The 5 best cities to visit in Italy with kids on a budget

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These are the 5 best cities to visit in Italy with kids – with lots to see and do and they can actually be pretty budget-friendly too. Italy is the perfect destination for family travel – it offers a rich blend of history, culture and delicious food with sunshine, swimming and that ‘summer holiday vibe’ for the kids too. With so much to see and do, it can be hard to choose where to go. Here’s a guide to the five best cities in Italy to visit with kids on a budget, packed with frugal tips to make your family adventure as affordable as it is memorable.

1. Verona

Verona may be best known as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but it’s also a fantastic city for a family adventure. The compact size and relaxed atmosphere make it ideal for exploring with children, as it’s so easy to navigate on foot – it’s one of my favourite cities in Europe. You can reach Verona easily and quickly from Lake Garda, so if you’re holidaying nearby it makes for a perfect day out.

Things to do in Verona with kids:

Take a trip inside the Verona Arena: Built in 30AD, the condition of Verona Arena is absolutely remarkable, and it’s really affordable too. Tickets cost €10 for adults, €1 for children and children 7 and under go free.
Head to Juliet’s Balcony: No trip to Verona is complete without visiting Casa di Giulietta, where you can see the famous balcony said to have inspired Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Climb the Torre dei Lamberti Tower: Enjoy panoramic views over Verona by climbing the Torre dei Lamberti Tower. Tickets are only €6, and kids aged 7 and under can enter free – so it’s a great budget-friendly activity for your day in Verona.

Frugal Tip: If you’re thinking of visiting inside Verona Arena, Juliet’s Balcony and the Lamberti Tower – it could be worth looking at getting a Verona Card – it includes entrance to all three (with priority entrance at the Arena so you can skip the line), public transport and reduced entrance costs to the museums.

For a full family itinerary, check out my guide: How to spend a day in Verona on a budget with kids.

2. Venice

Venice is a really unique place to spend a day with the kids – full of history, culture and canals – and it’s actually a pretty easy place to visit with a small budget. The kids will love watching the gondolas, water taxis and police boats, and you can visit the beautiful islands of Murano and Burano from there too.

Things to do in Venice with kids:

Explore St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco): You can’t visit Venice without a trip to St Mark’s Square and, for those keen to step inside St. Mark’s Basilica, entry is free for the main area (though there are small fees for optional extras like the museum).
Cross the Grand Canal on a Traghetto: Skip the expensive gondola rides and instead take a Traghetto ride – these are simple gondola ferries that cost just €2 per person for a few minutes on the canal.
Island hop to Murano and Burano: From the boating area near St Mark’s Square, you can get ‘hop on and off’ tickets for the boat services to visit the gorgeous islands of Murano and Burano. It’s one of our favourite parts of visiting Venice.

Frugal Tip: Pack a picnic and enjoy it at a quiet canal-side spot to save on food costs. Many bakeries sell delicious snacks like tramezzini (sandwiches) for just a few euros if you don’t have self-catering facilities for packing up a picnic beforehand.

For a full family itinerary, check out my guide: How to spend a day in Venice on a budget with kids.

3. Florence

Florence is a cultural treasure trove that’s surprisingly fun for kids. Its walkable streets and parks make it a stress-free city for families to explore, it’s utterly enchanting. Thankfully there are actually lots of things that you can see and do in Florence without spending a penny too – so it’s one of the best cities to visit on a budget with the kids – and it’s one of my favourite places in Italy.

Things to do in Florence with kids:

Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore: You can go inside Florence Cathedral without spending a penny – as it’s free to enter – but those feeling adventurous can climb the 463 steps to the top of the Duomo for a small fee.
Head to Piazzale Michelangelo for the best views: For the best panoramic view of Florence (that’s completely free) head to Piazzale Michelangelo – this is my favourite place in Florence and a must for every visit to this gorgeous city.
Walk across the Ponte Vecchio Bridge: The Ponte Vecchio is a medieval stone arch bridge spans the Arno River and is famous for the shops that line its edges, originally butchers in the 13th century, now jewellers and art dealers.

