Milan, Rome or Naples with a 2 year old?

[tellermorrow]

Hi all,

Looking for your expert advice!

My partner and I are looking to take a trip in September/ October to Italy with our DS who will of just turned 2. We are due our second baby in December so I will be 6-7 months pregnant.

Which of the 3 places would you recommend visiting?

As a couple we liked all types of holidays, boat trips, city breaks etc. so are open to everything. Just trying to find what will be best with our little one!

Thank you x

Those all require a lot of walking. Would suggest possibly Lake Maggiore from Milan or Ischia from
Naples.

Are you after a family friendly holiday , as the things you liked as a couple might not be enjoyable for a 2 year old? Or will your child just be pushed around in a buggy so you can enjoy your city break?

I don’t feel that Milan is particularly kid- friendly. It’s not dotted with parks and playgrounds in the centre. You could, as mentioned above, take the train to the lakes, and do boat trips. Or just stay by Lago di Como or one of other lakes.

Rome is fine, but will be a lot of walking and could still be very hot.

Naples - as suggested above, I’d base myself in one of the Amalfi coast towns and get the ferry to Capri or stay on one of the islands.

It will still be quite hot. We had 30 degree days in Rome and Amalfi Coast around that time and in a city full of light coloured buildings that is HOT.

I would suggest a buggy with big fat pneumatic tyres or you'll have an awful time navigating the cobblestoned paths.

Not sure I'd do any of them with a 2 yo. Especially not Naples. Too busy and hot. Second LIZS suggestions of Lake Maggiore or Ischia. Plenty of boat trip opportunities. We've stayed here https://www.ischiabluresort.com/en/ (they have a small pool now) and here https://www.hlapalma.it/en/sky-bar/ (easy transfer from Malpensa) - you can visit the Borromean Islands and there's a lovely animal park in Stresa.

Naples is a shithole! Wish I had listened to the native Italians that told us this beforehand. Never again.

Thanks for all the responses, so much to think about! I appreciate the warnings about the places we'd picked out, perhaps they aren't suitable for us with a little one...

Lake Maggiore looks beautiful, anywhere in particular you'd recommend to stay with the little one?

We took DS1 to Sorrento when he was 14 months. Not sure I would have wanted to do a break in any of the cities you mention with a toddler, we were always pretty relaxed about travelling when our kids were small but those cities would have been too much hard work with a little one and there'd be little chance for proper sightseeing, people watching or enjoying galleries. We stayed just outside Sorrento at the Hotel Parco dei Principi which has a lovely little sheltered beach. There are a couple of nice parks there. You can get the ferry to Capri, Naples (it's not a shithole if you go to the right bits), Amalfi and Positano.

There's a hotel link in my post above for Lake Maggiore

I agree with the PP who suggest staying in Sorrento or on the Amalfi Coast. That way you could do a day trip into Naples if you wanted the museum and could get out to Pompeii/Herculaneum/Capri. A two year old is likely to enjoy the boat trip and Pompeii in particular they could walk around a bit. (I'd suggest a backpack rather than a buggy though). Make sure the hotel has a child friendly pool.