Rome has always been high on my bucket list. I didn’t visit the Eternal City when I traveled to Italy as a college backpacker and have regretted that decision for years. After finding a last-minute flight to Paris for our family’s summer vacation, we decided to tack on 10 days in Italy. Rome was my main priority and the final city on our Italian itinerary. We were traveling with our three kids (ages 3, 8 and 10) and purposefully avoided traveling to Italy in August when Italian families traditionally vacation. Even though it was hot and crowded during our mid-July visit, I was so glad to finally explore Rome and gain a new understanding of European history. It was also extra special to experience that same first-time wonder and excitement as my kids while exploring Rome together. This guide to planning a trip to Rome with kids covers all the essentials for a wonderful trip.
Arch of Constantine
Traveling to and from Rome With Kids
We traveled to Rome via a quick 90 minute train journey on Trenitalia from Florence. The train cost a total of €96 for our family of five. There was no charge for our three year old, but no seat was reserved for her. Upon exiting the train station in Rome, we inquired about the cost of a taxi to our nearby Airbnb but refused to be price gauged when quoted €35 and chose to take the Metro two stops instead.
Trenitalia
We booked an Easyjet flight from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to Paris Orly Airport (ORL) at the end of our time in Italy. Our five tickets and one checked bag cost €372. The taxi to FCO from the Barberini Metro stop cost the fixed price of €50. The taxi was very convenient because we did not want to schlep our kids and bags on the train and Metro. Our driver was particularly professional and gave us a mini tour of the outskirts of Rome.
FCO Airport
FCO was an easy airport to navigate, and I saved all five tickets to my Apple wallet for the first time, as we had no opportunity to print them out. The kids were ecstatic to find the Italian version of the Wimpy Kid series in the gift shop, especially after finding an Icelandic version in our Reykjavik Airbnb the previous summer.
Although it is only a two hour flight from Rome to Paris, the entire journey took about seven and a half hours door to door from the time we left our Airbnb in Rome until we reached our Airbnb in Montmartre. We pretty much lost an entire day of sightseeing and generally preferred our night train journey from Paris to Venice.
Accommodations in Rome With Kids
We wanted to be centrally located in Rome and booked five nights at the Sole Trevi Fountain Airbnb. This two-bedroom apartment was ideally located about a two-minute walk from the Barberini Metro stop and about 10 minutes from the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Stairs. The furnishings were predominately from Ikea, and the cube storage in the master bedroom was particularly useful in separating each of the kids’ clothes and keeping them easily accessible. Our host, David, was a first-rate Superhost, and we would definitely recommend his apartment, which also included a washing machine. David also let us store our bags in the apartment after check out. We felt right at home during our five nights in David’s apartment.
Living Room
Bedroom
Local Transportation in Rome With Kids
We found Rome very walkable, but the Metro was convenient when we needed to travel farther distances quickly. In our combined five days in the city, we took a total of six Metro rides. Travel cards for unlimited travel on the Metro and buses can be purchased for 1 day – €6, 3 days – €16.50 and 7 days – €24. Because we used the Metro on infrequently, we purchased single ride tickets for €1.50 each from the vending machine in the station before boarding. Children under 10 do not require tickets. Rome Metro’s driverless Line C is currently under construction to connect the city’s eastern quadrant with its northwest quadrant, and the construction zone was particularly noticeable near the Colosseum.
Metro ticket machine
We did not figure out the bus system, which probably was not the complicated maze it seemed to be, but walking just seemed much easier.
Packing for Rome With Kids
Our entire trip was 17 days and 17 nights, but we were primarily staying at homestay apartments with washing machines. We packed approximately five to six full outfits for each person, which was, as always, more than we really needed. But, I worried that the promised laundry facilities might not be functioning in each of our locations and wanted to make sure that we did not have to visit a laundromat. We also needed some bulky items like two BubbleBum booster seats. WOW air charges for each carry on larger than a personal item (e.g. backpack) and each checked bag, which cannot weigh over 44 pounds without incurring overweight fees. So, we chose to check one bag and also bring two back packs with us and packed a gym bag inside our checked suitcase, knowing that we would likely be returning with more than we brought with us.
