How to Spend Four Days in Rome for Families With Teens
- Updated: 04/09/2024
- Janice
For a spring break trip, our family headed transatlantic to touch down in Rome for four days. Our young teens had been studying Italian in school and had never been to Italy. We could not wait to experience the city with them, which my husband and I had already been to together years ago.
Our Rome visit was part of our 10-day Italy itinerary, which included five days on the Amalfi Coast and the Sorrento Peninsula. See our 4-day Rome itinerary, ideal for families with teens and older kids, below. Or dig into the details starting with Day One in Rome.
Our 4-Day Rome Itinerary At-A-Glance
Day 1: Arrival to Rome & Explore
- Arrival in Rome via a connecting flight through Zurich
- Transport and check in to Navona Gallery Suites
- A mini-neighborhood tour
- A walk to nearby Piazza Navona
- Late lunch: Pizza and take-away tiramisus
- Dinner: Ristorante Virginiae for Roman specialties, spaghetti carbonara, and cacio e pepe
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
Upon arrival at the Rome-Fiumicino airport (FCO), we collected our bags and met our private transport that I booked through our guesthouse, Navona Gallery Suites. Housed in a 16th-century palazzo and located on narrow and stone-paved Via del Governo Vecchio, bustling with pedestrians, shops, and cafes, our guesthouse was a mere three-minute walk from pastel-hued and stately Piazza Navona, and in the heart of Rome.
After checking in with Silvia, the friendly and English-speaking proprietress, we dropped our bags in our two-bedroom, two-bath unit complete with Renaissance-era architectural touches and antiques, a full kitchen, and even a terrace. Then, we joined Silvia for a short tour of the neighborhood, where she pointed out her favorite spots.
Is Navona Gallery Suites booked? If it is booked, find other highly-rated Rome places to stay here on Booking.com.
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Once settled, we chowed down on pizza and take-away tiramisus from a place we saw on Silvia’s tour, let the kids stay back at the apartment for some downtime, and left to explore Piazza Navona and its renowned fountains.
With evening and fatigue from our overnight flights setting in, we returned to the apartment to collect the kids to walk a few minutes to nearby Ristorante Virginiae, recommended by Silvia. There, we enjoyed excellent Roman pasta specialties, like spaghetti carbonara and cacio e pepe for dinner.
Day 2: Colosseum, the Roman Forum, & Trevi Fountain
- Colosseum and Forum Tour with an Archaeologist, a small group tour with RomaEat
- Wander the neighborhood and walk to Trevi Fountain
- Breakfast: (included with lodging) cappuccinos, cornettos, omelets, and juice at nearby Enoteca Il Piccolo
- Lunch: salad, pizza, and beer near the Forum at La Taverna Madonna dei Monti
- Dinner: forgettable piazza restaurant on our way back from the Trevi Fountain
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
On our first full day in Rome, we visited its most iconic ancient sites, the Colosseum and the Forum. We walked from our guesthouse to join our small group tour—the highly-rated “Colosseum & the Forum with an Archaeologist” experience with RomaEat. Our guide was excellent as he explained the origin and construction of the sites and shared anecdotes.
After the tour, we headed for a late pizza lunch at nearby La Taverna Madonna dei Monti on Via della Madonna dei Monti, a street packed with excellent restaurant and cafe options. Sluggish from a good meal and lots of walking, our kids needed a break. So, we took them back to the apartment for a rest while we headed out again to wander the neighborhood and visit the Trevi Fountain.
We heard the crowds around the Trevi Fountain before we saw it. Employing strategic patience and maneuvering, we navigated the crowd to get a better view of this famous spring-fed water source with its 2,000-year-old history and sculptural masterpieces.
What do the crowds at Trevi Fountain look like? Check out this video I shared on Instagram.
Knowing our kids would want to see the fountain too, we returned all together to see the Trevi majestically lit up at night. Dinner was at an average, though forgettable piazza restaurant that we stopped at out of convenience.
Day 3: E-Biking the Appian Way & the Spanish Steps
- E-Bike the Appian Way, a small group tour with Red Bicycle
- Explore the Tiber River and Castel Sant’Angelo areas
- Apertivo at nearby Antica Trattoria della Pace
- Walk to the Spanish Steps
- Breakfast: (included with lodging) return to Enoteca Il Piccolo
- Lunch: sandwiches bought from market vendors at Sant’Egeria Spring while on our bike tour
- Dinner: delicious pasta, appetizers, and desserts from Poldo e Gianna Osteria
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
Today we biked the Appian Way, the oldest and most strategic road in Ancient Rome, joining a small group e-bike tour with Red Bicycle. Our four-hour tour, in English, was excellent. Glenn, our guide, was easy to follow, careful to keep our group together, and shared the history of sites along the way.
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Our route took us through St. Sebastian’s Gate, past the Aurelian Walls, along three miles of the park lined Appia Antica, and into the impressive Park of the Aqueducts. From here, we continued to Sant’Egeria spring to fill our water bottles and grab lunch at a market stand before continuing through the Appian Way Regional Park as we headed back to Rome.
With the bikes returned, we gave the kids some downtime at the apartment and explored the Tiber River and Castel Sant’Angelo areas. We followed this with an aperitivo, or happy hour, at Antica Trattoria della Pace, near our guesthouse.
