3 weeks in Italy with kids itinerary ideas: how to see Italy’s highlights, make the most of your time and love it

Curated itineraries to spend 3 weeks in Italy with kids and make the most of your time. Perfect for first time visitors who want to see Italy’s most famous places and want to pack several destinations in a limited amount of time. [Updated February 2026 with current tour recommendations]

I always say that the best way to enjoy Italy with kids is by taking it slow.

So, when I see my readers asking for suggestions for a longer stay of three weeks, I always get very excited.

Three weeks are a fantastic length of time to explore Italy and allows to hit the perfect balance between doing a lot yet also have time to relax and absorb the wonders you are experiencing.

There are infinite ways to spend three weeks in Italy and the very best ones, in my opinion, would be picking three home bases and devoting one week to each area – which ones depending on personal interest, seasons and logistics.

If you want to approach Italy this way, I recommend you start from our guide >> the best places to visit in Italy with kids by age: it will help you pick the places that work best for your family, some you can also easily combine.

That said, I have been working with visitors to Italy for long enough to know that most want to see Italy’s most famous spots, namely: Rome, Florence, Venice, Amalfi Coast, the Tuscany countryside, Cinque Terre and the lakes. Lately, the Dolomites have also made the list.

And I also know that sometimes your trip to Italy is THE trip to Italy you are taking and you therefore only have this chance to see places you may have dreamed about all your life.

So, for this guide, I decided to focus my recommended itineraries on how to see the most famous bits of Italy in three weeks.

For each of these activities I have prioritized:

• Reasonable length of stay for each place, so that you have a chance to actually feel it and enjoy it

• Ease of transport between one location and the next, avoiding backtracking or excessively long journeys

• Access to airports for arrival / departure

• Activities that I believe area meaningful in that specific location: for instance, I have you make gelato in Florence because this is where gelato was born, pizza in Naples or Rome as most typical there, mask making or rowing in Venice as these are specific to the city.

While you can of course change what you do where, I recommend in that case you do your research on whether it makes cultural sense.

Italian regional cooking for instance is so local, learning to cook a dish form a region in a different area doesn’t make any more sense than learning it back home so you may find you don’t get as much as hoped. Same with specific crafts that are typical from one area but not another.

Good to know: As you will notice, I have not included Sardinia nor Sicily. This is because they are a flight away from almost anywhere in Italy so you van easily add them to any two week Italy itinerary, at any stage.

Please note: itinerary 1 and 2 are very similar; the main difference is that one includes Cinque Terre and one includes the Amalfi Coast. If you are not sure which one may suit you best, have a look at this guide Cinque Terre vs Amalfi Coast, which should help see which ones matches best your taste and travel style.

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Itinerary n1: 3 weeks in Italy to see Rome and Northern Italy (with Lake Garda and Dolomites

Itinerary one focuses on the north of Italy and includes visits to Italy’s most famous cities, a jaunt to the pretty colorful houses and coastal views of Cinque Terre, time in the famous Tuscan countryside with its medieval hilltop hamlets, wineries and rolling hills, a stunning nature immersion in the Dolomites and a fun filled stay in Lake Garda, one of the most kid friendly areas of Italy.

This itinerary relies on trains and cars but you can also do it by train only.

At a glance: (click on the links on the left column for exact itinerary and/ or activity ideas in each place).

Destination	Length of stay/ Transport	Type of activity
Rome (click for my 4 night itinerary)	4 days	City sightseeing, food tour, pasta class, mosaic class, gladiator class shopping
	Train to
Cinque Terre (click for exact itinerary)	3 days	Sea swimming, boating, hiking
	Train and car to
Florence and Tuscany countryside (click for exact itinerary)	5 days	Wineries, county views, small towns, farm to table experience, gelato making classes
	Train to
Venice	2 days	City sightseeing, craft classes (masks, glass), rowing class
	Train or car to
Dolomites	4 days	hiking, views, cycling
	Train or car to
Lake Garda	3 days	Town hopping, swimming, cycling, boating

Recommended airports: arrival to Rome; departure from Venice or Milan. It is also possible to follow this itinerary in reverse.

