Italy and four little kids: possible?
 

My husband and I are wanting to travel Rome, Sorrento and Aeolian Islands with our four children age 7,5,3 and 2. Yes, obviously we are crazy - but we are up to the adventure. I have spoken to a few friends who have just returned from Italy who tell me that it was much more expensive than they had anticipated. We plan on being there for most of July next year and I would like some advice as to how we can keep costs down travelling with a little tribe. We are keen to have a down-to-earth experience. Any tips?

One great way to keep costs down is to rent a flat/apartment instead of staying in hotels or resorts. With apartment rentals, you have the luxury of a kitchen which will help you keep food costs down. Some apartments also come equipped with washers/dryers, although in my past experience you should be prepared for clothes to take a LOT longer to dry.

I have used www.italyby.com several times to rent apartments (and hotels). You might also check out www.parkervillas.com.

You are a brave woman and the key to your success is tied to expectations. If you are looking for an Italian adventure in Rome, Sorrento and the Aeolian Islands, certainly dragging four little kids may very well fit the definition. Would it be fun for EVERYBODY in JULY? Not sure, but that's another thread. Pick a couple of home bases (villa/apartment), definitely near the ocean/a pool, A/C is a must, rent a car, bring some help (grandma, dear niece, close aunt, responsible nephew). Try vrbo.com for vacation rentals by owners.

In all honesty, I would go to Italy alone with hubby for 10-15 days. When the youngest one is at least five (5), then and only then would I even consider taking them all overseas for a month, specially to Southern Italy in July.

Agree totally with the last post except I'd say wait until your youngest is at least 10 or even 12. It will be *very* hot. Rome is all about walking round all day & even an adult used to walking will get sore feet. Not a fun holiday for children. The Aeolian islands are popular with the Italian jet set in summer & will be very expensive in July. Not even thinking about you trying to control 4 small children on a long haul flight !!

I agree, if you can leave your kids with someone, go to Italy without them - how about 2 weeks there for just the 2 of you and then 2 weeks at a beach resort somewhere nearer to home with the children ?

In Rome, I would be afraid of losing the children in the crowds.

I traveled with my children to Italy this past summer -- they were 4 and 2. It was a much different experience from our trip there the year before, when we left them with the grandparents at home, BUT, we really enjoyed it! Just bear in mind, that you probably won't see even half of what you will plan to see... that is, you probably won't see it AND keep the entire family happy!

A rental will definitely help you keep the costs down. They are usually less expensive than hotels and you can also have most of your meals at the villa or apartment. Also, usually rentals have washing machines, which will be a must with 4 little ones! You can find lots of rental reviews on slowtrav.com.

However, rentals in Sorrento in July will be very, very expensive, especially if you want a pool. The Excelsior Vittorio, a luxury hotel, in Sorrento rents out 2 or 3 apartments on their property. They are substantially cheaper than their rooms, but with all the same amenities that the hotel guests enjoy (maybe not daily cleaning, though.) I haven't seen the hotel, but I believe they have a nice pool and some playground equipment... we had considered this hotel but ended up staying in Tuscany instead.

I don't know about the Aeolian Islands. Rome in August is a low or medium season, but I'm not sure about July... I think July might be a peak season in Rome, so costs might be higher there, too.

We quickly learned that our kids needed some downtime, even though they enjoyed all the activities. We would try to stay near the villa one day, swimming, going to the local playground... then do a daytrip or big activitiy the next day.

Other tips: daily gelato for the kids is a must. BRING BIBS for the them!! AND, piazza's are wonderful places to let the kids run around. Often we could sit at a cafe, sipping our cappucini or wine, while we watched them run around with the local kids, chasing pigeons and having fun.

Hi R,

You are covering a lot of territory.

How long is this visit?

((I))

ira: The OP says "most of July" so it looks like 3 or 4 weeks.

renbown: Can you go any other time of the year? I ask because in July everything from airfares (and you'll need 6 seats) to hotels/villas/apartments will be just about at their highest.

July is very crowded/highs eason whereas if you could go in May/early June you will save a lot.

Also - it will be very hot so a/c is a must and places w/ a/c tend to cost more too.

I seriously don't think you could ensure the safety of four kids at once in Rome. The traffic is too scary - REALLY narrow streets with cars and motocycles zipping by you with inches to spare. Not to mention some very crowded places. I can't believe it is a city kids would even enjoy!

