Travel to Italy with Your Kids

The pizza… the pasta… the gelato! Food-wise, there's plenty to commend vacationing in Italy with kids. Sampling the local cuisine and stopping for the daily gelato will be much anticipated by any family planning an Italian vacation. The rest of your trip can be just as enjoyable. We've compiled the best reasons why you'll want to plan a family vacation to Italy pronto…

Italy Is Family Friendly
While Italy is a wonderful destination for a high school graduation trip or family reunion vacation, there's no need to wait for the kids to be grown to travel to this safe, fun and fascinating country. And it's so educational! Hands down, a trip to Italy will be the most engaging history class your kids will ever experience. The culture is family friendly, too, and you'll find that Italians are more than willing to accommodate your kids. In fact, they can be quite indulgent. Being out with your children is common, and Italians won't bat an eye if you have kids in tow while you shop, explore museums and dine out. 

Italy Will Delight Foodies and Picky Eaters Alike
Food in Italy will be a little different than Italian food at home, but it will be familiar enough to satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Restaurants in Italy, even the fanciest, are also usually family friendly. Of course, casual trattorias and osterie are havens for kids, with friendly waitstaff and more accessible dishes on the menu. Most restaurants are also happy to serve your child a plate (or mezzo piatto, "half plate") of pasta with butter or olive oil and Parmesan cheese. 

Italy Is an Easy Travel Destination
It's a breeze to pack the family for Italy. Just bring shoes that can handle hills and rougher terrain, hats and sunscreen for Italy's reliably sunny weather, and lightweight clothes for hot days. The exception is visiting churches and the Vatican, which require modest attire. Knees and shoulders must be covered, and flip-flops are considered too casual. Fun maxi skirts with short-sleeve tops for girls and lightweight travel pants for boys will fit the bill. Teen fashion is pretty universal, so your kids will feel comfortable in most of the clothes they wear at home.

Be sure to check your government's passport and visa requirements for Italy travel. For more thorough planning, read through our sections on family packing tips, traveling internationally with kids and, if you're a grandparent, notarized permission.

Check Out Our Tauck Bridges Tours of Italy
One of the best ways to travel in Italy with family is with a reliable tour operator. You'll avoid all of the logistical challenges of traveling to Italy, such as navigating the countryside's narrow and winding roads, carrying bags along cobbled streets and up hills, and waiting in line at crowded attractions. 

What's more, we tailor travel experiences to be kid friendly –– and fun for the adults, too. Our goal is to make sure you and your family can relax and enjoy the unforgettable scenery, history, cuisine and hospitality of Italy! See if one of these Bridges family vacations to Italy appeals to you.

Italia Bella: Rome to Venice takes you and your family to Italy's most beloved attractions in delightful ways. Highlights include a lesson in making gelato, an after-hours visit to St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums, a tour of Florence via a vintage Fiat 500, a chance to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a pirate ship excursion in Venice and a hands-on pizza-making demonstration. 

On The Sweet Life: Rome & Sorrento family tour, you'll enjoy a variety of fun modes of transportation: high-speed train, convertible, jet ski, funicular and private boat. This experience starts with a brief city tour of Rome and includes an after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums, a session at Gladiator School, a tour of Pompeii and a visit to an agriturismo, where you and your family will learn how to make the best pizza.

Visits to Rome and the Umbrian countryside are also included on our Grand European Family Holiday. Join specially trained dogs on a truffle hunting adventure in Umbria, visit an alpaca farm and country home, learn how olive oil is made, enjoy an after-hours visit of the Vatican Museums, take a watercolor workshop and more. 

Our Tauck Bridges family journeys are planned with kids of all ages in mind, ensuring that you and your family enjoy effortless travel and access to unique experiences you'd never find on your own. See if guided travel is right for your family!