With fine art, ancient history, beautiful scenery and fantastic food Italy is a great place for families to travel. Italians love children so yours will most likely get lots of attention. And children love Italy (pizza and gelato, anyone?). There also is no shortage of fun activities when creating a family friendly Italy itinerary!

Spending 10 days in Italy with kids and wondering where to go and what see? Whatever your style, whatever the ages of your children or size of your family, we’ve the perfect hotels, the ideal outings, and dozens of activities to keep both parents and kids happy at some of your favorite grown-up destinations. For your dream trip with kids, get inspired with these three tried & tested family friendly Italy itineraries.

These sample family friendly Italy itineraries are here to get you inspired, but just like no two families are identical, no two trips are the same. Our specialty is completely customized trips and your vacation will be completely designed around your family's travel style. So while our sample trips are a great place to begin, for a completely tailor-made Italy experience contact us to get started!

#1: 10-Day Family Friendly Italy Itinerary to (leisurely) see Venice, Florence, and Rome with Kids

This family friendly Italy vacation was planned for a family of five from the U.S. This was their first time in Italy and they wanted to see all the highlights: Venice, Florence, Rome and the celebrated vineyards of Tuscany with kids. We designed this vacation to give them all this and more. Below is a recap of what the family friendly Italy trip entails.

Day-by-Day Itinerary Highlights
Day 1 Arrive & explore the real Venice by Private Gondola and on a Private Guided Walk. Overnight in Venice.
Day 2 Visit nearby islands of Murano and Burano on a Private Guided Tour. Overnight in Venice.
Day 3 Travel to Florence from Venice via fast train. Overnight in Florence.
Day 4 Take a Private Guided Walk of the City Highlights & Delights. Overnight in Florence.
Day 5 Head out to the Tuscan countryside. Overnight in Florence.
Day 6 Transfer Privately to Rome from Florence via Orvieto. Overnight in Rome.
Day 7 Stroll through Rome exploring the piazzas on a Private Guided Tour. Overnight in Rome.
Day 8 Expose your family to the sites and stories of ancient Romeo on a Private Guided Walk. Overnight in Rome.
Day 9 Private Early Entry Vatican Tour before the crowds. Overnight in Rome.
Day 10 Depart to Rome FCO airport and fly home

Day 1-2 Venice in the Italian region of Veneto

Stroll through the city’s iconic bridges, wander its side streets, and dive into its nooks and crannies to discover the real Venice of the Venetians. And while you’re at it, you can cover other must-do’s like taking a gondola ride, boating along the Grand Canal and getting cicchetti (Venetian tapas) at one of the traditional taverns. After taking in the wonders of Venice, consider a boat trip to learn about Murano age-old glassblowing and Burano lace-making traditions.

Travel Tip: Venice is such a photogenic city, if you have extra time in this fairy-tale Italian city we highly recommend getting some professional photos taken of your family trip to Venice. Another 5-star activity fun and engaging for kids and parents is taking a private hands-on mask making class in Venice, where masks are part of the Carnival tradition.

Tip for Foodies: Tiramisu is the quintessential Italian dessert. It is a cake made with cake dipped in coffee and with several layers of mascarpone cream. One of the best places to eat it is at I Tre Mercanti, a shop founded in Venice in the 1960s that still offers its original recipe. In addition to the typical Italian tiramisu you can try 25 different types of tiramisu-fusion.

Tip for Dining: Riviera is a charming restaurant that has extraordinary views of the lagoon. The dishes are served with an exquisite presentation and the owner personally supervises the treatment that the clients receive. It is a popular place where it is advisable to book in advance. For more restaurant suggestions, here our ultimate list of the best restaurants in Venice.

Unexpected Tip: If you love books you have to go to Libreria Acqua Alta, it's probably the most unique bookshop in the world.

A word about strollers: When in Venice you are constantly walking up and down the steps of small bridges across the canals. Parents of preschoolers might consider using a backpack. If you do take a stroller, make sure it's ultra-light.

