mucka

My Husband and I would like to venture to Italy for around 7-8days after Christmas with our 13 and 15 year old daughters. The girls are very keen to spend time in Rome and obviously I would like a trip to Florence and Venice. We are based in London for 10 weeks so wondering how we would best achieve a visit to Italy - Tour or train it???? But where would we stay and for how long.

Rhea58

Why not one of the inexpensive
European airlines such as Ryan
to Rome for about $42 rd-trip per
person? Then you can take the
train north to Florence & Venice.

mucka

Thanks for that - I will look into it. Any suggestions on how long to spend in each place or what places other than Rome?? Accommodation??? What suggestions do you have for tourist attractions.

Rhea58

You are doing yourself a disservice by alloting 7-8 days for these 3
cities which require more time.

I see you are new here so do a search for these 3. And, further down a respondee has posted books
that your daughters might read
prior to this trip.

By engaging them in this process
you will have a better fix on
what they wish to see thereby ensuring a more enjoyable trip.

ira

Hi M,

>Italy for around 7-8days after Christmas with our 13 and 15 year old daughters.

I suggest Rome - 4 nights - and 3 nights in Florence. You don't have enough time for 3 cities.

See www.whichbudget.com for discount flights between London and Italian cities.

See www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html for train schedules and tickets in Italy.

Enjoy your visit.

suze

Why not go to Rome for the whole week? Rent an apartment there. Take a day trip or two.

7 days is too short to see all 3 cities imo.

Perhaps if you could fly into Rome, train to Venice, fly home from Venice, might be a way to fit in 2 cities?

I would even suggest just going to Venice and Florence, but it seems from your post Rome is the girls' first priority?

Vttraveler

I agree with others that trying to do all of the "big three" Italian cities in such a short time is a mistake. I would rent an apartment in Rome for the whole week or split the time between Rome and Florence. Many people consider Florence a reasonable day trip from Rome but IMO it is too far and has too much to see for a satisfying one-day trip.

Our 16 year old son had been wanting to go to Rome for several years, mostly because of an interest in ancient Roman history. we finally took a week-long trip with him in late February/early March of this year. We rented an apartment in the ghetto neighborhood. My husband and I had both been to Rome before for about 4 days per trip and enjoyed this longer stay in a centrally located apartment very much. There are lots of good day trips from Rome but we found we didn't want to leave the city and took only a half day trip to Ostia Antica.

dickensdad

On our first trip to Italy, we spent 10 days in Rome, and we are spending part of our March 08 trip in Rome as well. Seven days would be a reasonable amount of time to spend in Rome. You could also do a day trip to Pompeii.

Nick4

I am one of those who want to see as much as I can at a comfortable pace, but don't have the time or budget to hang around anywhere too long. Just got back from 18 days in Italy with mostly 2-3 days per stop and thought it was great.

Three days in Rome was enough, two in Florence plenty (I'm more into history than art) and 2 1/2 in Venice was perfect for me. I also had stops in between. While the train connections are pretty good, you need to consider the time getting between these cities- with packing, getting to the station, waiting for trains, etc. it could be tight.

nytraveler

I would definitely not reco a tour with 2 teens - or for any family for that matter with such a simple itinerary.

You should search out low cost airlines into Rome and back out of Florence with train in between. Very simple to reorganize - and you'll do more of what you want for less money doing it yourself.

bigtyke

If you have any sort of experience travelling, then I would go solo. Tours cost at least twice as much as you going on your own.

My sister and I did Rome, Florence and Venice in a week - not the ideal, but not impossible to enjoy.

mucka

Thanks Nick4
Interested in what you saw and how long. I spent 10 weeks last year with my girls just in London - they were able to move very quickly and I could easily judge from their faces (with audios in) when it wasnt a good time to say hurry up!!! Last year we discovered that the girls needed more time at some Museums than we anticipated but isnt life about our kids!!! In fact my holiday to Italy will be completely different when the kids have left home but at this stage we will try and get them to the places they are learning about every day. Thanks for everyone's comments@!! I am keen for the 4 days in Rome and the 3 days in Venice - Should I change to Florence??????

jabez

What Ira said.

Mimar

No, mucka, stick with Rome and Venice. Your daughters will enjoy Venice more than Florence unless they're big fans of Renaissance art and architecture. Kids are fascinated by the canals and bridges and waterbusses and gondolas, etc.

Since you're coming from London, you don't need to allow for jetlag and can be more efficient in your time in Rome. (Though Nick4's 3 days would only skim the surface of all there is to see and do there.)

Nick4

Sorrento 2 days
-Pompeii and Naples Arch. Museum
-Amalfi Coast
Rome 3 1/2 days
-Vatican
-Colosseum/Forum area
-Walking tour of Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi, Spanish Steps, etc.
3 days driving through Tuscany
Siena 2 days
Florence 2 days
Cinque Terre 2 days
Venice 2 1/2 days
-1/2 day around St. Mark's
-1 day lost east of the Grand Canal
-1 day lost west of the Grand Canal, loved it.
This was a good pace for me; though last year when I went to Paris and the Swiss/German Alps, I wish I had spent one more day everywhere I went.

mucka

I am so impressed with everyone's comments - thank you!!

Now where am I staying in Rome with 2 Adults and 2 children for 4 nights!! We have learnt that we cant all stay in a room with just two double beds - we did that last year in Paris and Dublin - we are all lucky to be alive!!

We were planning to arrive either Boxing Day or the next day. Would prefer a 3-star accommodation or above.