Once refreshed, we regrouped and headed out as a family to the Spanish Steps, joining throngs of others strolling down fashionable Via dei Condotti. We arrived as dusk was falling, climbing the steps to catch the view, and before making our way to Poldo e Gianna Osteria, tucked down a tiny side street, for an excellent dinner.
Day 4: The Vatican & the Pantheon
- Tour of the Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel, a small group tour
- Visit St. Peter’s Square
- Relax in Piazza Navona with pizza, wine, and gelato
- Shop for clothes for the guys at Dan John and handbags
- Visit the Pantheon
- Breakfast: (included with lodging) takeaway coffees and cornettos from nearby Est Artigiani del Gusto
- Lunch: forgettable takeaway items from the Vatican Museum Cafe
- Dinner: good pastas, pizzas, bruschettas, and excellent sides—especially the Sicilian broccoli, at Fattoincasa by Hostelaria La Danesina
How to use this map: In the map header, click the square tab to the left of my logo or click the enlarge frame to the right to view detail. You can save the map to “Your Places” on Google Maps by clicking the star next to the map name. Or you can share it by clicking the share icon.
Today, we woke early to join our “Small Group Tour of the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel” which included pre-booked tickets with a timed entry. Our guide led us through the Vatican’s impressive outdoor and indoor museum areas sharing background history along the way. In addition to the Sistine Chapel, my favorites included the outdoor sculpture gardens, the tapestries, the Raphael Rooms, and the map hallway.
Following the tour, our family needed refueling. Although I appreciated the convenience and outdoor seating of the museum cafe immediately upon exit, I did not love their pricey and average-tasting options.
If your group can wait to eat, step outside the Vatican to find several other better alternatives within a block or two. Next, we made our way along Viale Vaticano to visit St. Peter’s Square and marvel at its sheer enormity and grandeur. We opted against visiting the Basilica due to the hours-long line.
After the Vatican visit, we spent the afternoon proofing our son’s history paper (due the next day), followed by snacks in Piazza Navona, shopping, and a tour of the Pantheon. We capped off our last night in Rome with a short walk to an alfresco dinner at nearby Fattoincasa by Hostelaria La Danesina.
The following day, we let the kids sleep in and took a late morning Frecciarossa (high-speed) train to Naples, making our way to Positano and the Sorrento Peninsula for the second half of our trip.
Rome Trip Planning Resources
To plan for the Rome portion of our trip, I used several resources. My top recommended ones are below:
Rick Steves Rome. This is the comprehensive guidebook for Rome. Rick provides detailed tour notes for all major sites and suggested routes for neighborhood walking tours. With this book, you have more than enough information to explore the city independently and opt out of hiring guides, allowing you to save money and go at your own pace.
Booking.com. Due to its generous cancellation policies and payment schedule, discounts (often 10% off), and easy-to-use interface, Booking.com has lately become my preferred resource for reserving properties—from rentals to hotels—particularly for Europe. Use it to search for Rome properties just right for your trip, especially if the accommodation I recommend (and have stayed in) is unavailable.
Eating Rome. I adored this book, loaned to me by my good friend and food writer, Emily Paster at West of the Loop, for its love affair overview of Italian food, the amusing anecdotes, and a connoisseur’s guide to Rome eateries. Plus, you will find recipes at the end of each chapter, perfect to cook during that post-trip period when feeling nostalgic for all your favorite vacation foods.
Pinterest and blog articles. To complement guidebooks, I use Pinterest to search for and save itinerary ideas about what to do in my trip destinations. Find my Pinterest account here. Or check out my Rome pinboard to see my saved articles.
Italy Travel Planning Facebook Group. If you are planning a trip to Italy and do not have a Facebook account, you should get one if only to join this group with 80,000+ members. The group is a gold mine of information. Find itinerary ideas, lodging recommendations, where to eat, what to do, suggestions to avoid petty thefts—and much more. I discovered my favorite driver, Gianluca, from Amalfi Driver Service through a recommendation on this group.
Related Reading
If you are traveling to Italy, or Europe in the spring, check out these related articles to help you get the information you need to plan your best trip.
Or take a look at my “Rome and the Amalfi Coast: The Best Books to Read Before a Trip” booklist below to get a pre-trip reading list, including my preferred guidebook, Rick Steves’ Rome.
Additional Trip Planning Resources
To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below.
Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here.
Google Hotels. Use its “Where to stay” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.
Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.
Viator, Get Your Guide, & Airbnb Experiences. Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.
Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps. Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list.
AllTrails. Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.
Guide Along. 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour.
Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here. My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com.
Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks, and my free customizable travel itinerary template, downloadable in four file formats.
About the author: Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog, Gather and Go Travel. After attending the University of Michigan undergraduate business school and following a career in retail strategy and event management, she returned to focus on her first love—travel. Read her bio, learn how she became a blogger, and discover how to work with her. Sign up for her monthly Discovery Newsletter for travel recs and how-to’s. Or follow her on social media (@gatherandgotravel).
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Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. And the income goes to keeping the site community-supported and ads minimal.
Welcome to Gather and Go Travel, a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, a world traveler to 50+ countries, a travel writer/blogger, and a book lover. Learn more about me, read our story, and how to work with me. Get my latest updates, how-tos, and trip ideas in my monthly Discovery Newsletter.
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