layanluvstotravel

This is actually a question for a planned trip to Italy next summer (2011) but I'm really curious about the answer. My daughter (she's 10 now but will be 12 by the time we go on this trip) is SO excited about visiting Italy. She loves art, architecture, history, but most of all-- Italian food! Which part of Italy would be ideal to visit? We would like to stay somewhere that's close to tourist spots, good food and not do much driving. It would probably be for 10 days. We're a family of 5 (another twin sister and a brother who will be 14 by that time). Any suggestions? Also, I've heard Italy is very expensive (especially in the summer). Is that true? (compared with Spain/London/Greece)?

bobthenavigator

With only 10 days you will be quite limited. I suggest a max of 3 destinations. My choice for a first trip would be Rome, Florence, and rural Tuscany. I suggest a car for the Tuscany segment.

Big_Red

Italy does not have to be expensive. Normally, I would say control costs by your hotel selections, but you have a large group and may want apartments over hotels. Apartments generally do better for slower (week in one place) type of travel.

The train system in Italy and Europe is multiples better than in the US. So you can do your not much driving thing easily.

Bob (Bob the Navigator - above) always gives good advice. Rome and Florence would be great destinations (art, architecture and food). Considering your group, you might want do something other than driving thru Tuscany. There are lots of daytrip opportunities from Rome and Florence.

BarbaraMH

We had a gang similar to yours on a trip to Italy 3 years ago. We spent a week in Florence (Ciompi Apartments booked through In Italy.com) and a week at the beach in Levanto (in a beautiful villa on the water). I'd highly recommend this itinerary for your group and I'd even more highly recommend staying in apartments or villas with children. Hotels don't provide the space or the flexibility that apartments/houses do and the costs are generally about the same. Plus you can shop at the markets for food and save (substantially!) on that end of your budget.

BarbaraMH

BTW, Levanto is right next to the Cinque Terre... BEAUTIFUL! You can get to all 5 villages by boat, so no car needed there. If you do a car in Florence, which we did, the Ciompi has parking spaces for renters, but beware of Florence's requirement that you have a monitor in your car that indicates when you enter and exit the city and where you are when you're in the city. (The Ciompi provided us with the monitor.) Go to InItaly.com for lots of great planning info!

zeppole

Were it me (and I live near le Cinque Terre), I would take your daughter to the area of Sorrento with its many amazing sights and access to great swimming and pizza.

A lot of what kids like about Italian food is more in abundance in the Sorrento/Napoli/Amalfi/Capri area.

Not only would you have the educational sights of Pompeii and other historic ruins, there would be lots of fun boat trips to islands, and visits to amazing cliff beaches.

Although everywhere is hot in Italy in summer, I would prefer to be by the sea than in someplace like Tuscany, even with a pool. (So would most Tuscans!) Kids are often less interested in wine country than adults area.

Needless to say, I like the sea near Liguria, but there is less in terms of history here, and your daughter will miss out on good pizza and red sauce pastas, if she enjoys those.

You don't need a car at all around Sorrento, and you can find friendly B&Bs right in the center with good prices for families.

zeppole

PS: I meant to add that you can pair with Rome with Sorrento, and even take a day trip to Florence from Rome if you like, by train.

annhig

hi lay,

I agree with zeppole and would go for a combination of Rome and the Sorrento area on this trip. My kids just loved Rome, and my then very picky DS had his culinary eyes opened by Roman food, and there is loads to do both there, and in the sorrento area, that will interest your DD.

Don't see how you could go wrong with this plan.

regards, ann

annhig

PS - if you rent an apartment you can cut down the costs quite a lot. most renters require you to stay 3 nights ir more which is possible with a 10 day stay if you only stay in two places. also it costs more every time you move - and time as well.

Henry

layanluvstotravel,
This may give you some ideas http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...o-and-rome.cfm


Henry

macanimals

Your major expenses will be for housing, food and transportation. Aside from the airfares, you can best control the food and housing expenses for a family by renting an apartment for your family. This will allow you to "live" in one unit and share the responsibilities and costs of the meals you can prepare in house--usually breakfasts and some lunches (make picnics to go as well). Its also a possible to make simple dinners with local products in a very affordable fashion. This may cause you to stay longer in one place but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I highly recommend a car as well--paying individual fares for train travel can add up and the flexibility of a car is an asset. Good luck.

layanluvstotravel

Thanks a ton!!!