Italy with kids: destinations and a recommended itinerary

Italy sounds like a destination for grown-ups (art, churches and history), but it's actually one of the most kid-friendly destinations in Europe. It has food everyone loves, gelato on every corner, and Italians who treat children like royalty.

Which cities suit families?

Not every corner of Italy works with kids, so it's worth relying on a few safe anchors. Rome works great in the right doses: the Colosseum fascinates kids just as much as the Trevi Fountain, and if you mix in a park like Villa Borghese and plenty of gelato, everyone is happy. Florence is beautiful but intense, and two days there are enough; it's worth climbing the Duomo's dome for an unforgettable experience.

After the cities, the Tuscan countryside is a little paradise: agriturismo farms with animals and a pool let everyone breathe. And if you want the sea, the Amalfi Coast and Naples offer real Neapolitan pizza, plus nearby Pompeii, which fascinates older kids most of all.

A suggested 8-day itinerary

• Days 1 to 3: Rome
• Days 4 to 5: Tuscany, with a countryside base and a day in Florence
• Days 6 to 8: the Amalfi Coast or Venice, as you prefer

Tips for families in Italy

A few things worth knowing in advance. Restaurants in Italy open for dinner only at 7:30 p.m., so a big lunch followed by an early snack bridges the gap until dinner. In summer, especially July and August, the cities are very hot, so keep the museums for the morning and the midday hours for the pool. And one last thing that saves nerves: book tickets for the Colosseum and the Uffizi in advance, because the lines on the spot are simply brutal.

Italy is only part of the picture. How many days to take, how to budget and what to pack are all gathered in our big guide to a family trip abroad, and it's worth going through before you book flights.

So, Rome or Venice?

The choice between Rome and Venice, city and countryside, six days and ten depends on your kids' ages and your pace. Diretix builds you a personalized Italian itinerary, with ranked attractions, hotels and a daily budget, in minutes. One trip a month is built in full, for free, up to 12 days.