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15 nights

Hi My wife and I are taking our 10 year old daughter to Europe for her first time next March for 15 nights. We would like to start in Paris and end in Rome or vice versa--open to alternatives. We will probably skip England. Also-we would rather take trains or fly as opposed to driving-we also are fully capable and willing to do plenty of walking. Any suggestions with the goal to give her meaningful memories less the stress of pushing too hard? While some museums would be fine we want to keep it light. Thanks very much!

Posted by
589 posts

Do the 15 days include travel to/from the US?
Have you been there before?
If it does then think of 3-4 major cities with day trips to minimize your travel time.
If it doesn't then you could probably do 4-5 cities at the most.
With a 10 year old, think about staying in B&B to make it easier at breakfast.
My experience with teenagers was that 2 churches and 2 museums per location was more than enough.
If you visit too many castles/palaces they start running into each other.
I plan on going to Rome but they tell me everything there is in ruins :-)
Enjoy and have fun

Posted by
4132 posts

Hi Mark. In March I would start in the south. At least 4 nights in Rome, given that you will be getting oriented: 5 might be better. The same in Paris. So the question is what to do with your remaining time.

One option might be to keep it simple and divide that time between Paris and Rome. There are in particular many great day-trips from Paris, and the trains are great. But you certainly have enough time to add another destination. What calls to you more, France or Italy?

Here are some logistical considerations. The rail connection between France and Italy has never been great. There are mountains in between. Otherwise I would say that a stop in Provence or Lyon would be a slam dunk. The day train to Paris is at least 10 hours.

This is why flying has become so popular. Despite your misgivings, you might want to consider a flight to Lyon or Paris. It will save you time, of which you do not have much.

There is a private night train, the Thello, that runs from Venice to Paris with a stop in Milan. If you take it in the right spirit More like a camping trip than a hotel stay) it could be a great adventure.

However, night trains are rarely restful, and it can take the next day to recover from them, so they are really not very efficient (in terms of time) unless ou bounce back quickly. Here is information about the Thello:

http://www.seat61.com/thello-train-from-paris-to-italy.htm

If you are interested in visiting Florence, you could go Rome > Florence and take a train to Milan to catch the Thello, or fly from Florence. If Lyon interests you, and it deserves your serious consideration, you should look at flights. There's a super early train that "only" takes 9 hours, with several transfers.

Lyon, btw, is fabulous, with something for everyone (Funiculars! Secret passages! Shopping! Roman ruins! Boats! And amazing food). Cities are a good pick in March, because you can go indoors if the weather turns wet.

Don't try to see too much in your 2 weeks and you will have a wonderful time.

Posted by
26 posts

Thanks for the replies! Any opinions if we remove Paris from the itinerary? thank you

Posted by
7175 posts

Start in Paris (4 nights)
Train (1hr 46min) to Strasbourg (2 nights)
-with a day to Colmar
Train (3hr 50min) to Munich (2 nights)
Train (1hr 44min) to Innsbruck (2 nights)
-with a day in the Austrian Alps
Train (4hr 46min) to Venice (2 nights)
Train (3hr 45min) to Rome (3 nights)

Posted by
4132 posts

Goodness, no Paris for your daughter's first trip to Europe?

My take is that in any case removing Paris does not resolve any of the logistical issues related to going from Italy to France by rail. In fact it rules the night train out, unless you are going to Dijon (which would not be my pick in March).

Paris is at the hub of the entire French rail system, so omitting Paris does not gain you much.

If what you mean is, What if we just stay in Italy the whole time--well yes, that works, and could be a great trip, but it is a very different trip than the one you said you wanted.

Posted by
6428 posts

I think Adam, characteristically, has given you great recommendations. Starting in Rome makes sense that early in the season, if you don't already have your flights booked. Rome and Paris together could be the whole trip, flying between, or you could add a city in between, like Florence or Lyon. Don't try to move around too much, though. David's recommended itinerary seems too busy to me. Your daughter may tire of too many museums, but she'll tire more of too many train stations and airports.

I don't know Rome, but there are lots of day trips from Paris -- look up "Paris day trips" or such in the search feature above and you'll get lots of ideas. What a lucky daughter you have!

Posted by
7175 posts

Omit Paris ? Sacre bleu !!

