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Taking Your Teen To Florence, Italy

Image July 27, 2023 Christine Leave a comment

So this summer I used my Chase Sapphire card points and booked a trip to Italy for my daughter and me. She decided to go to an art high school in NYC and so I figured it was the perfect time to go.

Taking Your Teen to Florence, Italy

There is something amazing about taking your child to a city like Florence, Italy. It feels good to be able to be the first to show them this kind of place and you are doing your job as a parent by taking them on an educational adventure like this. We hit all the usuals, the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, the Santa Maria Del la Fiori, the Baptistry doors, the Uffizi, the leather market, lots of great food and of course gelato. But I have to tell you the best part of the adventure was taking the cute, new tram straight into Florence from just outside the city. And I’ll tell you why.

Taking the Tram in Florence

So my daughter is going on fifteen and she’s starting to get more independent. When I booked the hotel in Florence I didn’t realize that I booked it about 20 minutes outside of Florence. We had landed in the train station when we came up from Rome and then hopped in a cab and it was a bit of a drive to the hotel. “Great,” I thought as we moved away from the tile roofs and domes of Florence. But it turned out to be the best thing.

So we got our tickets, the nice, clean, bright tram pulled up. We got in and my daughter was in love. What did she do, she went and sat on the other side of the tram car from me. At first I was insulted and then I realized what was happening. She was trying to pretend she was there on her own, like a student, just getting around. There she was, reading her phone with her headphones and her backpack, sitting on the tram seat, like this is what she did every day. She was feeling pretty proud of herself I think. She did this every time we got on the tram.

So I was watching my daughter grow up a little right before my eyes. When we got off she was a little braver than usual, found a place she wanted to get breakfast and we walked in. She went up to the counter and attempted her Italian and he answered her in English and gave her the pastry she pointed out. She was pretty darn proud of herself. The tram takes you straight into Florence so it was super easy to get to the middle of the city from there. She noticed a big posted for a graphic design school in Florence called the Sign. She was again in love. She wanted to know more about this school so on our last day in Florence we did go check out the school.

Adventure Parent taking your kid to see botcellis la primavera — So excited to see this painting in the Uffizi. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing the back of my daughter’s head as she looks at this painting.

Adventure Parent Uffizi Leonardo Da Vinci Angel — So excited to see this painting in the Uffizi. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing the back of my daughter’s head as she looks at this painting.

The Statue of David In Florence, Italy

Morgan and I made our way through the city and saw all the usual sights. I have to tell you it was really hot in Florence this August but we made due. We headed over to the Academia to see the David. I don’t think the last time I was there I took the time to see the rest of the museum so we took the opportunity to really go through and see everything else. There’s quite a bit of sculpture and Renaissance art up close, so I strongly suggest you take the time to look around. Don’t just go in say Hi to David and leave.

Touring the Uffizi

After that we had lunch at one of the many cool al fresco restaurants in the area and found the price to a bit more reasonable than Rome. Afterward, I brought her to the Uffizi. I looked at Morgan pretty incredulously when she asked me why we needed to go into the Uffizi. I said “you can’t be an art student and not go to the Uffizi, we are going.” So the nice thing about August is that the lines are not insane. We got in after maybe a 10 minute wait and we headed up. The Uffizi as usual is amazing. I made a bee line to see my all time favorite painting. Botticelli’s birth of Venus. And of course across the room was La Primavera. I thought, “OK now I can die.” I’ve actually stood in its presence once before but I was probably 20 and I’m um, not 20 anymore. I’ve also found that since I survived a bout of septic shock last year, my memory of certain things is foggy. I knew I went to the Uffizi before but I couldn’t remember a thing from that trip, so it was nice to renew some of these memories.

So we saw work by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. So many famous names in one place it’s a little overwhelming. My daughter was of course, cooler about it than I was, but I let her wander on her own and we texted to find each other again.

