HOW TO SPEND 3 DAYS IN ROME WITH LITTLE KIDS

by Alex Millsupdated on October 1, 2024July 14, 2024Leave a Comment

A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ROME ITINERARY

If you’re heading to Rome soon, lucky you! It is such a beautiful city full of rich history, culture and amazing food. If you want to know more about how to spend a perfect 3 days in Rome with your kids, this family-friendly Rome itinerary has got you covered.

This is my third visit to Rome but the first time with kids, we visited in July 2024, at the time, our boys were aged 4.5 years old and 17 months old – so two under 5! In this guide, we’ll cover all the main things to do in Rome, tips to make them family-friendly and some hidden gems. Read on for all you need to know about how to spend a perfect 3 days in Rome.

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WHEN TO VISIT ROME

As I mentioned, we visited Rome in July. It was HOT. Pre-kids we did Rome in August and absolutely loved it, however, the heat hits differently when you’re pushing a pushchair (stroller) and running after or carrying a toddler. I would recommend avoiding the summer if at all possible, spring or autumn (fall) would make your trip much more pleasant.

If you are visiting in the summer, I would consider the Hop-on Hop-off Bus as it will be a nicer way to get around!

GETTING INTO ROME

We flew into Roma Fiumicino airport. This is the largest airport and most likely to be the one you’ll come to. From here you can take a train to Roma Termini station which is fairly central. The train takes around 30 minutes and costs €14 per adult (kids under 5 don’t need a ticket). From our experience, Trains are usually on time and reliable. You can easily buy tickets from the ticket machine which has multiple languages on it.

There is also a bus option, this costs €6 but will take around an hour depending on traffic. We decided as we only had 3 days in Rome, it was worth paying slightly more to save time.

WHERE TO STAY IN ROME

Rome is not huge, and for the most part, you can get around on foot. If you only have 3 days in Rome, I would advise you to stay as central as possible. Rome gets extremely busy and we found getting out early to beat the crowds and the heat the best way to explore, staying outside the centre and travelling in will take a chunk of your time and is a lot of effort, especially with little kids.

I always find an apartment best with little kids as you have access to a kitchen (we mainly need a fridge for milk) and a separate bedroom so the kids can go to bed and we can have a little longer without disturbing them. We don’t spend much time there but it’s nice to have a bit of extra space compared to a hotel room.

LINK TO THE APARTMENT WE STAYED IN.

This apartment was just a 15-minute walk from Roma Termini (the train station you’ll likely come to from the airport) and a 10-minute walk from the Colosseum. It was a great value compared to others in the area. It was only one bedroom (and a sofa bed) but it had air conditioning (which is unusual for Italy) and a washing machine which is always good with little kids. Also, the photos show a bath but we only had a shower.

HOW TO SPEND 3 DAYS IN ROME – A PERFECT FAMILY ITINERARY

It is possible to see most of Rome in one or two days, but you could also easily spend a whole week exploring. We found that a full 3 days in Rome was a good amount to see everything, we were busy but not rushed. Read on for our itinerary and how to spend an amazing 3 days in Rome.

DAY 1 – THE COLOSSEUM, MONUMENT TO VICTOR EMMANUEL II AND THE ROMAN FORUM

On the first of your 3 days in Rome, visit some of Rome’s most iconic landmarks. I initially thought we see more on this day but in the below filled the day easily, especially in the heat.

THE COLOSSEUM

No trip to Rome would be complete without visiting the iconic Colosseum! This is where we started our first day. It opens at 8:30 am, we arrived at 9 and it was already busy. By 11 am the queue outside was huge. Potentially, later in the afternoon would be quieter as it’s open until 7:15 pm in the summer.

Kid Tips: Kids under 18 get free entry with an accompanying adult but you do have to visit the desk inside to get them a physical ticket, keep hold of this ticket to use at The Roman Forum later.