Day 3-5 Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany

The high-speed train from Venice is an easy way to reach Florence in just two hours and 25 minutes.

A Renaissance city in the heart of Tuscany, Florence has some of Italy's best museums, colorful markets and interesting alleys that will appeal to kids of all ages – and their parents, too. The best way to experience Florence and get oriented is to take a private walking tour. Discover tons of fine art, funny curiosities, and plenty of gelato with engaging guides sharing their city’s history and cultural heritage.

Tuscany, with its spectacular hill towns and scenery, is one of Italy's top vacation destinations. The friendly atmosphere, kid-pleasing food, iconic sights, and slow pace of the region make a perfect backdrop to combine culture and quality time together. In the Tuscan countryside, explore kid-friendly wineries and the magical small town of San Gimignano famous for its medieval watchtowers, many of which still pierce the sky.

Family-Friendly Tuscany Countryside Experiences that our clients have enjoyed:

• Farm to Table Lunch with Wine Tasting & Farm Animals
• Truffle Hunting & Pasta Making Class
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tastings & Pasta Making Class

Travel Tip: If you have extra time in Florence, explore the humble delights of the fine local food and combine them with a family-friendly, hands-on cooking class before feasting on your own delicious creations.

Tip for Lunch: Summer picnics in the Pitti Palace’s verdant, statue-dotted Boboli Gardens are a must. Pick up sandwich fixings at ’Ino, Florence’s best panino shop, which has a great selection of wines for grown-ups and delicious chocolate chip biscotti for the kids. For more insider tips, here you can find an extensive article with the best street food places in Florence.

Tip for Dining: Head to iO - Osteria Personale, where the four- to six-course tasting menu has seafood, meat, or vegetarian options in casual surroundings that are great for people watching. Included are inventive choices like raw squid ribbons served with sage-infused garbanzo cream (4-course prix fixe, from €50 per person).

Tips for Gelato: Wherever you eat, save room for gelato. There is a shop on almost every corner, but among the best are the artisanal Gelateria Santa Trinità, with its decadent dark chocolate, and Vivoli, deservedly famous for its creamy classics. For a healthier choice, try La Sorbetteria, which emphasizes a seasonal approach and fresh-fruit sorbets.

Day 6-10 Rome in the Italian region of Lazio

Depart Florence for Rome, stopping in Orvieto en route. Orvieto is a picture-perfect medieval hill town that's a delight to visit: wander the lanes, visit the ice cream stores, and be wowed by the giant cathedral that's one of Italy's finest. Perched on towering rock, Orvieto is in Umbria, and is the perfect stopover between Florence and Rome.

You will love visiting Rome with kids! The Eternal City has over two and a half thousand years of history and is one of those places - like Venice and Florence - where simply strolling the streets is just like touring an art museum: every turn reveals beautiful fountains, statues and architecture. In Rome's historic center you'll find ancient monuments, medieval and Renaissance architecture, lively squares, and endless gelato shops.

There are also a lot of other popular attractions in Rome that your kids might enjoy. The Colosseum is one such site, but there are also many others like the Pantheon and Forum Roman. These sites make so much more sense with a family guide who knows the history behind each site and makes these places come alive through hands-on learning.

For the Vatican, parents with young kids should consider carefully whether this is a must-do on their visit. Lineups can be long; take a kid-friendly early morning private tour before the crowds have poured in, so that the whole family is engaged in the incredible history found here.

Travel Tip: If you have more time in Rome and want a very special experience take a private pizza making class in the company of a celebrity Italian chef.

Tip: For dinner, head to La Casina Valadier where the kids can explore the gardens while you enjoy a delicious Italian meal. For dessert, grab gelato at Ciampini or sip an aperitif at the Cielo rooftop bar @ Hotel de la Ville.

Where to Stay: Family Friendly Italy Hotels in Venice, Florence and Rome

Baglioni Hotel Luna is a highly rated 5-star Venice hotel just off Saint Mark's Square. The elegant rooms have period furniture in typical Venetian style. There's a top rated restaurant in the hotel and a private mooring berth to enter the hotel by gondola or motor boat.

