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13 days in Italy with teens! Help please!

We (2 adults and 2 teens) are flying into Rome in late March and then taking a flight to Catania the same day. We will need to get to Ortigia where we will pick up my daughter (she is on exchange for the school year) and meet her host family and stay for 3 days. We have 10 days left after to travel and fly out of Rome (daughter will fly back into Catania from Rome). 3 teens who for now have only requested that we visit the Amalfi Coast and do not visit a ton of museums or cathedrals! Looking for recommendations and suggestions on travel (trains, car rental, etc) and places to visit! Thanks!

Posted by
489 posts

Have them watch some great movies filmed in Rome and Italy... Angels and Demons... then they will want to see the cathedrals.... etc.

Otherwise, look up best spaghetti in Rome. LOL.

Posted by
11052 posts

Do they want to see Mt. Etna? Stay in Taormina and take a ride up there or fo with a guided tour. Then, Amalfi Coast, perhaps Pompeii, plus Rome-Colisseum, Roman Forum and make them go inside St. Peter’s to at least see Michelangelo’s Pieta. Thye might enjoy seeing the excavations and climbing down under San Clemente to see the deep layers of history that have been exposed. Take them to Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, amazing site, buy gelato. Walk along the Tiber River and cross a bridge into Travestere neighborhood.

Posted by
288 posts

My teen boys liked hiking in the CInque Terra. Pisa was on their request list so we did a quick visit there on the way to the cinque terra. In Rome they liked the colosseum and the forum. We also went out to the catacombs which they liked. We also limited art museums and cathedrals. They did like climbing the dome in St. Peters. Something that has been helpful for us is saying if you don't want to do museums and cathedrals you need to do some research and come up with fun alternatives. Watching fun historical movies like Gladiator might help them connect with the place and history a bit more.

Posted by
15678 posts

My teen boys liked hiking in the CInque Terra. Pisa was on their
request list so we did a quick visit there on the way to the cinque
terra.

Respectfully, with 10 days, wanting to see the A.C and flying out of Rome, I don't think they have time for that. March is also not an optimal month for hiking the C.T.

But as far as offering up suggestions, some time with guidebooks for the Amalfi, Rome would be helpful so your family can determine what it is they DO want to do. Be aware that it'll be too cold for water/beach activities in the A.C, and not all of the ferries will be running as late March is still "off" season there. If you are there April 1 or later, that's when more of them will be operating, and SITA buses travel the coast all season. Capri is a possibility for some hiking (a lot of businesses will still be closed) and you can day-trip to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Vesuvius by train. Hiking Path of the Gods is a possibility too. Other than that, what is your teenagers' attraction to that region?

Rome: you could walk/bike the Appia Antica (a favorite of mine) and I would assume there's interest in the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine. The Pantheon is a must, IMHO, and you might enjoy a lofty view of the city from Il Vittoriano (Vittorio Emanuele Monument). There are lots of things to see but truthfully, lots of those involve museums - art and history - churches and ruins. Your teens may not THINK they're interested in those places but then, they've never been in a drop-dead glorious - and very old - Roman basilica? Trust me, we have nothing here in the U.S. that's even close.

Prior research, lots of it, is essential for choosing what activities/attractions work for you and for understanding/appreciating what the important historic landmarks are all about when you get there. This is a perfect opportunity to hand your teens the guidebooks for a trip-planning homework assignment!

Editing to add: it's more accurate to count nights rather than days. I assume your 10 days includes travel time from Catania to the mainland, and it's unclear if it includes your departure day from Rome?

Posted by
1674 posts

Hang tough. With every treat for them, you get a museum or cathedral. For an older teen, look at Ross King's books. Angelo Angela's A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome will make lots of the historic sites come alive for an intermediate to older teen.

Posted by
891 posts

If you can get them to agree to One museum do the Borghessi in Rome. MUST have advance reservations and show up 1/2 hour before your reservation. It is small compared to most museums and has a combination of beautiful art, wonderful sculptures and the inside of the palace itself is beautiful. Make sure you tell the kids that the reservation is for 2 hours only. At the end of your 2 hours they make an announcement and everyone leaves for the next group to come in. Also because of the reservations they limit the number of people admitted at one time. One museum probably won't hurt them and they might be surprised how much they like it. Also if there is a Cathedral or museum that you and your hubby want to see, your teens may be old enough to leave them on their own for a while. Just make sure they have a card from the hotel and Euros for food, gelato and/or a taxi.

Have a great trip!
Mimi

Posted by
28 posts

Thank you so much for all the advice! We are definitely going to watch some films and my friend is passing along a couple of books for us to view. My middle child will have been in Italy for 7 months by then, so we are hoping she will make our transportation time a little smoother due to knowing the public transit and language. I am not sure why the interest in the AC other than the awesome photos that bloggers post! I have explained to all 3 that the weather will not be warm at that time, but they would still like to see it. Middle child has already visited Tropea and Florence at this point and is planning on Mt. Etna shortly, so we are trying to go to places she may not have visited by spring. I would LOVE to take the train to Venice but am aware that it is probably a stretch with the timing. Any opinions on car rentals?

Posted by
15678 posts

Where are you flying home from? Makes a difference where timing/planning is concerned.
Also, as previously asked, does your "10 days" include departure day?

Car rental (mainland): it's often more efficient to get from place-to place via train, and driving in Italy does involve some homework regarding avoiding ZTLs, bus lanes, challenging parking, need for International Driving Permit (that one is not a big deal to get), etc. You definitely do NOT want a car in the cities; a bigger hinderance than help.

