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Trip planning for first timers, family of four to Italy need direction!

I have always wanted to see Italy, but I've never even been to Europe. I am planning for me and my family to go next June (2019). Probably around a 10 day trip. I think we would do the Rome, Florence, Venice stops. I went to CostcoTravel.com to just see what kinds of itinerary that might mean, and now I am wondering what order we should go. Seems like if I book Venice/ Florence/Rome it's a lot less expensive than Rome/ Florence/ Venice. Is there a preferred or "better" order? We are flying out of San Antonio, TX. No airline hubs here. Not really into driving to Austin to get a better fare.
Also wondering if 4 nights in Rome, 3 nights in Florence and 3 nights in Venice is a good place to start. I have read in the books "don't try to do it all, plan on coming back" so I feel that if I set the number of days, we can fill in with what we can handle and not more.

Another big question: We are traveling as a family of four: Two adults and two teenagers. It seems that most Italian hotels are much smaller than what we're used to in the US. I saw some "executive quad rooms", are those actually big enough to sleep four adults? We are one average size man and three smaller ladies. I don't want a pull-out sleeper sofa as that hasn't worked for us since the kids were little. Are we going to have to get two hotel rooms?

Looking forward to any assistance with any of this that I can get. Thank you very much!

Posted by
6734 posts

First: Get the Rick Steves Italy book. Watch his Italy videos (which seem to play every week on my local PBS station) which will help get you oriented.

Next: Find some way to make your trip more than "around 10 days". IMHO many (most?) first-time travelers to Europe (especially Americans) make a huge mistake in underestimating the amount of time they need to accomplish their goals. Remember: it takes you a full day (or more) to get there, and a full day to get back. Pre-trip stress and tasks often leave you exhausted before you even head to the airport, then you can't get any sleep in the miserable coach seats, you arrive seriously sleep-deprived (like, having been awake for 24-36 hours) and jet-lagged too because of the time zone changes. Do not count your arrival day in Europe as a usable day, no matter what time your flight is scheduled to arrive - that will be consumed with just trying to stay awake until dinner time. For the next day - your first full day in Europe - most people should also plan a "light" day since they still won't feel 100% and need a little time to recover. Do not count your departure day either - that's consumed by getting to the airport and all related tasks. So when most people say they're planning a "10 day trip" that means for them 10 days away from home. Which actually means about 7 or at best 8 days actually in Europe - which is short-changing yourself.

Try hard to carve out at least 14 full days on the ground after arrival - so a minimum of 16 days away from home. Try hard to make this happen, it will make a big difference in your experience. You need to go a bit slower than most first-time planners think, to savor the experience (and because you also need to allocate time for logistics and survival).

Do not book flights yet! Wait until you have figured out where you're going - because you will want to fly open jaw - into your first city, home from your last.

To start figuring a rational itinerary, you're in luck: take a look at what Rick Steves suggests - it's right here on the website - and them use that as a starting point, tweak it for your own plan.

Click "Explore Europe" upper left on this page.
Click "Italy"
Expand the "Plan" section.
Click "Italy: recommended Itinerary"
Read options.
You don't need to follow all this exactly, but it's helpful as a starting point.

You can also look at the Rick Steves tours to get ideas for logical routings. Just be aware that you will move a little slower - and you will be less efficient - when you're not on an escorted tour, since you will have to accomplish mundane tasks like finding your way around, getting lost, etc. which are handled for you on a tour.

Good luck.

Posted by
4256 posts

David gave you some great advice. When you consider that the biggest single expense is airfare, you need to stay as long as possible to get your money's worth.

Posted by
16028 posts

David gives you excellent advice. You have 10 nights in Italy, it that is a 12-day trip. You depart San Antonio on Day 1 and arrive in Italy on Day 2, tired and jet-lagged. On Day 12 you can fly back home all in one day, but it is a very long day. More than 24 hours because of the time change. Most people do not want to show up for work the next day. Keep this in mind when scheduling your vacation time.

If you are booking through Costco travel, it may be difficult to ensure you are getting hotel rooms suitable for your family. It is hard to know what that "executive quad" room provides without looking at the hotel website. If you have the name of the hotel you could do that. My guess is it is a suite with large bed and a pull-out sofa. A room for a family of four is usually described as a Family Room or quad. It should have a large (double) bed and two twins. American-style rooms with two Queen-size beds are very hard to find in Italy.