The Colosseum itself has been set up to be accessible for pushchairs (strollers). There is a lift (elevator) that is reserved for families, wheelchairs, older people etc so it only had a short queue. However, if you can avoid taking a pushchair, I would as it will be easier to navigate.

The Colosseum isn’t really aimed at children and there aren’t any kid-focused activities there but our boys still enjoyed it, talking about the Romans and gladiators helped keep their interest.

Booking Tickets: Tickets do sell out so I would recommend booking in advance. I always try to book through Viator or Get Your Guide as they usually offer free cancellations however they had so many different options/ packages you can choose from, it was a bit confusing and all seemed very expensive. I ended up booking directly through the official website. It can be a bit slow but it was the best price.

We went for the standard tickets which are €18 for adults, I’ve linked them here .

I would avoid a guided tour with small children. They won’t be interested in it and the crowds were hard enough to navigate without having to stick with a group. Audio tours are available and would be a better option to let you go at your own pace.

MONUMENT TO VICTOR EMMANUEL II

This is a hidden gem of Rome. It’s not exactly hidden because it’s huge! But not everyone knows you can go inside, and it’s free! It was so worth it for the incredible views, it was also very quiet which was nice.

We went here after The Colosseum as it has a cafe/bar/restaurant and we needed a rest and to escape the heat.

Kid Tip: To the right of the building (if you’re looking at it) is an accessible entrance. There are a few steps that we had to carry the pushchair up but then you can take the lift up to the viewpoint/restaurant level.

Booking Tickets: you don’t need to book and it’s free! You can take a glass elevator to the very top floor for a fee, I believe it was €14 if you bought tickets at the ticket desk there.

THE ROMAN FORUM

You’re Colosseum ticket also includes entry to The Roman Forum. This was next on our agenda. The Forum is big and slightly less crowded than the Colosseum which made it easier with children.

We spent about two hours here. You could spend much longer but it was so hot and we were all getting tired by this point.

Kid Tips: While lots of the Roman Forum is accessible for pushchairs, some parts are steps and steep ramps.

There is a beautiful viewpoint but it is up a lot steps. My husband opted out and stayed near the bottom with the boys and I made the climb to the top solo. Carrying them and the pushchair to the top would not have been fun but the view was incredible!

Booking Tickets: entry is included with your Colosseum tickets but you need to visit both on the same day.

PLAYGROUND – AREA GIOCHI PER BAMBINI

Of course, we had to visit a playground! I’m a fan of taking the kids to a playground as it’s a free kid-focused activity. This one was cute and they enjoyed it.

Kid Tip: this playground is a 10-minute walk from the Colosseum. I would advise visiting the Colosseum and then going here so they can burn some energy. We only left it until later as it was so hot during the day!

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DAY 2 – THE VATICAN CITY AND TRASTEVERE

THE VATICAN CITY

We had another fairly early start, heading to the Vatican City. The Vatican City is technically its own Country, the smallest in the world and it’s extremely beautiful.

Getting there is easy, you can take a number 64 bus from Roma Termini (check Google Maps to see if you have a closer stop) and this takes just 25 minutes. The bus we got was very busy and we had to fold our pushchair. The bus costs €3 each way and is free for kids under 5. You need to buy a ticket before boarding from one of the small green kiosks, you will see them at the sides of the road also selling souvenirs.

This is another popular place to visit in Rome and again, it gets crowded. At around 9 am it wasn’t too busy. St Peters Basilica is free to enter and booking is not required. There was a small queue for security but it moved quickly. We spent about half an hour in here and that was long enough to wander around, much longer and the boys would have lost interest.

Kid Tip: you’ll need to leave your pushchair in the pushchair parking area located after security, just before the steps up to the Basilica, they give you a ticket for it.

Booking Tickets: St Peters Basilica is free and booking is not required, however, the queues can get long. To visit the Basilica’s Dome, you should book in advance, but note, it is about 550 steps up. You can skip the first 230 by taking the lift (elevator) for an additional fee. It is not pushchair accessible!

