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What have your teenagers enjoyed most in Venice, Tuscany and Rome?

For those having travelled in Italy with teenagers, I'd like to pick your brains about what the kids found most fun/interesting. My daughters are 16 and 13, and we will be in Italy during mid-June. In Tuscany, we will be staying at an agriturismo near Arezzo for 5 nights travelling by car to the nearby towns. Thanks in advance for your input.

Posted by
3696 posts

I have traveled with a boy who was a preteen to Italy... while all kids are different, and he is a great traveler and loved it all...we went to Florence, CT, Venice, San g,Pisa (per his request) and drove a lot, but he was really blown away when we went into St. Peters in Rome.... said the rest of the trip was awesome, but this was the best. Also loved St. Marks and we did take a gondola ride...only time I have ever done it...expensive, but memorable. As I take them on trips now I try to have them do a little investigation about one place before the trip. But, I think they are like me and are really happy to be surprised by most of it. I do make them write in a trip log/journal that I devised for them. It is a sort of fill in the blank daily sheet where they write down where we stayed, memorable meals, funny things that happened, beautiful sights, etc. I insist that they do this. They also have pages to write more or do sketching. I have a wonderful image of Andrew sketching the leaning tower and later in another hotel he did a painting of his sketch. I always bring art supplies. Shopping in Florence was a hit with him and I am sure the girls will be in heaven:)

Posted by
642 posts

My girls were 18 and 20. Both really enjoyed the Vatican in Rome and the Coliseum. Florence the favorite was the Duomo, sitting on the steps people watching and seeing the statue of "Young David". Venice they enjoyed St Marks and riding the water taxis through the canal. Gelato was a hit wherever they went.

Posted by
81 posts

Thank you all for the feedback. I think we can find a good balance between the adults' need for relaxation and "soaking up" the atmosphere, and the teens' desire for action and entertainment. We do plan on experiencing the things you have suggested, including the pricey gondola ride! I remember when we were in Paris five years ago and the girls were younger, anytime someone got tired or grumpy that was the signal for gelato (or a crepe, or an eclaire). Treats always seem to brighten the spirits! I think keeping some kind of travel journal is a great way of enriching the experience as well as providing access to the memories when the trip is over.

Posted by
197 posts

I have a tradition I started with my oldest child. When each child (I have 5) hits 11 or 12, we do a 1 on 1 trip to Europe. Why 11 or 12? well, I figure they are old enough to have fun and appreciate, and not old enough to not want to be with dad :-). My keys to travel with kids that age are (IMO):

  • Length of trip. I find children have a shorter time that they want to be away from home. The trick is to find the right length of time for your kids. For mine? I do a 1 week trip - by the end of the week, they are ready to come home.
  • Stay Outdoors. Museums are great, and we love them as adults. Do not overwhelm your kids with a lot of days in the museum - and that first day of arrival, don't even THINK of going in a museum. Stay outside.
  • Exude confidence. Make sure your kids see that you are pretty confident in your travel skills... even if you are not sure. I take the opportunity to explain travel is fun, and when you get lost, think of it as an adventure, and a chance to explore
  • Do activities they will find fun. I am taking my 11 yr old daughter (number 4 of 5) to Rome this April. This will be my 9th visit to Rome. I want to make sure I do things she will enjoy. Like renting bikes on April 25th on the Via appia - she expressed an interest to do that.
  • Food. Make sure you dine in accordance to what they will feel comfortable. My wife was a chef for a number of years, and my children have a good fondness for food, so I have it fairly easy when finding places to eat. But when I took my oldest to Paris, we didn't do any 3 hour dinners :-). I save that for my Wife, and when I travel for work, my colleagues :-).
  • Language. I work with my children in advance, and tell them they need to learn at least 10 phrases in the native language. And we use it when travel. I try to teach them that we may be traveling to a country with a different culture, and we are the guests. Therefore it is polite to understand their culture and learn some phrases to be respectful.

Anyway, bottom line, I try to get my children involved in the planning, have fun, and keep things at a pace they are comfortable with.

Glenn

Posted by
15043 posts

Since Italy is so dramatically different from Texas, they will be mesmerized at everything they see, especially Venice.

I don't know when exactly you are near Arezzo, but the 3rd Saturday of June (21 June this year) there is the Giostra del Saracino. A medieval joust that takes place in the city twice a year (google it for info). It's the Aretini's answer to the Palio in Siena.

I'll tell you about Florence since I grew up there. When I was that age I always enjoyed climbing the Duomo's cupola or the Giotto's tower in Florence (it was also a perfect opportunity to meet girls visiting from other cities and countries). Museums and churches tend to be boring at that age, so don't overdo it. However the school used to take us to a museum or church or palace at least once a month and I enjoyed it especially because we always had one of our teachers explaining what we were looking at (or often we students had to alternate to be the teachers for the rest of the class after doing some research as part of the class). So a guide who explains what you are looking at might be a good investment to keep the interest high.

