I will be taking two 17 year old boys to Italy late March 2011. We will have 10 days for Rome, Florence and Venice. I would appreciate any suggestions for activities specific to this gender/age - I don't want them to feel this is "Mom's Trip". Thanks so much!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
How about putting them in charge to plan at least half of the trip. We did that with our sons from about the age of 14 on. That helped them to really buy into the trip. And don't be afraid to let them go by themselves for a half day or so.
Posted by
Piedmont Triad, NC
176 posts
Hi Lisa, I have an 18 year old son and we are going to Rome in February. We found a "legends and mysteries" night tour on darkrome.com that he said looked interesting, and he also saw an article on budgettravel.com about gladiator lessons on the appian way that appealed to him. I googled "rome with teens" and then sent my kids a bunch of links - they want to see the Capuchin Crypt, the Catacombs, the sites from the movie Angels and Demons, the Colosseum, Pompeii, and the Vatican. When we do family trips we have each person list their top two picks and we make sure those get done, then anything else is gravy:) Good luck and have fun!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Keep in mind that any supposedly "factual" information in the Dan Brown books is very suspect. He routinely has statues in the wrong places, churches in the wrong piazzas, etc. His books are best thought of as entertainment, not reference books. That said, have a great time!
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Plan on placing the two 17-year old boys on a busy corner and let them watch the really cute Italian girls whiz by on their motor scooters. Don't step out in front of them, however. They'll take you out in a heartbeat. Aside from the girl watchng, have them help you with the trip plannng. They'll easly pick up how the trains run and how the ticket machines work. They will be a big help.
Posted by
Denver
799 posts
With my kids, who are good travelers and love to travel, and slightly younger than yours, I've found they aren't interested in actually planning any parts of the trip. I do involve them, however. I know generally what they like, and will show them, mostly on the internet, various sights or sites that I think look interesting - they then weigh in with their opinions. Kind of like Deanna does. On lodging, one kid likes being involved, the other doesn't care. So the involved one helps me with looking at the hotels, checking out reviews on tripadvisor, etc. Recognize they may want to go off on their own for a bit, especially in the evening. Venice closes up early, but the others do not. And remember that the drinking age in Italy is 16, so you'll want to discuss your position on that.