Today’s post is my final set of photos to share from our trip to Italy! If you’re just tuning in, I’ve written about where we stayed, our day trip to Positano, our day trip to Capri, and all the toddler travel gear we packed to make the trip as seamless as possible. It’s been fun to hear how many of you are contemplating similar trips for next summer so I hope these posts are helpful as you start the planning process!
KID-FRIENDLY POOLS IN ISCHIA
On our last full day, we took the ferry from Sorrento to Ischia. We were hoping to do another boat day after the success of our boat day in Capri, but unfortunately most companies were either fully booked or wildly expensive (definitely learn from our mistake and book well before your trip!). We decided the next best thing would be to find a beach club in Ischia where we could spend the day in and out of the water and while we were doing a little research, I stumbled upon a place called Parco Terme Castiglione where you can swim in different pools with water from the island’s famous thermal springs. We wound up spending most of our time in the saltwater Perene pool since that’s safest for little ones and during pregnancy, but my parents and siblings sampled some of the heated pools on the property and said they were amazing! There were a ton of kids in the saltwater pool area, but I imagine you could have a more peaceful experience alternating between cold plunges and thermal pools in other areas of the resort. One thing I didn’t realize ahead of time is everyone is required to wear swim caps that you can purchase from the snack bar — I wasn’t sure the boys were going to be on board, but honestly once they realized everyone around them was wearing them too, it was a non-issue!
We had lunch down by the sea at O Guarracino within Parco Terme Castiglione before making our way back to the port in time for the ferry back to Sorrento. I wouldn’t say we did a comprehensive exploration of the island but it was a nice way to spend the day cooling off with the kids before a long travel day the following day! If you have favorite spots in Ischia, I’d love to hear them in the comments in case we’re able to make it back on a future trip or if anyone else reading is looking for more recommendations on the island!