Background
During Thanksgiving week 2025, our family took a trip to Italy! November is a tricky time to travel with weather, but the combination of great prices and fewer crowds convinced us to go. Ben and I had been before without the kids (Italy without kids), but this time we decided to bring them along! We loved spending a few days in Rome with some history and museums and then took the train down to the Naples/Amalfi Coast area, where we explored the cities, including an epic visit to Pompeii. We love European travel as it always offers family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains, and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting, but with a little preparation, research, and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip!
This post covers our days in Rome.
For more on our Italy Adventure, see our posts here
- Italy Adventures with Kids- Rome and Amalfi Coast Itinerary and Logistics
- 3 days in Rome with Kids
- 3 days Amalfi Coast Itinerary for Families
Arrival in Rome from Airport
We flew from Nashville to Rome with a short layover in Iceland. There is a new non-stop on Iceland Air to Reykjavik, and this opens up several cheap options throughout Europe. (On the way home, we had an overnight layover in Dublin.) We arrived in Rome around 2 PM and took a train to our apartment.
Transportation in Rome
In Rome, we mostly did a lot of walking with a few bus and train rides.
In-City Transit: When we needed to use the city transport (buses or the inner-city Metro), we used the tap-to-pay feature with our credit cards on the buses and at the Metro turnstiles. Kids under 10 are free but policies can vary, so always check the latest rules!
Longer Trains: For our pre-planned longer journeys (Frascati, Salerno), we booked the tickets ahead of time at trenitalia, which simplified those specific transfers.
- Uber/Taxi: Uber is used as a taxi-hailing app but is not widely used. When leaving Rome, we did choose to call an uber to help us make our way to the train station.
- Walking: Make sure you have a powerbank since having maps open often drains battery.
Hotel
Our home base was the Hyatt Rome The Tribune. We are loyal Hyatt fans, and for this trip, we booked a Family Room (around $350/night), which was big enough to comfortably fit a queen bed for us and two separate single twin beds for the kids. Having that separate sleeping space is a non-negotiable for happy travel! More about sleeping in hotels linked here. Because of our status, we had free breakfast which was great. Omelets, pastries, and good coffee meant we could fuel up without having to make a decision before 9AM. Our hotel was near the Borghese area. Many bloggers recommend staying in the Historic Center or Trastevere for the easiest walking access, but we found our spot was still very central and a great location for us. We were near a street that often had sirens nearby, but I’m not sure how one would avoid that while still being close to the action
Our 3 day itinerary in Rome
Day 1: Sunset Views, Trevi Fountain, and a Gorgeous Church
Our first afternoon was a classic Roman walk, checking off some of the biggest icons right away.
Spanish Steps to Trevi Fountain Walk
We used the Rick Steves audio guide (read from the transcript!) as we walked the cobblestone streets.
Spanish Steps: Gorgeous at sunset, but very busy. (Quick Tip: Sitting on the steps is prohibited, so just admire the view from the bottom or the top!)
Trevi Fountain: Again, packed with people, but still completely magical. (Other blogs advise getting here right at sunrise to beat the crowds, but the sunset crowds have a special energy.)
Sant'Ignazio di Loyola Church
Before trips, I rely on guidebooks and social media posts for suggestions. Near the Pantheon, we made a stop at the Church of Sant’Ignazio di Loyola that has a famous “fake dome.” Because the original builders ran out of money, a painter created an incredible optical illusion dome on a flat ceiling. It was such a fun stop and the first of many beautiful churches that we loved
Dinner at Peroni Brewery
For dinner, I had pre-selected some options that were recommended by other bloggers and guidebooks. I save them to google maps so that when we’re hungry, I can say “We’re a few blocks from this spot” or “Nothing near here, let’s wander”.
Near the Pantheon/Trevi Fountain area, we chose the Peroni Brewery for dinner, a decent, inexpensive spot a little off the main walking track. The food was good, the service was fast, and it was a perfect way to settle into Rome life.
After dinner, we took a bus back toward our hotel, stopped at a grocery store for some snacks and drinks, and stayed up late back at the Hyatt watching an awesome Vandy football game. Time-zones don’t matter when you’re a true fan!
Day 2: Classic Roman History and Pasta Class!