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze It took seven years to convert the Renaissance-era Palazzo della Gherardesca, its 12-acre private park, and a nearby 16th-century convent into a 5-star hotel, but the results confirm that it was worth the effort. Guests of the hotel's 117 rooms (including 45 suites) are treated to all sorts of plush amenities including an outdoor heated pool, beauty and hair salon, spa, and fitness center. While all this might have been easily accomplished elsewhere, it's quite a feat that it could happen in such a historical setting, all within steps of the city's major landmarks.

Palazzo Manfredi with its foundations in the Ludus Magnus (ancient Rome's gladiator training school), this 5-star hotel is just a stone's throw away from the Colosseum. A big selling point is the view from the rooftop bar and restaurant, which is, quite simply, stunning.

#2: 10-Day Family Friendly Italy Itinerary to (leisurely) see Rome, Sorrento, and Naples with Kids

This family friendly Italy vacation to Rome, Sorrento and Naples was created for a family of 4 from Trinidad and Tobago. The kids were under 15 years old, so they wanted a fun vacation that was suitable for all ages. They wanted engaging activities and cultural tours plus a relaxing beach vacation. We filled their itinerary with privately guided immersive experiences and a beach resort in the stunning Sorrento for the perfect Italian getaway.

Day-by-Day Itinerary Highlights
Day 1 Arrive and overnight in Rome.
Day 2 Golf Cart Private Tour of Rome followed by a relaxing Picnic Lunch al fresco. Overnight in Rome
Day 3 Private Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour followed by Private Cooking Class. Overnight in Rome.
Day 4 Private Early Morning Vatican Tour before the crowds. Overnight in Rome.
Day 5 Transfer Privately to Sorrento from Rome via Pompeii. Overnight in Sorrento.
Day 6 Beach Day in Sorrento. Overnight in Sorrento.
Day 7 Private Day Trip to Amalfi Coast. Overnight in Sorrento.
Day 8 Transfer Privately to Naples from Sorrento. Overnight in Naples.
Day 9 Naples Street Food & Local History Private Tour. Overnight in Naples.
Day 10 Depart to Naples Capodichino airport and fly home.

Day 1-4 Rome in the Italian region of Lazio

When visiting a city like Rome, of course you’ll want to see everything. Striking the balance between structured and relaxed time is important. To that end, one of the best way is starting with an overview of Rome covering the most notable sites such as the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and more on a leisurely private golf cart tour. As a fitting finale to the day, whet your appetites and indulge in an arranged delectable Italian picnic in one of the prettiest parks in Rome.

With kids along, it's especially important to not end up in a long line-up for a museum or other sightseeing attraction. Lineups at the Vatican and Colosseum can be very long. The best strategy is to take an early morning or lunchtime, kid-friendly private tour with reserved entry.

Piazza Navona and Tartufo Tip: In the evening, Piazza Navona is a great place to continue your people-watching as well as see the three lavish Baroque fountains. The much-touted ice-cream dessert, tartufo, is said to have originated here in 1946 - you can try it at the Tre Scalini.

Tip for Dining: Head to Maccheroni where you can book a table in the tiny ancient alleyway where the restaurant’s doors open out to the dining room and diners can peer in at the open kitchen. A nice choice with a range of local specialties popular with the kids, such as pasta alla carbonara, a classic rustic dish that is so simple, yet so delicious!

Travel Tip: If you have extra time in Rome during your family vacation, visit Tivoli Villa d'Este and Villa Adriana. Another private day trip worth taking is Ostia Antica because, if your family loves ancient Roman history, this is a kid-friendly alternative to Pompeii.

Day 5-7 Sorrento in the Italian region of Campania

Continue your family friendly Italy vacation, traveling to Sorrento a resort town on southern Italy's Amalfi Coast. On the way to Sorrento, stop at Pompeii excavation site and witness the remains of everyday life in A.D. 79, when volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius covered the city.

