teenage girl in Italy
Dec 30th, 2007, 05:53 AM
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teenage girl in Italy
Hi,
Looking for any advice. I want to take my 17 year old daughter to Italy this spring (neither of us has been there).
I assume that Rome is a must and I think that Venice would be amazing.
We will do some of the obvious tourist things, but we really won't want to spend the entire time going to museums, etc. Is there a third location that might make more sense than Florence? (Or is Florence a must?)
I was thinking that CT might be fun, and/or Pompeii, but not sure of the
logistics of getting around.
We will be flying from the east cost USA and will be there 8-10 days.
The other questions that I had was regarding package deals. It seems that Go-today has packages for flights and hotels cheaper than I can get just the flight for. I am not interested in "tours: but are there other packages that I should be checking out? Is there any reason not to use these?
One last question: any suggestions for things to do at night with a teenager? Given her age, long leisurely diners sampling the wine are out.
In London we went to a few plays, in Paris we went to the top of the Eiffel tower,and to a Cabaret show. As we don't speak Italian I am not sure what sort of evening activities might be fun for us.
Thanks for any help.
Looking for any advice. I want to take my 17 year old daughter to Italy this spring (neither of us has been there).
I assume that Rome is a must and I think that Venice would be amazing.
We will do some of the obvious tourist things, but we really won't want to spend the entire time going to museums, etc. Is there a third location that might make more sense than Florence? (Or is Florence a must?)
I was thinking that CT might be fun, and/or Pompeii, but not sure of the
logistics of getting around.
We will be flying from the east cost USA and will be there 8-10 days.
The other questions that I had was regarding package deals. It seems that Go-today has packages for flights and hotels cheaper than I can get just the flight for. I am not interested in "tours: but are there other packages that I should be checking out? Is there any reason not to use these?
One last question: any suggestions for things to do at night with a teenager? Given her age, long leisurely diners sampling the wine are out.
In London we went to a few plays, in Paris we went to the top of the Eiffel tower,and to a Cabaret show. As we don't speak Italian I am not sure what sort of evening activities might be fun for us.
Thanks for any help.
Dec 30th, 2007, 06:17 AM
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Long, leisurely dinners are *not* out for a 17-year-old in Italy. Whether she samples the wine or not is up to you, but there is no law in Italy forbidding her to do so.
You might look into concerts as an evening possibility. The Venice tourist office publishes a monthly guide in which concerts are listed.
Be aware that many flight/hotel packages put you in hotels that are inconveniently located outside the city center.
You might look into concerts as an evening possibility. The Venice tourist office publishes a monthly guide in which concerts are listed.
Be aware that many flight/hotel packages put you in hotels that are inconveniently located outside the city center.
Dec 30th, 2007, 06:27 AM
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Rome and Venice are a definite as far as I'm concerned for a young girl's firt time in Italy. My teens have also liked the addition of either a smaller city or somewhere where we can do non-city things like biking, hiking, swimming. I haven't been to the CT but from what I know it would fit the bill for us as a 3rd stop.
Regarding the what to do at night thing - unless you are personally opposed to your daughter drinking alcohol there is no reason that you can't have a long leisurely dinner with some wine. Sampling the wine in Italy is one of our favorite things to do. We even went to a vineyard and did winetasting there when my kids were 10 & 13 (obviously they only had a few sips). We were in Italy again this last year with my 17 year old son and we always had a bottle of wine at night for the 3 of us. He is a "foodie" as well though and enjoys all Italian cuisine so the wine is truly just part of the dinner and the overall feeling for wherever we are. We talk about how the wine pairs with the local cuisine and my son can stay sitting at the table longer than my husband! Since we were going to dinner very late (the good places don't open till 7:30 or even 8:00) we would usually nap/rest after a long day of walking & sightseeing, then get up to go to dinner. We'd finish late enough for us to be able to stroll back to the hotel, read and go to bed. Didn't feel a need to stay up any longer so we didn't look into any other nighttime activities.
One other thing - learning just a little Italian (get tapes to put in your car) before your trip can be a very rewarding experience. I think you can get by in Italy with English but it is much nicer for us to try at least a little Italian.
