Would love some Italy holiday help please

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

We are planning a villa holiday in Italy next summer. But I'm going round in circles.

Originally I thought Sicily but friends have suggested it is a little quiet. Then I thought the Amalfi Coast as so much to do there but looks mega ££££'s.

If I give our criteria can you tell me where to go?!

1. 4 bedroom villa (8 people)
2. private pool
3. preferably (not essential) lovely views
4. historical towns/cities/sites/sights for me and Dh
5. water park for the teens
6. less then £3500 per week
7. beach within driving distance

Can be anywhere.

We will have a hire car.

Does anywhere exist? I would love some help on this.

Tuscany?

Hi LIZS, just been having a look near Pisa. That might be a possibilty. Are the beaches nice do you know?

My answer would always be Lake Garda because it ticks so many boxes for me. I'm not bothered about beaches but I do like to be near water.

It is stunningly beautiful, for classic historic sights you can visit Verona and Venice and you can take the ferry and visit lots of different towns round the lake. We don't "do" water parks, but there is a theme park - Gardaland, although we have never been there.

Have a look around the Adriatic coast, north east of of Venice. Beautiful area with the beaches at e.g. Caorle (my favourite) and Lignano, stunning scenery within driving distance into the foothills of the mountains and of course loads of towns and villages to visit.

I don't know about villas as we use hotels but there is a very luxurious suite hotel called Marina Verde in Caorle, we only had a two bed two bathroom suite but I think they do huge ones as well. Warm pools, spa, free breakfast, free booked places on the private area of the beach - heaven 🙂

Personally I'd prefer south of Pisa as the resorts we saw north were very commercial. Lucca is a pleasant town if you can find somewhere near there but you don't get the typical rolling hill views. We met some other travellers who loved Elba. Not sure about water parks though.

P.s there is a waterpark close by and floating pontoons, water games and sports for the teens and boat trips to Venice etc so plenty to do.

We've already booked again for next year!

Dh loves the idea of Lake Garda Nickname. My reservations are the teenagers really. Only one is active and sporty so could do loads of stuff on the lake I suppose, the others are happier on a sun lounger on a beach, or by a pool. But I guess what they get out of sea and beach, they could get from a lake. They all love water parks though and that would give them a couple of days doing stuff together. Our kids are very different to each other so getting mutual interests can be challenging. Venice being reachable would be an exciting prospect.

Thank you very much, food for thought.

How about this villa in Sardinia? It ticks all your boxes and Sardinia is beautiful.

I'd warn against the Pisa area.The beaches are more Benidorm than lovely and unspoilt and Pisa is a bit of a dive. Once you've seen the Leaning Tower, that's about it. Lucca, Florence, Fiesole and Sienna are gorgeous but a long drive.

Ooh Bejazzled thanks, off to Google.

Cinque Terre / Italian Riviera ? Genoa is amazing.

We stayed in Sorrento a few years ago. Very busy nightlife in the centre without being like a holiday resort. It's full of locals and you get an amazing Italian experience. You're not far from mount Vesuvius where you can go and have hot spring baths etc, but Also not far from the Almalfi Coast, which is just stunning!! We also walked around Pompeii and I'm sure that wasn't far either. That's absolutely breathtaking!

We were 21 when we went and I'd go again now in a heartbeat...such a gorgeous part of the country xx

Lizs, we've been to Lake Garda about 8 times which we love, also the Tuscan coast at Lido Di Camiorie (sp) - all around Tuscany including Lucca, Pisa etc but in my opinion neither of them suit the ops requirements.
The built up seaside areas closer to Venice are my idea of hell - Caorle is further up towards Trieste, like an old fashioned Italian seaside resort, pretty uncommercialised so far and family orientated, and a good deal less expensive to eat and during than Lake Garda and Tuscany.

Thomas, the villa looks exactly what we are looking for. But we can't go to Sardinia! We have friends who live there and we are under pressure to stay with them. We love them but just want a bit of space to do our thing with our teens as might - posdubky but hopefully not - be the last family holiday. Dh and I are planning a long weekend with them in Sardinia without the dc at some point.

and during = and drink 😳

There are some gorgeous villas near the Tuscan coast if you search Lido di Camaiore or Viareggio areas. We used Home Away website

You are all bloody brilliant. Far easier getting advice on MN than anywhere else .

Oh gosh, I know exactly what you mean. I have the same thing with the parents of my ex-boyfriend (from when I was 18!) in Florence. I would love to go back to explore now I'm not on a student budget but I would have to be in disguise and never mention it, ever.

Longlive I wonder if sorrento is cheaper than the Amalfi Coast itself? Would love to be in that area for Pompeii and Vesuvius but kind of dismissed it now because I think we're priced out? A nice villa is important to me because I see our days being full being out and about and busy but relaxing by our pool with a glass of 'in the evenings. The kids might appreciate going out in the evenings a couple of times either with us or without, but they aren't necessarily party animals.

Have you looked at Puglia at all? Right in the south of Italy, less touristy and more unspoilt than the northern parts but it's where a lot of Italians go on holiday. There are lovely beaches on both sides of Puglia but personally I prefer the ones on the Ionian Sea, and some of the towns are stunning. Otranto, Lecce and Ostuni are probably the prettiest but there are lovely towns everywhere, and there are lots of things to see and do. I love it there!

I haven't looked there Spuriouser, thanks, I'll do some research.

I'll have a nose about here for something for you

I was going to say Puglia! Sorrento might be slightly cheaper but if you go further down you come to the Cilento. Salerno is a great city and the coast further down (Agropoli/Castellabate/Acciaroli) is really nice. Bit of a drive from Naples airport though as the downside.

There always used to be boats from Agropoli and Salerno to Capri/Sorrento etc for day trips as well. Not sure if that still exists, it was a while ago?!

I have the same friends/relatives of exes issue on Capri which is annoying as I'd love to visit again. Am waiting until DC are old enough to enjoy it and then will go anyway guessing that the 20 years in between will have ravaged my face to unrecognisable from 25 year old me!

Thanks under. Some very helpful info from this thread.

Lake Garda has Garda land (owned by merlin so think Italian Alton Towers/Thorpe park). We stayed on the less touristy south west coast with easy access/drive to more touristy south east side of the lake and Verona (beautiful). I want to go back!

Underparmummy

Boats are still there in tourist season and a great day out. Cilento is even better than the napoletan coast or the amalfi coast imho