When we took our teen girls to Italy a few years back I had trouble finding familynrooms. In two towns, Verona and Lucca, we rented apartments for 2-3 nights each. In small towns like Varenna and Manarola (Cinque Terre) we had to get two separate rooms, a double and a twin. In Florence we did find a nice big family room with a queen bed and twins, and enough space.

You can use a website like booking.com to search for rooms that sleep four comfortably. But first you have to figure out where you are going. Venice-Florence -Rome makes for a good first-time trip, and that is the Rick Steves recommended order of travel. If it is also less expensive than the reverse, so much the better.

Posted by
1647 posts

I agree with David. IMO a 10 day trip is 7.5 days. If you can add at least 3 more days. I always subtract 2.5 days from any trip because day one you are wiped. Day two you will more than likely start the morning out slower and the last day to travel home is shot. If the airfare is better going Venice-Florence-Rome, then do it in that order.

On the day after your arrival day I would pick out things to see which I call static sights. In Rome that would be the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, etc. instead of museum tours. In the days following, schedule your time with what you all want to see. Book museums in advance to skip standing in long lines and consider tours in some others, like the Vatican Museum.

When it comes to lodging, look at hotels with "family rooms". Using Booking.com can help you greatly. Also, finding an apartment may be an answer. It isn't a secret....it takes a lot of planning to travel to Europe to make sure you use your time efficiently.

Those are three great cities. You can't see everything, but you can prioritize in each one and see the greatest highlights of each.

Enjoy your first trip.

Posted by
19659 posts

Seems like if I book Venice/ Florence/Rome it's a lot less expensive than Rome/ Florence/ Venice. Is there a preferred or "better" order?

The Venice/ Florence/Rome order is better, because you can get lots of direct flights back from Rome, only a couple from Venice and then pretty much only in the summer. Other flights from Venice require a very early start to get to a European hub for a late morning flight back to the States. The trip to Europe is a slog, so get it done at once by going to the far point on Day 1.

For this trip, you really don't lose that much time when you change cities. Venice to Florence is only a shade over 2 hours on the train, so you can check out at 11 am and be checking into your Florence lodging by 3 pm. Florence to Rome is only 1 1/2 hours.

Apartments might be the way to go. There are lots in Venice (most locals have left for the mainland).

Edit - right now, using legacy carriers, Austin saves about $100 pp, still $1600 pp. There could be deals coming along.

Posted by
36 posts

Thank you for all of the great replies so far. As for me always wanting to go to Italy, my husband "thinks" he went there before as a kid, doesn't remember, didn't really care. He could go to Hawaii every year and be happy with that. He wouldn't go anywhere if I didn't make him! So that's why I'm looking at Italy. My oldest daughter is graduating from HS and she wants to go to Europe, anywhere. My younger daughter (will be 15) probably doesn't really care either way. The actual best solution here would be for me and my oldest to go to Europe and go wherever, for however long, but that isn't going to happen. My husband is apprehensive about leaving the house for a long time, so that's where the time limit came from. If I can stretch it, I will.

As for Costcotravel.com, it was just a way to start looking at real flights and hotels, etc. I don't feel like I have to use them.

Keep the great advice coming, I'm still soaking it all in! Thanks!!!

Posted by
658 posts

So it sounds like you are planning a trip that no-one else in your family is excited about. How's that going to work when you get there and are trying to get them interested in seeing the sites?

How about getting some Rick Steves videos and watching them with your whole family. Making something will spark an interest in one of your daughters. If they know nothing about anything in Europe, then it's going to be hard to get them interested in going. They are of the age that they are not going to like anything unless they choose to. So get them involved in the planning. It sounds like you are going to be the one always worried about keeping everyone else happy, and that's no way to have a vacation.

What is your husband's concern about being gone so long? Does he worry about something happening with your house? Maybe you could consider finding a house sitter to stay there while you are gone. We've found some great ones on a website called Trusted Housesitters.

Posted by
36 posts

No, clarification - I said my oldest wants to go to Europe. Younger daughter would be fine to go anywhere.

