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Maggie
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 3:42pm | IP Logged
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Hi all~
Through a series of events, we felt called to go to Rome...but financially, didn't know how it was going to happen.
Last Saturday evening, we found tickets to Rome, on Delta, for $290 round trip...$380 with taxes. Sold. What a blessing!
My questions are these:
1). Ideas for the 10 hour plane ride? (On the way there, they will hopefully sleep part of the time, though we leave in the late afternoon...on the way back, they will be awake the whole time!  )
2). What is the car seat situation? Anyone rented cars and car seats in Italy/Europe before?
3). What advice do you have with traveling with a toddler and preschooler.
We will not be in Rome the whole time. We will be spending 5 days on a farm in Tuscany...letting the children run loose and adjust to the time change. 
Thanks for any tips. Never done this before--sure to be an adventure!
God Bless,
Maggie
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 4:06pm | IP Logged
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I've done long car trips but not planes where I'd have to be more careful of others.. but generally I would give them time to be "bored". The more I entertain the more they expect to be entertained and complain when everything starts to look blah just from being tired of being cooped up.
Snacks work better than many things. But you'll need to be careful what you can take on the planes anymore.
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 4:20pm | IP Logged
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Car seats are required. We brought ours (as checked baggage, in boxes - PM me if you want to know how we did this). Cheapest rental cars are manual transmission. Don't rent a car in Rome - take the light rail from Fiumicino (airport). Use metro and bus to get around - the kids will like that better anyway. There is a McDonald's right next to the Spagna metro station.
It would help to know when you're going, because then I could give you weather advice. Also, do you plan to do just Rome, or day trips from there? Same for Tuscany - it's a big place.
Prepare your children for the trip by talking about what you'll do on the plane (eat, brush teeth, go to sleep, etc.). This will help them expect bedtime. Take a surprise book or small toy for them - plus a few other things to do (paper and crayons are great, and will also be helpful when you're dining out...service is slower than in the U.S.).
I lived in Italy for 5 years - two with my kids - and my daughter was 4 when we went. We traveled all over the place. Ask questions and I'll be happy to help.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Chari
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 4:58pm | IP Logged
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This is such a wonderful blessing, Maggie!
Michele Q carted a toddler over there....a few years back.
Congratulations!
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 5:17pm | IP Logged
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do check with the airlines on checking the carseats as baggage though.. I've heard that recently they're really raising rates for checked baggage.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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Caroline
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 5:40pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| do check with the airlines on checking the carseats as baggage though.. I've heard that recently they're really raising rates for checked baggage. |
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Carseats and strollers are still checked for free.
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Devoted Wife to  and Mama to three beautiful boys and another little boy due in September , and two beautiful souls in heaven
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 6:18pm | IP Logged
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And international flights generally don't have checked baggage charges. They gouge us here at home instead. 
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Marcia
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| Posted: March 04 2009 at 8:45pm | IP Logged
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I bought a book called Italy with Kids?
Had loads of kid friendly places to visit.
might have been this one.
or this one...
I'm very jealous! Have a great time. Last time we went I had one child 19 months old. We had a great time.
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stefoodie
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I second the book suggestion "Italy with Kids". We had a 2-year old last time we were there. Going again this Saturday (for a 9-month assignment), this time with a 2-month old.
We don't really bring much for "entertainment" -- pen and paper (or their journal), they want to fiddle with the headphones anyway. And the stewardesses always had something fun for the kids. (deck of playing cards, coloring booklet, etc.)
We brought car seats last time and will bring one this time. If you plan to do any walking in Rome, don't listen to the advice I got before we went: we were told
- use a jogging stroller (bad idea because of the cobblestones -- we would have done better with just a sling)
- people in Italy dress up: yes, many were dressed up, but just as many were in "regular American clothes" -- esp. sneakers and jeans, which we would have been more comfortable in.
We also stayed in a self-catering cottage between Tuscany and Umbria. Favorite things about the trip: shopping the outdoor markets on Tuesdays(?) and discovering hole-in-the-wall pizza places all over the place.
And of course seeing the Pope waving from his window!!
