Our family is in the process of planning a 3 week trip to Italy in June. My husband and I have both visited Italy, but this will be the first trip for our kids, ages 9 & 11. We were planning to spend 2 nights in Venice, 4 nights in Florence, 4 nights in CT (we love to hike,) 7 nights in Tuscany and 4 nights in Rome. A few details that I am questioning... If we arrive in Milan (traveling from the EC of US) would be better off to spend our first night in Milan, or should we tough it out and catch a train to Venice? Is one full day in Venice enough, or should we shorten our stay in Florence? For a family, is Monterosso the best base when in CT? I am also questioning if we need an extra day in Rome- of all the cities we will visit, it seems like Rome will have the most child friendly sights. We plan to travel by train, except for the week in Tuscany, when we will have a rental car to travel for day trips. I would love to hear what sights are "family" friendly! I am always surprised by what excites my kids when they travel- it is never what I have planned or expected!
Posted by
10 posts
How wonderful that you are taking your children on such a lovely trip! I have mixed feelings about Milan vs straight to Venice. I am sure they will be tired and need a break. It may be nice to spend a night in Milan close to the train station and the children can acclimate themselves to Italy. If you choose the straight to Venice route, will the children be too tired and when you arrive in Venice be exhausted? Also, I would think they will love Venice. They will probably be fascinated with the canals and how fun to "get lost" in the curvy little streets of Venice. I think whatever you decide will work out fine and you are right, you never know what children will find exciting. Good luck and have a fabulous trip!
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Especially since your time for Venice is short, and if your flight arrives to Milan by mid-day, I would plan to take the train there as soon as you arrive in Milan. You can nap on the train. I would not book nonrefundable train tickets ahead, in case of flight delays. You can buy tickets in Milano Centrale station for the next train departing (from a machine, ticket office, or the less crowded 365 Travel Agency inside the station), about $45 per person in 2nd class, or $60 for the next class of service, which might be necessary to find 4 seats together. I would also give one night from Florence to Venice, both because I find Venice so special, and because you'll still be finding your feet.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
I would estimate that most travelers (80%?) reporting in here spend more than one full day in Venice.
Posted by
North Carolina
2504 posts
I'd guess the kids would love taking the vaporetto to visit the islands of the lagoon (Murano, Burano, Torcello), so if you want to do that, as well as exploring the main part of the city, you'd want at least 3 nights there.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16243 posts
Go straight from the airport to Venice. Your flight likely arrives in the morning so you have more than enough time.
Add one night to Venice so that you have 3 nights (2 full days). Take that night from Florence.
Since you already plan to spend 7 nights in Tuscany, when you can take various day trips, 3 nights in Florence (2 full days) are enough to devote them fully to Florence. If you like Florence so much that you feel you would like an extra day, during your 7 nights in Tuscany, take another day trip to Florence for the day.
For your Tuscany 7 night stay find a place in a country farm (agriturismo) or country villa or in a small town, so that you don't have problems with parking etc. The best base, logistically, would be somewhere near the freeway that connects Florence to Siena (called RACCORDO FI-SI), anywhere between these two cities, for example around Colle Val D'Elsa or Poggibonsi or Monteriggioni or San Donato, etc.
You could also consider doing Tuscany immediately after Florence. Then by car you could drive to La Spezia, return the car there, and proceed by train to the nearby Cinque Terre. Monterosso is the best base, IMO. Then from Monterosso you can take a train to Rome along the coast.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15799 posts
I would definitely spend 2 or even 3 full days in Venice with the kids. It's so different! Would they like to see the glass-blowing? Riding in the front of the vaporetto along the canal, across the lagoon to Burano? Taking the traghetto to cross the Grand Canal standing up? I like the idea of going straight to Venice. It saves packing/unpacking, etc., for a one-night stay in Milan.
Look for an agristurism that has a swimming pool. Since you're spending a week in Tuscany, why another 4 nights in Florence and what will interest the kids there?
I wonder if you wouldn't have better hiking and overall a better stay at one of the lakes instead of the CT?
Climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa is fun for most kids. It's a strange experience because of the combination of the ramp and the tilt. Not recommended for vertigo sufferers.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Once you are in dazed travel mode, go straight to Venice. Take a vaporetto "cruise" and walk around after you check in, and try not to nap (your kids' sleep rhythms may have other ideas).
Posted by
Atlanta
5295 posts
Go straight to Venice. Most flights from the east coast arrive in Europe in the first part of the morning and hotel rooms are often not ready until after 12 or 1. Rather than waiting for the room in Milan take the train (a straight shot) to Venice to use the "dead time". With any luck your room will be ready when you arrive and you can spend the rest of the day walking around Venice and overcoming any jet lag. Personally I would spend 4 nights in Venice and only 2 in Florence. But that's just me being in love with Venice. TC