I remember the exact moment I realized I had underestimated traveling in Southern Italy with kids. We were standing on the dock in Sorrento, Lily was asking for the third time when we would see the “blue cave,” and Ethan was trying to eat a lemon that had rolled off a vendor’s cart. The Amalfi Coast draws over five million visitors each year, and I could see why — but I also saw that without a plan, you spend more time managing meltdowns than making memories.
Skip the whirlwind tour of four towns in four days. Base yourself in Sorrento, take day trips, and you will actually enjoy your family vacation. That is the honest answer.
Families with young kids
First-time visitors to Southern Italy
Travelers who prefer a home base
This guide covers Naples, Sorrento, Positano, and Capri with a focus on what actually works when you have a seven-year-old and a four-year-old in tow. I will tell you what I wish I had known before we left Boston.
Why Sorrento makes the best base for a family trip
We chose Sorrento after reading about flat streets and easy ferry connections, and it turned out to be the right call.
Positano looks incredible in photos, but it is built on a cliff. You climb stairs everywhere. With a stroller and a tired kid, that gets old fast. Sorrento offers flat streets in the historic center, which makes a huge difference when you are pushing a buggy or holding a child’s hand. The Marina Grande beach is a short walk down, and the main square has plenty of benches and gelato shops for quick breaks.
Ferries to Capri, Positano, and Amalfi leave from the Marina Piccola port. The train station connects to Naples and Pompeii. You do not need a car, and that saves you from the hairpin turns of the Amalfi Drive. We stayed at a family-friendly hotel near Piazza Tasso, and we could walk everywhere.
Getting from Naples Airport to Sorrento without losing your mind
The airport is the first test of your family travel patience, and the options are not all equal.
After landing at Naples International Airport (NAP), you have three main choices. The Curreri Viaggi bus runs from the airport to Sorrento for around €13 per person and takes about an hour. That is budget-friendly, but you have to manage your own luggage and kids on a coach. We opted for a private transfer, which cost around €100–€130, and it was worth every euro. The driver met us at arrivals, helped with bags, and we were in Sorrento in under 90 minutes with both kids asleep in the back.
The Circumvesuviana train is cheaper at about €3.60 per adult, but it gets crowded, offers limited luggage space, and has a reputation for pickpocketing. With a four-year-old who likes to wander, I would not recommend it for your first trip. If you do take the train, check for strike information on ItaliaRail before you go.
Book your private transfer at least 48 hours before your flight. Companies like Welcome Pickups offer child seats if you request them in advance.
A day trip to Capri with kids: what to expect
Capri is stunning, but it is also crowded and expensive. Go with a plan.
The ferry from Sorrento to Capri takes about 30 minutes and costs €20–€25 for a round-trip ticket per adult. We caught the 8:30 AM ferry and arrived before the worst of the crowds. The funicular from Marina Grande up to the town of Capri costs €2 per person, and it is a fun ride for kids. Lily loved the little cable car.
The Giardini di Augusto gardens have an entrance fee of €1 and offer a view that makes you forget you are holding a toddler. The chairlift to Monte Solaro costs €12 round-trip, and it is a gentle ride that even Ethan enjoyed. We skipped the Blue Grotto because the wait can be over an hour, and the boat ride is small and choppy. Instead, we booked a private boat tour around the island starting at €20 per person, which gave us swimming stops and a more relaxed pace.
The ferry back to Sorrento in the afternoon can be packed. Buy your return ticket at the port office as soon as you arrive in Capri, and consider the 3:30 PM ferry to avoid the rush.
Positano: beautiful but not for everyone
I wanted to love Positano as much as the Instagram photos suggest, but it is a complicated place for a family.
The SITA bus from Sorrento to Positano costs around €3–€5 and takes about an hour and 15 minutes. The bus winds along the coast, and the views are spectacular. But the driver takes those curves fast, and my stomach dropped more than once. Ethan got carsick. If your kids are prone to motion sickness, sit near the front or consider the ferry instead.
Once you arrive, you face stairs. Many stairs. The main beach, Spiaggia Grande, is at the bottom of the town. Sunbed rental costs €20–€30 per day. We spent two hours on the beach, had lunch at a cafe near the water, and then took the bus back. That was enough. Positano is worth seeing, but it is not a place where young children can roam freely.
Visiting Pompeii with a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old
Pompeii is a must-do, but it is also a massive archaeological site with no shade and uneven ground.
We took the train from Sorrento to Pompei Scavi-Villa dei Misteri, which takes about 45 minutes and costs around €4 per adult. The Pompeii Archaeological Park covers 66 hectares. Adult tickets are €16–€18, and children under 18 enter free. We arrived at 9 AM when the gates opened, and the site was still cool. By 11 AM, the sun was relentless, and we had already covered the main highlights: the Forum, the House of the Faun, and the plaster casts. Lily was fascinated by the casts, but Ethan found them scary. We left before noon, and that was the right call.
Bring a carrier for little kids. The cobblestone streets are fine for a sturdy stroller on the main roads, but the side paths are uneven. We used a backpack carrier for Ethan, and it saved us from wrestling a buggy over ancient stones.
A guided family tour is worth the cost. Our guide kept Lily engaged by asking her to find the dog mosaic and count the columns in the Forum. She still talks about the “frozen people.”
Naples in one day: pizza, history, and a lot of noise
Naples is loud, chaotic, and full of the best pizza I have ever eaten. It is also a city that demands your attention.
We spent one full day in Naples before heading to Sorrento. The National Archaeological Museum (MANN) holds artifacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum, including the famous mosaics. Adult tickets are around €22, and children under 18 enter free. The museum is air-conditioned, which was a relief on a hot day. Lily liked the mosaic of Alexander the Great. Ethan lasted about 30 minutes before we needed a break.
