In case you’re requested to call probably the most family-friendly vacation spot you may consider, Italy is normally (deservedly) among the many first ideas – however whereas a lot of the nation if good to discover with little ones, visiting Venice with younger children takes a little bit extra planning.
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There’s no query that there are many issues to do in Venice with children, even when the concept of visiting an artwork gallery or marvelling over the structure and church buildings is just not going to be prime of your wishlist.
Even simply getting from A to B on the vaporetti is large enjoyable, and one purpose that it’s such a memorable metropolis break with children… however not like most different cities, you should really feel affordable sure your children received’t fall into the primary canal they see (which is why I put it off in the course of the toddler years). So right here’s what to think about earlier than planning a go to to Venice with younger children is nice.
Take a look at my full set of journey suggestions for Venice with children in addition to my decide of the most effective issues to do in Venice with children right here
When to go to Venice with younger children
One of many large bonuses of visiting Venice with younger children is which you could plan your journey for one of many quieter intervals.
Do keep away from peak summer season if you happen to presumably can, when the warmth and humidity (plus the crowds) make it a far much less nice method to discover.
Folks additionally flock to Venice for Carnevale, within the two weeks operating as much as Shrove Tuesday (normally in February) whereas Easter can be thought of peak season, so additionally normally finest prevented.
However in from March to Might and September to October are splendid: the temperatures are pretty – you may need to dodge a couple of showers, however we’ve loved solar and temperatures of 20-22C in October – and there are fewer folks round.
Strolling round Venice with a child or toddler
Having no automobiles within the centre of Venice is a definite bonus once you’re exploring with children – however you do have to be careful for the canals as an alternative of the visitors.
There’s nothing between the banks of the canals and the water, which isn’t solely harmful however soiled – so visiting throughout that point interval between toddlers beginning to stroll and the age when they’re able to perceive the dangers, is certainly not splendid.
Whereas I strongly consider it’s attainable to maintain travelling with younger children, Venice is one metropolis break I’d be tempted to postpone till they’re older, to keep away from spending your whole journey worrying about them falling in.
In case you’re planning to make use of a buggy, be ready to have to hold it up and down steps to the bridges, manoeuvre slim winding streets and generally uneven surfaces in addition to negotiating streets thronged with guests.
A child service solves that drawback however as you’ll in all probability be doing a number of strolling (and because it’s normally heat in Venice), it’s prone to be onerous work you probably have a younger toddler.
Youngsters aged underneath 14 are additionally the one ones allowed to make use of scooters and bikes inside Venice’s slim streets however you’ll hit the identical drawback as with a buggy, so realistically one of the best ways to get round is on foot (together with the occasional bribe of gelato) or by boat.
Taking the vaporetto with children
Whereas the concept of travelling by water might sound overwhelming (though additionally thrilling!), Venice’s transport system actually isn’t too sophisticated to make use of.
You’re unlikely to get by a household metropolis break in Venice with out taking the vaporetto no less than as soon as – and truthfully, it’s half the enjoyable. An extraordinary bus can’t evaluate to a water bus, in spite of everything.
For extra tips about attending to Venice from Marco Polo airport, together with the place to purchase tickets, and whether or not to e-book a shared water taxi, take a look at my full set of suggestions
Kids underneath six journey free, however in any other case a single journey prices 7,50 Euros for all ages and the ticket is legitimate for 75 minutes from the time you validate it on the vaporetto cease.
Except you received’t be utilizing the vaporettos a lot, the day passes are higher worth although, particularly if you happen to’re staying for greater than sooner or later. A one-day cross prices 21 Euros, whereas a 48-hour cross is 30 Euros, a 72-hour cross is 40 Euros and a seven-day cross is 60 Euros.
It additionally makes it straightforward to hop onto one of many vaporetti everytime you’ve acquired children with drained legs, and taking line 1 alongside the Grand Canal or line 2 (which runs nearly in a loop from San Marco Giardinetti spherical underneath the Accademia and Rialto bridges, out to the west previous the cruise port and down in direction of Dorsoduro and Giudecca, then again to San Marco San Zaccaria) is a simple method to see the town.
Planning a gondola experience?
A gondola experience isn’t low-cost: costs begin from 80 Euros for a 25-30 minute journey in the course of the daytime (120 Euros at evening), it’s not the most cost effective possibility.
