Beginning planning the next trip, macro-scheme advice welcome

Why not fly directly to where you want to be (Munich, Milan, Venice, etc)? Why a stop in Paris if they aren’t seeing Paris? What are the girls interested in? Maybe a few days in Paris would appeal to them?

I love Venice, but it would be my idea of hell in August (having been in July a few years ago). Too hot, too humid, too crowded. I’d head to the lakes (Como, Garda, Maggiore, etc) or mountains.

How are they getting from wherever they are flying into, to wherever you will be? Train? Car? What does the rest of your trip look like - you say much of it will be Germanic, so that’s confusing.

Seattle-Paris reasonable miles for lie-flat business seats. I live in Seattle, from where there aren't so many direct flights to Europe, no direct flights to Munich or Seattle. So we can fly to a different city in the US and then fly direct, or fly to Paris from home and then transfer. Six of one, half dozen ....

Re Germanic, the Pustertal Valley is in the Northern Dolomites, so though Italy most people speak German first, there's geraniums hanging in windows, Schnitzels on every menu, etc etc. It's highly similar to Austria. So if we start with a couple days in Munich and then a leisurely bike tour on the Pustertal Radweg, a whole lot of the trip is Germanic.

Not a problem per se - my wife and I both come from German families and love visiting cultures. But it's also nice to branch out.

Re Paris, we've been two summers in a row. We really like Paris a lot, but don't love love love it like a drug some other people do. Back to back summer visits and we are good for a while.

The question though about what the girls want is interesting. They like shopping and food and all the other teenage girl stuff. Feel like amusements and attractions. They're also both quite smart. We've traveled with a few of our daughter's friends, but now only take one girl in particular who's really bright, a big reader and very interested in history and culture. When she comes our daughter follow suit. They're also outdoorsy and athletic, good skiers and spend a lot of time in and around the mountains. The friend spends a lot of time in the Selkirks and Canadian Rockies, so I always worry about underwhelming her with the Alps.

Maybe I should leave them in Paris and my wife and I can go ride bikes in the Dolomites. I mean they're 14 and don't speak French, what could go wrong :-)

Regarding how we will rendezvous, they will fly to an airport and I will meet them there. Carry some of their isht, speak soothing words in response to travel difficulties, guide them to where they will have something to eat and sleep.

Car might be a good idea - they can take it easy and I can drive a couple hours towards where we want to be ....

For the areas in Italy you want to visit, Milan MXP would be a convenient airport to fly into. We rent cars, drive to Dolomites, Venice, Ligurian coast etc. Dolomites are gorgeous and give you so many options for hiking. We based in Ortisei.

Suki thanks, Milan does look as convenient as Venice.

It's been a really long time since I've been to Milan. How is it as a city for casual tourism? Worth staying a couple days or just use it as a gateway?

"Maybe I should leave them in Paris and my wife and I can go ride bikes in the Dolomites. I mean they're 14 and don't speak French, what could go wrong :-)"

Sounds like a plan. Have you signed with a book agent yet?

You could get to Munich and take a train down to Innsbruck, thru the Brenner Pass and down into the Dolomites.

Or, you could fly to Verona Airport, rent a car and head north. Verona is best gotten to via Gatwick or Frankfurt. They also have budget airlines flying there keeping the prices down.

I agree with Italy being hot. We were in Italy the middle of June, 2022, and that's as far up into the Summer as I care to go to Italy--other than the high elevations.

Made a shift, maybe first of many. I'll already be there, but my family will fly into Amsterdam. We'll bike tour a loop from Utrecht starting north then turning east. Great towns, farms and forests on that route.

I like relaxed Low Country towns for getting over jet lag. Not sure why - maybe so easy, low intensity and pleasant. 4 or 5 nights.

And then fly to Venice. Two nights. It will be hot and crowded, but the kids have never been. Venice for me is not a long stop. My wife and I like to see a couple sites and soak in the ambience. After that I don't really need to go island hopping or visit all the museums.

Train day visiting Padua, Verona. Stay a night in Trento or Bolzano.

Pick up bikes. 9 nights touring Pustertal/Dolomites maybe with short Swiss side trip. These won't all be bike days. Maybe five bike days, the lay days up in the mountains or relaxing in lake towns.

Quick plug for the Pustertal. It's a great place for families with kids, beautiful and really geared toward keeping the little ones entertained.

Train to Munich. It's an easy half day. 3 nights.

Depart for home from Munich.

Sound like a trip?

David thanks for the fly to Verona tip. If we decide to skip the Venice madness that is the ideal fly in spot.

Or maybe base Verona and day trip to Venice? Although I will say the best times of day in Venice are between when the package tourists' buses leave and when they return the next morning. Pretty light and many of the more obnoxious types of people are elsewhere.

Worth staying a couple days or just use it as a gateway?

I like the Milan idea ... the Duomo is amazing (go up on the roof to get up close and personal to the gargoyles and enjoy the views) ... and there is a good gelato place right across the Piazza del Duomo facing the Duomo ... and the Last Supper should be on everyone's bucket list ... so yes, definitely worth a few days.