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Home » Europe » Venice with Kids: Know Before You Go
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Venice with Kids: Know Before You Go

BonBon July 26, 2015 18 Comments

My husband recently had a conversation with a coworker who is going to Venice with his family.  He had a flashback of our unforgettable experience last 2011. Then, he asked me to write a blog about it since Venice is such a beautiful city and families who are planning to go shouldn’t hesitate tagging along their kids. Proper planning is needed.

Flashback… Venice -February 2011 while I was 6+ months pregnant together with our 14-month old boy. Imagine that!

It was our 1st international flight with our son and I was pretty confident that I got everything covered. However, travel is often full of surprises and its part of the whole experience. Our journey started bad – 1st flight delayed so we missed our connection from Heathrow to Venice, leading to an unexpected reroute with a bus transfer to Gatwick with 1 bag already lost.

We stayed Venice for a few days and it was magical as expected. Actually, it was more meaningful since we shared it with our little boy.

We made lasting memories in Venice with our boy...
We made lasting memories in Venice with our boy…

So, here is a list of few things to consider when traveling to Venice with kids. This is a Must-Do-Check-List.

PACKING

Venice is a walking city so it is a no-brainer to bring comfortable shoes and clothes. However, traveling to Venice with kids is a different story. The key is to make sure you pack enough clothes and all necessary things for your kids in your carry on. Based on experience, shopping for kids clothing is hard in Venice and there is no such thing as cheap clothing. A pair of jeans, t-shirt, and socks for my boy – it costs almost $100; I bought it anyways since the missing bag was holding most of my boy’s clothes.

This is the place that you would actually just want 1 bag. So, pack wisely.

#1 reason not to bring lots of bags and a stroller
#1 reason not to bring lots of bags and a stroller

Forget about strollers, it will only make your walk harder. We tried the backpack baby carrier but didn’t work for my husband. He prefers to just let the kid walk with us and carry him when he gets tired. However, it is worth a try; it works for other travelers.

Yup, that face means something
Yup, that face means something
Both happy without the backpack carrier:)
Both happy without the backpack carrier:)
He was a happy walker:)
He was a happy walker:)

Tip: most churches and museums have a dress code, so even in the summer, use closed shoes, long pants, and scarf or cardigan.

Example for Saint Mark’s Basilica Dress Code: shorts and mini-skirts, sleeveless or short tops are not allowed. Suitcases, backpacks, and oversize bags are not allowed into the Basilica, you can deposit them for free before your entrance at the Ateneo San Basso, next to the Basilica. The Ateneo Ban Basso is located in the Calle San Basso, which is just off the Piazzetta dei Leoni to the left of the Basilica, as you stand in front of the facade.

ACCOMMODATION

Venice is known by many names: “City of Canals”, “City of Water”, “City of Bridges”, and “The Floating City”. It stands to reason that access by vehicles is limited; in fact just to the Piazzale Roma so choosing the right place to stay is very crucial.

My suggestions:

  • check the location of the hotel on the map and make sure it is near the Piazzale Roma or a Vaporetto stop. Consider the bridges, cobblestones, and stairs and all this will give you an idea of the difficulty of carrying your bags. I did check the location of our hotel but missed out to plan how we are going to carry all our bags AND our little one. It was a blessing in disguise that the lost bag didn’t make it on this leg of the trip.

    Magical View from Rialto bridge at night:) And lots of pier all around the canal...
    Magical View from Rialto bridge at night:) And piers all around by the canal…
  • stay around Venice proper; with this you are giving yourself a little treat and giving Venice a chance to prove its worth. The first timer should do this but if it’s your 2nd time then you can choose wherever you want.

    i guess you don't mind waking up with a view similar to this:)
    I guess you don’t mind waking up with a view similar to this:)

TRANSPORTATION

You gotta know what transportation to take when arriving and departing Venice. If not, you will arrive puzzled and you might not be able to even shop for souvenirs. Smart thing to do is ask help from your travel agent or call/email your hotel to get information.

Here are the options you can take:

From Marco Polo airport

  • Private water taxi known as the limo of Venice – expensive but I heard that the experience is something that you will never forget. Plus, they can bring you direct to your hotel which means less time carrying of luggage. You can book it through your travel agent in advance.
  •  Alilaguna public boat service – it will help you get toVenice’s historic center, the island of Murano, the Lido di Venezia, and the cruise terminals.
  • Airport Link – “Bucintoro Viaggi” – shared small boat service to the major points of interests in Venice center.
  • ACTV bus service -you can take this if your hotel is nearby the Piazzale Roma. or take ATVO, an express coach which runs nonstop to Piazzale Roma
  • Typical pier:)
    Typical pier:)

From Santa Lucia Station

  • You can take private water taxi if you want to enhance your experience and if money is not an issue. But for a lot of travelers, vaporetto (public boat transportation in Venice) – this is your best option. The Ferrovia landing stage is right in front of the station on the banks of the Grand Canal and is served by several vaporetto lines.

Tip: There is a luggage storage at Santa Lucia station… yay… if you are just passing Venice for 2-3days then you have the option to leave other luggage at the station.

