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May 14, 2026Italy Family Vacation – 10-Day Highlights Trip
It might seem overwhelming to plan a family trip to Italy—so we did the research for you. We found that, in order to cover the most ground, it was best to fly into Florence and then travel south, ending in Rome for your departure flight. You could easily do the opposite.
We made this trip in March, when the weather can still be chilly (40–65°F), but these destinations are marvelous year-round.
Good to know: the “duomo” is the most significant local church—and it is usually over-the-top gorgeous.
FLORENCE:
Where to stay:
Hotel Lungarno – we loved the family suites, the breakfast, the views. Great location just over the bridge. Walkable to everything we enjoyed while staying.
Hotel Santa Maria Novella has family condos which are 3 bedrooms, two queen rooms and a twin room. Traveling with a car? This property has easy parking. The staff, views, and breakfast are top notch!
If you are more of a VRBO family, this was booked while we were in town but it came highly recommended.
This is a more budget friendly option, with larger multi bed rooms great for families.
What to do in Florence
Private Walking Tour of Florence | City Highlights with David & Duomo
Museo Leonardo da Vinci via del Castellaccio is an interactive museum and store – there is SO much to know about Leonardo da Vinci (another one around corner but this was better)
Stroll through Boboli Gardens (great open space) open until 630 10pp to enter. It is very big. If you want a more in depth experience with no hassle, this is a 2 hour tour.
Artisans in Florence Tour. This was a trip highlight for everyone. The tour arranged experiences with a leather purse maker, Il Papiro which is a papermaker, and Pitti Mosaici. They were all fabulous but Pitti Mosaici was a must see. This Florentine Mosaic Renaissance workshop is time travels you back to when the Medici wanted paintings that would last longer than frescos, so they “paint” with marble. They search for the perfect color, hand draw, then hand cut each piece to fit together like a puzzle. It is amazing. Plus, it is a dying art so see it while you can. The tour guide had all of the tours lined up and the artisans were eager to share their crafts.
A gelato making class is a sweet way to wrap up your time in the city.
Where to dine in Florence:
Panini toscani is fun as you can sample items before making your sandwich. Its quick fun, has a clean bathroom, and is right behind the Duomo.
Uber eats is available if you are in a VRBO or do not want room service.
Travel between Florence and Rome
You might choose a high speed train, a driver or perhaps to rent a car. The driver option we linked is flexible, so if you want something else, just let them know and they will give you a price. We had a transfer from Florence to Vinci then a few days later they picked us and our luggage up and kept it while we stopped for lunch then continued on to Rome. It was a nice downshift of pace for a few days since the city tour days are quite busy.
If you choose a driver you could stop for lunch in Orvieto – it is a beautiful medieval walled city on top of a mountain. Note many businesses take an afternoon siesta so make sure you plan accordingly. The duomo is stunning and just walking the tiny streets is something. You could also stop in Assisi.
Vinci was a sweet little town to explore, home of Leonardo da Vinci. The Leonardo Museum was small but lovely. We did a coffee factory tour at Cafe Negro. Family owned since the 50’s, with 87 year old grandfather still hand roasting. His granddaughter Carolita taught my children to paint with coffee as the medium.
Villa Petriolo is a stunning eco-tourism resort with the “Under the Tuscan Sun” dream vibe, vineyards, animals, a spa and fabulous restaurants.
We enjoyed a few days at Villa Bibbiani which was a dream (Yes this is the place you saw the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills visit). They currently only rent the whole property, not room by room. It is a painstakingly restored living museum with a chapel blessed by Pope Clement in 1767, a theater from the 1500’s (where Jewel has performed) a vineyard, banquet facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, and 8 guest rooms. Would be fabulous for a wedding or a large group.
ROME:
Where to stay in ROME:
Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá has very flexible family rooms. We enjoyed the 3 bedroom with a pool. The restaurants were excellent and the location was great for walking.
The Hotel Scalinata di Spagna is known for their family suoites, adjoining rooms and making families feel at home.
Trianon Borgo Pio books fast, but is in a great location, offers family style apartments at a nice rate.
What to do in ROME:
A Golf Cart Tour is a great way to get started, get the lay of the land. Our guide really had the pulse of the kids and knew how to keep them bought in.
