Leaving june 1 for trip to Milan, Turin, Venice, Tuscany, and the Riviera. Have 3 boys who just want to see and be with nothing planned but the hotel reservations. We enjoy walking/hiking and sitting and eating gelato. Questions- How cold is it in the Alps if we want to go up in the trams over the mountains? Can the boys still wear shorts? Are there public beaches for down to earth families that want to enjoy the sea? The Lakes around Milan are the towns all tourist traps and for the rich?

Since you have already made hotel reservations, why don't you list the places where these are. Then we can be of much more help. Generally, the boys probably are comfortable in shorts. However, in the higher mountaim regions there will still be snowwo and jeans might be more advisable.

Hi Hoosier Sue:
<i>Are there public beaches for down to earth families that want to enjoy the sea? The Lakes around Milan are the towns all tourist traps and for the rich?</i>

Not so, Sue....Europe is loaded with "down to earth families"..just as US and Canada area. You're one, and I like to think that we are. IF you care to do some research...you will find your affordable lodgings and food most everywhere. For example, we found that Lake Orta is a bit more "earthy" than Bellagio..Bob the Navigator will bear me out on that one as we both have professed our love for Orta. Maggiore is also more attuned to lower costs, relatively speaking.

In all my many decades of traveling Europe and a good part of the world, I have yet to find anyplace where a minimal budget cannot somehow "make it through"...just last year when the £ was at 2-1, we still managed to eat well and enjoy England for the umpteenth time...we didn't break our "bank", and believe me, we have a budget with a fixed, only slightly flexible upper limit just like most ALL Fodorites do..even though there are a few who love to flaunt the "fact" (?) that they are "not budget people" (ummmm)...even Bill Gates has a budget. I know Steven Spielberg does, from personal observation...albeit far greater than yours or mine, but nevertheless, a bloomin' budget to be reckoned with!!

Go and enjoy your trip...sounds like it will be a great one for you and the youngsters. (hopefully, you'll get a lot more tips from these pages...but as Treplow says...give us some more concrete information.

stu tower

The tops of the mountains will be covered with snow - all year - and anyone wearing shorts will freeze. We made the rip up the Jungfrau in June. We wore long pants, tee shirt, with long-sleeve shirt on top and lightweight jacket on top of that. We were still chilly at the top - but OK since we kept moving. A couple on the train with us were wearing shorts, tee shirts and sneakers - no socks - and were shivering by the time we switched trains at about 7000 feet. At the top, air temps will be near freezing.

We also took the train up Mt Pilatus and saw some people hiking up the mountain. They had shorts (long) long socks, hiking boots, long-sleeve shirts and heavy sweaters tied around their waists. I would think they were warm enough since they were hiking all the way up the mountain.

hi, ok for short wears. Lakes around Milan? better Lake Como in the northern zone called "Alto Lario", not so expensive, near Swiss and the Alps...(don't forget S.Moritz) http://www.halldis.com/city/comolake/1928

Halldis - As a new poster you may not know.

Fodors has a 'No Advertising' policy on this forum

I agree you'd get better answers to your questions if you posted where your hotel reservations are. Contrary to tower's view, some towns on the Italian Riviera are very much geared toward a high-end trade that is not much fun for down-to-earth families (ie, Portofino) while towns like Sestri Levante couldn't be more unpretentious. However, with 3 boys, you either do or don't want to be someplace with lots of other English speakers.

Lago di Garda sounds like a place you and your boys would love.

zepp:I made no mention of the Italian Riviera (San remo. etc). I only referred to some of the lake areas with which I'm familiar. Do you not agree that "so-called "down to earth Italo-European families" can be found in these lake resorts. Let's not get into a definition of "down to earth"...serves no purpose in helping the OP..I think she could do well at the lakes, but only after some thorough research on rates, etc. Basically, her fear that the lake towns are ony playgrounds for the rich is a bit skewed IMO...I certainly agree on Portofino...oh, OP could stay at The Splendido, I suppose....

stu

Sorry, tower that I mis-read your post.

But I do think that when people don't want to be at fancified lakeside tourist spots, they are better off avoiding Bellagio and some other towns on Lago di Como, and the other lakes as well. It's not so much that the towns are "for the rich" exclusively -- but that some towns are much more accommodating of active kids, while other towns are much more accommodating of affluent people looking to dine more formally with a lovely view and perhaps an orchestra.

There are some lake spots -- on Lago di Como, Lago di Garda, and Lago Maggiore -- that favor cycling, paddling, hiking, pizza-eating, even with huge amuseument parks (Lago di Garda) which could be marvelous fun with kids -- and don't cheal the adults on very beautiful landscapes and the occassional great cocktail or perfectly cooked whole fish.

Thanks , Zeppole...good descriptions...as I said, we like Orta and parts of Maggiore...and felt that they were relaxing and accomodating to people with a little less bling in their pockets. I'm sure you agree that everyone has some sort of a budget (small, medium and large, and half sizes within). I hope the OP can reconcile with all of this....and the kids can have a fun vacation.

stu

We were in Sirmeone on Lago di Garda a few years back. I think your kids would really like it. The lake is fun (bring teva or water sandals as it is rocky/slippery under foot) and there were lots of families about. Also, I recall that there is a medieval fort that your boys would enjoy exploring and some mini golf and tennis courts as well as the biking. Good restaurants and some neat shops too (for the adults).

Thanks for the input. We are staying in Milan (5 days) and taking day trips up to the lakes. Then we are staying in Turin (5 days and taking day trips), then we go to Venice for 3 days, then to Lucca (5 day- taking day trips), and finally to Cervo on the other side of the riviera for 5 days- taking day trips. Any more suggestions????

I wrote a little day tour for teenagers in Venice, just for fun. Your boys might enjoy it. It's here:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-teenagers.cfm

You should buy David Downie's guide to the Food and Wine of Genova and the Italian Riviera because it contains extremely good descriptions of the towns around Cervo, which is a very, very tiny town (with marvelous food!) The Cadogan Guide to the Italian Riviera and Piemonte will also be excellent for your trip.

I hope you will take in the cinema museum in Torino, and while I've never been to the auto museum, I have wanted to badly and would think it marvelous for the boys. I am a bit of a naysayer on the Egyptian museum -- just be aware it is a very old fashioned museum of the disorganized massive collection type, room after room.

I am sorely tempted to suggest you try the olive oil museum in Oneglia, but not if you think the boys would hate it. It gets nice reviews though for modernity.

By the way, it's a doable day trip from Milan to go to Gardaland on Lago di Garda (via train to Peschiera del Garda). Check it out with a Google search if you think your boys would be amused. I would also recommend Verona as a day trip from either Venice or Milan, with its marvelous castle and Roman arena.

I hope you will make Pisa a day trip from Lucca.

Planning on Pisa, of course. Our last trip in 2006 we went to Cairo so my boys don't want to see more artifacts in Turin. We don't want to be around too much english speaking people. Want to escape and explore. Looking forward to getting lost in Venice. Thanks- looking forward to more suggestions-sue

????

By now you really got a lot of suggestions. Marie F mentions Sirmione. It is one of my favorite places of the Italian lakes. From it, you can visit all sorts of places along Lake Garda by boat, with stopovers.