Your best plan? Either drop them at the grandparents, or take them someplace kids would have fun.

Mission Impossible! You already know that taking care of four children is difficult. Do you have a 'live-in' or nanny? Is your budget unlimited? Try a 'test run'to a local hotel for a weekend. Maybe an Amtrak or a Greyhound journey somewhere and back.

With kids that age, during July . . . my advice would be to come to the US (I'm guessing you're British because of your use of the word "keen") and rent a beach house on Cape Cod.

Kids, cities and summertime make a bad mix, in my experience.

I didn't even notice it was in the summer! It could easily be over 100 degrees in Rome those days. (It was when we were there in JUNE!) Talk about miserable kids!

(Could this person be a troll?)

children aged 7,5,3 and 2? It reminds me the pre-television era...

agree with all comments about age- I would souggest the trip should be postponed until the youngest is 5 UNLESS you have the mindset that this vacation should be looked at and planned as though it was one taken an hr from your home except in Italy. Stay in 1 place for a week (for a minimun) make sure it is at least an apt(as opposed to hotel rooms) and make sure there are plenty of kid friendly activities. If you must do it next year at the height of the expensive tourist season (Sorrento in August is big bucks), try to organize a home exchange to cut costs if money is an issue.

Go for it! We only have 2 kids, but we've travelled abroad with them since they were 2 and 4. Rent an apartment, shop at the local markets, just pretend you're Italian while you're there, instead of a tourist, and have a blast. We rarely do anything touristy, we just want to absorb everything!

Do Americans not use the word "keen" ?

I am going to play devil's advocate here so bear with me. July is a HORRIBLE month to be traveling in southern Italy-most hotels and apartments do not have a/c and it makes life unbearable. You are selecting 3 areas which require "planes,trains and boats" which is hard enough with just a few adults not to mention with 4 VERY small children.I think that the trip will be very expensive(especially at that time of the year). As someone who goes to Rome every week for work, I agree about how hard it would be to "move" everyone around safely. The plane ride alone (if from the states especially) would be difficult.Have you done any vacation trips closer to your home before? Can you manage all the equipment that will be involved with children that age-ie.carseats,diapers,strollers,etc.? Are the kids still doing naps? Do they like eating different things? Do they get along well with each other? Would they really be interested in all that history in Rome?I personally would be so drained as a mother trying to coordinate everything that the vacation would be ruined for me along with not even having a moment to relax and enjoy the experience.Seriously, rethink another spot that might be more "kid friendly" for everyone?

dutyfree has FAR more experience in Rome than I have, but I agree with everything she said. I was in Rome at the end of Sept, and it was in the mid to high 70's. I couldn't imagine being there in July, and with four hot very young children! You're going to spend a lot of money, and it's not as if the kids will remember anything later. And although having an apartment would indeed help save money on food, do you really want to be spending your vacation cooking all your own meals? The whole thing sounds exhausting and no fun at all.

You remind me of a colleague who travelled with his wife and four young children to the Italian Alps. Everywhere they went, there were exclamations of ``Quattro Bambini!'', handshakes, invitations to eat, and general celebration of their family.

Maybe not in Rome, but I bet you'll enjoy the Italian reaction to travel with a large young family.

I think you'd enjoy the small towns, coastal areas, and slow travel more than cities and dashing about. Pick a couple spots with pool or beach, and settle in, taking day trips.

You'll save all kinds of money because you'll be spending time in parks and playing in fountains rather than paying admission to museums and theaters.

An apartment will let you fix snacks, breakfast, drinks, and meals, and you can shut the bedroom door at naptime. You'll have a kitchen table to draw pictures at. Definitely recommended over a hotel room.

"Do Americans not use the word "keen" ?"

Not often in that sense. It might be used to describe something sharp, like a blade edge, but not usually to connote eagerness.

To date myself, it once meant "cool."

Renbown,
I spent last summer in England with my two little boys, then ages 1.5 and 3. It was a wonderful experience and I applaud you for taking them with you.

Rome is expensive--I once paid the equivalent of $5 for a small bottle of water. I have not been to Sorrento or Aeolian, so I am afraid not much to offer there. But from my experience in travel with little ones, renting a flat is critical. You can make meals there, take naps, have down time...just more space. Plus you need the ability to do laundry, often I imagine. Local markets always have good cheap food options, as well as the major grocery stores.

