Hi all -- and yes, this is fun. Put a bunch of travelers in a room and ask about Italy and step back!

Our dates remain flexible, but we're thinking five weeks, from mid/late October to mid-November. I assume, and have read, that our climate in the San Francisco area is much like what we'll meet there. We're used to coldish, wettish weather, although having the sun break through is a plus.

And actually, for swimming I was thinking ocean, not pools. If there is a beach, two out of our four children will be in water, almost no matter what the weather, and the other two won't be too far behind. Mid October is still pretty warm, according to my research (and by "warm" I mean, "just like where we live").

As I'm doing research, I think we're still going to do some kind of language school in Sorrento, and we can be flexible -- the schools I've seen offer "coaches" for greater expense, who can focus on a small group's need -- I'm thinking that we can focus on conversation rather than nuts and bolts for the littler ones.

One of the reasons I'm thinking of starting there is simply because I've never been in that area before, and I really really want to do the day trips in the area.

We'll have to check prices for trains (maybe some kind of passes?) versus cars. We ARE a crew, I know. . .

And hey, Gottino, one of the reasons I want to take my kids to Venice (besides not worrying about the little one being creamed by a Vespa if I take my eyes off of her) is that it might not be here in the future. Either due to tourists invading or gravity, it's got a timeline. As a parent, I feel as though it's one of those "must see" stops. Plus, if we could move to one region and get to know it intimately, we could. But we're tourists. Plain and simple tourists.

If someone came to my area, I wouldn't insist that they stay only one town. "California" is a big place, and insisting that a short visit to any one part of isn't valid is nonsense, in my opinion. We're NOT going to tell our children they're honarary Italians or something nonsensical. Sheesh.

Thanks for all the useful ideas. This is possibly one of the most delightful parts of any trip.

A train pass is rarely cost effective in Italy. You will be better off either booking tickets as soon as you arrive in Italy to get one of the discounts. You would qualify for family discount of 20%.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

If you can buy tickets 15 days in advance there is a discount of 30% and 7 days in advance of 15%.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...003f16f90aRCRD

Be prepared for no ocean swimming in your time frame. Maybe in Sorrento, but no guarantee.

Weather in coastal Italy is more San Diego than San Francisco.

If Venice is going to disappear in your kids' lifetime so will much of Italy. As for the timeline for tourists destroying Venice, that's already happened. Totally. You're too late. It just hasn't sunk into the lagoon.

One thing you might consider is whether after all those Italian lessons you'd like someplace where Italian is required. That is not Venice.

There are some places in Italy that would yield lots of insights if you stayed five weeks in them, just as there in California.

Are you really open to other people's input? You "really really" seem fixed on your trip as you've conceived it. So just enjoy it!

I think Lucca could really be a good place to stay. You are not far away from the sea side and it's a lovely city.

I wrote about it in this blog:
http://www.turismo.intoscana.it/allt...s-best-choice/

For kids, I would suggest a cooking class, they could really have fun preparing a italian pizza or pasta (and of course learn italian while they cook!)

Ciao ciao,

Barbara