Italy trip with 2 teens
Mar 6th, 2006, 01:55 PM
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Italy trip with 2 teens
I would appreciate any itinerary tips you might have for a 2 week trip to Italy in June? Any can't miss locations and possible hotels would be great. Thankyou Jim
Mar 6th, 2006, 02:05 PM
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Jim,
How old are the teens?
What is your budget?
Do any of you speak Italian?
Have any of you been before and if so, to which locations in Italy?
If we had some idea of whether or not this was a first adventure, or an ongoing adventure, we might be able to suggest certain things.
Also, if you prefer to eat out all meals or want a place with a kitchenette? Do you want to be on the move and see lots of places, or prefer to settle in one place and do exploring from that base?
At a minimum, I would suggest Rome, Florence, Venice, but I've been to Italy many times, and you can always be swept away by the magic of the innumerable villages and wonderful spots that are off the beaten path. When you say two teens, are they 13ish or 17ish? or even 19ish? It makes quite a difference if they are young teens or young adults, as to what you might do. Older young adults might really appreciate an opera, and 13 years olds might be bored stiff. Let us know more about you and your fellow travelers, and we'll all help you as much as we can.
How old are the teens?
What is your budget?
Do any of you speak Italian?
Have any of you been before and if so, to which locations in Italy?
If we had some idea of whether or not this was a first adventure, or an ongoing adventure, we might be able to suggest certain things.
Also, if you prefer to eat out all meals or want a place with a kitchenette? Do you want to be on the move and see lots of places, or prefer to settle in one place and do exploring from that base?
At a minimum, I would suggest Rome, Florence, Venice, but I've been to Italy many times, and you can always be swept away by the magic of the innumerable villages and wonderful spots that are off the beaten path. When you say two teens, are they 13ish or 17ish? or even 19ish? It makes quite a difference if they are young teens or young adults, as to what you might do. Older young adults might really appreciate an opera, and 13 years olds might be bored stiff. Let us know more about you and your fellow travelers, and we'll all help you as much as we can.
Mar 6th, 2006, 02:16 PM
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Wanderlus, Wow, thanks for the quick response and interest and I bet you know alot about Italy. It is our first trip and Rome, Venice and Florence might be the best option this time. We would eat out and the boys are ages 14 and 17. We would like to be very central and cost is not the underlying factor where we stay or eat. Using these cities as our base and visiting some small towns would interest us. I really appreciate everyone's time. Tx Jim
Mar 6th, 2006, 06:41 PM
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Include positano. I like th Palazzo Murat. Napoleon built it for a family memeber and its well priced and beautiful. Take a day trip to Capri from there. Also look for a boat with a red fish that goes to a great beach and restautant from positano. Take a taxi from the naples airport or train station to get there. The hotel can arrange this for 160 lire (4 years ago) do not drive yourself unless you are professional cliff driver. On day trip to Capri ealk to villa jovis ruinsd but stop at the bar villa jovis.
Val Wilson
Val Wilson
Mar 7th, 2006, 06:29 AM
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There's a great history of science museum in Florence. ALso, plan a day visit to Pompeii.
Does the 2 weeks include travel days? For starters, maybe 3 nts Positano (or some other 'beach' area), 5 nts Rome, 3 nts Florence, 3 nts Venice.
Be sure to purchase an open jaw ticket (arr Rome, dep Venice). Are you looking for triple or quad rooms? WHat is your hotel budget? We stayed in quads at Santa CHiara - Rome, Hotel Casci - Florence, Hotel Flora - Venice. These are all well located, very nice, moderately priced hotels.
Does the 2 weeks include travel days? For starters, maybe 3 nts Positano (or some other 'beach' area), 5 nts Rome, 3 nts Florence, 3 nts Venice.
Be sure to purchase an open jaw ticket (arr Rome, dep Venice). Are you looking for triple or quad rooms? WHat is your hotel budget? We stayed in quads at Santa CHiara - Rome, Hotel Casci - Florence, Hotel Flora - Venice. These are all well located, very nice, moderately priced hotels.