Frugal Tip: Save money by visiting the Duomo (Florence Cathedral) for free, and admire its magnificent dome from outside without paying for the climb. There are lots of incredible places to admire in Florence without spending a penny.

For a full family itinerary, check out my guide: How to spend a day in Florence on a budget with kids.

4. Rome

Rome is bursting with history, and there’s something to fascinate kids and adults of all ages. Despite its grandeur, it can be surprisingly easy to explore Rome on a budget – and it’s certainly a city that everyone should visit at least once. The metro is an easy and cheap way to get around (to save little legs from too much walking), so stay outside of the city and train in to keep costs down.

Things to do in Rome with kids:

Take a trip to the Colosseum: A visit to the infamous Colosseum is a must – standard tickets are €18 for adults while children enter for free (accurate 2024) – the kids will love imagining gladiators battling inside. You can also admire it from outside for free if you’re keeping costs down – it’s just as magnificent!
Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain: Tossing a coin into the Trevi fountain is a fun and free activity that kids will enjoy. There are also quite a few other attractions like The Pantheon and Piazza Navona in the same area.
Head to St Peter’s Square and Basilica: Within the walls of the Vatican City, St Peter’s Square and Basilica are a must-see. There’s a charge to enter the dome and the museum, but the Basilica and the grottoes below are free.

Frugal Tip: Take advantage of Rome’s free water fountains (nasoni), where you can refill bottles throughout the city. And, pack a picnic to keep costs down to avoid spending a small fortune feeding the family during your trip.

For a full family itinerary, check out my guide: How to spend a day in Rome on a budget with kids.

5. Pompeii

A visit to Pompeii is like stepping back in time – this ancient Roman city, preserved by volcanic ash, is an unforgettable experience for families. We visited Pompeii on our honeymoon before we had the children, but my kids are desperate to go there (after learning about it in their homeschooling) and it’s such an utterly unique place it just had to make it onto the list of the best cities to visit in Italy with kids.

Things to do in Pompeii with kids:

Explore the Pompeii ruins: Kids can roam freely among the ancient streets, houses and amphitheater. It’s an open-air history lesson that feels like an adventure as it’s like nowhere else they’ll have ever been.
Visit Mount Vesuvius: Explore Mount Vesuvius National Park – the trail is around 4km up and back, so it’s very walkable with slightly older children.
Head to the nearby beaches: After exploring, unwind with the kids at one of the beaches near Pompeii.

Frugal Tip: Children enter free at the Pompeii Archaeological Site – and you can often find discounted adult tickets on websites like Tiqets. If you want to explore other things in the area, the combination tickets can be good money-savers too.

Final tips for exploring the cities in Italy with kids on a budget:

Travel off-peak: Visit the main attractions early in the morning or later in the day to avoid crowds and save on entrance fees. The shoulder seasons will also be much less busy than the main summer months.
Bring your food and drink: Supermarkets and local bakeries offer affordable options for picnics, saving you money on meals out even if you don’t have self-catering facilities. Invest in a good cool bag rucksack and refillable water bottles – we don’t go anywhere without ours and it saves us a fortune!
Use public transport: Italy’s trains and buses are family-friendly and cost-effective, so avoid private transfers and use public transport (or your feet!) to get around where possible.
Plan your route: Use my itinerary guides to plan your route in advance to avoid wearing little legs out and wasted time travelling between the attractions.
Pack carefully: Many Italian cities have cobblestone streets, so comfortable shoes and lightweight strollers are essential. You can hire a travel stroller from Baboodle if need be.
Stay outside of the city: We tend to stay outside of the cities and travel in – there are lots of great Eurocamp campsites near cities with cheap self-catering accommodation and fabulous swimming pools and facilities for the kids.

Italy is one of the best destinations in Europe for a family holiday, offering unforgettable experiences at every turn – with a bit of planning and these frugal tips, you can easily visit amazing cities like Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome and Pompeii on a budget with the kids. Have you visited Italy with the kids? Share your favourite destinations and budget tips in the comments below.