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A good plan for a trip with young kids often includes smaller towns. Capitals are incredibly attractive, especially for a romantic couple venture, but they are not as easy or affordable for big families. This certainly does not mean it’s not doable! It just takes more planning and preparation. For our first travel plan, we chose to set off with a gorgeous and easy trip to Northern Italy before we move on to organize the customary visit to Rome!
The region we are recommending is very easy to reach. It’s a must for Northern Europeans who often drive there. There are several airports in the area which many budget airlines use. And wherever you choose to stay, wonderful things to see and do are at a small distance. It is also amazingly beautiful, especially during summer months, when we visited. It is generally a very convenient summer trip with destinations and options that will excite children and parents alike!
So, we suggest you visit the area around and near Lake Garda, less well-known than cosmopolitan (and much pricier!) Como, but beautiful nonetheless and extremely child friendly!
Getting there
First of all, you can search for plane tickets to Milan or Bologna. These airports are busier and usually offer more options for budget airlines (Ryanair, for example, flies to both from all major European airports). April or early May is a good time to book, since it is the time when summer flights are finalized and many summer offers come out. This region in Italy is a summer destination, which means it has a high season from mid-July to mid-August approximately. If you can avoid this period, your trip will be significantly cheaper. Best choice, in our opinion, is late August to early September!
However, it isn’t always easy to plan so far ahead when you’ve got kids, so if you find yourselves looking at the last moment, don’t panic! There are many ways to build the most affordable trip. Think of it in customizable building blocks. It is often the case, for example, that it’s a lot cheaper to fly to one airport and return from another, even though the round trip option seems tempting. Trying out different combinations, since we did plan at the last possible minute, we ended up flying to Bologna and returning from Bergamo (Milan) at a much lower price than the round trip.
Travel Tip: Combine different airports to fly there and back again. If you can, travel towards the end of high season.
There are of course the options of using the train and making a road trip. Italy’s northern neighbours most often drive there to camp around the lakes. There are trains to Milan from nearly all European capitals. There is also the option of travelling by coach. However, all of these options significantly increase the travel time needed and raise the cost – coach takes 23 hours from London to Milan, cheapest train fare in July for a family of five would be upwards of 500 pounds. Probably unnecessary, since it is possible to find flights starting from 29 euros per person per flight, if we search early enough!
Staying there
The first decision to make, if we haven’t driven there, is whether we will rent a car. In an area like this, renting is really the best choice, since it will give us great freedom of movement and enable us to see the most extensive part of the area without limitations placed by public transport (renting a car has many advantages for family travelers which warrant a post of its own to discuss!). If we do choose to rent, a very good plan starts in the wonderful medieval town of Bologna.
Bologna is a special town with an incredibly long history and the second largest preserved medieval historic town centre after Venice. The medieval town with dozens of towers also boasts the oldest University in Europe, with a surgical theatre worth visiting. Even younger kids will take a valuable lesson about how far science has come. Bologna offers lovely walks in pebbled streets and under arches, has many affordable options for good local food and is very safe for children who can carelessly play in the piazzas.
It is a great choice, since it is also very affordable in the summer. The Italian North heads south towards the sea in the summer months and the city is there for you to explore! Its location also makes it ideal as a base for exploring all the charming nearby towns, like Ravenna, Parma and Modena. Don’t forget Maranello, where you can find the factory and the museum of Ferrari, an attraction that guarantees an unforgettable experience for both kids and adults!
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Enzo Ferrari
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Ravenna, the town of mosaics
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It is of course always more economical to stay outside the historic centre. It is also much more convenient, since Bologna is to a large extent pedestrianized. Hotel Cosmopolitan Bologna is an interesting choice – don’t forget to use our link for a 10% discount in your booking!
Travel Tip: In medieval towns, the historic centre is less accessible by car and significantly more expensive. We prefer a hotel outside the main town. A little research into parking lots beforehand always pays off!
Next Stop
After the first two days, we can move south and visit one of the tiny independent city-states of Italy, San Marino. A country build around a hill leading to the castle on top, a unique experience and a view to last a lifetime! San Marino is noticeably more cosmopolitan and pricier than the rest of the region, but it is absolutely worth visiting even for a few hours to allow our little ones to use their imagination playing among the medieval stones and climbing on turrets and cannons! Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have visited a supermarket to pick up supplies before that. A sandwich and some juice sitting on the walls and soaking in the view is worth lots more than an overpriced dinner for four or five where you will spend most of your time shushing the kids to avoid disturbing the high-end diners!
Right after that, we’re in the car, driving north to Verona. The first time we visited Verona, it was a true revelation! It is a gorgeous town, albeit a little bit too touristy. The largest part of the centre is again reserved for pedestrians, so you can move without fearing traffic, but taking into account the crowds that flood the little bystreets. There are open-air markets, beautiful cathedrals, an incredible arena in Piazza Bra famous for grandiose operatic performances. And of course, there’s a gelateria (ice cream shop) in every corner. Italy is known far and wide for its incomparable ice cream!
Verona is sure to excite you, even the extravagantly made-up “balcony of Juliette” which cannot really feel romantic given that it is always brimming with people taking pictures! However, the town which serves as the setting for the famous Shakespearean tragedy, has a really hospitable atmosphere full of art and aesthetics. And it also boasts a Piazza delle Herbe that you will never forget!
As always, the historic centre is too expensive to stay in, especially if we’re not prepared to stay in really old buildings! Having rented a car, we have the option of staying further away, in much better, as well as more affordable, conditions. A great choice for a family is Verona b&b , a 15-minute drive from the heart of the city, with free parking available on the premises and a lovely hostess!
The last couple of days in the region include what else? The lake! Exploring Lake Garda can consist of many different attractions, activities and places to see. We are recommending the two top attractions, in our opinion and experience: The Gardaland theme park and the unique castle town of Sirmione, literally built in the middle of the lake!
Gardaland (you can explore it virtually before you go thanks to Google Maps here!) is an enormous theme park that you can’t get enough of! It rivals Eurodisney and, according to many opinions, it is even better. It is one of the world’s top 5 theme parks. A regular day pass costs 41 euros for adults and 36 euros for children, while younger kids that are shorter than one metre high can go free (mainly because they can’t get on most of the rides). The ticket gives unlimited access to rides and attractions but does not include food or drinks. Since you’ll almost certainly be spending the whole day there, it’s wise to have packed some snacks or even a small lunch to avoid overspending in the many food stalls and cafes you will find there.
Travel Tip: If you book your Gardaland ticket online and you prepay at least 7 days in advance, you get it at a reduced price – a family of four can save 18 euros in total!
Sirmione is an experience definitely worth having! You reach it by car, after an intense but brief traffic nightmare, and, if you’re incredibly lucky, you can drive up until the gates of the castle. Beyond that, you can once again walk around without fearing traffic in a totally pedestrianized village (with the exception of public vehicles which are also a unique experience in Italy!)
You can have lunch in one of the picturesque taverns by the lake or opt for the more affordable but very interesting selection of food stalls with food from different cuisines and then enjoy your lunch at one of the tables set along the lakeside street. You can shop for bathing suits or colourful sarongs or local souvenirs in a huge variety of small or bigger shops. You can even swim in the (admittedly rather cold!) waters of the lake or dive from the piers!
Besides Sirmione, the area is beautiful and very summery. And due to its accessibility, it is a popular destination for families across Central Europe that go to the large organized campsites to spend long and leisurely summer holidays.
So, what do you say? It is a great time to plan your visit! Don’t forget to follow our link when booking a hotel room! And until then:
Family Travel Adventures 