Another consideration: you haven't provided your exact travel dates but it's possible that you'll be working around the Easter holiday and closures at some of the attractions, restaurants, etc. For instance, The Vatican Museums (Rome) are closed Easter Sunday and Monday, and the Colosseum closes early on Good Friday.

Also, "Free Sunday" at Italian National Museums (NOT a day for doing, say, the Colosseum or other most-visited of National Museums) falls on Easter Sunday this year, which might cause some additional planning around depending on what you want to see. The Borghese (excellent museum) is open but requires advance reservations even for "Free Sundays".

Posted by
28 posts

We will be flying out of the US March 28th and arriving in Rome early the 29th and then catching a flight to Catania. Guessing we will need to rent a car to get to Ortigia and then maybe use to travel up the coast to AC, as it seems the train takes a lot longer than driving in the southern region. We will fly out of Rome on April 10th, so we will be there over Easter as mentioned above.

Posted by
4212 posts

1) You have to go back to Rome for the return flight anyway, so first determine how many days you wish to spend in Rome. The remaining number of days would go a long way in influencing how I would spend the intervening time.
2) I am sure there is dramatically beautiful coastline in Sicily. Consult your guide book for a place that would give the kids something like what they have requested but without the needless hassle of inserting a ton of travel into a brief trip. I can't see leaving when you are in Sicily already.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/sicily/aeolian-islands/travel-tips-and-articles/sicilys-best-coastal-hikes/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d276c831
I see tons of great ideas for my own trip!
3) Alternatively, fly to Naples and give them what they want, then take the train to Rome. I would do 5 days in each, give or take according to your interests--and put the remainder in Sicily, where there are a gazillion options!

Posted by
15678 posts

We will fly out of Rome on April 10th, so we will be there over Easter
as mentioned above.

But not in Rome over Easter Week.
OK, so the 28th, 29th and 10th don't count as they're travel/jet-lag days. This leaves you 30th - 9th for sightseeing: 11 days. What "three days" (dates) are you intending on staying in Ortigia? The nights of the 29th, 30th and 31st, leaving Ortigia on Easter Sunday?

Posted by
28 posts

We will leave Ortigia on the 31st as we are trying not to travel on the 1st since things will most likely be closed.

Posted by
4212 posts

So you actually only have two nights and one full day in Ortygia (29-31). And is a flight out of Catania booked, or you just know you will leave the host family that day? The more specifics that you can provide that are already cemented, the better we can advise you!
We still do not know if you intended to spend any additional time in Sicily, or if you planned to actually explore Rome or just fly home from there. Help us help you.

Posted by
1231 posts

They may like Orvieto, it is just over an hour by train. You can tour the Etruscan tombs, ride a funicular, and the food is a little different from Roman food.

Posted by
15041 posts

First of all Ortigia is basically a small peninsula in front of the center of Siracusa. It’s technically an island because of a 30 ft wide canal that separates it from the mainland, but calling it an island is a stretch. All you have to do is walk across one of the two bridges. So it’s really just a neighborhood of downtown Siracusa that is surrounded by water. I’m not sure you need a car to get there. There are numerous way to reach it from the Catania airport. A car is not needed in Ortigia. It’s so small you can walk all over it in 15 min. So if you drive, you need to keep the car parked the whole time in the pay parking garage to the left of the bridge as you go across the canal. I see the need for renting a car, only if you plan to roam around Sicily. However, the way I read it, it looks like you are interested to just spend two nights in Siracusa and fly out to the mainland on the 31st, after just two nights. Frankly I don’t see how one can see Siracusa just in a day, after a long flight. It’s probably the most beautiful city in Sicily, and there are tons of things to keep you busy for 10 days just in Sicily, but whatever.
If you are interested in going back to the Italian mainland, the most efficient way is to catch a flight from Catania to Naples (if the Amalfi Coast must be in your itinerary). If you stay in Sorrento or also Positano, you can visit Amalfi Coast, Capri, Pompeii, and even Naples during your stay. 4 nights in the area are recommended to see at least some of the many sights. From there, after let’s say 4 nights, you would proceed by train (via Naples), to Rome for the reminder of the 10 day holiday. 4 or 5 nights in Rome before coming home would be ideal. A day trip to Orvieto is also doable while in Rome, assuming you have a minimum of 4 nights in Rome.

Posted by
15678 posts

If you are interested in going back to the Italian mainland, the most
efficient way is to catch a flight from Catania to Naples (if the
Amalfi Coast must be in your itinerary). If you stay in Sorrento or
also Positano, you can visit Amalfi Coast, Capri, Pompeii, and even
Naples during your stay. 4 nights in the area are recommended to see
at least some of the many sights

Right. if you are leaving Ortigia on the 31st, you only have 1 full day there, not the "three days" stated in your original post. That's sort of why we're trying to rein in your expectations. You might want to consider a longer stay in the region unless your daughter - who has already explored the area - is driving your plan to move on?

Yes, there are "many sights" in the Amalfi/Naples area but will those will appeal to your family? Positano is pretty but will it keep teenagers busy for very long? No idea. We were done there in 1/2 a day, including some leisure time for adult beverages. Pompeii took us the better part of a day - and it was my 2nd time - but will it be as interesting for your group? Again, you would know better than I but maybe can see why choosing a location based just on "awesome photos that bloggers post" might not be enough for 3-4 days?