teen

Best of Venice, Florence, Rome. 3 nights in each city chock full of art, architecture, music.

What a fantastic thing to do with your granddaughter! I took my 11-year-old on a RS Scotland with my mom and we had a blast. Since your granddaughter is so much older than 11, why don't you seek her input? All the RS tours are online here and you two can peruse them. If this is a first trip to Europe for both of you, you might want to focus on the Italy tour mentioned above, or maybe something in France so that you get to see Paris. Or there's the whirlwind Best of Europe tours that would be a great time.

You'll have an awesome time!

How long are you planning on going? When we took our kids, their favorite stops were Paris and London - lots of history, art, museums, etc. If you're wanting a Rick Steves tour, the London to Florence family tour looks like a good option.

at peanutzmom
the 13 day family tour sounds very good, but I'm not sure that I'd hold up through that trip. Maybe I would if I start increasing my physical stamina now.

Yes, start walking now for any of the Rick Steves tours. If you do one with Rome, include some flights of stairs! BTW, on all of my Rick Steves tour there have been tour members who have more years than you have!

I would go for the 13 day Family tour or the regular 14 day Best of Europe tour. The advantage to the London -> Florence tour is that you get to go to Guedelon, the castle that is being constructed using Medieval techniques. I was on a Paris and Heart of France tour that stopped there and I loved it!

You and your granddaughter will have a wonderful time!

PS. The key to your stamina is starting with very comfortable walking shoes!

Joan,

I'm your age and my husband is ten years older and we've been on lots of RS tours. We've had no trouble keeping up with the group, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is to be in very good walking condition. Well before we leave, we start building up our daily walks to 5+ miles. It's a bit of a drag at times, but being in good shape really pays off when you're on the tour. Next in importance is packing light. Believe me, it will make a huge difference not being burdened by heavy luggage.

We've had many teens on tours we've been on and, without exception, they've been a treat to travel with. It's fun to see the world through their eyes as well as our own. What a wonderful gift this would be for both of you!

Such great advice and encouragement! Thanks one and all.

Sit down with your grand daughter and engage her input. Where would she like to go? You could plan a trip yourselves without a guide or try a 7 day tour. You've noted her arts education. Does she wish to see the Mona Lisa? The statue of David? Picassos? Turners? Listen to a symphony orchestra? A choral group? Besides her interest in the arts does she liking shopping? History? You also need to honestly asses your stamina and what you'd like to see. Also when would you be able to travel? The summer months when places are crowded, expensive and weather too hot an uncomfortable for many? Lots of things to discuss. I've sent you a personal message. Check your email spam account.

Travel safe.

Agree with Claudia -- "Sit down with your grand daughter and engage her input." Where would she like to go and see and do? The best trip you can plan might not be so great if it doesn't appeal to your granddaughter. Based on your limited info about her the Venice, Florence, Rome tour sounds good. Don't worry about your age as many on RS tours are older. Just be sure you can do lots of walking.

I agree with the others that you should get input from your granddaughter. Also, if she is, as you write, a mature 16 year old, you may want to consider a regular tour, and not a family tour. The family tours accommodate kids as young as 8, and many of the sights and activities are geared to their interest level. Our daughter was 15 when we did the BOE21 tour, and she loved it. If you travel during June and July you may well have other older teens on your non-family tour (we actually had 10 on ours, ranging in age from 14-19, but I think that was rather unusual), and for the most part they will be slightly older than on the family tours. Do you have the RS catalogue? Why not have fun looking through all the tours together? Let us know which one you choose!

This would be a most memorable trip for both of you. I just finished looking through one of the most recently posted 2015 Rick Steves Tour Scrapbooks. The tour was Venice-Florence-Rome. The poster was traveling with her husband, a teenaged son and a teenaged daughter about the age of your granddaughter. She posted there were several other teens on the tour also and a fantastic time was had by all. You might want to share it with your granddaughter. I thought it was quite well-done and I enjoyed reading it. Here's a link for her scrapbook: http://trainerstravels.weebly.com and also a link for all the scrapbooks: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks Together, you might find something that really excites you both. PS I'm not very tech savvy so I've crossed my fingers these links will get you where I'd intended you to go!