Trip to Rome All Helpful Hints Appreciated
Feb 23rd, 2004, 06:52 AM
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Trip to Rome All Helpful Hints Appreciated
Message: Hi, our daughter's countdown to Rome is 21 days,I have so many questions and am looking for some answers..
Some tend to be very simple but hard to find. I've never been so it's difficult to know what to expect.
She is gone for 10 days, 2 continental meals a day for 8 days are included.
How much spending money (and enough for some small trinkets) do you think she'll need per day? Tours are already paid for.
Is it better to convert in Canada or wait till she gets there?
Is bottled water available there and if so any idea on how much it costs?
Is there anything over there that is a steal of a deal and a must buy? Leather, glass, gold?
Are internet cafes readily available, do hotels offer computer services and if so the cost.
What is the best way to communicate?
Recommended phone cards?
She is going to Rome, Florence, Pisa, Venice and Assisi... is there anything that may not be on the regular tour she should be looking for or are must sees.
Never being there myself, I feel a bit like a fish out of water and lost that I can't advise her.
SHe is 14 and going with a group from her school.
Thank you to all in advance for your help.
Author: barbmike
Date: 02/22/2004, 11:40 pm
Message: Good Evening, is your daughter going with an ORGANIZED group tour that is being sponsored by the school? If so, the tour group should be able to answer many of your questions. If not, who is she actually going with? Mike
Author: klc777 ([email protected])
Date: 02/23/2004, 12:15 am
Message: Hi Mike, thanks for the quick response. She is going with EF Tours. I'm sure she'll have lots of help when she gets there but it's trying to prepare her before she leaves. Any advise you can offer would be appreciated.
Thanks
Author: SalB
Date: 02/23/2004, 12:35 am
Message: Former teacher here: The school and tour company should have given you most of this information. You might call the sponsoring group at school and see if they have brochures or guidelines to help you.
I've been in Italy but not Rome. We're going to Rome next month. You will have no trouble finding bottled water, but the tap water is probably safer there than in the U.S.
http://www.cybercafe.com is a web site listing all the cybercafes in the world (their ad!). You should be able to check on web access there. If she knows the name of her hotel, you could call or e-mail and see if they have Internet access.
She'll have a great time, but call the school and see if they have information for you.
Good luck.
Author: barbmike
Date: 02/23/2004, 01:08 am
Message: I agree with everything SalB stated in her reply. I would suggest that you "top" this thread in the morning so people on the East Coast can properly reply. Good Night!!! Mike
Author: kybourbon
Date: 02/23/2004, 08:28 am
Message: What to expect with EF - Usually their hotels are far away(sometimes as much as an hour) from the city centers without easy transportation. Meals - breakfast will be croissant and corn flakes while dinner will be a mixture of hotel dining room and one or two restaurant meals. Lunch will be in tourist areas and pricey as a result.Only water is included with dinner. Luckily she is traveling in March and may get to stay in better/closer hotels than EF would normally use since it will be off season. EF recommends $30 -$50 a day spending money.
The kids don't like the meals and usually end up buying other food. Lots of the kids will go out to discos at night and that can add $$$. (Yes a 14 year old can get in the clubs and drink)
Water - There are fountains everywhere so bottled water isn't necessary but can be purchased for anywhere from 1 euro at a grocery to 3 euro in a tourist area. Most will just carry a bottle and refill it when they see fountains.
Leather and glass demonstrations - don't buy where you are taken by the tour company as these prices will be very high. Usually tour guides get a percent of the $ that group spends from the stores that do demos. You get better prices if you wander off the main squares.
There are internet cafes everywhere and some hotels make it available. Internet is the better way to keep in touch because of the time difference. Cost is anywhere about 1 euro for 15 minutes to 5-7 euro for an hour.
EF and Explorica are the low end/budget student tour companies with ACIS and NETC being the top and CHA in the middle.
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Some tend to be very simple but hard to find. I've never been so it's difficult to know what to expect.
She is gone for 10 days, 2 continental meals a day for 8 days are included.
How much spending money (and enough for some small trinkets) do you think she'll need per day? Tours are already paid for.
Is it better to convert in Canada or wait till she gets there?
Is bottled water available there and if so any idea on how much it costs?
Is there anything over there that is a steal of a deal and a must buy? Leather, glass, gold?
Are internet cafes readily available, do hotels offer computer services and if so the cost.
What is the best way to communicate?
Recommended phone cards?
She is going to Rome, Florence, Pisa, Venice and Assisi... is there anything that may not be on the regular tour she should be looking for or are must sees.
Never being there myself, I feel a bit like a fish out of water and lost that I can't advise her.
