from. You will find it extremely enjoyable to take your children to markets and to cafes in the piazza. You will find it hassle to be navigating trains and train stations with them.
It is fine to know the logistics of all these day trips, but I would make the priority enjoying the beautiful art cities, which are filled with castles, bell towers, domes, painting, mosaics, ruins -- all the these you are running out of town to see.
Your children are really too small to be taken to the Uffizi. It is both vast and yet crushingly mobbed with tourists and tour groups. You can't easily push a stroller through there and your 5-year old will see nothing but the backsides of other people.
There are many, many churches and palaces in Florence where you and your family can see glorious Italian painting for free. If you really must see some specific painting hanging in the Uffizi, take turns going in while the other babysits the kids outside.
I think with your very small children that Ostia Antica is much easier than Pompei, and that the Amalfi Coast is simply too many stairs and nauseating bus rides to be enjoyable.
Overall I would say you are overestimating how easy or fun it will be to take "day trips" and underestimating how interesting Venice and Florence and Rome are without day trips. Italians dote on children no matter where they are from. You will find it extremely enjoyable to take your children to markets and to cafes in the piazza. You will find it hassle to be navigating trains and train stations with them.
It is fine to know the logistics of all these day trips, but I would make the priority enjoying the beautiful art cities, which are filled with castles, bell towers, domes, painting, mosaics, ruins -- all the these you are running out of town to see.
Jan 23rd, 2013, 12:54 PM
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You have too many destinations and targeted sightseeing for 2 weeks, especially with two young children. I would highly suggest you cut Sorrento and the Amalfi region out and spend more time in Tuscany and Rome.
One option to consider is to go from Venice to Bologna, Florence (make that your Tuscan base)then onto Pisa and Siena (by the way, allow a full day for Pisa and for Siena and then unto Rome. Make Rome your final base and enjoy it and surrounding cities for the remainder of your trip.
Your children are too young to remember most of this trip, but you will, so make it a stress free one.
One option to consider is to go from Venice to Bologna, Florence (make that your Tuscan base)then onto Pisa and Siena (by the way, allow a full day for Pisa and for Siena and then unto Rome. Make Rome your final base and enjoy it and surrounding cities for the remainder of your trip.
Your children are too young to remember most of this trip, but you will, so make it a stress free one.
Jan 23rd, 2013, 02:35 PM
#5
Ok- we really wanted to see Amalfi region. Any other alternatives in the itinerary?>>
yes, scrub Florence. it is the least child -friendly of your destinations and can easily wait until they are older.
start in Venice, then go to the Amalfi, then back to Rome to finish your trip. there are direct trains leaving Venice at 10.25 and arriving in Naples at 15.30 - about 5 hours. here's the schedule:
http://www.lefrecce.it/B2CWeb/search...chOutputViewer
[I picked a day in May at random]. you'll see that at the moment you can buy tickets for €59 per adult - not as cheap as the airline might be, but a darn sight more convenient.
I would do 4 nights in Venice [ gives you 3 full days including a day for an excursion if you want one] 6 nights in Sorrento, and 5 nights in Rome.
that would be more than enough moving around for me with 2 children.
yes, scrub Florence. it is the least child -friendly of your destinations and can easily wait until they are older.
start in Venice, then go to the Amalfi, then back to Rome to finish your trip. there are direct trains leaving Venice at 10.25 and arriving in Naples at 15.30 - about 5 hours. here's the schedule:
http://www.lefrecce.it/B2CWeb/search...chOutputViewer
[I picked a day in May at random]. you'll see that at the moment you can buy tickets for €59 per adult - not as cheap as the airline might be, but a darn sight more convenient.
I would do 4 nights in Venice [ gives you 3 full days including a day for an excursion if you want one] 6 nights in Sorrento, and 5 nights in Rome.
that would be more than enough moving around for me with 2 children.
Jan 23rd, 2013, 06:05 PM
#6
Will neither of your children need an afternoon nap???
