The Best Things to Do in Naples, Italy With Toddlers
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This family travel guide includes kid friendly activities in Naples that are suitable for toddlers, young kids and adults!
Naples, or Napoli in Italian, is a world of its own and unlike any other city you’ll find in Italy and perhaps Europe. It is overflowing with museums, a rich history, a world-renowned food scene, and orchestrated chaos that you can either roll with or decide it’s not for you.
While Naples has a ton to offer, it can be overwhelming to plan a family trip to the city, particularly with toddlers or young children.
To maintain the peace, it can be tempting to settle for visiting the best amusement parks, the zoo, or indoor game rooms. However, parents are then left with feeling like they didn’t actually get to experience Naples at all.
Luckily, we’ve compiled achievable things to do in Naples with toddlers that even parents will love.
Our recommendations are a mix of attractions that allow adults to interact with the core of Naples as a unique destination, all while your toddler enjoys themselves.
Quick List: Toddler Friendly Activities in Naples, Italy
- The Lungomare
- The Beaches
- Piazza del Plebiscito
- Gelato and Pizza
- Fish Markets
- Funicular Train Ride
- Castel Sant’Elmo
- Galleria Borbonica
- The Maradona Mural
- Naples Aquarium
- Litoranea Park
The Essentials for Visiting Naples in Italy With Toddlers
🚊 Plan on utilizing public transportation in Naples to cover as much ground as possible while travelling with kids. Choose sites to see that are near metro stations for easy access to get to and from your hotel.
🥵 If you can avoid it, do not travel to Naples, Italy in the summer. It can be too hot and crowded, creating an unpleasant trip for families with toddlers.
🛵 While Naples is safe for tourists, it can be very chaotic. Parents need to constantly watch out for scooters, motorcycles, and car traffic while walking around with their kids.
🍕 You do not have to sit down at restaurants in order to eat well in Naples. Take advantage of “quick” food like slices of pizza, pasta to-go, cups of fried seafood, pastries and the many gelato shops on each street.
👎🏼 The roads in Naples are not very stroller-friendly, particularly if the stroller is compact and doesn’t have big wheels. Opt for a child carrier or plan on giving many piggyback rides.
⛑ Travel with peace of mind and purchase travel insurance to cover your entire family while visiting Naples.
Is Naples, Italy a Good Family Vacation Destination?
After visiting countless lovely places in Italy with our own toddler, Naples unfortunately falls short as a great family vacation destination.
Don’t get us wrong, Naples is an incredible place to visit overall, but if you are carving out a family vacation from scratch, there are many other places we’d recommend choosing over Naples.
Additionally, this is not to say that Naples can’t be a solid family vacation destination, but if you’re particularly traveling with a toddler or young kids, it’s not the easiest option.
For fellow parents who throw the rule book out about what is and what isn’t a family-friendly destination, yes, you should book that trip to Naples and enjoy an adventure with nonstop excitement (both good and bad).
Is Visiting Naples, Italy Safe for Kids?
From a travel standpoint, Naples is a safe place to visit for tourists, even those travelling with children. While Naples does look and feel rough around the edges, there isn’t anything dangerous occurring on the surface of the city, or any areas which tourists will typically venture to.
After visiting Naples in Italy multiple times, we’ve personally never felt in danger. Naturally, there are certain neighbourhoods well outside of Naples’ city centre that should probably be kept off your itinerary if you’re traveling as a tourist.
Like any large metropolis in any corner of the world, tourists should remain vigilant of their surroundings and personal belongings. Don’t keep your pockets open, bags unzipped and flashy items visible.
If you do not look like an easy target for getting pickpocketed, you have less to worry about.
The largest concern of safety for toddlers in Naples, Italy is the constant traffic of scooters among the narrow streets where pedestrians walk.
At most times, there is no distinction between what is a walking street and what is a road which means you’ll usually find yourself sharing the path with motorized scooters and motorcycles.
Since toddlers have the tendency to wander, it’s critical to watch out for unexpected scooters flying around corners at all times.
Fun Family Activities in Naples, Italy With Toddlers
1. Stroll Along the Lungomare
A lungomare in Italy is best described as a seafront promenade, most often for pedestrians and bicycles only. Visiting Naples, Italy as a family wouldn’t be complete without a stroll along the city’s coastline.