Posted by
119 posts

For accommodations, try Airbnb or search Booking.com for "vacation rentals". I just booked places in Milan, the Lake Como area, Florence and Venice for a family group. Prices are much more reasonable than multiple hotel rooms. Booking.com and Airbnb have some of the same properties. The advantage of Booking.com was that I could get the address while I as searching. Airbnb shows you the general area, but you don't learn the address until you book. It was helpful to be able to research distance to transportation and sites before booking.

Posted by
1929 posts

Yeah, usually for a first trip abroad I wouldn't advise getting an apartment through AirBnB or VRBO, but I think in your specific case it might be just the ticket. If your husband is a homebody, what could be better than having a home away from home? And yes, European hotel rooms are not large, generally speaking. So an apartment would fit the bill in my opinion.

That being said, if you cannot squeeze any more time away, and it's only 10 nights or less, I'd say cut it down to two bases, either Venice & Rome or Florence & Rome because you need at least 4 nights in a place to get its flavor, its vibe. Obviously, don't miss Rome.

Read Rick's books on Italy, and then start surfing the apartment websites and here on this forum about the best methods to navigate what you want in an apartment in each place, and how to do it. We did it on our second trip in Florence and our 3rd trip in Rome, and it made everything that much more memorable. And it was certainly cheaper than two hotel rooms, and in some cases less than one room. They can be very reasonably-priced.

Enjoy your planning!

Posted by
19659 posts

Guys like guy things. Venice is fascinating because everything has to be delivered by boat, including people. Riding the vaporetto down the Grand Canal in the morning, you will see everything, boats loaded with pallets of Coke and beer and wine and everything that fits in a Venice convenience store. There is the brown UPS boat, stacked full of boxes out for delivery. Maybe someone will call an ambulance and you can see (and hear) the only speed boat that is allowed to go full throttle on the Canal. Then the garbage compactor boats and finally, the good old honey dipper boat. Ride the No 2 boat around by Tronchetto and you can see all of the trucks unloading their goods onto boats for delivery on the islands.

The train from Bologna to Rome runs at an impressive 200 mph. Maybe a short side trip to Modena for the Ferrari Museum. Rome, has its Roman ruins, the Colosseum and triumphal arches, and not a ruin, the Pantheon, made with concrete in 125 AD.

So I think there is plenty to keep hubby interested.

Posted by
36 posts

I really wish I could see the whole thread when I'm replying here so I can thank everybody individually. Yes DH is a homebody, LOL. But every time we go on a trip, he always says "gee, that was really a great vacation". So, I don't know what I'm worried about, but still.
I was looking at booking.com after your suggestions and was pleasantly surprised at how much information there is for each rental. I think that is a great option for us, thank you all for suggesting that.
I pulled up flights on Google Flights, and am watching flights. SAT-VCE and FCO-SAT with the unavoidable stops in between. (ugh).
I actually downloaded one of Rick Steves' Italy guidebooks on my ipad for my last flight a few months ago, I just happened to chose that because I was in a hurry. I like non-fiction, so that appealed to me. Then I bought the actual book, so although I have that, actually setting up an itinerary for us with real dates and places is more difficult than the fantasy of reading about it in a book. I watch the Rick Steves' episodes on YouTube when I have a chance, and other people's YouTube travel tips.

Posted by
2098 posts

I'm going to throw out a radically different idea for consideration. Look at similar posts here, especially from folks like you who have never been to Italy. They all mention the big three, Venice-Florence-Rome. Almost all mention going sometime in the summer.

Be aware you are planning to go to the busiest sites during the busiest season. Are you planning the big three because of very specific things you want to see there or because that's pretty much what everybody else does?

We have been to the big three, but we have also been to other areas in Italy. The big three present one view of Italy, but there is so much more of the country that is completely different from the metropolitan areas. There are areas that are just as steeped in history. Investigate going rogue. There are places to visit that won't be as crowded that will provide a more intimate look at what Italy has to offer. I know this is a highly unusual suggestion for a first time trip, but we feel we got a more balanced view of Italy outside the big three.