SHe is 14 and going with a group from her school.
Thank you to all in advance for your help.
Author: barbmike
Date: 02/22/2004, 11:40 pm
Message: Good Evening, is your daughter going with an ORGANIZED group tour that is being sponsored by the school? If so, the tour group should be able to answer many of your questions. If not, who is she actually going with? Mike
Author: klc777 ([email protected])
Date: 02/23/2004, 12:15 am
Message: Hi Mike, thanks for the quick response. She is going with EF Tours. I'm sure she'll have lots of help when she gets there but it's trying to prepare her before she leaves. Any advise you can offer would be appreciated.
Thanks
Author: SalB
Date: 02/23/2004, 12:35 am
Message: Former teacher here: The school and tour company should have given you most of this information. You might call the sponsoring group at school and see if they have brochures or guidelines to help you.
I've been in Italy but not Rome. We're going to Rome next month. You will have no trouble finding bottled water, but the tap water is probably safer there than in the U.S.
http://www.cybercafe.com is a web site listing all the cybercafes in the world (their ad!). You should be able to check on web access there. If she knows the name of her hotel, you could call or e-mail and see if they have Internet access.
She'll have a great time, but call the school and see if they have information for you.
Good luck.
Author: barbmike
Date: 02/23/2004, 01:08 am
Message: I agree with everything SalB stated in her reply. I would suggest that you "top" this thread in the morning so people on the East Coast can properly reply. Good Night!!! Mike
Author: kybourbon
Date: 02/23/2004, 08:28 am
Message: What to expect with EF - Usually their hotels are far away(sometimes as much as an hour) from the city centers without easy transportation. Meals - breakfast will be croissant and corn flakes while dinner will be a mixture of hotel dining room and one or two restaurant meals. Lunch will be in tourist areas and pricey as a result.Only water is included with dinner. Luckily she is traveling in March and may get to stay in better/closer hotels than EF would normally use since it will be off season. EF recommends $30 -$50 a day spending money.
The kids don't like the meals and usually end up buying other food. Lots of the kids will go out to discos at night and that can add $$$. (Yes a 14 year old can get in the clubs and drink)
Water - There are fountains everywhere so bottled water isn't necessary but can be purchased for anywhere from 1 euro at a grocery to 3 euro in a tourist area. Most will just carry a bottle and refill it when they see fountains.
Leather and glass demonstrations - don't buy where you are taken by the tour company as these prices will be very high. Usually tour guides get a percent of the $ that group spends from the stores that do demos. You get better prices if you wander off the main squares.
There are internet cafes everywhere and some hotels make it available. Internet is the better way to keep in touch because of the time difference. Cost is anywhere about 1 euro for 15 minutes to 5-7 euro for an hour.
EF and Explorica are the low end/budget student tour companies with ACIS and NETC being the top and CHA in the middle.
post a reply
Feb 23rd, 2004, 06:58 AM
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hi
this long thread on helpful info for Italy might be helpful
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443340
this long thread on helpful info for Italy might be helpful
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443340
Feb 23rd, 2004, 07:08 AM
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I don't know why the last poster hated EF so much. I went to Russia with them when I was 16 (school trip) in 1988 and had a great time! Maybe things have changed, but I've only heard good things about EF until Kybourbon's post.
I'd reccommend an extra 30-50 Euro a day. This is a good amount of cash to keep with her in case she wants to shop a bit. It is reasonable.
Everyone here drinks bottled water. They do so because they believe their pipes are very old and don't trust them. I drink water from the tap in America, but not here in Italy. I believe this to be true too.
She should convert at least half her money while in Canada. It's not fun to have to pay high commission charges or to be desperate for cash and no where to change it. Actually I'd change 3/4 of the money before leaving. One less stress when you're travelling. She's only 14, so it's better to have her prepared before leaving.
The rest of your questions seem to be answered already by the rest of the people. Hotels have internet and there are a few internet cafes too. It cost anywhere from 2-4 Euro for 15 minutes.
Please tell her to pack some clothes in her carry on! When I went to Russia, my bags went to Finland! I never saw them the whole time I was away.
Wear comfortable tennis shoes. All the kids wear them here too, but these cobblestone streets can be murder on your feet.
Don't worry about the tour not showing her enough. They really do a fine job of showing kids the local areas and they will see all the big sites. You'll be happy you sent her!
Ciao,
Melissa
I'd reccommend an extra 30-50 Euro a day. This is a good amount of cash to keep with her in case she wants to shop a bit. It is reasonable.
Everyone here drinks bottled water. They do so because they believe their pipes are very old and don't trust them. I drink water from the tap in America, but not here in Italy. I believe this to be true too.
