The Best Activities for Visiting Venice with Kids

Are you planning a trip to Venice with the family? Here are some great tips and must-see sites if you are traveling with kids!

Venice is a beautiful city appropriately called “La Serenissima,” The Most Serene, or the City of Water. It is a bucket list location for many travelers, and a good place for a family vacation, even with young children.

We have loved Venice so much, that we have been there twice with our two young children!

If you’re thinking about traveling to Venice with kids, learn more about things to do in Venice with children, and how to have a good time in Venice as a whole family!

Things to do in Venice with children

Ride a Gondola

If you visit Venice with kids, you have to check the Gondola ride off the bucket list! Small children are allowed to ride them, but I would encourage them to sit in between adults because they are low on the water. 

Gondola rides are short, about 30 minutes, and cost around 80 Euro per trip. The Gondolas are scattered throughout Venice, each with its own route.

My toddler loved it so much that we ended up riding the same Gondola twice! If you catch the right gondola, you can also see the famous Bridge of Sighs!

Tip: Each Gondola will provide some history on its route. They are expensive, and not an ideal way to tour the City of Venice.

Ride a Vaporetto (water bus) in the Grand Canal and around the Island

How to purchase tickets for the Venice water bus

Tickets can easily be purchased right outside the Vaporetto stations along the Canals. It can be a bit confusing because of the several stops and different routes. 

You can purchase a one fair for a round trip around the island, but I would suggest you purchase a one-day fair, or even a two or three if you’re staying for a couple of days. Children under 6 years of age ride free. 

These water buses are a great way to get around and see the great views from the water! If your kids love boats, this can be a great activity for them in Venice!

Tip: Be sure to tour the entire island and consider taking a ride when the sun sets!

The Vaporetto is an excellent means of transportation from the Venice main train station to get you near the hotel or Airbnb. Its stop is located right outside the train station.

Visit the Rialto market

The Venice Rialto (meaning exchange or marketplace) market offers various fish, fruits, vegetables, and yummy treats. It is right alongside the Grand Canal and can be easily accessible with a Vaporetto. It is the central market where many locals will do their shopping; I suggest visiting in the morning before it gets too crowded. 

Enjoy the parks and playgrounds in Venice Italy

I wasn’t aware of this before our first family trip to Venice, but there are some beautiful parks on the island. We accidentally discovered one while riding the Vaporetto on the outskirts of the city and immediately hopped off at the next exit. We spent several hours at the park, letting our little one play on the playground. 

It’s a great opportunity to get away from the crowds and tourists. These beautiful parks are a perfect play area for the whole family to enjoy. 

Our second trip to Venice was Easter Weekend, and this park was the perfect location to hide eggs for an Easter Egg hunt.

Tip: One of the biggest tips I can give parents visiting Venice with a baby and toddler is to spend time outside, in the parks and playgrounds.  Adjust your expectations of sightseeing. We had a far more enjoyable time when we prioritized our kids.

Related Post: How to Enjoy a Family Trip to Italy

Visit the Piazo San Marco Plaza (Piazza San Marco)

San Marco Square is enormous and located right on the Grand Canal. This huge public square is one of the main attractions of Venice, and it is where you can find St Mark’s Basilica, the bell tower and the Doge’s Palace.

During peak season, it can be very congested. However, if it isn’t too busy, it can be a great area for your young children to run around. Stop by a local cafe for a snack and some Gelato, and enjoy the view!

Play in the different Campi (Squares) and Check out the churches

Although the Piazo San Marco Plaza was beautiful, we preferred the smaller Campi/ squares because of the crowds. They were often away from the water and were a great place for our toddler to run around. He loved chasing the pigeons. 

Many of these squares had beautiful churches. From the outside, they didn’t look like much, but many were gorgeous on the inside. 

Tip: My husband and I preferred restaurants in these areas. Sitting outside allowed our toddler to run around while we could sit and watch. We also liked the quality and the prices of these restaurants over the ones sitting right on the water.  

Enjoy a Gelato (Italian ice cream)

There are so many gelaterias and ice cream shops. We splurged on gelato every day!

Explore the streets

Exploring the streets of Venice with a baby and toddler was one of my favorite activities! Every street offered beautiful scenery.

This is the perfect opportunity to do some window shopping and eat some delicious food! My husband used Google Maps to navigate. 

Tip: We did visit the Rialto Bridge a few times; however, due to the crowds, we preferred the areas farther away. We found that the best time to visit the Rialto Bridge was in the morning.

Have a family photoshoot

We saw a few people having professional photos taken, some even wearing Venetian clothing. This could be a great opportunity for a family photo. I love this idea! 

I was only in my first trimester of pregnancy when we visited, otherwise, I would have considered having a beautiful maternity photoshoot!

Visit Da Vinci’s Interactive Museum

The Da Vinci’s Interactive Museum has been my favorite of all the museums we have visited in Italy with kids.

The museum is not very large, but it is filled with so many interactive opportunities. Most of the models allow for hands-on interaction, which makes it such a unique and perfect Italian museum for kids. It is an excellent interactive museum for both younger and older kids to enjoy.

Decorate Venetian masks

There are so many stores with beautiful Venetian dresses and masks! Many of the stores will have workshops where you can paint your own Venetian mask. This can be a great activity for kids!

Visit an escape room

My husband and I couldn’t resist doing the escape room; it is one of our favorite hobbies and is usually reserved for date nights. Although not ideal for toddlers, they were great about letting us bring our son.

 It can be a nice break from the tours, and if you are an escape room fan, you may not want to pass up the opportunity!

