Advice on how best to see Florence and Pisa if with kids

[Kidsoftheseas]

We will be on a med cruise in May with the grandparents and young kids (6 and 3) and would love to see Florence and Pisa.

For all you experienced med cruisers, what would be your recommended way given our group configuration? Ship tour, private tour, or on our own?

 

I've heard that Florence is mainly about walking and exploring around the city. should we just catch a train to all these places, or are we better off with a driver, or on a ship tour?

[euro cruiser]

I am someone who almost always using public transit, once even with 11 family members on buses in Naples. However, about once every 1,000 posts or so a situation comes along that screams out for a car and driver. This is one of them.

 

If you only had adults you could manage by train, but I think it's too much to try and stop in both places with the kids on public transit.

 

I suspect you can get a mini van and driver for less than a ship tour will charge you, or close enough that it's worth being on your own schedule. There are several that come highly recommended by CC folks.

[LittleMissMagic]

I was just in Pisa yesterday, so I'll warn you - children must be at least 8 years old (and there is also a height requirement) to climb the Leaning Tower - which is rather overpriced at 18 Euros per person, anyway.

[hylasgirl]

We will be on a med cruise in May with the grandparents and young kids (6 and 3) and would love to see Florence and Pisa.

For all you experienced med cruisers, what would be your recommended way given our group configuration? Ship tour, private tour, or on our own?

 

I've heard that Florence is mainly about walking and exploring around the city. should we just catch a train to all these places, or are we better off with a driver, or on a ship tour?

 

 

Please don't do a ship tour. They are so overpriced and with your larger group you could do a really nice private tour for probably less money. We took our children and my mother and we went with Romeinlimo. My daughter and my mother had some mobility issues and they were great to try to lesson that everywhere possible. They can also taylor it a bit for kids which is what we liked also. Good luck! It's a fabulous city (and Pisa is great too):)

[MaddieEms]

I am traveling w/my 2 kids (4 & 1), DH, my parents, brother and sis in law.

 

I am the ONLY one planning this trip. They will be basically looking to me for our itinerary at every single port (as well as for pre-cruise and post cruise stays).

 

To save my own sanity, we are doing ship excursions for Villefranche (it's cheap anyway), Florence (only b/c we're tendering in La Spezia and it's farther away from Florence than Livorno and I don't feel like looking stuff up).

 

We are doing private piece-it-together yourself private tours in Rome (private transfers, Rome on our own, guided Colosseum underground tour and vatican museum tour with the transfer company). We're going with See Amalfi Coast for Naples.

 

Rome took me weeks to plan just b/c we want to do so many things. I didn't feel like spending that time and energy on the other ports. So sometimes, it's not just money...its convenience and sanity.

 

If you're responsible for everyone's excursions, it might be easier to mix it up with ship & private tours.

[Kidsoftheseas]

MaddieEms, I'm probably the "main" one planning :)

 

so how did you plan Rome and why did you pick what you did? Are you planning to do the Vatican WITH the kids then?

that remains my most difficult point for the trip because of kids and all the advice to see it without them..

[MaddieEms]

If you are worried about your kids behaving well in the Vatican museum, don't worry about it. (They DO have to be very quiet inside St. Peter's.)

 

It is SO LOUD in there with so many people anyway no one will notice if they are fussy (having a full blown melt down is different matter). It will be harder on you than the people around you if you have to entertain them (since everyone will have headphones on).

 

If you're worried about holding up a guided tour group b/c you have to tend to your kids, then just do it on your own and download audio guides on your iphones beforehand. You get to go your own pace and hear explanations. The Vatican also sells a kids audio guide with maps and stuff. I've never used it but I considered as an option for my 4YO.

 

We're only using the transfer company's tour b/c we're using them to transfer back to the ship and I thought it was easier for coordination. My family members have never been to the Vatican and they would enjoy the tour.

 

I figure my kids will both be asleep during the tour, since we're touring at 2pm and they'll have been up since 7am. They're both very well behaved, so I'm not too worried about fussiness, and more worried about bathroom stops, etc. The baby will be carried during the tour (probably sleep), and my 4YO will be in a cheap umbrella stroller that doesn't take up space. I'm also not worried about crowds bothering her, since we go to Disneyland often and she's used to wall-to-wall people in front of her (sitting in a stroller) while walking out after fireworks, parades or shows.

 

Also, my husband and I have already seen the Vatican back in our college days and so if we miss out or have to leave early (leaving family members to continue the tour), that doesn't bother us at all.

 

For the Forum, we're going early in the morning to avoid the sun/heat. There is no shade over there. We're not doing a tour b/c my parents are big picture people, and they'd rather take pictures of the Forum than listen to a tour. We're then hopping over to the Colosseum for the underground tour (which everyone is excited about).

 

We anticipated heat, so we scheduled the hottest part of our day inside---at the Vatican. Good luck!

[epixx]

 

We anticipated heat, so we scheduled the hottest part of our day inside---at the Vatican.

 

Good luck with the Vatican during the hottest part of the day. We were there in the afternoon in August and it was STIFLING! Not that the other parts of your day will be any cooler, but consider, perhaps, an alternative that has at least some semblance of air conditioning, such as the Borghese Gallery or Capitoline Museum.

