High School graduation gift for granddaughter - - Italy,Greece or UK?

Since you're both novice travelers and nervous about being novices, I think Britian would be a good way to go. You won't have the language barrier (not that it's hard to find people who speak English in major cities in Greece or Italy) but it will be one less stress, and London has fantastic art, cathedrals, and obviously British history!

Teri, As you're a "novice traveller", my first suggestion is to read Europe Through The Back Door as that will provide a LOT of good information on "how" to travel in Europe, and may give you some ideas on which destination to choose. Use the country-specific Guidebooks for good information on hotels, restaurants, transportation and sightseeing. Using a Travel Agent may be a good idea for some things (ie: international flights), but it would probably be better to work out most of the details on your own. A T.A. may try to sell you on a pre-packaged Itinerary that may not fit your circumstances. How long will this trip be? That will have some bearing on which countries to choose. If you have sufficient time and funds, you could perhaps visit all three countries? Depending on time and budget, you could also consider a tour along with some self-guided travel. If budget is an issue, the My Way Tours are lower cost, but you'd have to plan your own sightseeing. There was a Grandmother/Granddaughter on one of the RS tours that I took a few years ago (also a high school graduation). One advantage of taking a tour is that you'd be able to gain some travel skills during the tour, and would probably be more comfortable with some self guided travel after that. Is this going to be a "surprise", or will you be able to involve your granddaughter in the planning? Cheers!

Having been to all three, I would definitely pick the U.K. We have been to London there three times in the past three years. My husband and I love it more each time we have been there. Even after spending five weeks total there, we still have so much more to see. If you don't want to plan a trip on your own, we would suggest taking a Tauck Tour. You can find them on-line or through your travel agent. They do great jobs of handling everything. We have always done our own plans and gotten around by Londonls Underground (Tube) or train. The transportation is London is fabulous. London is fabulous, period. Otherwise you can do day tours after you get there. We took Gray Line 1/2 or day tours all around London, out to Bath, to the Cotswold's, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, etc. We have never met anybody who doesn't like London or the U.K. There is way too much to see there in a full 10 days. One time I met somebody who said she had been in 36 countries, but loved Great Britain or London the most.

But if you're going all the way to Europe don't let language dictate where you visit. Most tourist destinations are loaded with locals who speak English...and German and French and Italian. Go see the sights that interest you and don't let language dictate your travels.

I have traveled with 3 of my grandkids and the oldest one twice, and I can tell you there is nothing like it. Mine were about 9-11 first trip and the oldest one is now 15 and we just went this past Nov.on his second trip. I am definitely not a novice and feel comfortable planning everything on my own, but there are times when I thought I would just like to turn it over to someone else. I would definitely look at the My Way tours by RS... they can get you to lots of places and then you are on your own to spend the day figuring out sites to see and what to eatl and what to buy and enjoying each others company. I would not go on a full-fledged 'tour' as I would assume the main goal is to spend time together and see things for the first time with her... not to be a part of a herd of people, who will probably all be older than her. But, if you do pick a country to do it on your own there are plenty of people here who can help you plan an incredible trip. I have been to all 3 countries you are looking at and each once has different things to offer. I took a grandson to Greece who also loved mythology, etc. and we had a fabulous time. We also went to Turkey on that trip, as he loved the Ottoman history as well. I am sure she will love whatever you do and it will be life-changing for both of you.

You've given yourself plenty of time to learn and plan and thus be able to do this on your own. First I want to reassure you- Europen travel is not THAT risky if you use your head. Any place has some risk- NY, London, Rome, etc. But using common sense and some tips you'll find here and in Rick's books will help you avoid most problems. The UK is a wondrful place for novice travelers to start. Public transportation is readily available and easy to use. There's LOTS to see and do. Depending on how much time you have you'll have lots of options- from basing in London and just doing some day trips by train, to seeing a large portion of England, Scotland and and even Wales. I agree you should read some of Rick's books and watch some of his videos. Also encourage your ganddaughter to do the same , and to explore some other sources- Londly Planet, TripAdvisor, etc. Talk with her about HER comfort zones and help her prioritize her interests. (She can even touch on the Greek Mythology at the British Museum in London!!!). We've been to the UK more than 40 times- and I want to go back very badly. After you have read some and talked with Granddaughter more, come back with more questions. We'll gladly help- after all we were all novices at one time. By the way- I wrote a magazine article for AAA Carolina's "Go!" magazine a few years ago. It is about basing in London and doing day trips by train. If you are interested, just private message me with your email and I'll be glad to share it.

