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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Italy - Sorrento etc..

23 replies

cupcakelovinggirl · 04/11/2015 19:54

Travelling to Italy with 3 young children. Would like to incorporate Sorrento. Please help me sort out an itinary that won't turn into a nightmare with 3 little ones... Would be happy to just stay in 2 different places...

OP posts:
Rosa · 04/11/2015 19:58

I wouldn't bother changing places I would just stay in one ...with 3 small ones !! Logically you could combine Rome with Sorrento ( but I wouldn't do that with small ones ). Maybe do a day trip to Capri or down the coast.

juneau · 04/11/2015 20:02

How small are your DC? The Naples/Amalfi coast/Capri area is gorgeous, but its all narrow, winding roads, difficult parking and/or hydrofoils. Personally, I'd go for a villa in Tuscany or Umbria or Puglia if they're little and either go with your DP to the Amalfi coast, or take the kids when they're older. Its gorgeous, but its just not that child-friendly and if anyone gets car-sick or is a nervous driver there are masses of hairpin bends and buses coming the other way that you need to reverse for.

Original poster
cupcakelovinggirl · 04/11/2015 21:03

The kids are small so I would have a pram. I was worried that I may be trying to do this type of holiday too soon. I went to Capri many years ago and I am desperate to go back but maybe this is an idea I will have to shelve for a few years.. Sad thanks girls.

OP posts:
Allalonenow · 04/11/2015 21:20

Sorrento isn't really for a child friendly beach holiday, it's more a shopping/Pompeii sort of place.

If you decide to stay there, get a hotel with a pool, as many of the hotels only have wooden decking without a beach, not really suitable for small children.
Along that coastline some of the limited beach access is by lift, but also stairways.

It is all stunningly beautiful though!

Sounbelievablydull · 05/11/2015 09:38

i agree that amalfi could be challenging with young children.
If it's italy you are longing for could you look at vieste? It's a bit of a drive from the airport but once you are there it's worth it.
Lovely safe beaches beautiful town all the Italians are out with young children eating ice creams past midnight in the town.

Bunbaker · 05/11/2015 20:44

Sorrento and the Amalfi coast is very steep and hilly and not really a small child friendly place. I would take small children to Rome either. The beaches are small (and often at the bottom of a cliff) and very crowded. I think you even have to pay to use them.

I think you need to be more realistic about what will work for you. How about lake Garda instead? Round near Garda/Bardolino it is very flat and ideal for prams.

Original poster
cupcakelovinggirl · 07/11/2015 11:13

I wondered about Lake Garda it looks amazing, what's that like as a holiday?

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 07/11/2015 11:20

Absolutely wonderful. It ticks every box for me. It is utterly beautiful. You can stay somewhere with a pool and lounge around, then get on a ferry to visit another town. The food and drink are lovely. The weather is ideal, given that we have to go during the school holidays. It is hot, but not too hot.

I don't have small children, but I'm sure other mumsnetters will come on and recommend places to stay.

I would go so far to say that it is one of my favourite holiday destinations, and you don't need a car to get around. If you stay at the southern end of the lake it is flat and also less than an hour's transfer from Verona airport.

Original poster
cupcakelovinggirl · 07/11/2015 11:23

Not having to hire a car appeals to me at the moment - for me it would be too hard work. I have had a quick search for lake Garda and didn't appreciate how many places to stay there are! Ideally I'd like a nice hotel as we find ourselves spending a lot of time in them having such small children. All suggestions welcome! Thanks bunbaker

OP posts:
PunkrockerGirl · 07/11/2015 11:24

The Amalfi coast area is my favourite place in the whole word, but I would never have considered it with small children.
Lake Garda would be perfect imo.

juneau · 07/11/2015 11:40

Lake Garda is beautiful and a much better choice with small DC. Masses of hotels to choose from too, so I'm sure you'll find something that works. There are trains, buses and lake ferries so you shouldn't need a car if you don't want one.

Original poster
cupcakelovinggirl · 07/11/2015 12:06

Ooh I'm getting excited that this could be the family hol. I need hotel names though girls I am absolutely clueless as to what the best village to choose would be...

OP posts:
Macaronipony · 07/11/2015 12:21

Would also advise against Sorrento with small children. Have been to lake garda, lovely place, we stayed in Riva del garda right at the northern tip, nice and flat so easy with a pram and you can use the boats which zig zag across the lake so you can visit all the other places easily. Think we also took a bus up into the mountains. Didn't hire a car and wouldn't have needed to. Can't recall hotel name but it looked out over the lake - beautiful morning views. Plenty of places to eat and we enjoy finding the local restaurants (as opposed to the ones aimed at tourists and had some fabulous and cheap food. Can walk to next village (torbole? I think) which is windsurfing etc crazy. This brings me on to the local wind...the northern part has wind systems due to the mountains which switch on and off like clockwork, very surreal, you could set your watch by them. Means it doesn't get too hot though!

Bunbaker · 07/11/2015 15:31

The southern end is flat and there is a paved path between Garda and Lazise, which is ideal for strolling along with a buggy. A lot of posters with young children like Peschiera.

LIZS · 07/11/2015 15:35

Riva is also flat with promenades to Limone and Torbole and ferries to further down the lake. The North end us more scenic imho with a backdrop of mountains but the south more accessible to Verona and less windy.

Bunbaker · 07/11/2015 18:22

Which airport would you fly into for Riva?

Macaronipony · 07/11/2015 18:39

We flew to Verona, bunbaker

Allalonenow · 07/11/2015 20:58

I agree that the lakes are beautiful, but for a child friendly, very good value family holiday, I don't think you can beat the Adriatic coast, especially somewhere such as Pescara.

Do have a look at it Bunbaker, some lovely hotels, fantastic food, and children very much catered for.

Bunbaker · 07/11/2015 21:02

DD is 15 now. We avoid holidays where children are very much catered for. Sorry.

LIZS · 07/11/2015 21:06

Good watersports facilities at Northern end of lake Garda with lessons for all ages. Theme parks are nearer Garda/Peschiera.

Allalonenow · 07/11/2015 21:11

Ahh, sorry Bunbaker of course my message was meant for OP cupcake, too many baking themed names on this thread!! Grin

Bunbaker · 07/11/2015 21:59

The transfer from Verona to Riva is about two and a half hours - not something I would want to do with three young children.

LIZS · 07/11/2015 22:04

Depends which way you go . The lakeside road is a nightmare at best of times but using the highway took max 1 1/2 hours in heavy traffic to Torbole. Alternative airport is Milan about 2 hours away.

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