Our Favorite Places to Stay + Things to Do in Italy With Kids
Italy is one of those places we keep coming back to and every trip seems to give us another hotel, restaurant, tour, or experience we end up recommending to everyone we know. After multiple trips through Italy with our kids, we’ve figured out which places actually work well for families, which activities are worth booking, and which little details can make the whole trip easier.
So, instead of giving you one giant generic list, we pulled together our personal favorites in one place. Including the hotels we’d stay at again, the tours and experiences we loved, and the practical tips we wish we’d known before our first trip. If you’re planning Italy with kids, consider this your shortcut to the places we genuinely think are worth it.
My kids and I actually moved to Italy last spring when we joined a 3 month worldschooling cohort with Boundless Life Worldschool. (I wrote all about what Boundless Life Worldschool is + how it works +how you can do it too in this post, and then after we had actually done the program, I wrote our review of Boundless Worldschool here).
We lived just outside Florence in Tuscany and spent so much time exploring all over Italy: Florence, Tuscany, Rome, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, and even the Northern Italy Lakes Region (where we took the best Italian cooking class with the sweetest local Italian grandma!)
Since then, everyone always asks what our favorite things to do are and what they need to book in advance. So here are my top italy with kids planning tips in order of how we actually go about booking.
1. First, get your accommodations booked
Italy attracts 185 MILLION Visitors each year 🤯 and hotel rooms that sleep more than 2-3 people are rare. Book as far out in advance as you can!
I like to pair a city with a countryside/small town. Examples:
Rome + Amalfi Coast; Florence + Tuscany; Venice + Lake Garda
Our Favorite Places to Stay in Rome:
The Edition: Definitely a splurge, but SUCH a good option for families who want more space without giving up a central location. They have connecting suites that can create more of an apartment-style setup, plus a rooftop pool and restaurant that make it especially nice when you want a little downtime between sightseeing.
Sofitel Villa Borghese: We love this one for families because it gives you more room than a typical Rome hotel, with connecting rooms and family suites that can accommodate larger groups. You’re also right by Villa Borghese, which is such a bonus with kids when you need green space and a break from sightseeing.
The Tribune - JdV by Hyatt: A really good option if you have Hyatt points to use! Their family rooms sleep up to four with a king bed + sofa bed, and the hotel is right by Villa Borghese, so you get a quieter home base while still being close to everything you want to see.
Casa Monti: I haven’t personally stayed here yet, but it’s VERY high on my list. It’s right in the Monti neighborhood and they have an actual two-bedroom Family Suite that sleeps up to six, which is incredibly hard to find in Rome, especially if you’re traveling with three kids or a larger family.
Rose Garden Palace: A great option if you want to stay in a quieter part of central Rome while still being close to the main sights. We especially like it for families because you get more of a relaxed hotel feel after a busy day exploring, while still being within easy reach of Villa Borghese, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.
Our Favorite Places to Stay in Tuscany/Florence:
Agriturismo Fattoria di Maiano: This is probably our favorite option with kids because you get that dreamy Tuscany countryside experience without being far from Florence. There’s plenty of space for kids, farm animals, a playground, pool, restaurant and apartment-style accommodations. So it feels like part of the vacation, not just somewhere to sleep.
Agriturismo Tenuta il Tasso: A great choice if you want to slow down and really experience the Tuscan countryside. The property sits among vineyards, fields and woods and has apartment-style accommodations plus a seasonal pool, making it such a nice home base for relaxed days mixed with day trips around Tuscany.
Hotel Settefiori: We’d choose this if you want to stay right IN Florence instead of out in the countryside. It’s incredibly central — close to both the Duomo and Santa Maria Novella train station — and their Mini Suite has two separate bedrooms and sleeps four, which is such a good setup for families.
Grand Hotel Cavour: Such a good option if location is your biggest priority. You’re right in the historic center of Florence and can walk to basically everything, plus they have actual Family Suites that sleep up to five. A huge win in a city where family-sized rooms can be hard to find.
Grand Hotel Minerva: This would be one of our top picks for families who want a nicer hotel experience without sacrificing convenience. It’s right on Piazza Santa Maria Novella, has several family and connecting-room options that sleep up to five or six, AND a seasonal rooftop pool with incredible views over Florence — which is pretty hard to beat after a hot day of sightseeing with kids.
Our Favorite Places to Stay in Sorrento/Amalfi Coast:
Grand Hotel President: We loved this one for families because you get those incredible views over Sorrento, a pool for downtime and a free shuttle into the center — so you don’t have to worry about walking the steep roads every time you go into town. They also have rooms that sleep up to four, which makes it much easier for families, and we loved that it still has that warm, family-run feel.
Hilton Sorrento: Such an easy choice for families because there’s tons of space to spread out, SIX outdoor pools and a really resort-like feel after busy sightseeing days. It also makes a great home base for day trips to Capri, Positano and the Amalfi Coast, especially if you want to come back somewhere with plenty of room to relax.
