Fun activities for your Italy family holiday

Italy is a wonderful choice for a family holiday thanks to the wealth of child-friendly attractions and events, as well as cultural gems that adults will enjoy too.

Popular destinations for an Italy family holiday include Rome, Florence and the beaches and coastal resorts in the south. If you are enjoying a family holiday in Italy, or planning a summer vacation, we recommend pre-arranging some family-friendly day trips to keep boredom at bay. There are plenty of options available in the main tourist cities. Here are some suggestions.

Rome

The Eternal City of Rome is home to a wealth of child-friendly attractions. We love the Gladiator School for younger children, where they can dress as a Gladiator and learn battle techniques in a fun and safe atmosphere. There is also a Zoological Park near the Borghese Gallery, where children can learn about conservation and see big cats, elephants and reptiles.

If you’re travelling with older children or teenagers, consider and evening ghost walk, where you can learn the secrets of Rome’s dark side or consider our official Angel & Demons tour – the perfect option for fans of the Dan Brown novels. Or, to enjoy some time together as a family, what about a cooking class?

Florence

Florence is known as the Pearl of the Renaissance and is an excellent choice for an Italy family holiday if you have an interest in art.

Most children and teenagers will enjoy a visit to the Accademia Gallery, which is where Michelangelo’s original statue of The David is housed – it’s sheer enormity is enough to impress anyone!

We also highly recommend taking a day trip to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower, but note that children under 8 are not permitted inside the Tower and those aged under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. There are pre-arranged day trips to Pisa from Florence available, which include a guided tour of Piazza dei Miracoli, but if you would prefer to make your own way, simply take the train from Florence SMN train station to Pisa Centrale – you can then either walk over the Arno River from the station to the Leaning Tower (it takes about 25 minutes) or grab a taxi.

Lake Garda

Lake Garda is one of our most requested Italy family holidays as it boasts a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of family-friendly activities, such as water sports and cycling trails.

If you’re enjoying the Italian lakes on your family holiday, we recommend making the most of your vacation time by taking the ferry to visit the pretty villages that surround the lake. Many of the touristic resorts, such as Sirmione, Desenzano del Garda and Bardolino, have ports where the ferry docks and you can view the timetable by clicking here.

While in Garda, be sure to spare a day or two to visit Gardaland, which is Lombardy’s main theme park. It features thrilling rollercoasters, amusement park games, 3D experiences and rides for young children, and there is also a Sea Life Centre with sharks and rare fish.

Venice

The Floating City of Venice is widely regarded as one of the most romantic cities in the world, but it is also a wonderfully magical destination for families, where you can visit the magnificent Golden Basilica on St Mark’s Square or see the decadence inside Doge’s Palace.

A gondola ride along the Venice canals is a must and, to make the most of your adventure, we recommend opting for a private tour rather than a shared experience as the gondola piers can get very busy at peak times, meaning you have to queue, even if you have pre-arranged the ride.

Another option while in Venice is a day trip to the smaller islands within the Venetian Lagoon. Murano, Burano and Torcello are popular choices, and there are pre-arranged day trips available that allow you to visit all three aboard a motorboat.

Sorrento

Sorrento is a small fishing village in South Italy and combines well into a twin-centre family holiday with Rome. It is home to a wealth of intriguing attractions that will keep the children entertained, including:

• Capri – an idyllic island where you can enjoy swimming and snorkelling, or visit inside the sea caves (the Blue Grotto is the most popular choice).
• Pompeii and/or Herculaneum – these ancient cities were lost for nearly 1500 years following an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD and, if you have older children, they may know the story of Pompeii from the 2014 movie of the same name. The archaeological park at Pompeii is epic, with many excavations to see, so we recommend pre-arranging a guided tour so that you can see the best of the exhibits.
• Mount Vesuvius – if you are an active family, you may enjoying a walking tour of Mount Vesuvius, Campania’s resident volcano!

No matter where you’re visiting in Italy, you can be sure that there will be a wealth of attractions that your family can enjoy. If you are still planning your Italy family holiday, why not chat to one of our expert travel advisers about our tailor-made vacations to Italy. As a part of our customised service, we can arrange all the details of your trip, including flights (and online check in, if available), airport transfers, inter-city train transfers, accommodation and optional extras, such as guided tours and day trips. To find out more, call a member of our expert team on 01223 637331 or click here to send an online enquiry – we normally reply with a quote within 24 hours.