[MaddieEms]

Good luck with the Vatican during the hottest part of the day. We were there in the afternoon in August and it was STIFLING! Not that the other parts of your day will be any cooler, but consider, perhaps, an alternative that has at least some semblance of air conditioning, such as the Borghese Gallery or Capitoline Museum.

 

Yea, I had read that. But it's all we can do. Either stifling heat in the museum, or bear the brunt of the sun w/ baby skin at the Colosseum.

 

I'm actually ditching the family early for the Scavi tour. Hot, plus 95% humidity underground. Yay me! JK, totally excited about it. Will wear cotton tshirt and breathable cargo pants that go to my shins.

 

Our time is so limited on this cruise stop--we'll have to show the family the Capitoline Museum another day (I actually like that museum more than the Vatican, but you know ;) )

[Hlitner]

We posed the OPs question to DW (also a Mom) whose quick response was "leave them with a baby sitter." That being said we should state that we did start cruising with our DD when she was 5 (she was Diamond with RCI before age 16) but in her early years we only cruised to Caribbean ports where we would simply take her to the beach (she learned to snorkel at Coki Beach). Trying to run all over Europe with a 3 and 5 year old is not fair to the kids and difficult for the parents. Can you do it? Sure. But asking a 5 year old to stay on their feet as you trek through museums and lots of other places is just not fair to the child. If taking a 5 year old to Florence we would probably take a few walks and allow frequent café breaks with gelato and Orangina. You could take the to Pisa and eat a snack on the lawn underneath the Tower....but you would not be permitted to take them inside (there are age restrictions). You could take them on a train....but many regional trains are not effectively air conditioned so if its hot they will be miserable. If you must....the trip is best done with private cars/drivers.

 

Hank

[MaddieEms]

We posed the OPs question to DW (also a Mom) whose quick response was "leave them with a baby sitter." That being said we should state that we did start cruising with our DD when she was 5 (she was Diamond with RCI before age 16) but in her early years we only cruised to Caribbean ports where we would simply take her to the beach (she learned to snorkel at Coki Beach). Trying to run all over Europe with a 3 and 5 year old is not fair to the kids and difficult for the parents. Can you do it? Sure. But asking a 5 year old to stay on their feet as you trek through museums and lots of other places is just not fair to the child. If taking a 5 year old to Florence we would probably take a few walks and allow frequent café breaks with gelato and Orangina. You could take the to Pisa and eat a snack on the lawn underneath the Tower....but you would not be permitted to take them inside (there are age restrictions). You could take them on a train....but many regional trains are not effectively air conditioned so if its hot they will be miserable. If you must....the trip is best done with private cars/drivers.

 

Hank

 

Honestly, I think it depends on the kid. But I agree with using private transportation.

[hansolosmom]

Im also always cheif planner for our trips. I ask but no one gives input, so we see what i like :D

 

I also agree a private tour would be best, that way if you do run into issues you can change on the fly. If you're with a ship's tour you are stuck for the duration. Sometimes the big bus drivers get crabby about stroller storage. Also it's not always the kids who get fidgety. Last year we took the grandmom's with us and I was so glad we did a private tour in Halifax. My mom has mobility issues and it was nice because the rest of us walked up & around Peggy's Cove and she hung out with the driver on a bench and talked. She enjoyed herself just as much as we did. Then in Bar Harbor she & my son hung out on a bench, so it was nice not to have to worry about keeping up with a group, we just met up with them after walking around town.

 

Anyway, in Pisa you can see the tower and spend some time on the grass. Then go over to Florence and see David and wander the city, some great parks there.

 

Also I'm guessing you're doing Rome too. Don't try to do too much with them there. I'd stick with the Colusseum, the Trevi fountain. I think I'd skip the Vatican. (it would be an excuse to go back)

 

If you search the RomeinLimo thread there are several comments in there about people doing tours with kids & how great they were with them.

 

Also I know someone who traveled with young children had posted a report with some idea/tips. I'll see if I can search that & post the link.

[Kidsoftheseas]

Thank you for the great tips!

 

Yes, we are doing Rome also but will have some time there prior to the cruise so will not be trying to do as much on the Rome port day

 

We will be there in May, so hoping for weather that's not terribly hot - yikes!

 

I was aware on age restrictions for Pisa tower climb, no worries! We are limited with not-so-physical grandparents also and were not planning to climb it.

 

Is it possible to see David with kids?

 

We certainly don't plan to overdo it - I agree with many others that less is more sometimes

[Kidsoftheseas]

Ps kids have definitely traveled a lot already - this will be older ones 6th cruise I believe. But it's all been kid-centric with Caribbean and tons of Disney, this is the first time we would like a trip more for us, but that doesn't mean we will ignore that we have kids -that's why all the attempted planning to account for that ahead of time :)

[euro cruiser]

You're asking all the right questions and developing options that will allow you flexibility, to the extent possible.

 

If you can afford it, I like your idea of having a car service that can take the grandparents and kids back to the ship when they've had it, while you and your husband stay in town and take mass transit back, giving you more time.

 

It won't be difficult to take the kids to see David in Florence, as long as you make reservations ahead of time so you avoid standing in line.

 

As for the Vatican Museums, a two hour window between reservations is sufficient, three hours would give you greater flexibility if you can get it. This is where a car and driver can really help, as you can get an earlier reservation than mass transit will allow. For example, you can safely select a 9 AM entry (assuming your ship is in at 7 AM), while with mass transit that would be too early.