Arenzano with kids: all you need to know about this pretty coastal town on the Italian Riviera

Travel guide to Arenzano, Italy to help you enjoy Arenzano with kids. Why go, family friendly things to do, best beach club for families, where to eat and where to stay.

Arenzano is a delightful, colorful and family friendly coastal town in Liguria, the beautiful region in the north of Italy famous for Cinque Terre and Portofino, gems of the stunning Italian Riviera.

Much lesser known to overseas tourism than its famous neighbors, Arenzano is popular with Italian and French tourists especially and it’s a lovely place to call home for a while if you have kids, and want a safe, laid back, pretty beach town to enjoy in summer.

I first got to know Arenzano thanks to a friend of mine who lives here and I have now been several times.

Each time, we have found it to be a wonderful place for a summer family vacation and a great antidote to the busy towns of Cinque Terre and Portofino, which are however close enough for a visit, should you wish to (they are indeed fabulous, see below for my tips!)

This is my essential travel guide to Arenzano with kids. I hope you enjoy it!

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Why visit Arenzano with kids

I recommend you visit Arenzano with family if you are looking for:

A pretty, safe coastal town with a walkable town center and easy access to a (pebbly) beach

A pleasant coastal town with a family friendly vibe close to Milan or Genoa

A base to explore Cinque Terre and Portofino (by train and ferry) while staying away from the crowds

An off the beaten path town on the Italian Riviera

Why not visit Arenzano with kids

Arenzano has a pebbly beach so it is not suited to whose looking for very soft sand. In this area, better sand is in Sestri Levante and in Levanto.

Arenzano is well connected by train to the rest of the area and is therefore ideal if you want to explore by train. It doesn’t, however, have the same connections by ferry as towns such as Rapallo.

Despite this, I find it a delightful, quiet and pretty town perfect for families with kids and i recommend it as a great place for a summer vacation in Italy.

The best things to do in Arenzano with kids

Arenzano is a beach town and comes into season in summer, when it has the most to offer.

Thing to enjoy are:

Arenzano beach – Arenzano has a lovely beach with well equipped beach clubs. The beach here is a mix of grey sand and pebbles, so it can be handy for kids to have water shoes, yet it is wide and pleasant, with ease access to water.

The beach clubs are easily accessible from the main town promenade and offer loungers, umbrellas, showers, cabins to get changed, restaurants/cafes and, in the case of Bagni Lido and Bagni Maddalena even a pool!

Address: Bagni Lido, Lungomare John Fitzgerald Kennedy 12, 16011 Arenzano GE, Italy

Address: Bagni Maddalena Lungomare Kennedy 8 16011 Arenzano GE, Italy

Arenzano Promenade – along the beach and the main road, Arenzano has a wide, shaded, flat and stroller friendly promenade.

A lovely place for a walk and well equipped with several restaurants and cafes.

Villa Negrotto Cambiaso (park) – Arenzano has a lovely park called Villa Negrotto Cambiaso, a great place for kids as there is shade, space to run and play, a brand new playground and peacocks!

The park is a historic villa, and you can still see the beautiful greenhouse and main house, so it is also pleasant for parents as a place for a stroll and a rest

Arenzano town center – Arenzano has a pretty town center, with a flat main road, shops, restaurants and the nice colorful houses that are typical of this area.

The center has a small playground that, at busy times like the height of summer, often gets extra games.

Cycling – Arenzano has a beautiful and easy cycling route that is great to do with kids. The greenway follows the coast and goes all the way to Varazze (11Km), which is itself an adorable town – this is a lovely excursions for families, with nice views!

More experienced cyclists can also enjoy mountain biking here. However, mountain biking is outside of my comfort zone so I haven’t personally done it! You can however get info at the main tourism point in Arenzano, at Lungomare Stati Uniti,1

Hiking trails: Arenzano is at the feet of beautiful mountainous areas and has some great trails for those days when you want to leave the beach and gain altitude.

Some of the trails are easy also for inexperience hikers, either are not: you can find here and overview of what exists.

Where to eat in Arenzano with kids

The average quality of food in Arenzano is very high, but we found some favorites!

Trattoria Carlito – lovely, informal and pleasant restaurant with a limited yet varied selection of dishes (fish but also pesto and more). Excellent air conditioning in summer and good value for money. Address: Via E. Ghiglini 22. 16011 Arenzano

Papu Paio, lovely fish restaurant (simple pasta al pesto available too) in a scenice location at the port. Addess: Via del Porto 11, 16011 Arenzano

Caffe’ Roma: pretty and welcoming cafe with outdoor tables on the main Arenzano promenade. Great for a drink, sandwich, focaccia or light lunch. Address: Corso Giacomo Matteotti, 116, 16011

For focaccia:

Panificio Zena, Corso Matteotti 74, 16011 Arenzano

Pan per Focaccia (also hot food and sweets), Via di Francia 20, 16011 Arenzano

Where to stay in Arenzano with kids

Residence Via di Francia has apartments with up to three bedrooms, kitchen (with dishwasher) and parking. Well located to reach the beach and all the amenities of the town center.

Grand Hotel Arenzano, lovely hotel with a pool, right in front of the beach. Suitable for families with a baby (crib available if requested at the time of booking) or families with one child.

What to do near Arenzano with kids

From Arenzano, it easy to visit:

Genova, a very short train ride away (Aquarium, Sea Museum, City center, tourist train, ancient port are with cruises etc)

Cinque Terre, by train and ferry: I recommend going to Levanto and hopping on the ferry from there for the best views.

Portofino, by taking the train to Rapallo or Santa Margherita and then ferry.

I hope you enjoyed this quick family guide to Arenzano and it helped you plan your trip!

Arenzano with kids – pin this!