My husband, 10 year old son and I are spending first week of July in Italy. This is the plan: We land in Venice in the morning and will have to rent a car ( I heard driving in Italy is down right crazy, but we have too much luggage to haul around while getting from A to B. Car will be parked in the urban outskirts while we visit famous locations). So, day in Venice then drive to Florence where we stay 2 nights (Any recommendations on accommodations?). Visit Pisa for a day and head towards Rome. This is where I need your help: I would like to stay somewhere coastal and close to Rome, with good train/bus connection so that we can make day trips to Rome and Vatican, but have great beach vacation in the evenings. It all looks pretty on a map, but I need some real Canadian input. What are the best family oriented beach spots close to Rome??? Is this doable at all?

Jason
How much luggage do you have? I am 4 weeks into a 6 week trip and we have 5 suitcases and a backpack each. The kids are a bit of a help when needed. But we manage on the trains, boats, and in taxis. I would not drive in the cities. Traffic is crazy and parking even worse. You'll be in peak season so it will add a ton of extra stress. Outside of the city is okay but in the cities will suck.
I just left this place today https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2712831 after spending 10 days there. It was amazing. The rare inner court yard was a great bonus. And the little community has everything you need/want. Easy bus (22 or 23) to the city centre. I would highly recommend this place. All 6 units within the courtyard are airbnb rentals so there are more choices available.
Venice is great but you really only need a day or two of walking around it to get enough. Pisa is good but just take the train from Florence for the afternoon. See the tower and have gelato and then take the train back.

That is exactly what I thought about Venice first time I was there! We will spend two nights and one day in Florence and just a day trip to Pisa. I have no intention driving into cities.

This place looks fabulous! I will book if it is available. Thank you so much!

We rented a car and drove 1500 Kms in the week we were in Italy and did almost the same itinerary as you except Rome. Driving was fast but good. Parking wasn't an issue anywhere.

We have driven pretty much the same route too (with a grandma, toddler and baby we needed the car!). Roads are fast but fine and as long as you park outside a city center and walk in you are fine. (We didn't do Rome either)

Lana that is the plan! Thanks!

I agree. Skip Pisa and see Siena instead, or the Cinque Terra since you want to see the coast. I'd also take trains instead of driving and pay for taxis to hotels vs driving. I also love Padua just outside of Venice

Cinque Terre is great, too. Not sure your son will appreciate the beauty.

But driving there is terrifying! One lane blind curves on a mountainside with two way traffic

I was considering it too, but so much hiking in July... Small overcrowded beach... There are way better ones like Viareggio

I understand that you say that you will have a ton of luggage, but not only is driving in Italy ridiculous, but parking will be a nightmare and incredibly expensive. I would do anything I could to avoid renting s car.

Me too!

I 2nd that. We rented a car only for a short time and returned it in Florence. What a nightmare.

There is nothing else I can do because we would have to spend a lot of time on settling into hotels just to get rid of luggage or miss out completely on many interesting places along the way because of it. Car will not go into cities. Park near train/bus terminal or a hotel and use public transport or walk

Will you be gone more than one week total? I feel you will waste more time driving and parking. I have been to Italy twice. Once we used the train, once we rented a car. I would pack light and train every time.

I third.... I rented a car in Italy for two weeks... insane... pack super light and do carry on..I went with two kids and we each had a carry on

4 weeks in Europe. Only one week in Italy. Must include beach!

Good luck fitting it all in. Enjoy your vacation.

I found the autostrada very good and easy - and Tuscany was easy to drive around. Driving in the cities was crazy - search out parking on the edges and walk or transit in.

We rented a car in Rome and returned it the next day. It was far easier to take the trains than to drive. We found the parking was very expensive, and traffic was so bad that it was faster to take transit. We also travel light with just a backpack each, we used lockers in the train stations. Tuscany would probably be more manageable in a car

Ron that's the plan

I have never feared for my life in a vehicle like I did in Italy, and I've been all over Asia. We drove from Dubrovnik, Croatia all the way to Florence and it was great- until we hit the Italian border with Slovenia. Then it was utter pandemonium. I cried in the car I was so scared. Really advise against this plan to rent a car.

