Exploring Venice with children

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Venice is a unique city, built on water. There are other cities with plenty of canals, and we have really enjoyed Amsterdam, Ghent and Brugges. But those cities still have lots of roads, while in central Venice the canals are the roads!

Because of this our children absolutely loved it. It’s the perfect destination either for a self-contained family city break or as a stop-over while exploring more of Italy or the surrounding region.

But what are the considerations when thinking about a visit to Venice with children?

You will most likely have read or heard numerous reports of over-tourism in Venice and the negative impact this is having on the city and it’s population.

Over half of Venice’s tourists come on a day trip only. So by staying for a few days you will contribute more to the local tourist industry.

Venice is a city built on a group of islands in the shallow Venetian lagoon. Many of the islands are separated by canals of varying sizes with other islands being separated by larger expanses of water.

The largest and most famous canal is the Grand Canal, which is the Venice equivalent of the motorway/ highway. A fascinating place to look out over as numerous boats of all varieties use it as the main way of getting around. 

How to get to Venice

If you are arriving from another part of Italy or a different nearby country such as Slovenia you may well be arriving by car or train.

Arriving in Venice by train

Many years ago on a student inter-rail trip we arrived in Venice by train. We found it fairly easy to walk from there to our accommodation in central Venice. With lots of luggage or very young children you may prefer to take a water-taxi or Vaporetto (water bus) rather than walking.

Arriving by car

If you’re driving you will have to pay to park in an out of town garage and then get a bus or train into central Venice.

Arriving in Venice by air

If arriving by air into Marco Polo airport, you can get a bus to the city. However, I believe the best way to arrive in a city built on water is by boat.

There is the option of a water-taxi which you can arrange either as a private transfer or shared and can arrange to go straight to your accommodation.

The other option is a larger boat transfer which stops at specific stops along three different routes and runs on a specific timetable- much like a bus would.

Both of these options depart from the water-taxi dock which is a short walk from the main terminal- it is well signposted. 

We took the cheaper boat-transfer option. You can check out the prices for boat transfers to decide which suits your family best.  Arriving in a city by water is such a unique experience and introduced the children perfectly to what a remarkable city Venice is. 

Be warned that there is around a ten minute walk from the main terminal at Venice Marco Polo airport to the dock. The dock is well signposted after you leave the arrivals hall.

We quite enjoyed the chance to stretch our legs after the flight. We gave our children the job of looking out for the blue boat signs to help us find the way, which they loved!

When is the best time to visit Venice?

We visited in summer, which if I’m being honest probably wouldn’t be my recommendation. We had a great time but it was really hot and gets busy.

We combated the heat by getting out early in the mornings and then taking a break back in the aircon of the apartment on some afternoons to escape the heat for a while.

I would choose Spring as the best time to visit. Temperatures are warm and pleasant then without the overbearing heat.

Autumn would be a good choice too with similar temperatures.

Winter can be cold and damp and the city can experience flooding. You would definitely get a more local-feel at this time of year and would see the city in a totally different way to how we did.

Is Venice safe with children?

In all honesty we felt totally safe the whole time we were in Venice. Even wandering around the smaller backstreets, which in some cities can feel a bit sketchy, I was never worried.

The main thing to worry about with young kids are the canals. Most of the canals don’t have any kind of barrier so it would be very easy to walk off the edge!

How many days for your Venice city break?

We had three nights in Venice. We arrived on a morning flight meaning we were in Venice by lunchtime and so had two and a half days to explore. This felt like a good amount of time to see all the main sights we wanted to see.

In 2 nights you could get a feel for the place but would definitely miss out on some of the sights.

If you have four or five nights you would have the chance to spend some time at the beach and do some extra activities that we didn’t have time for. (I would have loved to do a cooking class).

The number of nights you choose to stay may also depend on your arrival times. If your flight arrives late in the afternoon or evening, I think four nights would be preferable to allow three full days of sighsteeing.

Where to stay in Venice with children

As with any city-breaks the main choice will be between a hotel or apartment. We usually choose an apartment for several reasons. Being a family of five, finding hotel rooms to sleep us all can be tricky and expensive.

It also gives us more flexibility in terms of eating some meals in the apartment and usually has more space for somewhere to escape to for a few hours rather than being out all day.

Having spent many hours trawling hotel and apartment sites we opted for this fabulous Airbnb apartment. We would highly recommend it and felt the location was perfect.

It was close enough for a stroll to St Mark’s square and the busiest areas of the city but without being too much in the thick of it.  A terrace and canal views as well as plenty of space made it perfect for us. 