You might want to get the book "Toto in Italy" -- has some starter Italian words for little ones.
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Carole N.
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| Posted: March 05 2009 at 2:39am | IP Logged
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You should do fine with Delta (we have flown with both American and Virgin). Most of the International flights have television screens with movies and Disney for each seat. This will provide you with some entertainment for the children as well as yourself.
I think that there is a limit of two bags. Check your sizes because for security reasons, baggage must meet certain dimensions. There is also a weight limit ... I think it is 22 kilos, but check with Delta. We had to pay a charge for being overweight on a bag (it had kitchen utensils that somehow did not get packed).
I do know that people take all sorts of items on planes like skis, golf clubs, backpacks. My dh bought a walking stick when we were in France and we were able to check that as well. We did not have to pay for it or the backpacks, so I am thinking that you can check your carseat and stroller at no extra cost. Again check with Delta.
As Nancy said, you will not need a car in Rome. You can easily use the metro and bus. Rent your car when you plan to go to Tuscany. I am not certain when you are going or how long you will be staying, but there are self-catering apartments in Rome. They usually rent for several days and are much less expensive than a hotel. We rented through this site Rome City Apartments. This will allow you a little more freedom in the dining department (which is part of the reason that we are renting). But if you decide to do this, you should make haste as places are being rented quickly!
Have fun planning your trip. You will have a lovely time. Italy is just a beautiful country.
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: March 06 2009 at 10:31am | IP Logged
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I only have a few moments, but thought I'd share what I know... My son and I went (with 3 other adults) when he was a month shy of his 2nd birthday. I've not done it with two children though!
We rented a car and had the carseat from the rental place. It took some getting used to for buckling in - wish I'd brought our own as we had the car the whole time... If you rent the car the entire time, TAKE YOUR OWN SEATS - it will save the hassle of figuring them out! (at least the buckle-in ones - if your older child is only using a booster seat, then save the lugging it through the airport and just get one with the rental car). If you end up only renting for part of the time, then definitely just go with ones from the rental car place - but plan on taking a little time to make sure it's in right, etc.
Try to spend some time in St. Peter's Square without the crowd (so not Sunday right after Masses - the late afternoon is better!). It was SO MUCH FUN for my son to run around, chasing the birds, calling them ducks - all within the literal "arms" of the Church... Those are memories you will laugh about into eternity! There you are, with all the saints looking down on you and your children and they're running and playing and laughing!
For the plane and car: pack a bag with goodies in it, but only take them out one at a time - stretch its amusement as long as possible, before putting it away, taking a walk around the plane or checking out the scenery, then getting out something else when needed.
Try to avoid naps before the airport (not always possible!) to maximize sleep time on the plane. It's not fool-proof, but the whole time zone thing will be a huge adjustment anyway - sounds like you know that!
Little ones can travel in their pajamas! And it helps to set the tone too - rest time.
Enjoy the little things - you'll be mroe interested in history and culture and where the apostles walked. THe children will be more interested in what is familiar but perhaps a bit different to them... My son found pictures of the Annunciation just like the outline one we have in the atrium - a pile of garbage that looked like a stuffed man - the "ducks" in St. Peter's Square - a carved egg (polished stone) in the gift shop was much more interesting to him than all the other doo-dads you can get, including the really nice rosaries!
There is a bookstore a bit out of the Vatican area that has really good prices on really nice books - I picked up several picture books there (in Italian! - and some ENglish ones) from which I could tell the story without knowing the words - beautiful artwork, etc. My son is soon to be 5 and still loves them!
Don't forget to stop and eat! Carry snacks around with you and just feed the children - worry less about mealtime routines and just let them be fully comfortable - much nicer experience in the restaurants this way!
Be prepared for everyone to gawk over the children - I got so many comments - mostly away from Rome, but even there.... Remember their populationg growth is negative right now - so children are much less prevalent than they have been (I got lots of free stuff from hotel owners and restaurant owners!).
If any bumps in the road come up, just take a step back, slow down, hold the children - and remember that schedules matter much less right now than just enjoying one another's company in one of the holiest places on earth.
:)
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Topic: Traveling to Italy with age 2 and 4 yo?!?
