Rome with kids: our 6-day family itinerary & honest tips
Six days in the Eternal City, from the Colosseum to the Vatican with a day trip to Pompeii in between. Rome is dense, ancient, and surprisingly walkable - here are the notes we wish we had before we went.
This is the practical companion to our Rome photo diary.
The short version
Six days let us see the big three - ancient Rome, the Vatican, and Pompeii - without sprinting, with time left for gelato and piazza-sitting. Rome rewards a slow pace and good walking shoes; the distances between sights are shorter than they look, and half the magic is what you stumble onto between them.
Day-by-day, the way we'd do it again
Ancient Rome. The Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are a single, staggering walk through the heart of the ancient city. Go early, book a combined ticket in advance, and give the kids the gladiator version of the story - it lands.
The center & the fountains. The Pantheon (free, and 2,000 years old), the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and the Spanish Steps string together into a perfect wandering day. The Pantheon's open oculus is the kind of thing that makes kids look up and go quiet.
The Vatican. St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums are overwhelming in the best way - the Sistine Chapel, the Gallery of Maps, the Bramante spiral staircase. Book the first entry slot; the crowds are no joke, and small legs tire in the long galleries.
Pompeii. A day trip south by fast train to Naples, then the ruined Roman city frozen by Vesuvius. Eerie, fascinating, and a genuine highlight - bring water, sun protection, and patience for a lot of walking on uneven stone.
Getting around
We walked almost everywhere in the center. The Metro is handy for the Vatican and the Colosseum, and the high-speed train made Pompeii an easy day trip. Cobblestones are charming and brutal on small wheels - a carrier beat a stroller for us.
Eating in Rome with kids
Pizza, pasta, and gelato solve almost everything. We did long lunches at casual trattorias away from the main sights and ate gelato daily without apology. Tap water from the city's nasoni fountains is cold, free, and everywhere.
What we'd do differently
We would book even more timed-entry tickets in advance and start every big sight at opening. And we would leave one full day completely unplanned - the best Roman moments were the unscheduled ones.
Just want the pictures? They live in our Rome photo diary.