The other main things to see in The Vatican City are the Vatican Museums. I would have loved to see the Sistine Chapel but unfortunately, I left booking tickets too late and they had all sold out. If you would like to do these, book well in advance to avoid disappointment!

ALSO NOTE: Both women and men need to cover their shoulders and knees in The Basilica. The Basilica and all The Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays.

CASTEL SANT’ANGELO

We chose not to go into the Castel but it is another popular thing to do in Rome. It’s only a short walk from St Peters Square so this would be the perfect time to see it.

I would suggest walking down the road called Borgo Pio. This is a beautiful little street with lots of cute Italian restaurants, the perfect place to stop for a drink or lunch if you need to!

Booking Tickets: you can book tickets HERE. Note, that it is free entry, on the first Sunday of the month.

TRASTEVERE

From Castel Sant’Angelo, you can walk down the river to Trastevere. The walk takes about 30 minutes but it was shaded by the trees lining the river.

Trastevere is a beautiful little area of Rome known for its excellent food. It doesn’t have any big tourist attractions so it’s much quieter, it was nice to escape the crowds for a couple of hours and have a drink in the sunshine.

Kid Tip: as this area is much quieter, the boys could wander around a bit more freely. My eldest enjoyed walking along the wall by the river (with my husband holding him). I’m not sure why walking on a wall is more fun than walking on the ground, but it is!

DAY 3 – OTHER MUST-SEE PLACES IN ROME AND PARK VILLA BORGHESE

On our final day in Rome, we made sure to see all the other main attractions in Rome and also planned some time to relax in the park.

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN

This fountain is spectacular and a must-see when you’re in Rome. Of course, it gets extremely busy. I’d read if you get there at 8 am, there will be no crowds. Well, below is a photo of the fountain at 8 am. It was already pretty crowded.

Kid Tip: take plenty of small value coins. Legend says if you throw a coin into the fountain, you will return to Rome. My kids threw in about 50 and they loved it!

Right by the fountain is a cute Cafe called L’Antico Forno di Piazza Trevi. It had a huge line but just next door was their store that sells the same croissants and had no queue. We got these for breakfast!

THE PANTHEON

Next, we walked past The Pantheon. It doesn’t open until 9 am and at 8:40, there was already a long line outside. My husband and I have been in before, it’s a 2000-year-old church and a very unique building but we decided not to wait in line with the kids.

Booking Tickets: you can buy fast-track tickets in advance. I’ve linked them here.

CAMPO DE’FIORI

This is one of the main market squares in Rome. It’s a nice place to pick up a souvenir such as pasta, limoncello or other touristy items. There are also lots of cafes and restaurants here. For me, this isn’t a ‘must-do’ place but it is popular so I think, worth me mentioning here.

PIAZZA NAVONA

Another huge square in Rome is known for its three beautiful fountains. Sadly, they were all under construction so we didnt get to see them! The main building overlooking the square is a beautiful church while the other side is lined with restaurants.

It was very quiet when we were there but you’ll often see street performers, artists and fortune tellers.

THE SPANISH STEPS

The Spanish Steps are so stunning and for me, a must-see. If you don’t like walking/ want to save time. I would go straight from the Trevi Fountain here, skipping the other three places. As you can see, it was pretty busy but still beautiful.

VILLA BORGHESE

This is the final stop on our 3 days in Rome itinerary! It’s only a 20-minute walk from The Spanis Steps but it is a bit of a hike up the hill! If you follow Google Maps, you should come past the viewpoint ‘Terrazza Viale del Belvedere’ where you’ll see great views over the city.

Villa Borghese is a lovely park and is very family-friendly. I think you could easily spend a full day here. There’s a playground, a carousel and a little train ride. The highlight for our kids was rowing the boats on the lake, 20 minutes costs €5 each and €3 if you’re under 1.1 meters tall. It’s only a small lake so 20 minutes was long enough. It was quite hard work to get anywhere as both boys wanted to use an ore and I had to sing Row, row, row your boat on repeat, they really enjoyed it though!