Hello,
We are trying to plan a 12 day trip to Italy and France for July 2025 for our daughter’s HS graduation. It will most likely be my husband and I along with our 18 year old daughter and 2 of her friends. Our family has been to Rome, Venice, Florence and CT but never to France. One of the other girls travels extensively and her parents may join us but TBD. The other girl doesn’t travel very often (like us to Europe 1-2 times) but recently went to Paris so Paris is out. Girls were thinking somewhere maybe quainter country Side France and then train to Italy going to CT (I know crowded but my daughter loved it) then to somewhere in Puglia and then flying out of Rome. I know Rome will be crazy with the Jubilee so we are still contemplating this. France I was thinking maybe fly into Lyon or even drive from Zurich to Annecy and stay there? Or would you recommend other places like Avignon? Or? Any recommendations or suggestions so appreciated!! I know we are getting a super late start to this:-( please and thank you!!
Posted by
5316 posts
Maybe this will be a good project for the girls, or maybe you want to TCB, but either way, my advice is to refine/edit. It's too much for the timeline (and I realize not focused yet!).
Do you want to wake up every few days and be hustling the group to a train station or stay in fewer places, doing as you wish each day (I can envision the girls going off to do whatever while parents do what they like--the Riviera would be fantastic for that with the convenient train line).
Just the Riviera (France and Italy) plus your arrival/departure points would be a great 12 day trip.
Rome + Puglia would be a great 12 day trip.
A bit of France and western Switzerland would be a great 12 day trip.
Posted by
Fort Myers, FL
1938 posts
I also would recommend the French and Italian Rivieras. Fly into Marseilles and head to Nice and Monaco area for 3 days. Head to Portofino area for 2 days and then on to CT for couple of days. I would finish up in Lucca/Pisa for the rest of the time and fly out of Pisa.
You will find your 12 day trip is only about 10 full days. If you can stretch it to 14 days total it will be even better. Enjoy. ON WISCONSIN!!!
Posted by
OP
Wisconsin
2 posts
Thank you! Yes I would love to slow this down as well! When our family did Italy 8 years ago we did Milan, Florence, CT, Rome, Venice and Pisa all in 10 days! Of course with a young child with high fever the last day- It was a lot! And just writing that out sounds ridiculous!! The girls did some research of their own but felt a bit overwhelmed thus I am trying to guide them. :-) I really appreciate the feedback! Now to try and convince these young girls to slow down!
Posted by
Atlanta
5290 posts
The girls did some research of their own but felt a bit overwhelmed thus I am trying to guide them.
Perhaps in guiding them through too much information, you can suggest limiting the destinations to three places. And that will slow things down also They probably don't remember that each relocation will cause the loss of at least 1/2 to 3/4 of a day that could be spent seeing and doing other things.
Maybe they can agree on three places they'd all like to visit; or have each girl pick one "must go" place. The greater their involvement in the planning the better the trip will be. Not that teenage girls are ever a problem.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
532 posts
Since your itinerary is wide open, I suggest looking at your flight options as a starting point. The "best" transatlantic flight is always where I start. "Best" is very subjective, of course. Direct vs stopover, price, schedule, mileage plan, whatever your priorities are. Flights within Europe generally cost much less than connections added to your transatlantic flight. And of course, there's also the train.
You don't say what the girls' interests are, other than "quaint countryside," which the Riviera is not, IMO. If you decide on Annecy or somewhere else in the Alps, I suggest taking a look at Turin for your Italian city. Lots to see and do there.
If you happen to find a good flight deal to Frankfurt (which has been my experience recently), how about Strasbourg? Very quaint, lots of day trip potential, including Nancy, Colmar, Freiburg im Breisgau, etc.
Overall, with 12 days, I would not consider more than 3 stays. I don't think you are as late to the planning as you think you are, but maybe it's a matter of taking what you can get as far as destination and accommodation. The other couple really needs to decide if they are going because that could really impact whether you are shopping for hotel rooms or vacation rentals. IMO, three bedrooms is the kind of critical mass that can open up a lot of great options for gites in France. OTOH, 7 people don't fit into most rental cars.