One week in Italy itinerary ideas for families: how to spend 7 days in Italy

One week in Italy itinerary ideas for families: 10 inspirational itineraries to help you decide how to spend a week in Italy with children, see Italy’s highlights and make wonderful family memories.

What’s the best itinerary to see Italy in one week with kids in tow?

This is one of the most common conundrums among families planning an Italy vacation with children and one of the most debated topics between people who have already been.

If you are part of my Travel Italy with Kids Facebook Group (if you are not, join via the button below, it’s free!) you probably have already noticed how many conflicting opinions this simple question elicits!

There is indeed no simple answer.

There are infinite ways to plan a trip to Italy with children and not just because Italy offers so many options.

How much to see with seven days in Italy also comes down to how much energy you and the kids have when it comes to hopping on trains and transport, the level of crowds, season and more.

In many cases, you will see recommendations to slow down whatever itinerary you have in mind and stay longer in one, maximum two places, for the week.

This is indeed good advice; however, it will inevitably mean compromising on how many places you see.

If you are happy with seeing a smaller area but in-depth, allowing space for downtime for the kids and no travel days, then you have plenty of beautiful and child-friendly areas to choose from!

You can find here >>> my guide to the best places to visit in Italy with kids, with individual family guides per area.

If, instead, you want to see many different places and find a lot of journey time is worth the effort, then just keep reading

Below, you will find severs one-week Italy itinerary ideas that can help you understand how much is doable in the time you have.

I wrote these itineraries on the basis of my own family travels in Italy and I have added some that our group members too and recommended.

I hope you can find one that matches your travel dreams and styles. They are all built keeping in mind the needs of families and with an emphasis on attractions and locations that parents and kids can enjoy together.

Below each, you will find city and area guides to help you make whatever tweaks you may need.

Safe travel planning!

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If you want even more help or you have any questions, please in my FREE Facebook group about traveling to Italy with kids: I will be there to answer all tour questions and we have a great community of parents with incredible knowledge of Italy and lots of tips to help you make the most of your trip!

Itinerary 1: Florence, Tuscany countryside, Venice

This Italy itinerary will show you the splendor of Renaissance Florence, the relaxing rolling hills of Tuscany and unique Venice.

It is a trip for families interested in a classic Italy experience and who want to mix city and country. It is best planned with the use of both car and train.

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodation and restaurants among the many available.

This one week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1: Florence

• Morning: Florence city center self-guided walk (Duomo with duomo climb Piazza della Signoria, Piazza della Repubblica historical merry go round, Ponte Vecchio)
• Afternoon: Museum Visit
• Sunset: taxi to Piazzale Michelangelo, dinner in town

Day 2: Florence

• Morning: Family-friendly pasta-making class
• Afternoon: Boboli Gardens and Oltrarno in good weather / child-friendly Museo Leonardo in case of rain
• Evening: dinner

Day 3: Tuscany countryside day trip

• Day trip to the Tuscany countryside (views, wineries, farms…)
• Dinner in Florence

Day 4: Lucca (option to add Pisa)

• Full day trip by train to Lucca with a self-guided bike tour of the town (all ages).
• Optional stop in Pisa, on the same train line, to show the leaning tower of Pisa to the children
• Dinner in Florence

Day 5: Fiesole and Gelato Making Class

• Morning: Short bus to Fiesole and its Roman Theater / Museum visit
• Afternoon: family friendly gelato making class in Florence
• Dinner in Florence

Day 6: Venice

• Morning: train to Venice, arrival and settling in
• Afternoon: Venice city center walk (Rialto, San Marco, Doge’s Palace, Bridge of Sights), Doge’s Palace tour
• Sunset gondola ride

Day 7: Murano and Burano (Venice)

• Morning: Scavenger hunt with Macaco Tours (several formats available for kids and teens)
• Afternoon: half-day trip to Murano and Burano – option to take a 15 min glassworks workshop for the kids in Murano at Ferro Toso
• Dinner in Venice Jewish ghetto

Travel resources for this one week Italy itinerary

Family city guide to Florence (things to do with kids, family hotel, tips) | Prettiest villages in Tuscany | Family guide to Venice (things to with kids, family hotels, tips) | What to eat in Venice | Two nights in Venice with kids itinerary

Itinerary 2: one week Italy itinerary visiting Rome, Bologna, Ravenna

This is a one-week Italy itinerary for families who love cities, history, food and have car lovers in the group (big or small!)

This itinerary is entirely traveled by train.

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodation and restaurants among the many available.

