Family trip Itlay, Switzerland, Paris - feedback on itenirary

Everyone has been so helpful and I really appreciate it. We have not booked any airfare yet as we wanted to make sure our plan was a good one first. We had originally planned to go from Tuscany to Venice and spend several days there and depart home from there. However, my husband loves the mountains and so we thought that we could skip Venice and head to Switzerland. I am now thinking maybe we should still go from Tuscany to Switzerland but probably take the train instead of drving the car for a different country drop off. Then possibly spend several days in Lucerne and take the train to Zurich and plan to fly home from there, thereby skipping Paris and saving for another trip. Does this sound more reasonable overall all allow us some packed front and back days with a little R&R in between with the extended stay in Tuscany and trying to hit a little something for everyone. Any reccomended train iteneraries from Italy to Switzerland for the most scenic? thoughts?

Tina, Are you definite on staying in a "farm/villa" in Tuscany? Depending on your interests, staying in a larger centre would provide more to do in the evenings. Of course, if you just want to relax and lounge by the pool, that's OK too. Also, which part of Tuscany are you considering staying in? It's difficult to make train suggestions without knowing which cities you'll be close to. If you're going to stop in Switzerland, you'll probably need to "adjust" your time in Italy. Lucerne makes a great stop, as it makes a good "intermediate point between Italy and Paris. It's relatively easy to get to Paris from there (usually one change in Basel to access the TGV). I'm sure it will be an "experience for your Son to ride on a train that travels at up to 300 kmH! While in Lucerne you can take a day trip to Mt. Pilatus or a cruise on the lake and of course the Museum of Transport and the Lion of Lucerne. Cheers!

When you stay two nights in one place you have allowed only one full day for the actual visit.
I think I would reexamine the one night and two night stays.. I wouldn't bother, you just seem to be in transit. 6 days for Tuscany and one for Paris? And Rome, well you can't really count the first day for much, you will be tired and jet lagged.. If what you really have is 12 days on the ground I would limit my visit to two places, not three.

Tina - I'm making the assumption that you already have flights into Rome and out of Paris, so you are trying to make a 2 week trip traveling to and between these places. I also see that you have a week in Tuscany which I assume is due to the week long minimum for a stay in a villa. If those are the things you're already locked into then I think you've got a great plan. I don't like 1 night stays either but I don't mind when they are in between longer stays. You won't really have time to explore Lucerne though as it looks like a 6 hour or so drive, depending on where you are staying in Tuscany. But if its a good place to catch a train to Paris, then that makes as good a stop as any. If you are not locked into the 1 week in Tuscany, consider taking a day or two away and adding onto Paris or Lucerne. And yes - definitely have the car for your week in Tuscany. You can even drive to places like Florence as long as you take care to park outside the city. Or you can drive to smaller train stations and take the train in for the day. Otherwise a car is great for exploring the area.

Be aware that if you rent your car in Italy and return it in Switzerland (or any other country) you will have to pay a hefty fee for that privilege. It could run you hundreds of dollars extra. With your limited time and taking into consideration how much time you've devoted to Italy, I would drop Switzerland. Spend that time in Paris. You could take an inexpensive flight to Paris from either Florence or Pisa so save some time.

Tina, The basic order looks reasonably good, but a few comments..... I'm assuming you've accounted for the two flight days? You'll arrive in Europe the day after you depart, and your last day will be spent on the flight home. As previously mentioned, you'll likely pay a HUGE charge to drop the car in Switzerland. You'll also need the Highway Tax Vignette for driving in Switzerland, or you'll face a fine of up to €170 (in addition to the cost of the Vignette). For driving in Italy, each driver will require the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. Failure to produce an I.D.P. if requested can result in fines on the spot! You can easily obtain an I.D.P. at any AAA office for a small fee (Passport photos required). You'll also need to be aware of the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato areas, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in Italy. Passing through these zones can result in expensive fines! Recent posts here would seem to indicate that authorities in Italy are becoming more aggressive in collecting the fines from foreign drivers and there may also be charges from the rental car firm for providing renter information to law enforcement. You might consider taking the train to Orvieto and renting the car there. There are also some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of when travelling by train in Italy. If you need further information, post another note. You won't have much time to "explore the area" in Lucerne with only one night. Is there any possibility you could reduce your time in Tuscany by a day or so, and add time in Lucerne. Your Son might enjoy seeing the awesome Museum of Transport. Good luck with your planning!

Tina-what about looking at the Dolomites for your mountain fix? We went there with our kids and they loved it. That way you could just stay in Italy and do as you originally thought-go to Venice! When we traveled with our kids we made it a point to stay in the same country. This gave us more of a chance to use the little bit of one language we could learn as well as making it a nice compact region to travel, get to understand the history, etc. of course in the Dolomites they speak German, but that was interesting to us as well. And my kids really loved Venice. My son was 10 when we went and he is still dismayed that we didn't get to go on the Secret Passages Tour of Doges Palace. You could easily rent your car after your Rome stay, tour Tuscany, head to the Dolomites, then drop the car before you get on the vaporetto to Venice. Make it all about Italy-you won't be disappointed!

I love Paris but I think your revised notion of saving it for another trip is really smart. I'd focus this trip on Italy and maybe Swizterland as well.

I agree with Sarah to limit yourself to Italy and Switzerland, or just Italy if you can get your mountain fix there. Save Paris for when you can really do it justice. If you want a car in both Italy and Switzerland, train from one country to the other and pick up a new car to avoid the drop fees.

Thanks everyone! We are going Italy all the way now. Just leaves us ready to plan the next trip for other countries in Europe.

And I know other posters will think I sound like a broken record, but here goes again. The Dolomites constitute only one small area of Italy's much larger Alpine territory. They are not synonymous with "Alps in Italy". I would visit the region of Italy's Alpine chain that best fits with your overall itinerary. Depending on what you had planned, the Dolomites may or may not represent the most convenient option for mountain thrills.

We did find it very easy to visit the Dolomites from Venice before continuing on to The rest of our Italy trip. We stayed in Castelrotto and did a little hiking. It's not the same as visiting The Swiss Alps, but it was beautiful and a welcome change from the heat we faced during the rest of our trip. Don't miss Bolzano on your way-it is home to Otzi the Ice Man (a mummy found in the 1990's). What 10 year old boy could resist seeing that!

When you decide to go to Europe its so tempting to see Everything and go Everywhere. You will enjoy your trip so much more now that you have decided on one country. Your son will Love the whole experience and with a bit less running around for you, you will be able to really enjoy the trip.
You will just have to plan another European Vacation in a few years to visit another country :-)