kdkahn

Hi --

Newbie to the site, it was highly recommended by a well-travelled friend. Advice needed. My wife and I travelling with our daughters (13 and 16): 3 days in Rome, a week in a villa 20 minutes south of Siena and 4 days at hotel on Lake Como. Day (or multi-day) trips proposed include Siena, Florence, Cinque Terre, Bologna, and Venezia. It's a bit overwhelming but any advice on which towns teens seem to enjoy most (and what about them) would be greatly appreciated. We are travelling July 16 - August 1.

Michel_Paris

For visibility (and since there is no Italy forum here), I'd repost with Italy in the title.

kdkahn

Thanks! Great tip to someone new.

LJ

Towns with universities are good for starters: they usually have an area with cool stores, eateries geared to young people and so forth. Simply find the university on your map.Try Perugia as an add on but you have many of the sites covered already with Florence, Bologna and Venice all overflowing with students.Siena attracts a lot of young people to the central piazza. In Rome, youth especially love the Spanish Steps, Trastevere and the Trevi Fountain. (Remember what may seem trite to you is novel to them.)

If they are shoppers, there is lots of advice available, but I will leave it to others.

A tip from one who spent some time squiring groups of teens around Italy ( DH and I taught college there), get them involved in the planning process: try Lonely Plant and Rough Guide travel books from the library for the cities you are going to to inspire them: have a wonderful time.

kdkahn

Thank you! Good tip on the books -- I have been trying to involve them -- the white board and map where everyone can add their ideas has seen some activity, but as we get closer, I want them to be a little more specific -- particularly as they've been warned that they have to plan days and half days and we have to do what THEY want. I'll head to the library tomorrow!

annhig

hi, kdk,

having travelled with one teen gitl and one teen boy, whatever they like doing, you can guarentee that the girls will like shoppng and eating gelato.

You and they will have a much better time if you just accept this and go with the flow!

Also try to intersperce trips with a bit of R & R/exercise. one gallery/museum can look awfully like another after a while.

regards, ann

kdkahn

Thank you, Ann. Sounds like words of wisdom all around. I'm already mentally prepared on the shopping and gelato front. Perhaps I should bring clothing a size larger than usual for the end of the trip.

Ken