Mar 7th, 2006, 06:36 AM
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Thankyou, Cost is not the biggest factor and we would like quads if possible. The 2 weeks does include the 2 travel days and I plan to arrive in Venice and leave from Rome. I don't know much about the Positano area and wonder if Pompeii would still be an option if we went to Positano for the full 3 days? I appreciate everyone's help. Jim
Mar 7th, 2006, 06:54 AM
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I am not an expert by any means, but we do travel with our 2 teen boys and will going to Northern Italy with them in June.
I think the recommendation of 3 nights Venice, 3 nights Florence, 5 nights Rome and 3 in Positano sounds great. I think Florence is likely to have the least for them or at least it seems most teens prefer Rome and Venice. Of course, there are great things in Florence. Florence is also a good place from which to make daytrips, like to Siena or San Gimingnano.
It would be possible to visit Pompeii on way from Rome to Positano. You might try to fly out of Naples if you are ending in Positano. Or, you could go to Positano/Amalfi Coast from Florence (a long day), then end in Rome.
If cost is not a huge factor, I would recommend 2 rooms. Rooms, even quads, can be quite small and that is a lot of together time for a family of 4. When we were in London over Christmas week, we stayed at a B&B and had 2 rooms next to each other. That also meant 2 bathrooms. We ALL appreciated the extra peace and privacy. For our upcoming trip, we will have 2 rooms in 3 of our locations and a quad in Venice. At least for us, an occassional quad is fine, but 2 weeks in one room together is little much.
If you are looking for hotel recommendations, you will get the most useful replies if you state an actual dollar/euro amount per night....for example, 200-250 euros per night total or per room or whatever. It will also help to know which cities you decide to visit.
You can also use the search function, for example "Venice hotels." Other good sites for checking out hotels are venere.com and tripadvisor.com.
Hope this helps. Good luck and happy travels!
I think the recommendation of 3 nights Venice, 3 nights Florence, 5 nights Rome and 3 in Positano sounds great. I think Florence is likely to have the least for them or at least it seems most teens prefer Rome and Venice. Of course, there are great things in Florence. Florence is also a good place from which to make daytrips, like to Siena or San Gimingnano.
It would be possible to visit Pompeii on way from Rome to Positano. You might try to fly out of Naples if you are ending in Positano. Or, you could go to Positano/Amalfi Coast from Florence (a long day), then end in Rome.
If cost is not a huge factor, I would recommend 2 rooms. Rooms, even quads, can be quite small and that is a lot of together time for a family of 4. When we were in London over Christmas week, we stayed at a B&B and had 2 rooms next to each other. That also meant 2 bathrooms. We ALL appreciated the extra peace and privacy. For our upcoming trip, we will have 2 rooms in 3 of our locations and a quad in Venice. At least for us, an occassional quad is fine, but 2 weeks in one room together is little much.
If you are looking for hotel recommendations, you will get the most useful replies if you state an actual dollar/euro amount per night....for example, 200-250 euros per night total or per room or whatever. It will also help to know which cities you decide to visit.
You can also use the search function, for example "Venice hotels." Other good sites for checking out hotels are venere.com and tripadvisor.com.
Hope this helps. Good luck and happy travels!
Mar 7th, 2006, 06:58 AM
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When looking for accommodations for 4, email hotels directly and ask what they can offer. Many don't even mention quads on their websites. Some quads are really triples with am extra bed added (I think this was the case at Hotel Flora), some are suites and some are 2 interconnected rooms.
We also stayed in a quad (in this case a suite) in Orvieto (small hilltop town between Rome and FLorence) at the Hotel Piccilomini.
Pompeii can easily be done as a day trip from Rome by train or rental car.
We also stayed in a quad (in this case a suite) in Orvieto (small hilltop town between Rome and FLorence) at the Hotel Piccilomini.
Pompeii can easily be done as a day trip from Rome by train or rental car.
Mar 7th, 2006, 07:05 AM
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When we did a 2=week trip to Italy in '03, we stayed in Des Artists in Rome and Hotel Alessandra in Florence. Both of these were quads for about $200. Very nice and very spacious. However, if I had understood the configuration of hotel rooms in European hotels, I would have booked separate rooms for my teenage boys (then 14 and 15) next door to the room my husband and I were in. Cost would have been about the same. I would have been very comfortable with that arrangement, and it would have been better for all of us (a little too much family time!!).