She should convert at least half her money while in Canada. It's not fun to have to pay high commission charges or to be desperate for cash and no where to change it. Actually I'd change 3/4 of the money before leaving. One less stress when you're travelling. She's only 14, so it's better to have her prepared before leaving.
The rest of your questions seem to be answered already by the rest of the people. Hotels have internet and there are a few internet cafes too. It cost anywhere from 2-4 Euro for 15 minutes.
Please tell her to pack some clothes in her carry on! When I went to Russia, my bags went to Finland! I never saw them the whole time I was away.
Wear comfortable tennis shoes. All the kids wear them here too, but these cobblestone streets can be murder on your feet.
Don't worry about the tour not showing her enough. They really do a fine job of showing kids the local areas and they will see all the big sites. You'll be happy you sent her!
Ciao,
Melissa
Feb 23rd, 2004, 08:07 AM
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Hi klc,
Regarding money, I suggest that you open a bank account for your daughter and get her an ATM card. This way she won't have to carry more than about 100E and will get the best exchange rate when she needs money.
Having her own account will ensure that if her card is somehow stolen your bank account won't be compromised.
She can convert about 50E worth of currency at the departure airport so that she will have some cash on arrival.
She can purchase an international phone card in Italy. They are cheaper than those sold on this side of the Atlantic.
Considering the exchange rate, there are no major bargains at the moment, although dried porcini mushrooms are always a good buy.
Not knowing what will be on her tour, I can't tell you what else she should see, except that if she can, she should take the no 7 bus from the Florence train station up to Fiesole to watch the sun set over Florence. She can have gelato at the terrace of the Bar Blu, right on the main square. There are also pizzerias on the square as well.
Regarding money, I suggest that you open a bank account for your daughter and get her an ATM card. This way she won't have to carry more than about 100E and will get the best exchange rate when she needs money.
Having her own account will ensure that if her card is somehow stolen your bank account won't be compromised.
She can convert about 50E worth of currency at the departure airport so that she will have some cash on arrival.
She can purchase an international phone card in Italy. They are cheaper than those sold on this side of the Atlantic.
Considering the exchange rate, there are no major bargains at the moment, although dried porcini mushrooms are always a good buy.
Not knowing what will be on her tour, I can't tell you what else she should see, except that if she can, she should take the no 7 bus from the Florence train station up to Fiesole to watch the sun set over Florence. She can have gelato at the terrace of the Bar Blu, right on the main square. There are also pizzerias on the square as well.
Feb 23rd, 2004, 09:33 AM
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I agree with Ira re: the bank account and an ATM card. It is the most sensible way of dealing with money.
The Canadian $ has not been beaten up by the Euro as badly as the US $. Stick with the advice from Melissa on the extras,(and on food!) but I would agree that 30-50 Euro's per day (or $47-78 Cdn) is about right for extra meals, museum visits beyond the schedule, clubbing (see below), gifts etc.
Great deals to bring home? Marbled paper products from Florence, olive oil from Tuscany, inexpensive ceramic items like salad tongs, olive oil saucers.
I am don/teacher at a school for North American kids here in Italy and will give you one pice of advice from the perspective of a mother and an educator of teens. DO speak frankly with your daughter about alcohol before she leaves. She will be faced with the decision while here and she needs to know how you feel about her behaviour. Especially if you are not used to her having a glass of wine at home as Italian youngsters do, it is important that she is clear on your point of view. I will leave "the other" bigger topic to your discretion, but the kids who know how Mum and Dad feel explicitly deal better with both than those where the expectations remain unspoken.
And relax, Mum, this is a good company with a great track record and your daughter will come home with a new understanding of the world and, likely, the importance of family.
The Canadian $ has not been beaten up by the Euro as badly as the US $. Stick with the advice from Melissa on the extras,(and on food!) but I would agree that 30-50 Euro's per day (or $47-78 Cdn) is about right for extra meals, museum visits beyond the schedule, clubbing (see below), gifts etc.
Great deals to bring home? Marbled paper products from Florence, olive oil from Tuscany, inexpensive ceramic items like salad tongs, olive oil saucers.
I am don/teacher at a school for North American kids here in Italy and will give you one pice of advice from the perspective of a mother and an educator of teens. DO speak frankly with your daughter about alcohol before she leaves. She will be faced with the decision while here and she needs to know how you feel about her behaviour. Especially if you are not used to her having a glass of wine at home as Italian youngsters do, it is important that she is clear on your point of view. I will leave "the other" bigger topic to your discretion, but the kids who know how Mum and Dad feel explicitly deal better with both than those where the expectations remain unspoken.
And relax, Mum, this is a good company with a great track record and your daughter will come home with a new understanding of the world and, likely, the importance of family.
