Rome with Kids

Arrivals

Getting There

Most international flights land at Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO), which sits about 30 kilometers southwest of the city center. There are nonstop flights from New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and a handful of other US cities, and the flight runs roughly nine hours. Budget carriers and some European routes land at Ciampino (CIA), which is closer to the center but smaller and more chaotic.

From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express train runs directly to Roma Termini station in 32 minutes and costs about 14 euros per person. Kids under four ride free. But if you are arriving with multiple kids, luggage, and that airplane fog in your head, I always recommend a private transfer. The cost is roughly 50 to 70 euros for a sedan or minivan, the driver meets you at arrivals with a sign, and you are at your hotel without figuring out anything. That first hour in a new country sets the tone for the whole trip, and a smooth transfer is worth every cent.

US citizens do not need a visa for Italy. Your passport gets stamped on arrival under the Schengen Agreement, and you can stay up to 90 days within a 180 day period. Make sure every passport in the family has at least six months of validity from your travel date.

Getting Around

Walking City, Metro Backup

Rome is a walking city and that is not just a cute thing people say. Most of what families want to see sits within a walkable area between the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona. The cobblestones are rough on stroller wheels, so bring a lightweight umbrella stroller or a carrier for little ones. Leave the big jogger stroller at home.

The Metro has two main lines (A and B) that cross at Termini station. Line B stops at the Colosseum and Line A hits the Spanish Steps and Vatican area. Kids under ten ride free with a paying adult. A single ticket is 1.50 euros and is good for 100 minutes of bus and tram use plus one metro ride. Buy a 48 hour or 72 hour Roma Pass if you plan to hit museums too, because it bundles transit with attraction entries.

Taxis are available but make sure the driver starts the meter. Uber works in Rome but only UberBlack, which is pricier. I tell families to use FREE NOW or IT Taxi apps for regular taxi service. Do not rent a car in Rome. The traffic is legendary for a reason, the ZTL restricted zones will get you fined before you even know what happened, and parking is a nightmare. Save the car rental for Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast.

Where to Stay

Three Neighborhoods We Recommend

Trastevere

The neighborhood that feels like a small Italian town dropped into the middle of a big city. Narrow cobblestone streets, ivy covered buildings, trattorias on every corner, and a pace that is slower than the rest of Rome. Families love it here because it feels lived in. Your kids will play in Piazza di Santa Maria while you eat. It is a 15 minute walk across the river to the historic center, or one bus ride to the Colosseum.

Centro Storico

The historic center puts you within walking distance of everything. The Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps are all here. It is the most tourist heavy area but also the most convenient. If your kids are older and you want to be able to walk everywhere without ever getting on a bus, this is your spot. The tradeoff is noise and higher hotel prices, but the convenience is hard to beat.

Monti

Monti is the quiet cool kid of Roman neighborhoods. It sits right behind the Colosseum and has a mix of vintage shops, good restaurants, and a local feel that the historic center has lost. Families who want to feel like they are living in Rome instead of touring it end up in Monti. The main piazza, Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, becomes a gathering spot every evening. It is one of my go to recommendations for families with tweens and teens.

Three Hotels We Trust

What to See

Three Places That Define Rome

1

The Colosseum and Roman Forum

There is no getting around it, this is the first thing your family needs to see. The Colosseum is nearly 2,000 years old and when your kids stand inside it and realize that 50,000 people watched gladiators fight right where they are standing, something clicks. Book a guided tour with arena floor access if it is available because seeing the underground tunnels where animals and fighters waited is what brings it to life. Your ticket includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill next door. The Forum is where Julius Caesar walked. Kids who have studied any Roman history will lose their minds. Go early morning or late afternoon to avoid the worst of the crowds and the heat. EU citizens under 18 get free entry. Budget at least three hours for the whole complex.

2

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

The Vatican Museums hold one of the most important art collections in the world and the Sistine Chapel is the grand finale at the end of the route. Michelangelo painted that ceiling while lying on scaffolding for four years. Let that sink in with your kids before you go. The museums are massive and can be overwhelming with children, so here is what I tell every family: book a skip the line guided tour that is specifically designed for families. The good ones last about two and a half hours, keep kids engaged with scavenger hunts and stories, and get you through the highlights without the museum fatigue. Do not go on Monday because they are closed. Do not go without pre booked tickets because the line wraps around the Vatican walls and you will wait two to three hours. Friday afternoons tend to be less crowded.

