ljf1958

We have tons of points on AmEx Rewards program. I thought we should use them for airline tix to some place fabulous.

I have on hold 5 seats to Rome for 14 days at the end of August.

My thought is:

Arrive Rome. Spend 6 days. Rent apartment in city. Leisurely see sites, get acclimated and save money by cooking at home. Would plan to get a tour guide for major sites.

On 6th day, take train through Naples to Sorrento. Spend 7 nights in Sorrento. Rent villa with pool. Use as home base, check out town, day trips to Capri, Pompeii - maybe Positano?? My understanding is Sorrento is large enough and English-speaking enough. Also, am trying to avoid us having to drive so are relying on trains.

Am I insane? Have located apartments in Rome and Sorrento with avilabliity during our time travel.

Husband thinks kids are too young. Our kids are well-behaved and love learning about new things. We went to Hawaii with them 2 years ago and it was fantastic - 9 hour plane ride was fine. Fussy eaters - but Italy has pizza and pasta - 2 faves.

Looking for comments? Advice?

Thanks.

StCirq

Of course you're not insane. Italy's a lot more kid-friendly than Hawaii, just for starters.

Renting an apartment is the way to go. Just do it.

i_am_kane

I can only tell you what our family did for our Italy trip in 2006.

My husband and I are the grandparents, my two sons, wives and their children. Our granchildren's ages were: Upon arrival in Venice a 5th birthday for our youngest grandson. Next, was our 8 y.o. grandson, our 10 y.o. grandson and 12 y.o. granddaughter.

The kids were great...everything was new and exciting to them. I should mention that this was a nonstop trip: Venice, Florence, Siena (day trip), Rome, Orvieto (day trip), Capri, Sorrento (with day trip to Amalfi Coast).

Of course the numbers were in our favor: six adults to four children. Even so, we head-counted frequently during the day.

zoecat

I think your plan is great. What is it that your husband feels the kids are too young for?

ljf1958

Thanks already for the replies! I am hoping to get some more positive feedback (and, of course, be aware of any of the negatives).

My husband thinks they will be bored by lots of museums, etc - even the Coliseum, he said, would only be interesting for an hour or so for them (he thinks - I disagree - we live in a big city and go to museums ALL the time).

Also, he thinks the little one won't be able to keep with walking. I think we could bring a small stroller. . .

sprin2

I think it sounds like an amazing trip. Taking it slowly, renting apartments are two important things to do when traveling with kids -- sounds like you've got the right attitude.

Talk that husband into it and have a great time!

baby108

It's definitely doable. We went with our 2 boys to Rome and Florence when they were 6 and 7 and it was fun. We didn't go to the south except a day trip to Pompeii which was their highlight. The boys also loved the climbing to the top of the St. Peter's dome. They loved the food there... With 3 kids, you just need to take the time each day and set your own pace and not to be frustrated when you can't see all the sights planned. Try to see if you can find some interesting reading material for them to read ahead for what you are planning to see and so that they will have some idea of the background behind the history and culture. We bought some children's version of books about Michael Angelo and his work and Pompeii to read ahead which helped to increase their interest about the sights when they saw that in person. Hope you will have a great time.

ms_go

I think your plan sounds fine. We're doing something similar this summer with my brother's family and his 9, 7 and 4 year-old boys--except we are renting in Rome and Tuscany. I've been traveling to Europe with my daughter (now 14) since she was seven, and I wouldn't have suggested the trip that we're doing if I didn't think it could work. Just be flexible and don't over-plan your days, and you'll have a great time.

Apres_Londee

One thought is that a trip for mom and dad alone is a good thing once and a while. Maybe your husband would really like to get away without the children? If you've got loving, trustworthy extended family who are happy to have your kids visit for a couple of weeks, then why not? You're good to go.

However, if the plan is definately for a family vacation, but your husband is just worried about Italy, get hime to use the search function to read throught the many posts and trips reports of parents taking their kids to Italy and everyone having a fantastic time. Of course it can be done, people do it all the time and do it well. No worries on that front.

danon

one note of caution:
Italy can be VERY hot in August. Also, it is the time of year when most Italians take holidays. Roads and trains can be packed.
If the heat or the lack of A/C ( in many places) is not an issue wit your family, you will be o.k.

ga9497

We visited Venice, Rome and Sicily when our children were 4 and 6. They absolutely loved it. We didn't stay out all day and would break out the day with a couple of hours at the hotel just winding down. They are now 13 and almost 11 and have asked to go back numerous times

My son, then 4, was not interested in museums much so we kept our visits short when we did go. The same with churches, just kept them short visits.

quokka

Sounds like a good plan to me.