The Lungomare Francesco Caracciolo begins here and finishes at the big port of Naples. It is a dedicated sidewalk (a rare occurrence in Naples) along with a bike path that offers beautiful views of Castel dell’Ovo and the island of Capri in the distance.
There are a handful of small bars along the way to pick up a coffee or ice cream for the kids. Once you reach this monument, you’re greeted with numerous waterfront restaurants for some delicious seafood.
2. Spend an Afternoon at the Beach
Located right off the lungomare in Naples are a couple of sandy beaches. Even as early as May, if the weather is warm enough, you’ll see the beaches occupied by residents of Napoli.
While the beaches in Naples aren’t the most glamorous or picturesque that Italy has to offer, they’re functional and, most importantly, good for kids.
Mappatella Beach is located behind a gigantic rock barrier, which means the water is always calm, shallow, and the beach is sandy. It’s a great place to entertain the kids for a couple of hours if you need a break from the city.
If you’re in search of nicer beaches for families near Naples, extend your visit to the Posillipo neighborhood.
3. Visit Piazza del Plebiscito
Sandwiched between the Basilica and the Royal Palace of Naples is Piazza del Plebiscito, a large town square in the centre of Napoli. Any parent of young children or toddlers will appreciate that this gem is completely traffic-free.
This means that for one moment, you can stop worrying about any scooters, cars, or motorcycles zipping by your family. Parents can also pop into the Basilica, which is free to enter, or book tickets for a tour of the Palazzo Reale di Napoli.
Piazza del Plebiscito is frequently used as a major venue for events, which are pretty consistently scheduled once the weather warms up.
Do some quick research before visiting Naples to see if there’s anything upcoming on the city’s event calendar.
4. Eat a Lot of Gelato, Pizza & Pasta
The easiest way to surely please almost any toddler is with a slice of pizza followed by an ice cream cone. Luckily, these two things can be found on every street, alley, and avenue in Naples. Fortunately, these are things that parents enjoy just as much!
Eating your way through the city with world-famous pizza, dreamy gelato, and decadent pastries is an established way to make sure the entire family is having a great time while visiting Naples.
Additionally, pizza and gelato are relatively budget friendly in Naples which helps stretch your dollar if you’re travelling with multiple kids.
👍 Read More: How to Eat Pizza in Italy
La pizza napoletana or Neapolitan pizza is undoubtedly the most popular type of pizza you’ll find in Naples and what most tourists are searching for. Honestly, it’s really hard to find bad pizza in Naples so don’t overthink it when choosing a place to eat.
Secondly, you’ll come across something called pizza fritta which is essentially a big fried pizza pocket. La pizza fritta is an extremely common street food, often times sold from kiosks that make nothing other than fried pizza.
5. Watch the Fish Markets in Action
Naturally, Naples has a prominent seafood scene which is reflected on nearly every corner of the city. You’ll stumble upon fishmongers set up in everything from a small hole in the wall, in the middle of a piazza under an umbrella and mega establishments that take up half a block.
The fish markets are an entertaining sight to see as they prep, clean and continuously maintain their products for the daily sales.
Our own daughter loves to watch these types of free spectacles because for her, it’s like a mini trip to the zoo. Sure, most of these zoo animals aren’t kicking anymore but we’ll break that news to her in a couple of years.
Among the most characteristic neighbourhoods for outdoor markets in Naples is Via Pignasecca, just off the busy Via Toledo avenue.
6. Ride the Funicular Train
Turning public transportation into a fun activity is an age-old trick for parents of toddlers. And it consistently works! We’ve yet to meet a young kid that doesn’t enjoy the thrill of taking the metro, tram, or cable car.
Luckily, the Naples public transportation network consists of a handful of funicular train routes, which help pedestrians avoid walking up a couple of the city’s massive hills. From a toddler’s perspective, it’s kind of like taking a rollercoaster.
Whether you actually have a destination in mind or not, riding the funicular train is one of the cheapest and easiest activities in Naples to enjoy as a family with kids. The cost for a one-way ride is the same as if you were riding the bus or metro (under €2) and toddlers are free.
Not to mention, you save a solid 30 minutes by not having to trek up countless flights of stairs from lower to upper Naples.
7. Tour Castel Sant’Elmo
Castel Sant’Elmo may attract your toddler’s attention just for its name. If not, they’re sure to find excitement in wandering through a medieval and fairytale-like fortress. The ancient complex consists of a retired prison, churches, courtyards and a historic environment to let your child’s imagination run wild.