3

The Pantheon

The Pantheon is almost 2,000 years old and it still has the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. That fact alone is enough to make an engineer out of your ten year old. The oculus, the open hole at the top of the dome, lets in rain and sunlight and creates this effect that stops people in their tracks. When it rains, the water falls through and drains through barely visible holes in the floor. Take your kids inside and just let them look up. It is free to enter (a small reservation fee applies now), it takes about 20 minutes, and it is one of the most humbling spaces any of you will ever stand in. The piazza outside has good gelato shops and is a perfect spot to sit and decompress between sights.

Food

Three Things Your Family Has to Eat

Roman food is simple, ingredient driven, and absolutely perfect for kids. The flavors are familiar but elevated. Your pickiest eater will find something to love here, and your adventurous eaters will be in heaven. Eat where the locals eat. If the menu is only in English and there is someone standing outside trying to wave you in, keep walking.

Cacio e Pepe

Three ingredients: pasta, pecorino cheese, and black pepper. That is it. And somehow it is one of the best things you will ever eat. Every trattoria in Rome has their version. The good ones make the sauce creamy without any cream. Kids who eat mac and cheese will eat this and wonder why it tastes so much better. This is the dish that defines Roman cooking: simple, unfussy, and impossible to improve on.

Supplì

Rome’s version of a fried rice ball, stuffed with tomato risotto and a gooey center of melted mozzarella. When you pull them apart, the cheese stretches into strings, which is why Romans call them supplì al telefono. Kids are obsessed with them. You will find them at pizza al taglio shops (pizza by the slice) all over the city. They cost a couple of euros each and they are the perfect snack between sights. Get them at a place that makes them fresh.

Gelato

You are going to eat gelato every single day in Rome and you should not feel bad about it for one second. The real stuff is made fresh daily with natural ingredients and you can tell the difference immediately. Look for shops where the gelato is stored in covered metal bins instead of piled high in colorful mountains. The piled up stuff is full of stabilizers. Fatamorgana, Giolitti, and Come il Latte are consistently good. Pistachio and stracciatella are the must try flavors. Budget gelato into every afternoon walk because trying to pass a gelateria with kids and not stopping is a battle you will not win.

Family Fun

With Kids

Rome could have been designed for families. The whole city is an open air museum, the food is kid friendly, and Italians love children in a way that makes parents feel welcome instead of tolerated. Your kids will remember this trip for the rest of their lives.

Gladiator School

Yes, this is a real thing and it is as incredible as it sounds. The Gruppo Storico Romano runs a gladiator school where kids (and adults) dress up in tunics and armor, learn gladiator fighting techniques with foam swords, and get a diploma at the end. It runs about two hours and it is the single most popular activity I have ever recommended to families in Rome. Book it for the morning before you visit the Colosseum and the whole experience ties together perfectly. Ages five and up do best here.

Villa Borghese Gardens

Every family needs a park day in Rome and Villa Borghese is the one. It is an 80 hectare park on a hill above Piazza del Popolo with bike rentals, rowboats on a little lake, a puppet theater, a small zoo (Bioparco di Roma), and some of the best views of the city skyline. Rent a surrey bike and let the kids pedal around. The Borghese Gallery inside the park is one of the best art museums in Rome but requires advance tickets and is better for older kids.

Trevi Fountain Coin Toss

The Trevi Fountain is the most famous fountain in the world and your kids need to throw a coin in. The tradition says you throw the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder, and it guarantees you will return to Rome. The fountain collects about 3,000 euros in coins per day, all of which goes to charity. Go at night when the fountain is lit up and the crowds are thinner. It is stunning after dark and the kids will remember the glowing water and the sound of the coins hitting the pool. It is free, it takes ten minutes, and it is one of those small moments that becomes a big family memory.

• Pizza making class
• Catacombs tour
• Piazza Navona street performers
• Gelato tour
• Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità)
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• Appian Way bike ride

Know Before You Go

Practical Tips