La Spezia and Naples with young children

[SquishTheWhale]

Hi, we are stopping at Naples and La Spezia travelling with our then 4yr old next May. New ports for us so would like to see something of them, but I'm also conscious they don't seem to be the best as far as entertaining little kids. My son is a typical toddler in that he's not going to enjoy being dragged around sightseeing or long bus journeys.

My thoughts so far are:

La Spezia- take the train to Monterosso and visit the beach, to at least see a little of Cinque Terre. Maybe walk round the port area in La Spezia which have gardens and a play park.

Naples- walk down the sea front, past the gardens which have a small play park, down to Mappatella beach. I know its not much of a beach but I really can't see anything else he'd enjoy doing. Considered the HOHO bus but not sure how much he'd tolerate it.

 

Any other ideas please? As much as we'd like to visit Pompeii etc it just won't happen with a 4yr old. Happy if it's just something to do for 2-3hrs and then we have a relaxing afternoon on the ship. We have more ambitious plans in other ports but just want a small way to explore in these ones.

[PurpleTraveller]

A couple of suggestions that might be of interest for you 

 

1) Get the Centrale Funicular from Augusteo which is a short walk from the dock, and then when up the top a walk to Castel Sant'Elmo for great views and a castle to explore. Your son would possibly enjoy going on the funicular even if you don't visit the castle and the funicular is very inexpensive.

https://naplespompeii.com/castelsantelmo.html

https://www.napolike.com/trasporti-pubblici-a-napoli/funicolari-di-napoli

 

2) He may also like to walk along and look at the Nativity scenes on Via San Gregorio Armeno.

https://www.italia.it/en/campania/things-to-do/nativity-sets-in-naples-and-campania#:~:text=San Gregorio Armeno%2C the street of nativity scenes in Naples,-In the heart

 

The walk along the seafront when you turn left after leaving the dock is lovely and Castel dell'Ovo which you walk past on the way to Mappatella Beach may have reopened by the time you are there. 

 

And lastly having pizza for lunch in Naples is always good.

 

Hope you have a wonderful cruise!🛳️

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by PurpleTraveller

[SquishTheWhale]

On 10/7/2023 at 1:55 AM, PurpleTraveller said:

A couple of suggestions that might be of interest for you 

 

1) Get the Centrale Funicular from Augusteo which is a short walk from the dock, and then when up the top a walk to Castel Sant'Elmo for great views and a castle to explore. Your son would possibly enjoy going on the funicular even if you don't visit the castle and the funicular is very inexpensive.

https://naplespompeii.com/castelsantelmo.html

https://www.napolike.com/trasporti-pubblici-a-napoli/funicolari-di-napoli

 

2) He may also like to walk along and look at the Nativity scenes on Via San Gregorio Armeno.

https://www.italia.it/en/campania/things-to-do/nativity-sets-in-naples-and-campania#:~:text=San Gregorio Armeno%2C the street of nativity scenes in Naples,-In the heart

 

The walk along the seafront when you turn left after leaving the dock is lovely and Castel dell'Ovo which you walk past on the way to Mappatella Beach may have reopened by the time you are there. 

 

And lastly having pizza for lunch in Naples is always good.

 

Hope you have a wonderful cruise!🛳️

 

Lovely thank you lots of ideas then! Its so much harder planning with kids than when it was just us

[edinburgher]

11 minutes ago, SquishTheWhale said:

Its so much harder planning with kids than when it was just us

Have you tried googling something along the lines of "Naples for kids"? (or a different city or town name) Worth a try and you may get some interesting ideas in the results.

Edited October 8, 2023 by edinburgher

[SquishTheWhale]

7 hours ago, edinburgher said:

Have you tried googling something along the lines of "Naples for kids"? (or a different city or town name) Worth a try and you may get some interesting ideas in the results.

I have- tends to be museums and things for older kids. Probably because people just don't tend to take toddlers on holiday to these places!

[edinburgher]

3 hours ago, SquishTheWhale said:

I have- tends to be museums and things for older kids. Probably because people just don't tend to take toddlers on holiday to these places!

Spotting you are UK based did you watch any of that recent  rather dire Channel 4 or 5 programme called something like "The Cruise", filmed on a Princess ship.  One episode had a family with two young kids in tow, and in Naples they went to a cooking class to make pizza which they then got to eat   Kids appeared to enjoy the making as much as the eating. Naples is the home of pizza and it might be something worth considering.

 

Probably because people just don't tend to take toddlers on holiday to these places!

 

When ours were small we only went on (usually Spanish) packaged beach holidays until they were older as ours were happiest spending all of the fortnight  either on the beach or in the pool.  One in the morning the other in the afternoon,  and they often made friends  and enjoyed the kids clubs and entertainment.

[SquishTheWhale]

11 hours ago, edinburgher said:

Spotting you are UK based did you watch any of that recent  rather dire Channel 4 or 5 programme called something like "The Cruise", filmed on a Princess ship.  One episode had a family with two young kids in tow, and in Naples they went to a cooking class to make pizza which they then got to eat   Kids appeared to enjoy the making as much as the eating. Naples is the home of pizza and it might be something worth considering.

 

Probably because people just don't tend to take toddlers on holiday to these places!

 

When ours were small we only went on (usually Spanish) packaged beach holidays until they were older as ours were happiest spending all of the fortnight  either on the beach or in the pool.  One in the morning the other in the afternoon,  and they often made friends  and enjoyed the kids clubs and entertainment.

I did watch a little of that show but not that episode, I'll have to try and find it! I think cruising overall is brilliant for kids, just not so much Italian city ports. If we don't do much in these ports its not such a big deal as we have some good plans for the Spanish ones.

[edinburgher]

5 hours ago, SquishTheWhale said:

did watch a little of that show but not that episode, I'll have to try and find it!

We only watched a couple of the earlier ones before giving up on it.

 

6 hours ago, SquishTheWhale said:

I think cruising overall is brilliant for kids, just not so much Italian city ports

And yet the Italians love babies and small children.  Go figure.