Morning at the Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
We pre-booked our combo tickets online €18 adults, kids free. (Pro-tip: Don’t line up at the main Roman Forum entrance. Instead, walk through the Arch of Constantine (with the Colosseum on your left) and walk a little ways down toward the Palatine Hill entrance, which had virtually no line!
Starting at the Palatine Hill area, you can see where Rome was founded and then work your way back toward the Forum. The ruins are so expansive, and the history is incredible. I did some “mild history teaching” from the Rick Steves audio guide about the different sites. My daughter kept finding spots to do some ballet posing for a photo op!
Afternoon Colosseum Visit
We had a pre-booked 1 PM entry time for the Colosseum. (The Forum combo ticket can be used 24 hours before or after the specific Colosseum time.)
We tried to get underground tickets, but they sell out quickly. Buy ahead, especially if you’re coming in the summer. Tickets often open a month ahead.
We ate lunch down the street and wished we had researched a non-touristy spot ahead of time.
We considered getting a guide but mostly just wanted to “ooh and ahh” at the outsides and insides of the giant building. Kid-Friendly Tip: The bathrooms are at the beginning, and you will have to backtrack if you are past it on the walk.
Highlight of the Trip: Pasta Class in Frascati!
This was hands-down one of the most memorable parts of our entire trip. We took a train to the beautiful hilltop town of Frascati for a pasta class. This has become a family tradition (in Paris, we made Macarons; in Austria, strudel!).
We researched a few and chose From Scratch Experiencesbecause they offered a lot for the price (€39 for adults and €35 for children).
We did a short tour of town from the train station, drank some wine, had a small cheese appetizer, and loved the hands-on mixing, kneading, and cutting the dough. And of course, getting to eat the pasta we made: Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Amatriciana. The best meal of the entire trip!
We finished the evening with a short wander through the town, checking out the Christmas stands, and doing some ice skating before taking the late train back to Rome.
Day 3: Leonardo Museum and the Vatican
Morning: The Museo/Mostra Leonardo da Vinci
Since we travel with a couple of science-loving kiddos, we love finding something STEM-focused. We visited the Museo/Mostra Leonardo da Vinci . Although Leonardo doesn’t actually have a lot to do with Rome itself, it was still a cool museum and fun, kid-focused time.
We spent about two hours exploring the flying machines and contraptions. The kids successfully built one of his famous self-supporting bridges.
Lunch: Corner Pizza! (Our cheapest meal lol)
We found Corner Pizza on Piazza del Tratro di Pompeo, which sells delicious square pizza al taglio (by weight/kilogram). We only spent about €30 for the whole family! The cheapest meal of the trip lol
Afternoon: Brief Vatican City Visit
We decided to skip the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel this trip (a key tip for first-timers with young kids-don’t feel pressured to do everything!)
We took a bus over and stood in the short (10-minute) security line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican strictly enforces the shoulders and knees covered rule, but in chilly November, our sweaters and jeans made it easy! A poncho would also be a good thing to pack for rainy days. To avoid the longest lines, aim to visit the Basilica right at opening (7AM) or later in the afternoon (5PM) when the 10 AM to 2 PM rush has passed. Note if you do the Vatican museum tour, there is a separate entrance where you won’t have to the do the security line again. The space is truly breathtaking, and it was cool to see all the chairs set up for the Pope’s address. My daughter kept comparing other churches throughout the trip to the Pope’s church.
Evening:
We did some essential clothes shopping (sweaters and fun stuffies) at the shops around the Spanish Steps area. Hamleys was a really cute store, reminiscent of FAO Schwartz in NYC.
It’s a bit silly, but when in big European cities, we often stop at normal clothes chains such as Uniqlo, H&M and OVS. Couple cute dresses and sweaters for cheap.
Dinner was at Angie’s Restaurant (Piazza Mignanelli), a spot highly recommended by bloggers near the Spanish Steps. It was delicious and a perfect way to end our Roman stay!
The next morning, we checked out of the Hyatt and took an 11 AM train south to Salerno.
Optional Activity Note: If the weather had been nicer, we would have added Villa Borghese to our itinerary. The gardens are supposed to fantastic for families with great playgrounds and an awesome art gallery. Next time!
More Italy
For more on our Italy Adventure, see our posts here
