Sorrento or Nice?
 

We are travelling with kids: 12, 9, 7. We start in Paris for 5 nights and end in Rome for about 5 nights (free airline tickets dictate this)(15 nights total). The about 5 nights in between has us stumped. We originally thought German castles but think the kids would get bored easily - plus we are going in late March/early April and it will still be cold and rainy. I am just not that excited about Venice. I read a mom's rave review of Nice and how she enjoyed that with her kids so much more than Paris. So, in between the big cities, I was thinking of "going coastal". Fodor people seem to really like Sorrento which is easy to get to from Rome where we could ditch some luggage. Having never been there, I am having a mental block about what Sorrento is like. Is it a big, noisy city where you go to museums? Is it a laid back beach community? At that time of year can you go to Ischia or Capri? My kids would like the ferries. Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

Sorrento is amazing, especially with kids, easy area. I am biased as we got married there so have made a few trips there. You can take the train from Roma to Napoli and then switch to the cute little Circumvasuviana put-put train to the last stop - Sorrento. Sorrento is a charming, quiety town on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Napoli, everyone is lovely, speak English well and simply pituresque.

Just strolling around the town/allies can take a few days, and taking the circumvasiviana to Pompeii is quick/easy/cheap and well worth the day for the entire family. Another day can be spent on a bus or car-for-hire to drive down the Amalfi Coast, stop in the little towns along the way, and back home again. In the evenings there is a major street that turns into pedestrian-only and all the locals stroll at night, fun people-watching.

The ferry to Capri is right there in Sorrento, so that can be a day trip too. Our friends did go to Ischia, we did not so I can't offer any insights other than they said it was better than Capri!

Personally, I wouldn't go to either Nice or Sorrento in late March/early April. Ferry service from Sorrento could be interrupted by rough seas, and the weather would likely be too chilly to enjoy being on the coast. Although Nice and Sorrento themselves are not impacted much by off-season closures, you'd find Positano, Amalfi, Capri, etc., to be very, very quiet.

Although you expressed no interest in Venice, for me it's a destination that works any time of year, especially with children who aren't terribly interested in museums. If you think they'd enjoy the ferries in Sorrento, they should enjoy the vaporetti and seeing how boats are used in this unique city.

Thanks so much Colleen! It sounds exactly like we have in mind. Have you been during the early spring? Any input on this being the slow season/closed ferries, etc.? We will actually be there on Easter Sunday. How cool would that be to catch a candlelight vigil or is that just in the movies???

It's not a cute little train to Sorrento unless you are on your honeymoon at which time everything is cute. Have been pickpocketed for a considerable sum on that train.

Beware. Sorrento is lovely, but I think the trip there is a pain.

Apples and oranges.

Nice is a fairly large city with a long history and lots to do/see there and in the surrounding countryside and towns. But - it will be too cold for the beach while you're there (you can walk on it - but no swimming at all - still definitely spring). I would rent a car to explore towns back in the hills, mountains/gorges and museums etc. You can expect everything to be open, since Nice is not primarily a resort.

Sorrento is a smallish town which is basically a resort area. the big attractions are Pompeii, the Naples Archeological Museums, the Isle of Capri - too early in the year to see much - and the Amalfi Coast (ditto). Much more of a resort area and again - too early in the year for the beach. You would need to check to see when most hotels and restaurants open.

I personally wouldn't call the circumvesuviana train cute, or a put put. It is your regular, basic, regional train. I have been to Sorrento several times and really, really like it, despite the fact it is very touristy with tacky shopping. It has very good restaurants and great views. It is a resort town, but not a beach town, certainly not at that time of year. The beaches are rocky. I also don't think there is much for kids to do at that time of year in Sorrento. There is one exception. Get down to the marina early in the morning to see fisherman bringing in the catches for the day.

If ferries are running (they have been when I was there in late March)and seas aren't too rough, you can go to Capri, Positano, etc. However, it got stormy and some folks were a little ill, even on the short ride to Capri. You could check out the weather and choose the best day for going out on a boat.

What you can do from Sorrento is visit Pompeii and Naples. Besides the archeological museum, your kids might enjoy the underground in Naples.

Part of our days in late March/early April were sunny and warm, but usually we have worn warm jackets and/or raincoats during that time of year.

I've also been to Southern Germany in April. It was snowy, rather than rainy. Bavaria is beautiful and charming - if you have snow. I don't know what seeing the castles would be like then. We visited them in summer, and the kids liked King Ludwig's castles.

I think kids that age would love Venice. In a crazy way, it is almost make believe. Kids would love being on the water a lot, walking on all the bridges, going up in towers, a tour of the Ghetto, seeing gondolas being built, etc. I've been twice at that time of year, and it did rain a lot both times, and was quite chilly.

Thanks for the input! I think we will do Venice and Sorrento ...

How are you getting from Paris to Venice to Naples/Sorrento? I hope you're looking into flights.

If you go to Sorrento, just be prepared to have every American tour group there. Don't get me wrong, I love Sorrento, but no matter where you turn someone is speaking English and saying those horrible tourist things......like, "House wine? What does that mean? Do you think it's any good? Maybe I'll have Zinfindel?" Ok, bare with me, I'm just regressing to last year when we were sitting in an outside cafe in Sorrento. Maybe I'm a snob and think you should know house wine is the best and you should be drinking an Italian wine in Italy.

From Sorrento, Pompeii might be very interesting to your kids.

Nice with children will be fun also. Walk on the beach, watch the changing of the guard in Monaco. Also take the TGV there more easily than getting to Sorrento. There is a Russian church in Nice. The market in Old Nice. Sorry, but I'm leaning there.