In terms of activities--we had a blast doing some sites (castles are always great) but spent a lot of time at local playgrounds and pools. I was always surprised at how most kids activities were free or really cheap (in England anyway). I found local outdoor pools attached to parks that were completely free. I agree Rome will be a challenge in terms of navigation with little ones, but if you live in NYC or someplace like that perhaps you are used to this already.

renbown-
We took our two children to Italy last year. At the time, they were 7 and 8. We stayed in two villas and had an incredible time. Probably the best vacation of our lives. We loved being with the kids and "experiencing" Italy.

Having that experience, and then reading your thread, I would ask you in a serious and not at all sarcastic way: what is the point of taking your 4 very young children to Italy in July? If the point is to immerse yourselves into a different culture/environment for a few weeks, then maybe there are different options for doing so. Is there another destination that would work? July in Italy is hot, crowded and very expensive. The logistics of traveling with kids that age complicated. Your kids will likely not remember much, if any of there experiences. And, lastly, it would be a tremendous amount of work on your part. Think about what types of things you can see yourselves doing in Italy. Can they only be done in Italy or can they be done elsewhere? What real benefit would there be in going to all the sites in Rome with a 2 and 3 year old in tow? The beaches they would love, but other places have beaches that are easier to get to, less expensive, etc. If it were me, I'd take my family somewhere else (beach?) that was less expensive and had cooler temperatures. I'd rent a house and enjoy our time leisurly and comfortably. Italy will always be there. Take your kids in a few years when they are a little more independent and you will have an amazing time. For most kids, their idea of a perfect vacation is ANY place with a pool! Best wishes to you and good luck with whatever you should decide.

Hello renbown, as much as I love Italy, especially Rome, and as much as I always love having children along on most vacations I have to agree with the majority here.

Renbown, if the weather is consistant next summer as it has been in the past everyone is correct that Rome will be very hot and also very humid.

In my experience the a/c is Italy is not as good or as efficient as we normally have here in the states. But maybe you are not in the states, in the UK perhaps?

Rome gets very congested. The traffic is horrendous. I can't imagine even trying to keep track of four little ones much less trying to get them safely across the streets of Rome.

As others have said, you would be best with an apartment but it would be costly. Maybe that is not an issue for you however.

Travelling to Sorrento and the Aeolian Island would be more of a workout than I would want to experience. Just the luggage and equipment would be overwhelming plus keeping tabs on the children.

One seven year old could be workable, perhaps even a seven year old and a five year old. But taking the three and two year old is not in my opinion something that any of you would enjoy.

I too would find a lovely spot or two that was easy to get to, had a swimming pool, a nice beach (I don't consider the beaches in Italy to be top quality quite frankly especially on the westcoast of Italy).

I like the idea of taking a more "child oriented" vacation for two weeks with your children and then you and your husband could travel on your own for two weeks in Italy. But perhaps the problem is that you do not have anyone to leave the children with while you and your husband went on your own to Italy. Or you just don't want to not be without them..I sure understand.

Anyway, just my thoughts for what they are worth. Best wishes to you and your family with your vacation decision.

It appears that most of the posters with children advising renbown to go for it took only TWO children. Is FOUR CHILDREN a small detail or does it makes a difference?....

TROLL.....?

Like others have stated, my big concern would be keeping them close to you and dealing with the traffic in Rome safely. I don't know if it would be considered "child abuse" these days, but my mom had a harness for my little brother when he was a toddler and she had to take him shopping etc. That way if she got distracted, he was attached to her and could not run off etc. That makes sense to me, but one time someone did come up to her, even in THOSE days, and tell her how horrible she was for puttin the kid on an leash. Just thinking it might be a safe thing for your 2 and 3 year old.

Viajero2, I was thinking the same thing...those who have said they went with their kids and had a great time took two kids, not four. BIG difference, especially with the ages involved!

7,5,3&2??? How do you even go to the supermarket much less across the globe? I admire your guts and determination. I always thought I was SO BRAVE taking our TWO kids on all european trips since they were 6 months old, but they are two and a half years apart. When the kids out number the adults I think it is best to wait until they are older. A friend of mine also has four kids. SHe and her husband only take the two oldest ones with them to europe and leave the two younger ones home with grandma. They will get their opportunities in the future when they can appreciate them. Good luck and if you do decide to go forward, take another adult with you.

