Family Holidays: Southern Coast Italy family holidays and breaks
Take the Family holiday rating 
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.
- 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
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.
by Barbara Pape
Buy from Amazon.co.uk - Save 9%
A great resource for parents travelling to Rome and other Italian cities.
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.
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.
