England, Gemanay and Italy

I just returned from nine days in Europe with my 14-y/o grandson. He's already finished three years of study of the Latin language in school (with high honors), and is interested in WW2 history. So I gave him Rick Steves videos of Rome and Germany (which he memorized), and a RS carry-on backpack, and together we worked out an itinerary. (Don't feel bad for my wife and the granddaughters -- they went to Maui while we were in Europe.)

We arrived at Fiumicino in the late morning and took the FM-1 train from the airport to Ostiense station. Ostiense was farther from our lodging than Termini would have been, but we wanted a more dramatic entry to the city. We walked from the station past the Pyramid of Cestius and Porta San Paolo, past the Baths of Caracalla, Circus Maximus and the Colosseum, to our lodging just behind the Forum of Augustus -- about two miles of walking, but well worth it.

We stayed at a centrally-located convent (Casa Il Rosario) - clean, quiet, and reasonably priced, 94€/night for the two of us including breakfast. The 11 pm curfew was no problem for us.

After checking in we went for a walk via Circus Maximus, Forum Boarium, Campidoglio and return.

The full days went as follows:

Day 1: East of Via del Corso -- Show up at Colosseum at 08:30 opening time, Roma Pass in hand to get right in to the turnstile and avoid the long ticket line. Then Palatine Hill and Forum. Then walk east, seeing Ladus Magnus, Basilica of San Clemente, and St. John Lateran. On the way back stop at Church of St. Peter in Chains to see Michelangelo's Moses.

Day 2: Generally (but not entirely) west of Via del Corso -- walk past Trevi Fountain, Palazzo Chigi and Palazzo Montecitorio to arrive at the Pantheon at 08:30 opening time. Then stop at Tazza d'Oro for cappucini and cornetti, then on to Church of St. Mary sopra Minerva to see Michelangelo's "Christ Carrying Cross". Then Largo Argentina, Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Navona, Castel Sant'Angelo, Ara Pacis, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Via Veneto, Piazza Barberini. Evening spent at the sound & light show at the Forum of Augustus.

Day 3: Metro to arrive at St. Peters Basilica by 08:15 -- even then the security line was 30 minutes long. We just toured the basilica, not interested in spending the time to go through the Vatican Museums on this trip. From the Vatican we took the Metro (change to Line B at Termini) and Lido line (change at Piramide) to Ostia Antica. Evening stroll up Via Del Corso to Piazza del Popolo and back past Spanish Steps and Palazzo del Quirinale.

We took an Italo high-speed train from Tiburtina station to Bologna, then the EC84 through the Alps to Munich. During our five days in Bavaria we made day trips to Nuremberg, and to my favorite untouristed Bavarian Village, Dießen am Ammersee. We attended a Sunday evening church service at St. Matthäuskirche in Munich and met some wonderful people.

In Munich we stayed at Pension Lindner, just a couple blocks from Marienplatz, 75€/night.

It was a great trip. Weather was almost perfect; the airport fire in Rome and rail strike in Germany didn't affect us. And now my grandson is hooked on travel and will be able to handle himself in any European city.

Photos here.

Jeff,
Thank you for sharing your itinerary. This will help when we start planning our trip for Italy.
Ann

Hello Ann. I think it is good that your daughter will travel to Europe the year she will graduate from High School. It has been a tradition in the United States of America for young adult persons to go on a vacation trip to Europe after graduating from a college or university (4 years of study). I think it is better for a young person to travel in Europe BEFORE being a student at a college or university. Especially if the person will be a student in a college course in World History or History of Europe or History of Western Civilization, ... Many college students get a grade of D in those history courses. When I was a college student I knew only one person who got a grade of A in World History. He had been a resident in Europe for 4 years. (His father was a U.S. Army Colonel working at N.A.T.O. headquarters at France, and at Belgium. And the next year after he and his family returned to the United States, he went with his family on a three week vacation trip to Europe. That was the summer before he was a student in a college course in World History. He got a grade of A in World History. The teacher of that history course gave a grade of D to most of the students in the class. And I like your choices of three countries to go to : England, Germany, Italy. In England, I recommend : go to and in the mansion Chatsworth located in Derbyshire. The town Bakewell (near Chatsworth) has a pleasant B & B. And try to be at York 2 nights. I liked seeing a mountain wilderness area in northern Lake District, but I do not think that going to the Lake District is essential in an England trip. You could see pretty green farm land in northern Gloucestershire (north Cotswolds) after you leave Bath. If you will have time for going to a castle in England, I think the best medieval castle in England is Warwick. If you will be at Warwick castle, I think walking through the building there that was built in the 1800s is not important. Nearly all of the exhibits in that building do not relate to the medieval period. My favorite places in London were the Museum of London, and Kew Gardens (south of the southwest corner of London), and Windsor Castle (a palace of the royal family of Great Britain). To go to Windsor castle, ride in trains from Paddington railway station to Windsor and Eton station. After walking through Windsor castle, walk through the town Windsor, and talk to some of the local people in Windsor. Try to start conversation with English people at all the places in England that you will be at. I am planning my fourth vacation trip to England.

