zenya

Hello! I want to plan a first trip to Italy for myself and my two daughters (17 and 7). Any ideas? Places to go, things to do, etc. Of course, I thought of going to Rome but I am open to suggestions to help make this a wonderful first trip for the girls.

ellenem

How many days do you have and at what time of year? What are your interests?

PonyUp

We just got back from Italy two days ago and had a wonderful experience. There is so much to tell so will just refer you to my report 10 days in Italy - Oh the lessons we learned. Hope it helps. Good luck on your trip.

mentorteach

My sister and I went on a tour with the Collette company a few years ago, not because I don't know how to plan a trip independently--been traveling since college and am now in my 30's, but because I wanted to see as much as possible so that I knew where I wanted to return.

That being said, the big three are: Rome, Florence and Venice. Spending an additional 2-3 days touring the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento, Positano and Capri) will not disappoint. We also saw Pompeii, Pisa, Padua, Verona, etc. and Stresa on Lake Maggiore. I could spend a week on the coast and be perfectly happy, but I am so glad I got to tour as much as I did.

bobthenavigator

First, set your month and number of days--that will determine what is feasible. Here are some ideas to consider:

BOB the NAVIGATOR’S FAVORITE ITALY ITINERARIES

After 24 trips to southern Europe, and having developed more than 220 customized TRIP PLANS for others, I am now older and hopefully wiser. Here is an updated version of my favorite itineraries & my “Bella Italia” photo gallery. I hope you enjoy.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3827

1. BELLA ITALIA: Five destinations in 15 days—car & train travel
* Arrive in Milan[MXP] & depart from Venice[VCE]or vice versa.
* Itinerary to include the Italian Lakes, Ligurian coast, rural
Tuscany, Florence, & Venice. Suggested timing is 3-2-4-2-4.
* Option: Drop the coast & rent a villa in Tuscany[ 3-7-2-3].
* Best time to go: May & June or Sept. & Oct.

2. LA DOLCE VITA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome[ FCO] or arrival in Naples
* Itinerary to include Rome, the Amalfi coast, and Tuscany
* Best time to go: Easter to end of October
* Option: Fly into Naples & stay at 2 locations on the coast

3. CLASSIC ITALIA: Three destinations in 12 to 14 days-car & train
* Arrival & departure from Rome—may start trip in Florence
* Destinations to include Florence, Rome & Tuscany/Umbria
* Best time to go: Anytime, but May & Oct. are my favorites
* Option: Consider a weekly rental in Tuscany/Umbria

4. SICILIAN CHARMS: Five destinations in 15 days—car travel
* Connections to Catania & Palermo via Rome or gateway city.
* Itinerary to include Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo & more.
* Best time to go: March to November—May is best for flowers
* See: http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=634

5. THE VILLAGE SAMPLER: My favorite venues for those who enjoy natural beauty and quaint, small villages. Arranged north to south.
* Arrive Milan & depart Rome—car travel-- 3 nites per location
* Itinerary to include Lago Orta, Castelrotto/ Ortisei[Dolomites],
Portovenere[Liguria], Montalcino[Tuscany], & Spello[Umbria].
* Best time to go: May to October for the lakes and Dolomites
* Option: Pick 3 out of 5 and stay longer in Tuscany/Umbria.

zenya

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

I wanted to go in july/august since the kids have school but I am still not sure on the when exactly. The main thing is the have the children experience another culture (which they have not really done as yet) and, I guess, make connections between the books, shows, magazines, etc. I think all of that will make the first experience more memorable.

That said, it seems as though any trip should be around 10 - 14 days. As I said above, I prefer the summer months only because of our schedule. We live NYC so a comparison to another big city may be interesting but so would walking through the Italian countryside.

Are tour groups advisable?

Hmmm.... so much to sort through...

nytraveler

Italy will be hot as hell in July and August and esp in August mobbed with tourists. Picture the days being like the worst summer days in NYC - but most places (hotels, shops, restaurants etc) do NOT have air conditioning. We always go in May to get warm - but not hellish - weather, fewer crowds and longer days.

If I were you I would leave immediately the kids get out of school to try to avoid as much of the heat as possible. Also be sure that your hotels have real AC (the euroepean kind only cools rooms a few degrees) and that you can control it in your room. Do NOT take this for granted - ask each hotel specifically. (Even older luxury hotels sometimes don;t have good AC.)

One tip - even on the hottest days it can be relatively cool inside churches (but be sure you're not too bare - knees and shoulders have to be covered.)

If you have 14 days I would fly into Venice, see that, then Florence (a couple of day trips), Rome and down to the Amalfi coast - flying back from Naples.

And be sure your kids take part in planning the trip - at a minimum they should produce lists of sights and towns they want to see. that way it will be much harder for them to complain - and they should enjoy the trip a lot more.

daveesl

Rome in the summer is like central Florida, maybe hotter, same humidity. Think of the hottest days in NY, that is what you'll get in July and August.

If the heat is a concern, you may want to consider is going over the Christmas break. That is the "rainy" season, but it can often be really nice in the daytime.

zenya

Thank you everyone!