So glad to hear that Italians beat Croatians and Slovenians in crazy driving!

second year in Italy for extended period renting a car tips rent the smallest car you can work with there are a lot of very tight places to deal with we have to fold in the mirrors on our Fiat Panda quite often .... dont drive like you are in North America ........left lanes are for faster cars dont be there if you are not passing ...they will use the left side of your lane to pass and send you a message.....pay attention to your mirrors on the freeways that car in the fast lane could easily be doing twice your speed.......and motor cycles and scooters lane split ...... be aware of ZLTs and speed cameras they can get expensive ......driving in Italy requires a blend of being both aggresive and courteous and like most places a smile will get you more than any other gesture.
ps what is with these crappy location adds that pop up and wont go away ....please ignor the ad below

Mike thank you! Renting a small car for a week costs 230$ only and we will only drive between cities, not within. You forgot to mention that you can't turn right on a red light!

Not totally sure of beaches, but we took a Mediterranean Cruise and one of the stops was "Rome". However, rome is 2 hours from the port.
I would suggest, stay in Rome, do Rome. Then go coastal - perhaps Naples ?

Only one night in Naples as my husband wants to see Pompei

Island of Capri is beautiful, beaches around both.
Nothing in Pisa except the tower. Do a stop no continue along the way, not worth a day or 2.

Shawna yes, only a day trip

Are you parking your car and taking a water taxi to the island of Venice? There are no cars on the island. Everything is strictly walking.

Yes. Italy is our third country out of four in a month long vacation. A lot of bags! I couldn't imagine wasting time on settling into hotels every day! So we are using it basically as storage and to get from city to city. We are probably park near major train stations and get trains or buses (water taxis) for visiting the sites within cities.

Sejla, my husband and I just got back from 5 weeks in Europe. I know it's hard, especially with kids, but the lighter you travel the easier it will be. We got large tortuga backpacks that were carry on and just washed things out in the sink. The cobblestones etc make it so hard to manage luggage.

I will get accommodations outside of the main cities, park there and just use public transport everywhere. Only two duffel bags and backpacks but I don't want to carry them around.

I don't have tips on accommodations, But I drove all across Italy and can chime in there.
Make sure to read up on traffic laws and traffic signage. I received 3 traffic tickets on a 5 week trip and 2 were from Italy and it was because I misunderstood the signage (they can take up to a year to issue a ticket. Received one of them in the mail 11 months later). Watch your speed going into Venice and keep in mind that you can only park on the outskirt of the lagoon. There is zero driving in Venice.
The roads can be insanely tight and people bump into each other without regard. So just keep an eye out for that. (I got away with only a driver clipping my mirror).
Driving there is cut throat and you have to work into the flow of traffic because people will not wait for you!

You just described LA!

This link might be helpful. I went to the southern beaches of Italy instead so I can't say from personal experience though.
http://www.revealedrome.com/2013/07/beaches-in-rome.html

Thank you!

Having a 10 year old (I'm traveling with 11,10, and 5 kids) you may want to look at staying at http://www.marinadivenezia.it/eng/ It is either a 45 min drive (or bus) from the Venice airport or about the same if you take the boat/s. Beach, pool, easy day trip to Venice. We've stayed here twice and love it. You could fly to Venice and drive here. Take the boat to Venice for a day trip or two. Then drive back to Venice and take the high-speed train to Florence. After Florence take the high-speed train to Rome.

I will consider this option. Sounds very doable! Thank you!

The hiways might be okay but there is no way I would attempt driving in Rome! It's absolutely crazy. You even need your wits about you walking when you cross the street. Good bus system and great for walking, though. My favourite city - spent 9 days there and could have stayed longer.

No driving in Rome!