My teenage boys loved every minute of our trip from the colesseum to the museums to the gelato to the vatican. It was worth every minute of the time I spent planning it. Go and have a great time!!
My teenage boys loved every minute of our trip from the colesseum to the museums to the gelato to the vatican. It was worth every minute of the time I spent planning it. Go and have a great time!!
Mar 7th, 2006, 07:05 AM
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Jim -
If you're interested in beach time, just be forewarned that the Positano beach is not really like beaches most people are familiar with in the US. Rather than being sand-based, the beach is really more like pebbles. Not really lots of surf either - very, very calm compared to Pacific or Atlantic (maybe more like Gulf coast in the US). But don't let that sway you - Positano is a magical place. And you can do a Pompeii day trip from Positano - either catch a SITA bus to Sorrento and take the train to Pompeii, or arrange for a private driver to take you there from Positano.
Hope you have a great time.
KC
If you're interested in beach time, just be forewarned that the Positano beach is not really like beaches most people are familiar with in the US. Rather than being sand-based, the beach is really more like pebbles. Not really lots of surf either - very, very calm compared to Pacific or Atlantic (maybe more like Gulf coast in the US). But don't let that sway you - Positano is a magical place. And you can do a Pompeii day trip from Positano - either catch a SITA bus to Sorrento and take the train to Pompeii, or arrange for a private driver to take you there from Positano.
Hope you have a great time.
KC
Mar 7th, 2006, 09:00 AM
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The beach in Italy isn't very lively in June except in the most popular resorts for foreigners. Cinque Terre would be my choice, lots of other young people there and it is even better than they say it is!
Plenty of places to visit around there as well, Genova is very interesting and different.
You could add a week between Florence and Rome - not too much travelling but seeing lots.
Leonardo would be a good theme in Tuscany http://www.mos.org/leonardo/
This is just a flavour - less is always more in Italy I think.
Plenty of places to visit around there as well, Genova is very interesting and different.
You could add a week between Florence and Rome - not too much travelling but seeing lots.
Leonardo would be a good theme in Tuscany http://www.mos.org/leonardo/
This is just a flavour - less is always more in Italy I think.
Mar 7th, 2006, 09:59 AM
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My kids loved Cinque Terre. It is 5 towns set on the sea but in the hills. The hikes are very physical and the view....WOW. We have stayed in both Santa Margherita (The Grand Miramare Hotel http://www.grandhotelmiramare.it/) and PortoVenere(Royal Sporting http://www.royalsporting.com/Home.asp) and day tripped tp CT. SM is a bit more upscale and had many tourists, mostly German. PV was mostly Italians, but that was in Aug. when the Italians travel.
If you have the History Channel I recommend Rome (Engineering and....something). It was very interesting and I think your boys would get a lot out of it.
If you have the History Channel I recommend Rome (Engineering and....something). It was very interesting and I think your boys would get a lot out of it.
Mar 7th, 2006, 02:25 PM
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We are taking our 2 teens to Italy for their first trip next month.
We are doing 3 nights in Venice, 2 in Sorrento (Pompeii one day and Amalfi Coast drive the other day) and 4 in Rome.
In Venice and Sorrento we are renting 2 hotel homes, and in Rome we are renting a 2 bedroom apartment. My feeling was that a quad room was just a bit too tight for all 4 of us - a little too much family togetherness.
We are flying into Venice and home from Rome.
We opted for Sorrento over Florence adter much discussion with the boys. They both felt that Pompei would be much more interesting. Hopefully we'll do Florence another time.
Whatever you do you will have a wonderful time.
If I can answer any questions, just ask.
Donna
We are doing 3 nights in Venice, 2 in Sorrento (Pompeii one day and Amalfi Coast drive the other day) and 4 in Rome.