Easy tweaks: you can easily swap time in Tuscany with time in Umbria, if you prefer a slighly quieter stay. You can easily swap Lake Garda and Lake Como.

Top Tip! If flying out of Venice, try avoid a very early flight as transport to the airport it not the easiest after hours and you may end up having to pay over the odds for private transport across the water.

Itinerary n2: 3 weeks in Italy with kids to see Rome, Amalfi Coast and the north

This second itinerary goes from Southern Italy to the north and touches on Italy’s art cities, the lemon–grove-dotted, coastal beauty of Amalfi Coast, the tranquil shores of the Italian Lake District and the stunning Dolomites.

To be fully honest with you, I feel this itinerary has too much and I would recommend to reallocate the time in one of the destinations to stay longer and get rest in others. But I know my fast travelers so: here it comes!

Recommended airports: Land in Naples/ Salerno and departure from Venice

At a glance

Destination	Duration/ Transport	Type of Stay
Amalfi Coast	3 days	Sea swimming, boating, hiking, pizza making
	Train to
Rome	4 days	City sightseeing, kids’ tours, kid friendly classes (mosaic, cooking, gladiator school), shopping
	Train and car to
Florence and Tuscany Countryside	5 days	Kid-friendly farms, Wineries, county views, small towns, farms, cooking classes, gelato class
	Train to
Venice	2 days	city sightseeing, kids tours, craft classes (mask making, glass making), rowing class
	Train or Car to
Dolomites	4 days	hiking, views, outdoor playgrounds
	Train or car to
Lake Garda (departure from Venice) OR Lake Como (departure from Milan)	3 nights	town hopping, swimming, cycling, boating

Top Tip! If flying out of Venice, try avoid a very early flight as transport to the airport it not the easiest after hours and you may end up having to pay over the odds for private transport across the water.

Itinerary n3: 3 weeks in Italy with kids to see Italy north to south

Itinerary 3 swaps the Dolomites and the Lakes with a region of Italy that is stunning, busy but not yet as overrun by overseas tourism as others, and super kid friendly: Puglia.

Puglia is a longish train ride from Rome but to compensate for it, I have planned several days at your destination so you can take it easy once there.

You can do this itinerary in either direction: do consider that Puglia and Amalfi Coast are better in good weather, when you can enjoy the beaches and see (spring to autumn)

Destination	Lenght of Stay/ Transport	Type of activities
Venice	3 days	city sightseeing, kids tours, craft classes (mask making, glass working), rowing class
	Train and car to
Florence and Tuscany Countryside	5 days	Wineries, county views, small towns, farm to table, gelato class
	Car and/ or Train to
Rome	4 days	City sightseeing, food tour, pasta class, gladiator class, mosaic class, shopping
	Train and car to
Puglia	1 week	small towns, beaches
	Car to
Amalfi Coast	3 days	Sea swimming, boating, pizza class, food tour

Recommended airports: Venice (in), Naples (out)

The best family tours kid friendly things to do in Italy with kids in 3 weeks

As I mentioned above, each place in Italy is famous for specific things and the best way to enjoy each is to get a taste of what each places does best.

These are my top recommendations in each.

Goo to know! I recommend you join my Facebook Group Travel Italy with kids – so we can recommend out best finds just around your specific wishes (it’s free! Both the group and the advice 🙂 I am an Italian mama from Rome and this is my group, full of lovely parents with the most amazing ideas and tips to enjoy Italy with kids!

Top activities in Rome for kids:

🛺 Golf cart tour to see city highlights >>> A super fun way to see the city without having to walk much and get the lay of the land, so you can then explore your favorite parts in your own time. They can provide car seats for kids and adapt it to all ages: this is a private group and the guides are so good with kids – we had Brando and highly recommend him!

