Best things to do in Rome with kids (plus essential guide)

Last Updated on 03/11/2026 by Ting Dalton

My sons went quiet as we rounded the corner and the Colosseum rose up in front of them. They had seen it in books and on the telly, but standing there, with the ancient amphitheatre looming over the street, felt like something else entirely. We were back in Rome last week with the boys, and that first gasp told me everything about why Rome with kids works so well. It made me even happier when I overheard our eldest enthusiastically telling his friends how much he enjoyed it, too.

This guide maps out the best things to do in Rome with kids of every age, from babies to teens, and answers what to do in Rome with kids on a short city break, plus a sample 3-day itinerary, where we ate, where to stay and the practical bits that save a trip. It is built from a week there last week with my own children, and from an earlier trip my husband and I took 20 years ago, long before the boys came along.

We filled our days, but we did not drag the boys round every ruin in the city. The hits that stuck were the hands-on ones. An afternoon at gladiator school, a pizza-making class, a golf-cart tour that saved everyone’s legs and a food tour through Trastevere. The big-ticket history meant far more to them with those in the mix.

Rome with a baby

City breaks with babies can be easier than you think. Rome’s centro storico (historic centre) is compact and walkable, so with a little one in a pram or carrier you can move from sight to sight and stop for coffee and feeding breaks in the piazzas along the way.

A few things worth knowing before you go with a baby:

• Changing facilities are hard to find, so pack a cushioned mat
• Baby food and formula are easy to buy in supermarkets, and most cafes and restaurants will warm food for you
• Highchairs are not a given, so be ready for baby on your lap or in the buggy, or pack a foldaway one
• Cobbles can be a slog with a buggy, but there is almost always a smoother route a street over
• Nappies, wipes and the rest are in supermarkets, pharmacies and corner shops

Sitting in a piazza with a coffee was my favourite thing in Rome, and with a baby it is the simplest pleasure going. Beyond that, keep it light. A handful of things worked well for us.

• Piazza time, while the baby watches the fountains and the world go by. Piazza Navona, Piazza della Rotonda in front of the Pantheon and Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere were our favourites
• The Colosseum, easy enough in a carrier, with a rare family room on the top level for changing and feeding. Book a timed slot to skip the queues
• Trevi Fountain first thing, before the crush, with a carrier for the steps down. There is now a €2 fee to reach the front, though the view from the top is free

Rome with a toddler

Rome with toddlers has its moments, but the city keeps little ones on side. The food is almost always a win with pasta, pizza and gelato, there are green spaces and fountains to run around, and a few playgrounds for burning off steam.

Villa Borghese Gardens

Villa Borghese is a huge park, ideal for an afternoon. Come in via Porta Pinciana or Piazza Napoleone near Piazza del Popolo if you are walking from the centro storico.

There is a little boating lake where you can hire a rowing boat for a few euros (take cash, and look out for the resident tortoises), plus carousels, play areas, a puppet theatre, family bikes for hire, a water clock and the Pincio Terrace with wide views over the city.

Rome Zoo

Inside Villa Borghese, next to the Galleria Borghese (a lovely gallery, if not the most toddler-friendly), is Bioparco di Roma, the city zoo. It is not huge, but there is plenty to see, from big cats and giraffes to penguins and sea lions. Book ahead for the cheapest entry.

Adults from around €18, a little less booked online. Children from 1 metre tall pay a few euros less, and under 1 metre is free.

Explora children’s museum

Explora is a wonderland for younger kids, close to the Borghese Gardens, so you can pair the two for a full day. It is built just for children, with a soft play area for under 3s, role-play zones and hands-on games. Some suit older kids, but there is lots for toddlers.

Entry is timed and you get an hour and 45 minutes inside, so arrive on time. The slots keep it from getting too crowded. Closed Mondays.

Around €11 for adults and children aged 3 and over, around €7 for under 3s, free under 12 months. Check mdbr.it for current times and prices.

Rome with school-age kids

Rome is brilliant for school-age children because so much links back to what they learn at school, from art and history to science and religion. Day trips get easier as they get older too, and our picks are further down.

Colosseum and Roman Forum

This is where ancient Rome comes alive. We organised a private tour through You Local Rome, and our guide Simona, an archaeologist about to start her PhD, had the boys hooked. She pointed out the pockmarks across the stone, where she said barbarians pried the metal clamps from the walls once it fell out of use, and explained the seating, with women and enslaved people right at the top.