So if you happen to’re visiting Venice with younger children, you need to really feel sure that you just received’t be losing your cash. As soon as your youngsters hit round 4, they’re extra prone to benefit from the expertise than spent the half hour being bored (or attempting to climb overboard).
Equally, you probably have a child who may doze, lulled by the rocking water as you take in the sights, it’s a beautiful reminiscence of household journey in Venice. However as soon as once more, it’s not one thing I’d strive with a toddler.
The traghettos – like a bigger gondola, crossing the Grand Canal between the bridges – are usually a implausible method to get a style of a gondola journey with out the worth tag, however they’re very wobbly, so not such an excellent possibility with youthful children.
Issues to do in Venice with younger children
Take a look at my full checklist of the most effective issues to do in Venice with children for particular points of interest to think about – in spite of everything, it makes a giant distinction if you happen to’re planning a metropolis break in Venice with a child versus a visit with a four-year-old.
And evidently, all children are totally different – I’ve visited cathedrals with my daughter when she was youthful and fascinated by the ornament, for instance, so that you don’t have to rule out the Basilica San Marco if you happen to suppose your youngsters will likely be mesmerised by the gold and mosaics.
However if you happen to’re visiting Venice with youthful children, there are a couple of nice choices which ought to undoubtedly be on your loved ones’s checklist.
Hunt for lions
There are some nice video games you may play as you discover Venice, together with the change to hunt for the lions dotted throughout – the winged lions representing the town’s patron saint St Mark.
Look out for them on flags, on door titties, on buildings and topping columns in St Mark’s Sq. for starters, or take into account a particular tour of Venice with children to assist select among the quirky particulars of the town.
We beloved our expertise with Lucia from Venice Walks and Excursions, a superb scavenger hunt beginning within the oldest a part of the town and taking us to the Rialto Market, and thru the streets to Basilica San Marco.
When you won’t need to share all of the gory particulars of Venice’s glittering heyday, a couple of legends and the Doge’s Palace are fascinating for any age.
Discover Burano
It doesn’t matter what age you might be, the colorful streets of lovely Burano are assured to boost a smile.
Situated on the outer Venetian lagoon, you do have no less than a half-hour boat experience to get there however the laid-back ambiance and the vibrantly colored homes lining the canals make this small fishing island an incredible place to discover.
You possibly can even get a glimpse of glass blowing in outlets like New Arte Fuga for a simple method to watch this astonishing craft, relatively than an extended tour on Murano which isn’t all the time that thrilling for youths – clearly the cabinets are full of fragile glass creations although!
For extra suggestions of issues to do in Burano with children in sooner or later, take a look at this submit
Do strive the native delicacy of buranelli (small S-shaped butter cookies) too – Pasticceria Costantini is the traditional spot to purchase.
Preserve a watch out for the leaning belltower of the Chiesa di San Martino Vescovo, the patterned facade of Casa Bepi Sua and the ‘excessive tide’ home, simply off Piazza Galuppi, not removed from the church, which exhibits how excessive the water ranges have risen through the years – good for measuring children towards.
It’s value arriving early to keep away from the crowds, though if you happen to’re visiting out of season, it’s could be quieter than the principle island.
Go to the seashore
Not the very first thing that involves thoughts once you consider the town , however it’s straightforward to spend a day on the sand if you happen to’re visiting Venice with younger children.
Take a 20 minute vaporetto experience over to Venice Lido and also you’ll be greeted with lengthy stretches of lovely white sand seashore and its personal chilled-out ambiance if you happen to’re trying to escape the hustle and bustle.
You’ll have to hire a deckchair and umbrella on the non-public seashore golf equipment and resorts, however on the public seashores, you may simply lay down a towel on the sand and luxuriate in so children can get pleasure from operating round on the large seashores, constructing sandcastles, and splashing within the waves.
It’s solely 7 miles lengthy, so you too can simply rent bikes to discover, together with ones with baby seats.
You possibly can even keep by the coast, in addition to visiting for a day journey, if you happen to head to Lido de Jesolo, round an hour away – ferries run between the 2 and there’s some nice child-friendly lodging by the seashore too, together with flats with cooking services and a washer. Useful if you happen to’re travelling with a child.
Discover a place to play
In case your children are in search of a spot to play between sightseeing, Venice’s canals and slim streets don’t all the time make it straightforward – however there are a couple of spots to move for, together with a uncommon park.
