Almost everyone embedded within the cocoon of family life would agree that travelling is a wonderful thing. Countless examples from different eras and cultures abound to testify that voyages are good for the soul and the intellect, broadening the mind and opening the heart. But while it is very much worth the effort, travelling is not always an easy business. Exploring the world with one or more children in tow carries with it a special set of problems not encountered when adults set out unencumbered. Plans and expectations of any depth or complexity to the journey must take into account the sometimes indomitable will, short legs, mood swings, fears and fancies that are the hallmark of kids wherever they may hail from.
It is easy to fall into the false dichotomy of choosing between the predictable and the fresh when planning a family excursion to a great city of the world. This is particularly true for a city such as Rome, one fraught with ancient buildings, churches, and artistic treasures that can hold an allure for only so long for a younger audience. Couples or a family of six or times that number travel to Rome every year in search of “la grande bellezza.” How then can one organize a journey where the curiosity and enthusiasm of both young and not so young travelers is satisfied? This guidebook sets out to answer this question, drawing on centuries of exploration and drawing on a love for Rome. Along with a selection of fun “sidebars” and “travelling tales,” and replete with many images, family visitors to Rome are offered three walking itineraries that capture the flavor of the city while keeping everyone engaged and, at the same time, relaxed. Bravely venturing and discovering are easier with solid, straightforward information – illustrated, and are offered precisely to provide an engaging set of activities for youngsters that accompany and add depth to the “official” itinerary. The advice that follows has been culled by thoroughly testing sites and scavenger hunts with both the neighborhood children of Nomentano – a charming and traditional Roman neighborhood – and with numerous visitors. This simple method of field testing is surely the best guarantee of the soundness of any recommendations.
Purpose and Scope of the Guide
This guide has been prepared to help families with children interact with the city of Rome during their holiday. The idea is not only to give children and young adults an awareness of the historical heritage of the city, a heritage which has influenced the contemporary character of Rome, but to give them the tools to better understand the Italian culture and way of life as well. It could be used as a tool to prepare the children before arriving in Rome or, on the other hand, as a basis to remember visited places and to summarize or integrate once more the experiences. The guide proposes a selection of the most important, most characteristic and unmissable monuments which are arranged in a clear thematic order.
The monuments have been chosen to allow children to become acquainted with the history of Rome and also, whenever possible, to visit characteristic places to discover what the living city is really like. In fact, it isn’t helpful to exclude real life from the itinerary of our young tourists. Children should come up to Italy with the intention of understanding a new culture and learning new languages, but they should still see a modern and dynamic Italy at the end. In every chapter, the explanations have been written at a basic level but, since these monuments have been teaching tools for many years, we have also added at the end some possible curiosities, variations or useful readings which could be of interest.
Planning Your Family Trip to Rome
Holidays with kids may not be very relaxing. You want to make sure your children enjoy themselves and you don’t have to constantly decide where to eat, where to find a bathroom when your little one with a weak bladder (or one who had one cup too many of gelato) urges you to find one. You want to find the landmarks that really interest them rather than just looking at churches, frescoes and ruins all day long. To ensure you don’t have to cope with software sounds in hotel rooms and Wi-fi all night long, you must select child-friendly places to sleep at. So here are some basic considerations on how to choose where to stop and where and when to go.
If you’ve been planning your trip to Rome for a while, chances are you already made arrangements and you found this family guide because you want to be ready for it. If that’s the case, skip the next “decide where to stop” section, analyze where to go and how, when, and get ready to purchase last-minute skip-the-line tickets. As from when is it worth buying skip-the-line tickets, you can select the attractions, books, try the activities, and check the calendar.
On the other hand, if you just started planning your tour of Rome, you might find our advice helpful.
Choosing Accommodation
Where you choose to stay will influence your family’s experience of Rome. Most visitors wish to be within walking distance of as many sights as possible. While this may not be quite so crucial with young children, being able to return to your hotel or apartment during the day can save a lot of time and energy. While the overall offering in Rome is a bit limited, there is an increasingly good selection of accommodation that is suitable for families.
If you have very young children, you will be using their bedtime as a guide to your bedtime. Those with older children who have a late bedtime should stay in an area with good public transport connections to their accommodation. On hot summer nights, it is common for Italian families to go out in the evening for an “after bedtime” walk. This is, of course, easier if you do not have to rely on public transportation. If you have more than one child, one option to avoid a curfew is choosing two hotel rooms.