Regarding the what to do at night thing - unless you are personally opposed to your daughter drinking alcohol there is no reason that you can't have a long leisurely dinner with some wine. Sampling the wine in Italy is one of our favorite things to do. We even went to a vineyard and did winetasting there when my kids were 10 & 13 (obviously they only had a few sips). We were in Italy again this last year with my 17 year old son and we always had a bottle of wine at night for the 3 of us. He is a "foodie" as well though and enjoys all Italian cuisine so the wine is truly just part of the dinner and the overall feeling for wherever we are. We talk about how the wine pairs with the local cuisine and my son can stay sitting at the table longer than my husband! Since we were going to dinner very late (the good places don't open till 7:30 or even 8:00) we would usually nap/rest after a long day of walking & sightseeing, then get up to go to dinner. We'd finish late enough for us to be able to stroll back to the hotel, read and go to bed. Didn't feel a need to stay up any longer so we didn't look into any other nighttime activities.
One other thing - learning just a little Italian (get tapes to put in your car) before your trip can be a very rewarding experience. I think you can get by in Italy with English but it is much nicer for us to try at least a little Italian.
Dec 30th, 2007, 06:45 AM
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I would split 8 to 10 days between Rome and Italy. Florence is certainly the other obvious stop but if you aren't especially interested in art museums and architecture it's not obligatory.
Pompeii is a long day trip from Rome. Ostia Antica, the old port city, is a much more convenient day trip and very interesting.
My husband and I spent 8 nights (7 1/2 days) in Rome with our then 16 year old son in February. He had a strong interest in Roman history, much less in the art museums and churches. He found that he really enjoyed the piazzas in the central part of Rome (Piazza Navonna, Piazza della Rotunda, Campo de' Fiori). We walked back to them most days at different times of day. I think you will find that your daughter will enjoy the street scene at these piazzas, the Trevi Fountain, etc in the evenings after dinner (which is late). Seeing the Forum and other sights illuminated at night is also quite spectacular
Pompeii is a long day trip from Rome. Ostia Antica, the old port city, is a much more convenient day trip and very interesting.
My husband and I spent 8 nights (7 1/2 days) in Rome with our then 16 year old son in February. He had a strong interest in Roman history, much less in the art museums and churches. He found that he really enjoyed the piazzas in the central part of Rome (Piazza Navonna, Piazza della Rotunda, Campo de' Fiori). We walked back to them most days at different times of day. I think you will find that your daughter will enjoy the street scene at these piazzas, the Trevi Fountain, etc in the evenings after dinner (which is late). Seeing the Forum and other sights illuminated at night is also quite spectacular
Dec 30th, 2007, 07:11 AM
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8-10 days isn't very much time; many people would say limit yourself to 2 stops, maybe 3 or 4 days in Venice, the rest in Rome. Unless you're traveling really long distances, use the train to get between cities. And consider open jaw tickets, flying into Venice and out of Rome -- to save time and money backtracking.
I agree that the Cinque Terre would make a good third stop. Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast would be good also, but really need more days to appreciate. You can train from Venice to the CT and from the CT to Rome. (These are longish trips though.)
For a shorter trip to a third stop, you could spend a couple days on one of the Italian lakes, like Garda or Como. But they are less suited to young people.
I agree that the Cinque Terre would make a good third stop. Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast would be good also, but really need more days to appreciate. You can train from Venice to the CT and from the CT to Rome. (These are longish trips though.)
For a shorter trip to a third stop, you could spend a couple days on one of the Italian lakes, like Garda or Como. But they are less suited to young people.
Dec 30th, 2007, 07:19 AM
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Hi-
How long is the train trip from place to place?
Would it make more sense to just do Venice or Rome and one of the side trips?
I don't want to spend my whole time on a train- but don't know when I will get back with my daughter either. My guess is that if/when we get back, it would not be with each other- so I would really like to make it a funa nd memorable trip.
How long is the train trip from place to place?
Would it make more sense to just do Venice or Rome and one of the side trips?
I don't want to spend my whole time on a train- but don't know when I will get back with my daughter either. My guess is that if/when we get back, it would not be with each other- so I would really like to make it a funa nd memorable trip.