Feb 23rd, 2004, 09:50 AM
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I have been on two EF tours with my daughters - they can be a little "loose" however I think the students deal with that better than I did as an adult. Hopefully the teacher that is going along is a seasoned traveler, that helps alot. I wish I had done a little more research ahead of time as sometimes there really was not too much from the tour guide but again, the kids just go with it. The food is usually aimed at what the company perceives the kids will eat (not too much local specialities) One time we had roast chicken and french fries three meals in a row. But the gelato and other street foods, including pizza, should be easy for your daughter to find and not too expensive. The hotels we stayed at were fairly central but sometimes there was not much info on public transportation. Is your daughter used to using public transportation? I was with a group of kids that had never used a metro or bus system and they weren't ready to be cut loose! I would suggest you tell your daughter to carry a card from the hotel with her when she goes out and about just in case. As another poster said the best way to get money is with an ATM but alot of the kids on the tours will either bring cash or travelers cheques. I'm sure she will have a memorable time - I loved going with the teens, it was interesting to see their reactions to all the new experiences. Next time you should go too!
Feb 23rd, 2004, 12:07 PM
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Melissa 1 - EF changed hands in the year 2000 - all the top executives left and formed Explorica. These are the two cheapest student tour companies and you get what you pay for. Maybe they were better in 1988. They call me all the time trying to get me to travel with them again and take a group. They still owe refunds to people in my group but we will never see them. My problems with EF as a group leader are: Tour guide that was not familiar with any of the cities we visited(she offered to carry drugs for the students and kept trying to sell her cd's to them), dirty hotel rooms, scheduled tours that didn't happen, meal stops at expensive places in the middle of nowhere. I ran into a group with EF in Venice this summer and their hotel room was an hour north of Venice. A friend of mine had a group in England the same year with EF and is still waiting on refunds for things that were unacceptable (hotels, food, tours etc.). EF tells me they had lots of complaints and have corrected lots of problems but since we still don't have our refunds I find it hard to believe.
It's possible that klc777's daughter is traveling with just her teacher and the kids from her school and have arranged a private tour but this isn't usually the case. Most groups are not large enough to have their own tour and are combined with other groups from other states/countries.
I hope klc777's daughter doesn't have any problems but since I did have recent knowledge of the company I responded. No matter what her daughter will still enjoy Italy!
It's possible that klc777's daughter is traveling with just her teacher and the kids from her school and have arranged a private tour but this isn't usually the case. Most groups are not large enough to have their own tour and are combined with other groups from other states/countries.
I hope klc777's daughter doesn't have any problems but since I did have recent knowledge of the company I responded. No matter what her daughter will still enjoy Italy!
Feb 23rd, 2004, 07:20 PM
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Thank you all for your comments and recommendations. They're all great and it's nice to hear different experiences.
This whole high school/ trips is making my head spin a bit. I think it's a wonderful opportunity that was not available when I was a teen and I truly feel being exposed to different cultures can really change your outlook on life itself. All hopefully for the better!
The hotels that she is going to be staying at are:Hotel LA Pergola Via Del Prati Fiscall/Rome for 2 nights. Hotel Piccadilly-Montecatini/ Via Trento?? 2 nights, Hotel Miami Via Gorizia 14/Lido Di Jesolo 2 nights, Hotel Cenacolo Francescano Via Patrono D'Italia 70/ Assis one night and Hotel Meridienne Via Colie/Palestrina one night. Anyone stay at any of these hotels?
This whole high school/ trips is making my head spin a bit. I think it's a wonderful opportunity that was not available when I was a teen and I truly feel being exposed to different cultures can really change your outlook on life itself. All hopefully for the better!
The hotels that she is going to be staying at are:Hotel LA Pergola Via Del Prati Fiscall/Rome for 2 nights. Hotel Piccadilly-Montecatini/ Via Trento?? 2 nights, Hotel Miami Via Gorizia 14/Lido Di Jesolo 2 nights, Hotel Cenacolo Francescano Via Patrono D'Italia 70/ Assis one night and Hotel Meridienne Via Colie/Palestrina one night. Anyone stay at any of these hotels?
Mar 29th, 2004, 05:44 PM
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My son went on this trip and had a wonderful time, as did all the kids. My wife and I have also been to Rome and many other places in Italy as well. I would suggest $50 a day should be fine, and yes internet cafes and access to a computer will be available in most hotels or very close to it. But they'll keep busy enough so don't expect an e-mail everyday. I do not recall any special buys over their. She'll always thank and remember you for allowing her to go on this trip. She'll be safe and sound, don't worry Mom and Dad.
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