In Venice and Sorrento we are renting 2 hotel homes, and in Rome we are renting a 2 bedroom apartment. My feeling was that a quad room was just a bit too tight for all 4 of us - a little too much family togetherness.
We are flying into Venice and home from Rome.
We opted for Sorrento over Florence adter much discussion with the boys. They both felt that Pompei would be much more interesting. Hopefully we'll do Florence another time.
Whatever you do you will have a wonderful time.
If I can answer any questions, just ask.
Donna
Mar 8th, 2006, 06:11 AM
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Donna, Do you have the name of the Rome hotel with the 2 bd and is it in a central location? That sounds like a good idea or an apartment for the 4 of us would also be a good option. Tx to all Jim
Mar 8th, 2006, 06:51 AM
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sabbin,
I'm going to be a real naysayer here about doing Venice, Florence and Rome -- and trying to include Pompeii -- or Positano! -- to boot. Especially given what you say interests your boys.
If what they want most is time at the beach, I would suggest a trip that focuses staying close to the Tuscan and/or Ligurian coastline, but which would include trips to Pisa, Firenze and Siena (or another medieval walled town or city). You could start out in Rome for 4 nights, take a train up to Pisa for a night, then head to a seaside location. Although Sestri Levante is not the most precious and scenic of the Ligurian coastal towns, It does have a magnificent pair of sand beaches and a relaxed, fun atmosphere. From Sestri Levante, you can take the train to explore Cinque Terre.
However, another possibility is the more sophisticated and pretty Santa Margherita Ligure, which provides the additional fun of boat trips to Portofino, as well as train trips to Cinque Terre. I'm not sure what the swimming opportunities are right in SML, but certainly one can swim in both Portofino and the CT.
From there I would take the train back to Siena for a 3 night stay. Include a day trip to Firenze for just one museum (San Marco? The Accademia? The science museum?) and viewing the Duomo and the Bapistery, and enjoying lunch in a piazza. Perhaps another morning day trip from Siena to a smaller but historic Tuscan town. Then go back to Rome for the remainder of your trip.
If you want to go to Pompeii, start in Rome and head south, but while Pompeii is a magnificent site, I think they and would would enjoy far less the general area in terms of beaches and activities, (shopping is the main activity) and it is very difficult and expensive to travel or day trip in that area.
I'm going to be a real naysayer here about doing Venice, Florence and Rome -- and trying to include Pompeii -- or Positano! -- to boot. Especially given what you say interests your boys.
If what they want most is time at the beach, I would suggest a trip that focuses staying close to the Tuscan and/or Ligurian coastline, but which would include trips to Pisa, Firenze and Siena (or another medieval walled town or city). You could start out in Rome for 4 nights, take a train up to Pisa for a night, then head to a seaside location. Although Sestri Levante is not the most precious and scenic of the Ligurian coastal towns, It does have a magnificent pair of sand beaches and a relaxed, fun atmosphere. From Sestri Levante, you can take the train to explore Cinque Terre.
However, another possibility is the more sophisticated and pretty Santa Margherita Ligure, which provides the additional fun of boat trips to Portofino, as well as train trips to Cinque Terre. I'm not sure what the swimming opportunities are right in SML, but certainly one can swim in both Portofino and the CT.
From there I would take the train back to Siena for a 3 night stay. Include a day trip to Firenze for just one museum (San Marco? The Accademia? The science museum?) and viewing the Duomo and the Bapistery, and enjoying lunch in a piazza. Perhaps another morning day trip from Siena to a smaller but historic Tuscan town. Then go back to Rome for the remainder of your trip.
If you want to go to Pompeii, start in Rome and head south, but while Pompeii is a magnificent site, I think they and would would enjoy far less the general area in terms of beaches and activities, (shopping is the main activity) and it is very difficult and expensive to travel or day trip in that area.
Mar 8th, 2006, 06:53 AM
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One last thought:
If you are developing a yen to see Venice, then I would split your time between Venice and Rome, period. In Venice, consider staying on the Lido so the boys can have their beach time.
If you are developing a yen to see Venice, then I would split your time between Venice and Rome, period. In Venice, consider staying on the Lido so the boys can have their beach time.