2. Next, decide on how you will get around:
TRAIN: If you are visiting Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, you won’t need a car any of those places and the trains run you easily everywhere you need to go. Just be sure to know how trains in Italy work (it is NOT like flying at all).
CAR: However for Tuscan hill towns and the Northern Italian Lakes (Lake Garda, Lake Como, etc) you will need a car. We always use this site to search for rental cars as it pulls rental options from EVERY major car rental company in Italy and finds you the best deal.
🔴 2 Important Tips When Renting a Car Overseas:
Make sure you get an international drivers permit for Italy! We didn’t need it in other countries but in Italy, they checked for it!
Make sure you take a credit card with you that will provide international car insurance benefits!
NOTE: To activate coverage, reserve and pay for your entire car rental with your card and decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW coverage.The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers primary coverage, meaning you do not need to file a claim with your own insurance (or other applicable insurance) before card coverage applies.
3. Next, map out your days
You’ll need to decide what regions you are going visit. If you have 7-10 days I would pick 2-3 bases MAX. For example: Do Rome, Florence/Tuscany and Sorrento (Amalfi Coast). You can use our Italy Overview to help you decide. Don’t try to see it all! You won’t have enough time to see Venice, Milan, Rome, Florence, Naples, etc all in one trip. Pick whats most important and map it out to make the most sense.
4. Make sure you have the right gear
You definitely don’t need to overpack for Italy, but there are a few things we always bring that make traveling with kids SO much easier. You can see our full list of EURO TRAVEL MUST HAVES.
➡️ 🔌 Universal Travel Adapter: Italy uses different outlets than the U.S., so bring one that works throughout Europe and has multiple USB ports so the whole family can charge at once.
➡️ 🔋 Portable Charger: Between Google Maps, train tickets, restaurant searches and taking 500 photos a day 😂, your phone battery disappears FAST. We never leave the house without one.
➡️ 👶 Lightweight Travel Stroller: Even if your kids don’t normally use a stroller at home, Italy involves A LOT of walking. We recommend this specific one because its super lightweight, you can collaspe it with one hand, it fits in the overhead bin and is much easier to maneuver through train stations and airports.
➡️ 👟 Comfortable Walking Shoes: You will walk A LOT in Italy — and many streets are cobblestone. Comfortable shoes for everyone are way more important than packing cute outfits for every day.
Our packing rule: Less is more. You will be carrying this luggage from train to train and up and down cobblestone streets.
5. Then, book your top excursions and tours!
Our Favorite Activities and Tours we’ve done:
Rome:
➡️ 🇮🇹 Golf Cart Tour : Such a GREAT way to see the city and have no kids complaining they are tired from walking. OUR #1booked tour this year!!!
➡️ 🛡️ Gladiator School : Such a fun way to make Roman history actually exciting for kids! They learn about gladiators, get dressed up and even practice fighting with swords.
➡️ ⚰️ Catacombs Tour : A really cool way to see a completely different side of Rome. You go underground into the ancient catacombs and learn about the history while exploring tunnels and burial chambers.
Florence:
➡️ 🎨 Leonardi DaVinci Museum : This is a GREAT stop with kids because it is really interactive. They can actually touch and try out replicas of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions instead of just walking around looking at art.
➡️ 🍝 Cooking Class : One of our favorite ways to experience Italy with kids! You learn how to make classic Italian dishes together and then get to sit down and eat everything you made. This specific class was very kid-friendly and the instructors loved helping the kids!
➡️ 🐎 Horse Drawn Carriage Ride: Such a fun way to see Florence without adding another long stretch of walking. You get to ride through the historic center, see some of the main sights and give everyone’s feet a break at the same time.
➡️ 🗼 Climb the Duomo: This is one of those experiences we’d absolutely recommend if your kids are up for the stairs. The climb itself feels like an adventure, and once you reach the top, the views over Florence are incredible.
Sorrento:
➡️ 🚣♀️ Kayak Tour : Such a fun way to see the Sorrento coastline from the water! You paddle along the cliffs, caves and little beaches that you would never get to see from land. (If you have little kids you can get a double kayak.
➡️ 🛥️ Boat Tour to Amalfii & Positano : This small group boat tour takes you from Sorrento to Amalfi Coast and Positano. You get off the boat at each location for about 2 hours and get to explore. On the way back you can snorkel and swim!
6. Get Travel Insurance!
SafetyWing is the travel insurance we always use because it can help cover unexpected things like medical emergencies, trip interruptions, lost luggage, or travel delays while you’re abroad. Travel insurance is one of those things you hope you never need — but then when you do, you are SO glad you have it.
I’ve used it in Spain when my son developed Bell’s Palsy and it was a lifesaver to have!
