Summer Italy Trip - Family of 4

Just a general reaction—kids will whine with all that museum stuff. They'll probably think the ruins like the Colosseum are cool. But take some time and go to the beach. Relax. Italy isn't just a bunch of monuments. Eat gelato. Find a smaller place like Cortona, sit at a bar (what a café is called in Italy) on a car-free piazza and let the kids run around. Don't cut out the Cinque Terre--I'll bet they'd like the hikes and the view more than they'll like the Uffizi. How are you getting around? Kids think trains are great, and Italy has a terrific system—the fast trains are lots of fun. Rather than a list of museum visits, give in the to hedonism. Do some shopping, etc. Enjoy your trip!

When you say you are flying into Naples from Paris, is this directly after your flight from the US? Or will you have been in Paris for a while and be over jet lag?

If Day 2 is your first day after travel from the US, I would not plan on seeing Pompeii that day. Give yourself a day to get out of zombie travel mode before diving into such a big site. I would skip CT and Milan and add a day to Sorrento and at least a day to Rome. 3 nights in Rome is not enough. Add another night to Florence if you can. Remember that 3 nights = 2 sightseeing days. Don’t under estimate the impact that the heat and crowds will have on what you accomplish in your days. Gelato will be your friend.

@apaonita - yes, I know the kids will tire quickly of the museums. We don't plan long stays and will limit the number. Colosseum is a must and I think they will really enjoy it. Colosseum and Vatican are two locations we are considering joining a small tour group.

We have travelled internationally with them a few times before and have learned the power of gelato and allowing them to get out some energy in the squares or parks. I would love recommendations for beaches, especially while in the south.

While we have a general plan and things we want to do, but know that plans change and kids get tired and cranky - as do us adults.

As much as Cinque Terre seems great visually, I think the time needed to go there shortens our time at other places. Plus the hiking between cities may be more than we really want.

Most travel will be by train and while the kids do enjoy them, they lose interest quickly and end up on their screens - which we allow during travel times.

Thanks for the info and suggestions. We are looking forward to it.

@travel4fun

- When you say you are flying into Naples from Paris, is this directly after your flight from the US? Or will you have been in Paris for a while and be over jet lag?

We will have been in Paris for about a week after stopping in London for 2 nights to help adjust and quickly visit family, so jet lag should be minimal. Side note, we have been to London a few times before and are stopping back there for a long weekend on the way home.

- If I would skip CT and Milan and add a day to Sorrento and at least a day to Rome. 3 nights in Rome is not enough. Add another night to Florence if you can. Remember that 3 nights = 2 sightseeing days. Don’t under estimate the impact that the heat and crowds will have on what you accomplish in your days. Gelato will be your friend.

Thank you. That's kind of where we are leaning. As much as we want to visit places we haven't been before, we don't want to rush things too much. We know there will be some down time and we won't see everything even with adding more time. And Gelato will be a daily, if not multiple times per day, stop.

I can see a lot of McDonalds and pizza in your future.

I agree about skipping the C/T and Milan. I'd add those days to Rome as it's just too important a city to not give enough days to. Many people traveling there will skip the suburbs where there are also incredible sights to see.

When you say Vatican do you mean the Museum and St. Peter’s or just St Peter’s? I ask because once you are in the Museum you can’t easily get out until after the Sistine Chapel and it is crowded and hot and the crowds move slowly…just think it may not work for the kids. Heck, I found it too much and I am someone who will visit a museum at the drop of a hat! Also consider that you are restricted as to what you can take in with you, so drinks or snacks are probably not allowed.

Some ideas for Rome; the Appian Way area is interesting, on Sundays traffic is restricted. There is the chance to visit some catacombs…now empty, but spooky enough to suit the kids. Check into bike rentals in the area.

San Clemente church, beautiful mosaics and the opportunity to descend to Ancient Rome and walk through buried ancient Rome. Great way to understand how the ancient city lies beneath the modern one.

Ostia Antica, The port city of Ancient Rome, it was abandoned when the river silted up and changed course. Two advantages - there are numerous umbrella pines providing areas of shade among the ruins and it is relatively uncrowded. It is a short commuter train ride from Rome, and if boredom sets in, you can hop on the train for a few minutes to the town of Ostia which has beaches! Bet the boys will love the multi-seat Roman toilets!

Borghese Park is great for kids and has playgrounds etc. climb up Spanish Steps to reach it.

