Family trip to Procida Island with children. Ideas on where to go with your child

Procida, like most small Italian islands, can not boast of entertaining children's centers or noisy water parks. Despite this, here you can have quite a comfortable holiday with the child. A small number of tourists, beautiful streets of old cities, the monuments of architecture and art, not too noisy but clean beaches – all this is sure to appeal to both kids and older children. In a cafe here there is always a special highchair for a child, and in some stores, your kid may well be treated with a candy or entertained with some kind of a toy – the locals warmly treat children of all ages.

Take a walk with the child through the narrow streets of Sancho Catolico, the main port of the island. The cozy local houses will present to you and your child a sense of a fairy tale. Next to Sancho Catolico there is the village of Corricella. In this largely unique place, fishing continues to be the main source of income. Here the child can see the ships entering and leaving the port, fishermen repairing the nets, the work of port loaders, and many other aspects of the life of true fishermen. Very few people will find this boring and uninteresting.

However, in the city itself there is also a pair of old buildings that will surely please small history fans. It is the 17th century Madonna Della Pieta church and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, a vivid representative of the Baroque architecture. Next to the cathedral is the Martyrs' Square. It is unlikely to be fascinating to children but teens will be interested to learn about how the fighters for the freedom and independence of the island lived and died. There are several viewing platforms with a good view over Procida. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

A trip with the child to the quarter-fortress of Terra Murata will become a real adventure. Built in the Middle Ages, it was initially used to defend the island, and later became a historical monument. Inside the quarter-fortress, you can see a miniature reconstruction of life in Procida as it was many centuries ago. By itself, the path here is not too difficult, although Terra Murata is located at an altitude of almost 91 meters above sea level. The child will surely remember the long climb and the gradually opening panorama of the island. By the way, there is an observation deck next to the fortification.

Young admirers of knights and princesses will be interested to see the castle of D'Avalos. This is one of the oldest buildings on the island. Built in the 11th century, the fortress initially served to protect the island, but later turned into a prison and had functioned in this form until 1986. Now it can only be viewed from the outside, the entrance is closed. If your child loves weapons, antiquities or art objects, then take him to the St. Michael’s Abbey. The monastery, founded in the 7th century, was rebuilt in the 11th and 16th and is still a magnificent monument of architecture. Here you can see a rather rich collection of the weapons, objects of life and art of the past centuries.

However, not only the curious children, adoring history, will like Procida. Here the child has a great opportunity to study the local flora and fauna. Take your child to a hike along the territory of Procida or the neighboring volcanic uninhabited island-reserve Vivara, where you can get through a suspension bridge. The kid can try himself in snorkeling, diving or windsurfing, not mentioning swimming and sunbathing on the local sandy coast. The most secluded beach is the one that is behind the village of Corricella, and Pozzo Vecchio and Silurerza are suitable for active children who want to communicate with peers from other countries – they are almost always crowded.