My suggestion includes some short stays, but I think the variety of different cities/countries is what appeals and makes the journey interesting for a 10 year old. With 2 short travel days, and no long days over 5 hours, I think the train time is spread out evenly over the 15 days.

Posted by
26 posts

Thank you everyone! Sounds like general opinion is we will regret missing Paris -so the new and improved plan is start in Rome and work our way thru Italy -then fly to Paris to complete our 15 night trip(starting and ending in Florida). Any thoughts? Thanks again!

Posted by
7175 posts

Many a first timer has followed that path...
Fly to Rome - 4 nights
Train to Florence - 3 nights
Train to Venice - 3 nights
Fly to Paris - 4 nights
Fly home

Posted by
5239 posts

Paris isn't the be all and end all for Europe, personally I don't care for it much, been once and have no desire to return. Rome however has captivated me and I've returned many times and will continue to do so. The problem is that it is all so very subjective. My children weren't interested in Paris but other cities have captured their imagination. What would interest your daughter in Paris? My eldest, 12 now, is a huge history fan and aged 10 he found the historical sites wherever we went hugely interesting whereas my younger son, now 9, had no interest at all. I've found that simply being in a foreign city is captivating enough for young children and experiencing the culture of another country leaves a more lasting memory than ticking off a list of arbitrary 'must see's'.

Posted by
26 posts

Thanks!

The:

Fly to Rome - 4 nights
Train to Florence - 3 nights
Train to Venice - 3 nights
Fly to Paris - 4 nights

sounds great---would I be pushing it to squeeze Cinque Terre in? Maybe 2 nights each in Florence and Venice? or 2 nights in Venice-save Florence for next trip and add Cinque Terre and Lucca? Thanks and sorry for the lack of focus!

Posted by
26829 posts

I don't think March is an ideal time to visit the Cinque Terre. I'd want a really good chance of nice weather there, since it's an outdoor destination. But I've never been there in late winter; perhaps someone else has, and has something encouraging to say.

Posted by
11613 posts

Don't push it by adding Cinque Terre. Depending on your child's personality, packing up and moving every two days can be disorienting.

Posted by
26 posts

Thanks everyone!

Fly to Rome - 4 nights
Train to Florence - 3 nights
Train to Venice - 3 nights
Fly to Paris - 4 nights
Fly home

This sounds like a great trip!!

Posted by
7175 posts

Thumbs up.

Catch a morning train from Rome to Florence. Store your luggage at the station, and head to Pisa on a local train (about an hour away). See the Leaning Tower before returning to Florence late afternoon for your bags and your hotel.

Little things like this will allow you to get the most from your time.

Posted by
4132 posts

Mark, I think you've got a winner. Just tell yourself that air was inevitable, given your priorities.

Do resist, however, the temptation to add other destinations. Yes, they would be great, but no, you do not have the time. Your plan is quite busy enough as it is.

Posted by
26 posts

Thank you! Now that we have Rome, Florence, Venice and Paris itinerary set any suggestions on hotels? Hoping for mid range prices with private bathrooms. Convenient locations, safety and region specific "atmosphere"also priority. Any suggestions as to favorite activities and restaurants? Sorry for the broad questions-just trying to figure out how to start planning---thanks very much!

Posted by
1097 posts

Mark: You might want to consider this: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/europe/my-way-europe

We took my then-18 yo stepdaughter on this trip in 2013. It was an awesome way to cover a lot of ground for an introductory Europe experience. The My Way format allows you to do what you want during the days and not be tied to a tour group, which can be tiring even for adults. Not having to worry about transport and hotels frees up a lot of time to plan a great trip in some fantastic destinations.

The 2018 dates will be available later this summer, probably around August.

Posted by
26 posts

Thanks again for all the feedback! Now for the monkey wrench-maybe I am overthinking this. We are considering this:
If we spend 4 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Florence and 2 nights in Venice and the remaining 6 nights to Paris thru Switzerland (Zermatt?). Is this doable or just way too much? Thanks very much!

Posted by
1912 posts

I wouldn't push to get into Switzerland for this trip. I'd do 3 nights in Venice and 5 nights Paris. Fly from Venice to Paris. I think your plan sounds perfect. Paris is very beautiful and a dream for girls! I'm glad you decided to keep it on the itinerary.