Visiting Rome with children: fun activities in the city

If you’re traveling to Rome with your children, you may be wondering whether the Eternal City is going to be a good fit for your little ones. We are aware that there are steps almost everywhere, and some cobblestoned-lined streets can be hard to walk on if you’re pushing a stroller, but Rome is indeed very welcoming to children, and you’ll soon experience this for yourself!

Museums in Rome, kid-style

You will learn that most museums in Rome cater to children with a range of tailor-made activities. To be completely honest, these are intended for Italian-speaking children first and foremost, but we always recommend reaching out to the landmark or attraction you are interested in visiting beforehand, and ask if they can accommodate you somehow. It’s another good idea to ask if you can use your stroller or baby carriers while on site (spoiler alert: most museums won’t allow that, but some do).

If your kids are old enough, you could also go for a child-friendly tour guide. Yes, they are very much a thing! We told you, Rome loves kids!

For instance, our partners at Joy of Rome have a few tours available that are always a hit with both locals and tourists!

Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention museums in Rome that are intended for children and kids: Explora, in the Flaminio district, is by far the most well-known.

There are other ones, too!

• The Museo Civico di Zoologia (“City museum of zoology”) is not technically a children-only attraction, but under 16s make the majority of its visitors.
• Technotown, based in the Villa Torlonia park, is more of a creative hub than a museum – your kids will interact with technology and maybe learn to build or create something beautiful.
• Vigamus is a videogame-centered museum in the Prati area, close-ish to the Vatican Museums.
• The Museo di Casal de’ Pazzi is a lovely way to see some mammuths’ remains exactly where they were found, in a suburb north-east of the center.
• Sottosopra is a guided visit to the archeological dig under the famed Testaccio market. Click here and use the listed email to check whether there are visits in English planned in the nearby future.

If you decide to go for a museum, be it a major one or some of those that are children-first, don’t forget to book tickets beforehand: don’t rely on the kindness of the employees to sell you some at the very last minute. This policy is now mandatory because of Covid restrictions (we detailed some of the information on this post), and helps the staff at the different museums to make sure social distancing is respected, by NOT selling more tickets than necessary. Avoid any disappointment!

More attractions suitable for children

Underground sites in Rome never cease to amaze visitors, whether young or… not that young anymore, which is why we suggest visiting them with your kids (particularly if they’re old enough to walk sets of stairs by themselves).

Basilica di San Clemente/St. Clement of course takes the cake – this landmark is as beautiful as it is complex, but don’t overlook the smaller but fascinating Vicus Caprarius by Trevi Fountain, or the majestic Domus Aurea, walking distance from San Clemente itself, which has recently reopened and has archaeologists on site explaining the nature of this magnificent mansion which is still being excavated.

Pro-tip: even though Castel Sant’Angelo is a museum, strictly speaking, you will find that even smaller children love it. A fortress, a former prison, a castle: endlessly explor-able!

Amusement parks, carnivals and more

If museums or landmarks are not for them, let your children have their fun at some of Rome’s amusement parks. The Luneur, in the – you may have guessed it! – EUR district is by far the most famous in the city and one that is very easily reachable.

There are alternatives, too. Cinecittà World and Roma World sit side by side in the Castel Romano area, while the very small, very retro Luna Park Cittá di Roma is on Via delle Valli, by the Conca d’Oro subway station – easy to reach and small enough not to be overwhelming.

More options? What about the zoo? Rome’s Bioparco is located inside the Villa Borghese park, which has other attractions suitable for children: namely, Cinema dei Piccoli (the world’s smallest cinema, showing all movies – even for grownups! – in their original language), or Casina di Raffaello, a play center (operating in Italian, but again do ask if they can have you) by Museo Bilotti.

Speaking of parks, take some time to explore them: Villa Borghese is not the only one worth visiting, and you will find that on top of jungle gyms there are more activities available for your kids: from nature walks (for instance, in the Villa Pamphili park) to pony trekking (in the Villa Glori park or Villa Celimontana park), you will finally have your children roam free!

Exploring the city can be fun!

Kids that are independent and into the arts may love the realization that Rome’s beauty lies in its many details. We know that Rome is a city of medieval towers or fountains, but have you ever noticed how they’re never the same type?

Of course you have the nasoni, devised to give water to all Romans for free, but there are historic fountains as well as wishing wells and more “creative” springs: mapping them all would be impossible, but do engage your children in locating types that are different from one another, perhaps drawing them (it could make for a nice souvenir, once printed!) or taking pictures of them.

Other examples of such details are in the animals decorating columns or palazzi, in different styles in church-building, in the shape of the different bridges crossing the Tiber… your own sense of observation will be crucial in finding more things to marvel at and document!

A note from us at From Home to Rome

Of course this list is not exhaustive in the slightest: when you check in at your rented accommodation with us, make sure you mention that you’re traveling with little ones and we can offer more alternatives: from walking on ancient Roman walls at Museo delle Mura to gladiator school to puppet shows in the Gianicolo hill, Rome can be unforgettable for you and your family!