Ideaas for Rome with kidlets

[TraceyK90]

We have about 10 days in Rome in late November. Any suggestions on things to do with kids, they will be mr8, mr7 and miss5 (who knows everything). They are happy to visit museums and the like but also love being outside. Use to walking and love to explore public transport when travelling.

 

[Katie]

We went to Rome when Little Miss was 18mths old (2008). There's a lovely park near the Rome Zoo; great for playing/wandering. We thought the Zoo wasn't very special, though. I now can't remember much more, and my little one was much younger than yours are. They will probably enjoy the Coliseum (Gladiators!).
Buses are the better public transport in Rome; the two train lines are limited in where they'll get you to.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

We have about 10 days in Rome in late November. Any suggestions on things to do with kids, they will be mr8, mr7 and miss5 (who knows everything). They are happy to visit museums and the like but also love being outside. Use to walking and love to explore public transport when travelling.

While my 3 daughters are now 16-20, we have always travelled with them, and have not let having kids deter us from going on trips. ie Daughter No1 spent her second birthday at Disneyland...and in exploring California in an RV.

But having kids changed HOW we travelled....and what type of accommodation we used.

We mainly use apartments as the kids can relax more, chill out and/or play when they need in "their" time, and you have a kitchen/ette so that they can more easily have snack/ drinks so that you are not always having to eat out and particularly at breakfast time. This also saves a fair bit. But YES still eat out as it is a major part of the fun of travel. It is just that having the freedom to not eat out all the time when say a child may be tired can be a blessing.

With kids it is even more important to be close to what you mainly want to see.
* This allows you to pop back to your accommodation so that the kids can chill out
* Minimises transit times: which kids are less tolerant of

In Rome:

We stayed in the Monti area. Located just north of the Colosseum it meant that we :
* could easily walk to many of the main attractions
* were close to Cavour and Colosseo Metro staions and so was easy to get to slightly further afield locations like the Vatican
* while there were many "tourist" restaurants/cafes nearby overlooking the Colosseum, a short walk down many of the lanes had you dining with the locals in authentic restaurants with better food at lower prices.

Things to do:
TIP: with young kids always break it up and allow time for them to chill out....to use a playground if you can find one....to run around...to play a game..

* Italy is full of gelataria's. Make like a local and after dinner (whether in your apartment, or at a restaurant) go for a walk as a family, find a gelataria and then eat your iceream as you continue your stroll.

* what do your kids like? Choose locations to visit and tours that may like.

* catacombs....and the churches where the monks have their bones on display
* Colosseum....do the dungeons tour

* tours...if you do any tours...select from smaller group tours. Big groups are a nightmare with young kids IMO.

There are some great bicycle tours in Rome (as there are in many cities now), but 5 years is just a bit too young as you are riding on busy roads in Rome. But in another several years this will becomes a great thing to do as a family when visiting foreign cities.


10 days just in Rome? Is it just 10 days in Italy? If yes, consider seeing another town or two.

* Everyone is different. For my family we found that about 4 nights or so was a good rotation. Longer and the kids tend to get bored with the location, and shorter there can be more hassles with kids in moving, packing/unpacking etc.
* inter-city train travel is very easy in Italy and so with 10 days I would suggest visitiing another location or two. Florence or say the Cinque Terre.


PS: For anywhere when travelling with kids

Make sure that have the means to chill-out. Toys, books, music, ipads....and for the younger kids that they will also expect that mum/dad will want to play with them. Older kids will like their own "space".
A 5 year will not think about what should be packed entertainment wise. so you need to. Also keep back a few surprises to be used later in the trip.

 

[here2go]

Throw them to the Lions in the Coliseum? Hang on, wrong millenium

 

[here2go]

Seriously though, look for an indoor play gym is my advice if the ones in Helsinki and Luxembourg are anything to by. They are a good place for the kids to let off steam, while you gape in wonderment at how pathetic they seem to be in Australia.

