๐ซ๐ท Paris
March 25 โ 28 ยท Montparnasse
โ๏ธ
Travel Day โ SFO to Paris
Wednesday, March 25
๐ Departure
1:00 PM: Pull Gianni & Rosalia out of school early and head to SFO from Foster City.
Arriving at SFO by 1:30 PM gives a full 3 hours for international check-in and letting the kids burn off energy.
โ๏ธ Flight
Route: San Francisco (SFO) โ Paris (CDG)
Airline: Air France
Flight: AF0083
Departs: 4:40 PM
Arrives: 11:35 AM (+1 day)
Confirmation: XMZIXDCopied!
๐ผ
Arrival & First Taste of Paris
Thursday, March 26
๐ Arrival
11:35 AM: Land at Paris CDG. Take a taxi to the hotel.
๐จ Hotel
Hรดtel Vacances Bleues Villa Modigliani
13 rue Delambre, 75014 Paris, France
Map
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Confirmation: 73356830566023Copied!
๐จ Afternoon Activities
- Visit the Louvre
- Stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens
๐ฆ๐ง Kid Tip: At the Grand Bassin in Luxembourg Gardens, Gianni & Rosalia can rent vintage wooden sailboats and push them around the fountain with long sticks โ a classic, inexpensive Parisian kid activity!
๐ฝ๏ธ Dining Near the Hotel
Bakeries:
- La Parisienne Madame โ Famous baguettes and pistachio treats
- Maison Landemaine โ Incredibly flaky, fresh-out-of-the-oven croissants
Hot Pot (comfort food after a long travel day):
- Happy Lamb Hotpot โ Excellent, highly rated
- Da Long Yi โ Great bubbling broth fix
๐ซ๐ท
Paris Sightseeing
Friday, March 27
๐จ Activities
- Arc de Triomphe
- Notre Dame
- Lunch
- Sacrรฉ-Cลur
- Eiffel Tower
๐ฆ๐ง Kid Tip: Watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle on the hour after sunset is completely free and completely magical for kids!
๐ก Paris Baking Class
Consider a short, family-friendly croissant or macaron baking class โ incredibly fun for kids to get their hands in the dough, and you'll love learning the pastry techniques.
โ๏ธ
Paris โ Venice
Saturday, March 28
๐ Departure
1:00 PM: Take a taxi to CDG. Aim to arrive by 1:40 PM for the 3:40 PM flight.
โ๏ธ Flight
Route: Paris (CDG) โ Venice (VCE)
Airline: Air France
Flight: AF1226
Departs: 3:40 PM
Arrives: 5:20 PM
Confirmation: YNLGURCopied!
๐ญ Venice
March 28 โ 30 ยท Cannaregio
๐ค
Arrival in Venice
Saturday, March 28 โ Evening
๐ Arrival
5:20 PM: Arrive at VCE. Take the scenic water taxi/ferry to the hotel.
๐จ Hotel
Antico Portego
Cannaregio 1414/a, 30121 Venice VE, Italy
Map
Confirmation: 73356868164237Copied!
๐ญ
Classic Venice
Sunday, March 29
๐จ Activities
- Rialto Bridge
- Gondola Ride
- Doge's Palace
- Piazza San Marco
๐ฆ๐ง Kid Tip: The standard Vaporetto (water bus) down the Grand Canal feels like a theme park ride to kids and only costs the transit fare. Window shopping for intricate Venetian masquerade masks is also a fun, free visual treat!
๐ฝ๏ธ Dining in Cannaregio
Bakeries:
- Panificio Crosera โ Hidden gem (no sign!) for traditional Venetian Buranelli butter cookies and Pan del Doge
- Pasticceria Rosa Salva โ Elegant morning pastry and coffee
๐ฅ
Murano & Onward to Vicenza
Monday, March 30
๐ Schedule
- Morning: Check out of Antico Portego by 10:00 AM
- Morning: Visit the island of Murano
- Lunch: Meet up with David
- Afternoon: Drive with David to his home in Vicenza
๐ฆ๐ง Kid Tip: Watching the glassblowers in Murano manipulate molten glass is mesmerizing and usually very cheap (or free) to observe in the smaller workshops!
๐ฟ Vicenza & Day Trips
March 30 โ April 6 ยท Staying with David
๐บ๏ธ
Vicenza Base โ 7 Days of Day Trips
Tuesday, March 31 โ Sunday, April 5
๐บ๏ธ Day Trip Schedule
Mar 31 Explore Vicenza
Apr 1 Castiglione
Apr 2 Florence
Apr 3 Pisa
Apr 4 Verona
Apr 5 Lake Garda (Desenzano) + David's
๐ฆ๐ง Kid Tip: In local Italian towns like Vicenza, the main piazza is basically a giant, pedestrian-only playground. Grab a couple of cheap gelatos and let Gianni & Rosalia run around the squares in the evening while you and Mark relax on a bench!
๐๏ธ Rome
April 6 โ 9 ยท Prati District
๐
Train to Rome
Monday, April 6
๐ Trenitalia
PNR: AYGAJ5Copied!