It is an ambitious plan I admit. But my dad has offered to help fund the trip and we would probably have another two adults with us. As far as the kids go they are a well behaved bunch. My husband takes them all grocery shopping on his own!!! We know the two and three-year olds are not going to get much out of the trip, but we do not have any family or friends to leave them with. I would not consider leaving them with a nanny for that period of time.
Thanks for everyones advice regarding the weather and crowds. That is the sort of information I was after. Although we don't our hearts set on Italy it has been a place I have wanted to visit for a long time. I have not been to Europe and don't know how ambitious our plans are. Someone mentioned a holiday in some smaller villages. Could anyone enlighten here. We would prefer to be by the sea. There must be a holiday idea out there for people in our situation. Lastly, a detail i ommitted, we are travelling from Australia.

Dear Renbown
A suggestion when travelling with children. I would choose not to be on the move constantly. Find a self contained apartment and use that as your base. From there you can do day trips to various places of interest. You then can spend the morning exploring various villages or town and be home in the afternoon for a nap!
Good luck!PS - I am currently planning a trip in June to London, Croatia and Germany.I have three children (9,6,2) and travelling from Australia.

Believe it or not, I have a friend who brought her 5 children (2 months to 11 years) on a trip to Italy last year. They had the 2 parents plus a nanny so 3 adults to 5 kids. They went in July.

They did say Rome was hectic and exhausting. What they did was spend a few days in Rome, then rented a van and drove to Tuscany (near Lucca). They rented a villa for 1-2 weeks and used that as their base. They took day trips (Cinque Terre, Florence,....), but always had "home" to return to each evening. They also had a pool to swim and cool off and relax. They also left some open days with no big plans other than a stroll around a village or whatever.

She said everyone thought she was nuts (and I don't think I'd want to do it), but they had a fabulous time! So, perhaps base yourself in a well-located house in a smaller town area, then make some day trips.

Good luck!

As others have pointed out, safety is the issue. My wife and I have travelled to Rome with two small children in the past. Any more than two in such a fast-paced, hectic city is inviting trouble. At the time, both were young enough to be in strollers. Adding enother two walking kids who could get lost in a crowd or abducted while you're watching the others is too stressful for me to think about.

Just an added note-last night in Rome a 10 year boy from Illinois was killed by a hit and run car running a red light. His brother was over there with the parents for a skating competition and had won. He was with his parents and brother about to go out to eat and celebrate.So sad! I have always wondered myself if I am going to be killed by one of Rome's fast drivers as sometimes they don't seem to give you a chance in crossing the street!

I too have been dragging my two kids all over the place for a while now and agree with many of the suggestions made. For the airplane ride, airplanes with individual seat screens (as opposed to the overhead type) can keep kids occupied for hours! Some sleepy time or camomile tea also helps. Pick an apartment with a pool. Don't move around a lot and give them lots of down time. Gelato is the answer to almost every problem. Go, the kids will surpass your expectations. (Of course you then have to live with complaints that the italian food at the best restaurant in town isn't as good as that little place in (fill in the blank)back in Italy.

My gut tells me that 4 kids under age 7 to Rome is a bad idea, though I don't have kids so should probably keep my mouth shut. My husband and I had trouble enough in Rome, dodging scooters and trying to cross the street, and we complained all the time about lack of adequate sidewalks. And I am sitting in my New York City office as I type this!

My parents frequently brought us to Europe when we were kids because my grandparents lived there. I have very limited recollection (I am 33) of my childhood trips. When we were kids, my brother and I were mostly just interested in waterslides and swimming pools and having fun with our parents and friends. We couldn't care less about big, sweltering cities and historic sights. We just wanted to play - and didn't care whether the pool or park was in our town or halfway around the world.

Whatever you decide - best of luck!

Don't know if renbrown is still looking but I had to add my vote here.

I love travelling with my 5 & 2 year old. I have been to Italy and Croatia. For me the trouble of packing up, flying, jumbled schedules is worth it when I can be in an amazing place, not worth it to go down the road closer to home etc.

I would say on my last trip to Croatia, we enjoyed the quieter places more. We live in cities so are urban folks, but managing kids in new cities was trickier. It also became critical that the place you stayed was well located exactly where you want to be. It was easier for our kids to be at home ( for part of the day and the grown ups could tag team to go out and about. If your apartment/lodging isn't where you want to be, you can't do that as easily.