I would definitely have her involved, which is sounds like she already is, but maybe let her do her own research and plan a whole day for the two of you.
I would want a car in the Cotswold area , but that is how I like to travel. You can do lots with public transportation, more point to point travel. I often just like to drive around and find whatever looks interesting. But, either way you will have a fabulous trip!

Train service is extensive, but without a car, expect to have some bus and taxi travel in the mix. For a BritRail England pass for 1 adult + 1 youth, budget about $800 for 15 consecutive days. For travel between countries, plan to use budget flights and see www.skyscanner.com.

Rick's England book has more info and focus on that region, versus the Great Britain book that includes parts of Scotland and Wales. For a few Jane Austen links, see http://www.visit-hampshire.co.uk/ideas-and-inspiration/famous-faces/jane-austen. If visiting several historic properties, you might want one of the heritage sightseeing passes:

https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/**national-trust**-touring-pass/

https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/**english-heritage**-overseas-visitor-pass/

Ron,
Thank you. That is exactly what I was looking for. You wrote some awesome suggestions. If per chance you are planning a trip in two years would you like to be our personal tour guide? Yes we want to visit a castle and if possible, stay over night at one would be ideal for us as well. I love the thought of Chotsworth. Ok, so skip Lake District and go to Gloucestershire will do just as nicely. I've been to England myself before. It has been many years. Went to London, Bath and Torquay and toured Windsor Castle as well. That is funny that you suggest I converse with locals. If you only knew me. My daughter is going to have a difficult time getting me to stop from talking as I love to talk to everyone. So that thought is already in the making.
God bless,
Ann

Terry,
I love your thought about her planning a whole day. Ok sounds like getting a car for some of our time is what we may end up doing. She and I drive up to Michigan every summer and we tend to just go with the flow. So traveling like that in England may just be our ticket for some fun and adventure.
God bless,
Ann

Terry,
I love your thought about her planning a whole day. Ok sounds like getting a car for some of our time is what we may end up doing. She and I drive up to Michigan every summer and we tend to just go with the flow. So traveling like that in England may just be our ticket for some fun and adventure.
God bless,
Ann

Laura,
Thank you for the Jane Austen links. Also for the info on rail/bus/taxi. I am getting more and more excited and we have 2 years to wait upon yet. Our local library has the books and have requested them. I plan on purchasing the books closer to our trip that way they will be the most up to date issues.
Thanks and God bless,
Ann

Hello Ann. When I suggested talking to the local people in England, I was thinking of your daughter doing the talking. You said you went to Bath in your previous trip to England. I did not like the town Bath. I think the only reason for going to Bath is to walk through the two big houses : Georgian style. If you will be in England nearly three weeks, you would have time for travelling to St. Ives at the west coast of Cornwall. St. Ives at the ocean coast is beautiful when the sun is shining. I am not an expert on England. You might like talking with Rebecca at Nashville.

My sis and I took our mom to see famous gardens in rural England a number of years ago. Rented a car and had no huge problems. However, Driving through the two-way narrow roads with hedgerows on either side proved interesting at times. And, as Rick says, after the first hair-raising moment when you see a car coming head-on at you because you forgot and were on the wrong side of the road, the rest of your driving adventure is a snap! 😀 To do the type of trip you propose, seeing the Jane Austen sites, you will need a car.

Well, if you drive around Michigan and go with the flow it is no different in the English countryside... you are just on the other side of the road:) and the other side of the pond:) I often wonder why some people are so insistent on having an exact plan, or to be an 'efficient' traveler, when most of the best moments come from those unexpected and spontaneous experiences.

My oldest grandson graduated from HS today and I have taken him all over the US on trips (with a few of the other grandsons ) as well as twice to Europe ( just he and I)... I cannot tell you what those times with him have meant... He had his first trip at age 9 to Italy, then to Normandy, Paris, xmas markets in Germany when he was 16.

This year his senior trip was to Italy and it was so amazing for him to recall all the things we saw together and now for him to see it as an 18 year old with his classmates... Traveling with kids is one of the best things we can do for them (and ourselves)