Italy with Kids: A Family Travel Guide to Venice & Florence

Traveling to Italy with kids can feel overwhelming—but with the right pacing and expectations, it can be deeply rewarding. Here’s my family travel guide to Venice and Florence. Venice and Florence were our first two stops, and this guide shares exactly what worked for our family, what we’d repeat, and what we’d skip next time. I want to preface this by saying that we used a travel advisor, and it was one of the smoothest travel experiences we’ve ever had. Worrying about how to get from the airport to the hotel? It’s taken care of. Navigating room types for a family of four? Piece of cake. Need to make a change due to illness while on your trip? One quick call and it’s done. I can not say enough good things about using a travel advisor. All of the organized activities were booked through our agent, and every single provider was professional and engaging. This is ours! 

This is a practical travel guide for families planning an Italy trip, with honest insight from traveling with children—not a highlight reel.

Venice with Kids: Where to Stay, What to Do & What to Skip

How Many Days in Venice?

We spent 2 nights in Venice, and I wish we had added at least one more night. Venice takes time to orient yourself, and an extra day would have allowed us to visit Murano and wander more slowly.

Best Hotel in Venice for Families: Hotel Bisanzio

We stayed at Hotel Bisanzio, and it was a great fit for traveling with kids.

Why we liked it:

• Family-style room with separate beds for children

• Breakfast included

• Excellent central location without feeling chaotic

I would absolutely stay here again.

Best Things to Do in Venice with Kids

Private Guided Walking Tour of Venice (2 hours)
This was one of the best decisions we made. A private walking tour gave us:

• Clear historical context

• Fun facts the kids actually enjoyed

• Confidence navigating the city afterward

After the tour, we grabbed pizza nearby—simple and perfect.

Piazza San Marco
A must-see, but not a must-sit. We walked through and took it in, but skipped eating or drinking here due to high prices and mediocre reviews.

Basilica di San Marco (Without Tickets)
We attended Sunday Mass, which allowed entry through the side entrance. If you’re visiting to pray or as a pilgrim, this is an important option to know about. Experiencing the basilica this way felt peaceful and meaningful amid the crowds.

Ponte di Rialto
Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, it’s still worth seeing. Most shops are souvenirs, so treat this as a visual stop rather than a shopping destination.

Libreria Acqua Alta
This famous Venice bookstore is visually fascinating—books stored in gondolas, staircases made of water-damaged books—but it’s now heavily trafficked. You’re guided through in one direction, quickly. I went alone while my family rested, and that was the right call. It’s cool to see, but not ideal with kids.

Mask Shop: Ca del Sol
Beautiful craftsmanship and felt far more authentic than most souvenir shops. We spent a solid 40 minutes in this tiny shop just looking at the craftsmanship and details on the masks (and trying them on, of course!).

Private Gondola Ride (30 minutes)
A classic Venice experience—and worth doing once. I’ve done it twice now, and if we return, I’d skip it. Gondoliers don’t really sing anymore, but it’s still iconic. This was booked in advance by our travel advisor, so it was easy once we arrived and we didn’t have to worry that we were getting overcharged.

Where to Eat in Venice (Family-Friendly Spots)

Ostaria da Rioba
One of our favorite meals in Venice. Small, intimate, and excellent food.

Vino Vero
A cozy wine bar right near da Rioba—perfect for a relaxed evening.

Via Garibaldi (Local Favorite Area)
Recommended by our airport assistant, this area felt noticeably more local.

• Basego Wine Bar – Kid-friendly, lively, and welcoming

• Pizzeria Trattoria Sottoprova – Solid, affordable, dependable food

Getting Around Venice

• Water taxi: Expensive, but efficient and memorable We used this to get from the airport to the island and from the island to the train station.

• Walking: You will get lost—and that’s part of Venice’s magic

Traveling from Venice to Florence by Train

We took the Frecciarossa high-speed train in Business Class, which was fantastic for traveling with kids:

• Spacious seats

• Snacks and beverages included

• Free Wi-Fi

This ended up being one of our favorite parts of traveling through Italy.

Florence with Kids: Art, Food & Our Favorite Hotel

How Many Days in Florence?

We spent 2 nights in Florence, which felt just right with intentional planning. However, I would definitely have done another night! There were plenty of other things we could have seen.

Best Hotel in Florence for Families: Rivoli Boutique Hotel

This was our favorite hotel of the entire trip.

Why we loved it:

• Large, comfortable rooms

• Heated towel bars

• Set inside a former monastery

• Central location

I would 100% stay here again.

Best Things to Do in Florence with Kids

Florence Walking Tour + Uffizi Gallery (3 hours)
Our guide was excellent, but the Uffizi was very crowded. Our kids enjoy art, so they managed well—but this can be overwhelming for children who aren’t museum lovers.

Pasta-Making Class with Chef Vary
Hands down, one of the best experiences of the entire trip.

• Extremely kid-friendly

• Hands-on and engaging

• Customized to our preferences

If you’re traveling to Florence with kids, I cannot recommend this enough.

Gelato Stops in Florence

• La Sorbettiera

• Edoardo Gelateria (near Ponte Vecchio—excellent flavors)

Piazza della Repubblica: The kids loved the carousel here.

Via de’ Tornabuoni: Luxury shopping street—fun to stroll, even just to window shop.

Dinner: Braceria Auditore
We wanted Steak Florentine. It was good, but slightly overpriced. Worth trying once.

Ponte Vecchio: Beautiful, busy, lined with jewelry shops. Be mindful of pickpockets.

Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo): The lines were extremely long, even for those with tickets. We admired it from the outside this time.

Officina Profumo–Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella: A historic pharmacy-turned-perfume shop that is absolutely stunning. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth visiting.

Traveling from Florence to Rome by Train

Once again, we took the Frecciarossa Business Class train, which made city-to-city travel calm and comfortable with kids.

I hope this helps you plan your own trip to Venice and Florence, two really incredible, must-do cities in Italy!

xoxo,

If you are also headed to Rome, you can read all about our time in Rome here.