Vatican Tour – you could enjoy this on your own, but it is an entire country to itself, so having a tour guide is very helpful. There is a great breakfast tour or a family tour.
Food Tour – we did one in Florence and didnt enjoy it. This one is different, you start in the Jewish ghetto and learn about the foods that were eaten and why. Then you move into more modern dishes and get to try pizza by the inch, cut by scissors. Of course you end with gelato.
Catacombs Night Tour in Rome with Santa Maria Maggiore After Hours was incredible, but a little too long for my crew. We should have gone with this one of just the catacombs instead. It is underground so if you get claustrophobic skip this one.
Colosseum Tour was very helpful in having a guide to know the lines, remind us to have our documents ready (photos of our passport worked for us) and tell us what we were looking at. If you
You can also combo the Colosseum tour with the Vatican tour to streamline things.
Castel Sant’Angelo can be enjoyed without a guide. We suggest going about 2 hours before they close to enjoy a nibble or tea at the cafe on top and toasting sunset. We learned a lot, such as how this was built as a tomb, then a fortress for the Pope, who ruled as a king. There is even a private passage from this to the Vatican which you can see from the roof. If you prefer having a guide this is a great option.
Where to dine in ROME:
CiPasso Roma is contemporary Roman cuisine that doesn’t disappoint.
Gelato at Old Bridge Gelateria – they make it on site and the flavors are fabulous. We learned not to go to shops that pile the gelato up in big heaps, you want small batch fresh gelato – and after you have this you will know why.
This rooftop restaurant is very close to the Santa Maria Maggiore. They opened at 4, and thats when we arrived. We had the place to ourselves. Great snacks, good service, and views that go on and on.
Le Petit Chef is a unique interactive experience. We didn’t have time to enjoy it, but it came highly recommended.
There are many casual restaurants where you can get roman pizza by the inch. “Oh ill take this much of that one and this much of that one” and they cut it with scissors and off you go. It is their “fast food.”
You can make your own dinner with this market and cooking class.
Uber eats is available if you are in a VRBO or do not want room service.
TO NOTE:
Getting Around
The ItTaxi app is great for booking taxis. You can request larger vehicles for groups or extra luggage. Download it in advance and set up your account before arriving.
Strollers
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but there are lots of stairs and cobblestone streets. The Romans definitely weren’t planning for strollers! This trip may be better suited for older children, or consider using a carrier instead.
Guides
The tour company we used (linked above) was excellent. All guides were experienced, fluent in English, and incredibly professional.
Customer service was seamless via app, text, and phone.
Time is precious on a trip like this—unvetted guides can cost you valuable experiences. We saw several groups waiting for guides who never showed.
Also worth noting: semi-private tours are capped at six people. Since we were a group of five, we ended up with private tours each time.
Our sweet spot was no more than two tours per day (unless one was a food tour doubling as a meal).
Be sure to leave time for downtime, siestas, and wandering—especially in the first few days when jet lag is at its peak.
Packing
I had the hotel wash our clothes every four days, which made packing light much easier.
I bought most of my wardrobe from Anatomie in Palm Beach—a Florida-based, family-owned travel brand. Their pieces are wrinkle-resistant and easy to wash in a sink.
The Britt jacket in navy was the MVP of the trip—raincoat, windbreaker, dress-up or down—it does it all.
Comfortable shoes are a MUST.
Luggage
We had the kids use backpacks as carry-ons, and everyone had a four-wheel roller suitcase in the same color.
These lightweight, durable suitcases are great for kids—the medium size was more than enough space.
Mine was a large, but I could have used a medium.
Built-in TSA locks are highly recommended.
Travel Tip
If you have time, apply for Global Entry in addition to your passport—it makes the re-entry process much easier.
Exchanging Money
Some street currency exchange spots charge high fees and offer poor rates.
Instead:
- Order euros from your bank before leaving
- Use a credit card when possible
- Withdraw cash from ATMs without accepting the exchange rate
We had the best experience using BNL bank ATMs.
There is a reliable one in Rome near the Pantheon, located within a police zone.
While we had no issues, be mindful of pickpocketing and keep valuables secure.
