Must-See Places in Italy for Kids

The fact that Italy is the birthplace of pizza may be all your kids need to hear to get them psyched for a trip to Italy and all its must-see places. Ancient structures for gladiator fights, a perilously tilted tower, a monster park, a live volcano and a city of boats will captivate their imaginations and leave them with incredible memories. Throw some gelato and -- of course -- some pizza into the mix, and every child will have a good time.

  1. Rome and a Day Trip

    • Not all kids are particularly excited to see the sites of an ancient European city. But if the site is visually stunning enough, you may just get lucky. The Colosseum covers six acres and has 80 arched entranceways. Kids will be fascinated by its history as the arena for the bloody fights between Roman gladiators. While in Rome, plan a day trip to the Garden of Bomarzo in Lazio, Italy. Erected in the 16th century to depict the pain felt by Prince Pier Orsini when his wife died, the park contains more than 20 sculptures of bizarre creatures, including a war elephant and a giant screaming mouth.

    Naples

    • In the 18th century, it was common for the poor residents of Naples to spread tomato sauce on their flatbread -- and so pizza was born! Kids will love sampling pizza in the place where it all began. While you are there, explore Pompeii, an ancient city that was buried in volcanic ash 2,000 years ago. The kids will enjoy peering down into the crater of active Mount Vesuvius -- even if it makes mom and dad a bit nervous.

    Pisa

    • The Leaning Tower of Pisa is even more stunning in person than it appears in pictures. Construction took centuries and it began to sink by the time construction was completed on the the third floor. The kids will be amused striking the typical tourist pose -- pretending to hold the tower in place. Family members over the age of 8 can purchase tickets to climb the tower.

    Venice

    • A city with canals in place of streets is sure to captivate the kids. Traditional gondola rides are an enjoyable family activity, though they're not cheap. You may want to take one for the Venetian experience, but the kids will probably enjoy getting around on water buses called vaporetti or traghetti -- gondola ferries -- just as much. Motivate the kids to keep moving by stopping at a few of the city's mouth-watering gelaterias. Unfortunately, the city isn't particularly stroller-friendly; many of the bridges crossing the canals require climbing numerous steps.

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