This one-week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1: Rome

• Morning: Rome city center highlights (self-guided or guided tour to see the Pantheon area, Spanish Steps, etc)
• Afternoon: Borghese Gardens
• Dinner near Piazza Navona

Day 2: Rome

• Morning: Colosseum visit. Break in Colle Oppio park.
• Afternoon: Explora Children Museum (small kids) / St Peter’s Square and and Basilica (all ages)
• Dinner in Trastevere

Day 3: Bologna

• Morning: train to Bologna
• Afternoon: walk in Bologna city center (Bologna’s secret window, Piazza Maggiore, kid-friendly Salaborsa).
• Dinner in the university area

Find here >> our guide to visiting Bologna with kids

Day 4 Modena and Maranello Ferrari Museum and factory tour

• Full day trip to the Maranello Ferrari Museum and Factory Tour and Ferrari Museum in Modena City center
• Evening: dinner back in Bologna

Day 5 Ravenna

• Day trip to Ravenna to see the mosaics and the kid-friendly mosaic museum.
• Evening: dinner back in Bologna

Find here >>> our complete family guide to Ravenna with kids.

Day 6 Verona

• Train to Verona, arrival and settling in; pick up treasure hunt free map from tourist office beside the arena.
• Afternoon: Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Arche Scaligere (all locations also on the kids’ map) on foot or city tourist train

Day 7 Verona

• Scaligero bridge, Juliet’s House, shopping in Verona city center
• Evening: dinner in Verona

Resources for this itinerary:

Family guide: how to visit Rome with kids | Family guide to Bologna | How to visit the Ferrari Museums | Family guide to Ravenna with kids | Family Guide to Verona

Itinerary 3: 7 days in Italy to see Rome, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast

This one-week family itinerary brings you to some of Italy’s most popular areas and children’s favorites such as Pompeii.

This family itinerary allows you to mix time in the city, on the coast and visiting family-friendly archaeological sites.

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodations and restaurants among the many available.

This one week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1 Rome

• Morning: Rome city center (highlights)
• Afternoon: Afternoon at the Borghese Gardens (all ages)
• Dinner in the Pantheon area

Day 2 Rome

• Morning: Colosseum tour. Colle Oppio park.
• Afternoon: St Peter’s Square, Welcome to Rome Exhibition
• Dinner in Trastevere

Day 3 Pompeii and Sorrento

• Morning: Train to Pompeii and Pompeii visit as a stop over while going to Sorrento
• Train to Sorrento, arrival and settling in
• Dinner and night in Sorrento

Day 4: Amalfi Coast

• Full day on the Amalfi coast ferry hopping between towns
• Evening food tour in Sorrento with the Gourmet Girls Food Tours

Day 5: Capri

Full day trip to Capri by local ferry.

Day 6: Rome

• Morning: Train to Rome, settling into accommodation
• Afternoon: Castel Sant’Angelo
• Evening: dinner

Day 7 Rome:

• Morning: Pizza del Campidoglio, Jewish Ghetto
• Afternoon: Gladiator School
• Evening (after dinner): Trevi fountain

Resources for this itinerary;

Family guide to Rome with kids | Capri with kids | Amalfi Coast with kids

Itinerary 4: 7 day Italy itinerary between Rome and Umbria

This one week itinerary between Rome and Umbria is perfect for families who want to see Rome and its marvels and then slow down in beautiful countryside settings.

Not too fast-paced, this family itinerary brings you to big cities, small towns and country locations, all within a relatively compact yet varied part of central Italy.

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodation and restaurants among the many available.

This one-week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1 Rome

• Morning: Rome city center highlights (Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish steps etc)
• Afternoon: Welcome to Rome Exhibition
• Evening: Dinner in the Pantheon area

Day 2 Rome

• Morning: Colosseum tour. Colle Oppio Park.
• Afternoon: Gladiator School
• Evening: dinner

Day 3 Rome

• Morning: St Peter’s Square and basilica (all ages) / Vatican Museums (Older kids)
• Afternoon: Borghese Gardens, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain area
• Pizza making glass

Day 4: Perugia

• Morning: train to Perugia and settling in
• Afternoon: explore Perugia (Perugina chocolate factory, underground city, artisan workshops)
• Evening: dinner

Day 5: Day trip to Umbira’s small towns

Full day trip to Gubbio (tourist train ride, ‘crazy’ fountain’, medieval town) and Spello (older kids or with a carrier. medieval charm, flowery balconies) or Assisi, St Frances’ town

Day 6: Adventure park

Full day trip to one of Umbria’s adventure parks

Day 7: Rome

• Morning: train to Rome
• Afternoon: Castel Sant’Angelo
• Evening: dinner

Resources for this itinerary:

Rome with kids travel guide | Umbria with kids | Family guide to Spello | Guide to Gubbio with kids | Family Guide to visiting Assisi with kids

Itinerary 5 Rome and Tuscany

Rome and Tuscany are at the top of many visitors’ travel wish lists for Itlay and they are lovely areas to visit with kids of any age.

