Book Review: Baby Travel Tips

Rick Hartwig has tapped into a deep-rooted anxiety among parents who often cite the stress of flying with young children as the one of the main reasons they don’t travel or don’t travel internationally.  Long flights, jet lag, and flight cancellations are bad enough. But our fellow passengers seem increasingly vocal about their annoyance by the mere presence of a child on their flight (How dare those babies fly to see Grandma!).

Add to this recent news headlines highlighting how airlines arereducing the family-friendliness of our skies by eliminating the courtesy of early boarding for families, not guaranteeing families be seated together, and even going so far as to restrict children from first class. It’s understandable why flying with babies or toddlers—or any child, really—creates such anxiety. 

Hotel Review - Castello di Gargonza (Tuscany)

A heavy autumn fog shrouded Castello di Gargonza on the early Sunday morning of my visit, much like a theater curtain waiting to open before a big performance. Upon my arrival, church bells in the tiny Romanesque town peeled out, almost as if to signal my arrival through the castle’s main gate.

Gorgeous short film of Basilicata

I'm in love with Basilicata right now.  Francis Ford Coppola's gone to Basilicata and taken me with him (figuratively, of course). It's unimaginably beautiful in this remote region, and if you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe your own eyes.

For anyone interested in getting off of the well-trod path, have a glimpse of this dreamy 4-minute film. When you're ready to pack your bags, contact me!

Is a City Pass Worth the Price for Families in Italy?

photo credit: Context Travel

One question that frequently comes up for me as travel consultant is whether it's worth buying a city pass. The concept of the city pass is to package free or discounted admission to several major and lesser-known monuments, museums, and special exhibitions, and frequently they include a limited-time, transit pass for busses and subways.

In Italy, these passes are most popular in the major destinations like Rome, Florence, Naples and Venice. Cities like them because they encourage visitors to use public transportation by simplifying the ticket-buying process, and they typically offer visitors the benefit of fast-tracking your entry in a city's most popular attractions--or even eliminating the queue altogether.  Passes also encourage visitors to discover lesser-known museums and attractions and seek out cultural events.

But are they worth the cost for a family?  That's the question that two journalists set out to investigate just this past week.  In some cases, the answer is a resounding yes.

Which cities offer the best City Pass value?  Click over to Budget Travel's blog post, and the U.K.'s Daily Mail article and decide for yourself.  And while this article is a little older, Jessica at Italylogue has done a very detailed analysis of Rome's City Pass in a past article.

What's your experience?  Did you purchase a city pass and did you think it was worth it?  Share your comments with other family travelers.

Gladiators and police clash in Rome!

A visit to Rome's most recognizable monument, the Colosseum, typically involves an encounter with a kitchy gladiator who poses for your pictures (then asks you for money). For years, men in full gladiator and centurion battle gear, including helmets, swords, tunics and feathered helmets, have set up here, and elsewhere in the city, and have made a fairly decent living doing this, either to the delight or the annoyance of tourists.

photo credit: New York Post

However complaints about these faux gladiators -- which included charges of verbal harassment of tourists, sometimes to an aggressive degree, and pandering for money in exchange for photos or shabby tourist advice -- had reached such levels that city officials finally took notice, and took action.

The Buzz in Basilicata

The communal kitchen at Palazzo Margherita photo credit: Palazzo Margherita

The buzz around Basilicata right now is the recent grand opening of Francis Ford Coppola's stunning 9-room boutique property, Palazzo Margherita.   Mr. Coppola owns other hotels, but the fact that he’s chosen Basilicata—a region practically unknown, undiscovered, and most certainly not on many people’s bucket list –is quite remarkable given it's very off-the-beaten track location.  

One of the last truly unspoiled corners of Italy, bleak, barren, beautiful Basilicata will captivate your family. Here, you’ll find locals who are happy you're in town, uncrowded restaurants, crystal clear waters absolutely void of English-speaking tourists, colorful, local festivals, and hearty, peasant cuisine that is simple and sumptuous. 

With the opening of Coppola’s new hotel and the subsequent buzz it's generated in the travel press, bella Basilicata is on the verge of being discovered, and ready for its close up, Mr. Coppola.   

You just might want to visit it now, so you can have the bragging rights to say, 'you knew it when.' 

An easy day trip to Rome's ancient ruins

Pompeii tops the list of sights that many families want to see during a first-time trip Italy.  However, depending on your itinerary, it's sometimes a challenge to get there from other popular destinations in Italy, like Venice and Florence, both of which are also typically at the top the list of places families  want to see.

Unless you're planning to stay in or around the Amalfi Coast or Naples, Pompeii is simply too long of a day trip for most kids.

photo credit: ostia-antica.org

If an ancient Roman city is on your bucket list, then I typically recommend a visit to Ostia Antica, which is easier to get to. Ostia was ancient Rome's seaport, and it's just a short 30 minute train ride from the city center. 

So why don't more families choose to visit?  Today's blog post, Ostia with Kids, from Context Travel's founder Paul Bennett, will perhaps help provide the right amount of inspiration.