amandab

Just curious to know your thoughts.

We are planning on taking our kids, who will be 12 and 15 at the time, to Europe in two years time (I like to plan well ahead). This will most likely be their first and last trip to Europe with the 'olds'.

We will go at Christmas time for 4 to 5 weeks. DH and I went last Christmas for the first time and can't wait to go back, however don't think the kids will let us go twice without them.

We are thinking of Italy, Czech Rep and Germany/Austria.

Any ideas most welcome...

nytraveler

The first time we took my step-daughters they were 11 and 14 - and we did 2 weeks in London and Paris with a couple of day trips from each. They really liked London - but adored Paris.

nytraveler

Sorry - Fodor's glitch.

I don;t know if it's that London was too familiar (similar to NYC) or that they loved the opportuity to practice their French. They definitely liked the food and shopping in Paris more - and adored Giverny.

But - since you have time - I would set the kids to work on this - to research the various places and decide what THEY really want to do/see. Then you can take one or two favorites from each person and string it into a trip.

cmeyer54

Our boys went with us on the following trips (each 10 days long) 1)munich/rome 2)paris/normany 3)madrid/seville/barcelona 4)florence/venice/tuscany 5)amsterdam/brussels/brugges. Consider weather for each country you're considering and also that the days will have fewer hours of sunlight. Southern Germany would be quite nice with the Christmas markets, black forest snows, into Austria and down thru the Dolomites to Venice possibly. Do your children ski??

amandab

Thanks, I was thinking about London too - but maybe this is a little out of the way, not sure. My son is extremely keen on Dubai for a stopover though (he looooooves buildings.
No, the kids don't ski - in fact they've never seen snow before. It will be such an amazing experience for them. I was thinking about Amsterdam to visit the Anne Frank museum, but again thought Amsterdam might be a 'bit out of the way'.
That is a great idea to get the kids to investigate where they would like to go, I will work on this. Daughter hasn't said much - think she'd be happy anywhere as long as it involves a bit of shopping! I am thinking about: Rome, with a side trip to Amalfi and Pompeii, and another town not far from Rome: Venice, possibly a side trip into the dolomites: then into Austria and Germany, then the Czech Rep (Im keen to revisit Prague).
Any ideas about Switzerland? I've never been there. Would it be worth a visit at that time of year, or would visiting the Austrian mountains be enough?
Thanks again

cmeyer54

You could go to Zermatt and then into northern italy. When my DH and son skied Zermatt, they 'went to lunch in Italy' and then skied back. Where are you coming from if Dubai is a potential stopover?

amandab

Hi cmeyer54, we'll be flying from Auckland, NZ - stopover in Dubai either on the way or way back, so thought it would be best to fly into Rome first, then head north.
I just love that 'had lunch in Italy, then skied back'. This is the kind of thing I love about Europe.

Barblab

My vote is for London, Paris, somewhere in Switzerland and Rome. A good cross section taste of Europe. Oh wait, you have 4-5 weeks, you could easily add Czech Rep and or Germany/ Austria.

julieah

We took our daughter (14 at the time), to Rome with side trips to Pompeii and Piza.
So kid friendly with so much to see and do and great food choices too.