Posted by
1929 posts

Be aware you are planning to go to the busiest sites during the
busiest season. Are you planning the big three because of very
specific things you want to see there or because that's pretty much
what everybody else does?

Doug brings up a valid point. If your husband is anything like me, he will not enjoy waiting in line at attractions in the main tourist cities of Venice, Florence & Rome, in June, which is the height of tourist season. To a certain extent, there's no way to avoid it. Even more reason to have a relatively spacious, centrally-located apartment where he can chill out if the rest of you are on the go somewhere. Don't force him--he might (like me) prefer to sit by himself at an outdoor cafe for a couple hours, drink a caffe, people-watch and return some EMails. That to me is as relaxing & fulfilling as seeing an attraction. Different strokes...

So, let's say you have 10 nights on the ground, with the 1st night jetlagged and last night preparing for the trip home, leaving 8 nights for the country itself. Yes, if you can eke another 2-4 days, do it. We've done 10 nights, 11 nights and 17 nights. Guess which one we had the most fun on and never felt rushed?

Even if you were to get 12 nights, I'd still pick only 2 bases, near transportation hubs (Florence and Rome are great for this) and then start planning day trips. From Florence to Siena or Lucca, from Rome to Orvieto or even Pompei if you plan well. On these day trips you still will encounter plenty of tourists, but at least you'll be out of the central districts of the cities. And the Italian trains are a gas, just so much fun and efficient as well.

Posted by
174 posts

I would suggest, as others have to read Rick’s guidebooks to see what you really want to do in Italy, because it’s easy to get an overload of museums, churches, and art in each city. Lots of people here will tell you that you can't spend anything less than so many days in a particular city, but that's based on their interest. Decide how many days you want to spend in each city based on what you are interested in doing. We found it useful to look at the typical itinerary of group tours offered by Rick Steves and other tour companies, because they usually know what is popular and most people enjoy seeing.

For us, a day trip to Cinque Terre with an overnight in Pisa was a good change from museums and churches. Our visit to Italy was what I call a "snapshot" tour and we visited Venice, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, and Rome in less than a week. If we had to do it again, I would add 2 days to Florence ( and perhaps make a day trip from Florence, our favorite city), and one to Rome, just to slow down the pace. And If I was still in college, I would seriously consider going to Italy for a Study Abroad quarter.

Posted by
129 posts

I think you have time for the 3 cities. My suggestion is to order the Streetwise maps for each city from Amazon. The maps will give you an overview of the city layout before you book accommodations. It will also be helpful in planning your days.

Posted by
94 posts

I will only speak to the 1 room versus 2 rooms debate. We went to Salzburg and Munich this past spring with our boys, ages 15 and 11. In Salzburg, we had a "family room" at a B and B with a double bed for DH and I and the boys on a pull out sofa. In Munich, we had 2 rooms side by side. Munich was so much nicer! The B and B was great, but just to have separation after spending all day together was fantastic. Not to mention, having 2 bathrooms allowed all of us 30-45 minutes extra sleep! It might cost a little more, but we'll be a 2 room family from now on.

Posted by
467 posts

Have fun planning! It looks like you are going the apartment route.

Wehave stayed in hotels & apartments with teens we have always had two rooms. The hotels are so much smaller than US and teens like their downtime.

It will be crowded with tourists when you go so be prepared & it will be hot. We personally like Rick’s tours so the biggies are handled & we can spend half our time doing our own exploring.

Posted by
16028 posts

The earlier in June you can go, the better. I looked at the San Antonio school calendar ( public schools) and it appears the last day of school is May 29, a Wednesday. Think about departing home that first weekend, on Saturday June 1.

Posted by
36 posts

@Dougmac, Where would you suggest we go instead of the usual three big bases? I know Rome/Florence/Venice are the usual ones, but I've never really been out of the US before and have no itinerary planning experience here. I want to see things, I don't want to sit around and look at a lake, that I can do at home. Does that help with some suggestions for me? Thanks!
@Baxter22, that is a good suggestion about those maps. I looked them up, and put them on my wishlist. Thank you!
@Lola, In our school district, we don't get out until June 6th, then we have graduation on the 7th. And probably a party somewhere in there. Yes I agree getting there as early as I can in June is a priority!
And thanks to everybody else for your input. Really appreciated!!!

