Bay of Naples & Amalfi Coast Vacation for Families with Teenagers

Naples is a city of bustling activity and historical grandeur at the edge of the Bay of Naples. Palaces and churches line the exuberantly colorful streets of Italy’s third largest city as the aromas of fresh espresso and pizza fill the elegant piazzas. French, Spanish, Austrian, and Byzantine culture converge across an Italy city with ancient Greek foundations. Your family will land at Naples International Airport where you will meet your private transfer at baggage claim, and your family will then enter the fast pace of the city. As you drive in, you will find charm in both the narrow lanes of historical neighborhoods and broad promenades along the harbor.

Your comfortable hotel will overlook the Bay with a view of the dramatic ramparts of Castel dell’Ovo, a structure whose foundations date back to the 5th century AD. The kids will marvel at the ship masts that they can see in the distance in the harbor and then will notice their proximity to an actual castle, which will begin your journey as a family with enthusiasm. Your guide will meet you at your hotel eager to introduce your family to a city often overlooked by visitors and passed through on the way to the Amalfi Coast. Your guide will point out the aquarium at the edge of the harbor, the oldest in Europe.

You will find the scent of fresh, flaky pizza dough emanating from the local, quiet trattorias around town as you wander along Via Benedetto Croce to reach Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, a square encircled a central obelisk erected by monks in the 17th century. Palazzo Petrucci frames the piazza to the left, and your guide will lead you inside the church to find the remains of the original 10th-century Romanesque structure. Your family will enjoy the first view of historical frescoes painted by Renaissance masters, including Caravaggio and Tiziano.

In the morning, the kids will stand on the terrace and watch the fishing boats return from sea. Sailboats catch the breeze and cruise along the water into the horizon as vendors open up their stalls across the city. On display in the open piazza will be fresh seafood, from octopus to clams as produce such as bananas and lemons fill baskets outside of small grocers. After breakfast, your guide will meet your family in the lobby and lead you to the remarkable collection of ancient artifacts in the National Archeological Museum.

Charles of Bourbon founded the museum in the 18th century inside the cavalry barracks beside the seat of the University of Naples. The extensive collection is famed for its artifacts of Greek and Roman antiquity, and your guide will bring the spirit of the past to life for the entire family, explaining the depths of history to the kids, relating the artwork to the time of philosophers and gladiators. Natural light will pour through the windows on the first floor to illuminate the stunning Farnese Marbles. Your guide will give your kids an engaging scavenger hunt around the museum galleries to search for different types of figures and emblems.

You will stumble upon the world’s oldest depiction of Atlas from Greek mythology, a powerful work of Roman marble from the 2nd century AD that reaches a height of nearly seven feet tall. After you discover the majesty of the region’s past, you will make your way to La Taverna a Santa Chiara to enjoy an authentic Neapolitan cuisine. The kids will be happy to taste several amazing meals that truly demonstrate the heritage of Neapolitan food.

In the morning, the aroma of the fresh espresso will rejuvenate you as the calls from local fish vendors drift through the air. The kids will once again take to the terrace to watch the boats come in and out of the harbor as locals run along the promenade in the cool morning air beneath the rustling palm trees. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet your family at the hotel and escort you along the Bay of Naples with a stop at the entrance to the ancient city of Pompeii.

Your guide will greet you at the entrance ready to immerse your family in the unique charm of a city covered in pumice stone and ash in 79 AD. Once inside the city, your guide will point out the looming figure of Mont Vesuvius, the culprit of Pompeii’s demise. Your guide will offer a series of trivia questions and games to engage the entire family, along with slides placed over the antique buildings to offer a glimpse of what the structures looked like during the thriving days of the Roman Empire.

The scent of rich earth fills the air as the cobblestones are thick and lowered against the raised walkway. In the Teatro Grander, the kids can walk along the stadium seating, which once held up to 5,000 spectators. Your guide’s voice will echo off of the stone. From the top tier, you will have a view of the uncovered city that leads back to the outline of Vesuvius across the Bay of Naples. The Temple of Isis stands east of the little theater, and your guide will point to inscriptions etched into the walls by the 19th-century French novelist Stendhal before leading you into the gladiator’s barracks located opposite an elegant arcade.

A morning in Amalfi has a much slower pace than in Naples. The kids will still have a view out to the water, but the marina is full of local fishing boats that wade against the breakwater. From your terrace, you can hear the water as it splashes against the rugged shoreline and umbrellas shade the pebbled beach. At breakfast, you will meet your guide in the lobby for a sweet introduction to the 43 miles of seashore that makes up the Amalfi Coast as you visit two separate café/bakeries in town located in the narrow side streets that wind away from the Cathedral.

At your first bakery, the scent of sweet almond brioche will emanate from the display case. You and the kids will have to try hard not to press your faces to the glass as you look them all over. Your guide will order a selection of the sfogliatelle, a traditional pastry of thin-layered filo dough stuffed with cream. After breakfast, your private guide will escort you along the Amalfi Coast to visit the towns north of the namesake town. You will traverse the narrow road that hugs the steep cliffs as an adventure for your family.