Many others prefer the convenience of a hotel. There are plenty to choose from depending on your budget and location preferences.

Getting Around Venice with children

Central Venice is very walkable, in fact wandering around the maze of small backstreets is part of the city’s charm. To travel further afield e.g. to other islands the best option is to take a Vaporetto, the local waterbus.

These aren’t cheap for non-residents so if you’re on a budget, you may need to pre-plan how many journeys you are likely to take. It may be cheaper to get a travel-pass; there are various options for 1, 2,3, days etc. Children under 6 are free. You can find current information on ticket-prices and route maps at the ACTV website. 

When walking around Venice, although possible, strollers aren’t particularly recommended. There are numerous bridges with steps which can start to feel like hard work.

We would recommend a baby carrier if you have a baby or toddler that is unable to walk on their own. Also bear in mind that there are often no barriers at the canal edge so keep a close eye on young children to ensure they don’t take an unexpected dip. 

Best activities in Venice with children

To be cost-effective we tried to organise our Venice days into those where we got around on foot and those where we used the Vaporetti to explore some of the other islands.

This meant that we could buy a travel pass for the day we moved around more and not need one for the other days. 

1. St Marks Square (Piazza San Marco)

You can’t go to Venice and not visit St Marks square can you? Probably the most famous attraction in the city and rightly so. This large square is impressive and dominated by the incredible St Marks Basilica.

The area around St Marks square is the busiest part of Venice though so it may be worthwhile choosing carefully when you visit particularly if you are in Venice with young children.

We found early in the morning best, before day trippers have arrived and there are generally fewer crowds.

You may want to sit and enjoy a coffee in one of the many cafes and restaurants that surround the square. Be warned it will be a lot more expensive than most other areas of the city but for many it is part of the Venice experience.

For the children there is plenty to take in here too. For a start there are hundreds of pigeons. I haven’t met a young child yet that couldn’t be entertained for a good while just chasing pigeons around!

Have your children look around and see how many winged lions they can spot. Alternatively allow them to take in the sights and have a play while you get yourself a drink!

2. St Marks Basilica

From St Marks square the obvious next attraction is St Marks Basilica. As one of the top attractions in Venice it obviously gets incredibly busy so we would recommend going early in the day if possible.

You can line-up to get tickets on the day. But if you can pre-plan, booking a timed-slot online will save you queuing time. Buy tickets here. Remember that it is a religious building so shoulders need to be covered. They aren’t usually as strict with young children on dress codes.

Once in the Basilica it is a one-way route to explore the huge church. We enjoyed playing games of giving our children things to spot in the decorations of each part. This meant they would stick around a bit longer and allow us all to take it in. 

There are also some great viewing areas to look out over St Mark’s square. It’s great to be able to see this vast piazza from a different angle.

Just in front of St Marks Basilica in the square you can’t miss the Bell Tower. From the top there are fantastic views of the whole of Venice, definitely worth the cost and queue to go up in my opinion.

At the time of writing it is €16 per tickets, with children under 7 years free. You can check the up-to-date pricing and  buy timed-tickets in advance from the basilica website.

3. Doge’s Palace / Palazzo Ducale

Adam and I had both visited Venice before and been to the Doge’s palace. This is probably the most famous of several palaces in Venice and is located on the edge of St Marks square.

It is the former residence of the Doge, the most senior magistrate in Venice back in the 1400s. Overlooking St Mark’s square in one direction and the Venetian Lagoon in the other the location couldn’t be better.

Entry fees can start to add up, especially for a family of 5, so we decided to skip this on our family city break in Venice. 

If in Venice for the first time though it is definitely worth a visit to admire the grand interior. The kids will particularly enjoy the gothic prison.

4. Get lost in the Venice backstreets

It was on one of the backstreets that we wandered across a small glass-blowing shop selling jewellery. The friendly owner showed us how he made the pendants and of course we came away with some lovely souvenirs.

5. Take a Gondola ride

Venice is synonymous with gondolas. These flat-bottomed wooden boats are mostly now used for tourists. However, you may still see some being used to transport goods around the smaller back canals.

Although the stereotyped image is a romantic couple being poled along the Venetian canals, I think it is also a perfect activity when in Venice with children. Our children just loved the whole experience.

We found a small dock just off the grand canal, where we were easily able to find a gondola available. The price for half an hour seems to be around €80.

Depending on how many are in your party you may be able to pre-book a shared experience for a little cheaper. Have a look for options here. 

