Family holiday ideas Italy - Lake Garda?

[Shopgirl1]

Hoping to spend about 10 days in Italy in July. Two adults and two children of 10 and 11.
Thinking of combining a week on lake Garda with somewhere else for a few days. Had wanted to go to Pompeii but I don’t think my kids would tolerate that journey so Lake Garda would be out and I’d have to consider somewhere more southern.
Id love recommendations of places others with kids of similar ages have enjoyed. Open to anyway in Italy really and want to combine sightseeing with activities but also relaxing.Thanks!

For Pompeii you could stay on Ischia, and tag it on afterwards or do a day trip. Ischia is not as manic as Amalfi/Sorrento and cheaper than Capril. Easy to get to on hydrofoil from Naples. There's a castle, lovely beaches and easy to get round the island by bus. Boat trips to mainland and Procida (which is gorgeous). Last year we stayed 3 nights in Naples and went to Herculaneum. The underground tour is also fab. https://www.ischiabluresort.com/en/ Can't recommend this place highly enough - hotel services with self catering accommodation. Lots of restaurants and a big beach in walking distance. The pool is small, but private pontoon to the sea.

Lake Garda could be combined with Venice, Milan. Dolomites. There is probably more in the area for dc that age than around Naples unless they are total history buffs. July is also uncomfortably hot further south.

Lake Garda is a fantastic area - loads to do, close to Venice and Verona, and Gardaland theme park is excellent. There’s lots of spots around the lake, and a cable car up the mountains at Malcesine with great views of the Dolomites. Bus services are fab and it’s flat to cycle around. Plenty enough to keep you busy for 10 days.

Lake Garda is brilliant & good fun for children with boat trips, nice beaches etc. Instead of going to Pompeii from there, go to Verona instead (a short bus/train journey away.) There's a Coliseum, Roman remains, Romeo & Juliet's balcony, delicious pasta & gelato etc.

Could you bribe the kids with a family trip to Gardaland in return for a trip to Pompeii ? We stayed at a great campsite 'Bella Italia' near Lake Garda, plenty for kids to do on site.

Lake Garda is lovely and I think there's quite a lot of watersports possible as well as hiking.

Re Pompeii - we went for a fortnight to sorrento when dd was 10 but at Easter so it was a nicer temperature for sightseeing. We stayed at La Solara which is a bit out of town and was (then) the only place with an outdoor heated pool at that time of the year. There's so much to do in that area!

This. We did 12 nights with DC similar ages and was more than enough to do and see. Hiring a car means you can easily get to different places inc the cities etc.

Thanks for all the ideas! Ischia sounds lovely, very tempted by this, but maybe July would be too hot…going to do some more reading up on there and also Lake Garda - lots of ideas there to follow up on!

Have just read mosquitoes an issue in summer…is that everywhere in Italy? Lake Garda is where I read it.

Can be, we found less of an issue in the south of Lake Garda. Most of Italy seems similarly afflicted.

We went to Lake Garda when our children were similar ages and we loved it.
As other have said, loads to do, easy driving, fab weather.
We went to Venice and Verona. Stayed in Venice overnight. It was lovely tk be there once all the cruise ships left.
If you’re interested, we stayed here:
http://www.relaisrosadeiventi.com/

We've also been to Bella Italia and enjoyed it. Great pools and a good location. Variety of options for accomodation too. We had a bungalow. There are mobile homes and apartments there too.

That place looks lovely. Would you say you need a car there or how is public transport? I’m hoping to avoid driving, although will if necessary.

Thanks, this is on my list, but it’s where I read about mosquitoes. I guess they will be anywhere near a lake though!

I was referring to Bella Italia here…

I am originally from very near lake Garda. Yes, you will find mosquitoes in summer in Italy (much less in the south or near the sea in general). Bring a mosquito repellant spray and apply it at least twice a day - absolutely needed in the evening. That solves the problem 100% for me and my son. Mosquitoes are a strange thing: they can bite one person like crazy or leave another one completely alone - I think it has to do with you skin ph or something.

The trains are great, we didn’t drive at all and went to Venice, Verona, Pescheira, Sirmione, Gardaland and Movieland.

highly recommend this holiday with kids, we all absolutely loved it.

We did Bella Italia and Venice when DD was 9 - it was brilliant 🤩 We spent all day at Gardaland, it could actually be worth 2 days. Take swimming costumes for the kids, there’s a very welcome mini water park bit near the end. It was very hot, so definitely take hats and sun block for the queues!

I am from Sardinia and frankly I would not bring my kids to Lake Garda in July. It is absolutely boring for them and not even that cultural. I would either go for city arts or for beach and culture in Sardinia or Puglia.

Realise this thread is a fair few months old now, but we are looking at Lake Garda for next summer and this looks perfect! Would we manage without a car? Thanks