The charming town of Sorrento has more hotels than the other Amalfi Coast towns and easier access to the beach so it makes a good base for taking day trips to explore the Amalfi Coast and other Bay of Naples attractions. Visit the beautiful towns along the Amalfi Coast on the narrow but very scenic Amalfi drive. Or take a private boat tour along the coast if you prefer to travel by water.

Day 8-10 Naples in the Italian region of Campania

Naples, one of the top places to go in Southern Italy, is a tourist’s treasure chest filled with excitement and thrills, including galleries, gardens, historical sites, and great food making it worth at least a few days visit. There are many fun things to do in Naples so, take back beautiful memories of your family trip in this lively and vibrant city!

Tip for Lunch: Ristorante Umberto has received the Historical Places of Italy award. Located in Naples' beautiful Chiaja seaside neighborhood, it offers traditional seafood and pizza, as well as vegeterian and gluten-free menus. Massimo and his sisters, whose family have been running it since 1916, are as nice as can be.

Tip for Dining: Head to A' Fenestella. This elegant restaurant, situated on Marechiaro at the end of Posillipo, was named for the 'fenesta' (window) at which the beautiful Carolina used to appear. It has a splendid view of the Gulf of Naples and a panoramic terrace for fine weather dining. Enrico Anastasio, who is the founder's grandson, manages the place together with his sons Vittorio and Davide; it has been a member of the "Unione dei Ristoranti del Buon Ricordo" since 1992.

Where to Stay: Family Friendly Italy Hotels in Rome, Sorrento and Naples

Hotel Eden is a luxury 5-star hotel near Via Veneto, Spanish Steps, US Embassy, and Villa Borghese Park and Museum. The historic hotel is elegant and peaceful with well-appointed guest rooms and impeccable service. Views from front guest rooms and the top floor restaurant and bar are spectacular.

Parco dei Principi Hotel is the top rated 5-star hotel in Sorrento. It's in the heart of Sorrento, set on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Naples and surrounded by a park. The hotel has a private beach with a small harbor, wellness center, swimming pool, piano bar and restaurant. Rooms have terrace or balcony with sea or garden views.

Romeo Hotel is a 5-star hotel in the historic center of Naples near the harbor and Castel Nuovo. It has 79 luxuriously furnished rooms and suites with many amenities. The hotel has a rooftop restaurant, sushi bar, spa and fitness center, and swimming pool.

#3: 10-Day Family Friendly Italy Itinerary to (leisurely) see Naples, Matera, and Alberobello with Kids

We designed this family friendly Italy trip for a repeat family client from USA. They have already visited Italy's big cities and wanted to discover different sides of Italian history and culture. We sent them to southern Italy, which offers the perfect blend of hospitality, traditional cuisine, beautiful scenery, and a unique historical heritage. The itinerary ticked all the boxes while providing unexpected highlights every day.

Day-by-Day Itinerary Highlights
Day 1 Arrive and overnight in Naples.
Day 2 Highlights of Naples Private Tour & Private Pizza Making Class. Overnight in Naples.
Day 3 Private Day Trip to Amalfi Coast. Overnight in Naples.
Day 4 Digs & Discoveries in Pompeii & Naples Archaeological Museum Private Tour. Overnight in Naples.
Day 5 Transfer Privately to Matera from Naples via Paestum. Overnight in Matera.
Day 6 Explore the Cave World of Matera Private Tour. Overnight in Matera.
Day 7 Matera to Alberobello & Golf Cart Private Tour of Alberobello. Overnight in Alberobello.
Day 8 Private Day Trip to Ostuni & Locorotondo. Overnight in Alberobello.
Day 9 Alberobello countryside Private Tour with Picnic Lunch. Overnight in Alberobello.
Day 10 Depart to Bari airport Karol Wojtyla and fly home.

Day 1-4 Naples in the Italian region of Campania

The scenic city of Naples is oftentimes referred to as the world’s largest open-air museum indeed there is an abundance of historical and artistic treasures, bustling markets and artisan shops. Top your family friendly Italy vacation in Naples making a pizza from scratch. Whatever your family’s interests, you will be sure to get your fill by visiting this southern Italian cultural mecca.