🛺 Golf Cart alternative (Budget friendlier option): this is a group tour, which means you spend less than if you had a dedicated guide just for you.

🛵 Rome vespa side car tour Fantastic especially for teens! A super fun way to zoom around the city, see a lot and get really cool photos too. The tour is suitable for almost ages (one child per sidecar) but not for toddlers or very young kids, since they ride alone in the sidecar.

🕵️‍♀️ Rome Scavenger hunt for kids – a super way to get to know the city while having fun! You can do this by taking a tour such as this one or you can do it in your own time with the scavenger hunts that I made: i am from Rome and have printable scavenger hunts you can use to keep the kids busy while exploring, they are here

🕵️‍♀️ Colosseum and Roman Forum tour for kids by LivTour with scavenger hunt (primary school and teens). This is a fantastic tour that uses a gam approach to make the Colosseum and the Forum more engaging to kids. They learn about gladiators of course but also about daily life in Ancient Rome, while walking along real ancient Roman roads in the Forum!

🕵️‍♀️ Express Colosseum express tour with arena access – this is a fantastic and time efficient tour of the Colosseum that gets you to step on the arena, the actual stage where the gladiator fights took place! The tour is not for kids as such but you can add a note in the relevant box when booking and they will adapt it: LivTours is a family company, they are husband and wife and they have young kids: they are super attentive to the needs of families, they are super selective with their guides!

👩‍👧 Private Vatican Tour for Kids with LivTours a wonderful tour that covers the Sistine Chapel but also the parts of the museum that are the most fun and interesting for kids such as the super impressive Egyptian wing

💒 Vatican early morning express tour of the Sistine Chapel by LivTours This is a private tour that they customize around your family. Shorter than others, it focuses on the Sistine Chapel and is ideal for those who most dearly want to visit this part of the museum.

🍝 Pasta Making class in Trastevere A fantastic class in Trastevere, fun and hands on. We used tons of pasta shaping tools, made two sauces and the result was absolutely delicious! Lovely air conditioning in the summer too, a great way to have lunch as well!

🍝 Pasta Making Class with Lucilla. Book Direct on Instagram @Lucillacookingclass Tell her Marta from MamaLovesItaly sent you! Lucilla is a mom and is the sweetest person and most wonderful cook. I highly recommend going to her to learn to make pasta with basil and tomato sauce, traditional Rome staples such as amatriciana and stuffed pasta like ravioli.

🍕 Pizza Making class – Pizza is one of Rome’s most beloved dishes so learning how to make it here is not just delicious but also culturally meaningful! This class is fun and hands on – you will learn to make pizza in an authentic way you can also replicate at home. The other place to learn to make pizza is Naples.

🏺 Mosaic making in Trastevere, fantastic for older kids especially, in a real artisan workshop (this is not a gimmicky thing for kids, it’s a real, fantastic art they teach you!)

🤼 Gladiator Class with Gruppo Storico Romano. Book via Viator or GetYourGuide A super fun way yo learn about the Roman army, gladiators and try your hand at being one! It si done by a historical re-enactment groups so while it is great for kids, it is also very informative and well made.

Lots more ideas (also free, such as playgrounds etc) and tips on MamaLovesRome, start here >>> https://mamalovesrome.com/visiting-rome-with-kids-family-guide/ 💛

Best kid-friendly tours and activities in Florence

Florence city walking tour for kids, with gelato stop, click here: a fun and easy way to get acqainted with Florence city centre and see its highlights with a local guide  

Florence city walking tour for kids with Michelangelos’ David, click here: a great way to discover the best of Florence – its historic center and one of the most famous states in the world: Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia Gallery

Uffizi tour for kids with scavenger hunt by LivTours. A great tour to make the Uffizi more manageable and enjouyable for kids (like the Vatican, it is not the easiest museum to handle for kids, it is so big and busy)

Gelato Class in Florence, the city where gelato was born! An easy one to win the heart of the kids and a great way to learn what gelato is, what isn’t and how to recognize good one as you leisurely stroll during your Italian vacation. Click here for info and prices.

