It IS hard to make a good recommendation without knowing what all the kids' interests are. My daughter went to Italy when she was 12 and loved Rome and Florence especially. She's now 16 and is going back to Italy this June on a school-sponsored trip. They're doing Rome, Florence and a side trip to Assisi. She's thrilled about this itinerary.

You don't mention when you are going. If it's summertime, I'd say divide your time between Rome and Sorrento with a side trip to Pompeii (if there's any interest or fascination for the ruins). I mention Sorrento because you can go swimming in the Mediterranean there and that's usually a big hit with teens. Sorrento is easily reachable from Rome by train.

I was 19 the first time I went to Italy, and went to The Big Three and several other places. The first time, I was generally umipressed by Rome, since I saw the mostly the Vatican and a couple other churches (San Pietro in Vincoli, which holds Michaelangelo's statue of Moses, was worth seeing). I fell in love with Florence at first sight. I was unimpressed by Venice.

I returned to Italy the next year as part of a 6-week study-abroad program studying Roman, medieval, and renaissance architecture. The program spent 95% of its time in the Big Three, with 90% of that time in Rome. I was again unimpressed by Venice, still enamored with Florence, but became absolutely passionate for Rome, having been there for the better part of 5 weeks.

Having the chance to do something else besides go and see art museums and churches (no offense to anyone, but the after seeing two mosaics or frescoes of Madonna and Child, they all begin to look the same), and explore a city up close was what got me hooked on Rome.

In either city, try to do more than just look at churches and art museums. In Florence, there's the San Lorenzo market, the leather/straw market (with the brass boar), the leather school at Santa Croce (where you can watch artisans applying liquid gold ornamentation to leather book covers), climbing the Duomo and/or the Campanile, and the museum of the history of science, as things to do that could complement seeing art/churches.

In Rome, yes, there's the Vatican and the Forum and 12 zillion other churches and Roman ruins. There's also Via Condotti for luxury (window) shopping (Gucci, Cartier, Prada, etc.), the main Roman Synagogue (which has a museum collection including the prayerbook that stopped a terrorist's bullet, with the bullet still lodged in the book), and EUR, whic h has some MODERN stuff in comparison to 2500-year-old Roman ruins.

I'm trying to think of things that are at least different to work with teenagers' attention spans. Regardless of what you do, make sure to account for enough time to do absolutely nothing but stop and let the world go by. Nothing beats a morning of seeing 26 museums better than spending an entire afternoon in a piazza somewhere, maybe having a big cup of gelato, and just people-watching. I'm not saying to avoid seeing the big sights like the Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's, the Uffizi, etc., but just to make sure that you do things other than these.

Given my indifference toward Venice, I would spend 3 nights in Florence and 3 nights in Rome, with an open-jaw flight flying into Florence or Pisa and out of Rome. What I'm trying to say is that it may take some time for a city to sink in, but doing something different and/or exciting may help keep the kids' attention spans going a little longer. For instance, if any of the kids are into soccer, try to go see a real Italian soccer match.

Finally, no matter how much the kids may complain, try to avoid McDonald's just on principle. You're in ITALY! Enjoy the REAL Italian food!

Having been to different parts of Italy through the years for vacations,studied in Florence for college,and fly to Rome several times a month for work, I would put an additional vote in for ROME!!!I am basing this on the ages of your teens,first trip,etc.-there is just something for everyone there...history,art,great food and shopping and side trips that could be done easily-Pompeii,Tivoli,Ostia Antica.Italy really is many trips and you need to concentrate on different areas and ENJOY!Let us know if you need help planning.

Hey, thanks so much for all the response! I appreciate it and will be planning based on all your feedback! Jane00