Hi, our daughter's countdown to Rome is 21 days,I have so many questions and am looking for some answers..
Some tend to be very simple but hard to find. I've never been so it's difficult to know what to expect.
She is gone for 10 days, 2 continental meals a day for 8 days are included.
How much spending money (and enough for some small trinkets) do you think she'll need per day? Tours are already paid for.
Is it better to convert in Canada or wait till she gets there?
Is bottled water available there and if so any idea on how much it costs?
Is there anything over there that is a steal of a deal and a must buy? Leather, glass, gold?
Are internet cafes readily available, do hotels offer computer services and if so the cost.
What is the best way to communicate?
Recommended phone cards?
She is going to Rome, Florence, Pisa, Venice and Assisi... is there anything that may not be on the regular tour she should be looking for or are must sees.
Never being there myself, I feel a bit like a fish out of water and lost that I can't advise her.
SHe is 14 and going with a group from her school.
Thank you to all in advance for your help.

Good Evening, is your daughter going with an ORGANIZED group tour that is being sponsored by the school? If so, the tour group should be able to answer many of your questions. If not, who is she actually going with? Mike

Hi Mike, thanks for the quick response. She is going with EF Tours. I'm sure she'll have lots of help when she gets there but it's trying to prepare her before she leaves. Any advise you can offer would be appreciated.
Thanks

Former teacher here: The school and tour company should have given you most of this information. You might call the sponsoring group at school and see if they have brochures or guidelines to help you.

I've been in Italy but not Rome. We're going to Rome next month. You will have no trouble finding bottled water, but the tap water is probably safer there than in the U.S.

http://www.cybercafe.com is a web site listing all the cybercafes in the world (their ad!). You should be able to check on web access there. If she knows the name of her hotel, you could call or e-mail and see if they have Internet access.

She'll have a great time, but call the school and see if they have information for you.

Good luck.

I agree with everything SalB stated in her reply. I would suggest that you "top" this thread in the morning so people on the East Coast can properly reply. Good Night!!! Mike

What to expect with EF - Usually their hotels are far away(sometimes as much as an hour) from the city centers without easy transportation. Meals - breakfast will be croissant and corn flakes while dinner will be a mixture of hotel dining room and one or two restaurant meals. Lunch will be in tourist areas and pricey as a result.Only water is included with dinner. Luckily she is traveling in March and may get to stay in better/closer hotels than EF would normally use since it will be off season. EF recommends $30 -$50 a day spending money.
The kids don't like the meals and usually end up buying other food. Lots of the kids will go out to discos at night and that can add $$$. (Yes a 14 year old can get in the clubs and drink)
Water - There are fountains everywhere so bottled water isn't necessary but can be purchased for anywhere from 1 euro at a grocery to 3 euro in a tourist area. Most will just carry a bottle and refill it when they see fountains.
Leather and glass demonstrations - don't buy where you are taken by the tour company as these prices will be very high. Usually tour guides get a percent of the $ that group spends from the stores that do demos. You get better prices if you wander off the main squares.
There are internet cafes everywhere and some hotels make it available. Internet is the better way to keep in touch because of the time difference. Cost is anywhere about 1 euro for 15 minutes to 5-7 euro for an hour.
EF and Explorica are the low end/budget student tour companies with ACIS and NETC being the top and CHA in the middle.