After an amazing time in the Uffizi we went out and walked more around the city. We stopped at the leather market and the walked across the Ponte Vecchio. I thought about the last time I was here I was with my mother and she bought my a tri-colored gold necklace that I still have. Now I was making my new memories with my daughter. She found an old woman selling watercolors. We looked closely and could see they were real and not printed copies. She signed all her work and told us that her name goes way back in Florence as painters and there’s a painting in the Uffizi with her family name and says the artist is a relative. I thought, why doubt her? She’s here living in Florence all her life, why wouldn’t she be related to an artist. My daughter was absolutely fascinated with this woman and chatted with her about going to art school. She loved the watercolors this woman had done and they were indeed very different than the scam ones you can see on the street.

My daughter ended up buying two paintings and now they sit in her room waiting to be hung up. I thought it was a great memory from her trip to Florence. She’s now convinced by the way that she wants to go to college in Florence. So I said well, you better get rolling on the Italian lessons.

We hit a few more restaurants and walked a lot more then took the tram back to our hotel. In the morning we left our bags with the front desk and took the tram again back to the city and had breakfast al fresco. There are definitely worse places to have breakfast than to have the Brunelesci’s dome in the background. My daughter had not had a chance to go back to school shopping so we went to some of the shops we saw and bought some back to school clothes. How is that for first day of school clothes? We also bought some handbags for me and some nice lingerie. I got three really nice bras for only $90 so I think I’m just going to go back to Florence with some empty suitcases. I hope she goes to school there so I have an excuse to go shopping.

Checking Out Some Colleges in Florence, Italy

After that we went outa nearby design college. The outside wasn’t much but we got to check out the area where the school was. It was a little outside the old, touristy part of town. But the best part was this amazing school housing space right next store. It’s like a WeWork for students and it has a courtyard and pool, and cafeteria and a beautiful bike room. The kids all get bikes when they take up a room. The place was run by a company out of the Netherlands and they just expanded into Florence, so it was brand new. Morgan was intrigued. Of course she was embarrassed when I dragged her in but I said look, we’re not going to be back here anytime soon so we should check it out while we’re here. So we asked the lady some questions and she let us look around. We took a brochure and I’m definitely putting this on our list. I would very much like it if she went to Florence for college, but just not sure they have a lot of programs taught in English. At least definitely taking some classes in the summer would be a good thing.

While we think the college that we had gone to look at may have closed down after Covid, there are plenty of other design programs in the city.

We had lunch, went back and got our bags and then got a cab to the Florence train station. I was a little worried about how it would be at the train station since I read a bunch of reviews saying it was a bit intense and confusing. When I got there I thought it was cute. Then I reminded myself that I live ten minutes from grand central station and that not everyone who writes travel reviews on TripAdvisor comes from where I come from. So there’s nothing to worry about in the Florence train station. Or the one in Rome for that matter. We bought our tickets and on the high speed train to Venice.

Hi speed trains in Europe are just awesome I must say. We took a train that went over 200 miles an hour up to Venice and it was complete luxury. Great, big, wide seats, plenty of table top space, plugs to charge your stuff and they come around with food. Also plenty of places to put your bags. I wish we had trains like this all over the US. The Acela to Boston is as close as you get but it doesn’t go 200 miles an hour or make you think you are on a private plane. My daughter loved taking these trains and I know she’ll remember it. It’s really fun to turn on Google maps and the train wifi and watch how fast you are moving and passing towns.

So if you are thinking of visiting Italy, you really need to stop in Florence. It’s a slightly calmer, more manageable city than Rome but just as beautiful. I’d honestly feel better if my daughter was going to school in Florence rather than Rome. All the cities are great, but Florence is just clean and bright and easy-paced. Make sure you bring extra room in your suitcases because out of all the cities we went I found the best bargains there. And oh my God the leather handbags. So gorgeous. I could have brought the whole market home. I got a beautiful patent leather handbag that doubles as a backpack that I’ve gotten tons of compliments on already. For $40! I can’t even imagine what this would be in the states and it’s just as good as anything I’ve seen on 5th ave. So plan on shopping and eating. And bring good walking shoes. I think when I stay again I will do the same thing with the tram. The prices for the hotels were great and we didn’t have to be those people dragging rolling suitcases across the cobblestone in the city. Just make sure the hotel is close to the Tram. In addition, the tram will take you straight to the airport if that’s your next stop. It also brings you straight to the train station if you plan on going elsewhere in Italy. Have fun!

adventure parent eating breakfast in italy — having breakfast in the plaza in Florence Italy right outside the tram station.

having breakfast in the plaza in Florence Italy right outside the tram station.

