Ad Italia - with kids

Posted by Joel Ma (US) on 12/14/23 09:00 PM

Hi all,
I am planning a trip to Itally for two adults and two children ages 8 and 10.
I consider myself a confident DIY travel planner for a 4- 5 day trip in the states. Both my wife and i have international travel experience Before Kid Era (BKE). We have places we'd like to go, and also interest in visiting a former exchange student.
(they live near but not in a major city)
we're interested in a RS Italy My Way tour, because it might allow us to focus on things we'd like to do, while in a particular area.
however it also restricts our focus too.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has had experience with the Italy My Way tour, or generally any other My Way tour.
is this tour type good for parents with kids?

how hands on are the tour guides / level of expertise? are they able to make recommendations in a location for dining etc?

what if we wanted to take side trip, and say come back in a day, and meet up in the next location?

thanks in advance,

-J

Posted by Kathy

Minnesota 🎒

12/17/23 11:42 AM

16618 posts

Hi Joel, welcome to the RS forums -
I've not had firsthand experience with a My Way but I'm kicking your post to the top of the list - thus making it more visible - to try and get you some feedback from those who have. :O)

There's really only one My Way tour for Italy so this must be the one you're considering?
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/italy/my-way-italy

If you haven't already, browse the reviews in that link from people who've taken it? I see lots of positive comments regarding helpfulness and knowledge of the guides so I wouldn't worry about that piece. IMHO it is, however, a rapidly moving itinerary of, realistically, 11 sightseeing days + an evening on arrival day, and 6 hotels within that time Venice>Lake Como>Italian Riviera>Florence>Assisi> Rome. It's meant to be a sampler for the time-constrained or those considering longer stays/more in-depth exploration in the future.

Is it a good choice for your family? You are best to answer that question as you know how your tribe travels. Can everyone cheerfully get up and get going in the morning? Are they interested in the sorts of attractions/activities the locations have to offer? As well, if you're planning this trip during the summer months, how does your family handle heat and crowds, as you would be dealing with both?

Worth mention will be the need to reserve your timed-entry tickets to any of the most visited attractions you're planning to visit well in advance, so your "My Way" time would need to be somewhat structured.

As the itinerary provides just 1 full sightseeing day + some additional afternoon/evening hours in each location, I don't see where you'd have time for an overnight trip if it's in the middle of the tour. What you could do, however, is add days to the front and back ends to sightsee/travel completely on your own. You'd want to be in Venice before the tour begins anyway (a buffer in case of transport delays/cancellations) and Rome most definitely deserves more time. If the desired day trip is within reasonable reach of either, then sure, why not.

Does this help?

Posted by Mary

Massachusetts

12/17/23 09:56 PM

1104 posts

Please review the RS tour scrapbook contest entries. There are multiple entries for My Way tours including Italy. It should give you a good overview of first-hand experiences.

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks/tour-alum-scrapbooks

Posted by jasonindenver

12/17/23 10:36 PM

299 posts

We have done three European trips with our girls all without a tour. It was surprisingly easy and our kids loved train travel to the point that they do not want to ever go by car again!

If money were a concern, and given your experience traveling, this less regimented schedule might be more enjoyable for all. We did find that our kids benefit from a flexible schedule.

In each major town we visit, we hire a local guide. The major app-based tour guide sites have many who can tailor a tour to meet the kids interests as well as the adults.

One thing we were blown away by at a very early age was how quickly kids learn to play together despite the lack of a common language. In playgrounds throughout Italy, our girls immediately felt at home.