Rome rewards families who mix one big sight a day with plenty of time outdoors. Here are the places that keep children (and their parents) happy.
1. Villa Borghese and the Bioparco
Rome's great central park has rowing boats on the lake, bike and four-wheel pedal-car rental, a small cinema for children, and the Bioparco, the city zoo, with its train rides and animal encounters. See our Villa Borghese guide.
2. Explora, the children's museum
A hands-on museum for younger children (roughly up to age 12) near Piazza del Popolo. It's a mini city where kids can shop at a supermarket, work in a bank, cook and play in group games. Visits run in timed sessions of about 1¾ hours, so book ahead.
3. The Leonardo da Vinci museum
A small museum near Campo de' Fiori full of working models built from Leonardo's drawings, some of them life-size. Curious kids can try out several of the machines. It's a good couple of hours in the centre of town.
4. The Colosseum, the gladiator way
Entry is free for under-18s. Choose a ticket that includes the arena floor or the underground, where the animals and gladiators waited, and tell the stories as you go. It's 15 minutes' walk from the house.
5. The Monster Park of Bomarzo
A day trip about 90 km north of Rome. The Parco dei Mostri was created in 1552 for Prince Orsini and is full of giant stone monsters: a war elephant, a sea monster and an enormous screaming face you can walk into. Combine it with the medieval town of Viterbo.
6. The small pleasures
- Nasoni: teach them how to block the spout and drink from Rome's drinking fountains. Instant hit.
- The Trevi coin toss: right hand, over the left shoulder. Children under 5 enter free.
- The Pantheon: look for the hole in the roof and imagine the rain falling through it. Free for under-18s.
- Gelato at Fassi: Palazzo del Freddo, open since 1880 and a few streets from the house.
Tips for Rome with children: do the big sight in the morning, rest in the afternoon, and go out again in the evening when Romans do. Pavements are cobbled, so a sturdy stroller or a carrier beats a light buggy. Check opening times and prices before you go, as they change often.
Quick answers
Is the Colosseum free for children?
Yes. Entry to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine is free for under-18s, though a reservation is still needed.
What can kids do in Rome?
Villa Borghese and its zoo, the Explora children's museum, the Leonardo da Vinci museum, the Colosseum underground, and a day trip to the Monster Park of Bomarzo.