I agree with the suggestions to drop Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast from this trip, for a couple of reasons:
Day 7. It will probably take you over 4 hours to get from Florence to your Sorrento hotel. It's about 3 hours just Florence-Naples, and then you need to walk to another part of the station and catch a train to Sorrento that will take about an hour to reach Sorrento. And then you need to get to your hotel. That will be a tiring day for everyone.
Day 9. Pompeii will not be easy with the kids. (Ostia Antica is not a day trip option from Sorrento.) Most walking surfaces are uneven, so not 5 y.o. or stroller friendly. (Don't even think about going if it's raining or, less likely, hot.)
Day 10. If any of the adults or kids tend to experience motion sickness, this will not be an enjoyable day. Lots of people don't do well on the buses, and some don't do well on the ferries either.
If you added these days to the other destinations in your itinerary, you'd have a much more comfortable pace. Consider that every time you move from place to place, mom will have her hands full with two kids and dad will have to handle ALL of the luggage and kid 'stuff.'
I agree with the suggestions to drop Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast from this trip, for a couple of reasons:
Day 7. It will probably take you over 4 hours to get from Florence to your Sorrento hotel. It's about 3 hours just Florence-Naples, and then you need to walk to another part of the station and catch a train to Sorrento that will take about an hour to reach Sorrento. And then you need to get to your hotel. That will be a tiring day for everyone.
Day 9. Pompeii will not be easy with the kids. (Ostia Antica is not a day trip option from Sorrento.) Most walking surfaces are uneven, so not 5 y.o. or stroller friendly. (Don't even think about going if it's raining or, less likely, hot.)
Day 10. If any of the adults or kids tend to experience motion sickness, this will not be an enjoyable day. Lots of people don't do well on the buses, and some don't do well on the ferries either.
If you added these days to the other destinations in your itinerary, you'd have a much more comfortable pace. Consider that every time you move from place to place, mom will have her hands full with two kids and dad will have to handle ALL of the luggage and kid 'stuff.'
Jan 23rd, 2013, 06:39 PM
#7
The travel time from your Venice hotel to your Sorrento hotel is not just the 5-hour train ride (assuming it's on time). You have to factor the time needed to move the family and luggage to the Venice train station, then time to transfer trains in Naples, then the duration of the second train ride to Sorrento (1 hour), and then the time to get to your Sorrento hotel. I calculate the overall time to be 7 hours at the absolute minimum.
FWIW, I don't think Venice is much more child-friendly than Florence. All those bridges and open canals... Florence has several public parks and gardens close to the historical center and a charming carousel in Piazza della Repubblica. In May, the Iris and Rose Gardens (both in Oltrarno) will be in bloom.
FWIW, I don't think Venice is much more child-friendly than Florence. All those bridges and open canals... Florence has several public parks and gardens close to the historical center and a charming carousel in Piazza della Repubblica. In May, the Iris and Rose Gardens (both in Oltrarno) will be in bloom.
Jan 23rd, 2013, 09:34 PM
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Hi Himanshi,
I admire your pluckiness, because that is quite an itinerary even for someone traveling without young children. As both a travel planner who does this for others, as well as someone who's traveled to Europe a number of times with my own young children starting from when they were 16 months old (they're almost 5 now), I have to agree that in Italy with small kids, this level of activity is going to be challenging.
I've written a blog post about how to plan a European family vacation with young children:
http://familyfriendlyitaly.blogspot....-european.html
Based on experience, ideally you'd make 2 or 3 hotel changes during a 2 week trip. There is a lot to be said for staying in a place for a longer period of time because you just can't see very much each day.
In short, you really have to scale back your expectations of what you can reasonably accomplish. The attention span of small children doesn't allow for more than one or two major sightseeing activities per day. They need to expend energy (at least mine do) in order to behave well later in the day, so you'll want to factor in time to run around piazzas and in parks.
When you add lunch, numerous gelato breaks, numerous potty breaks, and other things, waiting in line, walking around a big Italian city, you just don't have time to fit it all in.