I had read extensively that cathedrals and churches in Italy require covered knees and shoulders, so we also each packed a few pairs of pants, and I did not bring any sleeveless dresses. The rules may have been relaxed because of the heat, but the covered knees rule was not enforced at any church we visited. We probably visited two dozen churches and cathedrals, and covered shoulders were required only at the Sistine Chapel, Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin. Shawls were available for visitors to purchase or borrow at Saint Mark’s and the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin, respectively. Shorts and sundresses were appropriate outfits for the unseasonably warm weather we experienced, and I wish I brought more sundresses and a shawl and left all the pants for me and the boys at home. And, next time, we’re definitely going with a maximum of four to five outfits each.
Our luggage
With a three year old who would need to nap on the go, we decided to bring a small umbrella stroller with us. While we did need to carry the stroller up and down stairs at times (and over Venice’s bridges, in the Metro stations and at the Forum and Palatine Hill), we found that much easier than carrying our daughter, especially when she was sleeping. She typically hopped out whenever we reached stairs to make the stroller easier to manage, and my ten year old was an expert in helping when she was sleeping. We do look forward to being stroller-free soon but will miss the built-in storage and bottle holders.
I’ve never tried packing cubes, mostly because I don’t want one more thing to store and search for before a trip, but I have been intrigued by the organization of separate packing. It’s amazing how challenging it can be to choose outfits from a large suitcase. As an experiment, I rolled and packed each person’s clothes in zip lock bags and had separate bags with our pajamas and first day clothes packed into one of the backpacks. This helped with the organization of the large suitcase and provided a back up in case our suitcase was delayed at the beginning of the trip. Luckily, we had no trouble retrieving our suitcase at CDG upon arrival. However, on the way back, we made the rookie mistake of packing our pajamas and remaining clean clothes into our backpacks along with our cameras and breakables and packed all of our new clothes and shoes and toiletries into the suitcase. We also forgot to remove cash from the locked pocket before checking our suitcase. When it didn’t make the connection in Reykjavik, we worried if we’d ever see it again and realized that so many things we had packed were irreplaceable because they were simply not available in the US. Luckily, our bag arrived via FedEx Ground four days later.
Ziplock organization
We neglected to pack a supply of small soap bars and shampoo, which were typically not available in our Airbnbs. But, we were able to find these items easily in local shops. I also made an unfortunate assumption that our converter also had adapter capabilities when I brought my flat iron, which turned out to be unusable for the duration of our trip (and then delayed).
Food in Rome With Kids
A major benefit of using our feet as a main mode of transportation in Rome was that we could enjoy amazing Italian meals (and gelato) guilt free. We typically sat down for lunch and dinner every day and never made reservations in Rome. Even during peak tourist season, we never had to wait more than five minutes for a table. We learned that a trattoria is more formal than a oysteria and less formal than a ristorante. Hosts or hostesses often stand outside to encourage anyone passing by to take a look. A few times, we were put off by a hard sell and moved on.
Menus were generally posted out front. We noticed that chicken was not really available at any of the restaurants we visited, but we all tried a variety of dishes. My older son was particularly adventurous, and my younger son developed a love of margarita pizza. I particularly enjoyed several amazing meals of seafood risotto. At dinner, my husband and I regularly shared house wine and were never disappointed. We found that restaurants did not provide tap water so we always had to purchase a large bottle or two with every meal. Cut watermelon was a special dessert treat.
There were plenty of options for takeout meals, but we typically preferred a sit down meal. The only exception was Alice Pizza, a chain that sells pizza with fresh toppings and a crunchy crust by weight. One was conveniently located next to our Airbnb and opened early, so we picked up pizza on the go a few times or ate at the counter.
Our favorite restaurant was in Rome was Gioia Mia Pisciapiano, where we enjoyed dinner three of our five nights in Rome.
Gioia Mia Pisciapiano
In addition to the delicious meals, I also enjoyed my morning cappuccino at the cafe right next to our Airbnb. I had been warned that “coffee” in Italy is really espresso, which is not my preference, but the cappuccino was divine and aesthetically pleasing as well. Each morning, I ordered my cappuccino, paid €1.20, and then watched as the barista expertly prepared my cappuccino. Like all the other customers, I drank while standing up along side the counter. Like many Italian cafes, liquor was stored on higher shelves so the same space could morph into a happy hour location later in the day.
We also made sure to have gelato every afternoon. Our favorite was Il Gelato di San Crispino, which uses only natural ingredients and gained world-wide fame after being featured in The New York Times in 1996 and later by Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat Pray Love. We visited the Trevi Fountain branch twice and ordered take out after dinner on our last night in Rome to enjoy in the comfort of our apartment.
