The Unknown Ahead

Italy has become an incredibly popular travel spot, and for good reason! Personally, I’m in it for the pasta, espresso, and gelato; however, there is also a mind boggling amount of history to explore. Since Italy is such a popular destination, you’ll want to book nearly every aspect of your trip well in advance. 

There are certainly many ways to explore Italy. This trip has you starting in Rome, venturing to Sicily, and ending in Naples. We were definitely influenced by White Lotus season 2 when planning this trip! There are plenty of day trips in between that you could change to fit your own interests. 

We traveled to Italy with our children in March which isn’t as crowded (or hot) as the summer months. We were still able to enjoy the beauty of the beaches without actually swimming. I’d prefer some slightly cooler weather in order to avoid the crowds, but if you’re dying to dip into the Mediterranean, then you might want to visit in the warmer months. This itinerary ends in Naples, so you could easily tack on another week and explore the Amalfi Coast.

Need ideas to keep those kids busy on a long flight? Check out our unplugged entertainment ideas for traveling kids!

Day 1

• Check into Hotel Lancelot. It’s a lovely hotel with a gated entrance and just a stone’s throw from the Colosseum. Breakfast is included too, and it’s a good one! If you get to Rome before check-in time, use Radical Storage to find a secure spot to stash your luggage while you roam Rome!
• Wander Rome toward the Vicus Caprarius to check out the under workings of the Trevi Fountain. You’ll need about 40 minutes here. Definitely book a time in advance. I scheduled our time via WhatsApp.
• Look at the Trevi Fountain and get out of the immediate area for dinner. It’s always super crowded here, so take a family photo and get out of the area asap. I’d recommend Piccolo Arancio.
• Wander and have some gelato, then hit bed early to ward off jet lag.  

Day 2

• Have some breakfast at the hotel and head toward the Colusseum. This is really the main attraction in Rome, so book a tour well in advance. We loved our guide, who was very kid-oriented. She had us break into adult vs. kid teams…I’m going to say the kid team was rigged to succeed, but perhaps we just lost fair and square. She was excellent, and we learned a lot about the Colusseum, but also about the general area. I’d definitely suggest taking a private tour. 
• After our tour, we walked west and ticked a bunch of stops off our our list: Palatine Hill, Neronian Cryptoporticus, Ninfeo Degli Specchi, Domus Tiberiana, Lupercal, Temple of Vesta, Regia, Antoninus Faustina Temple, the Roman Forum, Largo di Torre Argentina (aka CAT SANCTUARY) and Campo de Fiori, then directly North to the Pantheon. End at the Piazza Navona and Neptune’s Fountain. Stop and have a Aperol Spritz every few feet. 
• If you want to see the litany of sites in Rome, there is a lot of walking involved. I honestly don’t know how you could do it with a stroller. Not only is it all cobblestone and stairs, but it’s also just really crowded. If you have littles, I would suggest a baby backpack or sling of some sort. Our kids were 10 and 8 at the time, and they would get tired of walking too. The bonus is that there are cafes everywhere. We’d stop frequently for drinks, gelato, or lemonade. We also packed a backpack with little toys (squishies, PlusPlus, MadLibs, etc.) to keep them engaged at restaurants.
• One of our favorite stops was the Leonardo DaVinci Museum. It was very a hands-on for children. The whole museum probably took one hour, but was very memorable.
• Have some dinner, eat gelato, and finish off that second bottle of wine. Try Terrazza Borromini, Sapore di Mare or La Piccola Cuccagna for dinner.
• We love getting hotel rooms with balconies so that we can let the kids decompress on electronics at the end of the day, but we can sit outside with some lemoncello.

