Family fun in Naples: parks, museums and entertainment for children

Naples is a vertical city, climbing up hilly districts to offer visitors breathtaking views of rare beauty, but also descending into the "belly" of one of the worldʼs largest and most historically rich historic centers, where one can capture the cityʼs most genuine soul. If you wish, you can go even lower, to the underground Naples with its mysteries and fantastic stories. Children will love the experience.

They will also like discovering the tasty street food that the alleys of Naples offer in spades, pizza and sfogliatelle but not only. And among the things to do with children in Naples is certainly the seafront promenade, which connects the central Plebiscito and Municipio squares to the delightful Mergellina, from which you then climb the Posillipo hill. Waterfront that is pleasant to do by bike with children or by walking.

Visititaly gives you an idea of 10 things to do in Naples with kids. Museums and gardens, but also amusement parks and out-of-town trips, perhaps a canoe trip and the touristy "up and down" of Naplesʼ famous funicular railways.

When one speaks of the seafront in Naples, one is actually talking about two long streets, Via Partenope and Via Caracciolo, which have their watershed in Piazza Vittoria. The promenade starts at the Palazzo Reale, gives access to the beautiful Borgo Marinari, with Castel dellʼOvo rising from the sea, then runs along the Riviera di Chiaia and ends among the chalets of Mergellina. In the background the hill of Posillipo and the island of Capri, while behind it rises the mighty mass of Vesuvius.

Today many stretches of the promenade are closed to traffic and it is nice to travel along it by bike or with rented rickshaws or simply by walking. For children it is a fun and safe way to discover the beauty of Naples with a view of the sea, not forgetting that the Riviera di Chiaia that runs along the seafront is an elegant garden that houses, among other things, the historic aquarium of the Anton Dohrn zoological station.

The historic centre of Naples is an inexhaustible mine of discoveries, with prestigious basilicas and deconsecrated churches, museums and catacombs, and the workshops of the presepio artisans open all year round. We are among the alleys that hide the cityʼs deepest soul. For children, every nook and cranny may be just the right one to satisfy their desire for discovery and, perhaps, even taste a bit of it. Here, in fact, there are plenty of pizzerias, pastry shops and historic Neapolitan restaurants.

It is impossible not to indulge in a classic margherita pizza in a typical restaurant in the heart of San Biagio dei Librai or Via Tribunali, but street food is also popular. In fact, for children it is advisable, because you donʼt keep them sitting at a table too long and the indulgence of a pizza "a portafoglio" is priceless. Then you can continue the excursion by sweetening the palate with babas, sfogliatas, slices of pastiera... in short, everyone will find their favourite dessert.

While weʼre at it, letʼs not miss the chance to go underground in Naples, among the tufa walls that have carved caves and hollows over the centuries. It is one of the attractions that most amaze children. There are various associations offering guided tours of underground Naples, the historic one is in Piazza San Gaetano right in the heart of the historic centre, down to the tanks that served as water cisterns.

Judicial depots, shelters during the last world war, bandit hideouts, it is not uncommon to come across vintage cars or abandoned hulls underground in Naples. Underground Naples can also be visited from Piazza Plebiscito, where you can access the famous Galleria Borbonica, which connected the royal residences directly to the port.

One of the must-see destinations for all Neapolitan children and teenagers is the Capodimonte Park on the hill surrounding the Reggia. Today, the majestic royal palace is home to one of Italyʼs most important art museums, with sumptuous collections ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary times. A visit to the Capodimonte Museum has always been a must for Neapolitan (and other) students.

But the Reggia is, as mentioned, surrounded by a large park and the cityʼs most important green lung. Biking, running and outdoor sports are a must for Neapolitans, but it is not rare to see the little ones, the ones you just canʼt say no to, playing football...

Letʼs stay on the green topic with an original activity to do with children in Naples: a visit to the Botanical Garden. We are in Via Foria, the central great street connecting Piazza Carlo III to the National Archaeological Museum (the Mann), where over two centuries ago an institution was created that was already working to protect plant species, with plants from all over the world.

The Botanical Garden in Naples was born in the brief Napoleonic interregnum (it was 1807) and today is managed by the University Federico II, which has included its activities in its teaching and research programmes. For green lovers and curious children, not to be missed! In addition, admission is free.

Among the 10 things to do with kids in Naples is a visit to the City of Science, one of the first interactive museums in Italy dedicated to science and technology. But you have to change area completely, from the centre of Naples you have to go to Bagnoli, an industrial district once linked to the iron and steel industry and now, near the sea, reconverted to the tertiary sector and tourism.

At the site you can experiment and discover how many things around us work. For families there are real interactive museums such as Corporea - first in Europe - to discover the human body, or the Planetarium 3D, to study the stars and the mysteries of the universe. The location, a stone's throw from the sea, can also be used by families to organise real "science parties", birthday parties and themed entertainment.

Speaking of sea, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the beautiful scenery of the Gulf of Naples and, from nearby Bagnoli, it is easy to reach Posillipo. From here there is access to a small marine reserve, the Gaiola, with an adjoining beach. Access is free, but with a limited number of visitors, you have to book and get a pass to reach the sea with a wonderful view of Vesuvius.

The Gaiola reserve can also be visited by canoe trips, to be hired with local associations to discover a corner of the coast otherwise difficult to reach. For those with younger children, it is useful to know that in Posillipo there are various lidos and free stretches of beach to enjoy a day at the sea and the sun in Naples.

The Posillipo hill also offers beautiful and elegant tree-lined streets and panoramic views. The classic postcards that immortalise Naples are taken from here and, for some years now, a beautiful hillside park - Parco Virgiliano - has also reopened, much loved by families with children. In addition to games and greenery, the park offers an athletics track where one can train and exercise freely.

In the vicinity of the park there are several ice cream parlours, some with tables with a fantastic view, overlooking the sea. Taking a moment to relax in front of a nice ice cream and, in the silence, cast your gaze over the Gulf of Naples is truly a priceless emotion.

In the Fuorigrotta district, not far from the "Maradona" stadium, is the long avenue dedicated to American President John F. Kennedy. Here in the 1960s Italyʼs first amusement park, Edenlandia, opened. Today its attractions still arouse enthusiasm among young people, but it is the entire Kennedy area - easy to reach with at least two subway lines - that presents itself as the Neapolitansʼ "amusement park," with the zoo, bowling alley, amusement arcades and multiplex cinemas.

Completely renovated is the zoo, with new spaces dedicated to animals and educational areas specially designed for children, who have the opportunity to interact with animals in the fully equipped "educational farm" The animals are divided by habitat and a large number of species can be observed. There are also relaxation areas, refreshment stations, workshops and trails designed especially for the little ones.

The Flavian amphitheater, the third largest in Italy among those of Roman times (after the Colosseum and the Arena of Verona), the macellum or temple of Serapis that hints at trade with the East before the advent of Christ, the active volcano of Solfatara. In short, Pozzuoli, the easiest of out-of-town trips for those visiting Naples and the main center of the Phlegraean Fields, famous for its historic Roman-era remains, volcanic lakes and beaches that look out to Cape Miseno.

Pozzuoli is easily reached by subway (line 2) and the historic Cumana (a subway line that runs from Piazzetta Montesanto in Naples) and also conquers for its beautiful waterfront. Here children have free basketball and soccer fields, as well as play areas for toddlers, while adults have an ample supply of pubs and clubs to hang out in.