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Italy with Children: Where to Stay?
Researching and booking a hotel or vacation rental can be a daunting task for every traveller, but the stakes are especially high when travelling abroad with children. We hope these carefully selected suggestions for lodging help you to find the perfect situation for your family holiday in Italy. Meanwhile, I'm dreaming of the Hotel Flora on a quiet yet central street in Venice so that we can attend Kids Day at the Guggenheim! 

Hotels in other regions:

Rome and Lazio   Florence and Tuscany   Milan and Lombardy  Turin and Piedmont
Genoa and Liguria   Perugia and Umbria   Naples and Campania  Venice and Veneto         

Lake Maggiore with Kids
By Madeline Jhawar of Italy Beyond the Obvious

Italy's Lake Maggiore doesn't get as much press as its more famous neighbor, Lake Como, but I'd recommend it for a family vacation anytime. Kids will love the trains and boats, and the whole family can gape at views after a cable car ride. Visit small islands, take a boat around a great castle-island, play on a sandy beach, and participate in the late-afternoon Italian passeggiata, walking on Stresa's or Cannobio's lakeside promenade with a gelato.


Where to stay

Stay in Stresa if you've only got a few nights. If time allows, add a few nights further up the lake. A great hotel for families in Stresa is La Luna nel Porto, and I highly recommend the apartments at the Cannero Lakeside Hotel in Cannero Riviera (near Cannobio). A few miles further up the lake, across the Swiss border, is the fabulous kid-oriented Park Hotel Delta. 

What to do

• Boat to Islands

From Stresa hop on the boat to visit the islands Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Madre. Kids love boat rides and these islands are quick to visit, though visiting all three will take you a full day. Isola Bella in particular has beautiful gardens.

• Flowers, animals, a playground and a picnic!

Spend at least half a day at the Villa Pallavicino, in Stresa. The gardens and the lake view are spectacular, but the highlights for the kids will be the 40+ types of animals, the little train that runs to Stresa, and the playground. Bring your own picnic or eat onsite at the restaurant. If you love botanic gardens, don't miss The Villa Taranto in nearby Verbania - another great open space in a spectacular setting along the lake.

• Cable cars and views
  
  

You've got a few options for incredible lake views via cable car: there's a funicular that goes from Laveno-Mombello up to 1,100 meters (3,600 feet). Sit on the terrace with a drink at the top or even stay in the hotel. Or, from Locarno (Switzerland) take the lift that goes up to Cimetta, with incredible views. A third (and my favorite) option is from Stresa: take the cable car to Mottarone, and enjoy a 360 degree view from 1,385 m (about 4,500 feet). Read more...

Lombardy Hotels and Other Lodging

Lombardy Parks and Playgrounds

Lombardy Restaurants

Lake Garda with the Family

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Beyond Pompeii: Off-the-Beaten-Path Family-friendly Attractions in Naples and the Amalfi Coast
By Shannon Venable

For those families lucky enough to linger just a little bit longer on holiday in the Naples and Amalfi Coast region, so many enchanting sites and excursions await beyond the requisite visit to Pompeii or Herculaneum (which, of course, are absolutely worthwhile!). We’ve selected some of our favorite historical and educational sites in the area that offer unique glimpses into the cosmopolitan and vibrant ancient past of the Campania, a region known to the Romans as Campania felix—the fortunate countryside—for its natural abundance.

The Campania ArteCard

The Campania ArteCard, available for purchase at local tourist offices, bus & train stations, newsstands, and museum ticket booths, offers families an unlimited pass for local transportation as well as nice discounts on admittance to most historical sites, museums, and local attractions. The card also includes discounts to certain events. There are a variety of cards available, with many choices designed to be most advantageous for select regional or thematic itineraries. Visit the Campania ArteCard website and use their interactive itinerary planner to determine which card is best for your family!
http://www.campaniartecard.it/

Baia Sommersa

The underwater archeological wonders preserved as part of the Parco Archaeologico di Baia, to the west of Naples in the Phlegrean Fields area, are the remnants of what was a chic Roman resort dating back to the 2d century BC, when members of the Roman elite built opulent villas here as seaside getaways on an area of coastline that began to submerge due to a volcanic caldera as early as the 4th century A.D. Underwater villas, the ancient port, roadways, and also naturalistic attractions can be viewed from boats with special underwater viewing galleries, as well as guided scuba expeditions.

Consider visiting Baia in the morning, then head to Pozzuoli for a nice seafood lunch in the picturesque marina.

Parco Archeologico di Baia
Porticciolo di Baia
Tel. 081 524 8169
www.baiasommersa.it
Open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-1:30 & 3:30-7:30
Boat tickets 10 euro adults/9 euro children/free for ages 3 and under
Read more...

Family Hotels and Holiday Rentals in Naples and the Amalfi Coast

Fun Family Activities in Naples and the Amalfi Coast

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Featured Sponsor

Arte al Sole: A Tuscan Cultural Adventure for International Children is a summer day camp in the Lucca hills offering children an opportunity to explore the art, science, history and culture of the region through a fun, engaging curriculum in English. The program is expanding for the summer of 2010 to include an additional one-week session in Umbria.


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Visiting Florence with Kids
By Shannon Venable

Navigating the crowded streets of Florence with kids in tow can be a challenge for families traveling to this famous Renaissance city. With careful planning, however, Florence has much to offer curious little minds in an environment in which museums and sites are increasingly providing unique exhibits and educational programs designed just for children.

When staying in the city during peak months such as the summer, the Oltrarno district just across the river from the Ponte Vecchio can be much less crowded and offers a variety of delicious less-touristy dining choices, as well as convenient supermarkets. The Oltrarno is also much easier to access by car than many of the neighborhoods across the river with very restricted traffic limitations, although parking is expensive. Nearby must-see sites with kids include the Boboli Gardens at Palazzo Pitti, with plenty of wide open space for the little ones to run around and let their imaginations fly, these legendary gardens are also the perfect place for a picnic (there is a supermarket directly across the street). During the summer, my daughters and I like to peek in the courtyard of Palazzo Pitti on our way home from dinner to catch a glimpse of the musical performances produced here. Only after stopping first at our favorite Gelateria Santa Trinità directly across from the Ponte Santa Trinità -- try the dark chocolate (fondente). Read more...

Florence and Tuscany family hotels and holiday rentals

Florence family-friendly restaurants

Florence kids' activities