Levento is a good place to stay if you keep the CT in your plans. It has nice sandy beaches and you can take the train or boat to the CT towns. Also lots of restaurants with good choices - pizza!

Capri or Amalfi? A ferry ride to Capri might prove more interesting for the boys than a bus trip along the twisty road from Sorrento to Amalfi. Amalfi is a pleasant, somewhat touristy town.

You need more time Venice. Visit the Lido for sandy beaches and swimming. The kids will probably enjoy riding the vaporetto to various areas. Go to a glassworks in Murano, fascinating.

I would plan art museums to be one parent at the time while the other parent entertains the boys elsewhere. In Florence, there is a science museum that has Galileo's finger.

Capri and Amalfi (town? Coast?) are not comparable daytrips. While Capri is quite special, it is crowded in June and July, and a grueling amount of walking in the hot sun. I mention that because Pompeii is so hot and exposed. You need to prepare for these places that (unlike Rome, say) have no building shadows to protect you.

I find this newsboard exaggerates the "magical" nature of ferries in the Sorrento area. Most ferries are sealed, air-conditioned boxes with zero outdoor seating or standing. They take you from one place to another. Especially in summer, when the largest boats are used. Our ferry home (to Sorrento) from Capri carried hundreds of passengers, several trucks, and because we couldn't get seats, we went out on the pedestrian entrance platforms, which overlooked the truck deck and had ZERO view of the surface of the water. (I'm not whining, just reporting.)

You do have too many stops, and you might consider whether Pisa is a must do. I've been to Italy five times, and I still haven't been to Pisa. You need to evaluate whether your kids are "outdoorsy" or "hikers" to make the most of CT. I agree that you need to give Rome more days, and Venice is also quite special. In June and July, walking around Venice will be like walking around a subway station in rush hour - I only mean that you cannot move as fast as you think you are going to move. There's a good chance that the kids will see (if not "understand") that Venice is also quite a special place.

I also think Milan can wait for a later trip, especially since The Last Supper is too subtle an attraction for the kids right now. Like everyone else, I love Florence. But it's an "Art History" location. And I don't consider it a "Tuscan hill town location." I know there are tours from Florence, but we preferred a car rental and sleeping out in Tuscany.

Do you know that places like the Uffizi need advance, timed reservations?

Thank you all for the information and recommendations. Any more ideas are also appreciated.

@David
Lots of pizza for sure, but hoping we can minimize the McD's visits. We've been able to on other long international trips. Plus we will seek out other ethnic foods if we tire of pizza and pasta.

@lanlubber
I had a long reply that got deleted. Thank you for the info and input.
Would a small tour group help with the Vatican Museum? We do want to go through to the Sistine Chapel.
Catacombs and Ancient Rome sound good for the kids and we'll also look in to other suggestions, especially the kid activities and beaches.

@Cala
Swapping kids isn't really going to work, but will see how we can keep them entertained in the limited museums we visit.
Thank you for the Florence recommendation.

@Tim
Thank you for the info and insight - especially regarding the sun in the south. We've done the semi-sardine can ferries in other places and know they are more transportation than attraction. We'll keep the expectations low if we use them.

Pisa is probably going to stay as a day trip from Florence. We will also consider a trip to the hill towns. Would 2 nights be worth it? We are aware of timed entry at Uffizi and may reconsider based on how many other museums we visit. Even the adults can get overwhelmed with too many. We will also be visiting the Louvre before coming to Italy.

In Venice, I think the kids would like Row Venice, where the whole family embarks on a group rowing lesson on the back canals. It's about 90 minutes and about 100 Euros total , and is harder than it looks. It also starts near the Cannaregio area, which is quiet and beautiful and away from the crazy crowds . (This is the area in which we prefer to stay.)
Many of the hotels offer free water taxi rides to Murano, to tour the glass factory and glass blowing. The speed boat rides are a blast, the glass factory isn't high pressure, and we usually disappear after a short time, taking the vaporetto back.
Remember to look for air conditioning in the summer, especially in Venice, as open windows have no screens, and mosquitos breed in the canals.
Have a great time.

For the Rome portion of your trip, touring the Colliseum, Forum and Capitoline Hill will make for a full day, especially with the heat and crowds. I would save the Pantheon for a visit later in the day, then join the Passegiata (sp?) on Via Corso, grab a nice dinner in that area, and then visit the Spanish Steps and the Trevi fountain as night falls. The Trevi is much more impressive when floodlit in the dark.