Traveling with young children in Italy is great! But my personal advice is to be relaxed about it, take it slow, and enjoy the experience with your children. You absolutely won't see all the highlights...but you can go back
Overall, I think you need to limit your destinations to just 3 places, at least one of which should be in the countryside or outside of a major city. You could consider Florence Amalfi Coast and Rome. Personally, as much as I love the Amalfi Coast, I would probably do Venice, Tuscan countryside, and Rome simply because the logistics are easier.
Other than staying in Tuscany with a car and day tripping around to small hilltowns and into Florence for a day (and even that's a challenge with small kids), I would avoid attempting big day trips out of town. Verona, Padua, Pisa, Orvieto, Tivoli...all are nice, but you have lots else to see and do (and you'll have very little time to see them). The time spent getting to and from these destinations isn't worth the tantrums and meltdowns that will likely occur from being bored and overtired. (And I'm speaking from personal experience on that point!)
Buon viaggio!
I admire your pluckiness, because that is quite an itinerary even for someone traveling without young children. As both a travel planner who does this for others, as well as someone who's traveled to Europe a number of times with my own young children starting from when they were 16 months old (they're almost 5 now), I have to agree that in Italy with small kids, this level of activity is going to be challenging.
I've written a blog post about how to plan a European family vacation with young children:
http://familyfriendlyitaly.blogspot....-european.html
Based on experience, ideally you'd make 2 or 3 hotel changes during a 2 week trip. There is a lot to be said for staying in a place for a longer period of time because you just can't see very much each day.
In short, you really have to scale back your expectations of what you can reasonably accomplish. The attention span of small children doesn't allow for more than one or two major sightseeing activities per day. They need to expend energy (at least mine do) in order to behave well later in the day, so you'll want to factor in time to run around piazzas and in parks.
When you add lunch, numerous gelato breaks, numerous potty breaks, and other things, waiting in line, walking around a big Italian city, you just don't have time to fit it all in.
Traveling with young children in Italy is great! But my personal advice is to be relaxed about it, take it slow, and enjoy the experience with your children. You absolutely won't see all the highlights...but you can go back
Overall, I think you need to limit your destinations to just 3 places, at least one of which should be in the countryside or outside of a major city. You could consider Florence Amalfi Coast and Rome. Personally, as much as I love the Amalfi Coast, I would probably do Venice, Tuscan countryside, and Rome simply because the logistics are easier.
Other than staying in Tuscany with a car and day tripping around to small hilltowns and into Florence for a day (and even that's a challenge with small kids), I would avoid attempting big day trips out of town. Verona, Padua, Pisa, Orvieto, Tivoli...all are nice, but you have lots else to see and do (and you'll have very little time to see them). The time spent getting to and from these destinations isn't worth the tantrums and meltdowns that will likely occur from being bored and overtired. (And I'm speaking from personal experience on that point!)
Buon viaggio!
Jan 24th, 2013, 05:50 AM
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Himanshi,
I was just thinking that if you're going to stay north, a nice alternative to the Amalfi Coast would be along the shores of Lake Como. It's not the same as Amalfi, of course, but there is a lot of incredible scenery, plus the beautiful lake. Como, Menaggio, Bellagio are good options with the kids. There are ferries and in Varenna there's a castle with a falconry show.
Have a great trip!
I was just thinking that if you're going to stay north, a nice alternative to the Amalfi Coast would be along the shores of Lake Como. It's not the same as Amalfi, of course, but there is a lot of incredible scenery, plus the beautiful lake. Como, Menaggio, Bellagio are good options with the kids. There are ferries and in Varenna there's a castle with a falconry show.
Have a great trip!
Jan 24th, 2013, 07:59 AM
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Dropping Amalfi is a good idea. You were guaranteed to have your clothing ruined on the bus trip from Sorrento to the Amalfi Coast - the roads are twisty and narrow and the bus drivers drive like Formula One racers. No way two small children would make it without puking. Sorrento itself is a small town and the attractions are all within travel distance, which would mean dragging the hobbits around to where you want to go each day.