Leg 1: Vicenza โ Padova | 9:27 AM โ 9:44 AM
Leg 2: Padova โ Roma Termini | 9:56 AM โ 1:30 PM
๐ Arrival
1:30 PM: Arrive Roma Termini. Take a taxi to the hotel.
๐จ Hotel
Hotel Diplomatic
Via Vittoria Colonna 28, 00193 Rome, Italy
Map
Confirmation: 73385383617084Copied!
๐ฝ๏ธ Dining Idea
Hot Pot (a fun break from pizza & pasta):
- De Zhuang Hotpot โ Near Vittorio Emanuele metro, incredibly highly rated. Interactive cooking in broth is a hit with kids!
- Tianci Chong Qing Farm Hotpot โ Also highly rated in Rome
๐๏ธ
Ancient Rome
Tuesday, April 7
๐๏ธ Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
Start Time: 10:00 AM (with Audio Guide)
Booking Conf: 1751601299Copied!
Viator Booking: 1368776275Copied!
๐ฆ๐ง Kid Tip: There are always street performers and "gladiators" outside the Colosseum โ fun for kids! Also look into the Gruppo Storico Romano (Gladiator School of Rome): a 2-hour hands-on experience where kids get traditional tunics and learn defensive moves in a sandy arena with wooden swords.
โช
Rome Explorations
Wednesday, April 8
๐จ Activities
- St. Peter's Basilica
- The Pantheon
- Trevi Fountain
- Borghese Gallery
- Spanish Steps
๐ฆ๐ง Kid Tip: Tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain is a must-do and only costs a few cents! The Villa Borghese gardens are entirely free to enter; rent a multi-person pedal bike for a few Euros to explore the massive park together without tiring out little legs.
๐
Heading Home
Thursday, April 9
๐ Morning
9:45 AM: Breakfast, check out, and taxi to FCO. Aim to arrive by 10:10 AM for the 1:10 PM flight.
โ๏ธ Flight โ Leg 1
Route: Rome (FCO) โ Dallas (DFW)
Airline: American Airlines
Flight: AA 239
Departs: 1:10 PM
Arrives: 6:25 PM (DFW)
โ๏ธ Flight โ Leg 2
Route: Dallas (DFW) โ San Francisco (SFO)
Airline: American Airlines
Flight: AA 2320
Departs: 9:18 PM
Arrives: 11:09 PM (SFO)
๐ซ Confirmation Codes
Alaska: GLKXLVCopied!
American Airlines: EGOHCTCopied!
๐ Quick Reference
โ๏ธ All Flights
- Mar 25: SFOโCDG ยท AF0083 ยท 4:40 PM
Conf: XMZIXDCopied! - Mar 28: CDGโVCE ยท AF1226 ยท 3:40 PM
Conf: YNLGURCopied! - Apr 9: FCOโDFW ยท AA239 ยท 1:10 PM
DFWโSFO ยท AA2320 ยท 9:18 PM
Alaska: GLKXLVCopied!
AA: EGOHCTCopied!
๐จ All Hotels
- Paris (Mar 26โ28): Hรดtel Villa Modigliani
Conf: 73356830566023Copied! - Venice (Mar 28โ30): Antico Portego
Conf: 73356868164237Copied! - Vicenza (Mar 30โApr 6): Staying with David
- Rome (Apr 6โ9): Hotel Diplomatic
Conf: 73385383617084Copied!
๐ Train
- Apr 6: Vicenza โ Roma Termini
PNR: AYGAJ5Copied!
Leg 1: 9:27โ9:44 AM (Padova)
Leg 2: 9:56 AMโ1:30 PM (Roma)
๐ซ Bookings
- Colosseum (Apr 7): 10:00 AM
Conf: 1751601299Copied!
Viator: 1368776275Copied!
โ Pre-Booking Checklist
๐ก Travel Tips & Packing
๐ค๏ธ Weather (March/April)
Expect mid-40s to low-60sยฐF with spring showers possible.
- Pack mix-and-match layers: tees, lightweight long sleeves, water-resistant mid-weight jacket for everyone
- Two pairs of extremely comfortable walking shoes per person โ you'll walk miles every day
- A comfortable backpack on stroller handles for water, layers, and kids' snacks
๐ Stroller & Scooter Luggage
- Paris Metro: Notoriously unfriendly to strollers (endless stairs). Take above-ground buses โ they have ramps at middle doors
- Venice: Vaporetti are accessible, but canal bridges require carrying the stroller. Use a lightweight travel stroller
- Rome: Cobblestones can be brutal on small stroller wheels
- Scooter Luggage: Lifesaver for Gianni at SFO, CDG, FCO โ but leave at hotel during the day (cobblestones, crowds, museum security)
๐ Safety & Pickpocketing
- Pickpocketing is the primary concern at Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Trevi Fountain, and Colosseum
- Extra vigilance on crowded transit and at Roma Termini / Gare du Nord
- With stroller and kids, you're a target for distraction theft
- Keep valuables in a cross-body bag, zipped โ not in pockets or stroller basket
๐ Dining Strategy
- Bakeries first thing each morning โ kids love the routine
- Hot pot restaurants are your flavor-reset option in Paris and Rome
- Gelato in every piazza in Italy โ cheap and keeps the kids happy
- Interactive dining (hot pot, baking class) keeps little ones engaged