Educational Adventures, Fall Family Adventure, Summer Adventure, Summer Travel, Things to Do, Travel

Authentic Bodies Leonardo Da Vinci’s Exhibit in Venice, Italy

Image May 2, 2023 Christine Leave a comment

So we came across this very unusual exhibit while we were in Venice, Italy called the Authentic Human at the Palazzo Zaguri. We decided to check it out and were both amazed and a little freaked out. The exhibit actually takes real human bodies that I assume have been donated to science, and they were dehydrated and manipulated to follow the anatomical drawings that Leonardo did, including the Vitruvian Man. Many of the illustrations came from the royal family of England. The exhibit can be a little disturbing but it’s amazing to see the detail revealed underneath the skin in the human body and I highly recommend it for older kids who are taking human anatomy or art students who need to understand the underworkings of the human body. Click here to learn more about Authentic Humans.

AdventureParent Authentic Humans Davinci Venice Exhibit

It’s definitely something I don’t think we’d ever see in the states but maybe I’m wrong. Either way, it’s definitely something to see. Make sure you have a chat with your kids first because these are real human beings who are now part of the exhibits so they should be respectful of that.

From the museum’s website, “For the first time in the world an exhibition with real anatomical findings inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and anatomical studies. An extraordinary and unprecedented journey to discover the human body through the eyes of universal genius.” According to the museum exhibit, “From the most famous drawings by Leonardo Da Vinci, some anatomical works have been reproduced: “Figure in orgasm”, “Vitruvian”, “Embryological study” and many others.”

https://www.palazzozaguri.it/en/leonardo/

The Venice show has closed but for information on more Authentic Human Body Exhibits go to:

Real Bodies

Body Worlds

Las Vegas Body Museum

For more information or to get tickets go to the Authentic Human Bodies site.

Educational Adventures, Parenting, Summer Adventure, Summer Travel, Things to Do, Travel

Traveling to Rome with my Teen Daughter

Image October 3, 2019 Christine

When my fourteen-year-old daughter Morgan told me she wanted to be an art major, I said well if that’s the case we’re going to do it right. So I started hunting for cheap tickets to Italy.

She’s only fourteen but she got into an art and design high school in New York City, so I knew she was serious. So if you have a little artist in your family I highly recommend a trip to Italy to tour the museums, see the Sistine Chapel, check out the architecture and eat great food. By the way, my daughter is now completely spoiled when it comes to spaghetti and wants to go to art school in Florence. I’m all for that. We went back to school shopping in Florence, how is that for serious Mom points?

My daughter Morgan and I started our trip in Rome. While I knew it was going to be hot there, because we were going in August, we dealt with it. It wasn’t too bad if you embraced it and packed for it. The hot weather also meant smaller lines and less crowds.

Landing in Rome

While I have a dual EU passport (Thank you Grandpa), when I’m traveling with my daughter I usually keep my EU passport handy but use my US passport. We already have different last names so I don’t need any hiccups. But when we got to Rome we discovered there is an agreement in place between the US and Italy to allow US passport holders that are fourteen years of age or older, to fast track through immigration the way they Europeans can. We were brought to a different line, put our passports in a scanner, had our pictures taken and were sent through. We never even had to speak to a human. This was a great thing to discover because there was no need to pull out the permission to travel from my daughter’s father because it was just my daughter and I. We’re divorced and sometimes it’s a hassle to ask him to go out of his way to provide a document with permission and get it notarized. But I think it’s still best to get it signed and have it with you. I know the one time I don’t bring it will be the time I need it. I did bring the letter, and even though we flew into Italy, Switzerland and Germany we were never asked. Still, why risk it if you don’t have to?

So anyway, first night in Rome. We stayed near Trevi fountain and Spanish steps in this cute hotel called the White Hotel. It was in a perfect location. A friend of mine had recommended a few hotels near the Pantheon, but I liked this area way better. The little streets and shops were perfect for finding a good spot to eat or shop and wander.