Perched on the highest hill in the Vomero quarter of Naples, the castle is worth visiting for the view itself. From the enormous terrace of the fortress, you can see the entirety of the Gulf of Naples, the glorious Mount Vesuvius, and islands on the horizon.
Admission to Castel Sant’Elmo is a nominal fee of around €6 and is undoubtedly among the top family-friendly activities in Naples.
8. Explore Underground Naples Through Galleria Borbonica
A glimpse into the underground world of Naples is possible through a couple of points in the city. Galleria Borbonica is one of the most well known attractions for anyone looking to step back into history and happens to also be a unique activity for kids.
Originally fit as an escape route for King Ferdinand II of Bourbon and military purposes in the 1800s, it has since served Naples for various needs including an impound lot in the 1960s.
Most recently, the network of underground tunnels and water tanks was functionally used as a shelter during WW2.
To visit Galleria Borbonica, you must book a guided tour which is available in English as well. On a hot sunny day, briefly escaping to the underground tunnels keeps you refreshingly cool.
9. Take Photos at the Maradona Mural
One of the most famous figures you’ll see photos of everywhere in Naples is of a man who wasn’t even Italian. Diego Maradona was an Argentinian football player who helped the Naples team rise from the ashes in the 80s until 1991.
To this day, his face in the form of murals, shrines, sculptures and various depictions is splattered across the entire city. In short, he’s kind of a really big deal for the city and people of Naples.
While you don’t have to walk more than ten steps to see some kind of ode to Maradona in Naples, there are a couple of designated areas to fully worship the late player.
Largo Maradona is a small piazza and gathering point for die-hard fans and numerous works of street art. It’s vibrant, fun, and one of the best places to document your trip to Naples as a family.
10. Visit the Local Marine Life at Acquario di Napoli
Acquario di Napoli (Aquarium) is among the best indoor activities in Naples for people visiting with toddlers. The complex is small which makes it very easy to manage with one or multiple children and doesn’t turn into a strenuous activity.
There are ledges at each display case so smaller kids have a better view and for adults, plenty of benches to take a break on.
Admission to the Naples Aquarium is modest and costs under €10 for adults and is free for children under 4 years old.
What we enjoy the most about the Naples Aquarium is that it features local marine life found specifically in the Gulf of Naples. And yes, you’ll find fish that look like Dory and Nemo.
11. Enjoy the Toddler-Friendly Rides at Litoranea Park
If you’re visiting Naples with a toddler and need some good old-fashioned entertainment for the little ones, make a pit stop at one of the mini amusement parks located in the public parks.
These small-scale parks will typically consist of rides that are suitable for young children.
More often than not, you’ll only pay for the rides which your toddler wants to go on instead of paying an entrance fee for the entire park. They’re wildly popular throughout Italy and provide an easy boost of excitement if you’re travelling with kids in Naples.
Litoranea Park is a modest amusement center in the city park of Molosiglio Gardens near the waterfront and port.
Things to Know Before Visiting Naples, Italy With Toddlers
Keep Your Kids Close
Unless you have a toddler who listens to your every word, keeping young children from running off can be a challenge. In Naples, it can be outright dangerous.
The scooters, motorcycles, and even small vehicles that zip through the narrow streets of Naples can come from every direction and often without warning. Most of the neighborhoods in Naples, like the Centro Storico (historic center) or Quartieri Spagnoli, do not have designated sidewalks.
You must share the streets.
While locals from Naples are well-versed in what it takes to watch out for obstacles, tourists who aren’t used to the chaos need to be super mindful of where their small children are at all times.
Getting Around Naples, Italy With Toddlers
Naples has a solid public transportation system which consists of the underground metro, bus, and vertical funicular train. We recommend mapping out an itinerary for your trip to Naples with kids that stays near public transportation stops or stations so you can quickly get around.
Walking long distances with young children can sometimes feel like you’re herding cats, so being able to hop on the metro to make up for some time is valuable in a city like Naples.
You can purchase a ticket or multi-day pass in order to use all forms of public transportation in Naples at any of the metro stations via a self-service kiosk.
Additionally, you can use your credit or debit card to tap-to-pay at the turnstile directly. You do not have to buy a physical ticket if your card is “tap” capable (or you have Apple Pay).