Day 3

• We love a good zoo, so head to the Bioparca Zoo in Rome. This is a top notch zoo very much oriented toward children. Just hop in a taxi, and you’ll be there in minutes.
• Head to the airport and catch a flight to Catania in Sicily. Rent a car, and drive about 50 minutes north to Taormina. Domestic flights on Air Italia were super reasonable.
• We booked a fabulous suite at the Isola Bella Infinity Suites. It was a two bedroom apartment with a private balcony and hot tub. There was also a pool on the property and private parking. Gorgeous views of the sea and easy access to Taromina.
• Grab some dinner in Taormina, and enjoy the suite!

Day 4

• We did a full day tour of Mt. Etna volcano. We visited when it was crazy windy, so the gondolas were shut down. It was still a really incredible hike on the volcano. Our guide told us stories on the drive and was an expert on the volcano and landscape. This was truly a full day tour from 8:30-5:30. Make sure to dress in layers and be prepared for windy conditions.

Day 5

• Today is all about exploring Taormina. Check out the amphitheatre, shop downtown, take some photos, and get some souvenirs.
• Wander down to Isola Bella and take in the seaside. It’s not only lovely, but there are great little bars and restaurants along the way.
• In the evening, you can wander up to Castelmola. It’s a super cute town above Taormina with breath-taking views. Things shut down early here, so go up with plenty of time to wander and have a drink.  

Day 6

• Today is a day trip explosion – we head to the island of Ortigia to check out the market. Get some oysters, buy some cheese, and be merry. This island is also the home of Archemides who invented/discovered pi. You can see the Temple of Apollo, Fountain of Diana, and Arethusa Springs. Wander, eat…eat, and wander.
• Continue on to Syracuse to the Neapolis Archaeological Park where you can hike, explore the Ear of Dionysius, and the see the Archemide Museum. It’s a lovely bit of history that will take about 2 hours to roam.
• We drove on to Noto, but honestly, I’m not sure I’d recommend it. Noto was pretty sleepy and there wasn’t much to see or do. Alternatively, I might go to Ragusa which is about an hours drive from Syracuse.   

Day 7

• Get up early and fly to Naples
• SO many people say to skip Naples because it’s a big, dirty city. While it is a big, dirty city, it’s also an amazing city with an exciting pulse. We loved Naples for it’s gritty authenticity. I actually wish we had more time here, so feel free to add an extra day.
• We stayed at the Napoli City Rooms, which was located right by the major train station and an easy walk to most sites. 
• Check out the Naples Underground for a view of the catacombs and a little history.
• Need some pizza? Go to Gino e Toto Sorbillo! Get in line early so that you get a table right when they open. This is truly pizza at it’s best.
• Wander Spaccanapoli which is the main pedestrian street. There are plenty of shops, restaurants, gelato, and tourist wonders here.
• Keep wandering toward castles: Castel Nuovo, Piazza del Plebiscito, and Ovo Castle.
• Public transportation is really easy, so don’t shy away from the train to get from place to place.
• Need some dinner options? Try Trattoria da Pasqualino Di Cappella Salvatore. This nondescript mom-n-pop restaurant has the best pasta around! They’re cash only, but even the best bottle of wine is only about $20USD. Make sure to try the ricotta cheese appetizer too!

Day 8

• Hop on the train, it’s public transit day! We’re headed to Pompeii for a full morning of informative fun. Honestly, I had no idea how HUGE Pompeii really was. I feel like we only scratched the surface, and we were there with a guide for hours. This is a piece of history that you cannot miss. I was amazed how modern the ruins felt – you can see theaters, restuarants, gyms, homes, and government buildings. 
• From there, we hopped back on the train and checked out Sorrento for the rest of the day. We were there in March, so we skipped the Almafi Coast. Sorrento is lovely any time of year though, so enjoy the food and giant lemons that line the streets. Have some dinner here before heading back to Naples for the night. I’d recommend Delfino which is right on the water and has a great seafood risotto.  

Day 9

• We flew out of Naples in the morning. However, if you have more time to explore Italy, I would suggest carrying on to the Almafi Coast. The ferries open the first week of April for the year, so if we had more time, I definitely would have moved on to the various seaside towns.

Check out a detailed Google Map list HERE.