Her details were the bits that stuck. A crowd Simona put at some 87,000, animals held in cages under a raised stage, and the fact that the most popular gladiators were rarely killed off, because they earned too much money. A guide who can tell it as a story, rather than reel off dates, is worth it at this age.

If you would rather go it alone, book the Colosseum and Roman Forum online in advance, or buy a combined ticket from the quieter Roman Forum and Palatine Hill entrance to dodge the Colosseum queue.

Tickets from €18 for adults; under 18s free.

Gladiator school

This was a highlight of the whole trip. It comes as part of the gladiator Colosseum tour that was organised for us through Your Local Rome, out at a school called Gruppo Storico Romano near the ancient Appian Way. It was not just the boys, either.

We all dressed up and learned to fight, and my husband loved the chance to sword-play with them. The surreal part was the warm-up, doing roly-polies and press-ups in front of strangers, but everyone throws themselves in, and by the end the whole family got to fight in a mini arena and came away with certificates we were thrilled with. It’s a good few hours of fun that burns off energy and makes the history come to life.

One word of warning. The site is green and a little wild, so the mosquitoes are keen. Bring repellent. The school can also call you a taxi when you are done.

See Rome by golf cart

If you do one thing to save small legs, make it this. We took a private Gallo golf-cart tour with a local guide, Ruben, who grew up in Trastevere and has his first baby on the way. He loves his football, which kept him, my husband and my eldest going the whole ride, and it was the most fun we had zipping around Rome. You cover a lot of ground, the kids love it, and you reach viewpoints you would never find on foot. Half the fun was the looks we got, other tourists giving us evils, plainly jealous as we were driven past. Ruben laughed and said he is forever offered cash by footsore visitors who want picking up.

Ruben took us to the Spanish Steps seen from above, where he pointed out that, for all the name, they were paid for with French money, then a quiet spot looking down over the Roman Forum that almost no one knows, and his favourite fountain, Il Fontanone, a grand one up above Trastevere that was wonderful and all but empty, every bit as impressive as the Trevi without the scrum.

He loved telling us how he and his friends waded in the night Italy won the World Cup. He told the boys the story of Garibaldi and how he marched into the city as we went. Best of all, he drove us across into Vatican City at St Peter’s Square, where the boys loved stepping over the line on the ground that marks where Italy ends and another country begins, then wandering through the great curved colonnades. The chairs were still set out from the Pope’s address the day before, which only added to the scale of it. A good tour bends to what you want, so ours skipped the sights we had already seen.

St Peter’s Basilica

Seeing the dome of St Peter’s up close is a real ‘wow’ for parents and kids alike. Admire the front while you queue (arrive early, the basilica opens around 7am), then step in for the artworks by Michelangelo, Bernini and company.

The views from the dome are worth the climb. It is 551 steps from the bottom, or take the lift to the terrace and climb the final 320. There is a strict dress code, so shoulders and knees must be covered for everyone.

Entry to the basilica is free. Dome climb from around €10 by stairs, or €15 with the lift to the terrace.

Castel Sant’Angelo

Castel Sant’Angelo is a winner with kids, who can let their imaginations run while they explore secret passages and peer through arrow slits. They will happily play knights on the sloping walkways, while you take in the history, the views from the Terrazza dell’Angelo and the cafe for a drink and a snack. There is a small playground with swings just behind the castle.

Adults around €18; under 18s free. Closed on Mondays, except the first of the month. Check the official site before you go, as the price rose recently.

Mouth of Truth

The Bocca della Verità at Santa Maria in Cosmedin is made for a family photo. Legend says the marble face bites the hand of a liar, and kids love testing it (all hands came back intact). The church has lovely mosaics and an ancient crypt, and it sits close to the Circus Maximus. There is a small fee to take a photo, and the queue moves quickly.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is a beautiful square for a gelato and some people-watching, and there is a game in it for the kids. At Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, find the figure of the Rio della Plata, his hand thrown up over his face, said to be shielding his eyes from Sant’Agnese in Agone, the church opposite, built by Bernini’s great rival Borromini. A lovely tale, even if the dates do not quite stack up, as the fountain came first.

Family-friendly tours

A tour built for families turns sightseeing from a slog into something the kids actually enjoy. The best ones lead with stories, tales of gladiators, old gods and daily life in ancient Rome, rather than a list of dates. Look for operators that offer activity booklets, a relaxed pace and guides used to different ages. And while private tours can be expensive in total, if you break down the cost, the guide and the information you get, it is well worth considering.