I also think water (beach/pool) is always great with kids. Heat and crowds bad. Good luck

I read most, but not all of the responses and wanted to respond because I DO have 4 kids, similarly close together, but slightly older now. Mine are 12, 10, 9 and 6 - so I would know the 4 kid part. I lived overseas, and traveled extensively with one child, once we popped out more, I knew we would return to this kind of travel, but I agree, you want the youngest to be at least 5 or 6 - really 6 is best - first of all, before that, they are NOT going to remember what you do and that is a terrible waste. Secondly, it is very true about the "gear" - dragging car seats, strollers and portacribs is horrible and you will ruin the trip for yourself and for them. It is so hard to wait, I really didn't want to, but am so glad I did - this year we did a trip in late May - one week attached to a holiday weekend, so missed only 4 days of work/school, but had 9 days of travel - we took them to Japan and it was fabulous. I still took a small stroller to push my small-sized 6 year old around in when he was exhausted from walking, which was often. I agree with the other people - daily ice cream or gelato - a must - they really feel like it is a treat and look for the places while out so they are looking more at the shops and stores and noticing how things are different - also, plan on doing a lot less than you think - think about what you think you can reasonably get done with them each day and then subtract one thing. Balance museums and sites with fun, different cultural things - we took them to a baseball game inside in Japan because they love baseball - it was amazing and they loved it - we took them to the fish market - we planned an afternoon where we stayed in and watched Sumo on the TV because the big tournament was on - we took them to a club where they had Japanese Beatles cover bands play (Beatles the band, not the bugs) - they love the Beatles' music so they really got a kick out of that and the musicians loved them! We immersed them in many parts of the culture - not just the temples and sites - the shopping, the grocery stores, and yes, lots of stops in parks. Also key, I picked the sites, etc. ahead, but made them do research on them online and in books and write up short 1 page reports on whatever they signed up for - also on things like customs, holidays, manners, food, clothing, specific cities and/or sites, history, etc. and share them with the family before we left - and they each had to keep a journal and write in it daily while away - they loved it and it will be great for them as they get older and forget some of the details of the trip - also, got each a camera (even disposables) so they could document what was important to each of them. This year we will do the same thing with Europe, but certainly NOT in July - you have to know your crowd and make things workable not do things the way you would love for them to be, but understand the limitations and try to set a level playing field. If you can take a nanny or family member or friend to help, it really will help a lot and free up the ones who need to nap while others can be outside - plus you could go out for a dinner on your own. As far as travel goes, bring lots of snack food on the planes - busy mouths can't cry or whine - if you can afford to bring a DVD player, my husband puts a splitter in a splitter and can get 3 headphones hooked into one player - they love movies and will sit still for them - also, we got gameboys (even a 3 year old can use one) and we ONLY let them use them when we are traveling (on airplanes, mostly or really long car/train rides and at the airport while waiting for planes) - now, they LOVE long flights and don't complain at all! In conclusion, I would say, try to wait a few more years and do the beach/pool type vacations - they love it and you will be happier if they are happy - you will have plenty of time, soon enough to do the Italy type trip - also, try to avoid the heat and high seasons - and if you must, then rent a house or apartment and keep it simple, simple, simple - if you want "a down to earth experience" as you said, go to smaller towns or neighborhoods and rent an apartment and buy at local shops, etc. and try and befriend the locals and enter their world. Good luck! anyone have any good tips on europe with 4 kids who are 12, 10, 9 and 6 or 7? am looking at London, Paris and Rome at least.

hi, I just read the rest and see you are bringing extra adults - I am the one with 4 kids - if you cannot wait to travel, then if you have extra adults, I say go for it - the extra hands will make it totally do-able - be careful of the traffic in big cities - but assign adults to kid and kids to kids - just be organized and have partners - organization with everything is the key to making things not be out of control and uncomfortable - organization will free you up to really enjoy what you are doing. hope you will post something when you return that tells us all how it went! don't forget to bring all your favorite medications - cold and tummy stuff as it is often hard to find the familiar ones in your language.

How was your trip in Italy last July with your four children? I am also planning on visiting Italy this coming June or July but will be staying in Tuscany for two weeks, taking day trips everywhere we can manage to. I am taking my 3 kids ages 9, 6 and 2 and my youngest is just entering the early stages of terrible two's. Anyway, tips from you will be invaluable. thanks.

oooops just re-read your travel dates... my mistake. i guess we can compare notes after july!