What to do in Florence, Italy with Kids

Florence, Italy is the birthplace of The Renaissance.  Evidence of this is found throughout the city in its architecture and museums.  The city is a dream for art lovers, and for everyone who wants to experience the culture of Italy.  But, it’s not just for adults.  There is a lot to see and do in Florence with kids.  So as you go from museum to museum, sprinkle in some of these sights to keep the kids happy.

Climb to the Top of Brunelleschi’s Dome

Centered in Florence is the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (the Cathedral of Florence) or simply Il Duomo.  The duomo is the third largest cathedral in Europe.  This is a fun cathedral for kids to see with its candy colored marble of white, pink and green.  Atop the massive cathedral in an engineering-marvel, the dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.  It is still the largest masonry dome in the world.  Visitors can climb in between the two layers of masonry domes to reach the top for outstanding views.  This might be a little tough for very little children to climb, but our 5 year old was able to climb the narrow steps.

Climbing to the top of the dome has become very popular in the last couple of years.  Reservations are hard to get even two days out.  It is best to schedule a reservation before you leave home.  Making reservations online is easy on the website for Il Grande Museo del Doumo.

Experience the Inventions at the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum

A short walk from il Duomo you will find the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum.  In the main room of the museum there are several replicas of Leonardo’s inventions.  Most of them you can try out yourself.  The entire museum is fun for kids, but especially the children’s room to the side of the main room.  Here kids (and kids-at-heart) can use wood blocks for stamping, try their hand at writing in code like Leonardo, and build his design for a bridge with no nails.

Eat Gelato

When we are in different country, we try to savor the iconic drinks and dishes of that country. In Italy, that means we drink cappuccino and eat Gelato…DAILY.  There are so many great gelateria in Florence, but try to stay away from the brightly colored displays.  They are pretty, but the brightly colored ones don’t taste nearly as good as the naturally colored gelato.  We recommend Grom, which is a chain gelateria found in other cities throughout Italy, and a favorite of locals,  Gelateria la Carraia.  

Ride an Antique Carousel

Piazza della Repubblica is a large plaza surrounded by shops and cafés. To one side of the piazza is the beautiful antique carousel which is a great break for kids after sightseeing.

Visit the Pinocchio Shop

The fairytale novel The Adventures of Pinocchio was written by Italian author Carlo Collodi. Collodi was born and lived in Florence.  You’ll see many shops selling a few Pinocchio items, but the best place to find Pinocchio is at Bartolucci, close to the Piazza della Republica and the antique carousel.

Galileo Museum

Older kids, especially the science and math lovers, will enjoy seeing the exhibits of the Galileo Museum.  Many examples of Galileo’s inventions are on display including telescopes, globes, clocks and some of the first thermometers.

Look Around for Street Art

As you are walking around Florence, notice the walls and street signs for some fun street art.  And if you hit it at the right time, you might be able to catch some chalk artists creating masterpieces on the road.

Real street art in Florence Italy

Books I recommend:

For Adults:  If you are an history, architecture or engineering buff, this book will be as interesting to you as it was to me.  The book relives the competition that determined Brunelleschi as the architect of the dome and the problems he encountered both during the competition and throughout the construction.

For Kids (and adults without the desire or patience to read the book above):  This is a fun book that tells of the competition between Brunelleschi and Ghiberti (who designed the Baptistery doors).  In the age of bullying, it is a great read to show how someone can overcome the derision of others.  The book is beautifully illustrated.  It’s a great book to read to your kids before you leave to help get them excited and invested in the trip.  Then read it again when you are back home to remind the kids of the sights you saw on the trip.

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