Italy with Kids

August 18th - August 22nd, 2014

Our Story

Florence

Florence is a city of art and culture. There must be dozens upon dozens of different museums scattered throughout the city center. Unfortunately for us, our kids are not quite at the age yet where they find museums particularly interesting. Sure, they would be free at most museums, but that doesn't change the fact that they just wouldn't be having much fun if we dragged them through them, and as a result we wouldn't have fun either. So here we are in this great city of art, and we didn't go into a single museum, unless you count the Boboli Gardens. We also skipped the famous Duomo cathedral, as the line snaked around the entire building in what looked like a multi-hour affair. So would we recommend Florence as a destination for traveling with young kids? Probably not, unless maybe you do extensive research and have a detailed itinerary with tickets booked in advance. Instead we would recommend Venice for your family travels.

Venice

What kid wouldn't have fun in a city with streets of water where it's perfectly acceptable to wear colorful masks wherever you go? There is really no place in the world like Venice. Everyone has seen it portrayed in movies and TV, but unless you actually go there you are missing out on a fantastic experience for people of all ages.

Getting to Venice is a little bit confusing, between all the different parking garages and modes of transportation. We cover in our blog post some tips about how to get into Venice when driving. Once in Venice, you can just wander around for hours and not get bored of it.

Our favorites include Piazza San Marco and Rialto Bridge. A gondola ride is a bit of a cliche, and it certainly isn't cheap, but so long as you're in Venice it has to be done. And of course, as I mentioned, you must get a Venetian mask for your kids to dress up in. They will love to pick out their favorite design and colors from the wide variety of choices. At some stores outside of the main tourist areas, you can find some really great deals on masks, so be careful not to get ripped off.

Milan

While there isn't one thing in particular that I'd say makes Milan truly unique or special, there's something very appealing and charming about this big city. The metro system is top notch, one of the best I have ever seen. The Duomo is stunning, even more impressive than the one in Florence. People walk around dressed to impress in expensive outfits from the high end fashion stores. There is a large castle which is free to walk through and takes you through some gardens to a glorious Arc de Triumph. All of these little things and more create a very pleasant experience while in Milan. While it isn't as impressive as Venice, it is a city very worthy of a visit.