Dec 30th, 2007, 07:45 AM
#8
With 8-10 days, I would just go to Rome and Venice. There is certainly enough to do between those two cities (and going less places makes hotels, trains, etc. that much easier). Book you plane ticket 'open jaw' into one city and out of the other. I think the train ride if ~5 hours or so?
In Venice I loved www.lacalcina.com
In Venice I loved www.lacalcina.com
Dec 30th, 2007, 07:51 AM
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For train schedules for all Europe the German site is most useful; here's the English version: www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml. You can also look at www.trenitalia.it, the Italian train site.
The train trip across northern Italy from Venice to the Cinque Terre takes 6+ hours . And it's 4.5 hours from the CT to Rome. Ditto for Venice to Rome. I personally love riding trains in Europe. The seats are comfortable and spacious, the windows are big, and the scenery flows by. Plus the toilet is at the end of the car.
If you decide to take the train, there are excellent detailed instructions on the Slow Travel site at www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/index.htm.
The train trip across northern Italy from Venice to the Cinque Terre takes 6+ hours . And it's 4.5 hours from the CT to Rome. Ditto for Venice to Rome. I personally love riding trains in Europe. The seats are comfortable and spacious, the windows are big, and the scenery flows by. Plus the toilet is at the end of the car.
If you decide to take the train, there are excellent detailed instructions on the Slow Travel site at www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/index.htm.
Dec 30th, 2007, 08:03 AM
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I think for 8-10 days I would only do two spots. 5-6 days in Rome and 3-4 days in Venice would be heaven. You could easily stop off in Florence as well as we had to change trains there between Venice and Rome when we went.
For Rome we love the area around Campo di Fiori and Pantheon...they are both close to everything and you can reach most sites by foot. We stayed in an apartment for 7 so I cant really help you there.
In Venice we stayed in the affordable Hotel Galleria http://www.hotelgalleria.it/ and found the location perfect.
Best of luck! Sounds like a fantastic trip!
For Rome we love the area around Campo di Fiori and Pantheon...they are both close to everything and you can reach most sites by foot. We stayed in an apartment for 7 so I cant really help you there.
In Venice we stayed in the affordable Hotel Galleria http://www.hotelgalleria.it/ and found the location perfect.
Best of luck! Sounds like a fantastic trip!
Dec 30th, 2007, 08:27 AM
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We rented an apartment in the old Jewish ghetto neighborhood which is very centrally located. (If you have a map look for the area to the north of the Isola Tiberina. Piazza Mattei and Teatro di Marcello are sites that are usually marked).
This was a great location for us because it was near all of the major piazzas, a short walk to the Forum and just across the river from Trastevere, another neighborhood we enjoyed exploring. None of us cared too much about being near the major shopping streets and one walk up to that area/Spanish steps was enough for us. Our apartment was also near the Area Sacra dell' Argentina which has a cat sanctuary your daughter might enjoy seeing. Our family always stopped there to see how many cats we could count among the ruins.
Staying in a good central location will make your time in Rome and Venice much more enjoyable. They are both wonderful cities for walking and it is nice to be able to explore right outside your door. Although the tour companies can offer great price deals I would check to see where the hotels they use are located
Trying to think of other things that worked well for our family...I agree with Atltravelr that learning some basic Italian makes the trip more enjoyable. Carrying a phrase book is also helpful although my problem is that I learn the questions then have trouble understanding the answers.
Our son is far from a "foodie" (picky eater is more like it) so the more we knew about and could explain local specialties in advance the better. He did find plenty to eat--chicken, steak, lamb in addition to pizza and of course gelato, and he definitely enjoyed fairly informal trattoria more than fancier restaurants. He surprised himself by becoming quite addicted to fried artichokes
Our son had read Angels and Demons which is a good light intro to some of Rome's major sights. I could not persuade him to read I Claudius, my all time favorite historical novel or even watch the excellent BBC series. His older brother really liked both in high school and if your daughter is willing to try them they are a great source of information on ancient Rome.