 

[codash1099]

We went to Rome when Little Miss was 18mths old (2008). There's a lovely park near the Rome Zoo; great for playing/wandering. We thought the Zoo wasn't very special, though. I now can't remember much more, and my little one was much younger than yours are. They will probably enjoy the Coliseum (Gladiators!).
Buses are the better public transport in Rome; the two train lines are limited in where they'll get you to.

Buses, especially to the popular spots, get pretty crowded and can be difficult to handle even for adults. Consider Hop On/hop off buses, at least for part of the stay. And lots of places are best accessible by walking, so take a stroller or two.

 

[TraceyK90]

lovestravellingoz, thank you we loved your response, we agree totally with apartments. Nice hotels are great but if you have to hide in the bathroom to have a glass of well deserved wine after sending the kids to bed, its no fun! The kitchen is a godsend. Its great to beable to bring a box of weet-bix and some vegemite to beable to make your own breakfasts. Around the Colosseum is where we are looking at, there is one place where you can see it from your window, now thats cool. I am happy to hear you found it a good location.

It does change the way you travel but they get so much out of it, someone once told me well they might not have the memories but as parents i will. However they do remember so much, sometimes stange stuff.

The hop on hop off bus is a definite, they are a fantastic way to start the trip and just the idea of double decker buses is enough for our kids.

 

[here2go]

It does change the way you travel but they get so much out of it, someone once told me well they might not have the memories but as parents i will. However they do remember so much, sometimes strange stuff.

I can vouch for the strange stuff. After visiting the Arctic Museum in Rovaniemi (the city that claims to be Santa's home) Master Here2go (then aged 3ys 10months) was appalled at the exhibit explaining the scorched earth policy used by the Germans in 1944 as they escaped from northern Finland into Norway. In his mind, THE GERMANS BOMBED SANTA! Five months later, he is still appalled and is refusing all attempts by Mrs Here2go and I to teach him German. We've had to counsel him about this, and have pointed out that the next skiing trip is to a country that bombed Darwin pretty hard in the 1940s. Nothing like travel to help young people confront prejudice head on.

 

[Vim Fuego]

Looks like we are going to do a very quick trip to Rome in October, fly in Monday AM and back Tuesday night from Gatwick via easy jet. Unfortunately we have a wedding in England to attend so can only spare that much time.

Any thought on transport to and from the airport, we did it 96 by train but this time its with 7 and 12 year old kids as well. Looks like we'll stay in the Monti area so is a shuttle/transfer to and from worth the extra money just to save hassle of train/bus rides and maximise Rome time? Shuttle is about 40 euro each way

 

[codash1099]

Looks like we are going to do a very quick trip to Rome in October, fly in Monday AM and back Tuesday night from Gatwick via easy jet. Unfortunately we have a wedding in England to attend so can only spare that much time.

Any thought on transport to and from the airport, we did it 96 by train but this time its with 7 and 12 year old kids as well. Looks like we'll stay in the Monti area so is a shuttle/transfer to and from worth the extra money just to save hassle of train/bus rides and maximise Rome time? Shuttle is about 40 euro each way

At 40 euro (I assume that's for the lot of you) I'd look at taxi instead. Airport taxis are fixed price. A few weeks ago, if memory is correct, the sign on the cabs said 48 euro to or from. The only reason to take a shuttle is if you have a lot of bags.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Take the kids exploring through the parks around Villa Borghese! There are swings, you can get family bikes and can even row across the duck pond.

I wouldn't stay anywhere near tourist traps like the colosseum. The northern parts near Piazza Spagna and the Via Veneto and around Villa Borghese are much more hospitable. I tend to walk everywhere in Roma from there, or the metro is close by.

 

[CMak]

When we travelled with our children they were given a city to 'research' and create a 'tour'.
Our 8 year old (at the time) was given Rome.
Her tour was delightful - we had to find all of the the obelisks in Rome - I think that we found about 8.
We walked to all of the sites and in so doing discovered different part of Rome along with most of the tourist sites.
The whole family really enjoyed doing something different as it was a bit like a treasure hunt.
Not sure where she came with the idea but she was very well read for child.