My Italy/Switz Itinerary and Questions
Feb 7th, 2008, 07:24 AM
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My Italy/Switz Itinerary and Questions
Hi everyone,
I am fine tuning our family's trip to Italy/Switzerland in June. We are a family of 4, 15 yr old daughter and 12 yr. old son)I have made flight reservations and hotel reservations but still need some advice on sightseeing and restaurants. Feel free to critique.. here it goes.
Thurs -arrive in Zurich at 8:00am, check in to Hotel Adler to have a base for sightseeing for the day and shower. Do Rick Steve's walking tour, nice dinner at? Take night train from Zurich to Rome
Friday -Arrive in Rome at 9:12am buy train tickets for later travel
Check into Albergo Del Senato
Tour Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's
Dinner at? then Rick Steve's night walk
Saturday - Tour Colosseum, forum (should we do a tour?
Mass at the Pantheon?
Nice Dinner at?
Sunday -11:00 train from Rome to Venice, take water taxi to Residence Corte Grimani. Explore Venice
Monday - Doge's Palace Secret Itinerary tour, Vaporetto down grand canal, walk around Venice. Dinner at?
Tuesday -Trip to outer islands of Burano and Murano. Walk around Venice. Dinner at ? Gondola Ride
Wednesday - 12:00pm train from Venice to Lucerne. Check into Hotel Des Alpes
Thursday -Walking tour of Lucerne. lunch or dinner at Stadtkeller
Friday -Mt Pilatus with tobaggon ride. Nice dinner. *may switch these 2 days depending on weather.
Saturday - Early train from Lucerne to Zurich Airport. 12:00 flight home from Zurich to Washington DC
Some questions I have are: Has anyone been on the overnight train from Zurich to Rome? Should we book a 4 person cabin or 2 -2person cabins? Should our family take a tour in Rome or do it on our own? Do you have any restaurant recommendations (one nice one in each destination) Thanks so much for your help!
I am fine tuning our family's trip to Italy/Switzerland in June. We are a family of 4, 15 yr old daughter and 12 yr. old son)I have made flight reservations and hotel reservations but still need some advice on sightseeing and restaurants. Feel free to critique.. here it goes.
Thurs -arrive in Zurich at 8:00am, check in to Hotel Adler to have a base for sightseeing for the day and shower. Do Rick Steve's walking tour, nice dinner at? Take night train from Zurich to Rome
Friday -Arrive in Rome at 9:12am buy train tickets for later travel
Check into Albergo Del Senato
Tour Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's
Dinner at? then Rick Steve's night walk
Saturday - Tour Colosseum, forum (should we do a tour?
Mass at the Pantheon?
Nice Dinner at?
Sunday -11:00 train from Rome to Venice, take water taxi to Residence Corte Grimani. Explore Venice
Monday - Doge's Palace Secret Itinerary tour, Vaporetto down grand canal, walk around Venice. Dinner at?
Tuesday -Trip to outer islands of Burano and Murano. Walk around Venice. Dinner at ? Gondola Ride
Wednesday - 12:00pm train from Venice to Lucerne. Check into Hotel Des Alpes
Thursday -Walking tour of Lucerne. lunch or dinner at Stadtkeller
Friday -Mt Pilatus with tobaggon ride. Nice dinner. *may switch these 2 days depending on weather.
Saturday - Early train from Lucerne to Zurich Airport. 12:00 flight home from Zurich to Washington DC
Some questions I have are: Has anyone been on the overnight train from Zurich to Rome? Should we book a 4 person cabin or 2 -2person cabins? Should our family take a tour in Rome or do it on our own? Do you have any restaurant recommendations (one nice one in each destination) Thanks so much for your help!
Feb 7th, 2008, 08:36 AM
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I used Context travels foru our tour of colusseum, forum and am SO glad I did..we had our 10 year old and 14 year old with us..it was well worth it. Our tour guide was GREAT with the kids..I am sorry I cannot recall her name!!
Feb 7th, 2008, 09:15 AM
#3
The 2-person cabins have nicer beds and are more comfortable and much roomier. But since you are a party of 4 I might consider the couchette cabin for the savings(normally I wouldn't because as a solo traveler I'd end up sleeping with 3 strangers).
Feb 7th, 2008, 09:50 AM
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dawnoelm - the tour sounds great. If we go on one, I want to choose one that isn't too boring and I would like a tour guide that would relate to our kids. Yours sounds great. Do you have a link to the website and do you remember the cost? thanks
Feb 7th, 2008, 09:53 AM
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suze, do you know if there is enough room to store all of our luggage in the 4 person cabin? I can't tell from the pic on the website. Is there room for luggage in the 2 person cabins? thanks!