We found snacks and produce at corner shops rather outrageously price, but we did purchase some snacks and fruit at a Coop grocery in Rome not far from the Trevi Fountain. We also maintained a supply of bottled water, which we could refill at many of the cold water fountains around Rome.
Cell Service in Rome
We researched relatively inexpensive options to add voice/data to our Verizon mobiles while in Italy but ended up only using cell service on the one day we were meeting up with a friend. We had self check-in instructions in Rome and were able to contact our host after connecting to WiFi in the apartment. While WiFi was usually available at restaurants, we were able to mostly unplug during the day and use WiFi at our accommodation in the evenings.
Currency in Rome
We definitely needed to use euros at times, so it was essential to get some local currency. We traveled with about €200 in cash and then withdrew money twice from ATMs during the trip.
Language Barrier in Rome?
Most people in the Italian tourist industry speak English, and almost all menus were translated into English as well. My husband and I both learned some key Italian words and phrases, which were helpful in exchanging pleasantries but were rarely necessary. We experienced no language barriers in Rome.
Pick Pocketing Warning in Rome
We had read many reports of pick pockets active in Rome and were extremely cautious. I carried a Travelon anti-theft messenger bag and diligently kept the clasps locked. If I ever felt slightly unsafe, I would hold the edge of the bag covering the clasp. We had one run in with likely pickpocketers in the Rome train station. A well-dressed woman who spoke little English was standing at the top of an escalator and told us we had to use the elevator with the stroller. While taking a stroller on an escalator is not common in the US, it is very common in Europe, where elevators are often not available. However, elevators are preferred if easily accessible, especially when we were carrying all of our luggage. Even though I was not sure if she was a station employee, we thought this was useful information and followed her to the elevator. Unexpectedly, she and two other women jumped on with us at the last-minute and caused constant confusion obviously trying to distract us during our short ride, even telling us not to get off when we reached the Metro floor. We remained alert and careful and luckily did not fall victim to their ploy. After that experience, we were wary of anyone not in uniform offering free advice.
Planning Our 5 Day Itinerary for Rome
To help get our kids involved with planning our five nights in Rome, I borrowed some children’s books on Rome from our local library, including 13 Architects Children Should Know and 13 Buildings Children Should Know. My eight year old and I went through one and made a list of what we wanted to see, and I started doing research to determine what attractions require advance bookings. Our top 10 list included the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, the Forum/Palentine Hill, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Mouth of Truth and the Borghese Gardens. We pre-booked our tour of the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel and also ordered tickets to the Colosseum/Palentine Hill/Forum online, but the rest of the attractions did not require advance tickets or even charge admission. The only time we had to wait was at the Mouth of Truth where tourists regularly wait about 30 minutes with this marble mask in the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church.
The Mouth of Truth
We looked into the Roma Pass; however, we decided that it was not worth the cost for what we had planned. We booked our two attractions with admission directly through each website and skipped dreaded lines.
5 Day Itinerary Itinerary for Rome
Our time in Rome was near the end of our 17 day trip, and we planned to take a slower pace, sit and enjoy meals and really explore the city. We really didn’t acclimate to waking up early, but it was always late before we got into bed. Even though we weren’t in full tourist mode, we made it to everything on our top 10 list.
Our basic daily itinerary:
Day One
- Train arrives at 3:30 p.m.
- Watch the World Cup Final
- Walk to the Trevi Fountain
- Dinner
Day Two
- Metro to Colosseum
- Pick up tickets and book afternoon guided tour
- Explore Palentine Hill and the Forum
- Colosseum guided tour
- Monument to Victor Emmanuel II
- Trevi Fountain
- Walk back to Airbnb
Day Three
- Pantheon
- Santa Maria sopra Minerva
- Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola at Campus Martius
- Piazza Navona
- Spanish Steps
Day Four
- Guided Tour of Vatican
- Sistine Chapel
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- Afternoon siesta
Day Five
- Mouth of Truth
- Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin
- Walk around the periphery of Palatine Hill and the Forum
- Borghese Gardens
Day Six
- Breakfast
- Shopping
- Leave for Airport at noon
Why We Loved Rome With Kids
Visiting Rome gave us the chance to take a peek into the ancient world and also explore Vatican City, the center of the Catholic Church. Our brief visit provided a mini course on the Roman Empire and the Renaissance, and the city was easily manageable with kids. Considering a trip to Rome with kids? Make sure to check out the rest of our series on Rome with kids, coming soon!
