UPDATE 2 TO Oh where to go? Please help!! Your wisdom still needed!

I've been to all your cities and would choose Paris and Rome. Your sixteen and twenty two year old would probably go if you choose Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague.
Length of stay - the longer the better.

First, if your children are not interested enough, then don't force them to go. Give them a deadline by which they have to make a decision so you are not recreating your itinerary at the last minute, unless you don't mind doing that.

I would say A: Paris and Rome. Definitely visit Saint Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome.

I agree with Ilja. Paris, Rome and Athens don't sound very exiting to teenagers. I would also like to mention that Paris is not the best idea with your "modest budget", since the city is damn expensive. And Rome and Athens will be very hot... most Romans actually try to leave the city in July and August.
Like Ilja I would either recommend Paris and Rome, or Athens and a week on the Cyclades (if your kids like beach holidays). But in terms of budget, weather and "teenager friendliness" Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam or maybe Budapest (although it's sometimes damn hot there) are better choices. Berlin is ridiculously cheap in July and August.

One random add-on to this discussion is wondering how easy or difficult it would be to find a good easy-moderate hiking spot(s) outside of Paris to explore. I think this might sweeten the pot for the 16-year-old who is more interested in "accomplishing something" than doing all the "touristy stuff." Your suggestions about other more teenage-friendly destinations is great counsel, but sort of a non-starter for the Mrs. and I who also have a strong say in desired destination (since this is our 30th anniversary summer) :) So long story short, hoping I might convince son that there are cool things to explore that don't feel so touristy. Any ideas?

Thanks again for your great counsel already!

Cheers!

I, too, am surprised your kids aren't more excited about this. If my parents offered to take me to Europe when I was a teenager, I would have jumped at the opportunity...although I guess I am more Euro-centric than the average American, so maybe I am biased. For what it's worth, my husband went to Italy with his family when he was around 21, and he seems to have had a great time.

I agree with the suggestion that if you really want your kids to come along, maybe see if there are any other places they want to visit. Places like Berlin and Prague are really great for younger people (speaking as a twentysomething) and are also very inexpensive compared to Paris or Rome. Prague especially might be a good option, because it also has beautiful architecture and can be as romantic as Paris, in my opinion. Alternatively, if you really want to visit Paris and Rome and your kids don't seem excited about those cities, just leave them at home :)

Just wanted to add one comment, since you mention that budget is important. A couple of responses have brought up Amsterdam as great for teens, which is undoubtedly true. However, I'm currently in the process of booking lodging for Amsterdam, and it's a pretty expensive city. I'm finding lodging prices fairly similar to London, and unlike London, major museums, etc, in Amsterdam are not free.

If "accomplishing something" means a tall thing to climb, then every city has one. If it has to be a mountain to climb, you could stop at Chamonix/Mont Blanc or in Switzerland -- but then transportation becomes longer and more expensive than a simple Easy Jet flight from Paris to Rome. Paris has an easy walking path called the Promenade Plantee that most tourists never get around to.

They are old enough to have some free, non-family time at your destinations. In my opinion, the more they educate themselves about the options, the more they will want to go, but they probably don't want it to feel like school, just when they finally got a summer break. My desire to go to France at age 16 was only redoubled by age 22, though I did not make it until I was 26. Rick's free Audio Tours for city walking routes might also interest them, or they can follow the map without Rick talking in their ears.

You don't state how long you have for this trip and when you would be going during the summer. You also don't state what kinds of things the kids would enjoy. If they're not into museums, then send them off on their own while you do that. If you'd be in Paris between mid-July and mid-August, the kids might enjoy Paris Plage - the faux beach set up along the Seine during that time. It's very family friendly but I also noticed when I was there that during the evenings there were lots of young people hanging out there. If they want to accomplish something, they can climb the tower at Notre Dame, a great experience in my opinion - great views of Paris plus the Hunchback connection. If you have enough time you could do a stop between Paris and Rome somewhere in the countryside of France or Switzerland where there is outdoor athletic stuff to do. Let them do the research and pick the place as long as it's on a convenient route between the two cities. If they're going to enjoy the trip they need to get involved in researching and deciding what to do, even if you are picking the cities to go to.

All very good counsel...thank you everyone!!!

Very helpful!!

Hi,

That same holds for me too. Had my folks barring the money factor offered me at 16 the chance to go to Paris or London, and in this case, even (West) Berlin with them in the summer, i would have jumped at the chance. Financially, I didn't get over to these places until five years later, which was even a better time to go as a student backpacker.

If you and the kids are willing to split up while in Paris and Rome during the day and meet up later, that option could add to the choices of what to see. You don't have to stick together all day and at every site..

