I am looking for a family friendly trip to Italy?

Question

I have 4 children, ages 17, 14, 13, and 10. We will be traveling spring, '08. Is this a good time to go to Italy? Should we book a trip with a travel agency, like a guided tour, or is there a better way to book things separately, like a "do it at your own pace?" I do not want to be overbooked like the guided tours tend to be, with having so many kids, but I do want to see at least Rome, Florence, Venice, and Capri, or some ocean. I am worried that we could not do it on our own, without the help of a guided tour. But the tours tend to be so fast paced, and boring. I want this to be an amazing trip, that we will never forget. And fun yet educational for the kids. Thank you for your answers to anyone who has done a trip like this!

Answer 1

This  sounds  like  a  father  or  mother  friendly  holiday !

You  do not  say  how  long  you  are  planing  to  be  in  Italy .

Children  of  the  ages  of  your  are  going  to  be  really  bored  very  soon .

The  spring  is  quite  a  good  time  for  seeing  museums  etc  etc .

Your  idea  of  a  tour  is  not  so  bad ; but  I  would  suggest  you  hire  a  van  with  driver/ Guide .

Children  the  ages  of  yours  are  too  young  to  take  in  the  history , art , and  architecture .   Really  with  children  your  ages ; I  would  have  recommended  taking  a  Farmhouse  near  Florence , for  example ; near  Figline  Valdarno , from  where  you  can  take  the  train  into  the  city .   There  are  lots  of  places  to  visit  on  a  daily  basis  ; such  as  Fiesole , Greve , Montefiorale , Radda , Castello  di  Volpaia , San  Giminiano  with  its  many  towers , Siena , Poppi , Casentino , Gropina , Montepulciano , Val d'Orcia .

Marshalling  childen  through  Rome  would  be  so  tiring , not  getting  robbed  of  your  money  and  passports .   Capri  would  be  better  when  the  weather  is  warmer  and  you  can  all  swim .   Speaking  of  the  educational , I  think  your  children  would  benefit  more  from  the  intimate  local  contact  and  having  a  real  cultural  taste  of  Italian  life  than  constantly  travelling  from  one  city  to  another  staying  in  hotels .   Italy  is  a  very  beautiful  country , if  you  never  set  foot  in  a  Museum ;  country  people  are  simple  and  kind ; you  can  eat  out  in  the  many  varied  local  restaurants , or  in  a  farmhouse , make  nice  meals  at  home .

Dare  I  even  recommend " Girasole  Luxury  Camping "  at  Figline  Valdarno ;  They  have  super  swimming  pools  and  lots  of  things  for  children  to  do , a  good  restaurant , bars , shops  etc .  They  have  coaches  and  take  people  sightseeing  even  to  Rome .   For  a  nice  apartment  in  a  beautifil  country  villa  ; you  could  write  to  Villa  Sant'Leo , Ponte  Agli  Stolli , Figline  Valdarno , Firenze , Italy .

The  owners  are  friends  of  mine   and  have  a  number  of  beautiful  apartments  in  this  ancient  villa  which  has  lovely  views  and  is  surrounded  by  their  large  farm .   There  is  a  nice  swimming  pool .  

I  once  planned  a  similar  holiday  with  my  children  when  they  were  in  mid  teens ; but  funked  it  and  chartered  a  yacht  instead .   I  knew  there  would  be  cries  from  the  back ; do  we  have  to  go  to  another  city  seeing  museums , couldn't  we  just  go  to  the  beach  daddy .

I  am  sorry  to  put  a  damper  on  your  plans .   My  children  have  since  all  visited  Italy  in  their  twenties  and  have  done  all  the  things  you  plan , on  their  own .

Answer 2

You didn't state the number of days that you will be there.

Rome and Florence could take 1-2 days each/more.  Florence & Rome have lots to see.   Venice can be done in a day but briefly.

Those cities are in the Northern part of Italy.

You can dine on the Mediterranean from Rome.  Seafood is expensive.

Capri is off the coast of Naples, Naples a few hours drive by Autostrada, about 1/2 day,  to the South of Rome.  Capri is much like a carnival, but the Blue Lagoon is quite nice, by boat.  If it rains very much, it becomes flooded and inaccessible.  

Watch your money in Capri.

From Rome, one can take the Amalfitani Coastal drive to Naples.  This is beautiful, along the Mediterranean Sea.

This can be done by bus.  Some of the hairpin turns have to be negotiated by buses, they cannot make the turn in one motion, must back up and forward a few times.

Pompeii is within reach from Naples as a side trip.  Historical for certain.  Vesuvia is close by.

I'm sure that you will find that lunch and dinner can consume a lot of time out of a day.

Spring may be a good time to travel.  Weather there is much like NYC.

If you have limited time, I suggest Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Milan is not much out of the way, North of Rome, West of Venice.  Be careful with the Gondoliers.  Make sure that you understand the prices.  They will quote one price before and another after, accusing one of not understanding.

These can very easily eat up a week.

Sorry if you can't rent a car and do it yourself.  It's the only way I've ever traveled Italy.

Find a book on travel by Fodor.  There are some fabulous restaurants, without the tourist traps.  

Find the Trattorias, wonderful, and sometimes the Hosterias, very small family restaurants, 6 tables or so.

Weight gain is almost assured.  LOL

If you do npt speak the language, you might have to consider a tour.  I've never liked those either.

Answer 3

hello, I'm a licensed tour escort in Venice (you say guide but we have guides for museums and tour escorts to help you all along your stay and trip): you may contact me directly on

[e-mail]

for the Venice part. I may take care of your Venice stay since your arrival at airport and give you suggestions on what to do and where to stay, bookings etc.

Spring is a good time to visit Venice but avoid big holidays like Easter week-end  (Easter is on 23rd March 2008); 25th April and 1st May (very crowded, besides most museums are closed); Assumption (some time in May... can't find the exact date now)

bye for now

Answer 4

Read our Italy travelogues: http://www.thetravelzine.com and join our travel discussion group (Yahoo's Pick of the Week beginning August 13):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thetravelz...

http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/best...

See you there!

Answer 5

I've done this before but we drive since we live in Italy and in the Naples area. You could do it on you own really it wold just be hard getting to the different cities unless you plan on driving because the train with 6 people and all that lugguage will not be easy or fun. Its hard enough to take my lugguage and my baby and a stroller on some of the train. But in all the cities they have double decker bus tours which are good and they take you all over the city of Rome and Florence. But even with a good travel book like Frommors you can see the same stuff just without as good of commantary. Capri you may not know is 1 hour off the coast of naples and Naples is 2-2 1/2 hours south of rome and all the other places are north of Rome. Florence about 2 -2 1/2 from rome and Venice is about 4-5 hours north of rome.