• Gladiator tours centre on the Colosseum and Roman Forum, with stories of the arena and the fighters
• Treasure hunt tours fold a scavenger hunt into the sightseeing, giving kids something to do
• Family Vatican tours keep the museums manageable, sticking to the highlights with storytelling
• Golf-cart tours cover more ground and save tired legs, which is why ours was such a hit

LEGO brick exhibition

If your kids are into building, the LEGO brick model exhibition a two-minute walk from Piazza Venezia (Via d’Aracoeli) is impressive. It runs to 1,500 square metres and 25 million bricks, with over 100 dioramas, including Rome’s landmarks rebuilt in detail, plus a hands-on area where kids can build freely. Allow an hour or two.

Tickets from around €11 on weekdays, €14 at weekends; children under 95cm €1. This is a touring exhibition, so check current dates before you build it into your plans.

Rome with teens

If you are weighing up Rome with teenagers, do it. You can browse markets, hunt down the best viewpoints for sunset photos, book a cooking class and plenty more.

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

The Vatican Museums work with teens, but plan carefully, because they are vast and crowded and it is easy to get overwhelmed. Pre-book to skip the ticket-office queue and decide which rooms matter most.

Museo Pio-Clementino is strong for sculpture, and the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche (Map Gallery) has intricate 16th-century maps, fun for spotting places you know. Teens into art will enjoy the Raphael Rooms. End at the Sistine Chapel, with the ceiling’s Creation of Adam and the Last Judgement across the west wall. No photos inside the chapel.

Adults from €20, plus €5 for a skip-the-queue online slot; children 7-18 €8; under 7s free. Open Monday to Saturday.

Campo de’ Fiori

Campo de’ Fiori is a beautiful square on the edge of the centro storico. It was once a meadow, hence the name ‘field of flowers’, and today it is known for its market. Stalls are set up around 7am every day except Sunday and run until early afternoon, selling everything from fruit and veg to souvenirs.

Give teens a small budget and a bit of Italian to practise, and send them off for picnic supplies or a present to take home.

Shopping on Via del Corso

Teens usually want a bit of retail time, and Via del Corso is the easy answer. The long, straight street runs from Piazza del Popolo down to Piazza Venezia and is lined with high-street names, so we spent a happy hour ducking in and out of the stores, Nike among them. Prices are friendlier here than on the designer strips, so pocket money stretches further.

If they want to window-shop the big labels, the designer boutiques cluster on Via dei Condotti near the Spanish Steps, a couple of minutes off the Corso. Hand over a meeting point and a time, and let older ones browse on their own for a bit. It buys everyone some goodwill for the next church or ruin.

Rome catacombs

A quirkier pick, and a hit with my boys when we covered the catacombs in our family guide to Paris. Rome’s are spread across several sites, with the best known along the ancient Appian Way, reachable by taxi or on a tour. A guided visit is worth it for the extra context on the crypts.

Garden of the Oranges

For a sunset photo over Rome, the Giardino degli Aranci, also known as Parco Savelli, is hard to beat. It sits on the Aventine Hill, filled with bitter orange trees and worth a wander in its own right.

On the way up, look out for the Aventine Keyhole. Peep through the keyhole on the green door at the Villa del Priorato di Malta and you get a perfectly framed view of St Peter’s dome.

Art beyond the galleries

Rome is full of art, and not all of it is behind a ticket desk. Many churches hold priceless work: Sant’Ignazio di Loyola for its trompe l’oeil ceiling, Santa Maria del Popolo for Caravaggio, and Santa Maria in Trastevere for its mosaics.

Pizza or pasta-making class

This was one the boys still talk about. We did a pizza-making class with Holy Pizza, where our chef, Carlo, who grew up in Rome and cooks simple food with real passion, taught us that it is all in the dough. Carlo was so passionate about it that we all found ourselves taking it more seriously than we meant to. We rolled, topped our own with ham, mushrooms and salami, made strawberry sorbet and sat down to eat the lot with a cold drink. The boys swore it was the best pizza they had ever had.

Most classes run 2-3 hours and cover two or three dishes from scratch, often in a small school or a local home. Many also do pasta, with Roman classics like cacio e pepe and carbonara. Book a morning or early-afternoon slot, when everyone is fresher and hungrier.

