Teen "to do" suggestions

We'll need a little more info in order to help.

Athletic as in rides bikes? Likes to hike? Have you decided on any locations, i.e., Rome, or is the itinerary wide open based on what advice you get here? Have you ever been to Italy, or is this the first trip for all (both?) of you? How many nights will you have for the trip?

Thank-you!

This is our first time travelling to Italy (and posting on a forum so I greatly appreciate your feedback on my post). We will be in Italy for the first 3 weeks of September and arriving in Rome, not sure of our travel route yet but so far have these areas as destinations - Venice, Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Lake Como, Milan and Venice. We are at the serious planning stages so very open to ideas.

In terms of my son, biking, hikes - loves the outdoors!

Additionally, engage your son in the planning! He's old enough to read a guidebook and learn to do some research online. Besides coming up with a few activities he's sure to spark to - because he chose them - he'll benefit from a valuable trip-planning lesson: one he'll be able to use someday for planning his own first trip.

The more participation the younger people have in the plan, the more education they'll have had about the destination the before the plane lands, and the less they'll complain if everything chosen FOR them doesn't meet their preferences.

In Venice, try www.rowvenice.org. He can be a gondolier for a day.

I have traveled with 14 year olds; the only way to go IMHO is to put him in charge of his own happiness. I have seen courtesy of my daughter the British library in London, the Cluny in Paris, St. Clemente in Rome and climbed the Notre Dame Tower. My son took me to Aqueduct Park in Rome, the Speccolo in Florence, Arts et Metiers in Paris and the John Soanes Museum in London. Your son will probably uncover some things you wouldn't have thought of and people who take ownership are more fun to travel with and more patient of other people's choices. I'd put him in charge of planning at least one thing at each destination. You won't love them all but then he won't love all of your choices. It is hard to 'make things great' for teens; let him make it great for you.

One thing in Italy that was a very big hit with both my kids as teens was the Scavi tour under St. Peters in the Vatican. It is hard to get tickets as the groups are small and now it is well known -- when I did it very few people were aware of it -- but if you can get tickets it is fascinating. You can request them for your dates on the Vatican web site. The caves under Orvieto were another hit and my daughter loved Vernazza in the Cinque Terre and hiking the trail. Climbing the Torre Mangia in Siena is another cool thing to do and takes some energy. https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/climbing-the-torre-mangia-at-67/
Climbing Brunelleschi's Dome in Florence is also fascinating as well as energy absorbing. My daughter also really liked the Musee San Marco in Florence where Fra Angelico painted devotional paintings in each of the monk's cells.

But most of all turn over some planning to him and challenge him to find cool things you might not think of -- bet he surprises you.

I have seen courtesy of my daughter the British library in London

Jane , I'm so happy that you did that one! It was a highlight of a London trip some years ago, and I'm surprised that it doesn't make more must-do lists!

When my daughter suggested the British Library, I thought it sounded a bit lame -- what a surprise it was. We love books and to see an original magna carta and an original Guttenberg Bible and etc was really an experience. They have a decent enough cafe there to so we looked at the museum and then had lunch. Wonderful place. She also insisted on the London Zoo which I hated (or to be clear, felt was a huge waste of time since we have been to so many similar places -- the only Zoo I have yet experienced in travel that was worth doing unless one had never seen a zoo, was the night zoo in Singapore. But when you turn travel over to all the travelers you do somethings you wouldn't pick.

On the AC, we took a 3 hour boat tour that we all loved.

http://www.lasibilla.org/index%20-%20engl..htmlhttp://

www.positano.com/en/e/il-sentiero-degli-dei
Another great time was hiking the Path of the gods.

In Venice, you will make great memories with RowVenice.
Also, check out local festivals in the areas you will be staying. We ran into a Medieval Faire in San Gimingnano and Renaissance parade in Sulmona. Great fun.
Also, in Tuscany, if you are near Saturnia, the hot springs are off beat and free.http://www.discovertuscany.com/maremma/thermal-baths-of-saturnia.html

Agree with suggestions For row Venice and Pathway of the gods. Does your son like sport? If so, you might consider attending a football game.

The following website gives excellent directions for Path of the Gods and we found it useful last year when doing the walk.

http://www.pathofgods.com/into-the-path/from-east-to-west/from-bomerano-to-nocelle/

We have not been yet, but my 12 year old boy and I are planning our trip. He's interested in the Colliseum at night and a pizza making class in Rome. I think he also wants to climb everything he can find with a lot of steps so the Leaning Tower of Pisa is high on his list as is the dome in Florence.

Kayaking around Venice is fun. Www venicekayak.com the place to find out.

crl, if your son wants to climb a really tall leaning tower then head for Bologna rather than Pisa. He would also enjoy the dome climb at St Peters.

Venice, Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Lake Como, Milan and Rome

Three weeks is a good long trip, that's great! Still, it will fly and you want to use it well. Personally, I would drop Milan unless you are flying out of there. You've received some excellent ideas from other responders about specific things to do.

Arriving in Roma you could go immediately by high-speed train to Venice to start your trip. Then consider a stop -- all doable by train and bus -- in the Dolomites. We favor Ortisei in the Val Gardena. Great hiking, mountain biking across the Alpe di Siusi, riding mountain lifts, to-die-for scenery. Worth a minimum of three nights. Then move on to Lago di Como, Tuscany (maybe stay in an agriturismo and rent a car to explore), and finally head to Roma, drop the car and enjoy your last few days there.

Something like this:

Venice - 3 nights

Ortisei - 4 nights

Lago di Como - 3 nights

Tuscany - 5 nights - see a few hill towns, spend time relaxing at a pool at the agriturismo, see how an Italian farm operates. This is the only part of the trip that would require a car.

Roma - 5 nights

That is 20 nights. I would skip the Amalfi Coast in favor of time in the mountains, and I think a young person would really love the mountain exploring on lifts, foot, and bike versus riding a bus on the A.C.

Great first experience with a Travel Forum...thanks for all the great ideas!!!