Rome was the stop I anticipated the most—and the one I knew would require the most intention. This Rome family travel guide shows you what we enjoyed, what worked for us, and what was a quick check off the list. Rome is layered, loud, sacred, chaotic, and humbling all at once. Traveling to Rome with kids is absolutely doable, but pacing and planning matter more here than anywhere else we visited in Italy.

This guide shares what worked for our family, what felt meaningful, and how we balanced ancient history, Catholic pilgrimage sites, and kid-friendly experiences—plus a day trip to Assisi that was definitely one of the spiritual highlights of our trip. I hope you enjoy this Rome family travel guide!

We arrived in Rome via train from Florence. We had a private van arranged to take us to our hotel from the train station.

Where We Stayed in Rome

AG The Glam Hotel

This hotel worked well for our time in Rome:

• Central location

• Easy access to major sites, we were about a 10 minute walk from the Colosseum. We walked back from the Vatican one day and it was about a 45 minute walk (20 minutes via car).

• Comfortable for collapsing at the end of long walking days

Rome is not a city where you spend a lot of time in your hotel, but location matters—and this one made getting around manageable. This was the most modern of the hotels, but also the smallest in terms of rooms. The kids did not have a separate bedroom and there wasn’t really anywhere to unpack our belongings.

Best Way to See Rome with Kids: Start with a Golf Cart Tour

Private Electric Golf Cart Tour of Rome

If you do one thing at the beginning of your Rome stay, make it this.

This tour:

• Gave us a lay of the land

• Covered a lot of ground without exhausting the kids

• Helped everyone mentally organize the city before walking it

We saw (and later revisited):

• Spanish Steps

• Piazza Navona

• Pantheon

• Trevi Fountain

• Sant’Ignazio of Loyola Church

It made everything else feel more accessible and less overwhelming.

Rome Highlights (Worth Your Time)

Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi
One of the best panoramic views of Rome. A great stop to pause, breathe, and remind everyone just how big—and old—this city is.

Pantheon
Still astonishing. One of those places where history feels close enough to touch.

Trevi Fountain
Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, it’s still worth seeing. Go in with realistic expectations and don’t linger too long.

Sant’Ignazio of Loyola Church
An underrated stop and one of my personal favorites. The ceiling illusion alone makes this worth visiting.

Eating in Rome (Family-Approved)

Ristorante Nino
A classic Roman dinner spot—warm, traditional, and memorable. Make sure you make reservations!

Monti Neighborhood
This ended up being one of our favorite areas to wander. Less frantic, more local, and a great place to slow down in the evenings.

Mizio’s Street Food
Hands down, the best paninis of the trip. Casual, fast, and absolutely delicious—perfect between sightseeing stops.

Dinner: La Taverna dei Monti
A cozy, dependable spot in Monti that felt welcoming after long days. It didn’t feel like a place filled with locals, but it also was tucked away on a side street and didn’t feel grossly touristy either. We ate here on a night when it was raining and we wanted something near our hotel.

Ancient Rome with Kids

Colosseum & Ancient Rome (Small Group Tour)
A small group tour made all the difference here. The Colosseum and Roman Forum can feel abstract for kids, but having a guide helped bring the stories to life and kept everyone engaged. It is a lot of walking, though!

Vatican City with Kids: Plan This Carefully

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (Small Group Tour)
The Vatican Museums are intense—crowded, loud, and visually overwhelming. A small group tour is essential if you’re doing this with children. Our kids did well, but this is not a leisurely experience. That said, the Sistine Chapel is still awe-inspiring, even through the crowds. I think this is one of the only ways to see the Sistine Chapel, so unfortunately you have to do the Vatican Museums.

Saint Peter’s Square & Pilgrimage Moments

Saint Peter’s Square

• Papal Audiences on Wednesdays – we missed this because we had a tour set up for Wednesday. You do need to arrange this in advance. This can be requested through the Papal Office.

• Papal Masses on special feast days – You can also request tickets for these masses here. We were fortunate to be able to walk in on January 1, The Solemnity of Mary, and Pope Leo XIV was giving Mass. The seated area was full, but we were able to stand along the sides and observe Mass (and receive the Eucharist, too).

• Angelus on Sundays and special Feast Days – We were able to experience this too. After Mass, we walked out into the square and were able to hear him recite the Angelus and address the crowd.

Being here reminded us that this isn’t just a tourist destination—it’s the living heart of the Church.

Jubilee Pilgrimage Through the Holy Doors
Walking through the Holy Doors was a deeply meaningful experience for our family. It slowed us down and reframed Rome not just as a historical city, but as a place of ongoing faith and pilgrimage. The Jubilee year is over now and the Holy Doors are closed, but this was truly an incredible experience.

Day Trip from Rome to Assisi (Absolutely Worth It)

We took a private van to Assisi—about 2.5 hours each way—and while it made for a long day, it was profoundly worth it.

Stops in Assisi

Santa Maria degli Angeli
Before heading up into Assisi, we stopped here—the church built around the place where St. Francis of Assisi once preached. Standing here gave important context before visiting the hill town itself.

Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi
Quiet, reverent, and deeply moving. This was one of those places where even the kids instinctively lowered their voices.

Lunch: La Terrazze di Properzio
Delicious food with a focus on local truffles, which this region is known for.

Domera Maison & Fragrances
A beautiful and unexpected stop. It housed LAVS Priestly Vestments, an atelier that creates vestments for popes—fascinating craftsmanship and history.

Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore (Assisi)
Home to the body of St. Carlo Acutis. This was especially meaningful for our family and one of the most impactful moments of the entire trip.

Final Thoughts on Rome & Assisi with Kids

Rome asks more of you as a traveler—but it gives more in return. The key is not trying to see everything, but choosing experiences that balance movement, meaning, and rest.

Assisi, in contrast, felt like an exhale. Quieter. Slower. A reminder of why we travel not just to see, but to be changed.