Bill

We are setting up a 17-day tour for a group of 30 boys - a community boys' choir, so these are pretty clean-cut kids - and we're trying to find some entertainment for them. The age range is 11 to 18, and I know the older teens would get a kick out of a European dance club, but I would want it to be one that caters to teens who are not drinking age. (There are a number of them in our area here in the States.) <BR>The cities they will be in include Rotterdam, Salzburg, Vienna, Venice, and Rome (in addition to some smaller towns). Anybody know of any teen-friendly clubs in any of these cities?

sorry

There are many teen friendly clubs. Sadly, Europe does not have the same drinking age as in the United States. Children as young as 14 can go to France and buy bottles of liquor. Clubs are plentiful, but there will always be alcohol at them.

Martin

In Rotterdam, there's a big nightclub called the Baja Beach Club. (At least there was a couple years ago!) It's pretty Americanized, but it seems to appeal to the teen crowd. And as the above post mentions, European countries don't seem to have much of a problem with serving older teens alcohol.

elvira

My suggestions: contact the American churches in each city (here's an Anglican site) for suggestions http://www.anglicansonline.org/uk-europe/europe.html <BR> <BR>or the YMCA http://www.eay.org/ <BR> <BR>Does each city your visiting have a boys' choir also? If they do, contact them for suggestions. <BR> <BR>As others have pointed out, the drinking age in Europe is much lower than in the US, so clubs will be serving alcohol.

Bill

Elvira - <BR>Thanks for the suggestions. They will be with another boys choir for four nights in Rotterdam (staying with their families, in fact). Meeting up briefly with another choir in Salzburg. <BR>Martin - I actually found the "Baja Beach Club" on the Web. I don't think it's quite right for a bunch of chorboys! &gt;grin&lt; Thanks anyhow.

peter

All the cities you are going to are fairly small (except Rome) and there are plenty of bars and clubs that cater for under 18s - mostly in the centre. These cities are all safe and 16 year olds should not be able to get into too much trouble...(except maybe in Rome). Just because in the US under 18s don't go to bars doesn't mean that they shouldn't do so when in Europe (as they say when in Rome...) Alcohol is not so evil as you Americans think.

Bill

Peter - Do you have any specific recommendations? It would certainly be feasible to go to place that served alcohol, so long as there was a teen emphasis. <BR>I was 16 myself once (*grin*), and had an experience or two with alcohol. No it's not evil, but a drunk 15 or 16 year old is not a pretty sight. There will be a very strictly enforced no-alcohol rule for the boys, regardless of the laws of the countries they are in. Indeed, this will probably raise some eyebrows for host families in the Netherlands, who would no doubt think it perfectly normal to offer a beer to a 16-year-old. <BR> <BR>By the way, has anyone ever been to the famous old amusement park in Vienna? Is it worth it to take a group of 11 to 18 year olds?

frank

European dance clubs are not really a suitable venue for choirboys, unless as Elvira suggests the church can point out a "safe" one.They are mostly awash with exctasy.

Sjoerd

Nobody will force the boys to drink alcohol or buy XTC. By keeping these products away from young adults, you make them much more attractive to them and they will go out of their way to find them. Ask the host families where their children normally spend a Saturday evening and let them take the boys there.