More Itinerary Help - Family with 4 Teenagers - Italy
 

Hi,
I posted my proposed itinerary a week ago and had several great responses. I thought I was ready to put down my lodging deposits when the ship started to turn a bit. Another round of input would be great so I can make some decisions and not spend hours a day on-line researching this trip!

Proposed Itinerary:
Arrive in Venice
4 Nights Venice
Drive to Tuscany
7 nights in Tuscany (side trips Florence, Sienna, Lucca/Pisa?)
Drive/train to Sorrento (drop car Naples or Sorrento?)
7 Nights in Sorrento (day trips Pompeii, Capri, Naples?)
4 Nights Rome
Fly home

The questions that have come up:

- Should we spend less time in Italy (cut out Tuscany or Sorrento) and add another country? My kids have been to London and Paris.

- I have been planning on a wonderful sounding hosted villa in the Val d'Orcia area of Tuscany - however it does not have a real pool (just a wading/plunge pool) - I am wondering three things:
1. Would teenagers be happier at an agriturisum with more people around?
2. Am I crazy not to have a real pool available to them? Only one is a big pool kid but I worry about heat or having something to do in the evenings.
3. Is this area of Tuscany interesting for teens or should I look in the area closer to Lucca/Sienna?

Since we have three weeks of family togetherness I want to make sure the kids have some time to interact with others so I don't really want a completely independent villa. My kids are three 16 year olds and a 14 year old (2 boys/2 girls) so they kind of have their own built in buddies - but part of the fun of traveling is meeting new people.

I like the idea of a slower, more immersion vacation but maybe teens would prefer to be on the go more and explore more than just Italy . Sorry for the complicated post - any thoughts would be appreciated.

Tough decisions, but you know your kids best.

My hunble opinions:
Stay in Italy
Get a place with a pool. Castelmuzio will get very small.
Make sure your van is big enough.

Holler if you want Villa options.

1. Definitely stay in Italy.

2. definitely get a proper pool - a plunge pool will be awfully small for just your 4 teens, let alone other people's.

3. an agriturismo with other teens around would be ideal, or a villa/apartment complex.

4. can't help with whether Lucca/siena is what you are looking for, but this website may help:

http://www.agriturismo.it/en/farmhouse/tuscany

I am still working on this trip for my family. We are confirmed for the original proposed itinerary except that our villa is in Umbria near Paciano. I have a question regarding the day we leave Venice enroute to Umbria. I would like to leave Venice early morning and use this day for sightseeing on our way to the villa. I was thinking about stopping in Florence or Siena as those are two day trips were were planning to take while in Umbria. The other option is going to Volterra and San Gimignano and then onto Paciano.

We could either rent a car leaving Venice or Train to Florence or Siena and rent a car after our visit and travel onto Paciano.

The third option would be to take the train from Venice to Chiusi near Paciano and not do any sightseeing on the way.

I have four teenagers and we will have spent 4 previous nights in Venice. Any ideas for the travel day would be appreciated.

Thanks

IMHO, get the car in Venice and drive to Umbria. If you must stop look at a route via Ravenna for the mosaics--do not divert to Tuscany.

I would stay in Italy and get a place with a real pool. Since it's right in the neighborhood, I'd rent a place at Vacanze Ideale right outside Paciano - two huge pools and plenty of opportunities to interact with other kids/families. Very pleasant place, and not expensive (at least last time I was there) a few years ago.