THINGS TO DO

This is the easiest part of planning a trip to Venice with kids. Seriously, don’t stress yourself about going to all attractions and missing out some. So many things to do but too little time. To me just walking around the city is all I needed. Just walk and feel the city… eat… and then walk again. Walk.Eat.Repeat. And of course, take pictures:)

 

Simple JOY:)
Simple JOY:)
So much food to try and he was trying almost everything we ate:)
So much food to try and he was trying almost everything we ate:)
It was definitely a memorable trip!
It was definitely a memorable trip!

Ooooh wait… don’t miss the gondola ride;)

Gondola ride --- Just because we are in Venice!!!
Gondola ride — Just because we are in Venice!!!
L.O.V.E.
L.O.V.E.

If you are planning a trip to Venice, email me or leave a comment and I will help you plan your Venetian getaway.

 

Thanks for reading!!! xoxo
Thanks for reading!!! xoxo

 


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BonBon

Call me BonBon!!! I am here to help you with your family travel plans and to inspire you to get out of your comfort zone. GO and explore the world. Travel. Learn. Evolve.

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18 Comments

  1. Cliodhna Ryan Reply
    February 20, 2018 at 10:03 am

    This is a really thorough post that will make life so much easier for parents. Your little boy looks like he had a ball and it’s great to see you could still have an enjoyable trip in a destination that isn’t necessarily known for being family friendly.

  2. Rachelle Reply
    February 8, 2018 at 9:09 am

    I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how I will want to travel when I have kids someday. This is a great reminder that it really is possible and that I will just need to do a little extra preparation. I like the idea of putting my child in a backpack or one of those sarong things, that way he could see where we were going and what we were doing.

  3. Ella Reply
    February 8, 2018 at 6:06 am

    I’d love to go to Venice! It just looks so scenic and cultural. The pictures of you with your little one are so cute! I’d never thought of it as a ‘family destination’ but I guess it sure can be!

  4. Kristen Tcherneshoff Reply
    February 8, 2018 at 1:54 am

    Your boy is so cute! He looks like he was having a great time 🙂

  5. Alicia Reply
    February 7, 2018 at 8:31 pm

    Oh the gondola ride is so cute! Have you heard anything about the water levels these days?? I would so love to visit before the canals rise too much…

  6. Anya Reply
    February 7, 2018 at 3:26 pm

    Okay, these photos have officially stolen my heart! They’re absolutely adorable! I would have never thought about taking a young kid to Venice, but it looks soooo lovely and memorable!

  7. Ana Ro Reply
    February 7, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    I loved your post! I have a toddler myself, and was wondering whether it’s a good idea to go to Venice with him. I heard many stories about how cool it is for couples, but not much about children there. So thanks for sharing your experience.

  8. Gini Reply
    February 7, 2018 at 2:45 pm

    Useful advice, I don’t have any kids yet but I have been to Venice and can relate to. That view to wake up to is amazing! I loved Venice.

  9. Frankie Thompson Reply
    February 7, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    A fellow travelling family here (with a two year old) and honestly i’d never even thought about going to Venice with him, but your photos are so adorable I wonder if we should add it to the list!

    • BonBon Reply
      February 7, 2018 at 2:26 pm

      Thank you… YES, definitely add it to your list. Your boy will have a great time and so are you, promise! We wanted to go back there and bring our girl… one of these days:) Happy travels. xoxo

  10. Kate and Kris Reply
    February 7, 2018 at 1:44 pm

    Such a beautiful city! Did you find it smelly? I’ve heard venice can be. Beautiful family too!

    • BonBon Reply
      February 7, 2018 at 2:24 pm

      Actually. NO…. not at all and that’s coming from a pregnant woman who’s so sensitive to smell:) Most people say that it’s during summer time that you can really smell the water.

  11. Madelaine Reply
    August 4, 2015 at 11:54 am

    WE WERE JUST IN ITALY A MONTH AGO AND DIDN’T GO TO VENICE DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS. IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITIES. GREAT TIPS AND THANKS FOR SHARING.

    • BonBon Reply
      August 4, 2015 at 5:43 pm

      Where in Italy did you go? Lovely country huh… Well…Venice is for next time… Regards

  12. Ginger Marie Reply
    August 1, 2015 at 8:00 am

    Venice is one of the many places I have to visit! Its so beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

    • BonBon Reply
      August 1, 2015 at 11:57 am

      Yeah… you should visit soon:) it’s sinking hehehe… Let me help you plan your trip:)

  13. travelling chingrita Reply
    July 29, 2015 at 11:02 pm

    Great post! This contains some super helpful info and great tips. Your fam is adorable =)

    • BonBon Reply
      July 30, 2015 at 3:47 pm

      thanks a lot… you’ve a really cool blog as well:) stay in touch… xoxo

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Call me BonBon... I am a mom of 2 beautiful toddlers. My family loves to discover new things near and far... So, I am here to inspire your whole family to travel, to get out of your comfort zone and to explore this wonderful world. And, I am here to help you get started:) Stay in touch!!!

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