Europe next summer with teens, ideas

[Anonymous]

Prepared for them to be super bored so find some activities that teens might be interested in. Also know where the McDonald’s is at all times. Among other things you can usually use the toilet there if need be (but be sure to have a stash of euro coins).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We did Venice and Dolomites his summer with 13 and 16 year olds.

Not sure how much they enjoyed Venice but we all liked the Dolomites. Did ebiking, a spa, hiking. We had 3 full days there; having 4-5 would have been great.

Op here. I lived in Venice for a few months years ago and worry my memories will mislead us…though I lived the broader Venetonregion in general too….but why did your kids not like it? Too many people, boring churches, etc? I think we would probably only stay 2 days anyway and then focus elsewhere…

For the Dolomites, any recommendations?

I didn’t get the impression they DISliked it - but neither raved about it either. I just think the “absorb the city” nature of experiencing Venice wasn’t their thing maybe - or just that they liked the other spots we went to more. Personally I do like Venice and still find it charming.

In the Dolomites we stayed in Ortisei. Took the train from Venice to Bolzano and rented a car there. It was lovely. Went to Seceda, Alpi di Suisi, and day tripped to Merano.

PP here. Also planning either Ortisei, Castelrotto or Badia. Or maybe directly on Alpindi Siusi. Any insights or recommendations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did Venice and Dolomites his summer with 13 and 16 year olds.

Not sure how much they enjoyed Venice but we all liked the Dolomites. Did ebiking, a spa, hiking. We had 3 full days there; having 4-5 would have been great.

This is a dumb question but what did you do at the spa? Are you talking like facials and massage spa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Slovenia was great and have heard Trieste is great so your itinerary sounds perfect to me

Op here, thanks! Where did you visit in Slovenia?

We did a circuit of the western half of the country. Ljubljana to Lake Bled to Triglav to Piran and back to Ljubljana (via the caves). Really enjoyed it and things are compact enough we never had long driving days.

I could see maybe skipping Triglav if you were doing to Dolomites but we really liked the area around Lake Bled (the lake and castle but also Vintgar gorge and Lake Bohinj).

We also liked Piran a lot— I would say it’s similar to Rovinj and you can feel the Venetian influence in both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prepared for them to be super bored so find some activities that teens might be interested in. Also know where the McDonald’s is at all times. Among other things you can usually use the toilet there if need be (but be sure to have a stash of euro coins).

???
Well if you do all museums all day sure they will get bored. Of course you need a nice mix of cultural and fun things to do.

As for McDs - that is nuts. Maybe if you’re going to Asia where the food is super different. But in Europe they will be able to find things to eat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did Venice and Dolomites his summer with 13 and 16 year olds.

Not sure how much they enjoyed Venice but we all liked the Dolomites. Did ebiking, a spa, hiking. We had 3 full days there; having 4-5 would have been great.

This is a dumb question but what did you do at the spa? Are you talking like facials and massage spa?

It was a “therme”. I’m not sure we have a thing that really translates to it here - if so I am not thinking what it is. It was like a “hot springs” spot. So they had tons of different pools of different temps and water features. Nothing “fun” like slides for little kids but enjoyable as a novelty with teens.

The Thermes we went to in Germany on a prior trip had more of a mix with some water slides thrown in too.

[Anonymous]

^
This spot. https://www.termemerano.it/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We did Venice and Dolomites his summer with 13 and 16 year olds.

Not sure how much they enjoyed Venice but we all liked the Dolomites. Did ebiking, a spa, hiking. We had 3 full days there; having 4-5 would have been great.

Op here. I lived in Venice for a few months years ago and worry my memories will mislead us…though I lived the broader Venetonregion in general too….but why did your kids not like it? Too many people, boring churches, etc? I think we would probably only stay 2 days anyway and then focus elsewhere…

For the Dolomites, any recommendations?

I didn’t get the impression they DISliked it - but neither raved about it either. I just think the “absorb the city” nature of experiencing Venice wasn’t their thing maybe - or just that they liked the other spots we went to more. Personally I do like Venice and still find it charming.