Just a general comment about kids and museums - I know boys are very different from girls but we took our girls (2@7yrs, 1@9yrs) to England and Paris the summer of 2003 (at the time, hottest summer on record, now probably that record has been broken a few times.) Anyway, our kids lasted a lot longer in the museums in London and Paris than we expected. It helps that they were mostly air conditioned. In the midst of the heat we did hang out at some pretty iconic fountains and let our kids dangle their feet in, which brought relief and some great photographs. Maybe that's uncouth but it wasn't just us tourists doing it, locals too!
It sounds like you have a pretty realistic idea of what your boys can handle so I'm sure you have appropriate expectations. Good luck!

We are thinking of cutting Cinque Terre and Milan. Milan was mostly to
breakup the train ride from CT to Venice. We could add another day in
Sorrento, one more in Rome and one more in Florence.

Hi TravelFor4 -
I think eliminating the CT and Milan and adding those days to Sorrento, Rome and Florence is a good plan. Between heat and crowds, I'm thinking a slower pace and fewer moves will be welcome. That extra time will also allow you more flexibility to work around weather, and maybe a day when one of your young people - or even mom and dad - are just DONE and need a break! :O)

You know your kids and we don't but my hunch is that your challenge will be your littlest: the shorter the stature, the more difficult is it to endure dense crowds. For instance, I'd definitely book one of the small-group tours of the Vatican Museums that get you in early, and access the basilica through the interior, tour-reserved corridor. Otherwise, you may be stuck in crowds so dense that your youngest will spend the whole time looking at the backsides of the adults in front of him. Heck, I'm 5'2" and I had trouble seeing over the heads in front of me! Mornings will also be a tad cooler (the museums aren't air conditioned) than afternoons.

Sorrento: I'd throw in the towel on beach time and just book a place with a pool. In this particular location, it's just going to be easier than trying to get to any sort of beach and back. Buses versus ferries: if ANY of you experience motion sickness, go with the ferries. If wanting to go with land transport anyway, bring whatever OTC tried-and true motion sickness medication does the trick (and don't trust Seabands unless you KNOW they work for you as they didn't for me at all).

Capri: there's some fun trekking on the island - no need for tours - so take a look at what the website suggests and buy a good map when you get there. I'll recommend the walk up to Villa Jovis/Villas of Tiberius, and Pizzolungo, and a look about Anacpari. I'd put the chairlift up to the top of Mt. Solaro on the list but it may not be the best choice for your 5 year-old: the chairs have minimal safety restraints. Skip the Blue Grotto: IMHO, it's the tourist trap of the island.

https://www.capri.com/en/l/hiking-and-walking-trails-capri

Rome: Yes, Villa Borghese park will be a breath of air away from the crowds. Rent a pedal surrey and ride the whole family around the paths! There are also playgrounds, a zoo, a pond, lots of room to run, etc. This blog is a few years old but fine for getting an idea.

https://mamalovesrome.com/villa-borghese-gardens-rome/

Florence: climb up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a great view (there are some places for rest and refreshment up there) and up even higher to San Miniato al Monte: very old and very important to Firenze.

Museo Palazzo Vecchio has activities - in English - geared to the younger set: https://musefirenze.it/en/musei/museo-di-palazzo-vecchio/

The interactive Leonardo Da Vinci Museum could be fun. Take both kids or split up so the younger can enjoy some playground time elsewhere. https://leonardointeractivemuseum.com/en/

Kids at the Uffizi: regarding kids and museums, they're all different! I was a museum lover at a pretty young age. YMMV.
https://www.uffizi.it/en/pages/families
https://www.uffizi.it/en/pages/uffizi-kids

Pompeii: try to do some prior, age-appropriate reading up or video viewing as a family before you go; there's a lot of stuff online. Yes, it promises to be hot so wear hats and sturdy shoes, and pack water and snacks, being cautious not to eat on the ruins or litter.

Bathrooms: always an adventure where small bladders are involved! Make the kids go EVERY time you have free or easy access to one. Nothing around? Go to a bar (most are also coffeeshops) and make a small purchase to use their facility. Tell the kids they'll likely encounter a lack of toilet seats here and there. Bring wipes!

Just a start!