Tip for Dining: Head to 50 Kalo' Pizzeria. 50 Kalo' translates to "good dough" in Neapolitan dialect and the gourmet pizzeria opened by third-generation pizzaiolo Ciro Salvo in the prosperous Mergellina district attracts nightly crowds for its light, flavorful pizzas that are considered to be the best in Italy. Divided among two dining rooms and a patio, the restaurant offers classics like marinara and margherita, but also seasonal pizzas such as zucchini pesto with prosciutto, or one topped with squash blossoms and Nero Casertano salami. The White Calzone, a crescent filled with cured pork, ricotta and smoked provolone, is a year-round fixture that should not be missed!

Day 5-6 Matera in the Italian region of Basilicata

The oldest, best preserved and most beautiful Doric temple in existence today is not in Greece, it's in Paestum. If you have time to stray off the beaten path while in Campania, few places will reward you more than the ruins of this ancient Greek community. Unlike Pompeii and even Herculaneum, Paestum can often be deserted, and its gleaming white marble temples, set against the silver mountains, provide a uniquely Greek experience in Italy.

If you’ve ever wanted to show your kids the wonders of the world, Matera is the perfect place to add to your family friendly Italy itinerary. Matera is a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Italy's Basilicata region, famous for its picturesque sassi district, a large ravine with cave dwellings and rupestrian churches dug into the soft limestone. Because of its similarity to Jerusalem, several movies have been filmed in the sassi district including Mel Gibson's, The Passion of the Christ.

Day 7-10 Alberobello in the Italian region of Puglia (or Apulia as it is called in English)

Then head south into Apulia's most magical region, the land of the trulli (gnome-like cylindrical huts made with no mortar and topped with conical gray stone roofs resembling beehives.

Alberobello is the capital of trullo territory; here, street after street is lined with the whitewashed buildings, many of which have been converted into shops or restaurants. But the trullo is an ancient, mystical dwelling, and nowhere is it more satisfying to see than alongside the narrow local roads, surrounded by ancient olive trees straining up from the deep terra-cotta colored earth. Many of these rural trulli date from the 1600s and have been painted pastel colors; indecipherable hex symbols stand out clearly against the gray stone roofs.

More delightfully, picturesque whitewashed hill towns abound. Notably the town of Locorotondo that gets its name from the ancient layout of its streets, which form concentric circles on a hillside overlooking a valley blanketed with prized vineyards. Those streets are narrow and whitewashed, and lined with houses whose roofs are steep triangles covered in slate. A few miles farther south, the town of Ostuni is a shimmering mirage. Its white walls, wrought-iron balconies and turquoise shutters will delight the eye of the whole family.

Tip: There are several delightful restaurants in Alberobello. Our favorite is Il Pinnacolo. Prices are reasonable and sit on the charming terrace that overlooks the rooftops. We suggest you try the local pasta, orecchiette, "little ears" made from the delicious wheat you drove past to get here. The specialty in this area is orecchiette served with bitter broccoli, but Il Pinnacolo also serves it with tiny tomatoes, rucola and cheese. As an appetizer, try mozzarella al forno: the cheese gets cooked in the oven and comes to the table in a delicious, gooey mess.

Where to Stay: Family Friendly Italy Hotels in Naples, Matera and Alberobello

Grand Hotel Vesuvio is a 5-star hotel located right on the seafront. With a beautiful rooftop bar and an incredible view of the Gulf of Naples this luxurious hotel features a great restaurant and an indoor pool.

Palazzo Gattini is a 5-star luxury hotel in a 17th century villa with deluxe rooms and suites, one of which has a swimming pool on its private terrace with views. There is a wine bar, spa with jacuzzi, Turkish bath, restaurant, and bar. The hotel is by the cathedral, overlooking the sassi.

Le Alcove Luxury Hotel in Trulli is a charming luxury resort located in the center of Alberobello. The 9 guest rooms of 5-star hotel are in typical trulli, the unique conical structures found around Alberobello.

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