Hi, looking for help with itinerary.
We will be traveling as a family so looking to chill and not rush too much. Been to Europe before, looking to experience the Mediterranean life, chill vibes, food, beach life etc.
Prefer warmer countries.

South of France (2 weeks) - A must
Where to base with and without car? Looking for a villa ideally.

Italy (Been to Amalfi, Rome, Tuscany, Lake Como and more) - where to visit for 2 weeks? Looking for a base to explore like the South of France.
Italy wishlist- Venice, Portofino

Portugal or any warmer country (1 week). I think 1 week in Portugal would be ideal to cover major cities?
Been to Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Seville). Would you suggest Malta or Greece instead?

Open to other suggestions like basing in South of France for 3 weeks and taking day trips and 2 weeks in another country.
Thanks!

Portugal, major city in one week with 3 year old not rushed. Ain't going to happen.
If you have the usual crap stuff you need with a 3 year old then a car might be the way to go, which is a pity because Portugal has a great train system right into major cities. I'd suggest 2 weeks as a minimum

Looking at your sort of idea I'd suggest fly into Barcelona but go and stay in Girona (by train) then you can do day trips into Narbonne, Figures and Barcelona plus it will be warm and pleasant 2 weeks min.

Montpelliers, Arles, Avignon, Nimes might give you a similar experience while basing in Nice opens up the LIgurian coast in Italy as well as the playground of the rich.

A different idea is to fly into Sicily, that would offer you three potential bases, Siracusa, Palermo and a city near Etna with lots of easy visiting nearby, trains again are good, long distance buses are also good and cars are ok but ZTLs and parking can be a real pain.

Sounds like some time at a library with guide books is in order!

South of France: Nice might suit -- the city itself offers some charming experiences and there's a lot to see / do within day tripping range.

Italy: Sounds like either Venice or Portofino might suit, but if you're looking for two weeks from one base, you really need to decide what you want to see and experience.

Portugal: I would not have found one week sufficient for the major cities. YMMV.

Greece really deserves much more than a week, IMO.

In March / April, I'm not sure you'll get much beach life in any of these locations. I could be wrong.

Good luck!

If you'll be there for Easter Week, I suggest you think about where you want to be (or not be) during that time. Many families will take a holiday for some/all of the week, and warm and sunny spots will be popular. Look for lodging as soon as you decide where you'll be that week.

Include in your planning the needs and behavior of your 3 year old. Explorer or shy? Cranky when tired or just falls asleep? Eats anything or picky? Unruly in a restaurant? Toileting needs? Can the kid actually do a 5 week trip away from familiar surroundings and routines? Will you benefit from a hotel with services and facilities rather than a do it yourself villa (shopping and cooking and cleaning and no reliable babysitter)?

Personally, I would think twice (or thrice) about attempting this kind of trip. You will have no back up for the unexpected.

Personally I wouldn't recommend a week in Portugal with a 3 year old to travel to many places. Lisbon, Coimbra, Porto are all extremely hilly and pushing a stroller up and down wouldn't be a lot of fun. You could book a week in a place like Cascais which is more level but not that many sites to see there although you could day trip to Sintra, also very hilly or to the monasteries in Batalha or Alboaca.

I don't know if you'll find any beach life in Europe in March. The beach season in Italy begins with Easter, which is the 20th of April this year. This means that you'll find beach side bars and restaurants open after that time, and some bathing establishments, but finding good weather is a bit chancy, and the sea would be too cold for swimming. Your best chances would be in southern Italy, maybe in Puglia. However any beaches in Puglia would be very far away from Portofino or Venice.

What I have done in France under your circumstance is rent a gite for a week. Gites are a government-subsidized program in which people fix up family homes out in the countryside. It is an extensive program.


Here is an example of a gite that might suit you. It is in the Vaucluse. one of the most beautiful areas of the South of France. Don't like that one? There are hundreds upon hundreds of others. You will need a car.
https://www.gites-de-france.com/en/p...en=1&infants=0

We did a lengthy France trip last year with our 2 year old.

South of France- I would consider flying into Paris for a few days, taking the AGV train down to Provence (Avignon) and renting a car. Base in the area for a week and then head down to Nice for a week. There is a lot to do in the Provence area (biking, markets, etc.) We based in St. Remy but there are several great options. Nice was also great since it has several nearby towns to visit. Car in Nice was not the easiest, but we managed. We drove into St. Jean Cap Ferrat twice and parked for the day.

Overall, we have found it easier to travel by car with children.

Forget Beach life in April
Portugal isn't really warm then. The more you go to the East, he warmer it gets.
Average temperatures End March/early April:
Nazare Beach, Portugal: air 85 degrees, water 83 degrees
Bandol, French Riviera: air 88, water 82
Santa Teresa di Gallura, Sardinia, Italy: air 87, water 83
Tsambika Beach, Rhodos, Greece: air 86, water 88
Famagusta, Cyprus: air 92, water 88

I have travelled greece with my son when he was 2 and 3, it’s honestly the best destination with kids. Particularly in summer the country really caters for kids.

OP doesn't state where hie is from -- Europe, N America, Australia?L? (whwy why why when you want good advice). I am guessing the OP is from US or canads sice he talkes about Europe ... Neckerd is giving water temps in celsius ... Waaay different from Fahrenheit. Why doesn't OP go to one of MANY weather sites and ask normal aira/water temps for April.... he/she could then decide whether beaches are even possible. I'm used to swimming in New England, pretty chilly, but in Greece the earliest I could enjoy the water was May12.

@ travelerjan: Perhaps you didn't notice that the OP started this thread nearly two months ago and has since posted about other trip options? And perhaps you don't realize that criticizing someone for omitting what YOU think is necessary information (even when it might not be necessary) might not be the best way to elicit that information? If YOU need to know the OP's location, perhaps it would help if you say WHY? Perhaps you can direct the OP to useful sites, rather than simply attacking the OP for not doing so? Again, I don't think it matters for this OP, who has moved on to other plans, but still....

You have so much to offer ... please don't make it so hard for people to benefit from your experience!

Necker is definitely not giving temperatures in Celsius. 80 degrees Celsius would land you in the burn unit.