It is perfect for families who want to see Rome but also spend time in the beautiful countryside, enjoying child-friendly farms, seeing small towns, and tasting the delicious food and wine Tuscany is known for.

The best way to follow this one-week itinerary is to mix time in Rome without a car and then get your own transport to explore Tuscany.

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodation and restaurants among the many available.

This one week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1 Rome

• Morning: Rome city center highlights (Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps etc
• Afternoon: Explora Children Museum (Small Kids) / Welcome to Rome Exhibition
• Evening: Dinner in the Pantheon area

Day 2 Rome

• Morning: Colosseum Tour. Colle Oppio Park
• Afternoon: Borghese Gardens
• Evening: dinner

Day 3 Rome

• Morning: St Peter’s Square and basilica (all ages) / Vatican Museums (Older kids)
• Afternoon: Pizza Making class
• Evening (after dark): Trevi Fountain

Day 4: Montepulciano

• Morning: drive to your agriturismo near Montepulciano
• Afternoon in Montepulciano (Playground, piazza Grande, wine shops)

Day 5: Pienza

• Morning: slow mornign in agriturismo
• Afternoon: Pienza (playground, pecorino, walk to ‘Gladiator Cypresses’)

Day 6: Siena and Bagno Vignoni

• Morning: Siena (Piazza del Campo, Duomo, child friendly orto de’ Pecci)
• Afternoon: Bagno Vignoni (kid-friendly thermal spa town)
• Dinner: Bagno Vignoni

Day 7: Rome

• Morning: transit back to Rome
• Afternoon: Castel Sant’Angelo

Resources for this itinerary: Family guide to Rome with kids | Tuscany with kids | The best agriturismo (farm stays) in Tuscany for families | Wine tasting in Tuscany with kids

If you are worried about driving in Italy, I recommend you also read our guides: driving in Italy, all you need to know and how to rent a car in Italy.

Itinerary 6 Lake Garda and Verona

The area of Lake Garda is one of the best places to visit in Italy with kids as it is varied, well served and packed with things to do for kids big and small.

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodation and restaurants among the many available.

This one week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1: Peschiera

• Morning: explore Peschiera the tourist train
• Afternoon: Peschiera town center walk (playground, bastions, Piazza delle Armi)

Day 2 Bardolino

• Morning: excursion to family friendly Barolino (tourist train, playground, restaurants)
• Afternoon: lake side cycle to Lazise

Day 3 Gardaland

Fun day in Gardaland theme park, perfect for children of school age and up who love riders and the thrill of one of Itlay’s best amusement parks.

>>> Find info and tickets here <<<

Day 4 Sirmione

Ferry hopping around the lake to see Sirmione, Sirmione castle and Limone

Day 5 Parco Natura Viva

Full day out in Parco Natura Viva Safari Park to get up close and personal with the animals and spend the day outdoors

Day 6 Verona

• Morning: train to Verona and settling in
• Afternoon: tourist train or city walks for city highlights (Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Arche Scaligere)

Day 7 Verona

• Morning: Scaligero Bridge and surrounding area
• Afternoon: family friendly cooking class

Resources for this itinerary: Lake Garda with kids | Best places to visit on Lake Garda | Family guide to Verona

Itinerary 7 Florence, Pisa and Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is high on the list of many families and it is best included in your itinerary if combined with Tuscany.

The two together allow you to experience a mix of art cities, countryside and coast; this is also a great Italy itinerary for kids who want to see the famous leaning tower of Pisa.

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodation and restaurants among the many available.

This one week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1 Florence

• Morning: city center walk and duomo climb
• Afternoon: Museum Visit
• Sunset: Taxi to Piazzale Michelangelo

Day 2 Florence

• Morning: Ponte Vecchio and Boboli gardens
• Afternoon: Family friendly pasta making class

Day 3 Pisa and Monterosso

• Morning: train to Pisa (leaning tower of Pisa, cathedral and Battistero).
• Afternoon: train from Pisa to Monterosso and settling in

Day 4 day: Cinque Terre

Day trip ferrying around Cinque Terre

Day 5: Cinque Terre

• Morning: Family hike to Corniglia
• Afternoon: beach day in Monterosso

Day 6: Porto Venere

• Morning: Train to Levanto, then get bikes and cycle the family-friendly Levanto – Bonassola
• Afternoon: Ferry trip to pretty Porto Venere and its colorful town center

Day 7 Florence

• Morning: Train to Florence, settling in
• Afternoon: gelato making class

Resources to plan this itinerary: Family guide to Florence with kids | How to spend one day in Pisa | Guide to Cinque Terre with kids

One week Italy Itinerary 8 Puglia and Basilicata for families

This one-week Italy itinerary brings you to some of the most beautiful and, in parts, most underrated areas of Italy’s South.