Posted by
16028 posts

DougMac has a good point, but I don't think you should skip all three of the "big three". Consider carefully what appeals to you about each, from watching Rick's videos and other sources. Then pick two and add a more relaxed, smaller town as your third destination.

In any case I would not skip Venice. it is said there " nothing like it in the world" and that is true.

One suggestion would be Venice, Florence, and Varenna on Lake Como. Varenna was our daughters' favorite stop on our Italy trip, in part due to the fun cooking class with Chef Moreno. You could either start in Venice, visit Florence then Varenna, and fly home from Milan ( often the cheapest airport in Italy). Or start in Florence (fly into Pisa or Milan), visit Varenna, and put Venice last so you can fly home from there ( just be wary of the early-morning flights from Marco Polo airport.)

If Varenna is last, you could spend one night in Milan before the flight home, traveling there late in the afternoon to have most of the day in Varenna. The Duomo there is amazing ( go up on the roof), and the girls might like the Galleria.

As for the comments above about waiting in long lines at the major attractions, I'll just say we have not stood in a long line in Italy since we learned about skip-the-line tickets several trips ago.

Posted by
26840 posts

Other options in northern Italy include Padua, Vicenza and Verona, all stretched out along the rail line between Venice and Milan. I spent a few nights in Padua and felt it had quite a lot to see for a small city, plus a very attractive and walkable historic district. It has a university and the streets are rather lively. Vicenza is very pretty but much smaller and quieter; might be less appealing to the teens. I haven't yet been to Verona, but it is a popular destination. Others also like Ferrara, which is another possible day-trip from Padua.

If you had more time I'd recommend the Dolomites, but I think you'd need a longer trip to include that area unless you just wanted to do the Dolomites plus one of the three cities.

Posted by
2098 posts

DougMac has a good point, but I don't think you should skip all three of the "big three". Consider carefully what appeals to you about each, from watching Rick's videos and other sources. Then pick two and add a more relaxed, smaller town as your third destination.

In any case I would not skip Venice. it is said there " nothing like it in the world" and that is true.

I tend to agree with Lola. It would be hard to go the first time without hitting any of the big three. The first time I saw Venice-Rome-Florence was in 1966!

To the OP, be assured whatever you decide you'll have a great time! Try to not cram too much into your days. You can't see it all and by trying you can end up with a trip that's just a blur.

Posted by
973 posts

Hello! We did 10 nights the very first time and it worked out fine. Venice (2) Rome (4) -Positano(3) -one night Naples and left from there. The first night wasn’t bad. Got in at 11 am and was able to stay up until 9, the adrenaline was flowing. Last night we were out until 11, enjoyed the whole day.

You can do your plan, no problem. I also found taking the fast train fun and relaxing.

Now, saying all that, you have a slightly different dilemma. It was only 2 of us with carryon. We were able to pack up and move around fine. But with 4 of you? I don’t know. You will be packing yourself and getting the girls packed and ready to go...might be more work than you think.

You might want to consider 3 nights Venice, 7 nights Rome and take day trips from Rome. That way you can see other things, up you’re not packing up 3 times, just 2. Go ahead and do a really long day trip if need be!

Posted by
16028 posts

DougMac, you beat me to Florence and Rome by maybe six months. I visited both in January, 1967 as a student studying in Germany. We had a week in Rome, and a free day in Florence. This was shortly after the terrible flood and the city had not yet recovered. We did not spend the night there.

I didn’t get to Venice until our honeymoon in 2003. It is now my favorite city, but I know it is not for everyone.

For the OP, I will mention the place we stayed in Florence when we took our teen daughters as a graduation present. It is a small B and B in the “dyer’s district”, by the river one bridge upriver from Ponte Vecchio. Very easy walking to the Duomo and central area, mostly on pedestrian streets. Casa Dei Tintori has one family room, with a large double bed and two twins. You can see in the photo that the large headboard on the bed provides some separation between the parents’ area and the upper area with twin beds. We felt it was very comfortable for four and afforded us enough privacy for the 2 nights we spent there. And the price was moderate compared to other places. You might keep it in mind if you cannot find a suitable apartment or hotel.

http://www.casadeitintori.it/en/bed-and-breakfast-in-florence/bedrooms/green/

Posted by
996 posts

One thing that always helps us plan family trips is to make sure that each person picks a thing that they most want to do. Since you're the planner here, you may have to draw up an initial list of possible things to do/see, but we find that helps us plan out our days better. It also gives each person something that's 'theirs' to anticipate.

