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Read La Nonna's account of seeing Italy through the eyes of her grandson, as she describes their experience on a special tour for grandparents and kids.

A young voice called "Grandma" and eight heads turned in response. It was typical of our Grandtravel (800/247-7651, 202/785-8901) tour, organized to appeal to two generations traveling together, sans the middle generation.

I joined “Italy’s Splendor” itinerary with my then 11-year-old grandson Beryn Staub-Waldenberg. He lives in Washington State and I live in Florida, so we spend less time together than we’d like. This vacation would provide an opportunity to really bond.

Additionally, Beryn’s education would be enhanced by exposure to ancient architecture and Renaissance and Middle Age art, but in moderate doses. Lastly, touring with this time-proved group would be sympathetic to my aging muscles as well.

We Open in Venice

Although we were jet lagged, we immediately joined the group’s first activity in Venice – a canal tour aboard three gondolas on some of the city’s 150 canals and under 400 bridges (Venice is sited on 117 islands). We passed colorful, striped mooring poles and slipped under bridges of all shapes. The low buildings floating on water were trimmed with flower-filled window boxes.

While I always enjoy peeking down the side canals past the palaces and laundry lines, my grandson Beryn liked watching the driver maneuver the gondola. At the ride’s conclusion, the gondoliers lined up on the Grand Canal and serenaded us.

In Venice, our hotel was the luxurious San Clemente Palace (+39 041 2445001; 1 Isola di San Clemente, San Marco, Venice, Italy), situated on its own separate island, reachable by a private launch.  We might have used the pool, strolled the bucolic grounds or played tennis, but who had time with so much beckoning?

Beryn loved using boats as the transportation mode. We later skimmed over other canals on water taxis and saw fireboats, boats delivering fuel or produce, speeding motorboats and slow funeral boats.

We rode a vaporetto (water bus) to the Jewish Gheto, site of the world’s first gheto where Jews were locked in every night. The area retains several medieval synagogues and offers a small museum exhibit.

The youngsters listened dutifully as the guide described the Tintoretto oil painting in the Doges Palace as the world’s largest oil canvas, as well the Byzantine mosaic floors and ceilings of the Basilica of St. Marks Cathedral.  And, we toured the spooky dungeon cells.

The highlight was visiting the workshop of a mask maker and learning about how Venetians wore masks in the 18th century often, not just during Carnaval. Then we actually created masks ourselves. Kids and grands chose dainty or large mask forms, picked a palette of colors, used wax for polish, and selected from a variety of streamers.