This post may not be for everybody but I plan on laying out the itinerary and some logistics, mainly for my mental sake. But if you travel with kids – this may be of interest.

Dates: the first two weeks of August

Regions: Campania (Amalfi) and Calabria (Capo Vaticano)

Transportation: plane in and out of Naples. Frecciarossa train and ferries. Probably taxis, too.

Accommodations: did not use Airbnb this time. Went with Booking.com to find two efficiency apartments and one overnight stay in an airport hotel for the departure home.

Participants: first week, the whole family; second week, just me and the kids.

Week 1: Amalfi coast. Land in Naples, go through customs, and find Lorenzo, our transfer to Minori. Amalfi coast has many towns, and I chose Minori as our base because it seemed to be quite central, quiet and family-friendly. That is the info I got from the Internets so it is not guaranteed. Is anything ever guaranteed with travel?

Anyways. Base in Minori for one week and explore the Amalfi coast via local ferries since Amalfi coast does not have trains. Local buses apparently are a bit of a nightmare in terms of being overcrowded; although I am sure that, in turn, gives a nice taste of local culture. I haven’t ruled buses out at all. Some towns that we will visit are Amalfi (:), Vietri Sul Mare, Maiori, Cetara, Ravello, and maybe even Erchie. Some are not even towns but hamlets.

We have two hikes! One hike is only about one hour long – the Path of Lemons (from Minori to Maiori). Another is a bit more ambitious – the Path of Gods. Supposedy, the views are amazing hence the name. That one is three hours so it’ll be only me and my 6 year old. T will stay back in Minori with R for some 1 on 1 bro time and probably eat gelato on the beach. L and I will start the hike in Bomerano and finish in Positano (end of the hike).

Other than hiking and exploring the towns, there will be some beach time as well as eating, roaming, sitting in the piazzas, and downtime.

Week 2. Capo Vaticano

After a week on the Amalfi coast, T has to get back to New Jersey. The kids and I have the luxury of time so we will continue south. On this one day, we will go into two different directions: T will go to Naples airport, and the kids and I will go to Salerno so we can take the high speed train to Calabria. The train ride will take about 4 hours. In Calabria, we are a short taxi ride from our second base in Capo Vaticano.

In Capo Vaticano, we have an efficiency apartment with a small kitchen which is part of a complex. It has a pool, a cafe/restaurant, and access to the beach. Judging by the photos and reviews it is a bit aged and basic, so I am prepared to be underwhelmed 😉

What will the kids and I do in Capo Vaticano for a week?… I want it to be relaxing (as relaxing as it can be with a 4 and a 6 year old) – visit different beaches, eat, play, sleep, repeat. I also want to visit Tropea (about 1 hour away) per the recommendation of my much loved colleague Nancy (HI BELLA). Nancy is from Ricadi in Calabria and teaches Italian. She is the one who gave me the idea for this trip!

Anyway. At the end of our stay in Calabria, the kids and I will board another Frecciarossa train that will bring us to Napoli Centrale – main train station in Naples. A bus or a cab to our airport hotel for an overnight, and we fly out the next day out of Capodichino Airport to Newark.

Costs. Tickets for the kids and I: $3,500 (T got his with points from United). Airport transfer $180 T coming back to the airport taxi $150 Accommodation week 1 $1,500; week 2 $1,200 Airport hotel 1 night $92 Ferries for three days $120 Two Frecciarossa high speed train trips $70 (kids travel free with this family plan they have #highfive) Total: $6,812 Tickets and accommodations were booked in January, and all the smaller stuff – train tickets, ferries, transfers – in June. The total does not include any meals, spending money, or emergencies.

Worries. I remember before my trip to Paris, I was very nervous. This time I am worried about some high temperatures but it’s not like we are not used to them… We do live in NEW JERSEY with its heat waves. We will be by the water.

Worried about a trip interruption, someone getting sick, or some other kind of emergency. Not really worried about travel itself. We all have done it before, the kids are excited to go on the plane again, and I am not bringing a lot of stuff. We are only going with carry-ons, no checked luggage. If I forget something I can always buy it in Italy. Or we can wash under ware in the sink and hang it out to dry.