Rome have always been one of my dream places to go to, and finally it happened. We went the whole family, that means going with 2 small kids. I know the experience might not have been the same as going as a couple on a romantic get away.
Everyone with kids knows it is a lot of planning involved, for example with food, brakes, finding toilets instant etc. Having hungry and tired kids is never a good idea, especially on a vacation in a town you don’t know.
Don’t get me wrong, we did have a wonderful time together the 4 days we spent together in this wonderful old town. We got to see all the old important landmarks this town has to offer. It´s a wonderful feeling to just to stroll around on the small street and see where you ending up. We often asked the kids if they wanted to go left or right in many street corners. They made it to a game to never turn the same direction twice.
Will definitively go back one day, but most probably without the kids, so next time we can just walk around all day, stay up late and take the day as it comes.
Traffic in central Rome. Even if it was nice to walk in the old small streets, one thing you have to know is there is traffic every where you go. I mean every where! There is cars all over the place, even in the smallest streets where you don’t think there will be space for a car to pass. Walking next to each other is impossible.
Walking on the bigger streets is no fun, it’s loud so you can’t have a conversation, and smells of pollution. The side walks are very small so you can’t walk next to each other when passing another person. I would not recommend to come here with small kids if you need to bring a stroller.
Restaurants. You can find restaurants in every corner with delicious food and drinks, you only need to pick and choose what you are up for at the moment.
In the evening you have to wait until 19:30 before the restaurants opens. This was very late for us, especially for the kids who even fell asleep in the restaurants of tiredness after a long day of walking around in town. This could be tricky to manage when traveling to Rome with kids.
Instead you can choose to eat at restaurants at lunchtime, and in the evening buy something at the nearest convenient store and eat back at the hotel.
Where to find restrooms when needed. Going on a trip with kids is sometimes challenging as every parents know. So when your child says the word you know will come when you least expect it “mummy I need to go to the toilet”. What to do? You know time is limited before an accident will happen.
In Rome this was not a problem at all, at all the big attractions you will find restrooms, but the ques might be long though. In town just scan the surroundings after a café and head over. If the restrooms are locked, just explain it´s for the children “bambino”. In every café we went, the staff where very helpful and let us use the toilets.