Best family day trips from Rome

There is plenty to fill your days in Rome, but if you want to see more of the region, a few places sit within day-trip reach:

• Take the train to Umbria for the hilltop town of Orvieto
• Visit Ostia Antica for ancient Roman ruins and mosaics, much closer than Pompeii
• Soak in the thermal springs at Saturnia
• Head to the coast for Naples or Pompeii, where volcano-obsessed kids can see Vesuvius looming over the ruins
• Travel to Florence for Renaissance art and famous steak (a long day, better with older kids or teens)

Rainy day and more-time ideas

We did not make it to these on this trip, but they are worth knowing about if you have longer, a wet afternoon, or kids who need a day off from churches and ruins.

• Cinecittà World and Roma World sit together at Castel Romano, around 25km south. One is a film-themed park, the other recreates ancient Rome with gladiator shows. A shuttle runs from Termini
• Rainbow Magicland at Valmontone is the area’s biggest theme park, with roller coasters and daily shows, about an hour out
• Technotown at Villa Torlonia is a hands-on science and tech hub aimed at kids aged 12 and up
• San Carlino puppet theatre in Villa Borghese runs family shows at weekends, good for younger ones

Where to eat in Rome with kids

The food is one of the best things about Rome, and the city is easy with kids in tow. The gelato is some of the best anywhere, the pasta is a cut above, and we happily ate both most days. Here is where we actually ate and what was worth it.

Top tip for families. Aim to sit down by 7pm. Many of the good spots do not take bookings and queues build fast from 7.30pm.

Our best meal

Mimi e Coco, near the Pantheon, served one of the best carbonaras we have had, and one of our best meals of the trip. The spot is great for dinner and a bit of people-watching, and the food more than holds up.

A few more we rated

• Da Lucia, a long-standing Trastevere trattoria for Roman classics done simply, the kind of place you want on a first trip
• De Felice for cheap, tasty food when you do not want a big night out, just a plate of pasta that does not run up the bill

A food tour through Trastevere

Our You Local food and history tour with Daniele was a great way to eat our way across the city and learn at the same time. We had tasty suppli hot from the bag, mozzarella and anchovy toasties and courgette fritters, cold cuts and cheese in an old cantina called Cantina dei Papi, cannoli, and the best gelato he knew. He took us into San Callisto, a traditional bar going back nearly a century with a chequered past, and around the Jewish Quarter. Food tours work brilliantly with kids, because they break up the walking with regular snacks. Daniele was also clear on where not to bother, steering us away from Tonnarello, the Trastevere spot made famous online, towards the backstreets where he reckons you eat better.

Breakfast and quick bites

• Barnum for avocado toast and almond croissants. There is usually a short queue, but it moves and the coffee is good
• All’Antico Vinaio near the Pantheon for the famous stuffed sandwiches, handy for a lunch on the move, and kids love choosing their fillings
• Gelateria della Palma for well over 150 flavours, enough that even the fussiest eater finds a favourite
• Gelateria La Romana dal 1947 for a gelato a cut above, where my son loved the mango and chocolate together

This is a taste of where we ate, not the full list. We have a dedicated Rome family food guide on the way, with more spots for eating out with kids.

A sample 3-day Rome itinerary for families

Here is how we would piece it together, with swaps for different ages. We keep it fairly relaxed, because an over-packed day makes for cranky kids and cranky parents.

Day 1

Morning. Start with the big hitters, the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Book an early slot in summer, as there is little shade at the Forum.

Afternoon. Wander the Campo de’ Fiori market before it packs up, then take it slow with a gelato or a slice of pizza as you explore.

Day 2

Morning. Spend it in Vatican City, at St Peter’s Basilica or the Vatican Museums, or both if everyone is game.

Afternoon. Visit Castel Sant’Angelo, then cross the Tiber back to the historic centre for a late-afternoon drink in a piazza. With teens, you could add one of Rome’s churches.

Day 3

Morning. Early risers, head for the Trevi Fountain first. Then book gladiator school or a pizza class, the sort of hands-on morning that resets everyone. With younger kids, swap in Explora instead.

Afternoon. Villa Borghese for the rest of the day, with the zoo alongside if the little ones are keen. If you have teens, this is a good day for a trip further out.

Essential guide to Rome with kids

When is the best time to visit Rome with kids?

Spring (April to May) and early autumn (September to October) give families the most comfortable weather. Summer brings fierce heat that wears younger kids out, while winter means shorter days and some rain, though the Christmas lights are lovely.