The itinerary leads you to popular Puglia, its pretty beaches and towns, and then allows you to discover the marvel of Matera and the outstanding archaeological site of Paestum.

This itinerary is best followed by car and it is suited to families who want to explore small towns and spend time on the beach (summer).

At the end of it, you have links to our family city guides and area guides to help you pick the best activities, accommodation and restaurants among the many available.

This one week Italy itinerary for families develops as follows:

Day 1 Trani 

• Morning: Trani (duomo, marina, Bike tour)
• Afternoon: Castel del Monte

Day 2 Grotte di Castellana

• Morning: visit to Grotte di Castellana (impressive caves with stalagmites and rock formations)
• Afternoon: drive to Aberobello, and city stroll (trulli)

Day 3: Alberobello, Locorotondo, Matera

• Morning: Alberobello (trullo Sovrano Museum)
• Lunch: in Locorotondo car free town center
• Afternoon: drive to Matera, settling in

Day 4: Matera

• Morning: tuk tuk tour of the city
• Afternoon: leisure walk in sassi
• Evening: Matera

Day 5: Paestum and Naples

• Morning: Drive to Paestum (Greek temples)
• Afternoon: drive into Naples, arrive and settle in, evening in Naples

Day 6: Naples

• Morning: Naples archaeological museum and city center stroll
• Afternoon: Pizza making class with local chef

Day 7: Pompei

Full-Day trip to Pompeii by train / guided tour including access to Vesuvius

Resources to plan this itinerary: Puglia with kids | Matera with kids | Naples with kids (coming soon) | Guide to Paestum

Itinerary 9: one week in Italy to see Rome, Amalfi, Pisa and Venice

This itinerary has been inspired by one of the most energetic members of our Facebook group who managed to see Rome, Amalfi, Pisa and Venice with two small children in 8 days!

It is a much busier itinerary than any other on this page; however, he showed all this can be done in a week and so I am sharing my recommended way to plan your time.

At the end of this one-week Italy itinerary outline, you will find all the family city guides to help you plan each stay at best.

Day 1: Rome

• Morning: Colosseum Visit.
• Afternoon: City center stroll to see Rome highlights
• Dinner: in the city center

Day 2: Amalfi town

• Morning: train and ferry to Amalfi town and settling in
• Afternoon: Amalfi town visit

Day 3: Amalfi Coast town hopping

Full-day excursion by car or ferry to explore other Amalfi Coast towns.

Day 4: Pisa and Venice

• Morning: train to Pisa and Pisa visit (Leaning tower of Pisa, cathedral, etc)
• Afternoon: Train to Venice, arrival and settling in

Day 6: Venice

• Morning: Venice city center. St Mark’s basilica and Doges’ Palace tour
• Afternoon: Row Venice Gondola experience

Day 7: Murano and Burano

• Morning: Ferry to Murano and glasswork demonstration and workshop for kids
• Afternoon: ferry to nearby Burano (colorful houses, lace, biscuits)

Resources to plan this trip: Rome with kids | Amalfi Town with kids | One day in Pisa | Venice with kids | the best towns on the Amalfi Coast | How to visit the Amalfi coast with kids

Other one-week Italy itineraries for families

As I mentioned at the start of this article, the family itineraries for Italy I have recommended so far are for families who want to cover a lot of grounds in the seven days in Italy they have.

If you are happy enough to, instead, settle in one area and explore locally, then I recommend you check out our guides about the most child-friendly locations in Italy, and in particular:

• Dolomites with kids
• Tuscany with kids
• Lake Garda with kids
• Umbria with kids
• Puglia with kids
• Liguria with kids
• Sicily with kids
• Sardinia with kids

Not yet sure how long to spend in Italy? Check out our itineraries for 10 days in Italy with kids and 2 weeks in Italy with kids to see what you can see with the time you have!

Planning a trip to Italy? Don’t forget to also check out our 100+ Italy travel tips and our guide to planning a first trip to Italy!