How to walk with children in Rome and not be killed? No way, because Rome is a city not very adapted for small travelers. But a good preparation can save your vacation and save your nerves.
Let's start with the little rules:
- In the summer it is very hot, so do not plan anything for children from 12 to 16 hours, spend this time in the park, in the museum or just go to sleep.
- If you suddenly find yourself on the street - sun cream is required. And do not save, the city sun is worse than the sea.
- You can drink water from street fountains to everyone, children too.
- Usually Italians are very loyal to children, they will warm you up a bottle everywhere for free and put them on the toilet, and even give you a slice of white pizza (pizza bianca) to scratch your teeth (by the way, don’t refuse, it’s tasty and healthy), but with changing tables and chairs in the restaurant is sometimes just a disaster.
- In restaurants, the children's menu usually consists of french fries and breaded cutlets, but you can always ask for pasta in bianco, or pasta al pomodoro or just mozzarella (rarely, which child will refuse). There are no soups, no mashed potatoes, but you can bring any food with you, by the way you can buy baby jars at any pharmacy too.
- In Rome there is practically no shady playgrounds with swings and slides, sad but true. Therefore, the smallest parents have to entertain, and toy shops will certainly help them in this.
Toy shops
Al Sogno Store
You can find almost anything in the Al Sogno store at 53 Piazza Navona. This is a small historical store where you can stick for a long time to the sail. Yes, and you yourself, most likely, it will be very interesting to look at unusual handmade toys.
Papa Carlo's Shop
Who doesn’t know Pinocchio? Not far from the Pantheon at Via dei Pastini 96, there is a children's wooden toy store, of course, called the “Papa Carlo Shop”. Here you can pamper the kids with a toy "new thing" and take a picture of the whole family with Pinocchio himself, as well as buy cute wooden handmade toys.
A little big town
A Little Big Town is a modest analogue of the modern toy store on Via Cesare Battisti, 120 (Piazza Venezia), but nevertheless one of the largest in the center of Rome.
Entertainment
Time elevator
A small attraction in the center of Rome. Time Elevator - a real "time machine" on which your children can go on a virtual journey into the past of Rome. To maximize immersion in a virtual journey, the creators of Time Elevator used all the technical achievements available today - a lot of bright special effects, stereoscopic images and surround sound. Multi-sensory special effects even allow you to physically interact with legendary historical characters.
- Official site: www.time-elevator.it
- Ticket price: adult - 12 euros, children - 9 euros.
Children's Museum Explora
This non-profit museum is a whole gaming town, created for educational purposes. It is located at Via Flaminia 82, not far from Villa Borghese Park. At the Explora Museum, children will be able to have plenty of fun, experiment with various techniques, while getting to know the laws of physics, the basics of economics, sociology and other sciences.
For children from 2.5 to 8 years, tickets should be booked online. And all proceeds go to charity.
Villa Borghese - Pincho Park
The Borghese park has attractions for the little ones. Here you can rent a bicycle, rollers and even a boat, where you can ride a picturesque pond surrounded by snow-white swans. Here you can visit the Puppet Theater San Carlino, a miniature cinema for the smallest - Cinema Dei Piccoli (it is considered the smallest in the world), and ride a children's train.
Leornardo Museum
Pallazo della Cancelleria (next to Campo dei Fiori) has a wonderful museum dedicated to the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. Different models of flying units, mills, military equipment are presented. Something can be touched and “put into action”. For "not very small" children (years 7-8) - a great place.
- Official site: www.mostradileonardo.com
- Ticket price: adult - 9 euros, from 13 to 18 years old - 7 euros, from 5 to 12 years old - 6 euros.
The second Leonardo Museum in Rome is located next to the Piazza del Popolo - it is also interesting for children and adults.
Amusement park
In the Luna Park of Rome (LunEur) for children there is entertainment for every taste. In addition to the "classics" - the Ferris wheel, the "cave of fear", a roller coaster - here you will find about 130 more various attractions.
- The Roman amusement park at Via delle Tre Fontane 100 is located.
- How to get there: metro station Eur Magliana on line B, located five hundred meters from the entrance to the park, buses No. 31, 671, 707, 714, 765, 767, 780, 787
- Days and hours of work: daily, from 10.00 to 20.00, except for closed days indicated on the official website www.luneurpark.it
Cat shelter
The cat shelter on Largo Torre Argentina is home to 150 seals living among the oldest temples in Rome (400-300 BC). Every day, volunteers feed, clean and monitor animals. Open every day from noon to 5 p.m. Visitors can look at cats and even cuddle them.
Amusement park RAINBOW Magic Land
Entertainment in the Roman amusement park will be enough for you and your whole family “headlong”, even if the family is very large. But if for some reason you didn’t get to the amusement park during the trip, all is not lost.
