When you think of Rome, the words kid friendly aren't the first to come to mind. And while Italians adore children (and ours were welcome everywhere), planning is key for any trip to the Eternal City. We recently spent four days wandering between major tourist attractions (the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and the Pantheon) and tiny cobblestone streets with quaint cafés and gelaterias that were bursting with local color.We stayed at a former villa turned sleek Hotel de Russie, which is perfectly situated between the picturesque Piazza del Popolo and the bustling Spanish Steps. The hotel has a secret garden in back which borders the Villa Borghese park where kids can explore among orange trees, lush flowers, and even butterflies.
Our first step was to enlist Fabio Luciani, the primo tour guide for Ancient Rome (call him at +39 3295795739 or send an e-mail to fabiolux73@hotmail.com). As a former archeologist and father of two, he knew exactly how to make the Colosseum, with its gladiator history, and the creepy catacombs come to life for jet-lagged 6- and 7-year-olds. Everyone loved just popping into random churches, and the Santa Maria Del Popolo is not to be missed, with its mix of Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture. The churches were like mini museums for the kids: Five minutes in each, and everyone left satisfied.
Speaking of satiety...the food! Where to begin? You can't go wrong in
Rome -- especially in a child's eyes --- where everything revolves
around pizza, pasta and gelato. A few of our favorites included the
charming Il Bacaro, tucked away on a little
side street near Piazza Navona (dinner only; book ahead), and Da Gildo
(lunch & dinner; Tel: +39 06 5800733), a casual trattoria in
Trastevere, where the waitstaff was lovely, the traditional Roman
Bucatini all'amatriciana was delicious, and the patrons were almost
exclusively Italian (great sign). Other lunch spots included 'Gusto (wonderful pizzas and antipasti in a modern, airy
setting across from the Richard Meier-designed Ara Pacis), as well as
foodie mecca, Roscioli, an upscale
deli near the vibrant Campo dei Fiori markets that has the best
porchetta paninis on the planet. Gelato is delicious everywhere (of
course), but a few favorites included the Bar Ciampini (Piazza San
Lorenzo), and take-away cones of Frutti de Bosco and Stracciatella from
Della Palma and Blue Ice chains (the latter is a chain, but nevermind).
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