Family holidays to Rome
Your family will love the sights and sounds of Rome. What makes it stand out above all cities is its overwhelming sense of history. When children see sights like The Colosseum, St Peters Square and the Trevi Fountain they will remember them forever. Mix the churches with the parks and the museums with the piazzas, making lots of stops on the way and enjoy a child friendly Roman holiday!
Family days out and attractions in Rome
The centre of Rome is really like a small town and you can easily cover the main sights in a few days gentle strolling. Don't try to see too much in a day, all that walking can be tiring for adults as well as children.
The centre of Rome is really like a small town and you can easily cover the main sights in a few days gentle strolling. Don't try to see too much in a day, all that walking can be tiring for adults as well as children.
The Trevi Fountain - You may have seen it in a movie but this gigantic fountain is quite amazing in real life! It is built into the whole length of a building in one of the smallest piazzas in Rome. The steps are always crowded but make sure you all squeeze through to throw in your coins.
The Colosseum - One of the most impressive sights of Rome both inside and out, so don’t forget to walk all the way round it. Children will love the ‘Roman soldiers’ if you want a souvenir photo!
St Peters Basilica - Big and beautiful is the best way to describe the interior of the Basilica with work by every artist from Michelangelo to Bernini. Fabulous treasures and buried Popes in the creepy Crypt make it a fascinating place for the kids. It is quite a climb, but if you can make it up to the roof there is a magnificent view over the square with all of Rome beyond
Piazza Navona - Children can run around safely in this lovely traffic free piazza with its famous fountains. This is also a good place to buy souvenirs of your stay or let the kids have a portrait drawn by a pavement artist for a really special souvenir.
Villa Borghese Gardens - One of the few green spaces in Rome for the family to relax. Hire bikes, let the kids ride on a carousel or have a pony ride, rent rowing boats on the lake, take a picnic and explore, or just sit under a tree and let the kids play.
Bioparco di Roma (Giardino Zoologico) - Children will love wandering around looking at the animals if they are bored with statues! The bears are a great attraction, watch them cavorting underwater from special viewing windows. If you need a rest, there is a picnic area, a cafeteria and a smart restaurant overlooking the giraffe enclosure.
The Forum and the Palatine - This is where it all happened in Ancient Rome but it’s rather a jumble now! It may be a bit overwhelming for the kids, so just stroll amongst the scenic ruins and don’t worry too much about which temple the columns belong. Take a picnic and let the children rest under the shady umbrella pines on the Palatine Hill amongst the palaces where those long ago emperors dined in such splendour.
Bocca della Verita - Who is brave enough to put their hand into the Mouth of Truth? What will happen if you have told a lie? Kids will be fascinated and horrified by the gaping mouth in this ancient Roman carved stone.
The Colosseum - One of the most impressive sights of Rome both inside and out, so don’t forget to walk all the way round it. Children will love the ‘Roman soldiers’ if you want a souvenir photo!
St Peters Basilica - Big and beautiful is the best way to describe the interior of the Basilica with work by every artist from Michelangelo to Bernini. Fabulous treasures and buried Popes in the creepy Crypt make it a fascinating place for the kids. It is quite a climb, but if you can make it up to the roof there is a magnificent view over the square with all of Rome beyond
Piazza Navona - Children can run around safely in this lovely traffic free piazza with its famous fountains. This is also a good place to buy souvenirs of your stay or let the kids have a portrait drawn by a pavement artist for a really special souvenir.
Villa Borghese Gardens - One of the few green spaces in Rome for the family to relax. Hire bikes, let the kids ride on a carousel or have a pony ride, rent rowing boats on the lake, take a picnic and explore, or just sit under a tree and let the kids play.
Bioparco di Roma (Giardino Zoologico) - Children will love wandering around looking at the animals if they are bored with statues! The bears are a great attraction, watch them cavorting underwater from special viewing windows. If you need a rest, there is a picnic area, a cafeteria and a smart restaurant overlooking the giraffe enclosure.
The Forum and the Palatine - This is where it all happened in Ancient Rome but it’s rather a jumble now! It may be a bit overwhelming for the kids, so just stroll amongst the scenic ruins and don’t worry too much about which temple the columns belong. Take a picnic and let the children rest under the shady umbrella pines on the Palatine Hill amongst the palaces where those long ago emperors dined in such splendour.
Bocca della Verita - Who is brave enough to put their hand into the Mouth of Truth? What will happen if you have told a lie? Kids will be fascinated and horrified by the gaping mouth in this ancient Roman carved stone.
Some ideas if you are unlucky enough to be in Rome when it rains:
Time Elevator - The whole family can take part in Roman history through panoramic screens and flight simulators. Travel from Ancient Rome and the Roman Empire, through the Renaissance to Rome today.
