Map & Family

A Family Travel Resource

Top interrailing tips for teenagers planning a summer trip to Europe without parents

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When school exams are over many UK teens plan a summer trip with friends around Europe using an interrail train pass. It’s often their first holiday without family and is a great opportunity to explore before going to university or starting work. Here are our top tips for families whose teens will be interrailing this summer from how to plan your route, the pros and cons of interrail seat reservations and the best backpacks for interrail. Read more

5 Things to do in Brighton on a family weekend with Teenagers

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often called London on Sea, Brighton in East Sussex on the south coast of England has also been voted one of the best city with beach destinations in the world. Whatever the weather there’s plenty to do on a family trip to Brighton from funfair games on the pier to beach and water sports, cycling, shopping or exploring its beautiful Regency squares and Pavilion. Brighton is a cool enough city to satisfy teenage visitors too. Read on for Tara’s tips for things to do in Brighton with teens. Read more

Where to find a villa with a view on Paxos island, Greece

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Looking for classic Greek island views?  We discovered peaceful Paxos, just an hour by hydrofoil from Corfu Town. It’s a place for swimming, exploring hidden beaches and relaxing with family.  Here’s the lowdown on our villa with a view in Paxos.  Read more

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  • Is this one of the world’s best city views? It’s part of the 360 degree panorama that opens up when you reach the viewing platform on the dome of Florence’s Duomo. That’s Giotto’s bell tower in the foreground - another great spot to enjoy a quintessentially Italian rooftop view. My son Ed and a friend spent a few days in Florence before they went back to Uni this autumn. I thought it might be expensive but they’ve put together a brilliant blog post on Florence on a budget. It’s perfectly possible to have a fun and affordable city break there. Check out the post, link in profile ⬆️, and especially their essential tips on booking tickets for the Duomo dome climb and Michelangelo’s David. Let’s just say they had an unexpectedly busy final day in town! What’s your favourite city view? #discovertuscany #familytravel #cherishitaly #ilikeitaly @italiait . . . . .
  • There’s a famous little game you can play in Piazza del Plebescito in Naples. Stand with your back to the pink-toned Palazzo Reale, facing the dome of the Basilica. See the two big bronzes of Bourbon kings on horseback on either side? Could you, with your eyes closed🙈, walk straight across the square and between the statues? It looks simple enough. The main risk seems to be that you’d trip over on the way or crash into an unwary passer-by. (You must have someone beside you to check the way is clear 🙂👫). We couldn’t resist giving it a try. In fact it’s almost impossible! Check our blog post, link in profile⬆️ to discover the secret of Piazza del Plebiscito - or perhaps you’ve tried it out too? Do you know any other sightseeing games like this? #familytravel #naplesitaly #visitnaples #campania . . . . .
  • So this is where the Greeks and Romans used to go shopping in Naples. Quite literally. It’s a market building, just a flight of stairs below the beautiful church at the top of Via San Gregorio Armeno. Outside, the 21st century Naples street is a hub for souvenir stalls - politician loo paper anyone? - as well as workshops which specialise in intricate carved Christmas nativity scenes. Two thousand years ago the shoppers who trod the Roman cobbles, now underground, were visiting the laundry, the bakers and the bank. It was preserved by a mudslide in 5 AD and an earlier church was built on top of it. The layers of history are pretty obvious in Naples. More about our city break, packed with sunshine, scenery and .... pizza, is on the blog, link in profile ⬆️ #familytravel #naplesitaly #visitnaples #campania . . . . .
  • Pastel buildings and palms in Piazza Carita. We stopped for a gelato here a couple of times while we were exploring the old streets of Naples. Up on the blog is a new post with our starter kit for Naples, Italy - the sights, food, music 🏛🍕🎼 to catch on a first visit plus some don’t-miss day trips around the bay. It’s a complex city - beautiful and also surprising - be prepared to learn a completely new way to cross the road! I’d love to go back and explore some more. Link to the post is up there in the profile ⬆️ #familytravel #Ilikeitaly #visitnaples #campania . . . . .
  • That’ll do nicely.... This is the perch we found as we were scouting out a sunny spot to spend an afternoon in Sorrento last month. The town’s steep cliffs give breathtaking views but can also throw shadows on the sand at their feet. We’d originally planned to go to a beach out of town but a helpful tourist info lady sent us here instead. Tiny Marina Grande (I know!) is a few steep minutes walk from the centre of town and has a cluster of restaurants at the water’s edge. We hired beds and umbrella on this rocky little pier. We’d a view of the pretty harbour, nifty changing cubicles and steps down into the inky blue sea. Perfect for swimming and sunning and snacking ☀️🌊⛱ #familytravel #sorrento #campania #visitItaly . . . . .
  • While we were in Naples, we took a boat to the little island of Procida. It’s one of those places that you think will never quite live up to its photos. Except it really really did! Not only is it unspoilt, pretty and pastel-coloured but it was also peaceful on a September weekday - fishermen were mending nets and island life was going on. Plus we found a lovely beach with black sand, turquoise water and a fab place for lunch. We almost missed the boat home 😀. #familytravel #naplesitaly #campania #procida #visititaly . . . . .
  • Just back from Naples, Italy ☀️🍕🍦😀. Wow! It’s colourful, vibrant and culture-packed - a great city to explore and a brilliant base for day trips along the coast of Campania 🏖🍇🏛. It’s grittier than your classic Italian city break but I’d go back tomorrow! I really need a holiday to recover from my holiday now but we’ve in back-to-Uni week so I’m sorting eleventy million photos with one hand and ironing with the other. Just for starters here’s a pic of the bay of Naples - complete with volcano - from Vomero. I can’t resist an aerial view. #naplesitaly #campania #vesuvius #visitnaples . . . . .

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