At Palmer & Parker we aim to help our holiday makers every step of the way, including advice on where to go with your family in Italy!

Italy is a fantastic place to go for family beach holidays and many families return time and again once they have found their favourite resort.  Italy has everything you could ask for in a beach holiday from sunshine and beautiful sandy beaches, great food and wine, and superb scenery. For the more adventurous family, Italy offers history, art, culture, and sports from windsurfing to football. It is a very child-friendly country and everyone from babies to teenagers is welcome. 

Amalfi Coast – One of the Best Family Holidays in Italy with Beach

The Amalfi coast offers some of the most stunning scenery in Southern Europe.  Alongside the best beaches are small houses and villas set into the dramatic cliff that overlook the sea. It is easy to arrange boat trips to islands in that region and many companies offer them.  Islands such as Capri with its beautiful Blue Lagoon are well worth a visit.

The Amalfi coast is a wonderful place to explore with its gorgeous grottos, craggy cliffs, and shimmering bays.  This area will make a great family holiday if you have teenagers or older children who want some adventure.  Swimming, snorkelling, and climbing are all available for families to enjoy.

Many of the best beaches are only accessible by steep staircases or along cliffs so it may be a little difficult to explore if you have toddlers or babies who will need a pram.

Cefalu

Cefalu is in the province of Palermo on the northern coast of Sicily. It boasts 8km of coastline that stretches from the old town in the east towards the more developed section in the west.  Cefalu is very popular for its beautiful sandy beaches.  It is a small town, but it is so popular with tourists that its population can triple in the busy summer months.  However, it is a lot quieter outside this time, so pick when you want to travel carefully.

The west side of Cefalu offers vibrant seafood restaurants and a buzzing nightlife.  This is a great beach destination for families looking for a lively resort to have fun in.  Teenagers who are old enough to have an independent nightlife will love it. Younger families may prefer to stay in the quiet part of the town to the east.

If you want to explore the culture of this region then head for the Norman Cathedral or the Medieval old town and archaeology museum to soak up the history of this beautiful island.

Polignano A Mare

The town of Polignano a Mare is located in the province of Bari in Southern Italy.  The local economy is largely based on the tourism industry, so you can be assured of a warm welcome. 

This beautiful beach resort rises majestically out of the cliff face on the Adriatic Sea to offer stunning views of the region and beaches that are reasonably quiet and secluded.  The sea is a gorgeous shade of turquoise and it is very warm in the summer making it an inviting place to swim and snorkel. 

If you want to explore the town you will find charming restaurants whitewashed streets and beautiful old churches. This resort makes a relaxing beach holiday destination, whatever the age and requirements of your family.

Portofino

Portofino is a fishing village that is famous for its picturesque harbour.  It is located to the east of Genoa in the northern Italian region of Liguria.

This is a wonderful destination for the active family, as there are plenty of opportunities for hiking as well as diving and boating in the clear green waters.  Boat trips to other towns and villages on the Italian Riviera are offered frequently and worth exploring.

Portofino is known as the resort for the rich and famous and many well-known celebrities like to take their holidays here.  There are plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can sit, and people watch or simply soak up the atmosphere in this beautiful village.

This area can be busy in the summer months, so if you are looking for a vibrant family holiday, visit between May and September.  For a quieter experience, visit in the winter months where the weather is cooler, but the village is less densely populated.

Camogli

Travel along the Rivera from Portofino and you will find the quieter resort of Camogli.  This is a less touristy fishing village and will suit families that want to get away from the hustle and bustle of busier resorts. 

The harbour area is lined with shops and restaurants that offer good wine and delicious local pasta.  There is a carousel near the water and a large square where children can play, and the adults can chat over a coffee or glass of wine.

Boat trips are popular from Camogli making this a great place to base yourself while you are exploring the rest of the Italian riviera.

Viareggio

Viareggio is situated in northern Tuscany and it is the second biggest city in the region.  It boasts 10km of golden sands, so it is ideal for sun worshippers who want to spend time soaking up the rays on the beach.  However, the city is also well known for its vibrant bars, restaurants, and nightlife. There are enough shops in the city to please even the most ardent of shopaholics.  There is plenty to see and do here that will suit every member of the family.

The famous Viareggio Carnival attracts visitors from far and wide who come to see the spectacular floats and the parade.  The carnival takes place over the four weeks that precede lent, so the dates change slightly every year.  There are five days of processions and everyone dresses up and has fun.  It is a great time to visit the city with your family.

Peschici

Peschici is a small beach town that is in the province of Foggia in southeast Italy.  It is famous as a resort as it has several beautiful sandy beaches situated in the region.  You can take your pick from the busy tourist beaches if you want to be sociable or take yourselves off to the more quiet, secluded beaches where you and your family can enjoy some peace and quiet.  The area does tend to get busy in the summer months though, so you will have to pick your perfect beach carefully.

Water activities such as diving and snorkelling as well as boat trips around the region are on offer to families who do not want to spend all day on the beach and are keen to explore.

There are some excellent restaurants situated in the town whose specialities include seafood and pasta dishes.

Cervia

Cervia is a seaside resort in the province of Ravenna, which is situated in northern Italy.  This region is famous for its welcoming hospitality and its ability to cater to families of all ages.

Cervia offers wide beaches so it is fantastic for family-orientated beach sports such as tennis or volleyball or for simply enjoying building sandcastles together.

There are plenty of activities to keep you and your family entertained elsewhere in the town.  Take a walk in the beautiful pine forest or visit the butterfly houses and admire the hundreds of tropical butterflies that fly around freely.  For the more adventurous families, there are activities and amusement parks that will keep you entertained for hours.

The World Master Sand Sculpture takes place between August and October and the promenade is transformed into an amazing open-air exhibition for sand sculptures created by world art champions.  It is worth planning your visit around this, as it will delight the whole family.

Senigallia

Senigallia is a port town situated in the Marche region of the country, on the east side.  It sits on the Adriatic Sea.  This stretch of coast is known as the ‘Velvet Beach’. Here the sand is so soft that it feels like you are walking on velvet.  This amazing beach is approximately 1km long and there is a lot of space to sunbathe and swim.

The sea is very shallow in this region, so it is wonderful for young children or those trying to build their confidence in the water or learning to swim.

Vieste

Vieste is in the province of Foggia in southeast Italy.  It has received blue flags for the purity of its waters, and it is said to be one of the most beautiful coastlines in the country.

Families looking for adventure will find many caves and bays to explore.  Boat trips can be arranged for this purpose and many families choose to swim and snorkel in the shallow parts. Vieste is a short walk from the ‘Beach of Bats’, which contains a cave of the same name.

The malacological museum houses about 10,000 shells from around the world that have weird and wonderful colours, patterns, and shapes.  A must-see for young and old alike.

Italy is a perfect place for families to take a beach holiday.  You will certainly be spoilt for choice.