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We arrived in Rome in July of 2019. Rome is a city filled with history and culture, and we were quickly overwhelmed by the abundance of sights and crowds. Luckily, we had a local friend to guide us through the city. The first stop was The Spanish Steps, a very popular tourist sight a short walk from our hotel, the Le Meridien Visconti. We walked around the area and admired the many public fountains, with the Fountain of the Boat at the foot of the steps being our favorite. The hot weather made our first day in Rome a bit more challenging, but we found plenty of cool spots to wander around and indulge in delicious gelato.
Before the kids succumbed to jet lag, our friend took us to the Atlante Hotel, where we enjoyed breathtaking views of both Rome and Vatican City from the rooftop. Rome may be overwhelming, but with good company and a well-planned itinerary, it is a city that is not to be missed.
Day two took us to old Rome: Circus Maximus, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. We did a Colosseum tour that was meant for families, but the heat was a lot for the kids (aged 5 and 8 at the time). They made it through after a little goriness about the animals that fought the gladiators (entering from the trap door – middle picture) and a lot of gross talk about the toilets and sanitation. If you visit in the summer with kids, I highly recommend paying for skip the line tickets. They are absolutely worth the price if it is hot outside. I also recommend personal fans.
As soon as we left the Colosseum we had more gelato which gave the kids more energy. They enjoyed the Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain, even though they were both crowded. We threw in our coins into the fountain, ensuring our future return!
Day three was all about The Vatican. A friend of a friend knew a Priest in Rome, who joined us for an amazing lunch at Ristorante dei Musei. It was very affordable and the servings were quite large. We had authentic Cacio e Pepe, pizza, a couple of other dishes, plus wine and limoncello. Every was happy. Father Mike then took us on a tour, providing us the ability to skip the line. It was AMAZING. He was fantastic and patient with my children. We saw the Laocoonte sculpture, the oldest art in the world, at 1900 years old, its incredible detail down to the bones in the toes, veins and even wrinkles. We saw the Apollo statue, of which Michelangelo copied for the face of David in the Sistine Chapel. We also saw the Belvedere Torso. The reason the torso is special is because it shows the body in motion and the muscles complimenting the movement perfectly indicating knowledge of anatomy, This was a big deal because it was against the law to dissect the human body to study muscles and anatomy.
We went inside St. Peter’s Basilica where we were introduced to Michelangelo’s Pietà, the only piece he ever signed. As we departed, we came across another fountain that people were using to fill up water bottles, while the horses were drinking from the same fountain.
Day 4 took us by train to Galzignano Terme, where we rented a car. A friend of mine had rented a house and invited us to stay for a few days, surrounded by small vineyards. Da Castegna Pizzeria Ristorante was a short walk away and was a perfect restaurant for families.
It was a great base to explore the Verona and Venice areas. We went to Verona to see the Juliet Statue (The shoes I am wearing were worn almost every day on this trip, including all over Rome. You can find them here.) and then Soave to see a castle and try some local wines.
One of our days in the area, we drove a little far, into SLOVEnia to the Postojna Caves. It was very worth it. The kids loved it, as did the adults. There is even a train you take deep into the cave.
Another day took us to a balsamic vinegar tasting at Villa San Donnino. We learned there is a significant difference in the balsamic vinegars we buy in the United States versus what you get from the source in Modena. You can certainly purchase legit Balsamic Vinegar online here, but it is much more fun (and less expensive) to get it from the source. There is also a white balsamic that is fun to try and tastes amazing drizzled over vanilla ice cream. After our tasting we went to the Ferrari Museum (where you can drive a simulator) and spent time in the town of Modena, location of one of the best restaurants in the world, Osteria Francescana
Our last day and night were spent in Venice. If you have kids, you need more than a day here. Mine were fascinated. The kids loved all of the boats and the bridges.They loved our tour at the Doge’s Palace, another place were we had a wonderful private guide. One of my favorite stories was about the mailboxes around the Palace. Citizens could submit information on neighbors thought to be violating the law. Anyone could write a name on a piece of paper and slip it into the “lion’s mouth”. All accusations were investigated and sentences were harsh and often without appeal.
We walked through the Bridge of Sighs, the place that prisoners would walk and see their last sight of freedom before entering the prison.
We walked around Venice and enjoyed a little shopping. We didn’t have time to get to Murano Island, where the Venetian glass is blown, but there were plenty of stores selling it or you can buy glasses here. We saw the Rialto Bridge and an outside view of the Bridge of Sighs and of course we took a ride in a gondola as the sun was setting.
As it turns out, Venice probably had the most impact on my children. Rome might be better visited in the Fall or Spring in order to avoid the heat and high prices. Regardless, we look forward to returning.
