20/03/2023
A traveler wrote this very nice and interesting story about her journey to Rome. Hope this can help other travelers to organize their trip:
Hello! My family has just returned from a 10 day trip to Rome. I have two children who are on the brink of being 10 and 13 years old. Rome is far from Disney World and some might say it is not an ideal trip for children. However, they had an incredible time! Here are some things that made the trip so wonderful for them:
1. We really prepared at home. As a homeschool family we had the luxury of working Roman art, history, and culture into our learning. It made ALL the difference. When we arrived in Rome they were so excited to see in person all of the buildings, art, and sculpture they had learned about. (I'd be happy to provide the resources we used for any interested parents)
2. We walked a lot before we came. There is so much walking in Rome. We averaged 15-20,000 steps a day, or about 8 miles. That is a ton for anyone, especially for little legs! Because they were prepared for a lot of walking, my girls did not whine or complain. Of course they got tired and they let us know when they needed a break or a rest...
3. Schedule breaks! Take a long lunch, a picnic and playtime in Circus Maximus, or time to sketch in Piazza Navona. Allow mindful moments and quiet times to take deep breaths and regroup.
4. Make a safety plan: The busses, metro, and most popular attractions are incredibly crowded. Develop a safety plan for your family. We gave our girls cards with all of the important information they might need in case we were to become separated. They knew to find a person in uniform etc.
5. Prepare for large crowds and noisy environments! Get out EARLY. 7 am in Rome is perfection. Don't even attempt St. Peters after 8 am. We went about 8 and had a 10 minute wait. By 9 am the line was longer than the eye could see!
The large crowds were hard for my girls, especially because we live in a small town. If your child is sensitive to noise, bring noise cancelling headphones or ear plugs. These really came in handy for us in the Sistine Chapel.
6. Practice a bit of Italian before you come- I wish we had done more of this!
7. Bring a refillable water bottle and visit Campo de Fiori for fresh fruit and other snacks for the day.
8. Get this book! Mission Rome- A Scavenger Hunt Adventure! We all really enjoyed this resource and having something to "look for" really enhanced their experience. It's so simple, but they loved checking off the items they found!
I loved viewing Rome through the eyes of my children. They enjoyed the art, and the culture and the food. They really loved every dog and pigeon along the way! I hope this helps anyone who is planning on traveling with kids!