Oops, one more...
That chairlift up Mt Solaro on Capri (Anacapri): Your littlest can ride for free on mom or dad's lap. It doesn't go super, super high above the ground, in case fear of heights is a concern. Once on top of the mountain, you can spend as much time as you wish to before making the trip back down. It's also possible to hike down the mountain.

https://www.capri.com/en/s/mount-solaro-cetrella

There are so many hill towns that it's easy to find a few to visit. But it's very hard by public transportation. A car is really helpful. You just have to decide whether you want a town big enough for a full day (like Orvieto), a half-day, or three in a day with a car. If the kids want a place that "looks like a fort", or you want important church frescoes, or if the crowds in San G (and full parking lots) are outweighed by the great architecture and church frescoes. Another issue is perhaps dining opportunities. Many posters here are interested in winery visits. Siena has more than a day of attractions, but the art is perhaps too subtle for young children. Likely reservations needed for the Siena cathedral.

Note that Sorrento, the town, has exactly ONE beach, which is quite small, and located directly between the two marinas. It is easy to get to, by 2 Euro elevator, but it smells of diesel fuel. (The marinas, not the water ... ) Many AC beaches are 100% pebbles, small, and crowded. US coasts have far superior "beaches", aside from the exotic and rocky setting. I haven't been to CT.
The luxury Sorrento cliffside hotels (about 6 of them) not only have nice pools, but the hotel elevator takes you down to a private, boardwalk bathing deck in the Gulf. Ours (Ambasciatori) had a bar down there too. Sorrento is so good for day trips that we barely went near the water.

Just to mention, if you google "hotels with pools, sorrento" you find that there's no shortage of accommodations which have them! Not all have sea views but if the tariffs of luxe hotels with a view of the gulf are too high for you, remember that you'll be getting plenty of nice water views when out and about during the day.

Day 1 Local commuter train from Naples to Sorrento unsure if connected to Naples airport.
Day 2 - Go early to Pompeii, it will be super hot, no shade, the bodies are not well marked just ask around.
Day 3 - I recommend Capri over Amalfi (I found I enjoyed CT more, Amalfi seemed snobby, uptight not as cute and easy to reach to as the train line that runs up and down CT)
Day 5 - Go to Colosseum and Forum first, much more impressive than Pantheon
Day 6 - Vatican (security style airport be prepared for line even just for the grounds) Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps - I made quick work of these last two so you should be able to hit up all three.
Cannot comment on 3 nights in Florence as I have not visited.
HIGHLY recommend 3 nights in CT, if the kids want to do a trail it must be done in the mornings before crowds and heat kicks in, I personally was at the trail at sunrise, finished a section by 10/11am which is when crowds started to pickup, I'd take train back to Corniglia for midday break/meal then hit towns again at 5pm.
Skip Milan use that night for extra night in Sorrento (try Amalfi Coast for yourself or Sorrento proper very charming small town beautiful, if you want a rough experience visit Naples I would never sleep there though)
3 nights Venice (Murano, Burano day trips)

@Pat - The speed boat and Murano sound good. And thanks for the reminder on the AC.

@Toddw - Thanks for the tips. Our plans as written are ambitious, but we usually adjust throughout the days depending how we feel and how the kids are doing. The heat will definitely be a factor in how much we can get done in a/the day.

@Sanomh - We've done a few museums and know there is a time limit with the boys. Going to minimize how many we visit and focus on a few main items then see how long they last. And at least in the fountain at the Louvre, they didn't mind us dipping our feet as long as we didn't stand up in it. We actually have a family tradition of taking photos at that fountain when we visit (as long as it isn't in winter).

@Kathy - That seems to be the consensus about CT and Milan, and I think we're convinced. Just need to modify some reservations.
Thanks for the confirmation on the small group tour of the Vatican. That was something I was considering and now even more so. The tough part is keeping the little one close, and the crowds will make it more challenging. As for being vertically challenged, I'm the only one over 5' in my family, so we understand. At least it doesn't make as much difference in the Sistine Chapel where we'll mostly be looking up.
For Sorrento (and most places) we usually book AirBnBs, but I'll look in to hotels here. We like having a kitchen and laundry at least at every other stop. Thanks for the heads up on the buses, because motion sickness is a concern.
I'll be going through the other info and links, too. Thanks.
The bathrooms!! We found that out the hard way. Tried finding one in Rome on New Years Eve after going to see Pope Benedict and ended getting hustled by a restaurant into spending about 25 euros for my wife to use one!!

@Tim - Thanks for the info. We will do more research on renting a car to see some hill towns.
I looked at hotels with pools, and they are out of our budget. We'll be doing apartments to have the kitchen and laundry.