Explora - The Children's Museum of Rome: A wonderful child friendly museum and exploration centre where kids can touch, experiment and discover. Staff are English speaking and very helpful.
Crypt of Santa Maria della Concezione de Cappuccini - A great favourite for kids, the Crypt has thousands of skulls and skeletons of Cappuccin monks who died over 200 years ago, arranged in interesting patterns along the walls! Enough for the most ghoulish of children!
Time Elevator - The whole family can take part in Roman history through panoramic screens and flight simulators. Travel from Ancient Rome and the Roman Empire, through the Renaissance to Rome today.
Explora - The Children's Museum of Rome: A wonderful child friendly museum and exploration centre where kids can touch, experiment and discover. Staff are English speaking and very helpful.
Crypt of Santa Maria della Concezione de Cappuccini - A great favourite for kids, the Crypt has thousands of skulls and skeletons of Cappuccin monks who died over 200 years ago, arranged in interesting patterns along the walls! Enough for the most ghoulish of children!
How to get there
British Airways, Alitalia and all major airlines fly into Rome’s main Fiumicino Airport (also known as Leonardo da Vinci). Budget airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet arrive at Ciampino Airport.
Check if your hotel has an airport transfer service. Taxis from both airports are very expensive. Fiumicino Airport has an excellent and frequent train service. From Ciampino Airport take a Terravision coach directly to Stazione Termini. Tickets can be purchased during your flight, or at the airport arrivals.
Child friendly accommodation in Rome
Choose from family hotels, apartment rentals or Bed and Breakfast in Rome, depending on your requirements and price range. Child friendly Hotels will offer babysitting and childrens facilities. Apartments are often the best choice for a family holiday giving you plenty of freedom, separate rooms, space for the kids to play and laundry and cooking facilities. Look for air conditioning in the hot summer months.
Eating in Rome with the family
Rome is a treasure chest of places to eat. You can choose from a pizzeria, a trattoria, a smart restaurant, a tavola calda, or just have a sandwich in a bar. Italians love kids and wherever you eat you will be given a child friendly welcome. Try around the Pantheon and along nearby streets in every direction. If the children have had their fill of pasta and pizzas take them to McDonald’s in front of the Pantheon, it must surely be one of the most atmospheric places to eat a burger and chips! Around the Trevi Fountain small restaurants and pizzerias do a roaring trade. Piazza Navona is full of restaurants and the streets beyond have an infinite variety of places. If you cross the river to Trastevere you will be spoilt for choice, in fact why not let the kids choose! Restaurant tables spill out onto the small cobbled streets and you will find genuine Roman home cooking.
Rome is a treasure chest of places to eat. You can choose from a pizzeria, a trattoria, a smart restaurant, a tavola calda, or just have a sandwich in a bar. Italians love kids and wherever you eat you will be given a child friendly welcome. Try around the Pantheon and along nearby streets in every direction. If the children have had their fill of pasta and pizzas take them to McDonald’s in front of the Pantheon, it must surely be one of the most atmospheric places to eat a burger and chips! Around the Trevi Fountain small restaurants and pizzerias do a roaring trade. Piazza Navona is full of restaurants and the streets beyond have an infinite variety of places. If you cross the river to Trastevere you will be spoilt for choice, in fact why not let the kids choose! Restaurant tables spill out onto the small cobbled streets and you will find genuine Roman home cooking.
Rome - useful tips
- Avoid queues and book tickets in advance. www.tickitaly.com/galleries/archaeological-rome-pass.php
- Tourist information kiosks will tell you about child friendly activities
- Hang on tight to the kids when crossing roads, Italians drive very fast.
- Carry small water bottles which kids will enjoy filling at small fountains all over the city. It’s a great way to cool them down on a hot day!!
- Public loos are hard to find and children’s facilities almost non-existent.! Try museums, department stores like La Rinascente, Coin and Oviesse. McDonalds or large fast food outlets.
- In bars you must first pay at the cash desk (Cassa) then take your receipt (scontrino) to the counter and place your order. If you are sitting down the waiter will come for your order, but remember that this can almost double the price.
- Avoid queues and book tickets in advance. www.tickitaly.com/galleries/archaeological-rome-pass.php
- Tourist information kiosks will tell you about child friendly activities
- Hang on tight to the kids when crossing roads, Italians drive very fast.
- Carry small water bottles which kids will enjoy filling at small fountains all over the city. It’s a great way to cool them down on a hot day!!
- Public loos are hard to find and children’s facilities almost non-existent.! Try museums, department stores like La Rinascente, Coin and Oviesse. McDonalds or large fast food outlets.
- In bars you must first pay at the cash desk (Cassa) then take your receipt (scontrino) to the counter and place your order. If you are sitting down the waiter will come for your order, but remember that this can almost double the price.