Italy Isn’t What We Expected (Travelling Italy with Kids)

Italy hasn’t been what we expected, and to be honest, that threw us a bit at first.

The thing is, this isn’t our first time here. Kia and I travelled through Italy back in 2012. We were in our mid-20s, no kids, just the two of us. We came down from Switzerland and made our way through Venice, Florence, and Rome. I remember Venice being hot, a bit dirty, a bit smelly. Florence was beautiful, the Tuscan region felt like everything you picture when you think of Italy, and Rome was compact and busy, but we enjoyed it.

Back then, though, it was a completely different experience. We had freedom. No real schedule beyond what we felt like doing. We could wander all day, sit in cafés, look at buildings, and just take everything in.

That kind of travel works when it’s just you.

It’s very different with kids.

You can’t just walk around all day looking at things. They need space, movement, something to do. Sitting around or being stuck indoors doesn’t work, and even driving through towns only holds their attention for so long.

The other day Emmett said, “Oh, not another town.”

That pretty much sums it up.

So coming into this part of the trip, we thought we had a rough idea of what Italy would be like. But we also thought heading south would change things. Sicily, Puglia, coastal areas, warmer weather, a bit more relaxed and more family-friendly.

That was the expectation.

Reality has been a bit different.

Coming from Austria, everything felt like a shock. Austria was clean, organised, and predictable. You knew what you were getting each day. The roads made sense, the towns were quiet, and everything just worked.

Then we landed in Sicily, and within about an hour we realised we were in a completely different world.

The car hire process should have been the first sign. With Sixt in Austria, it was simple and quick. With the local provider in Catania, Sicily, it was a bit more chaotic. More talking, more confusion, and somehow we ended up paying for extra insurance we weren’t planning on.

At the time it felt unnecessary.

About ten minutes into driving, we realised it probably wasn’t.

Driving in Sicily is chaos. Road rules feel more like suggestions. People reverse down one-way streets, pull out whenever they feel like it, and somehow it all just flows.

You either fight it or go with it.

We’re learning to go with it.

It’s not just the driving, though. It’s the whole feel of the place. Supermarket runs feel different, parking feels different, the roads are tighter, buildings are closer together, and apartments are smaller.

Everything feels a bit more packed in.

In Austria, we had space.

Here, we don’t.

And at first, that felt uncomfortable.

The beaches were probably the biggest surprise. Before we arrived, you picture perfect coastlines, clean sand, beach clubs, and crystal-clear water.

The water is definitely crystal clear.

But everything around it isn’t quite what you expect.

There’s rubbish in places, bits of plastic, debris, and in some spots heaps of small glass pebbles mixed in with the rocks.

After doing a bit of research, it makes sense. Over winter, when the weather’s rough, everything gets washed in, and they don’t really clean it up until just before peak season starts.

Right now we’re in that in-between period.

When the sun is out and there’s no wind, it perfect for swimming, but there’s still some wind and rain hanging around. Most places are shut during the week and only open on weekends, if the weather’s good.

Otherwise, it’s quiet.

Really quiet.

At times it feels like everything’s been closed for years. Run down, empty, not that lively coastal vibe you picture when you think about southern Italy.

You imagine jumping off limestone cliffs into the water every day.

And yeah… that’s not really happening. Maybe we need to buy kites.

But it hasn’t all been adjustment.

There have been some really good moments.

The other night Kia and the kids made pizza bases from scratch, and everyone made their own pizzas to share for dinner. It was simple, but honestly some of the best pizzas we’ve had since being in Italy.

That’s kind of been the theme here.

The good stuff isn’t the big moments.

It’s the small ones.

Slow mornings. Coffees. The kids drawing their dream house and talking about farms, motorbikes, animals, and space. Family runs where sometimes everyone’s into it and sometimes they’re not.

Conversations about what we’re doing, where we’re going, and what this whole trip actually looks like from here.

Our rhythm has changed too.

We’re slower.

Later mornings, less structure, and more going with how everyone feels that day instead of forcing a plan.

Some days work.

Some don’t.

And that’s just part of it.

I think the biggest thing we’ve realised is that travel doesn’t always match the picture you have in your head before you arrive.

And that’s not a bad thing.

Italy isn’t perfect.

It’s messy, chaotic, and unpredictable.

But it’s also real.

And once you stop expecting it to be something else, you start to appreciate it a lot more.

We came here thinking we knew what Italy would be like.

Turns out, we only knew one version of it.