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Travelling in Italy with kids

Find out what Responsible Travel recommends if you’re hell bent on travelling in Italy with kids. We’ve asked our experts to help you discover what to do with little ones and if you’re thinking active volcanoes, leaning towers and pizzas every day of the week then you’ll be pleased to learn that you’re already on the right track.

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Travelling in Italy with kids

From fiery volcanoes to azure sea and unforgettable ancients, Italy will stir young minds and pulses.

A rich variety of activities and locations makes travelling in Italy with kids a joy - aided by the Italian love of children. Burn bambini energy zipping over the waves in RIBs then dive/snorkel off Sardinia, or go climbing or orienteering in Tuscany. Potter ravishing coasts in Amalfi or Liguria, cycle on quiet backroads in Sardinia between white sand coves, or ski hidden Alpine valleys where you can dine in caves! Delve epic ancient history – Rome's imperial grandeur perhaps or frozen-in-time Pompeii in the lee of still fiery Mt Vesuvius. Add food all kids will love.

For health & safety advice, please see our Tips page.

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Activities for families in Italy

Hot-heads & high spots

Italy is Europe's land of volcanoes – still rumbling Vesuvius, quietly brooding Etna and, in Sicily's Aeolian Islands, Vulcano – the hot-top that named them all. Hit the heights with hiking or winter sports among the famous peaks of the Alps, the stunning Dolomites or the more secret Apennines.

Old - but sick!

Italy's history will stir any child. Discover life and death in ancient times at eerie time-capsule Pompeii, grand gladiatorial arenas or glorious ocean-view temples. Delve colourful past lives, from the Borgias to geniuses Galileo and Leonardo. And teach them about solid foundations by Pisa's wonky tower!

Squisito! (Delicious!)

Feed a young interest in food – learn to create proper pizza or fresh pasta (in any shape!), or see how oils and cheeses are made – after picking olives or milking! And in the home of Slow Food, kids will see how food, land and people truly connect.

For help with family Italy Holidays contact us

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Italy or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

01273 823 700

Calling us from outside the UK?

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Travelling in Italy with kids

Melanie McAnaw from our supplier Headwater suggests a cycling break in the Veneto is ideal for travelling in Italy with kids: “A cycling holiday in the Veneto at a family run and quintessentially Italian agriturismo comes with vineyards for the parents, two soppy collies that are good for dog-loving children of any age, and a gorgeous outdoor pool that's good for everyone!. There’s the opportunity to mix superb, easy cycling with sightseeing so it’s guaranteed to keep our younger customers interested with our traditional mix of activity and local discovery.”

Marta Marinelli from our supplier Exodus says keeping busy and engaged makes for great times travelling in Italy with kids: “We make sure we go beyond the traditional sightseeing experience and keep children and adults always entertained. 'Get involved' activities like pizza and pasta making, arts and craft lessons, and group walks or bike rides allow families to get together, have fun, and bring home some fabulous memories. And our expert leaders and organisation on the ground makes sure all the difficult parts of family holidays are taken care of. We want a no-stress experience for all!”

More about Italy

Best time to visit Italy

The best time to visit Italy will no doubt depend on whether you’re a lover of snow-capped mountains and winter sports or sun-drenched beaches and alfresco dining however, for those in the know, our month by month guide unveils a whole host of alternatives as to when to visit Italy & when not to.

Italy travel guide

Explore our Italy travel guide like a wild boar snuffling for truffles in a sun dappled oak orchard deep within the eternally undulating Etruscan countryside.

Where to go in Italy

If you’re searching for where to go in Italy and how to make the most of your time then why not check out our interactive highlights map that will take you all the way from the Dolomites and the Italian Alps in the north down to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, further south.

Things to do in Italy

Our top activities in Italy tend to revolve around the cultural history, the cycling routes, the walking trails and the fabulous hillsides that surround some of Europe’s most iconic cities however, if you’re after things to do in Italy, look no further than the food as the locals truly live to eat and do so extremely well.

Sicily

Sicily is a Russian doll of an island. The closer you look, the more you’ll realise that everything from the food to the architecture is a puzzle of Greek, Roman, North African and Anglo influences. Sky-high Mount Etna is just the smoking cherry on top. Read our Sicily travel guide to find out more.

The Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast jags along the underside of the Sorrentine Peninsula, dealing out cliffside villages and tiny polished pebble beaches along the way.

Puglia

Travel to Puglia, and you’re diving into Italy’s deep south. Here, rural ways rule the roost. You can stay in masseria agriturismo and conical trulli farmhouses, and spend your days driving (or walking or cycling) from farm to vineyard to whitewashed city in search of some the best food and wine Italy has to offer.

The Dolomites

The sheer mountains of the Dolomites aren’t just for winter. Cross country skiing and snow shoeing are the themes when the snow falls, but come spring you’ve got a region creased with impossibly scenic alpine walking routes and WWI-era cycle paths – plus a good serving of vineyards. Read our Dolomites travel guide to find out more.

Tuscany

Most feel feel like they’ve got the measure of Tuscany before they’ve seen it. Florence, Chianti, medieval citadels and poppy fields, right? Well…yes. But there’s also everything in between, from the mountainous Apennines to hiking paths between vines that haven’t made it out of Italy yet. Read our Tuscany travel guide to find out more.

Italy travel advice

Our Italy travel advice page is just perfect for those who love to learn from the local experts with Marta Marinelli, Marina Caldera and Andrea Monti all imparting their pearls of wisdom in addition to our thoroughly worthwhile health & safety in Italy section.

Responsible tourism in Italy

From slow food and sealife centres to preserving rural communities and ancient traditions read our responsible tourism in Italy page if you’ve got plans to find out what you can do to travel right in Italy.

All our Italy guides

Find all of our Italy guides in one place, for Italy holidays in particular places such as the Tuscany or Sicily, or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of Italy holidays such as walking or cycling.

More relevant guides

Written by Norman Miller

ABTA member P7085 so you are fully protected

Photo credits: [Page banner: Rostislav Glinsky] [Intro: pxhere] [Hot-heads & high spots: Mstyslav Chernov] [Squisito! (Delicious!): Jorge Zapata] [Melanie McAnaw Quote: Simone Ramella]

Travelling in Italy with kids