I would, however, avoid the tour guides. If your kids will be bored, it's while standing among a herd of cattle listening to someone drooning on and on about old caesars or popes. Explore on your own, and if you miss the Very Most Important Masterpiece among many other works of Art, so what?

Gina_07

I think you should go. We have taken our kids to lots of place in Europe at even younger ages. We had a great time everywhere we went. Some people think we are crazy but it works for us. It depends on you. Go slowly, stop frequently, sit in cafes, have ice cream etc. Don't overdo museums. It will be great. Go!

txtree

We have taken our boys (now 5 and 7) to Italy several times. I think the key is to keep a kid-friendly tempo, as others have posted. So that means fewer (or even no) museums, more wandering, plenty of down time. Lots of gelato. Fortunately, Italy is perfect for such a trip. And your itinerary sounds great.

nytraveler

I think everything is fine except the end of August. Italy is very hot and can be very humid and many places will not have AC. (And that includes many less expensive hotels, almost any apartment or villa that you rent, stores, restaurants etc.)

As a first step I would look at villas near Sorrento and see if any have AC - and if it's all the rooms or just the living area - and if it's american style AC or european style air cooling (which is essentially a big fat fan).

So - apartment and villa makes a lot of sense with 3 kids, and can be a great family vaction - but if it's 90 or 95 and humid how will you all deal living without AC?

(For that reason we do all our traveling in Italy and Spain in April and May - so it's warm but hot hellishly hot - and the lack of AC doesn't matter.)

ira

Hi L.

Sounds good to me.

Colduphere

Sounds doable to me. We travel with our three kids. I do thank whatever higher spirit there is for making the oldest of the children a mature girl. The younger two are boys who like to argue, argue, argue. If she was a he, travel would be very, very challenging.

Grinisa

I've taken my daughters to Italy several times, starting when they were seven and four and they have always enjoyed it. Apartments would be the way to go with three kids, and I agree with the posters who recommend finding an apartment with AC because it can be unbearably hot at the end of August. This is especially true in Rome when noise may prohibit you from leaving the windows open at night. Also, many buildings, in fact most, don't have screens, and mosquitos can be a big problem. If that is the only time you can go, make your reservations soon, especially for Sorrento, as the end of August is when most Europeans are on vacation and good places book very fast. In Rome, take the kids to the Explora Children's Museum. It is well air conditioned and a nice break from the heat. Skip the Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel on this trip. In my opinion, the kids are too young to appreciate it now and it will be VERY crowded at the end of August. It is not airconditioned either. Be careful at the Naples train station as watching three young children and all your luggage as you transfer from the main station to the Circumvesuviana commuter station will be tricky and pickpockets will be on the outlook for distracted travelers. Consider a car service to get to Sorrento.

clz

I think it's great! It will be hot and they will get tired walking though so pace yourselves. Let the kids fill up water bottles at all the street corner fountains, no need to buy water. Let them get lots of ice cream. (and pizza and pasta, like you said). Avoid tour groups. Spend time at the beach.

I'd definitely do it.

tn

We took our children, 13, 6 and 4 to Europe for three and half weeks last year (including 8 days in Italy). I would echo three points:

The kids had a great time and still talk about our time there.

Remember to keep the pace kid friendly. As a practical matter, some days this will be easier and others it will be harder. There was the time our four year old sat down on the curb and refused to budge one more step. When I put him on my shoulders to carry him, he promptly fell asleep up there. We had to balance our desire to see everything with their ability to keep up.

Before we left, we decided to stay out of the museums (based on advice on this site). The art museum we did go to was no fun for the kids and proved the value of the advice. You know your kids, if they are like mine they will not enjoy looking at a bunch of [fill in the blank]. But the natural history museum we found one day was a big hit, and I would keep these types of museums in mind.

But you should absolutely do this and you won't regret it for a minute.