If your children don't want to go, don't force them. It is an expensive trip that should be special. If you have someone that will watch your 16 year old, then go on your own and you will enjoy yourself more. I would look at the RS week long tours of Paris and Rome so that you can see what there is to do and this way you get an idea of the length of time you want to stay. I have been on both tours and even a week in each place ( Sunday evening until Sat morning so really five full days Monday-Friday) was not enough time for each city but you can cover a lot. I have been to each city more than once and try to see something different each time and to see some of the same things as it is so overwhelming to see all the sites and museums. I would spend at least a week in each city, and go for a little more than two weeks if not more. Remember, one day to get over the lay jet lag and then time to travel to the other city and check into the hotel and a day to get home. So the longer the better. Plus the airfare is expensive and you want to get the most out of the price of the airfare and the time it takes to get to Europe. I have not been to Athens, from what I have read if your going to Athens, you would be better off going to Athens and seeing the rest of Greece and make that a separate trip for another time. People usually do not spend a lot of time in Athens, just see the major sites and go other places in Greece. It is not like London, Paris, Rome, Florence or Venice, Prague where you want to spend a lot of time in those cities. You want to get in and out of Athens and spend more time seeing the rest of the country. I hope this helps.

I agree that staying at least 2 weeks would be great, with 1 week in each city. That leaves time for one or perhaps two daytrips plus time to enjoy where you are, not just rush around seeing sights. For the two younger ones, if you do go to Paris you should check out Paris Walks - the chocolate walk sounds great and I've seen very good reviews of it here, plus there's a Taste of Paris walk and a couple of fashion-focused walks. This is in addition to the basic history/neighborhood focused walks. We did medieval Paris back in 2003 when we spent 3 weeks in Paris, and really enjoyed seeing Nicholas Flamel's house as well as the other sights. You might also look into Fat Tire Bike Tours of Paris; they have several different bike tours plus Segway tours that both you and the younger ones might enjoy.

If they really aren't interested, I agree that they should stay home and you go enjoy yourselves, but if you can offer some unexpected fun outings maybe that would spark some interest and open their eyes to a different culture or two.

And FYI, a friend of my mother's turned down her aunt's invitation to spend 3 weeks in Europe when she was about 16; decades later she still regretted that her parents hadn't leaned on her a bit more to encourage her to try something new.

Having been in both Rome and Athens in summer and in the off season, I would never return in the summer. It's just too hot, too crowded, and too expensive. Paris isn't exactly a budget destination either.

We've done several trips to Europe with our daughter, now 26. It's doubtful that we'll have another chance to repeat at this point, and we're all enormously happy that we shared our time there when we did have the chance. Both DW and I had lived in Europe previously at different times; as a family, we of course visited some new places, but we visited our old haunts as well, and our daughter really got into the "time travel" aspect of returning to places her parents had known decades before. Great, great memories.

Anyway, your chances for making European memories with your kids will dwindle with time. What if you postponed your personal favorites for another year (and maybe another season) and let the kids choose some of the destinations? Or maybe they'd be more interested (and maybe more confident in you as their tour guide) if you invited them to places you enjoyed yourself in the past. Where were you previously in Germany? Germany is actually not a bad place if you want to include some of Rome; tour ancient Trier (which BTW is only 3 hours from Paris by train.) Germany is generally pretty budget friendly too.
Porta Nigra
Walking tour of Trier
There are other great places to go near Trier too, including Cochem and Burg Eltz

DH and I have a chance to go to Europe for a month this summer. It's our first time as well and we LOVE to travel. We have a 13 yo. who we were going to take but he was so more worried about having dependable WiFi that we found a relative to care for him. We are on a modest budget as well and do not wish to waste it on someone who is clearly too young to enjoy it the way his old man and I will. We'll skype and I'll miss him like crazy but he'll have more fun with his cousins. :)

It isn't as budget friendly, but maybe consider London and Paris as your city pair. There are plenty of cool day trips from London and there may be things there that spark more interest (walking tours from this company are awesome and may appease your 16 year old's interest http://www.walks.com/). Fun train trip between the two.

Unfortunately there's no way to tell your kids they'll regret not doing something....I distinctly remember bristling at those kinds of comments from my parents many moons ago. Though if they'd offered up Europe I am pretty sure I would have gone (we didn't have the money to do anything BUT camping when I was a kid). I agree with prior posters that if they're not interested, give them a deadline to decide and if they choose staying home, let them. Consequences of decisions are the fact of life. Choose the trip you want and go - this should be a no-regrets trip for you and your spouse!

We call it a "vacation" when we don't take the kids; otherwise it's a "trip" ;). However, my husband and I are butting in on our daughter's Europe "vacation" this year - we are still thinking it'll be a "vacay" for us - but she might think its a "trip" LOL. Kind of nice to turn the tables on her. She will be with a group of high school musicians on a group tour and we get to go and enjoy (I.e. Not be chaperones) - so we will get to have some space but I can also have piece of mind that my 17 year old isn't thousands of miles away with me home worrying.