A walk through the San Lorenzo market in Florence will always be a hit with girls since most girls like shopping. The Boboli Gardens is also a nice break from the museums. Walk to the top to the Forte Belvedere for the best view of Florence. The Boboli Gardens is where Florentine teenage high school students hide when they cut school so they'll find plenty of kids their age there. However the school year in Tuscany ends on Saturday June 7 this year (yes, Saturdays are regular school days in Italy), so you might be there after school is over.

Posted by
833 posts
  • Roberto mentioned the joust in Arezzo - that would definitely be something to remember! There is a parade that morning, the joust itself is very cool. If you go, I would pay more and purchase tickets to sit in the stands - it will be a little less rowdy and easier to see than standing at ground level (note that you have to get these ahead of time). Even if you can't make it to Arezzo on the day of the joust, if you are around a few days beforehand go to Piazza Grande and see if they are practicing. You get an amazing view since you get to stand very close and watch. After the joust is over, everyone goes to the Duomo and the winning horse and rider enter, proceeding to the altar to receive the golden lance - that's something you don't usually see! Gelato is always great, as someone mentioned. In Arezzo I love Cremì. Violetta is good. One place that is a bit of a walk out of the city walls is Crem Caramel - get the nutella and mascarpone flavors! There is a place on Piazza San Lorenzo (forgetting the name) that was pretty good. If you go into town other things to do would be see Piazza Grande, il Prato (a park up the hill from Piazza Grande)... if they like art, the Piero della Francesca fresco cycle Legend of the True Cross and a Cimabue cross are both at churches in Arezzo.
  • The San Lorenzo markets in Florence are cool, let them pick out some leather gloves, a journal, or a scarf... lots to choose from, fun to explore! A little hike up to Piazzale Michelangelo gives a great view of the city and the Arno river.
  • You could always do a beach day while you're staying in Tuscany - they might enjoy that.
  • The Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's Palace might be something they enjoy. You get to go through some "secret passageways," see things that a normal tour of the Doge's Palace doesn't cover. Walk across the Bridge of Sighs. There is a better description of the tour here.
Posted by
81 posts

Wow! Some great suggestions. For some reason I didn't think the Giostra del Saracino fell during our stay, but double checking the dates, I see that it does. We will definitely want to experience that! Thanks for the other ideas about fun experiences in Florence, too.

Posted by
833 posts

That's great that you'll be there for the joust! The June one takes place at night and is longer than the September one, it should be really cool! Reserve tickets ahead of time. You should be able to email giostradelsaracino@comune.arezzo.it to do so, the website says that from March 3 through June 6 it is possible for those living outside of Arezzo to reserve tickets by calling a phone number or emailing the comune. I'm pretty sure I had the Tribune C 25€ tickets - and those were good. There are other ones for better spots in the stands, but I was happy with where I was. Your 13 year old should qualify for a 10€ reduction. On this page there is more information and a schedule for the day of the joust. Like I mentioned above, go to the Duomo afterward to see them present the golden lance to the winning quartiere. If you don't actually make it inside (it gets crowded) just hang out outside - your kids might like that even more because there will be horses and riders (not the jousting ones, but others that participated in the parade for the quartieri) that make great pictures!

Oh, and cheer for the Porta Santo Spirito quartiere! ;)

Posted by
27 posts

HI,
I have traveled in Italy, London, Paris and other areas in Europe with my three boys and husband.
I spent considerable time trying to prepare the trips (particularly when the boys were young) so that as a family we could all have fun. My boys are now 17, 20 and 28 but they were about 5, 8 and 16 when we traveled as a group. We also traveled to Italy with the oldest son when he was 12. Here are my tips. They worked for us even if some are cheesy....My goal is always to create good, memorable moments and actively being conscious of and therefore planning for shorter attention spans, tired feet, hungry tummies and moodiness.
-Make sure to have a food break about every 2-3 hours. Ice cream/gelato breaks are particularly appreciated. At some point almost any gelato will do if it will keep them happy. Same with pizza. Fortunately Italy is a great place with kids because they love the food and the Italians have always been very kind to my children.
-Take time to stop and watch street mimes, street card games and guys selling silly things on the street. (watch your own pockets of course) but the kids love this.
-Go into parks and play or explore.
-If the park has a water feature and you can rent a boat, do it.
-Hotel breaks in late afternoon. Rest up in order to head back out for the night.
-I always google before the trip for "free things to do", as well as festivals, markets, sporting events and concerts. Once we were in Genoa and MTV was doing a live show (2005). We just bumped into it but my boys Loved it. High energy, good time and good memory.

