I'm looking into a trip to Italy with my young 60 year old parents, and 14 year old daughter. We all would love a tour for at least part of the time we are there, and need some suggestions. Thinking about 10 days, in the spring. What are your thoughts about that time of years as well.

Thanks!

We always try to go in May - since the weather is warm but not yet hellishly hot, the days are long, the crowds aren;t at maximum yet and there are often hotel deals to be had.

First thing you need to note is that the Easter is Sunday, April 4th in 2010. Trains and hotels are crowded around this date. The religious institutions have special event schedules which you may want to consider as a part of your itinerary.

vabarone - have any of you even been to Italy? what do you like to do? are there any places that you really, really want to see? do you want to stay in hotels, or would you consider an apartment? [great for family groups].

depending on whether you mean early or late spring, you could do a great trip flying into Venice, then spending a few days by Lake Garda [no good in early spring as the boats don't start running til May, I think] and finishing up in Florence, flying home from Pisa.

alternatively, after Venice, hire a car and tour Verona, Ravenna, and Bologna, ending up in Florence/Pisa, or going back to Venice to fly home if you prefer.

IMO either of these itineraries would have enough variety to appeal to your varied group.

We've never been to Italy, and I like the idea of having local tour guides. It looks like Easter will be the best time for us to go, but also seems like the most expensive. We're pretty active, so walk tours are good, would really like to incorporate train ride. We travel a good bit, and like off the beaten track itn's and my idea is to get together with a large company tour that would get us into the standards and then in the free time I look for the funky stuff...venetian mask making, hunted gandola rides, pasta creations at a culinary school...etc.

vabarone - you seem to have severaly different types of holidays all mixed up - not impossible, but certainly unusual. is your idea to book a company tour with flights and hotels plus tour guide? they don't usually use local guides or trains, so far as I know. and often there is little down-time, though this will depend on the tour.

or to organise your self, but to use local people? then the tourist office could find you someone [they will definitely have organised walks that you could join] or you could go to this site or the slow-travel site which might help with independents.

of course, you could combine the two - start off with a tour then branch off by yourselves.

we went to Venice with our two rather old children in 2007. here's my trip report if you are interested in seeing how we spent a week there over Easter: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-we-saw.cfm?76

good luck

regards, ann

Mid-end of May; ideal time (temperature-wise) to be in Italy. 10 days allows two cities to do properly, three if you fee like thinking 'if this is Tuesday this is Venice'.

If you feel like doing the sampler version, do 3-3-4 Venice-Florence-Rome and make notes for where you'd really like to do for the next time out.

Ann...most tours have a good amount of "unscheduled time" so in that time I can find fill with the off the beaten track we like. And altho large companies, there are companies that use local guides.

I like the idea of 3-3-4, we get bored fairly fast and a sampler of sorts is what I'm looking to do.

Here's a one day itinerary that the 14 year old might enjoy in Venice. It's off the usual tourist beaten track: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-teenagers.cfm

And for some other off the beaten track (and rather off the wall) observatons of Venice, a different sampler, try this:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm

Or for some Venetian trivia, try this:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ice-trivia.cfm

I'd avoid tour groups in Venice - they are invariably very crowded. You'll just be part of a crocodile of people, joining a fleet of thirty gondolas. For the "big ticket" attractions, like the Doge palace, you won't need a tour.