Family Holidays: Southern Coast Italy family holidays and breaks

Take the Family holiday rating 4 stars out of 5

Why

Southern Italy is Italy at its most relaxed which means no-one minds when your toddler has a screaming fit. It is an area of great beaches which pretty much start once you've left the spectacular Amalfi Coast at Santa Maria di Castellabate and just get better as you head for the Calabrian coast and Capo Vaticano. Catching up on some culture by visiting Paestum, or Pompeii if you can venture further field, and shopping and eating in the unspoilt coastal towns of Tropea and Scilla in Calabria may entice the family from the real pleasures of the south, idling along the beach into the village for that first glass of limoncello. The kids won't complain and if the pizza and pasta aren't enough for your fussy four year old they'll enjoy discovering the best ice-cream they‘ve ever had.

Le Castella. The remains of an Aragonese castle.

Top left: Southern Italy cliffs
Top middle: Amalfi coast near Positano
Top right: Boats on lake

Bottom left: Ancient seaside Pajaras at Puglia
Bottom right: Le Castella. The remains of an Aragonese castle.

When

The best time to come here is late spring, May-June, or early Autumn. This makes it a great holiday choice for the Whitsun half-term, and if you don't mind that out of season feel, it's worth considering Calabria for the October half-term too. Half of Milan hits these southern beaches for the first three weeks of August which is fine as long as you don't mind sharing a beach towel with the Soprano family.

How

Airports in South Italy include, Bari ('Karol Wojtyla') Airport (BRI), (located 9Km North West of the city of Bari, on the south east Adriatic coast of Italy), Brindisi Airport (BDS), (located 2Km North of Brindisi, on the south east coast of Italy), Lamezia Terme Airport (SUF), (located 2Km South of Sant' Eufemia Lamezia, on the coast of South West Italy) or you can fly to Naples, (served by British Airways, Easyjet and British Midland), and either transfer by car or train. You can buy RailEurope tickets before you even leave the UK from TheTrainline.

British Airways fly direct to Bari (BRI). Low cost airlines also fly regularly to the Southern Coast of Italy and include, Alitalia, Ryanair, and low-cost Italian airline Volare, with connecting flights through Rome and Milan.

Stay

Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria are enticing families with crowdless countrysides, where there are many types of accommodation perfect for families. In the west, terraced hills meet rocky Tyrrhenian shores, whilst on the Adriatic east coast there is a Greek air. Inland are mountains, medieval villages, parks. Choose from resort hotels, charming small hotels some with family apartments, self catering villas or even a trulli, masseria or agritourismo. Club Med offer family fun for all in the Gulf of Tarento, (the elegant arch of the foot), at Club Metaponto, with 'Petit Club Med' (childcare from age 2 yrs), sailing academy and even hip-hop dance lessons from aged 8. For a different type of active holiday, then consider camping at one of Europe's many great parcs, perfect for families, such as Eurocamp's Baia Domizia, just north of Naples.

Browse our favourite hotels with partners Active hotels, throughout Southern Italy, including the regions, Campania (including Naples), Calabria (Italy's elegant and rather gorgeous toe!), Basilicata (in the middle), and Puglia, (the east southern coast). For a true haven, with superb service and gastonomy, see partner Gesthotels' wonderful Masserias, (fortified farmhouses), in relatively undiscovered Puglia. Take a look at Masseria Torre Coccaro, and Torre Maizza, where your family can indulge and unwind or their family friendly beach hotel on the Adriatic riviera, Hotel del Levante. For accomodation in the west take a look at wonderful apartments and villas from Real holidays, such as La Conchiglia near Capo Vaticano in Calabria or Palazzo Belmonte, located in the small seaside village of Santa Maria di Castellabate on the Cilento coast, one and a half hours south of Naples.

Agritourismos are a great and unique experience. These are rural and traditional working farms, where you and your family can stay, where every ingredient on your plate, (or in your glass) has been lovingly reared or produced on-site, partnered with the comforts of modern day accommodation. Every agritourist experience will be unique, you can really immerse yourself in the Italian way of life.

Do

Visit the magnificent Greek temples at Paestum.

Visit Pompeii, a Roman city preserved in its entirety.

Join the passeggiata at Santa Maria di Castellabate.

Go diving, or snorkelling at San Marco.

Visit Ravello, Positano and the other beautiful towns of the stunning Amalfi coast.

Visit the grottoes at Palinuro.

Click here for an up to date family friendly events guide to Campania & the Amalfi Coast.

Eat

Enjoy delicious Italian dishes, including fresh fish and local specialities such as pasta e fagioli and spaghetti vongole, local pasta dishes or eat some swordfish (the meatiest of fishes), which is said to be the best in the Mediterranean. Restaurants range from budget, where we recommend snacks such as pagniottiello, (a hybrid pizza/bread roll filled with aubergine, tomatoes and fresh ricotta), and herb focaccia, to mid-range; try the comforting and delicious homemade gnocchi, wafer-thin pizzas topped with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh rocket leaves, or calzone stuffed with beans, to top end; try the sublime linguine ai frutti di mare (pasta with fresh seafood). Basically whatever your tastes are, there is so much to choose from, with so much passion and expertise going into it, you won't be disappointed. And of course we haven't even started with the fantastic icecreams, gelati, the best of which are made fresh on a daily basis...
You'll never be able to look Mr Whippy in the eye ever again!

Cost

Flight and hotel package costs for a family of four on a seven day holiday will vary from around £200 per person to over £700 depending on season and type of accommodation chosen.

Low season flight prices start at £40 each way but expect to pay at least £200 return in high season. Add £180 a week for car hire.

Travel reading

Lonely Planet Italy

by D. Garwood et al

Buy from Amazon.co.uk - Save 30%

Covers all cities and regions in Italy in Lonely Planet’s typically down to earth style.

Italy with Kids

by Barbara Pape

Buy from Amazon.co.uk - Save 9%

A great resource for parents travelling to Rome and other Italian cities.

Europe in a Motorhome: A Mid-life Gap Year Around Southern Europe

by H.D. Jackson

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Hilarious, informative - a real life-on-the-road adventure, with the Jacksons, their motorhome and thirteen year-old son.

Milet Mini Picture Dictionary: English-Italian (Picture Dictionary) (Board book)

by Sedat Turhan

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Aimed at pre-schoolers, covering key subjects, like colours, shapes, animals, plants and food and each page includes four to five images and clear text.