“Are you crazy? Taking a 6 year old to Italy? What will she understand about the old ruins and paintings? She’ll be bored stiff and drive you crazy” friendly voices warned me as I was planning my annual vacation to Italy.
“This is the time to take her to Disneyland; not to some old monuments” I was warned by wise parents.
Well ignoring such cheerful predictions, we (my husband and I) still went ahead and packed our bags and our daughter for a seven day summer holiday to Rome, Vatican, Venice, Pisa and Florence.
Of course, just to be safe, we did pack in some extra story books, color pencils and drawing books imagining it would come in useful for those predicted ‘bored and crazy’ moments.
Well we are back now from Italy and as I look at the pictures that would soon be uploaded onto Facebook, I see my daughter in smiles in every picture, the pictures showing more clearly than ever how much she loved Italy.
And here’s my list of the top things that kids might like in Italy. The best thing is, none of this is costs much money. Hopefully some other parents might choose Italy over another theme park after reading this.
Trevi Fountain in Rome – According to popular belief, dropping a coin at this fountain makes you come back to Italy. Well, the kids may not have made up their minds about the ‘coming back to Italy’ part yet but dropping the coins is a fun experience for them.
Gelato on the Spanish steps – Sitting on the Spanish steps and enjoying a generous helping of Tiramisu gelato – it’s hard to say who will enjoy this more – you or your kid! After a point, I stopped counting the no. of gelatos my daughter was having, her goal being to try one in every flavor. And what better homage could you pay to the ‘Roman Holiday’?
Colosseum – Now, they may not appreciate the ancient ruins, but if you tell them the stories of the lions and the gladiators, their active imagination might help them visualize it for themselves.
Leaning towers of Italy – Children would know about the Leaning Tower of Pisa. So you hope, provided they can tear themselves away long enough from the endless ‘Chota Bheem’ on TV. But the cities of Italy are full of many more leaning towers, an interesting fact children would love to see and learn and tell their friends.
Street art in Florence – In the streets of Florence, talented artists paint beautiful watercolors and sketches. If your child is interested in painting, he/she might really like to see some of these paintings and maybe force you to buy some of them as well.
Eating and eating and eating – For children who have the remotest interest in eating, Italy is a paradise. Beyond gelatos, there is a whole lot of treats for them to enjoy from Pizza Margarita, to Paninis to all kinds of pasta and spaghetti to yummy desserts like the Panna Cotta. This one does cost money, but am sure parents would love to see them enjoy their food for a change.
Feeding the pigeons in Venice – St. Marks Square in Venice is not just a tourist attraction for the adults. Children love feeding the many pigeons in the square and running behind them.
Glass blowing at Murano – The master glass blower in the factory shows you how to make seemingly impossible shapes and figures from glass. My daughter was captivated by the colors and the designs; chances are your kid might like it too.
Street music in Venice – Under the soft moonlight, the streets of Venice come alive with beautiful, lilting street music. It doesn’t cost money to just stand and listen and feel the rhythm. You might even be treated to an impromptu dance performance as my daughter and another kid hearing the music did.
Gondola ride in Venice – One doesn’t need to understand history, geography or anything else to just enjoy the pure pleasure of the sitting in the black boat and letting your hair and imagination run free as the man in the black and white striped shirt takes you down narrow street corners and under low bridges and past 400 year old buildings.
Trevi Fountain in Rome – According to popular belief, dropping a coin at this fountain makes you come back to Italy. Well, the kids may not have made up their minds about the ‘coming back to Italy’ part yet but dropping the coins is a fun experience for them.
Gelato on the Spanish steps – Sitting on the Spanish steps and enjoying a generous helping of Tiramisu gelato – it’s hard to say who will enjoy this more – you or your kid! After a point, I stopped counting the no. of gelatos my daughter was having, her goal being to try one in every flavor. And what better homage could you pay to the ‘Roman Holiday’?
Colosseum – Now, they may not appreciate the ancient ruins, but if you tell them the stories of the lions and the gladiators, their active imagination might help them visualize it for themselves.
Leaning towers of Italy – Children would know about the Leaning Tower of Pisa. So you hope, provided they can tear themselves away long enough from the endless ‘Chota Bheem’ on TV. But the cities of Italy are full of many more leaning towers, an interesting fact children would love to see and learn and tell their friends.
Street art in Florence – In the streets of Florence, talented artists paint beautiful watercolors and sketches. If your child is interested in painting, he/she might really like to see some of these paintings and maybe force you to buy some of them as well.
Eating and eating and eating – For children who have the remotest interest in eating, Italy is a paradise. Beyond gelatos, there is a whole lot of treats for them to enjoy from Pizza Margarita, to Paninis to all kinds of pasta and spaghetti to yummy desserts like the Panna Cotta. This one does cost money, but am sure parents would love to see them enjoy their food for a change.
Feeding the pigeons in Venice – St. Marks Square in Venice is not just a tourist attraction for the adults. Children love feeding the many pigeons in the square and running behind them.
Glass blowing at Murano – The master glass blower in the factory shows you how to make seemingly impossible shapes and figures from glass. My daughter was captivated by the colors and the designs; chances are your kid might like it too.
Street music in Venice – Under the soft moonlight, the streets of Venice come alive with beautiful, lilting street music. It doesn’t cost money to just stand and listen and feel the rhythm. You might even be treated to an impromptu dance performance as my daughter and another kid hearing the music did.
Gondola ride in Venice – One doesn’t need to understand history, geography or anything else to just enjoy the pure pleasure of the sitting in the black boat and letting your hair and imagination run free as the man in the black and white striped shirt takes you down narrow street corners and under low bridges and past 400 year old buildings.
That was my list of top 10 kid friendly Italy experiences. Another useful thing I learnt, the best way to experience Italy is to ‘get lost’ and to walk. If you feel your child is not upto hours of walking, buying or renting a stroller might be a good investment. It is also handy for dumping umbrellas and bags that you may not feel like carrying.
So when you plan your next trip, maybe you’ll also think of Italy. Italians are warm and friendly towards kids and would surely say with a smile ‘Ciao Bambino’.
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