-Segway Tour. My boys were teens when we did this in Paris but it was a highlight. They loved it.
-Venice: I just read about an activity called "Row Venice". Reviews are great. My son is in Venice right now so I sent it to him for a fun, memorable experiential activity.
-Venice, Rome and other towns: In Venice two of my boys asked to have their portraits drawn by street artists. They enjoyed that very much. We did this after sundown while on the Rialto Bridge. I took photos of them while they were being drawn and they are almost magical. Again a great memory for al of us.
-Souvenirs that represent the city : ie Venice- the carnival hats. (these are also great for the endless "crazy hat days" back at home). Soccer shirts for a European team or player etc.
-Carry water bottles and some small treats in your/their back pack for mid-meal bio replenishment.
-Ask if the kids want to be the photo journalists for the trip. And let them be the creative driving force behind their choice of shots.
-If the kids have smart phones get a data plan and establish some game rules.
-We have done some walking tours, group tours, private tours and audio tours. All have had their benefits and price ranges. But the kids probably liked the private guides and audio tours the best. Some audio tours are specifically for kids/teens. Some can be downloaded prior to the trip as podcasts for use during the trip.
-Periodically taking public transportation can also be fun and "experiential".
-One book about traveling with kids mentioned the Razor scooters that her boys took on the trip. They fold up and each child was responsible for carrying their own. We did not do this but the idea was intriguing.
-We have also enjoyed going to a movie or a play while traveling. This has always ended up rather memorable.
-Beach time. If you have time and transportation the Italian Riviera can be a fun day trip.
Cruise: While it s a bit off subject we chose a Mediterranean cruise when my youngest was 8 in addition to driving portions of Italy. Benefits: Same bedroom every night, but different port everyday. We accomplished a lot and the boys loved the trip. The day is full, activities in the evenings and while at sea, there are other kids they can meet and it is a very international experience.
Safety: Identification on each child and the hotel address/phone.
Enjoy!

Posted by
164 posts

Hi Alex, we went to Italy when my daughter was 15 and 16 - haven't been to Venice, but did go to Rome and Tuscany. In Rome, she had lots of fun shopping - we found lots of inexpensive boutiques in the streets around Piazza del Risorgimento. We also planned a day to visit the sites from Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, as she had just read that book and loved it. She also really enjoyed just walking around and watching the drivers interact with each other! In Vatican City, we hired a private guide for the Vatican Museum and St Peters Basilica. Our guide was fantastic and made this day one of my daughter's favorites! In Tuscany, she loved wandering all the cute towns and shopping the markets. San Gimignano was jam packed during the day but one evening we just went in for dinner and had a magical experience dining on a little square where a performing arts school was having their end of year performances. Riding bikes on the walls of Lucca was a huge hit, as was the Abbey of Sant'Antimo outside of Montalcino, and climbing the Tower of Pisa. We did let her do a wine tasting with us when she was 16 which she loved. And of course, hanging out by the pool at our villa:) My teenage sons also loved the water park at Cecina in Tuscany, and in Rome they enjoyed Gladiator school and the Capuchin Crypt. Pompeii was a huge hit with all three if you have time to make that journey. We hired a private driver to take us directly from our lodging in Rome to Pompeii - it was only a bit more expensive than buying train tickets and going on our own, and logistically made things way easier. Plus it was a set price for 6-8 people, so it allowed us to invite our hosts to go along without them having to pay anything but the Pompeii entrance fee. Whatever you choose to do, I hope you have a wonderful time!

Posted by
344 posts

Consider ostia Antica (the ancient port of Rome). 30 min easy train ride (still within Rome). this is a huge area of ruins, however, you can climb up on the ruins, walk up and down the steps of the amphitheater, exploring on your own or listening to the Rick Steves audio guide, which my 12 year old twins really enjoyed. They loved being outside and doing something hands on.it can be hot outside, so I would go early and bring a hat &water bottle. There is almost no shade however there isa small cafeteria on site but can be crowded, but it does have restrooms too. In general, though, you are outside wandering around in grassy areas with ruins all around you. Take a look at TripAdvisor for more information.

the other thing I would consider is a multimedia recreation of a Roman house. Le domus romane di palazzo Valentino. right now is it is the number 2 attraction in Rome according to TripAdvisor. No it is not the Coliseum, but a well done, entertaining learning experience for all ages.You must have reservations for the English tour in advance, I believe the presentation is about 1 hour plus at the end you get a ,close up view of Trajan's Column and a terrific Perspective.some purists may sneer ar at a multimedia presentation however, this was a fantastic insight into the antique Roman civilization and made other ruins in Rome, come alive for my children.it was not at all commercial or tacky but instead was one of the best historical Rick recreation said I have ever seen. check out the reviews on TripAdvisor and look at the photos.

lastly, buy a large paperback comic book of Calvin and Hobbes and give it to your daughter during the plane ride. This will enthrall anyone her age and will make the trip go by quickly.

HAve fun!

Posted by
81 posts

Deanna and SuzeeQQ, thank you for your suggestions. I have definitely been considering some of the activities you mentioned, and hearing how your kids have enjoyed them gives me confidence that my teens will find value in those experiences too. From reading various threads on this forum, it seems that Ostia Antica is more doable than Pompeii for a short stay in Rome. I'm sure the Capuchin Crypt will be a hit for the "creepy" factor. Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini has just come on my radar - it sounds fascinating!