Teri, I think the suggestion to look at the Rick Steves My Way tours is a very good one, you will have lots of independence, but the logisitics are handled for you,, if you can afford it. Take a look at them anyways. They are not quite the same as the regular tours, they bus you from city to city, they arrange the hotels, but they do not do sightseeing with you, when you arrive in each place the guide that is with the tour does give suggestions and helps with logistics( how to get to a site etc) . I do hope you don't use langauge as a reason for visiting or not visiting a country,, there is no reason, I do not speak Italian at all, but had no problem in Rome or Venice etc. I barely speak french and have no problem in Paris either, and I loved Greece but speak no Greek( and who can read that alphabet, lol?), so choose your destination based on what you want to see! Your grand daughter should be the pivot point in choice here, ask her where, and get her to do some research. Ancient sites are in all three countries you have listed, ( Bath a fun and easy daytrip from London has anicent Roman ruins too!) Italy and Greece of course both have many sites.. so all three are equal but different. Another thing to consider, when is trip, if summer it will be hot and crowded in both Italy and Greece, it will just be crowded in London( sorry this is a joke for me, I have been to London 4 times, and love it, but 3 or my 4 visits have been in July or August and it has always been rainy or cool, my bad luck I guess)

You have already gotten some great advice from the others here. I would without a doubt vote for the UK! It would be a fantastic trip for you! Consider the Rick Steves "London in 7 Days" Tour. This includes your lodging and many of the meals. (Some meals are left open for you to choose a lunch place on your own.) Your have an experienced tour guide who takes you around to see the sights and teaches you how to use all the transportation in London. To see all the info, click on the "Tour" tab at the top of this page, and then choose England/Ireland/Scotland from the trip menu. Or go directly to it here: http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/britain-ireland/london One advantage to this tour is that you don't have to search around for what hotel or neighborhood you should stay in; the Rick Steves tour does that for you. And most importantly, you will be with a small group of other travelers on this tour, and you will probably make friends with them. Always enjoyable to meet fellow travelers! There is safety in numbers; you may be less likely to be pickpocketed if you are part of a group. I'm not saying that you necessarily would be pickpocketed if you were just two traveling alone. You will possibly want to stay on in London for a day or two after the tour is over, and then leave London for some train trips, such as to York, stay a couple of days there, and then (depending on what your interests are) continue on by train to Edinburgh. The Rick Steves London tour would get you oriented so you would feel more confident staying on afterwards and doing other things. The RS tour guides would be glad to give you all sorts of advice about traveling by train, and other questions you may have.

Consider also the "Best Of Britain in 14 Days" tour: http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/britain-ireland/england I have been on this tour, and what I enjoyed most is that all transportation is included, so that is one less thing for you to worry about. The B&B's and hotels are excellent, meals excellent, tour guides excellent. You would especially enjoy the Cotswolds on this tour, I think. Great tour. Highly recommend. The reason I mentioned these tours is that I believe they are perfect for a novice traveler. You learn a lot of travel skills on them, so that you don't feel like a novice next trip to Europe or the UK. You can also pick up travel skills from reading Rick's book Europe Through The Back Door; good read whether you go on a tour or decide to go on your own.

What a wonderful gift! Having been to all three, I would suggest you pick either Italy or the UK for a first visit to Europe. (Personally, I love Italy, but that's just my 2cents.) It sounds like your interests might be in line more with the UK, though. If you do not book a tour like some have suggested, I would highly recommend researching and making the arrangements for yourself. Many (most?) travel agents haven't even been to Europe and you can find yourself staying in a horribly located hotel. I used a AAA travel agent many years ago on my first trip to Europe and couldn't believe how far out of the center of town she put us. On the second leg of our trip, we checked in to the hotel, told them we were only staying one night, and spent about an hour finding a different hotel - and were so glad we did. Google maps, TripAdvisor and these boards are all great additions to the information found in the RS guides.

Yet another option for you is to go to the UK on your own, and when you are done, fly to Italy and do a Rick Steves tour there. http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/italy If you browse the tours and have questions, the RS phone number for tour questions is 425-608-4217. If you need help planning your trip, RS also has Trip/Tour Consultants who can help you make plans, just like a travel agent, only they know more than most travel agents. Their phone number is 425-771-8303 extension 298. There is a small fee for their help, so do a lot of homework first, and then call them with your most difficult details. Go here to find out more: http://www.ricksteves.com/about/consulting.htm

All three destinations are well worth a visit. I would go by myself and not on a tour. Duration: as long as possible plus a few days more. Take it slow, take your time. In '07 I spent 3 weeks with my nephew and 2 of his high school mates. We spent countless hours in the museums (some days from opening to close non stop). Plus walks in the parks, beers in the pubs ... it was a blast. Italy alone has enough sights to keep you busy a decade or two. A trip on your own is no problem in my opinion. Equip yourself with some good information, your library should have guide books, the Rick Steves videos are nice, there is wikitravel and a lot more information on the web. Concerns: safety - bad things happen here in Europe, but the serious stuff makes front page news, such is the rarity. Scams happen, as is pickpocketing and the very touristy places are places to take special care. Don't take stuff with you that you cannot afford to loose. But if you rent an apartment/B&B and be a little careful there should be no real problem.
I would probably choose Greece, btw.

