** Italy - Villa/Apartment recommendations please **

Shrimp_Stu

Hi,

We are venturing on our first family holiday abroad with our two young children (ages 2 & 3), and we are looking at going to Italy. Obviously, with two young children we are looking for a child friendly villa/apartment and we have decided that Italy: distance/food/climate/culture suits our requirements. However, I have been unable to source anywhere on the internet where we can begin our search, can anyone point us in the right direction.
Our requirements are:

** Dates: June (before school holidays)
** Duration: 7 or 10 night break
** Budget: approx £1,000 (is that unreasonable? - this can be stretched).
** Villa/ Apartment accommodation for 2 adults + 2 children.
** Italy - preferred location Sardinia, alternatives the Italian Lakes: Como, Garda, etc. (or anywhere in Italy!)
** Likes beach, activities for children, shopping (both food & clothing).

We can either fly from Gatwick, Stansted, London City, Heathrow, Luton airports (in that order of preference).



Apologies for this request (if it is too verbose or not enough!), but 2007 wasnt a great year as my wife had to fight Acute Myleoid Leukaemia and this holiday is a treat for all the family.

Thanks,
Stuart

teddie2003

Shrimp_Stu wrote: »

Hi,

We are venturing on our first family holiday abroad with our two young children (ages 2 & 3), and we are looking at going to Italy. Obviously, with two young children we are looking for a child friendly villa/apartment and we have decided that Italy: distance/food/climate/culture suits our requirements. However, I have been unable to source anywhere on the internet where we can begin our search, can anyone point us in the right direction.
Our requirements are:

** Dates: June (before school holidays)
** Duration: 7 or 10 night break
** Budget: approx £1,000 (is that unreasonable? - this can be stretched).
** Villa/ Apartment accommodation for 2 adults + 2 children.
** Italy - preferred location Sardinia, alternatives the Italian Lakes: Como, Garda, etc. (or anywhere in Italy!)
** Likes beach, activities for children, shopping (both food & clothing).

We can either fly from Gatwick, Stansted, London City, Heathrow, Luton airports (in that order of preference).



Apologies for this request (if it is too verbose or not enough!), but 2007 wasnt a great year as my wife had to fight Acute Myleoid Leukaemia and this holiday is a treat for all the family.

Thanks,
Stuart

Hello Stuart

Stayed at Villa Stellina, Malcesine, Lake Garda a couple of years ago in apartment 1, apartment 2 might be ok for you. Friendly and helpful owner, www.villastellina.it , just depends if you are OK with the children on the stairs. Great place 10-15 minute walk from centre of Malcesine.

Malcesine has good boat and bus links to other areas of lake if you don't have a hire car. If you have a hire car then easy trips around the lake to Torbole, Riva and Arco to the North or Bardolino, Lazise and Garda to the South. Verona about 1 hours drive as well, great shops.

Haven't been to Gardaworld or the Cinema park, but they are both just south of Lazise. Small beaches at Malcesine, but bigger at other places i.e Torbole, plus windsurfing, bike hire around most of lake and cable car ride at Malcesine.

We flew Gatwick to Marco Polo, Venice(Easy Jet) & picked up hire car. About 120km from Airport to Malcesine via Pescheria motorway junction, took about 2 hours taking it easy. Milan Malpensa would be about the same I would think. Verona/Brescia would be closest airport.

Took a scenic route back and visited Vicenza on the way.

I've been to Garda twice and Como once, think Garda would be better if you have children with you.

If you don't want to drive some of the hotels can pick you up from the airport if you fly to Verona/Brescia for about 10 euros per adult each way i.e www.Hotelcapri.com my parents and girlfriend have stayed at this one.

WWW.malcesinepiu.it has a good list of hotels B & B's and detail of Malcesine on it.

Hope this helps,


Steve