Move next to the town of Ravello, located nearly 1,200 feet above sea level. Antique homes spread along the upper mountain ridges and offer graceful views of the turquoise Mediterranean. In the distance, you will see a historical tower raised on a boulder, a watchtower once constructed to protect the coastline from pirates. The family walks along the stone paths and medieval streets that lead to the Villa Cimbrone. The estate was originally established in the 11th century and renovated in the early 20th century. The kids will rush to the gardens to view the Terrace of Infinity as marble busts line the walkway that frames the view to the horizon.

Amalfi once connected the shores of Italy with the surrounding wonders of the Mediterranean. During the Middle Ages, Amalfi had an active trade linked to the Byzantine Empire at Constantinople, as seen in the elaborate bronze doors of the Cathedral cast in Constantinople in the 11th century. Majolica tiles decorate the 13th-century bell tower with bright hues and abundant charm. After breakfast, your guide will once again meet you at your hotel, this time eager to introduce your family to the smaller towns and villages of along the Amalfi Coast, beginning with Atrani.

The fishing village is linked through history and design to its larger neighbor as medieval architecture lines the streets and cascades of houses linger along the steep stairways. Elegant umbrellas shade beachgoers on the small stretch of pebbled shore located beside the archways that support the elevated streets. The scent of fresh fish grilled over an open flame lingers in the sea breeze, and the kids’ mouths will water over the pasticciotto, a sweet pastry filled with cherry and custard. You can see the glinting dome of the Cathedral of Vietri sul Mare before you reach the streets of town.

Colorful majolica tiles decorate the various exteriors of boutique shops and homes. Vietri has a long tradition of ceramic work, based on tiles, bowls, and plates displayed in the windows along the meandering lanes. You will meet a ceramic artist born and raised in Vietri and enter into their workshop. After a demonstration and introduction to the history of the artwork, the family plays with the wet clay, each keen on shaping a thoughtful and elegant glass or tile to take home.

The ancient world returns to existence today along the plains of Campania. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet your family and escort you along the winding stretch of road that hugs the side of the cliff. Once inland, the landscape changes from the rugged cliffs and lemon groves of the seaside to the golden plains and hills of the countryside. Settling Greeks founded Paestum in the 7th century BC before the Romans overtook the city in the 3rd century BC. The air is fresh with the herbaceous fragrance of the grass.

The Temple of Hera is the most impressive temple in the archeological site as the structure was erected in 450 BC and remains intact, an example of one of the best-preserved Greek temples in the world. The massive structure stands nearly 200 feet long by 80 feet wide, and you and your kids cannot help but marvel at the dramatic temple set atop a small platform that rises above the plain. The ancient tomb paintings in the museum were discovered in the 1960s and now decorate the archeological museum gallery.

Although the frescoes were painted around 470 BC, the bright colors remain and depict a solitary figure diving into a pool of water. Your family will first discover the majesty of the historical structures before you make your way to a local farm known for its production of buffalo mozzarella. Your guide will lead you through the farm to see the cows grazing as workers boil the milk and churn the curds into stringy, milky cheese. At the end of the tour, your guide will offer you a sample of the delicious fresh mozzarella.

In the morning, you and your kids will linger in town to enjoy the rising atmosphere around the main square of Amalfi. The historical portico of the Cathedral raised atop more than 60 steps continues to create a fascinating air. For today, the whole of the Amalfi Coast is at your fingertips to enjoy the coastline, villages, culture, and even islands your family desires. Venture out to Capri to visit villas once home to Roman emperors or enjoy a quiet cruise along the indigo waters to relax as a family. The kids may be eager for activity on your last full day in Amalfi, taking you along the narrow lanes of the town and upwards onto the steep stairway leading to the Path of the Gods.

The trail connects the hamlet of Nocelle to Positano and reaches a total height of 1,410 feet above sea level. The turquoise sheen of the Mediterranean fills the horizon as the breeze will carry the aromas of olive groves and lemon trees. The trail meanders along the mountain ridges to take you past the small vineyards and historical paper mills. Wildflowers radiate yellow and purple alongside the pathway as the kids take their time to enjoy the views of the promontories that touch down into the water. The fishing boats look like toys down below as the natural beauty of the region shines, combining historical pathways with exploratory activity.

The kids are drawn to Torre a Mare, a medieval defensive tower erected to protect the coastline for Saracens. The tower stands over the marina decorated by sculptures crafted by artist Paolo Sandulli. The spiral staircase leads to an upper floor that exhibits paintings by the same artist. A window opens up to the sea to offer your family another panorama of the Mediterranean before you return to Naples. Your private transfer will meet you at the hotel when you are ready, and your drive back to the city will take you along the coastline, over the hills, and around the Bay of Naples. The kids will have nearly forgotten about the looming figure of Mount Vesuvius, but as it returns to view on your way to the airport you will enjoy the chance to start enjoying your memories.