Our 2017 summer vacation to Italy opened a new chapter for our family and it was a not question of if but when we would return to Europe to see and do more. For our second time to Italy in the summer of 2018, we outlined a slightly more ambitious itinerary that would be manageable with two children, ages ten and five, who had proven to be easy-going travel companions. Following the format of the Florence and Cinque Terre vacation from the previous year, we decided to spend four nights in Rome, take the train down to the Amalfi Coast for eight nights and then return to Rome for three more nights before returning to our life back in New York City.
This family travel guide is a breakdown of how I prepared for this vacation and how we actually spent our five full days in Rome. Our mission when planning all of our family vacations is to balance the needs and interests of the children and adults while also prioritizing safety, comfort and ease. For more on the basic parameters for planning and implementing a successful family vacation in general, take a look at my complete family travel guide.
Flights to Rome
I booked the flights for this vacation a little later than usual because we decided to return to Italy for our August vacation in April of that year. At that time, I went through our Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel account to book four seats on a direct nine hour flight from NYC’s JFK airport to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino (FCO) airport. The amount paid for these premium economy seats was $7,047.54. This amount was later refunded to us by Delta due to a technical error that almost jeopardized our carefully laid out travel plans just hours before we were due to leave New York. Delta’s gracious response to an error that could have been disastrous demonstrated their high level of customer service. This is why we continue to fly with Delta.
Hotels in Rome
When I chose hotels for our stays in Rome, I used the same strategy as our previous summer in Florence and sought out properties with beautiful outdoor pools for the kids to enjoy after hot days of sightseeing in August. Using Hotels.com to search for properties and TripAdvisor.com to cross reference, I settled on the Gran Melia Rome Villa Agrippina. I booked an urban junior suite with Red Level access and paid $3,436.12 for our four night stay. When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised by all of the perks that came along with our Red Level reservation.
We experienced a safe and comfortable stay at Gran Melia, a resort tucked into the city of Rome and just steps away from Vatican City. Free breakfast, free snacks and drinks at certain times in the day, spa access, in-room bubble bath drawn upon request, which we did for the kids, and more all made for a luxurious stay. Arrival to this oasis after a nine hour overnight flight was the perfect remedy for jet lag fatigue. Our suite at the Gran Melia was clean, tastefully decorated with comfortable bedding, soft linens and towels as well as fabulous toiletries, all products used in their spa. I would happily return and recommend this hotel, especially if you plan to be in Rome during the hot summer months and can take advantage of their pool.
The second portion of our time in Rome for the last three nights of our vacation was spent at Hotel Lunetta, which I also booked through Hotels.com and paid $2,086 total. We felt safe and comfortable in this boutique hotel around the corner from Piazza Campo dei Fiori and walking distance to many sights of interest. There is a small indoor pool but it is part of the spa and only available to adults. At this point of our vacation, the lack of a pool was not a problem because we had plenty of outdoor swimming time in pools and at beaches during the days leading up to this stay. Hotel Lunetta is a nice city hotel that promoted two very productive days of exploring Rome on foot. This reservation included free breakfast and was a family suite that consisted of two adjoining rooms, each with a double bed and full bathroom. The rooms were comfortable and clean with soft linens and towels and high-quality toiletries that all combined made for a welcome return after a couple of long days exploring the city.
Day 1
Colosseum & The Roman Forum
Two months prior to our vacation, I purchase skip-the-line tickets to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. We only had to pay for adult admission and spent roughly $30. Our tickets were entry-only and did not include a tour because we prefer to go at a pace that accommodates the four of us. Tours can be a lot of fun and worth the extra money and time but I knew it would not have suited our purposes. My son, a devoted fan of Bruce Lee, was thrilled to walk around the Colosseum in search of the specific location where the famous scene from Way of the Dragon (1972) was filmed.
After the Colosseum and walking through time in the Roman Forum on a very hot day in August, we made our way to lunch at Naumachia. This was one of a list of restaurants that were recommended to us by friends and colleagues from home. We had a more whimsical approach to seeking out restaurants the prior year and went to places that we found along the way or recommended by locals. This time around, I planned out almost every meal ahead of time based on recommendations we received from friends. When we followed these recommendations, we did have lovely dining experiences but in some cases, it was not worth the time or effort spent looking for specific lunch spots while on foot. However, Naumachia was worth the effort. We had a delicious lunch and I clearly remember the refreshing glasses of house wine that cooled me off after a sweaty afternoon. After lunch, we went back to the hotel to swim and later had dinner at Felice a Testaccio. Delicious!
Day 2
Museo dell’Ara Pacis, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona
We started our day at the Museo dell’Ara Pacis to view the monument built in 13 BC to celebrate the return of Augustus from his military campaigns. This ancient monument is housed in a building designed by the architect Richard Meier and completed in 2006. This was a quick museum visit and there is no need to buy tickets ahead of time as there are no lines for entry. After this stop, we followed a casual walking tour that would take us around to the popular sites: Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon (no entrance tickets and no line for entry) and the Piazza Navona.
After working up quite an appetite, we spent some time looking for Pizzaria da Baffetto where we had a nice lunch but in a very crowded space. As usual, we returned to the hotel to swim and later had dinner at what we realized upon arrival, is a tourist trap. This restaurant was on the list given to us by a trusted friend but sadly it did not hold up and even gave my husband an irritating little stomach virus that lingered for the duration of our trip.