Just 30 km from Rome, on the way to Naples, you can drop by the new amusement park - RAINBOW Magic Land in Valmonton. This complex is also very large-scale - its area is 600 thousand square meters. meters. Here, both large and small guests are guaranteed a full range of impressions for every taste.
- Days and hours of work: from 10.00 to 18.00, in the summer until 22.00, check the current schedule on the official website of magicland.it/ru
- How to get there: from Termini Station by train for 3 euros to Valmontone Station, and from there a free shuttle to the park. Usually in the morning the shuttles from Valmontone depart at 09:30, 10:10, 11:10, and go back at 16:20, 17:20, 18:20.
Also, directly from the hotel you can order a Mercedes transfer from Sergio to a convenient time for you, the cost of a one-way trip is 110 euros.
Amusement park Cinecittà World
Cinecittà World, or as it is called in the Russian style - the World of Cinechitta - the first film park in Italy. It is located in the environs of Rome at Via Castel Romano, 200. Here, young and old guests are invited to plunge into the fascinating world of cinema, because the park itself was opened on the territory of the former film studio with a three-time Academy Award winner.
- Days and hours of work: daily, from 11:00 to 19:00, from June 11 - to 23:00
- How to get there quickly: From the center of Rome, from the Viale Luigi Einaudi bus stop located near Termini Station, a shuttle bus with the Cinecitta World bus service is organized to the park. The cost of a ticket when buying on the park's website is 10 euros, or 12 euros directly on board.
- Official site: www.cinecittaworld.it
Lo Stadio di Domiziano - Museum of the Gladiators
The Domitian Stadium (Lo Stadio di Domiziano) is an archaeological site under Navona Square that will drive the boys, big and small, crazy. After all, it is there that you can learn all about gladiators and see the real uniforms in the dungeon. On the two floors of the museum you can see not only the weapons of the Roman army, but also their enemies, reconstructed in detail using ancient casting and embossing methods. On the lower underground floor, visitors can touch the authentic, well-preserved columns of the Domitian Stadium with their own hands, visit the prison cell where the gladiators were kept, and take pictures in their armor.
- Gladiator Museum is located at: Piazza Navona, 90
- Days and hours of operation: daily, from 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.
- Children under 12 years old admission is free.
Acquapark hydromania
On a sunny day you can go to the water park. Huge slides and a pool are great fun for children and adults. Open from May 31 to September, and you can get there by a regular city bus 906 from the Cornelia metro (Cornelia, line A).
- Official site: www.hydromania.it
- Working hours: from 09:30 to 18:30
- Ticket price: adult - 24 euros, children - 19 euros
Roman zoo
The Roman Zoo, aka Biopark, is located in Villa Borghese. Clean and well maintained with a huge terrarium, it will delight both children and adults. It’s better not to visit it on weekends and have a picnic at free tables overlooking funny monkeys.
- Official site: www.bioparco.it
- Address: Viale del Giardino Zoologico, 1
- Working hours: from 09:30 to 18:30
Restaurants
L'uliveto
L'Uliveto is an elegant restaurant in the prestigious Hotel Rome Cavalieri, parents can enjoy a lunch or brunch in an English style with a Mediterranean slant, while children will play in separate rooms under the supervision of professional animators. The restaurant is also suitable for the youngest guests, it has special rooms for feeding and changing tables.
- Address: Via Alberto Cadlolo, 101
- Phone for reservations: +39 06 3509 2145
Enoteca ferrara
In the heart of the picturesque area of Trastevere is the enoteca Ferrara, where on Sundays you can leave the child in the safe hands of the educators Federica and Karen, who not only organize a children's lunch, but also tell tales in Italian and English, learn how to make cookies and draw a dinosaur. Parents at this time will be able to appreciate the impressive wine list of this institution and taste typical Roman seasonal dishes.
- Address: Piazza Trilussa, 41.
- Phone: +39 06 58333920
- Official site: www.enotecaferrara.it
Rossopomodoro
The Neapolitan pizzeria Rossopomodoro is located in the city center, 2 minutes from the Pantheon. Children's chairs, large tables, child friendly policies - this is worth a lot in the center of Rome. And the most interesting is the pizza master classes for the smallest every Sunday from 10 to 12.
- Address: Largo di Torre Argentina 1
Rec23 Restaurant Emporio Club
Saturday and Sunday at Rec23 Restaurant Emporio Club is a family day, which means a great brunch with homemade lasagna, mozzarella, cakes and a separate table for children, where they can play and draw under the supervision of a baby shower.
- Address: Piazza dell'Emporio, 1-2
- Official site: www.rec23.com
Excursions and master classes
When booking excursions, check with the guides if we are passing a route for a stroller. For example, the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican can only be climbed with a backpack or sling. And in the city center or Trastevere, the guide will prepare the route in advance, avoiding high stairs and impassable lanes.
A professional guide with experience working with children will always be interested in and will try to adapt the excursion program to the age of the child.