The Giardini Savorgnan in Cannaregio is likely one of the largest inexperienced areas within the metropolis, initially a botanical backyard and now a public park. There’s additionally a play space – and it’s not removed from the station and Ponte delle Guglie with its gargoyles.
For extra inexperienced house, the Giardini Reali are near Piazza San Marco, though you received’t discover swings or slides right here, whereas additional into Castello is the Giardini della Biennale, also called the Giardini Napoleonici – there’s a play space not removed from the Santa Elena vaporetto cease.
In any other case the campos, or squares, of Venice are nice for letting children burn off some power with out the danger of falling right into a canal. Campo Santa Maria Formosa isn’t removed from the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco, whereas Campo Santa Margherita is a superb possibility in Dorsoduro and Campo San Polo close to the Rialto Market.
You’ll usually discover puddles in addition to flocks of pigeons to chase in St Mark’s Sq. – it’s value understanding that the water in these could be fairly filthy, so packing wellies or boots is an effective plan because it’s nearly unimaginable to not splash.
Museum of Pure Historical past
The Museum of Pure Historical past is one other enjoyable museum in Venice for youths of all ages, and a family-friendly gem.
Situated contained in the Fondaco dei Turchi, a grand thirteenth century Venetian palace going through the Grand Canal, Venice’s Pure Historical past Museum is a treasure trove of fascinating pure discoveries spanning 700 million years of historical past.
From a 7-metre lengthy dinosaur to a mighty whale skeleton, there are many exhibitions which might be assured to impress youthful guests. Most of the creatures within the museum’s assortment even come from the Venetian lagoon that surrounds the floating metropolis.
Household-friendly artwork on the Peggy Guggenheim Assortment
You possibly can simply fill your time in Venice with out visiting an artwork gallery, however the Peggy Guggenheim Assortment needs to be one of the vital family-friendly museums in Venice if you happen to do fancy some tradition – and kids underneath 10 go free.
Each Sunday at 3pm, the fashionable artwork museum hosts free workshops for youngsters aged 4 to 10 – these are in Italian, though you may request the choice of it being translated into English once you prebook.
The workshops purpose to make the artwork collections extra accessible and fascinating for youthful guests, with the chance to get hands-on and check out some artwork methods for themselves.
The museum additionally has a full calendar of different enjoyable family-friendly occasions, in addition to its spectacular assortment of recent artwork, that includes among the twentieth century’s most essential artists.
Meals in Venice with younger children
My daughter’s favorite meals are pasta, pizza and ice-cream, so whereas pizza and gelato aren’t historically Venetian, you definitely received’t wrestle to seek out each throughout the town together with ‘cicchetti’ to nibble.
Look out for baccala mantecato, a creamy salt cod concoction normally served with bread, together with tramezzini, sandwiches made with crustless white bread.
Don’t anticipate finding youngsters’s menus in eating places, though most are normally pleased to do smaller parts or let children share a plate of pasta, for instance.
Extra suggestions for Venice with younger children: Discovering bathrooms
It’s value preserving a stash of small cash at hand for public bathrooms when you’re out and about in Venice with children. There are a number of dotted round central Venice which have child altering services, together with close to Rialto and the Accademia Bridge.
Entry prices 1.50 Euros and there’s normally an attendant who can change a word, however in any other case you’ll have to feed the cash into the turnstile. Whereas card cost was imagined to be an possibility in some, we by no means truly discovered it working anyplace.
In any other case, the Fondaco dei Tedeschi retailer additionally has free bathrooms (on the bottom flooring and fourth flooring), whereas points of interest usually have bathrooms too. Eating places can have bathrooms for purchasers as properly, though not essentially child altering.
The Flush app (free to obtain through the Google Play retailer or Apple Appstore) can be an excellent possibility to seek out the closest bathrooms. Nevertheless it’s properly value seizing the chance when you can, in case of urgency, as you’re not assured to seek out anyplace close by.
For extra concepts of issues to do in Italy with children, take a look at concepts for close by Bibione with children, in addition to my better of Tuscany with children, and a week in Rome with children, together with a family-friendly tour of Rome
*First printed 2016, final up to date 2022*
PIN FOR LATER: VENICE WITH YOUNG KIDS
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Gondolier/Grand Canal/Venice campo copyright MummyTravels, all different photographs courtesy of Depositphotos
