Visiting one of the most fascinating cities in the world with your family? Maximize all the fun on your family vacation by doing some of our favorite kid-friendly activities.
1. Skip the Line Tour at the Colosseum
2. Early Bird Special Vatican Tour
3. Gladiator School
4. Local Food Tour or Cooking Class
5. Scavenger Hunt
6. Zoo
7. Interactive Shows about Rome
8. Parks
9. Toss Coins into the Trevi Fountain
10. Explora Children’s Museum
11. Family events
The iconic amphitheater has been thrilling visitors for 2,000 years and as Rome’s most visited attraction, the Colosseum still draws vast crowds. Reserve skip the line tours to limit your waiting time in the large queues with the little ones. Insider Tip: Alternatively, purchase tickets at Palatine Hill, a short walk from the Colosseum as it tends to be less crowded. Tickets include admission to 3 iconic attractions: Palatine Hill, Roman Forum and the Colosseum, so you won’t miss it!
Beat the crowd with special access into the Vatican museums with your own, private family-friendly guide taking you through one of the most precious art collections in the world! Appreciate every highlight on a journey through time, learning about the Ancient Romans, Greeks, religion, the masterpieces of Michelangelo, the Renaissance and so much more.
Give your kids a unique introduction to Roman history with an exciting course as they train to be a gladiator on Via Appia Antica, one of Rome’s oldest streets from ancient times. Wearing a gladiator tunic, sword in hand, kids are bound to enjoy mastering their warrior skills and learning about the life of a gladiator. Insider Tip: Via Appia Antica is also great for adults to experience many significant monuments from the ancient civilization.
Obviously, everyone will indulge in crispy Roman-style pizza and gelato from the pizzerias and gelaterias on every corner. But, for the foodie family, tour with a local as you taste phenomenal dishes of Roman cuisine. If your family loves to cook, you’ve got to participate in a cooking class with a Roman nonna (grandmother) for all the secrets and recipes of authentic Roman cuisine. Even take a gelato – making class. Come prepared to have a full stomach and laughs with Italians passionate about their heritage and treasured cookery traditions.
Tour the ruins of the ancient city in a very unique way! Discover the undeniable beauty of the Eternal City through a scavenger hunt amidst the world’s most iconic monuments. Delight in culture, art and religion with your expert guide who will share 3,000 years of history, in a nutshell, to make it enjoyable for everyone while making lifelong memories. You will be surprised how much fun your kids will have learning about history without them even realizing it!
A visit to the Bioparco presents plenty of opportunities for families to experience the excitement of seeing the most varied species of animals, learn about their special features, and discover fun facts about them in the company of the expert staff. Side note: A fun activity you can get the kids engaged in while in Rome is to encourage the kids to be on the lookout for all the animals they can find in the statues around the city.
These interactive shows are a fun way to make history very fun and interesting for all ages. “Welcome to Rome” is an engaging show with multi-projection on the theater’s walls and ceilings. Experience the illusion of flying over the city over the centuries, moving into monuments, palaces, churches and squares. Another show that had to be on our list is “Journey Through Ancient Rome”. It is a show with projections on the ruins of the Forum to display them as they were 2,000 years ago. With special audio systems with headphones, viewers will be able to listen to Piero Angela’s music, special effects, projections in the ruins as they transport you back in time. Insider Tip: The stories are in 8 languages.
Visiting the green spaces and parks in Rome is a fun way to discover what the city has to offer for relaxation and nature walks. Many parks in Rome are of historic and archeological significance while highlighting various botanic species. Villa Borghese is a favorite among families with kids to hire rowing boats on the lake, feed the ducks or rent a golf cart for a fun ride through the park. Just remember to keep the kids hydrated in the Summer heat.
Visit the most stunning fountain on the planet! No trip to Rome is complete without making a wish (or a few wishes) and throwing a coin in over the left shoulder. Point out the beautiful statues like that of the half merman, Goddess Abundance and the Goddess of Health. Be sure the kids see the two horses and even a conch shell. They will love the Trevi Fountain just as much as the adults will.
“Explora” is a kids’ dedicated museum just a short walk from Piazza del Popolo. Aimed at under-12s, it has hands-on displays, water features, and interactive exhibits. A particularly popular feature is its life-sized model of a train driver’s cabin. Booking Tip: There are also workshops where your kids can make stuff. Visits are in two-hour time slots so try to book ahead and fix an entrance time.