Children's individual excursions from ITALY FOR ME are presented in a special section. If your child is interested in history, then I advise you to plan and book a visit:
- Informative excursion hunting for animals in the center of the Eternal City - in this original excursion for families, the goal will be not only a visit to the main sights of Rome, but also an exciting pursuit of Adventures! Ideal for children 4-14 years old.
- School of gladiators - both adults and children can take part in the training. You will change into the clothes of the era of Imperial Rome, go through the hardening of a real fighter and learn how to wield a real gladiator's sword.
- The course of the master of murals and mosaics - you and your child will learn how to create mosaics and murals, comprehend all the secrets of the best masters of mankind, among them Michelangelo Buanarroti and Leonardo da Vinci, choose the layout you’ll work on in order to take home more than a simple Chinese magnet, which any tourist acquires - no, you will have something unique, priceless, created according to the recipes of Roman artists, according to their sketches, but with your own hands!
- Excursion to the Museum of Airplanes - a family trip to Lake Bracciano from Rome to Odescalchi Castle andMuseum of Aviation - the largest in Italy, located on the territory of a modern military base. Four huge hangars present real aircraft of various eras: the dawn of aircraft construction, the period between 2 world wars, the 2nd world and modern technology. You will see the first models of aircraft with bicycle wheels and engines in the most unexpected places; airship model; "insides" of aircraft; Enigma coding machine, to which the Germans transmitted their encrypted messages, and much more! In a special store, if you wish, you can buy branded clothing of Italian Aeronautics, model airplanes.
- Caesar and August night forum - from April 21 to November 11, special interactive night group excursions organized by the Italian Ministry of Culture are held on the Caesar and August forums. Read more in the article WHAT TO DO IN ROME EVENING.
- Quests are an exciting adventure for the whole family.
- Chocolate Rome - a world of sweets, biscuits, cheese and coffee. The aftertaste from such a trip will remain with your family forever.
- Excursion to the Colosseum - come to Rome and not see the Colosseum? Impossible! This huge amphitheater today is a symbol of Rome and the first of seven "new wonders of the world." Hundreds of books, articles have been written about this monument, dozens of documentaries and feature films have been shot.
- Horseback riding tour on the Appian Way - Calm animals specially trained for such travels will make an excursion along the ancient Appian Way unhurried and bring a certain harmony. If you decide to make a trip with the children, then the guide on which the child sits, who have never made such trips before, will be guided by the guide. Children will get no less pleasure from such a walk than adults.
Apartments and hotels
Since public transport in Rome can hardly be called comfortable for children, I advise you to settle as close to the historical center as possible so that everything interesting is within walking distance. Be sure to read the article WHERE THE CENTER OF ROME.
Of course, coming to Rome with a child, renting an apartment is much more convenient and profitable, but be sure to check with the owners the following points:
- Are there any problems with hot water in the apartment? Often there is such a problem.
- Whether there are stairs or open balconies in the house - in the center of the city this is a romance for adults, and for children a source of danger.
- Be sure to discuss the hours of arrival and departure, because often in the apartment you can’t leave your luggage, and running around the city with a child and suitcases is so-so fun.
The choice of apartments in Rome is quite large, read the review.
With good hotels, everything is much more complicated, in the center the cost of a 3-4 local family room starts from 150-200 euros per day. I advise you to look at the options:
- Hotel Piazza Venezia - right on Venice Square. Colosseum, Forums and other major attractions within walking distance. 4-bed room with breakfast costs 280 euros / day.
- Kolbe Hotel Rome - a hotel near the Roman Forum, there is a Russian-speaking girl at the reception. Good breakfasts. If your children are interested in history, you want comfort in the center of the ancient city and budget allows, then book this option.
- NH Collection Roma Vittorio Veneto is a 4-star hotel right in front of Borghese Park, close to the Borghese Zoo and Gallery. One of the most modern hotels in Rome. Junior suite with a window and a terrace with an extra bed for 2 adults and 1 child costs here from 320 euros / day.
- Exe Della Torre Argentina - next to the kitty shelter, 5 minutes walk to the Pantheon. There are 3 and 4 bed rooms.
- Hotel Tiziano is a great 4 star hotel also close to Torre Argentina. Family rooms for 4 people, varied breakfasts, friendly staff.
- Trilussa Palace Hotel Congress & Spa - Located a 10-minute walk from the gastronomic zone of Trastevere, Piazza Venezia is quickly accessible by 8 trams. Family room from 215 euros / day
- Residenza San Calisto is a 3-star guest house located in the heart of Trastevere near Santa Maria in Trastevere. Decent breakfast by Italian standards - fruits, vegetables, pastries, fried eggs, cereals, juices, prosciutto, cheese, portioned yogurt. Within a radius of 200 meters from the hotel are dozens of restaurants for any wallet.
- Hotel Fortyseven is a luxury hotel close to the Marcellus Theater, Lips of Truth and the Capitol. Ideal for a family of 2-3 people.