Take less luggage. They do sell very nice clothes in Italy. And who cares if you wear the same clothes for a second, or even a third day. Trains are fun and fast. Pisa is over-rated. Florence and Sienna are easily accessible from Venice. Pick hotels that have good transportation access. Walk more and you'll see more.

We are in Europe for a month. Two average size duffel bags and a backpack each is all we will have but that is a total spoiler for any places where we will not spend a night.

We were in Europe for a month and had one carry on each. Laundry service at the hotels is cheap. Cars, fuel and parking there is not.

An hour drive would totally be worth it for us! I am cramming so much into this holiday and it will be really hot, so I have to make sure we also have relaxing time away from concrete and buildings. I am from former Yugoslavia and have seen some of Italy before, but the atmosphere and architecture there are things familiar to my family already, so I will not insist on spending all the time visiting museums and points of interest. I like hop-on-hop-off bus options and we will likely do it on our first day in Rome.

Has anyone been to Anzio? Beach looks amazing! I know a week is short, but even if I had a month, taking into consideration that I will have a 10 year old son in tow, spending hours in galleries and museums is not an option. We will walk around Rome for 2 days and visit Vatican in one day, but staying in Rome overnight is not one of my priorities. This vacation must include beach! Maybe when I retire, some slo-mo art-and-history filled vacation will be on the list. We will get front of the line pass to Vatican possibly with the guide.

I spent soooo many summers on Croatian coast! I love Adriatic Sea but we will not visit it this year.

So no one knows any good coastal towns close to Rome with great beach?

Rome is about 2 hours from the coast.

When you land in Venice don't rent a car, take a private boat taxi from the airport to your accommodation which i assume is across the lagoon; they will help you with portering your luggage to your hotel. i recommend you reduce your luggage anyway. The private taxi is $$$ but otherwise you will spend your time parking, navigating, and will probably get lost and in an accident because you will be jetlagged....If there is one place where renting a car doesnt make sense its venice.

you will have a fabulous time!! There are some beautiful beaches, but none that I know of particularly close to Rome. Sperlonga and Sabaudia are a little over an hours train from Rome, but are gorgeous, especially Sperlonga (and sandy! A rarity in Italy). Good luck

Take water shoes as most of the beaches are not sandy but Rocky. Venice is supposed to have one of the best beaches! We were sight seeing when in Venice so never seen it. Rome is not so close to the coast and we found that touring Rome was a full itinerary in itself.we spent three days walking and bussing around Rome so much history to see!! We went to beaches in Croatia - very nice but again rocky!

Terracina is a cute little beach town with beautiful beaches. It's about an hour train ride into
Rome. It's right by where my family lives and we stay there and train into Rome often.

I recently got back from a 2 week trip in Italy with a 3 year old. AMAZING! We travelled light and travelled by train and walked everywhere. The only beach we went to was in Positano! Which is 2hrs south of Naples! Enjoy, ....don't even dare to drive in Rome! It's insane...but we managed to see lots! Rome, Venice, Florence, Vatican City, Sorrento, Pompeii, Capri and Positano! Good luck in your travels! ....I'm jealous!...

I agree about Pisa being overrated. Siena is amazing LOVED it. Climb the clock tower. One week is short time. One day in Venice isn't really enough. It's actually huge! Stay in the heart of Rome and walk or take a bus tour. Again, Rome is huge and there are lines. If you want to see the Sistine Chapel, you need to book it and be in line. Florence needs 2 days. You will be spending time driving.

Right IN Rome the Mercure Colosseum hotel is quite nice. For the Vatican you really want to be there early, and expect to spend 2 hours in line just to get in. Depending on how many things you want to see look into the Roma Pass.

From Venice take a water taxi nearby to the island The Lido. Took my kids to the beach there. If you can hit the area around Bari , that side has amaaaazing beaches.

Easier to take a train to florence...take a taxi to the train station. taxidriver will help you porter your luggage from the hotel to the taxi. ditto florence to rome...