Packing Essentials for Kids
Though no adult enjoys being pestered with a stream of “I’m bored,” children are just as happy sitting in front of a TV or video as many drivers who have just returned from a long working day or who enjoy lounging on a beach all holiday long. But these activities often require little luggage when compared to the length of the stay, and the last thing any parent needs is overweight fees, crammed suitcases, and lost items of children’s luggage. Traveling with young children requires a little more preparation and luggage.
Young children’s luggage should be very light and small enough so that the children can carry it themselves. Wheeled children’s suitcases make backpacks unnecessary. Their small size means they will not be overloaded to the point where the children can no longer lift them. Inside, a storybook, some crayons, an exercise book, and a biscuit should keep your offspring occupied for the whole journey. Under no circumstances should you buy any articles for your children to keep them happy for half an hour along the way. Small presents with big promises will merely whet the children’s appetites for more. And packing game collections for your children will only make them even more tetchy during holidays, as they will least of all want to be sitting practice for hours on end once back at home.
Top Family-Friendly Attractions in Rome
Colosseum Entertain the kids with tales of gladiators, gory reenactments, and audience participation at Rome’s most photogenic building.
La Bocca della Verità, Santa Maria in Cosmedin No gruesome sightseeing tour would be complete without some horror – real or imagined. In Rome, it is the masks of horror that are famous thanks to the marble faces with ghastly expressions outside of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
Villa Borghese and Bioparco Let the kids run amok in Rome’s green heart, Villa Borghese. As well as plenty of space to play and run, in summer there is fitness and pedal-kart rental and the Fontana dei Cavalli Marini for a refreshing cool down.
Museum Explora Brain-teasing interactive exhibits, role-playing stations, workshops, and plenty of toys make Explora a genius choice for loved-up families. Even leaving the museum is good fun with its giant mouth exit. Book ahead to skip the queues.
Museum of Zoology Dinos, bones, fish, and a whale. What’s not to like about Rome’s museum of biology? Like the other family-friendly Rome attractions mentioned in this blog, you may find the look and learn approach a little bit boring…or maybe not! Rome had the ability to prove parents wrong time and time again.
The Colosseum and Roman Forum
No visit to Rome would be complete without a trip to the great Colosseum, one of the symbols of the city. It was inaugurated in 80 A.D. by the Emperor Titus and could hold 50,000 spectators and was used for free games lasting 100 days! The first 10 rows were reserved for the Emperor who was dressed in gold; the Senators dressed in purple; the third ranked citizens in yellow; the soldiers had the marble rings while the common citizens had to sit on the wooden benches. It was built in such a way that the spectators could empty it in less than 5 minutes. The sailors of Comacchio were the first to occupy the audience’s gallery and they invented a special signal to encourage their favorite gladiators. Among the most famous gladiators attending the Colosseum are Spartacus and the Twins. The arena was built in wood and consisted of a wooden platform covered with sand. Its covering was made in such a way that it favored a continuous flow of games.
At the end of the Colosseum tour, inform your guide if you have to use or need priority tickets for the Roman Forum. At this point, you will be accompanied to the entrance. The Roman Forum still contains the remains of the most important and prestigious buildings that characterized an important part of the public and private life of the citizens of ancient Rome. Due to the abundance of buildings and monuments built in Roman times, starting from the Republican Age, it is difficult to perceive the importance of the forum as an area of extraordinary political, economic, and religious vitality. Today, as a matter of fact, the forum has been modified by the particular charm of ‘forest’ and ‘scavenger’ ruin and its history is told mainly in terms of architecture.
Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica
On whose shoulders is St. Peter’s Basilica built?
When visiting Rome with children, it can be difficult to cover everything. However, a trip to the Vatican City and the world’s most famous church, St. Peter’s Basilica, is an absolute must. As you exit the metro and make your way to St. Peter’s, you will start to see it in the distance. The closer you get, the more amazing it becomes. On a clear day, it seems as though its dome is touching the sky.
St. Peter’s Basilica was built over the tomb of the apostle St. Peter. Work on the original church began in 326 under the Emperor Constantine. Emperors Galla Placidia and Valentinian III later made changes. But by the 1400s, the original church was in a state of ruin. As a result, Pope Julius II had the church knocked down, and the new basilica was consecrated in 1626 to mark the end of a 120-year building campaign. Michelangelo designed the dome after having been inspired by the famous Pantheon. As you visit, you will notice that the basilica, which seems to be perfectly symmetrical, actually has a strange quirk. It is actually longer on one side. You’d have to be a pretty special pope to get away with moving parts of St. Peter’s.
