Hello.
We are visiting Italy in August, and have travelled most of Northern Italy prir to having kids. We now want to visit South of Italy with our 3 kids (7, 6 and 3). We will have a car, and are looking for recommendations on where to stay and for how long. We will be there for 2.5 weeks, and will be starting and ending in a small town just north of Venice. Thanks in advance :)
Posted by
Upstate NY
55 posts
With three young children in the heat of summer, I’d be looking at somewhere coastal. You’re going to want to be near the water. Children the age of yours aren’t going to be very interested in historic sites or art. Give them the beach and gelato.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
12149 posts
What are you defining as "Southern Italy"?
Every kid under 59" needs an appropriate car seat or booster seat, so you will need a 3 row van/suv.. ( Unless there is a way to put 3 car seats in one row.... is that possible) You will have to be selective about where to stay that has parking for such a vehicle.
How many nights are you spending in the 'small town north of Venice"?
How many nights do you have for the "South of Italy"?
Posted by
Atlanta, GA area (USA)
151 posts
You could head down the Adriatic coast to Puglia and then cut across to Campania. Maybe go by Bologna since it’s on that side of the Apennines. Check out all the beaches along the way, and also all the playgrounds! With the car you can stay at places in smaller towns or out in the country so you don’t have hassles getting around cities. Just pull up Booking.com and search along the way. Good luck!
Posted by
3 posts
As others have said, the south of Italy is very hot during summer time and the humidity in cities (like Napoli) can make it hard to walk around. The Southern part though has lots of great places (Calabria is lovely, as well as the coast of Amalfi), but it depends on how you want to spend your holiday.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2438 posts
hey hey candicekate
traveling during august in italy will be very HOT HOT HOT and humid. just to remind you that it is jubilee 2025 in rome, expecting 30 million+ plus travelers from all over the world, crowds everywhere and those will probably continue on to different areas of italy.
decide fast where you plan to stay since places are filling up, supply and demand and raising costs.
where will you be arriving (VCE-venice), renting car and then driving how far south? you will be returning to "small town near venice" for flight home, so driving back north.
reserve a car big enough for your family, car seats, and luggage. look for an apartment for your gang, parking available, list all of you for place (allows 5).
redheadlibrarian is spot on about being near the coast or a lake for the kids your age
joe32F is spot on about car seats needed: totsaroundtheworld.com/ car seat laws in italy
mominitaly.com/ car seats in italy and renting a car in italy, 2025 guide
aci.it carrying children safely.
aaa.com/IDP
read up about applying for this international driving permit for each driver, what other documents you need, laws to follow
an option for you and your gang, lake garda between milan and venice has camping fun with accomodations, water and park activities, restaurant/bar, markets.
camping-serenella.it
campingspiaggiadoro.com
we stayed in bardolino for a wine festival, the lake is gorgeous and lots of things to see and do. the kids will be happy keeping busy all day plus mom & dad can relax.
good luck and enjoy
aloha