When you start looking at flights, look at the layovers as well. The airline may be fine with a 35 minute layover somewhere if it meets that airport's Minimum Connection Time (MCT), but that's way too short a time span if you're at a huge airport and have to make it from one terminal to the next with three other people. (Okay, it IS doable in some places, but only if your first flight is on time and everyone hustles.) Long story short, look at your options. The shortest layovers are not always your best friends.

Posted by
36 posts

@lulu348 we traveled this summer on a trip where we only had two nights in each place for a few stops, and I let my girls take care of their stuff (mostly) and it was okay. Once we get through the initial packing at home, they are in charge of their stuff!

I feel like a lot of these outer trips are things DH and I can do when it's just the two of us someday.

@Lola thank you, I will take a good look at that rental tomorrow! That's the sort of place I think we could do well with.
@aquamarinesteph those are some good tips.

Has anybody here been to Ostia Antica? I watched a Rick Steves Italy lecture on YouTube today and he mentioned it. Said it was only a half hour outside of Rome and was sort of like Pompeii but closer.

Thanks again everybody!!!

Posted by
11247 posts

Ostia Antica is a very worthwhile site. Rick Steves’ audio guide — or the book version if you want to read aloud to the he group — is excellent. Both times I went we spent about 2 hours there and were back in central Rome for lunch. What the volcano did to Pompeii, time and a changing river did to Ostia.

Posted by
973 posts

OP....I would stick to your origanal plan of the big three, then. I think it looks very doable. We are travelers that like lots of flavor of places when we know it will be awhile before we get back.

We are also early risers and getting going first thing in the morning on travel days is how we do it, like I said, we enjoyed the time on the train. Part of the experience...and a needed downtime.

Posted by
1315 posts

My 2 cents:

Visit https://www.rome2rio.com/ for an overview of transportation options. Find a good search engine for your plane tickets and remember to use "Open Jaw". I use https://www.momondo.com. Look for "Multi-city".

Start in Venice. It is a great city for just walking around staying awake after a long trip.
Take the bus from the airport. The water taxi is very expensive, the Alilaguna boat was a disappointment. I had anticipated watching the city grow while we got nearer, but the windows were so salted, that I couldn't see anything.

Install a map app on your smart phone (I use googlemap, but there are others) and download an offline map. Then you can navigate without using data. Note this is for when you want to find your way to something special (e.g. your apartment) - not to avoid getting lost. Getting lost is a key attraction in Venice.

Get an apartment. We have used https://www.booking.com and https://www.wimdu.com/ and were satisfied with both.

Spend at least one evening on Piazza San Marco and listen to the bands. Check prices before you sit down :-)

See https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/

This is very personal and others may disagree: Skip Murano and spend more time in Burano. Buy a Travel card - at least for the day when you take this trip.

Posted by
2098 posts

DougMac, you beat me to Florence and Rome by maybe six months. I visited both in January, 1967 as a student studying in Germany. We had a week in Rome, and a free day in Florence. This was shortly after the terrible flood and the city had not yet recovered. We did not spend the night there.

Lola, as you know, we were there just before the horrible flood. We got to see the Gates of Paradise with the original panels in place. I still have a photo of them I took. It was in Florence my wife an I shared our first kiss. She was 14, I was 15.

50 years later we stood in front of the baptistery to celebrate that first trip and our time together. I have a selfie of us kissing on the Ponte Vecchio, 2 blocks from the hotel hallway where we first kissed.

Posted by
114 posts

I have to agree with the others in that you should go ahead and book two rooms. It's helpful to have two bathrooms, a little extra space for your things, and some extra room to unwind after a long day of sightseeing. We had two rooms when in London/Paris/Bruges with our kids and it was really helpful. We will be getting two rooms for our trip to Rome, Florence, and Venice this spring. Teens and their parents need a little space :)

Good luck planning!