The tour for families at St. Peter’s Basilica, with its focus on stories of families in the Bible, can be interesting for all. Upon entering St. Peter’s Basilica, ask the Swiss Guards for a multimedia guide. These guides make our top 10 list for another reason. They’re free.
Family-Friendly Dining and Food Experiences
Pizza and gelato are more than just kid-friendly menus: Rome’s best pizzerie and gelaterie are second to none. And kids will enjoy an unforgettable experience at the best local restaurants: now that’s amore! Consider involving your kids in planning and researching the food they’ll be eating before you leave – there are many fantastic books for kids about Italian food, or you can look up websites or simply head to the market to explore some of these options for yourself. What a great way to learn about a different culture!
When it comes to eating out, or if you’re fairly good chefs and have prepared an apartment meal for your family, keep in mind that Italians like to avoid the tourist hordes and dine a bit later in the evening: you may be more comfortable finding a place that serves an early (for Italy) dinner. Before traveling, ask your kids to learn a few key phrases in Italian, like “May I have the menu please?” and “Thank you!” Kids may particularly enjoy learning numbers in another language. If your small one tires before the meal is done, you may want to consider having one parent take him or her outside for a short walk, while the other parent manages the bill and decides if it’s worth leaving a tip. While it’s customary in North America, tipping is optional in Rome. If you’ve received outstanding service, however, consider it a thank you and a compliment.
Traditional Roman Dishes Kids Will Love
While pizza and spaghetti are Italian dishes, they aren’t what Romans typically eat. Roman dishes are very simple, often using just a few fresh ingredients. They often come with a lot of history. Here’s a rundown of what to order off most menus to get a traditional Roman meal.
Pizza: There is a Roman-style of pizza, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find it. Romans make pizza for dinner and it’s called pizza bianca – an unleavened bread with salt drizzled with olive oil. Forno a Campo de’ Fiori (Campo de’ Fiori, 22) makes simple pizzas.
Pasta: Cacio e Pepe is simple pasta with loads of pecorino romano cheese and lots of crushed black pepper. Normally made with tonnarelli noodles. Carbonara is pasta with eggs, lots of pecorino cheese, pork cheek (called guanciale in Italian), and lots of black pepper. Normally made with spaghetti noodles. Both dishes can be found at Trattoria Da Augusto.
Practical Tips for Navigating Rome with Kids
For such a young country, the United States goes to remarkable lengths to accommodate its youngest citizens, especially when it comes to dining out and family-friendly vacations. No one gives you a second glance if you’re grappling with a stroller or changing a diaper, and children are often welcome (no, make that appreciated) in the type of shops, restaurants, and attractions that in other countries cater almost exclusively to tourists. This “you’re-on-vacation, why-shouldn’t-you-enjoy-yourself” attitude extends to airports, long-distance trains, and national monuments, and it helps to explain why the mere thought of bringing the kids to some foreign destinations leaves parents more frazzled than relaxed.
Those of us who travel internationally with kids frequently find that the rewards of exposing them to the rest of the world far outweigh the hassles. Oddly enough, many other countries do not possess the same inherent fear of children that you sometimes encounter in the U.S. That’s particularly true in Italy, where the birthrate seems to be setting the record for postwar Europe. Waiters serve pasta at trattorias late into the night, families live together for generations and don’t think twice about taking a siesta or spending as much on their children’s clothes as on their own. In short, kids are an integral part of the society instead of an annoyance that needs to be placated.
Using Public Transportation
Trams: The electric trams are enjoyable to ride because in the center, they are often left alone to wind their way through the narrow streets of the historic center and beyond. They cover several key points in the city. They can be quite full at peak times, though. They operate from about 6:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. At times, there are infrequent late night services until about midnight. Drunks and other interesting characters are often among late night tram passengers.
Metro: The ticket system is the same for the metro trains as for buses and trams. Daily, weekly, and monthly passes can also be used for travel on the metro. The metro system is the smallest in Europe, but many nonetheless find it the fastest way to get from points “A” to “B,” especially at busy times or over long distances. In addition, air-conditioned carriages in summer, and the fact they travel underground (can be advantageous in bad weather conditions), are advantages over buses and trams. Unlike the buses, the only way to travel “free” on the metro is to use “off-peak” personal tickets, or ride when there are faults with the ticket gates. At peak times, it is especially important not to leave a ticket crumpled, even if it opens the gate at the station. Random checks are made on the platforms and trains. Reduced ticket fines are fairly common in this situation. Sixty stations are open between 6 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. A somewhat limited service operates until about 2 a.m. At times, service is extended for some “event” days.