Chiming in again to say that I don't think fear of language should dictate where people want to go - if you want to go to Hungary, by all means go! You won't be able to speak a bit of the language and you'll still be fine! But that if you are equally torn between a few destinations AND stressed out about a first-time trip to Europe and planning said trip, that one way to remove at least one stress is to go somewhere that you know the language. Every aspect of the trip, from planning to transportation to asking directions will be just slightly easier and make you feel more confident. I wouldn't tell someone who had their heart set on Italy or Greece to go to the UK just because they speak English, but if someone is already very interested in the UK and worried about planning and navigating, it makes sense for this time around.

I'm chiming in and concur that a visit to the UK meets both your criteria. Loads to see. No language barrier. London is one of the greatest cities on the planet. Costly? Yes. However, I believe you and your granddaughter would have the most enjoyable time exploring that city, using it as a home base, and taking day trips to Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Stonehenge and Salisbury. Each of your sense of adventure would dictate whether or not you plan the trip yourselves (and for many of us planning is part of the enjoyment of travel) or take a tour. Rick's 7 day tours are great, relaxed and very informative. It's only natural to be concerned about safety and scams but in over 40 years of traveling experienced one moment of concern when a friend had her wallet stolen in London. The response and cooperation by the London police is a whole other story, (ALL POSITIVE) and made me fall in love with London even more. If you use common sense, keep your money in a money belt, don't overpack, you'll be fine. Once you make our decision on where to travel, to go it alone or on a tour, read Rick's guides and have more questions, return to the helpline and post away. What a wonderful woman you are to do this for your granddaughter!!!

I don't have a suggestion regarding which country to visit (although England and Italy are probably logistically easier) , but I do believe your granddaughter should be involved with making that choice. I also think this could be a wonderful project for the two of you to plan together. Teri, if you are truly a "very novice traveler" then the two of you could be equal partners as you learn about possible destinations, costs, transportation, etc. I also suggest that your first decision should be limits for how much time and money you can spend on the trip. Keep us posted as you move ahead with your planning.

Teri- Lots of good options here. I travel with college age students to the UK every other year and I think it would be less daunting for you novices than the other option. Get your granddaughter involved in the planning though or it could end miserably. Personally I would avoid a tour and let it be a bonding time for the two of you, both as you plan and travel. Yes, hit up all the big cathedrals, but maybe plan to visit some Harry Potter sites- always a big hit with my students. My biggest piece of advice though is to get out of London- the UK is so much more. I'm a big fan of Wales, myself. Check out Pembrokeshire for example (St. Davids Cathedral, Pembroke, Cadew and Manobier Castles- stay in Tenby-I've always had luck with Southcliff Hotel there). Pick some little places to visit. If you are confident with the web (and since you are posting on it, I assume you are) you can handle most of the bookings yourself online, though a travel agent might get you a good deal on the flights (if you belong to AAA- consider them). I usually travel with a BritRail flexipass which costs the same no matter where you get it (with youth and senior discounts!). Don't forget to schedule in some downtime, time to poke in shops or sit down for tea or ice cream. The worst thing you can do is rush or overschedule yourself. Take time to smell the roses (sometimes literally) and give yourself some flexibilty and options or the chance to visit something quirky. That's my two cents for what it's worth.

London is wonderful. It is very easy to get there from the US. Flights there are some of the cheapest. The city is VERY expensive, so be prepared. If you read the Rick Steve's books, you can do this easily on your own. Be sure your granddaughter reads the too. That said, I actually think I would take my grandchild to Italy. It is not dangerous, but it does take some reading to be prepared. I would start in Rome and then Florence. End inVenice. All are easy trips by train. Italy is just wonderful. Actually wonderful is not adequate. After all, it is birthplace of the Renaissance. Just seeing the statue of David is worth the trip. England is very much like being at home. I love it there and have been several times. Oh, but Italy! It is enough different to feel you have been somewhere exotic but still be safe and somewhat familiar. The language is no problem at all. You will be in areas accustomed to tourists.

Many thanks to all of you for your insight and advice. I've learned much from each of you, and am encouraged by your replies. The first bit of advice I took was to invole my granddaughter in the planning. We're having a great time just talking this through. We both love the regions and people of the countries mentioned for possible travel, and are no longer overly intimidated by our perception of a language barrier. I believe our love for and interest in whatever country we visit will transcend that fear. It's exciting to let our joint spirits of adventure guide us. (Thank you for reminding us that we also must include good judgement and common sense). BTW: We each have copies of the recommended RS books (again, thanks for the advice on that).
Fortunately, we have a lot of lead time for a Spring, 2013 trip. We are enormously grateful to each and all of you - - thanks! Teri and Rainie