Is Venice a child friendly place to visit? Yes and No!
Last summer we spent four days in Venice – a city that is known for its romantic gondolas, the picturesque Grand Canal, lively St Mark’s Square, peaceful side streets as well as huge cruise ships and tourists flooding the city. However, when travelling with a 1 year old who has plenty of energy, but can’t walk yet and parents who still want to enjoy the unique romantic atmosphere of this incredibly popular city, things can get difficult. In the following post, you will hear how we travelled Venice with our little one. What worked well, and what did not.
(A view you can only fall in love with!)
(Carrier, sun hat, sunglasses to be protected from the sun)
Accommodation
Who does not need a calm oasis after a day full of hustle and bustle? We found this cute, tranquil apartment in the Jewish Ghetto via Airbnb and it had everything we could wish for. Even a baby cot was provided for a small extra fee. So, we could easily put our son to bed at 7 pm, while we were enjoying togetherness on the balcony. Big plus of an own kitchen was that we were not so dependent on the largely overprized restaurants – and easy way to keep the travel budget under control!
(Water everywhere)
Local transport
We did little reading on Venice beforehand, but what we knew was that there is no way we can walk the city with a stroller. Stairs, bridges, boats, cobblestones – although we do understand the construction and architectonic history of this island, this is a nightmare for the parents favourite accessories, prams and strollers. The alternative for us was a comfortable, lightweight child carrier similar to a backpack from Osprey. It allowed us to walk easily across the whole island with our son on our back. He especially loved the view from up there, sat comfortable and even slept in it at times. As backup solution we used a simple baby carrier, the Ergobaby.
(sleeping in the shade...)
Food
Pasta was (and still is…) our son’s favourite dish, so we opted for a random pasta pizza lunch place once. Boring food (well, our son loved it…), below average service and no soap on the lady’s toilet, we were still happy to find a restaurant which offered a high chair. After asking a bit around, it seems that most touristic restaurants do have them. However, a strong recommendation goes to the Gam Gam kosher restaurant close to where we stayed. Delicious, affordable food with tables at the canal. They also have a highchair for kids. In case you find some Duplo bricks in the water, they might be ours.
When it comes to self-catering, we must admit that the number and size of supermarkets is limited and so are the opening hours. Please make sure that your accommodation is close to one if you want to avoid carrying both your shopping bags and a baby through the whole city.
(Venice from above)
Green parks & playgrounds
Look at the map of Venice! Do you see a lot of green? Not really. And what if I tell you that a number of green spots are even private property? If you want to lie down on under a tree in the grass, observe some butterflies and let your baby crawl around freely, the best place is the Parco delle Rimembranze on the East end of the main 'island'. There is also a small playground South of the Venice Central Station (Giardini Papadopoli), where our son met lots of new Italian friends. Otherwise, check out the smaller sister islands, such as Giudecca, that have definitely more nature to offer if you and your baby are longing after some fresh green and a cool breeze.
Culture & history
We have always been big fans of the free walking tours (=pay as you wish) and so we joined a young crowd and energetic guide. After one hour, our son got hungry, so we decided to take a break instead. And that’s the beauty of these free walking tours – it gave us the freedom to learn something about this amazing city and its people and the flexibility to end the tour when we needed to, while paying a reasonable amount for the time we joined the tour.
There is a game, which is the best and fun way to get to know the city. Let your kid decide which way to go at every crossroads. I promise you you will find the most beautiful hidden gems of Venice as well as pass by Canal Grande, Basilica di San Marco and the Porta della Carta (these place are absolutely impossible to avoid!). We have been following our son for quite some time and whevever we passed by an interesting spot, we opened our Lonely Planet guide and read about it. What a simple and joyful way of travelling and to learn more about culture and history of Venice.
If you plan on visiting the hot top sights and bring your baby along, please try to avoid the busy tourist times. If possible, visit them before the cruise ships arrive or after they leave.
Extra child-friendy tip: Go pigeon hunting on St. Mark Square.
(St Mark Square)
Summay
Yes, Venice is a child friendly destination when it comes to the hospitality of the Italians and the food. You can see and visit a lot of interesting places whithout walking a marathon, which I am sure your kid will enjoy.
No (soooorrrry...), Venice is not made for babies and kids. There are only very few public playgrounds or green parks for kids to play. Instead the most popular streets and locations are rather packed with people during the high season, which might feel unfomfortable with small kids. If your child can't (or don't want to) walk, stay strong and carry him/her, as you won't be able to use a stroller.
(Early morning at a canal in Venice, Italy)
Do you think Venice is a child friendly place to visit? Let me know! I would love to her your own experience and adventures when visiting Venice with your loved ones.
Kommentare