Day 3
Vatican Museum & Saint Peter’s Square
On the last day in Rome before we went down to the Amalfi Coast for a week, we had skip-the-line tickets for the Vatican Museum. Once again, I had just chosen entrance tickets and not a tour because we prefer to go through museums without a guide. I did not anticipate that we would be herded through the museum with all of the other group tours directly to the room with Raphael’s School of Athens (1509-1511) and then to the Sistine Chapel (1508-1512) where no photography is allowed.
I underestimated the wait time for entrance to Saint Peter’s Cathedral and thought we would find a way to slip in and beat the crowds. This idea was put into my head by Rick Steves but no such luck. I later learned that we would have had to be part of a tour to gain access to the cathedral without a wait. Since we did not book a tour, we would have spent half the day waiting for entry to the cathedral and although I was disappointed, we did spend time in Saint Peter’s Square. I will make sure to get it right the next time we are in Rome.
Afterward we walked back to our hotel where we had one last day to enjoy its pool and then went to dinner at Flavio Al Velavevevodetto, a delicious restaurant in a cave.
| Eating Tips Over Long Vacations 1. Find a local grocery store to stock the room with extra water, juice, fresh fruits and other healthy snacks to have around for the kids. Adult beverages are also good to have around to save on using the hotel bar. These little details add an extra touch of comfort and a sense of home to the hotel rooms along the way. 2. By the time we returned to Rome from the Amalfi Coast, our bellies were homesick. Living in Queens, NYC, we have the world’s cuisine at our fingertips and are used to variety. Although, we savored our days eating Italian cuisine, we did need to find some old faithfuls like Indian and Chinese food which we did as soon as we returned to Rome for the last few days of our vacation. |
Day 4
The Borghese Gallery and Museum is a nice-sized museum that we went through at our own pace taking time to appreciate the home formerly inhabited by the younger sister of Napoleon, Paolina Borghese Bonaparte. She married into the noble Borghese family in 1803 and her likeness can be admired in Antonio Canova’s sculpture Paolina Borghese as Venus Victorious (1804-1808). I had purchased tickets ahead of time to ensure entrance at an appointed time because the museum admits a limited amount of people every two hours. This museum is placed in the middle of a beautiful park where we had the opportunity to take a tram ride around the picturesque grounds. It is always fun to pair a museum visit with time in the park for the kids to run around.
Forum and Markets of Trajan, Victor Emmanuel Monument, Capitoline Hill Museums
After lunch, we found ourselves right around the Forum and Markets of Trajan. We walked around these ruins without having to go through a paid entrance gate or the hassle of crowds. It was so lovely walking, sometimes running in the case of the kids, back in time exploring these ruins casually. Around the corner from Trajan’s Column is the Victor Emmanuel Monument where we ascended the grand stairway and then continued around the corner to the Capitoline Hill Museums. These museums at the top of a hill were fun, easy and not crowded which allowed us to purchase tickets upon arrival. This museum consists of two main buildings connected by an underground tunnel. We entered on one side and as we made our way underground and up to the second building, we were treated to a beautiful view of the Roman Forum. We were standing high up and on the side opposite to the forum’s main entrance. This was a pleasant surprise and a great way to conclude a busy day.
Day 5
Museo Nazionale Romano – Palazzo Massimo alle Terme & Terme di Diocleziano
On our last day, we roamed around (pun intended) two locations of the Museo Nazionale Romano (National Roman Museum). We purchased tickets upon arrival and the combined ticket gave us access to all four sites over the course of three days but we only had that one day. At the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, we were treated to Greek and Roman antiquities and an entire floor of frescoes from ancient Roman villas.
The Terme di Diocleziano (Baths of Diocletian) is a massive complex with galleries and grounds all worth seeing. As the name implies, this location was a thermal bath complex completed in 305 AD and built to serve 3000 people at time. Walking through the ruins of this complex and the cloister with the colonnade designed by Michelangelo was well worth the visit. I was so glad that we had the opportunity to squeeze in these two museums on our last day and recommend that others put these museums on their short list of things to see when in Rome.
There was one last stop that I had to make before leaving Rome and that was to see Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Teresa. I had fallen in love with this Baroque masterpiece as an undergraduate Art History student and knew that I could not leave the Eternal City without seeing this sculpture in person. The church housing this sculpture has limited hours and is closed in the middle of the afternoon for a couple of hours. It took a couple tries, but we finally managed to go inside and admire this magnificent work that had made such an impression on me so many years ago.
Final Thoughts
As a major city Rome is no exception. One should be prepared to exercise caution and street smarts while out and about. For tourists unaccustomed to the nuances of city life, be prepared to encounter homelessness, aggressive street peddlers, pickpockets, unattractive graffiti and other elements generally found in major cities. It is possible to go through Rome feeling safe and not vulnerable as long one is aware and on guard at all times, as one should be in any major city.
Our days in Rome were absolutely spectacular walking through history surrounded by iconic art and architecture. From ancient times to the High Renaissance and onward, we were surrounded by an endless array of visual delights that when paired with great company, delicious food and exquisite wine made for a perfect vacation. Ciao bella!
Recommended Reading
| SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard, 2016 Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King, 2014 Pauline Bonaparte: Venus of Empire by Flora Fraser, 2010 |
For more about family travel click here.
Click here if you are looking for a little guidance planning your next vacation.
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. You can learn more about our affiliate policy here.