In the Dolomites we stayed in Ortisei. Took the train from Venice to Bolzano and rented a car there. It was lovely. Went to Seceda, Alpi di Suisi, and day tripped to Merano.

PP here. Also planning either Ortisei, Castelrotto or Badia. Or maybe directly on Alpindi Siusi. Any insights or recommendations?

We stayed at Hotel Grien in Ortisei. Loved it - definitely recommend. It was like 5 minutes up the hill from the heart of the town which meant it was perched on the hillside and had a great view of the mountains. With a car it was easy to pop down into town and tool around. They did have a shuttle van too though if you are careless. The town had several restaurants we liked.

Definitely do e-bikes if you want to bike on Alpi di suisi. I had planned normal biking and the nuts at the bike rental spot said that would be fine if we wanted as it was “mostly flat”. I think “mostly flat” must mean a different thing there - it was quite rarely flat. We would have died on normal bikes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was thinking of this but don’t know if it would work—
Fly into Madrid, spend a few days there to see El Prado and such
Car to Segovia, castle and aqueduct
Car to Avila, walled city
Drive north, maybe stopping in Burgos
Beach on the north coast
Hadn’t figured out flight back yet

Would love thoughts on that plan.

Great plan. We did something similar except half-way through teens liked one location and we just parked there for 4 days and scrapped the rest of the travel. I realized it was really relaxing being in one place in a different country and am planning our next vacation to be like that. Fewer locations with longer stays so we can really get to know an area instead of just doing all the tourist haunts.

I agree with you and this has always been my vacation philosophy, even before kids. I don’t understand the attraction of whirlwind trips, packing and unpacking and different hotel room every two nights. Especially when you are in cities with enough to do to fill a week!

[Anonymous]

^ carless, not carless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Slovenia was great and have heard Trieste is great so your itinerary sounds perfect to me

Op here, thanks! Where did you visit in Slovenia?

We did a circuit of the western half of the country. Ljubljana to Lake Bled to Triglav to Piran and back to Ljubljana (via the caves). Really enjoyed it and things are compact enough we never had long driving days.

I could see maybe skipping Triglav if you were doing to Dolomites but we really liked the area around Lake Bled (the lake and castle but also Vintgar gorge and Lake Bohinj).

We also liked Piran a lot— I would say it’s similar to Rovinj and you can feel the Venetian influence in both.

But I would also say the Vrsic pass and Soca river was great too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Slovenia was great and have heard Trieste is great so your itinerary sounds perfect to me

Op here, thanks! Where did you visit in Slovenia?

We did a circuit of the western half of the country. Ljubljana to Lake Bled to Triglav to Piran and back to Ljubljana (via the caves). Really enjoyed it and things are compact enough we never had long driving days.

I could see maybe skipping Triglav if you were doing to Dolomites but we really liked the area around Lake Bled (the lake and castle but also Vintgar gorge and Lake Bohinj).

We also liked Piran a lot— I would say it’s similar to Rovinj and you can feel the Venetian influence in both.

But I would also say the Vrsic pass and Soca river was great too.

After Lake Bled, we did beautiful drive through the Julian Alps and did a great hike – not long, but spectacular – along the Vrsic Pass. Then stayed in Kobarid where DS and kids went white water rafting. They loved it.

[Anonymous]

Keep the kids liquored up. It's perfectly legal there, and will make them think it's the greatest vacation ever while you go do what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did Venice and Dolomites his summer with 13 and 16 year olds.

Not sure how much they enjoyed Venice but we all liked the Dolomites. Did ebiking, a spa, hiking. We had 3 full days there; having 4-5 would have been great.

Do you mind sharing the name of the lodging you stayed at?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We did Venice and Dolomites his summer with 13 and 16 year olds.

Not sure how much they enjoyed Venice but we all liked the Dolomites. Did ebiking, a spa, hiking. We had 3 full days there; having 4-5 would have been great.

Do you mind sharing the name of the lodging you stayed at?

Posted up thread - Hotel Grien in Ortisei.