This was a great location for us because it was near all of the major piazzas, a short walk to the Forum and just across the river from Trastevere, another neighborhood we enjoyed exploring. None of us cared too much about being near the major shopping streets and one walk up to that area/Spanish steps was enough for us. Our apartment was also near the Area Sacra dell' Argentina which has a cat sanctuary your daughter might enjoy seeing. Our family always stopped there to see how many cats we could count among the ruins.
Staying in a good central location will make your time in Rome and Venice much more enjoyable. They are both wonderful cities for walking and it is nice to be able to explore right outside your door. Although the tour companies can offer great price deals I would check to see where the hotels they use are located
Trying to think of other things that worked well for our family...I agree with Atltravelr that learning some basic Italian makes the trip more enjoyable. Carrying a phrase book is also helpful although my problem is that I learn the questions then have trouble understanding the answers.
Our son is far from a "foodie" (picky eater is more like it) so the more we knew about and could explain local specialties in advance the better. He did find plenty to eat--chicken, steak, lamb in addition to pizza and of course gelato, and he definitely enjoyed fairly informal trattoria more than fancier restaurants. He surprised himself by becoming quite addicted to fried artichokes
Our son had read Angels and Demons which is a good light intro to some of Rome's major sights. I could not persuade him to read I Claudius, my all time favorite historical novel or even watch the excellent BBC series. His older brother really liked both in high school and if your daughter is willing to try them they are a great source of information on ancient Rome.
Dec 30th, 2007, 08:42 AM
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"Given her age, long leisurely diners sampling the wine are out."
I agree that you might be mistaken about this. Our teens (like us) are usually tired from all the walking and activity during the day, so that nothing sounds better than a long leisurely dinner. After our daily activities, a shower and relaxing hour in the hotel is just what we need, and then a late Dinner. by the time we're done, we're all ready to collapse into bed...
btw, I think Florence is a must. My teenage daughter LOVES Florence -- mostly for the food and the shopping opportunties. Plus there is DAVID, which in my opinion, is a must see on a trip to Italy.
I think Venice, Florence, and rome would be perfect and easy to travel between by train. I would split the time between those three places on a first visit to Italy.
have fun!
dina
I agree that you might be mistaken about this. Our teens (like us) are usually tired from all the walking and activity during the day, so that nothing sounds better than a long leisurely dinner. After our daily activities, a shower and relaxing hour in the hotel is just what we need, and then a late Dinner. by the time we're done, we're all ready to collapse into bed...
btw, I think Florence is a must. My teenage daughter LOVES Florence -- mostly for the food and the shopping opportunties. Plus there is DAVID, which in my opinion, is a must see on a trip to Italy.
I think Venice, Florence, and rome would be perfect and easy to travel between by train. I would split the time between those three places on a first visit to Italy.
have fun!
dina
Dec 30th, 2007, 09:08 AM
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One thing that worked well for us traveling with teens in Rome was to take a break from sightseeing around 5:00. We'd have wine, some bread and cheese then take showers, nap, and/or play cards.
By the time we went out for dinner (9:00 or so) we were all wide awake and ready to enjoy the evening.
Have a great trip!
By the time we went out for dinner (9:00 or so) we were all wide awake and ready to enjoy the evening.
Have a great trip!
Dec 30th, 2007, 09:17 AM
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Hi C,
>We will be flying from the east cost USA and will be there 8-10 days.
Just perfect for: Fly into Venice - 3 nights, train to Florence - 2 nights, train to Rome- 4 nights.
You could do a day in Florence on your way to Rome. There is luggage storage at the train station.
>Go-today has packages for flights and hotels cheaper than I can get just the flight for.
Have you checked www.kayak.com and www.1800flyeurope.com?
Enjoy your visit
>We will be flying from the east cost USA and will be there 8-10 days.
Just perfect for: Fly into Venice - 3 nights, train to Florence - 2 nights, train to Rome- 4 nights.
You could do a day in Florence on your way to Rome. There is luggage storage at the train station.
>Go-today has packages for flights and hotels cheaper than I can get just the flight for.
Have you checked www.kayak.com and www.1800flyeurope.com?
Enjoy your visit
Dec 30th, 2007, 10:27 AM
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Anyone else care to post their teens favorite places/things to do while in Italy?
My daughter is a good traveler, but I know that she will only be able to handle so many museums.
