Italy with Small Children: Rome & Sorrento - 7 Days

Welcome to Italy!

After a transfer to your hotel and time to get settled in, you'll be introduced to the Eternal City by golf cart. Your comfortable private ride will take you through the highlights of Rome, including sites like the portico of Santa Maria Maggiore, the flower market at Campo de Fiori, and historical favorites like the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Circus Maximus.

Your guide will tell you stories from the city's extensive history as you visit these hotspots as well as some lesser-known gems like the spot where Julius Caesar was famously assassinated.

Take a private guided tour of the historic heart of Rome, stopping at the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Colosseum. Since it's just your family and your guide, you're able to choose the pace, stopping when needed to attend to the little ones. These three sites were some of the main hubs of politics, commerce, and social activity in the city at the end of the second century.

Start at the Colosseum, the world's largest amphitheater, where you can imagine 50,000 roaring spectators watching the gladiator combat. At the Arch of Constantine and Temple of Venus, you'll learn about some of ancient Rome's most famous citizens, including Julius Caesar, Emperor Augustus, and the Flavian emperors that built the Colosseum.

Continue to the Palatine Hill, the most central of Rome's seven hills. It used to be a highly exclusive neighborhood for emperors and other political leaders, and you can see the ruins of their once-grand palaces today while imagining their former glory. Hear tales of the Domus Augustana, Domus Flavia, Temple of the Victory, the Farnese Gardens, and more.

Dig a little deeper at the extensively excavated Roman Forum and walk through the ruins of ancient temples, theaters, and government buildings while your guide helps you envision the bustle of Roman life 2,000 years ago. You'll tread over the original stones where emperors once walked, following the Via Sacra past spots like the Arch of Titus, Temple of Divo Romolo, Maxentius Basilica, Temple of Saturn, and the temple and grave of Julius Caesar.

If you want to keep going, you can add on a stop at the Museo Nazionale Romano, home to many ancient statues that were moved to the museum for preservation, including the bronze Boxer at Rest. Or add on a visit to the Pantheon, once a temple to the Roman gods built by Marcus Agrippa, now a Catholic church and one of Rome's best-preserved monuments.

Spend a free morning amid the parks and gardens throughout the city, taking your pick between green spots at the Villa Borghese, Villa Pamphili, Villa Torlonia, or the Gianicolo Hill. Children can frolic on the grass while you relax and admire the architectural details on the villas. Stop at a market en route to turn it into a picnic.

Next, head off to a private tour of the Vatican, where you'll stake out the highlights of the Vatican Museums, climb the Dome, visit St. Peter's Basilica, and take a walking tour of St. Peter's Square. While the art collection is beyond extensive, you'll focus on some of the most famous spots, such as the Pio-Clementino Museum, Octagonal Garden, Hall of Muses, Map Gallery, and Raphael Rooms, and your guide can tailor your tour to any specific interests you may have. Admire the ornate Gallery of Candelabras, trompe l’oeil-lined Gallery of Tapestries, and, of course, the Sistine Chapel, as you contemplate Michelangelo's iconic frescoes.

Make your way up to the top of Dome and admire Rome from above, then descend to St. Peter's Basilica. Learn the secrets of the cathedral's ornate decorations and admire Michelangelo's "Pietà". Top it off with a stroll through St. Peter's Square.

If you'd like to keep going, you can add an extra component to your tour to learn about the mosaics covering the internal surface of the Basilica’s dome, including a visit to the Internal Fabbrica dei Mosaici di San Pietro, where 13 hand-picked artists create the St. Peter's Mosaics.

Leave Rome and head to the coast today, with an important historic stop along the way.

After taking the train to Naples, you'll be transferred to ancient Pompeii for a private tour of this expansive historic site. The tour is designed for children and their families, with interactive components to keep everyone engaged and excited about the Roman world and flexible guides as you explore the many streets, villas, and temples of this well-preserved city.

Once you leave Pompeii, you'll continue to your destination of Sorrento.

Italy's southern coast beaches are considered some of its most beautiful, drawing plentiful crowds to their sands. In contrast to the busier Amalfi Coast, Sorrento's beaches are rockier but also less populated. The main city beaches can be found around the Marina Grande and Marina Piccola ports, but you can also drive to some lesser-known options just a short hop away for a quieter outing. Spend the day relaxing on the sand or stones while you splash in the surf.

Take in the landscape that connects the two pearls of the Amalfi Coast as you enjoy a boat tour between the terraces of Positano and the bright colors of Amalfi.

Start with a boat ride to Amalfi, where you can admire the ancient fishing village of Marina Grande, ruins of a Roman villa, natural waterfalls, and more. You'll then continue along the Amalfi Coast, passing the islands of Li Galli, Nerano, and Fiordo di Furore, with stops to swim and admire the scenery along the way. The boat will also give you plenty of time on land in both Amalfi and Positano to explore the two towns and enjoy a limoncello tasting in Positano before you return to Sorrento.