6. Visit the outer islands

We bought a 24 hour Vaporetti ticket to allow us to explore some of the outer islands. Probably the most famous of these is Murano, famed for it’s beautiful glasswork. Firstly, we caught a vaporetto on the 12 line from Fondamente Nove to Faro on Murano.

Murano

Once you disembark there are numerous glass factories and showrooms to explore. We visited the OMG factory shop a short walk from the dock.

We were able to watch a fantastic demonstration of glass blowing which the children were fascinated by.  There was also a large shop with hundreds of glass pieces in all shapes and sizes. You can book a tour here.

You need to pick a day and time but in their booking info it states that you are not restricted to the time you booked. Children don’t need tickets and are free. If you don’t want to book ahead there may be others that you can turn up to on the day.

The main canal through the island is Fondamentan Manin. This is lined with bars and restaurants where we sat and had a drink right next to the canal.

It’s a lovely place for a drink or even lunch. Because of it’s glasswork fame Murano can be pretty busy but you don’t need to wander far into the backstreets to find some calm. 

Burano

After a wander around Murano we hopped back on another Vaopretto to Burano. Although less famous we actually preferred Burano.

It is known for making lace and you will see numerous small shops selling their lacework. However our favourite thing about Burano was the colours!

The houses there are a myriad of bright colours which I think was our families favourite part of our Venice trip. There aren’t any major sights here but it is a lovely place to meander and take in all the colours. 

From Burano we struggled to get a direct Vaporetto back to central Venice. We had to change at the Lido, which is the beach area, which didn’t make the journey too much longer.

7. Enjoy Italian Gelato

It was very hot when we were in Venice in August so some cooling Gelato was much needed. Ice cream is part of every family holiday, but italian gelato is probably my favourite. The whole family loved deliberating over the myriad of flavours. I particularly enjoyed then sitting by a canal, watching the world go by while eating it.

8. Wander across the Rialto bridge

The Rialto bridge is the oldest bridge crossing the grand canal. It’s one of the most famous views in Venice so definitely make sure you go to see it. Walking across it gives excellent views down the canal, and you can appreciate the small shops that line it.

There are only four bridges in total crossing the grand canal. We loved crossing between the different Venice districts via the grand canal and then getting lost in the back streets.

We were staying very close to the Pont dell’Accademia, which we thought was the best bridge for taking great photos of the canal. The view was particularly beautiful in the early evening heading towards sunset.

9. Enjoy the Italian cuisine

One of the reasons we enjoy holidays in Italy so much is the food. Italian food is probably one of the most family-friendly options there is. Venice has so many restaurants to choose from and we had some fantastic meals.

We had some great lunches in small side streets and enjoyed dinner in the Campo Stefano square, which was near our Airbnb. We usually find that a meal by a large square is a good option with the kids.

It means they can get up and wander around in the square if needed and often there is plenty going on to keep them entertained.

Our kids love seafood as you can see. Luckily there was a large street tap next to where we were eating to dunk Benjamin under once he had finished stuffing his face with squid ink pasta!

10. Relax at the beach

In the summer heat it can be good to escape the sweltering city for a few hours at the beach. The lido island is just 15 minutes by ferry from central Venice.

The seaward side of this island is lined with a long sandy beach which can get pretty packed in summer. The shallow waters though are perfect for young kids to splash around and cool off while the parents relax on the beach.

11. Get Arty at the Peggy Guggenheim art gallery

This art gallery has an impressive modern art collection. It’s centrally located near the grand canal. Sundays are ‘kids day’ and at 3pm they offer free art workshops for children up to 10.

We missed this but it sounds great. Children under 10 are free whenever you visit though so they can still get a tour of the art.

The gallery website has a section dedicated to families with all special events and details of how to book the kids workshops.

12. Paint your own Venetian mask

You’ll see Venetian masks everywhere in the tourist shops around central Venice. They were traditionally made from papier mache and designed for people to wear at carnival so they could move around more freely without judgement.

It’s easy to find a Venetian mask to buy. Whatever your budget you will find an option (our children bought small Venetian mask keyrings).

But an even better souvenir is a mask that you have painted yourself. We didn’t have time for the mask painting workshop, and I think our youngest was a bit small at the time.

However I have heard multiple positive reviews about how good the experience is. If you have time during your Venice trip you may want to consider mask painting.

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All in all we loved our trip to Venice with children. It is a place that they often remember and talk about, much more so than any other city-break destination.

Let us know of any hidden gems that we missed in case we make it there again. Other city breaks we have really enjoyed include Porto, Dubrovnik and Copenhagen.

Check out our Travel Resources page for all the best websites we use for planning our trips. Any questions or recommendations please contact us as we’d love to hear from you.