I know that there will be many shopping opportunities, which will make her happy- but I am looking for thoughts on places that might be less obvious that your teens enjoyed.
Thanks
My daughter is a good traveler, but I know that she will only be able to handle so many museums.
I know that there will be many shopping opportunities, which will make her happy- but I am looking for thoughts on places that might be less obvious that your teens enjoyed.
Thanks
Dec 30th, 2007, 05:43 PM
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I am hoping to figure this out this weekend- (New Years holiday,lots of time off, etc.)
As we will be traveling in a school vacation week (April, over Presidents day), I can only imagine that prime places are filling up fast- so please share what your teens loved about Italy: hotels, restaurants, sites, etc.
I have been very happy with input thus far, but any additional ideas will be appreciated!
As we will be traveling in a school vacation week (April, over Presidents day), I can only imagine that prime places are filling up fast- so please share what your teens loved about Italy: hotels, restaurants, sites, etc.
I have been very happy with input thus far, but any additional ideas will be appreciated!
Dec 31st, 2007, 08:45 AM
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You're probably not getting a lot of teenager-specific recommendations because no one can think of any. Rome, at least, isn't that sort of place. But BELIEVE me she will not be bored and she will not tire of the museums, great churches, ruins, etc.
We did hear one whining Long Island-ish teenager in Rome bugging her parents for an expensive purse (which they did hand over the creidt card for LOL) during lunch, and making them all clearly miserable, but really that was the exception.
For 8 - 10 days, you probably only want to do two places at most. I'd choose either Rome or Florence (I'd prefer Rome for first trip) and Venice maybe.
Of course you want to see the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, St Peters. That's practically a whole day right there.
The churches around Piazza Navona are fabulous, as are, of course, the Pantheon, the fountains (!), and the Capitoline and Borghese museums.
If she has time, see if she'd be interested in reading "The Agony and The Ecstasy" before going - it really made a lot come to life for my kids.
Perhaps booking a small tour of some place would be fun - my kids enjoyed both the Context Rome tours we took. They are pricey but max 6 people. Check out their offerings here:
http://rome.contexttravel.com/main/home/
Most of the local teenagers that I saw in Rome were hanging around the piazzas at night drinking and flirting. (Few actually live in the historic center of course, so they come in from the surrounding areas at night.) I'm not sure I'd exactly recommend that for a tourist teen though...
We did hear one whining Long Island-ish teenager in Rome bugging her parents for an expensive purse (which they did hand over the creidt card for LOL) during lunch, and making them all clearly miserable, but really that was the exception.
For 8 - 10 days, you probably only want to do two places at most. I'd choose either Rome or Florence (I'd prefer Rome for first trip) and Venice maybe.
Of course you want to see the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, St Peters. That's practically a whole day right there.
The churches around Piazza Navona are fabulous, as are, of course, the Pantheon, the fountains (!), and the Capitoline and Borghese museums.
If she has time, see if she'd be interested in reading "The Agony and The Ecstasy" before going - it really made a lot come to life for my kids.
Perhaps booking a small tour of some place would be fun - my kids enjoyed both the Context Rome tours we took. They are pricey but max 6 people. Check out their offerings here:
http://rome.contexttravel.com/main/home/
Most of the local teenagers that I saw in Rome were hanging around the piazzas at night drinking and flirting. (Few actually live in the historic center of course, so they come in from the surrounding areas at night.) I'm not sure I'd exactly recommend that for a tourist teen though...
Dec 31st, 2007, 08:49 AM
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Have you decided that you are only doing Rome & Venice? If so, my teens favorites were:
Eating - lots of gelato, every day twice a day. Again, for us, food is an important part of the Italian trip so lunches and dinners were often a big part of our day. If I were going alone with just my daughter now one thing we'd love to do is a cooking class somewhere or a "market tour". Don't know if that is something you would be interested in but I know another mom who did this with her 18 year old daughter and they loved it.