One thing surprised us. We went in late October and it was busy. Every guide we met said the same, that autumn is now one of the busiest stretches of the year, because it is cooler than the summer crush. Ruben, our golf-cart guide, was a little wistful about it, sad that his Trastevere is so overrun now, though he knows that is just how tourism goes. Still pleasant, just not the quiet shoulder season it used to be.

What are the best neighbourhoods to stay in with kids?

Aurelio is where we stayed this trip, and we loved the local feel, from the supermarkets to the restaurants, with a big park close by. It is a little out from the centre, but the bus in is quick and simple.

Prati, near the Vatican, is more residential, with wide streets, good gelato and easy reach of Villa Borghese.

Trastevere pairs cobbled, car-free streets with trattorias full of locals. My husband and I stayed here 20 years ago, at an old convent turned hotel called Hotel Santa Maria, and wandered the lanes eating and drinking. Some parts get lively at night, so check your location carefully with kids.

Monti has a village feel near the Colosseum, with independent shops and family-run restaurants, plus a couple of parks and playgrounds.

Are Rome’s attractions suitable for buggies?

Cobbles and historic sites can be tricky with a buggy, but do not let it stop you from bringing one, as you will walk a lot. Choose one that folds easily but still has sturdy wheels, since flimsy ones struggle on the cobbles. Some sites, such as St Peter’s, will not allow a buggy inside, but they have somewhere to park it.

What’s it like to eat out in Rome with kids?

We have always found Italians warm with children, and Rome is no different. Most places do a simple pasta for young or fussy eaters, and staff bring highchairs without a fuss. Pizzerias are a safe bet, especially the ones where kids can watch the pizzas go into the wood-fired oven. Just know that highchairs and changing facilities are not a given everywhere.

Is the Vatican manageable with children?

The Vatican Museums are big enough to overwhelm young visitors. Book skip-the-line tickets and, once inside, stick to the highlights like the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms rather than trying to see it all. St Peter’s Basilica is free, impressive and cool on a hot day, and captures kids’ imaginations without needing hours.

Do you have to pay for the Trevi Fountain now?

To get right down to the front, yes. Since early 2026 there is a €2 fee to reach the basin at the Trevi Fountain, brought in to manage the crowds. Looking on from the top of the steps is still free, and early morning or early evening is the best time for a photo either way.

What’s the best way to get around Rome with kids?

On foot, wherever you can. Walking turns up the best surprises, a quiet piazza or a fountain off the tourist trail. For longer hops, the local bus is cheap and easy, and it turned into one of our small daily pleasures. A single ride is about €1.50 from a tabacchi, or you just tap your bank card on board. We loved riding in with the Romans heading to work, the boys watching the city go about its day through the window.

There is also the metro, and both taxis and Uber worked well for us, with every cab putting the meter on. Taxi child seats are not provided, so children ride on your lap. For saving small legs on a sightseeing day, the golf-cart tour was the most fun way we found to cover ground.

Is Rome safe for family travel?

Rome is generally safe for families, with the usual care. Watch your belongings in crowds and on public transport, where pickpockets target distracted parents, and keep kids close in busy piazzas and metro stations. Keep everyone hydrated in warm weather and take regular breaks. Pharmacies stock familiar brands of children’s medicine and can help if you need it.

What’s the best way to get from the airport to the centre?

From Fiumicino, the Leonardo Express reaches Termini in about 30 minutes and takes luggage and buggies well. The regional train is cheaper and stops at several stations, including Trastevere.

A private transfer or taxi is worth it with tired kids and bags, taking 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. If you take a city cab rather than a private transfer, there is a flat fare of €55 from Fiumicino into the centre, so you are not watching the meter in traffic. Book ahead if you need a child seat. From Ciampino, buses link to metro stations, or a taxi runs direct in around 30 minutes.

What should I pack for Rome with kids?

Comfortable walking shoes come first, for everyone, as you will be on your feet a lot. Bring a refillable water bottle each, since the free fountains across the city are everywhere (and filling up is a game in itself for kids). Add sun hats and sunscreen in summer, something light to cover shoulders in churches, and plenty of snacks.

Rome is not a hidden secret, and it is one of the most visited cities in Italy, but that takes nothing away from it. The boys gasped at the Colosseum, ate their body weight in gelato and still talk about gladiator school. Rome for kids is a different trip from the one my husband and I took all those years ago, and this guide is built to help you plan the version that works for your family.

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*This post was written in collaboration with You Local Rome, Holy Pizza and GalloTour, who all hosted us on their activities while we were in Rome. As always, my opinions are my own.