Would you consider Paris to Munich with Gimmelwald and Fussen in between? Save Rome for another trip.

That was our itinerary in 2012 with our young adult children. Thing we did that the kids liked: Normandy, the Via Ferrata near Gimmelwald and bike tour in Munich. BMW museum also in Munich. Get a Select Pass and put the kids in charge of the rail schedule. I also gave them the camera (not smart phone) and told them to take pictures for family album about the trip.

Good luck and enjoy,

Scott

How long are you going for? The French go on holiday en-masse in August when much of Paris closes down, so if by Summer you mean August, I would go elsewhere. Athens will be very hot at this time of year. If you are going say June, both will be better. Italy is generally more expensive than Paris.

Rather than stay in hotels, I would look at apartments - such as via Airbnb which will be cheaper and more interesting.

If you stay in Paris, you could have a night in the pretty town of Lille then go by train to either historical Bruges or Ghent in Belgium before heading to Amsterdam. Three days in the latter should be plenty.

Flying between Paris/Rome/Athens will lose you most a day of your holiday (an hour to the airport, 1.5 hours before take-off for check-in, 2 hour flight, an hour through the airport and an hour to you destination), so I would try to pick destinations that are closer and that you can reach by train so you get to see some of the countryside rather than an airplane.

If your new plan is to focus on Italy, I would stay several nights in Sorrento instead of trying to use Rome as the home base for everything. If you do a daytrip from Rome, you can see Pompeii and Vesuvius or Pompeii and the Naples Archeology Museum, but I wouldn't try for the Amalfi Coast.

Roger,
I totally agree with Laura's posting above. Sorrento would make a lot of sense for the places you mention you would like to see. Otherwise, you will be spending a lot of time going back and forth to Rome.

You could spend an entire day in Pompeii, although a half day is less tiring. But, get a guide there, as a great guide really brings a place to life. We would have missed so much (knowledge) had been toured there on our own.

Then I would spend another day in a vehicle going to Ravello (beautiful, breath-taking view over the ocean), then potentially take a boat back to Sorrento. That way your group can enjoy the journey by car and then also looking up to the hills/buildings from the water......for variety. Seriously consider having a local drive you. I don't have the current Italy Guidebook, but in the one from a few years ago, Rick gave contact info for a good driver/guide. Worth it, as the roads can be very interesting, and that way you can enjoy the views instead of having to have your eyes glued to the asphalt :)

A day trip out to the island of Capri could also be fun. The teens (and you) might enjoy riding the chair lift on the top of Capri and possibly taking a boat to the Blue Grotto (although I have no personal experience with doing the boat trip.) For extra fun, arrange ahead of time to be greeted by a convertible taxi to take you up high in Capri (you will be glad someone else is driving).

For Rome proper, look up Francesa (her contact info is likely still in the current guide book). Fabulous guide who can take you and your group thru the Roman Forum and Colleseum (sp?). She is the absolute BEST guide we have ever had in all our travels, and we have traveled significantly. But, book ahead with her.

Unless you really want to personally drive along the Amalfi Coast, I'd suggest taking the train from Rome....easy.

The teens might also enjoy an afternoon or evening in Positano.

You mention travelling in the summer.......if the kids are out of school as early as May, I'd encourage going before it gets too hot. It can be very, very hot in the middle of summer.

Roger,

but sort of a non-starter for the Mrs. and I who also have a strong say in desired destination (since this is our 30th anniversary summer)

I agree with Ann's comments above:

If your children don't want to go, don't force them. It is an expensive trip that should be special. If you have someone that will watch your 16 year old, then go on your own and you will enjoy yourself more.

This is your 30th anniversary! ... and it sounds as though you have to "convince" your children to go on this "trip" with you.

Consider all your options... perhaps you may want to enjoy this trip ( 2nd honeymoon?) sans children-- just a thought...

Hi Roger -
Another vote here for Laura's suggestion. Pompei and the Amalfi/Sorrentine are really too far for good day trips, and as other locations you mention are roughly in the same area, it doesn't make sense to be running back and forth from Rome. Sorrento is very nice, and offers multiple transport options around that region.

Very glad to hear that your young people are on board! Suggestion? Encourage them to do some of their own research for things they'd like to see and do. Besides a teachable opportunity in the fine art of trip planning, they're bound to engage even more if they're given a voice in that plan.

If you can shave a couple of nights from Rome to settle in Sorrento or somewhere on the Amalfi Coast, you would be much more conveniently located to visit Pompeii, Vesuvius (one day), and the Amalfi Coast or Capri the next day before heading back to Rome. You may be able to store the majority of your luggage at your hotel for 2 nights and travel very light to Sorrento/Amalfi Coast, then check back into your hotel the night or two nights before you fly home.