Rome Sites - rent Gladiator if you haven't seen it recently and then, of course, go see the Colesseum. It is really pretty cool to see something that big right in the middle of the city. We also like climbing things so climbing to the top of St. Peters was a must. We went early, walking from our hotel near Trevi Fountain. It was a beautiful and peaceful walk and we were especially glad we had gone early when we decended from the top to the mobs of people (it was summer). The Vatican museum was overload for us, except for the Sistine Chapel. We enjoyed the Trastavere neighborhood for dinner and night walk but not sure if it will be warm enough where all the restaurants have their tables and food out for display.
Venice - riding the Vaparetto - I know that sounds obvious but we did do the "get off at a random stop" thing and walk around one of the non-central parts, can't even tell you where it was. Again, because it was summer and so mobbed we felt quite local to get away from the center. Venice was just cool to both of us and for my daughter and her friend when they returned post HS graduation. It was their favorite city. Again, being big on movies pre-trip, I'd rent The Talented Mr. Ripley.
If you are still looking for another stop, we did go to the Dolomite region which was beautiful, but I think it might be too cold in April. I'd still suggest one non-city place for a 3rd stop even with only 9 days - we were in Tuscany this past summer with my 17 year old son. We stayed in Lucca which is a very cool walled city, fun to walk around. My son definitely likes the smaller places over Rome.
One thing - I don't plan my days very much beforehand - with the exception of something like the above mentioned cooking class. I know that there are LOTS of things to see and do in Rome & Venice. I get our general itinerary in terms of where we are staying for the night and how we will get there. I do about 90% of this planning with only some input from other family members (i.e. my teens). Once we are there, however, EVERYONE seems to have an opinion about things to do and see. My daughter takes over the tour book (and the map) and we end up doing top tourist sites and other smaller things that others might skip. This is how we ended up seeing The Ice Man in Bolzano - on our way from the Dolomites to Lake Como. It is something we all still talk about. Guess what I'm saying is that once your daughter is actually IN Italy she'll have no trouble finding things she (and you) would like to do.
Eating - lots of gelato, every day twice a day. Again, for us, food is an important part of the Italian trip so lunches and dinners were often a big part of our day. If I were going alone with just my daughter now one thing we'd love to do is a cooking class somewhere or a "market tour". Don't know if that is something you would be interested in but I know another mom who did this with her 18 year old daughter and they loved it.
Rome Sites - rent Gladiator if you haven't seen it recently and then, of course, go see the Colesseum. It is really pretty cool to see something that big right in the middle of the city. We also like climbing things so climbing to the top of St. Peters was a must. We went early, walking from our hotel near Trevi Fountain. It was a beautiful and peaceful walk and we were especially glad we had gone early when we decended from the top to the mobs of people (it was summer). The Vatican museum was overload for us, except for the Sistine Chapel. We enjoyed the Trastavere neighborhood for dinner and night walk but not sure if it will be warm enough where all the restaurants have their tables and food out for display.
Venice - riding the Vaparetto - I know that sounds obvious but we did do the "get off at a random stop" thing and walk around one of the non-central parts, can't even tell you where it was. Again, because it was summer and so mobbed we felt quite local to get away from the center. Venice was just cool to both of us and for my daughter and her friend when they returned post HS graduation. It was their favorite city. Again, being big on movies pre-trip, I'd rent The Talented Mr. Ripley.
If you are still looking for another stop, we did go to the Dolomite region which was beautiful, but I think it might be too cold in April. I'd still suggest one non-city place for a 3rd stop even with only 9 days - we were in Tuscany this past summer with my 17 year old son. We stayed in Lucca which is a very cool walled city, fun to walk around. My son definitely likes the smaller places over Rome.
One thing - I don't plan my days very much beforehand - with the exception of something like the above mentioned cooking class. I know that there are LOTS of things to see and do in Rome & Venice. I get our general itinerary in terms of where we are staying for the night and how we will get there. I do about 90% of this planning with only some input from other family members (i.e. my teens). Once we are there, however, EVERYONE seems to have an opinion about things to do and see. My daughter takes over the tour book (and the map) and we end up doing top tourist sites and other smaller things that others might skip. This is how we ended up seeing The Ice Man in Bolzano - on our way from the Dolomites to Lake Como. It is something we all still talk about. Guess what I'm saying is that once your daughter is actually IN Italy she'll have no trouble finding things she (and you) would like to do.
