Rome is without a doubt one of the world’s most exciting holiday destinations, but it can seem rather hectic and confusing when traveling with young kids. But don’t get discouraged as Rome has plenty of family friendly attractions to offer to keep you and your whole family entertained. It is however important, that you book a child-friendly hotel prior your visit. You will be able to filter and check reviews of different hotels in Rome written by families on pages like this one. With this in mind, keep on reading for a quick guide to some great things to do in the Eternal City with young kids.
1. Visit Explora Children’s Museum
This interactive children’s museum boasts a vast number of didactic exhibits including a miniature supermarket, television studio, and a kitchen where kids can play and pretend to be adults. There is also a fantastic supervised soft play station which is ideal for toddlers and even babies. This is almost certainly one of the best places to visit when traveling to Rome with young children.
2. Watch I Burattini del Gianicolo Puppet Show
This delightful puppet show takes place on the Janiculum Hill and is sure to capture your children’s imagination. Although in Italian, the slapstick comedy transcends traditional language barriers making this a great option for the very young. If you stick around until midday you will also have the opportunity to enjoy Gianicolo’s celebrated cannon shooting.
3. Enjoy Rome’s Piazzas and Parks
The Eternal City boasts an excellent selection of child-friendly parks which teem with nature and make for a great play and picnic location in the warmer months. Rome’s many charismatic and renowned piazzas are also well worth a visit, where you and your family will be able to admire breathtaking fountains and enjoy a tasty gelato in a safe pedestrian environment.
4. Explore Villa Borghese’s Biopark
Rome’s wonderful bio park is located within the beautiful Villa Borghese Gardens. The Bioparco is home to an impressive array of colourful and cute animal species that are sure to keep your children entertained for hours. Popular animal attractions include the lions, leopards, elephants and giraffes as well as a wonderful selection of exotic amphibians, reptiles and birds.
5. Visit Largo di Torre Argentina’s Cat Sanctuary
If your children love animals then a visit to the city’s celebrated Cat Sanctuary is a must-see. The sanctuary is situated amidst ancient Roman ruins and is home to a large number of friendly and vaccinated cats. Your children will even have the opportunity to adopt, from a distance, one of their new feline friends in order to help support this charitable organisation.
By taking these fun, educational and interactive activities into consideration, you will be well on the way to enjoying a fabulous family vacation in Rome. Just remember to research and plan everything beforehand in order to really make the most of your time away.
A special thanks to my good friend Katrina who lives in Rome and put this together for me!
As you may have read I am planning a trip to Rome for my son’s second birthday and I want to make it very fun for him. This means stroller friendly, kid-friendly places and activities. Sometimes if you’re not from a big city like Rome this can be very difficult to plan. I second the fact that you ALWAYS need to double check open times and dates when going ANYWHRE in Rome since often places close for lunch or on Sundays and Mondays.
This week I’ll be featuring some of my favorite Roman parents (aka friends from the “Eternal City”) and since I will be visiting the places on this list keep your eye out for the series, where I’ll let you know how it went!
Have you ever been to Rome with young kids? Anything to add to this list? I’d love to hear it!
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