Hi, I'm Caroline Parker, I'm 12 years old and have a great passion for travel. My trip to Italy with my mom taught me a lot about myself, my mom, and my world. Rick Steves made this all possible. The tour was fun, exciting, and organized. It made Italy accessible. Our guides were intuitive and our hotels were charming. I loved every moment of it. I admit at first I thought it would be for, well, old people. Really, though, it kept us moving the whole time. It was GREAT. I was able to navigate the cities and felt like a part of the group. I loved this tour and Italy.
Regan: We arrived in Venice a day before our tour began. The wonder and awe in my daughter's face as we cruised down the Grand Canal in a vaporetto is something I will never forget. I was scared but didn't want to let her know - I had been to Venice many years earlier and remembered feeling overwhelmed, getting lost and never feeling comfortable. As we set out to explore Venice that first night Caroline was not scared in the least. As we wandered the narrow alleys I could feel her excitement and desire to explore. We turned a corner and suddenly were in St. Mark's Square - and the smile on her face was a mile wide!
On our orientation walk of Venice our wonderful guide, Martin, purposely got our group "lost." He then asked Caroline - as the youngest member of the tour - to navigate the group back to the hotel. His simple directions and explanations of the city made it possible for this child to easily find our way. In Rome he showed the group how to use the subway system, gave us our passes and sent us on our way. Caroline showed no fear and learned quickly how to read the map. If she is comfortable using the subway system in Rome then she can go anywhere and do anything in her life! The travel skills - as well as life skills - gained on our trip are invaluable.
Regan: We arrived in Venice a day before our tour began. The wonder and awe in my daughter's face as we cruised down the Grand Canal in a vaporetto is something I will never forget. I was scared but didn't want to let her know - I had been to Venice many years earlier and remembered feeling overwhelmed, getting lost and never feeling comfortable. As we set out to explore Venice that first night Caroline was not scared in the least. As we wandered the narrow alleys I could feel her excitement and desire to explore. We turned a corner and suddenly were in St. Mark's Square - and the smile on her face was a mile wide!
On our orientation walk of Venice our wonderful guide, Martin, purposely got our group "lost." He then asked Caroline - as the youngest member of the tour - to navigate the group back to the hotel. His simple directions and explanations of the city made it possible for this child to easily find our way. In Rome he showed the group how to use the subway system, gave us our passes and sent us on our way. Caroline showed no fear and learned quickly how to read the map. If she is comfortable using the subway system in Rome then she can go anywhere and do anything in her life! The travel skills - as well as life skills - gained on our trip are invaluable.
Where to?
3 nights each in Venice, Florence, and Rome, Italy. Come with us and explore each day!
3 nights each in Venice, Florence, and Rome, Italy. Come with us and explore each day!