Feb 7th, 2008, 10:12 AM
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How much luggage are we talking?
In either type of cabin you just pull it on in with you.
In shared couchettes people often keep it at the foot of their bunk bed. I've only been in private cabins, the suitcase (I had only one small one) just sat on the floor, if I'm remembering correctly.
If you have piles of luggage this could be problematic, not so much for sleeper cars, but for getting around on trains generally speaking with 2 kids in tow.
In either type of cabin you just pull it on in with you.
In shared couchettes people often keep it at the foot of their bunk bed. I've only been in private cabins, the suitcase (I had only one small one) just sat on the floor, if I'm remembering correctly.
If you have piles of luggage this could be problematic, not so much for sleeper cars, but for getting around on trains generally speaking with 2 kids in tow.
Feb 7th, 2008, 10:57 AM
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Lindsay...let me see what I can dig up...it is Context Tours
http://rome.contexttravel.com/main/p...5a4c9bac8766fa
Patrizia Sfligiotti has a master's degree (specializzazione) in Medieval archaeology and has studied at the Vatican and at the University of Aix-en-Provence. She was an excavator at the Crypta Balbi in the 1990s, arguably the most significant archaeological excavation in central Rome in the last century. A dual citizen (USA and Italy), Patrizia is currently writing a guidebook about Rome and leading walks for us.
http://rome.contexttravel.com/main/p...5a4c9bac8766fa
Patrizia Sfligiotti has a master's degree (specializzazione) in Medieval archaeology and has studied at the Vatican and at the University of Aix-en-Provence. She was an excavator at the Crypta Balbi in the 1990s, arguably the most significant archaeological excavation in central Rome in the last century. A dual citizen (USA and Italy), Patrizia is currently writing a guidebook about Rome and leading walks for us.
Feb 7th, 2008, 11:23 AM
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Watch your belongings on the overnight train. Get a 4 person sleeper. Easier to prevent strangers from entering. I am not being racist, but families are prime targets for the Gypsy "boosters" They will swarm a group/family trying to distract you with a puppy, baby etc. A few minutes later you are minus wallets, purses cash, etc. Don't worry if itinerary doesn't hold ...you will still have a family trip that memories are made of... Oh, Rome dining with kids...try the famous Da Baffetto pizzeria. The best pizza, ultra casual and a real experience. Located on Via del Governo Vecchio.
Feb 7th, 2008, 03:22 PM
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longboatkey,
Thanks for the reply. I am so looking forward to this vacation!You have convinced me to do the 4 person sleeper. It may be cramped, but safer and probably more fun. We'll keep an aware eye out for gypsys. I worked in NYC for several years and am used to being aware of my surroundings.
I'll make note of your pizza place!
Thanks again!
Thanks for the reply. I am so looking forward to this vacation!You have convinced me to do the 4 person sleeper. It may be cramped, but safer and probably more fun. We'll keep an aware eye out for gypsys. I worked in NYC for several years and am used to being aware of my surroundings.
I'll make note of your pizza place!
Thanks again!
Feb 9th, 2008, 06:48 AM
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So, are you saying you'll pay for a room at the Adler, then not stay overnight, but will train to Rome?
If so, you'll pay a lot for that room. You might consider getting a day room at the Zurich hotel:
http://www.zurich-airport.com/ZRH/?I...104&a2=104
Depending on the number of hours you stay, you could get a chance to rest, shower, whatever for half or 1/3 the cost of the hotel. You could then train in to the city center, leave your bags in a locker, explore Zurich and then get your bags before catching your train to Rome.
If so, you'll pay a lot for that room. You might consider getting a day room at the Zurich hotel:
http://www.zurich-airport.com/ZRH/?I...104&a2=104
Depending on the number of hours you stay, you could get a chance to rest, shower, whatever for half or 1/3 the cost of the hotel. You could then train in to the city center, leave your bags in a locker, explore Zurich and then get your bags before catching your train to Rome.
Feb 9th, 2008, 08:12 AM
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While in Lucerne a few years ago we took our then 15 year old son to the dinner and folklore show at the Stadtkeller. We had so much fun. We still talk about that evening. We also did the tobaggon ride near Mt. Pilatus. The ride back to the top was almost as much fun. I enjoyed being close to the cows!
Have fun!
Have fun!