I saw a number of cute hotels in the area, so my recommendation unless you really want to focus on the Vatican or Coliseum, consider staying near Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

Rome is not very big in actuality, so we walked to the Coliseum from our hotel and back. There are also those hop on and off buses. By the way, I used my Chase Sapphire points not just for my hotel but also, since it’s really a white-labeled version of Expedia, I was able to use my points to buy our hop on bus tickets as well as the tour of the Vatican. That came in really handy.

We spent three days in Rome and did all the usual activities. We didn’t tour the Coliseum weirdly enough but we did walk around it. My teen was in a mood and didn’t want to go in, so we walked around the outside. Fine, there was plenty to do. And she was far more interested in the gelatto at times than the sites.

Italian Breakfast and We’re Off

On our second day there my daughter discovered what an Italian breakfast was. Coffee and a pastry. We had tea because the two of us with our Irish roots never managed to get used to the taste of coffee. So we had our tea and pastries and off we went. Morgan got used to saying Grazie for everything. I laughed when she said it on our layover in Dusseldorf. 🙂

In Rome we saw the Trevi Fountain and then walked to the Spanish Steps. New thing to know about the steps, don’t sit down on them or you will be fined. They are really serious about that now. Afterwards we went to the Vatican and signed up for an English speaking tour. Of course, there was a family there from Iran and so the Italian guide had to say, “we have Americans here, you don’t have a nuclear bomb do you?” Har Har. It’s always fun to be the easy target for cracks when traveling. There’s something about being American that just makes people have to make cracks whenever they get the chance. What are you going to do?

Hitting the Vatican

So the Vatican was phenomenal and we got to see the Sistine Chapel. Watching her face as we walked through the door and the room just opened up to her, was priceless. I looked at Morgan and thought, “yes, mission accomplished.” We stared at the ceiling for awhile and listened to people get yelled at for taking pictures of the ceiling. The people that paid for the restoration hold the rights to the ceiling, or the Vatican does and they hold it for them. Either way, no photos. Morgan was very disappointed there that the Raphael rooms were closed so she could not see the school of Athens painting that she was dying to see. But what can you do. That will give us an excuse for another visit.

The Castle

Another great spot I admit I missed on my other trips to Rome, was the Castel St. Angelo also known as the mausoleum of Hadrian. It was well worth the entry fee and the views are spectacular. Morgan loved the little cafe at the top and sat there enjoying her tea as she looked out through the thick portico windows out at the Vatican, complete with pigeons peeping in at us from the outside. There’s a museum inside with some pretty cool armour and frescos, and just a good all around stop before heading to the Vatican. Make sure you get some good pictures on the beautiful bridge right before the castle.

the view of the vatican from the castel st angelo in Rome italy

After we had our fill of restaurants, gelato and walking, we took a taxi to the train station to head out to Florence. So I’ll write about that in my next article.

Travel Scams

One thing I want to tell you about though is the scams they try to pull on tourists. Several times during our trip an African man would approach me and ask me where I was from and tell me I look like I’m from East Africa. And he kept trying to talk to me. As a female traveler with a child in tow I don’t need to stop for conversation in a fairly remote section of the tourist area, so I voiced a firm, “No Grazie,” and he went on his way. I wasn’t sure what was going on but found out later, the scam is the men will walk up to you chatting with you and when they get close enough will slip a cheap “friendship” bracelet on your wrist that you can’t untie and then demand ten Euros. So just stay clear.

Taxis

And for the taxis, check that the meter is on. If the driver tells you the meter isn’t working, get out and get in another one. The meter will tell you exactly what your fare is and sometimes they turn it off and tell you it’s broken and then overcharge you. And they sometimes round up without asking you first. If they have to move luggage for you, a tip is fine, otherwise it’s not necessary, so ask for your change back please. Better yet, use your credit card.

Also, make sure to bring an debit card if you are coming from the states. In many of the ticket machines, it will ask you for a pin number. If you are using a credit card and don’t know the pin, or it doesn’t have one, you’ll get stuck. So bring a debit card that requires a pin with you as backup. Or make sure you know the cash pin on your credit card.