Travel Tips: Visiting Italy As A Family

Italy is a destination that draws millions of visitors every year, and for good reason. With its stunning landscapes, unforgettable food, warm culture, and so much more, it makes a great place to visit for any type of travel, but especially family travel. There is something for everyone in Italy, and simply walking down in Italy with a gelato in hand, you’ll experience history, culture, gorgeous surroundings and plenty to explore.

When visiting Italy as a family, including young children, a bit of tailoring for the holiday can make all the difference in your trip. Here are our top tips for ensuring you have the perfect family holiday.

• Book your trip for during off-season. This way, you’ll also have fewer crowds, lower costs, and more comfortable temperatures.
• As much as you may want to, don’t jam pack in all the museums and historic sites into your visit. If you prioritise what you want to see your kids will end up being much happier on the trip, and in turn, so will you! Talk as a family about what you would like to see on your trip and include something for everyone. Always check ahead or ask when you arrive for kid tours or activities so that they are engaged and you can absorb all that you’d like there as well.
• Since Italy has such a rich history, plan fun ways for your kids to ‘experience’ it. If they learn by doing, for example, check out craft fairs, the workshop of an artisan, and interactive museums. When history becomes more ‘real’ and the more their imagination can run, the better they’ll learn than they would just from reading out of a textbook.
• Schedule in some down time and visit some of the natural beauty of Italy. Head to a beach, visit a local farm for lunch, spend some time in the countryside or at a lake.
• Mix up how you explore and get around cities. Taking a train to then walk all over a city, repeat, and repeat can get a bit tiring for kids. So perhaps consider booking a bike tour or boat tour so you can explore in different ways all together.
• For accommodation, get creative! For example, in Sicily finding a luxury villa is very easy, especially thanks to websites like Wishsicily that display a lot of options. There are many locally owned villas on the island perfect for families to enjoy space and privacy, and it often times ends up actually being more affordable than multiple rooms elsewhere.
• Always carry coins with you – it’s often difficult to find public restrooms, so the easiest thing to do is pop into a local bar, get a coffee or gelato, and go there.
• Visit local markets so you can sample local foods and get more of a full regional experience!

Best places to visit as a family 

Sicily

With the sea, active volcano, countryside and more, the island of Sicily offers endless activities and beautiful places to relax and get into the holiday mode.

Tuscany

There is something for everyone in Tuscany. Parents can enjoy a glass of wine in a beautiful setting, and kids can run around and have fun in the open green spaces.

Rome

Rome is a must-see in Italy as the city is basically an outdoor museum. Your kids will certainly learn about it in school and it is unforgettable to experience the city in real life. It’s easy to see why it’s one of the best cities in Italy to visit. Visit Vatican City, Trevi Fountain and The Colosseum and soak up the culture.

Dolomites

If your family enjoys being in the mountains, the Dolomites are a must-visit! This mountain range in the north of Italy is gorgeous all year round.

Traveling as a family is such a unique way to bond, and you’ll create memories that you will all carry with you forever.

This post was written in collaboration with Emily Jones