Only Use a Stroller With Big Wheels
We own a Bugaboo Butterfly stroller for our toddler but if we were to have used it in Naples, we wouldn’t have gotten more than two feet from our Airbnb. In general, we don’t recommend using a stroller in Naples if you can help it.
The roads are very bumpy, there are many surprise staircases and narrow streets filled with people. The amount of places in Naples that are suitable for a stroller are slim, which doesn’t make hauling a stroller around worth it.
If you are set on bringing a stroller to Naples with your toddler, make sure it is functional and has big wheels. Each stroller we did happen to see in Naples was capable of off-roading with chunky tires.
You will not be able to get around the cobblestone paths in Naples with a compact travel-style stroller.
The People of Italy Love Kids
One of the themes which bonds the entire nation of Italy is the love for children. We have yet to visit another country where the enthusiasm for babies and young kids is as high as it is in Italy.
We’d be lying if we said that we haven’t received special treatment, patience and generosity in many scenarios just because our daughter was with us.
This tidbit is noteworthy because it gives parents peace of mind to know that nobody is judging you (or your kids) and everyone is empathetic if you find yourself in a crappy or stressful situation.
Embrace “Fast Food” or “Self Service” Restaurants
Naples is one of the top places to eat in Italy. Hell, tourists from around the world flock to Naples just to eat pizza. Unfortunately, parents of toddlers and young children can agree that eating at restaurants can be tiresome at times.
If you’re visiting a restaurant in Naples during peak lunch or dinner hours, you’ll find that service is slow. It’s not bad, it’s just slow which is frankly the industry standard. Unlike in the U.S., eating out in Italy is never seen as something brief. The event is meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.
For parents with toddlers who aren’t fantastic at sitting still for at least one hour, we recommend eating early or skipping the sit-down restaurants altogether in Naples. Don’t worry, you’ll still eat well!
Naples is crawling with amazing eateries in the form of kiosks or self-service restaurants which don’t rely on a waitstaff. Get in, get your food, eat, and get on with your day before your toddler loses it.
Recommended places to eat with kids in Naples, Italy:
La Vera Pizza Fritta da Gennaro
🦐 You May Like: A Guide to Italy’s Best Cheap Eats
Tap and Fountain Water is Safe to Drink
If you’re at your hotel or Airbnb and need to fill up a water bottle or get a glass of water to drink, you can do so from the tap. The same goes for filling up reusable water bottles from the city fountains you’ll see dotted around Naples.
This water is completely safe to drink for everyone in your family. While walking around, take advantage of the fountains because there is no such thing as ordering water for free at restaurants in Italy.
Interested in learning more about the history of water supply in Naples? Visit the Lapis Museum of Water.
The Best Time to Visit Naples in Italy With Kids
If you can plan for it, do not visit Naples, Italy during the summer.
Temperatures are high, humidity creeps up on you, and it can be a miserable few days with kids as you’re stomping through crowds while baking in the sun. We know what it’s like to endure a cranky young child in the heat – save yourselves!
The most ideal time to visit Naples with toddlers and kids is in April or October. Temperatures are pleasant enough for keeping the kids entertained outdoors and you’ll save money on accommodation.
Rental apartments and hotel rooms are substantially cheaper in the city centre and while you will still run into tourists, it won’t be as unbearable.
Winter in Naples, Italy lasts from November to February, which usually brings a lot of rain. It does not regularly snow in Naples during the winter season, but experiencing Christmas in Naples is a spectacle of its own.
Where to Stay in Naples, Italy With Toddlers
Neapolitan Flat B&B – Best Budget Room with Central Location
Ginevra’s Apartment – Best 2-Bedroom Apartment
San Gennaro B&B – Best Room in Naples’ Historic Centre
The Luxury Erica’s Apartment – Best Apartment Near the Central Train Station
Toraldo Suites – Best Deluxe Apartment
More Family Friendly Italy Travel Posts:
- Things to Do in Venice, Italy With Kids
- How to Plan a Budget Family Trip to Italy
- The Best Beaches of Puglia
- A Guide of Italy’s Best Cheap Eats
- Hidden Gem Towns in Italy Without Tourists
- A Dolomites Winter Itinerary Without Skiing
Naples, Italy Travel Resources
☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage
✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com
🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com
🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio
🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries
🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago
☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo
📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator
