Italy Tours for Kids

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By the way, I agree with the planning is fun.  It is for me, anyway.  I have the spreadsheet and binder to prove it. 🙂  Also, though, I get a lot of satisfaction over seeing everyone having fun. 

 

I have been planning group cruises for family and friends for over twenty years.  Up to 26 people.  They all just let me plan and they show up,  I tell them how much and they pay.  We are leaving when?  Okay.  See you at the airport.  Most of those cruises were the Caribbean so easy because it was one water event or another.  The catamaran or the speed boat. 

 

Europe though.  That is a whole new ball game because every single port is unique.  And the same.  History.  Lots and lots of history.  But not all history will be interesting for the kids.  For example, in Turkey, visiting the site of the Virgin Mary just has nothing that makes it worth visiting with the kids.  There are other ways to spend the day to make Turkey more enjoyable and still learn.  They know the rules.

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BennyBear – Yes – we will be going to the museum in Knossos.  I have to take back the stupid things I said about the Greek guide recommendation.  It was user error.  Apparently I was too stupid to scroll down.  I was looking at the cover page.  DUH!!

 

She came up with incredible ideas.  The tour of Athens will be phenomenal and I can’t wait to do it.  Her name is Anthia with Athens Insiders.  She is putting together tours for all four cities: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Crete.  Each tour is unique. 

 

Crete will be the Knossos Palace, Cave of Zeus & Local food and wine tasting shore excursion.  Then Mykonos will be a farm visit with lunch from the fields, wine tasting, cycling (for the kids), Mykonos town and Delos.  Then we have Santorini: Akrotiri guided tour, Lost Atlantis Experience, Tomato factory and Fira exploration.  Lastly, we have Athens: We visit the Acropolis visit & guided tour with a short panoramic tour.  On to the Athens Treasure hunt using I-Pads.  After lunch we visit the New Acropolis Museum before heading back to port.  I forgot which port but pottery making will be involved.

 

As for Turkey, I used a guide recommended by someone here (I think) called  Ephesus Shuttle.  He also put together unique tours including a swim off our private boat.  I contacted George the Taxi Driver but the response I got back was right off their website.  There was no thought put into it and nothing for the kids.  Plus he was booked one of the two days.  The suggestion for George came at the same time as Ephesus Shuttle and since he gave me great ideas I went with him.

I made sure that all suggestions given to me are included in the tours.  So, thanks for that.  I also bought 5 movies today: Immortals, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Hercules, Clash of the Titans and Wrath of the Titans.  I figure the kids can watch them before we leave, at the airport or on the plane.

 

Since we are starting in Barcelona we will have two days of touring with the first day ending with a Flamenco dinner.  These kids will have the times of the their lives.

 

[bennybear]

So glad you have been able to organize such interesting tours, our kids loved Akrotiri, there is some thought it may have been Atlantis!  Your family should enjoy the movies, I think it helps them envision things.  
 

In Barcelona, I am sure you will see La Sagrada Familia, and Park Guell.  But I also suggest the Palau Musica and if you have time a trip to Montserrat.  

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Yup - Montserrat is Day 1 and Park Guell and La Sagrada Familia is Day 2.  Barcelona Day Tours has worked super hard for me too.  We plan on going to a Chocolate Factory and the kids will be taking a lollipop making course there.

 

It hasn't been easy to find not just kid stuff but educational and something they wouldn't normally do back home and not repetitive.  Swimming every where we go doesn't make it special but booking our own boat instead of a group tour boat does make it more special.  Add a little dip in the Mediterranean and you have a lovely few hours in Istanbul before touring the underground cistern .