How to Make the Most of Visiting Italy with Kids

Thinking about packing up the little ones for a little Dolce Vita? Regan Stephens, founder of Saltete (those fabulous digital guides) and The Carry On, has got you covered.

The first time I visited Italy as a parent, my oldest daughter, an only child at the time, was nearly three. It was her first time abroad, and I felt some new-parent worries about how we would fare in a new place, dining out nightly, and doing it all with a big time zone change. All anxiety vanished when we got to Rome, though, and this tranquility accompanied us on our travels exploring Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri. 

Italy is one of the most kid-friendly countries on earth. It’s embedded in the culture — they love children, and most locals are happy to see them toddling around a piazza or little ones sitting in a high chair during late night dinners. I’ve had more than one friend tell me about how restaurant servers have intervened to cradle and calm their fussy baby while they were given a few minutes to dine in peace. (Writer Jo Piazza and her husband experienced this first hand with their newborn baby while in Sicily.) As a three-going-on-30-year-old, Benny was never whisked away, but the constant kindness and patience from just about everyone (at hotels, restaurants, on buzzy beaches and in quiet churches) made it such a relaxing first trip abroad. 

Now with three girls, ages 7, 9, and 12, we’ve spent about three months in Italy over the last two years, exploring up and down the boot. We make Rome the base, taking train and road trips to Bologna, Venice, Perugia, Ascoli Piceno, and beyond. Drawing from these experiences, I’ve compiled my best tips for traveling around Italy with kids in tow. 

Make lunch your long meal

Tons of great restaurants are open for lunch, which makes for a welcome break in the middle of the day. In Rome, we loved going to places like Cesare al Pellegrino, Roscioli, and Enoteca Corsi (all in Erica’s Rome with Ciao Bella guide!) For dinner, we sometimes sat down at a restaurant, but oftentimes we sat for aperitivo on the early side — a spritz for the adults, snacks like olives, chips, and pizzettas for everyone — then grabbed street food like a sandwich from Trapizzino, or sat for quick pizzas from L’Elementare or Ai Marmi. After a long day of walking and sightseeing, my kids were often not up for waiting until Italian restaurants typically opened for dinner — usually 7 p.m.-ish — and a short dinner kept everyone happy. That said, if you prefer eating a more formal dinner, most restaurants are kid-friendly spaces. 

Take the train

My favorite way to travel around Italy is by train, especially on the high speed Le Frecce. Buy tickets in advance — the earlier you get them, the cheaper they are, and either way, they’re steeply discounted for kids. Assigned seats make it a little less chaotic to board, the onboard bathrooms are clean, and there’s a good chance that wherever you’re going, the views through the panoramic windows will be beautiful. 

Hit the beach

If it’s even remotely possible, a visit to the seaside is well worth it. While staying in Rome, we took a few day trips to Ostia, a beach town about 30 minutes by train from the city. While it lacks the glamor of Capri or Positano, there’s an authentic charm to this stretch of coast. For those who’ve ever schlepped with kids to a beach, hauling tents, chairs, and snacks like a pack mule, it’s positively blissful to head out without so much as a bag with towels and sunscreen. Rent 10€ lounge chairs and umbrellas, lunch at the cafeteria-style spot just steps from the sand, and in the late afternoon, don’t miss the 5€ Aperol spritzes. They come with small bags of peanuts and chips, because we may be on the beach but we’re not animals.

Take a road trip, eat at the gas station

Speaking of cafeteria-style lunches, if you spend any time on the road in Italy, please make time to stop at an Autogrill. The gas station chain is home to a shockingly solid fast-casual restaurant, where, just last month, I ate trofie al pesto that was better than versions I’ve had in nationally lauded fine dining restaurants. The outpost we stopped at (not far from Genova, hence the top-notch pesto) also had a full espresso bar and soft serve gelato, plus a retail section where my girls stocked up on Kinder eggs. 

Visit the pharmacy

In Rome, when my youngest daughter got sick, we used a service called Med in Action, which dispatched an English-speaking doctor (who arrived on a Vespa, obviously). He diagnosed her with strep throat and wrote a prescription for antibiotics, all in about an hour. It’s a wonderful service that also operates around Italy, and in Spain and Paris. But also, don’t discount a visit to the pharmacy. We’ve consulted with kind, English-speaking pharmacists for a whole range of ailments, including itchy bug bites, stuffy noses, headaches and the rare jellyfish sting. I also stock up on Travel Gum, my favorite over-the-counter remedy for nausea when my girls are car sick.