Lunch was at L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, which only serves Margherita and Marinara pizzas. The queue looked long, but it moved fast. A pizza costs €5–€12, and cash is preferred. After lunch, we walked through Spaccanapoli, the long street that cuts through the historic center. The street is narrow and crowded, and we used the carrier for Ethan. The presepio (nativity scene) shops on Via San Gregorio Armeno were a hit with Lily, who picked out a tiny ceramic donkey.
| Attraction | Adult price | Kid-friendly note |
|---|---|---|
| National Archaeological Museum | ~€22 | Under 18 free; air-conditioned |
| Pompeii Archaeological Park | €16–€18 | Under 18 free; go early for shade |
| Giardini di Augusto (Capri) | €1 | Easy walk, great views |
| Amalfi Cathedral | €3 | Quick visit, manageable for kids |
Amalfi and Ravello: quieter alternatives to Positano
If Positano feels too intense, Amalfi and Ravello offer a slower pace with fewer stairs.
The ferry from Sorrento to Amalfi costs around €25–€30 per person and takes about an hour. The town of Amalfi is smaller and flatter than Positano. The Amalfi Cathedral entrance fee is €3, and the interior is worth a quick visit. The Museo della Carta (paper museum) costs €4.50 per person and offers a hands-on demonstration of papermaking. Lily made a sheet of paper, which she still has on her desk at home.
Ravello sits above Amalfi and requires a 30-minute bus ride (€2–€3). The views from Villa Rufolo (€7 entrance fee) are the kind that make you stop and stare. The gardens are large enough for kids to run around, and the terrace overlooks the entire coast. We had lunch at a casual restaurant near the villa, and it was one of the most relaxing meals of the trip.
Take the ferry from Sorrento to Amalfi in the morning, then the bus up to Ravello after lunch. The bus back down to Amalfi runs every 30 minutes, and the ferry returns to Sorrento until late afternoon.
Before you go to Naples, Sorrento, Positano, and Capri
Is it safe to travel to this area with a 4-year-old?
Yes, but you need to stay alert. The streets in Naples and Positano are crowded, and the cliffs on the Amalfi Coast have no guardrails in some spots. Keep kids close, especially near ferry docks and on the bus.
What is the biggest disappointment for families visiting this region?
The crowds. Positano and Capri are packed from June through August. The narrow streets get jammed, and the ferry queues can stretch for 30 minutes. Visit in May or September for a better experience.
Do I need to book ferry tickets in advance?
For Capri, yes. For Positano and Amalfi, you can buy tickets at the port office the same day. Use Ferryhopper to check schedules, but you will need a paper ticket for boarding.
Can I use a stroller in Naples and Pompeii?
In Naples, use a stroller on the main streets and the Lungomare promenade, but switch to a carrier for Spaccanapoli and the historic center. In Pompeii, a sturdy stroller works on the main paths, but the side streets are too rough.
What should I pack for a family trip to this area?
Bring a lightweight carrier for toddlers, a reusable water bottle, sunscreen, and hats. The sun is intense even in spring. For the ferry, pack snacks and a light jacket because the wind can be cool.
Packing for the Amalfi Coast: what I actually used
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Traveling with two kids means you carry a lot, but you can cut down on bulk. The leather backpack I used for day trips held our water bottles, snacks, and a change of clothes for Ethan without looking like a diaper bag. It fits a 14-inch laptop and a small camera, which was perfect for the ferry and the beach.
For the stroller, the hardside luggage set we brought had a carry-on with a USB charging port, which saved my phone battery during the long ferry to Capri. The wheels rolled smoothly over the cobblestones in Sorrento, which is more than I can say for some other bags I have used. I also tested a compact drone, the DJI Mini 3, for aerial shots of the coastline. It is under 249 grams, so no registration was needed, and the vertical shooting mode captured the cliffside views perfectly. The controller screen is bright enough to see in direct sunlight, which made a difference when we were on the beach in Positano.
One last thought on traveling to Southern Italy with kids
I went into this trip expecting to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the Amalfi Coast. I was not prepared for how much the logistics would shape our experience. Choosing Sorrento as a base, taking the ferry instead of the bus, and skipping the Blue Grotto saved us from the kind of stress that ruins a vacation. The best part of the trip was not the view from Monte Solaro or the pizza in Naples. It was the afternoon we spent at Marina Grande, watching Lily and Ethan splash in the water while Michael and I shared a plate of grilled fish and a bottle of local white wine. That is the kind of travel memory that stays with you. For more practical advice on getting around the region, read my guide on exploring Naples historic sites and neighborhoods.
Sources and further reading
Itinerary Expert. “Southern Italy With Kids.” 🔗
Flying With a Baby. “Amalfi Coast Itinerary With Kids Via Pompeii.” 🔗
Points for Family Travel. “Amalfi Coast Tips and Travel Guide.” 🔗
Family Travel Path. “7-Day Amalfi Coast Itinerary: The Perfect Week for Families.” 🔗
Related reading on Emily in Italy
Naples to Puglia by High-Speed Train in 2 Hours — If you want to extend your trip beyond the Amalfi Coast, this guide covers the train connection to Puglia and what to do there.
Exploring Italy’s Rich History Near Pompeii — A deeper look at Pompeii and Herculaneum, including tips for visiting with kids and how to avoid the midday heat.
Rome to Amalfi vs Cinque Terre: Italy’s Iconic Southbound Dilemma — Can’t decide between the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre? This comparison breaks down the pros and cons for families.
Naples Trip Ideas: What to Do — A practical guide to Naples that covers the best pizzerias, museums, and day trips for families.