First up, a couple of tips to get you started on when traveling with kids in Rome.
- Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes
- Carry a reusable water bottle each, as you can re-fill at one of the many water taps across the city
- I always carry a backpack for incidentals (sweaters, umbrellas, tissues, hand sanitiser and a packet of lollies are our day-tripping travel essentials)
- Charge your phone before you head out for the day, and consider getting an eSim so that you can access the internet for using your Maps app, or WhatsApp which is frequently used throughout Europe
Now that we have the essentials out of the way, let’s dive into our tried and tested itinerary of things to do in Rome, starting with Day 1.
Piazza Navona
The bustling Piazza Navona is a great introduction to the city of Rome. With street performers belting out tunes and performing daring stunts and beautiful fountains located at both ends, the whole family will immediately get a sense for the bustling culture and romance of Rome.

Pantheon
300m walk from the Piazza is the Pantheon. Now, I’ll be honest, my kids weren’t particularly excited by this awe-inspiring structure but given it’s part of the route, what have you got to lose! The Pantheon is one of the most significant buildings in Rome, and with it’s dramatic presence it’s worthy of at least a photo or two for the family album. The streets leading to the Pantheon from the Piazza Navona are also quite interesting, the narrow cobblestone alleyways lined with historic buildings adding to the charm.
Gelato
The trick we’ve discovered when traveling as a family in Europe is to anticipate the slumps in energy and excitement in advance, and to combat them with….you guessed it….gelato! Just to the North East corner of the Pantheon you’ll find your choice of at least four gelaterias including Gelateria Mastro Cono, so take your pick from the flavours on show and enjoy!
Trevi Fountain
You can’t visit Rome without a trip to the world’s most famous fountain, the Trevi Fountain. It’s just a 650m walk from the Pantehon. Be sure to have some spare change in your pocket, as it’s a tradition to kiss a coin and throw it over your head into the fountain for good luck. The kids always seem to get a kick of this!

Lego Shop
Well, you’ve already squeezed in some of Rome’s greatest monuments and by now the kids may be getting a bit tired. I highly recommend a visit to the Official Lego Store which is a 10 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain. Every Lego store around the world is unique, in the sense that it exhibits at least one if not several locally inspired creations. Even if Lego isn’t really your thing, the other benefit of heading here, is that you’ll pass through other streets you’ve not yet seen while you work up your appetite for dinner!

Pizza for dinner
As they say, when in Rome…eat pizza for dinner! Being in Italy’s capital you are undeniably spoiled for choice when it comes to this local staple. Find a nice spot nearby, sit down and rest your feet and enjoy a refreshment followed by our kids’ favourite, a margarita pizza or three! The best part is, each pizza shouldn’t cost you more than 8-9 Euros so it’s a wallet-friendly meal the whole family will enjoy.A
And after a big day and a nice feed it’s time to head back to your accommodation and hit the hay.
My first tip for Day 2 is to grab a metro pass to make your way to the Colosseum, if you’re not staying within walking distance. Simply buy a standard 90 minute metro pass for each of your family members, as this should give you more than enough time to get you to the Colosseum metro station on the frequent trains, bringing you within a 200 metre walk to this ancient wonder!
Colosseum and The Roman Forum
I’ll start by saying that visiting the Colosseum plus Roman Forum back-to-back is quite a lot of walking. In my honest opinion you could do either and be content, but if you have history buffs in the family why not do both, since the Colosseum tickets generally include the Roman Forum. The critical thing here is to book your Colosseum entry tickets online many weeks (if not months) prior to your visit, as entry is allocated to specific time-slots which book out well in advance, particularly in peak season. If you miss out on the Colosseum or simply want to save a few dollars on your entry tickets, you can get a perfect view of the Colosseum’s impressive exterior from within the Roman Forum, as per our vantage point pictured below.
Carbonara for lunch
After experiencing the historical battlefields of Rome no doubt you’ll have worked up the appetite of a warrior. What better way to curb your hunger than one of Italy’s most indulgent meals, a nice creamy pasta. Carbonara was often our go to, thought another popular dish with our kids was Cacio de Pepe which is simply pasta topped with cheese and cracked pepper. Whatever you choose, your bellies will be thankful and ready for the next and final stop on our itinerary. We found a place called xxx which we thought very authentic and well priced with many locals also enjoying the food, just 7-8 minutes walk from the Colosseum.

Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps is a monument made famous from many classic artworks, poems and films including the 1950’s flick Roman Holiday staring Audrey Hepburn. Funnily enough, my kids were a little perplexed about the appeal of what is essentially a giant set of stairs, so I recommend packing some snacks or grabbing a gelato nearby before taking a seat amongst hundreds of others on the steps, and taking time to soak up the vibe. Here and in many other piazzas we found ourselves marveling at the European fashion, choosing the best dressed in each location for a bit of family fun.

Final Word
This brings you to the end of your 2 day itinerary in Rome with the kids. If you still have a bit of time available you might like to check out some of the city’s other attractions such as Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and Villa Borghese, or you may simply to soak up the vibrant culture with a refreshment at one of the many casual curbside eateries in the Trastevere area. Whatever you choose, I’m sure you’ll all enjoy your family’s time in Rome.