Florence Pasta and gelato class: a great way to learn traditional skills and have a lovely meal

Pizza or Pasta class with gelato in the a tuscan farm in the Tuscany Countryside, with transport provided. This is a really fun way to learn traditional cooking skills and have a day out of the city

Florence create your own perfume masterclass a local specialty, since Florence has a long standing tradition of perfume making

🏡 Tuscany countryside experience for families (no car required!): A day in the country with vineyard / olive grove walk, cooking class, lunch and pool. Contact Isabella at info@tenutachiudendone.com Tell her Marta from MamaLovesItaly sent you! A TOP TOP TOP experience! You can read our full day with them here

Top Tours and activities for kids in Venice

The full guide to Venice with kids is available on the website, where you also find best hotels, rentals, transport tips and more 😀 >>> https://mamalovesitaly.com/visiting-venice-with-kids/

Venice City Tour Scavenger hunt tour for kids with Lucia Excellent! She is new on this booking platform so you don’t see many reviews but she has been doing this for years and she’s wonderful, we had the best fun!

OR another excellent one is this one by    Raphael Kids Tours

Venice Walking Tour with St Mark’s Basilica terrace and gondola ride: a great private tour to see Venice highlights at your now pace and even get a gondola ride, for a Venice ‘full immersion”. Not for kids as such but since it is private, they adapt it to all ages, they are a family run company and the owners have young kids, so they super switched on when it comes to families

Family tour of Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s with scavenger hunt by LivTours.   This tour is for kids and comes with the option to add a mask making workshop!  This tour is a great option as the Palace is full of stories, anecdotes and mysteries so a guide makes it come to life 

Boat tour of the Murano and Burano islands, with glass making experience, click here  This is a budget friendly tour that allows to see the islands and see glass making, avoiding the crowds on public transport but also the cost of a fully private tour. 

Rowing class and visit to Gondola workshop . Super fun activity to experience the canals of Venice in an active and hands on way and learn about one Venice’s most unique arts and traditions Much more engaging and fun than a gondola ride as you are actively involved in this one, not just carted around

Leonardo Da Vinci Museum – fun, hands on, great for kids and adults, doesn’t take long to visit so it slots easily into your day

Mask Making >>> A great activity  to learn of the most traditional crafts from Venice.  Depending on where in Venice is most convener to you, I love this one (fabulous area too, a green excuse to see a quieter part of Venice while still being close to the center) and this one (Also on Viator)

Best tours and activities for kids in the Amalfi Coast

You can find here >>> my guide to Amalfi Coast with kids with lots of tips also for free things to see and non- guide led things you can enjoy here.

In terms of activities, my favourites are:

Boat tours: boating is one of the best things to do in the Amalfi Coast and you can choose between many options. For a lux, family friendly experience, I love this tour by LivTours: fantastic boat, top service, you feel like a VIP!

Other providers you may like are these are all valid providers: Blue Star Positano ; Capitan Ago tour of the Amalfi Coast; Capitano Ago Capri Island Day;

Kid friendly cooking class and vegetable picking in Amalfi: this is a super fun activity in a stunning farm. The views alone are a dream and the whole activity is fun and rewarding, a great way to spend a day!

If you come here outside of boating season, a great alternative is a chaffeur for the day who can tailor make a driving itinerary for you. This one is my favorite.

If you want to visit Pompeii, I recommend this excellent Private Tour of Pompeii for kids, which also comes with the option of booking transport. Or this one which we also took and is excellent.

Pizza Making in Naples – it took me ages to find a pizza class in Naples that would take kids but finally I did! It is this one: super fun, engaging and the pizza is delicious.

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