Family Holiday in Rome

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Rome for kids  Holidays with children in Rome are memorable: the city is compact but bursting with things to see and do. Besides the remains of the rotten Romans, it has great attractions for kids and lots of parks. It is an all year round destination but empties out in August when Romans head for the beach or the hills. Rome's beautiful squares are pedestrianized and flanked with cafes. They buzz with street performers and at Christmas Piazza Navona is home to Rome's most famous Christmas market.  Be sure to get a RomaPass so you can easily take the bus and jump the queues. Remember to book ahead at the Vatican Museums. Rome is easy to get around with kids but be sure to bring a light pushchair with sturdy wheels that are good on cobblestones. Bring a backpack for babies, as pushchairs are not allowed in St Peter's.

The Must-See If it's your first time, take a trip on the tourist bus that leaves from Piazza dei Cinquecento. It's a good way to orientate the children and get them thinking about what they want to see. The first stop has to be the Coliseum to get to grips with the ruthless blood-curdling side of ancient Rome. Then it's on to the Forum. Be sure to buy one of the guides that superimposes the images of what it once looked like over the modern-day photos, as it helps to spark the imagination. Then visit Rewind Rome and dress up as an ancient Roman. For a real treat sign up for Gladiator school and try your skills in the ring.
St Peter's is next on the list. The size of the building is bound to impress but catching a glimpse of the Pope is something to brag to your friends about. When he is in Rome he speaks from his window overlooking St Peter's Square on Sunday morning.
Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain and check out the beautiful wooden toys at Bartolucci. Spook out older kids in the Catacombs and the Capuchin Crypts in Via Veneto, where the walls and ceilings are decorated with bones.
There's an excellent children's museum, Explora in Belle Arti and you can travel back in time at the Time Elevator Rome. See the Sistine chapel but don't forget to take them to see the Egyptian section in the Vatican Museums.
Test their innocence at the Bocca della Verità, the mouth of truth. It's a giant marble face. The legend has it that if someone tells a lie and then slips their hand into the mouth, their hand will be bitten off.
Teens will enjoy the Sunday Flea-market 'Portaportese', in Trastevere, while little ones will want to see the puppet show on the Janiculum Hill.

The Great Outdoors Rome has lots of outdoor activities. Chase pigeons in the square in front of the St Peter's, walk along the Tiber, and then after seeing the Spanish steps, it's off to the park. The beautiful Villa Borghese has bikes for hire. There are lovely views across Rome and family fun to be had at the zoo or even at the Zoomarine, on the coast. EleBikeRome rents also electric bikes for those above 8 years old and organizes a guided tour on two wheels for the whole family. If you're near the Coliseum picnic in the Villa Celimontana, a 16th-century estate that's now a public park and is dotted with ruined temples and has an ancient Egyptian obelisk. Pack a picnic and rent bikes for a day out along the Appian Way. This 2 300-year-old road is lined with ancient tombs and is very atmospheric.

The Big Day Out See the twenty-seater toilet in the ancient Roman port city of Ostia Antica, among many other fantastic Roman ruins. Or make a day trip to Tivoli which was a popular resort even in Roman times because of its freshwater and sulphuric springs. See the water gardens at the Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa Adriana, then run around the park at the Villa Gregoriana.

What to eat Kids will love the delicious 'Bucatini all'Amatriciana' - pasta with bacon, tomato sauce, and sheep cheese. Snack with the white pizza filled with 'mortadella' or a mouth-watering ice-cream 'gelato'.

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