You need to SLOW DOWN. Your kids are not props or luggage; in reality, they are anchors. They will have specific needs that you will have to address and they are not conducive to a go-go-go itinerary. Less is more. If you're young enough to have small kids (and mine are similar ages and I'm likely older than you), then you're young enough to go back. Give Rome upwards of a week - it's a great city and you can view it at a more leisurely pace but you still can't see everything. We had five nights in Barcelona with a 4 and a toddler and still missed some great sites.
You need to SLOW DOWN. Your kids are not props or luggage; in reality, they are anchors. They will have specific needs that you will have to address and they are not conducive to a go-go-go itinerary. Less is more. If you're young enough to have small kids (and mine are similar ages and I'm likely older than you), then you're young enough to go back. Give Rome upwards of a week - it's a great city and you can view it at a more leisurely pace but you still can't see everything. We had five nights in Barcelona with a 4 and a toddler and still missed some great sites.
Jan 24th, 2013, 08:12 AM
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I think that trip would work just fine for adults (although too rushed for me) - but I don;t think you have taken the kids into consideration. it is MUCH slower traveling with 2 little ones - since you need to allow then time to be kids - and just run around in a park - and accept their limited interest in museums and churches.
I think you need to eliminate a lot of day trips - or cut them way back and just slow down to a pace they can keep up with. (Are you going to have a stroller for the 5 year old? How much ground do you think s/he can cover without getting really cranky?)
I think you need to eliminate a lot of day trips - or cut them way back and just slow down to a pace they can keep up with. (Are you going to have a stroller for the 5 year old? How much ground do you think s/he can cover without getting really cranky?)
Jan 24th, 2013, 08:18 AM
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It's probably going to hit you before you even board your plane how unrealistic a plan this is, and I say this as someone who traveled to Europe with kids age 0-20 every single year, sometimes multiple trips per year. You have outlined an ambitious trip even for adults, never mind kids. It's just not going to happen the way you have it outlined on paper/screen.
Venice, Tuscany, and Rome are more than plenty. Even those will be taxing. You need to let the kids' needs guide you. But as I said, reality will likely kick in before you even board the plane.
Venice, Tuscany, and Rome are more than plenty. Even those will be taxing. You need to let the kids' needs guide you. But as I said, reality will likely kick in before you even board the plane.
Jan 24th, 2013, 09:44 AM
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Alright got it! Amalfi is now for our next trip! Which one is a better option to see from Venice - Verona or Dolomites? I see many tour companies have these for day trip from Venice.
Jan 25th, 2013, 10:43 AM
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I don't think you're quite getting the message. I would not recommend taking your children on any daylong or even half-day bus tour. They wouldn't like it and neither would your fellow tour goers. You need more flexibility than a tour can give you when traveling with children.
For a daytrip from Venice take the vaporetto to the islands in the lagoon: Burano and Murano, maybe Torcello, not a long bus tour. If you want to see Verona, take the train.
As for the Amalfi coast, the best place to see it from is the coast itself. Next is Sorrento and Naples is last. There's a lot to see in that area in addition to the coast: Pompeii, Capri, Mt. Vesuvius, also Naples, Herculaneum, Paestum. So better to save it for when you have more time.
Ostia Antica is near Rome. (Ostia was the ancient port for Rome.) It's a big site, too big I would think for small children.
For a daytrip from Venice take the vaporetto to the islands in the lagoon: Burano and Murano, maybe Torcello, not a long bus tour. If you want to see Verona, take the train.
As for the Amalfi coast, the best place to see it from is the coast itself. Next is Sorrento and Naples is last. There's a lot to see in that area in addition to the coast: Pompeii, Capri, Mt. Vesuvius, also Naples, Herculaneum, Paestum. So better to save it for when you have more time.
Ostia Antica is near Rome. (Ostia was the ancient port for Rome.) It's a big site, too big I would think for small children.