Tour Doge’s Palace

The Doge’s Palace is magnificent with its beautiful Gothic style and is one of the most important buildings in Venice, Italy. The Doges Palace has many different exhibits, so you can easily spend a good part of the day! Look into the guided and self-guided tours.

Tip: The kids may be particularly interested in the Prisons and Armory tour.

For more information on guided tours and ticket purchases click here. 

Visit St Mark’s Square and Basilica

This may not be particularly interesting with young children, but it could be an option for a rainy day. 

Tip; Purchase skip-the- tickets if you’re visiting St Marks Basilica with kids.

Take a boat ride to Burano and Murano islands

These two islands are an easy boat ride from mainland Venice. 

Murano

The Island of Murano is traditionally known for its glass-blowing. 

Burano

The Island of Burano is filled with beautiful bright-colored homes and is known for lace making. 

Enjoy a day trip at Lidos Beach

If you’re visiting Venice with a baby or kids during the hot summer months, then Lidos Beach can be the perfect day trip!

Lidos Beach is an easy 12-15 minute water bus or water taxi ride from Venice City.

What to do in Venice when it rains

On our second trip to Venice with the kids, it rained for two out of three days. Although the weather was not ideal, we found some fun activities to do in Venice when raining. 

I would prioritize any indoor activities first.

• Tour the Doge’s Palace
• Visit St Mark’s Basilica
• Attend a mask-making workshop
• Try out the escape room
• Visit Da Vinci’s Interactive exhibits
• Visit some of the churches

Tip: If you don’t mind the rain too much, it may be a great opportunity to check out the Rialto Bridge, especially during the peak season. This area gets very congested.

Travel tips for visiting Venice with kids

Bathrooms (Water Closets)

We had a difficult time finding public bathrooms, and often, they cost 1- 2 euros. We would usually stop at a cafe or restaurant and purchase a snack or espresso to use their toilets. The Italians love children and are always very accommodating. 

Restaurants 

We favored the restaurants tucked away and located on a larger, quiet plaza or square. The quality of the food was great and not as costly. Another bonus- it was a safe place for my toddler to run around and chase pigeons.

It is important to note restaurants in Italy don’t typically open for dinner until after 7:30. 

Tip: Many Italian restaurants don’t have a kid’s menu but will make a pasta dish, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce upon request

Make plans with your young kids in mind

Traveling Vencie with a baby and small children can be challenging. Remember, traveling is tough on young kids. Adjust your plans; we enjoyed our days more when prioritizing activities for our kids. 

Adjusting our expectations allowed us to enjoy our family trip to Italy more. For more tips on how we enjoyed a trip to Italy. Remember, you will be taking your young kids out of their normal routine. This can be extremely tough on them. Keep their perspective, and have grace and patience for you and your family. 

For additional tips, check out my post: Traveling to Italy with a toddler

• Related Post: A complete guide for traveling Italy with kids

• Related Post: The essential tips: How to enjoy a two week trip in Italy with young kids

Additional questions and facts about traveling to Venice with kids

How to get to Venice

Venice Santa Lucia Train Station

This is Venice’s main train station, sitting right on the main canal. Compared to the airport, this is the better way to arrive in Venice. From here, you can take a water bus to your hotel or Airbnb. 

Venice Marco Polo Airport

This is the main airport and is located about 14 kilometers from the City of Venice.

Transportation from the Venice airport

Public transportation

The bus is fairly easy to take and is also very reasonably priced. On average, a one-way ticket costs 10 euros per person.

The bus route will end within walking distance of a water bus station.

Private Water taxi

Private water taxis are fairly expensive. We paid 140 euros for a one-way ticket. However, the benefit of these water taxis is that they can ride through the canals and take you much closer to your hotel.

Tip: We arrived in Venice by train on our first trip and by airplane on the second. We found it much easier to arrive by train.

Are the Canals in Venice dangerous for kids

The canals in Venice can pose a dangerous risk for kids and adults. If you are traveling with younger kids walking age, keep a closer eye on them. This should also be something to consider when visiting the higher trafficked areas, especially during the peak season. 

Another thing to note is that we weren’t provided with life jackets for either the Gondolas or the Vaporetto (taxi) boats. My husband and I were comfortable with this, but I do think it is important to consider. 

• Related Post: The Best Travel Essentials for a Toddler and Baby

When to visit Venice with kids

I touched on this in my post Tips for traveling in Italy with a toddler. Both times that we have visited Venice have been in April. The weather was beautiful with some rain. It was the start of peak season, and some areas were already bustling.

I would avoid going during the summer months and plan for the spring and fall seasons. The canals and streets are narrow, and some areas are very congested. 

Is Venice stroller-friendly

Venice was the least stroller-friendly out of our two-week northern Italy tour. There are many narrow streets and almost all of them have stairs. A few bridges closer to the train station had ramps.

If you are planning your family trip to Venice during the peak season, walking a stroller through the crowds will be challenging. If you decide on bringing a stroller, I would suggest a light, compact, but sturdy stroller. We did see some families with strollers, but not many.

I would encourage you to bring a baby carrier. We packed light for both of our trips and decided on the carrier over the stroller. 

Check out my recommended stroller here

 Is Venice child-friendly? 

Yes, we had a great time! The locals were lovely to our kids and often very accommodating. The Italians love children! I do urge a sense of caution regarding safety with the water and canals. 

How long do you need to be in Venice with the children?

I suggest a Venice itinerary of at least three to five days. This gives you plenty of time to see Venice and maybe even its neighboring islands.

Is Venice small enough to walk around?

Venice is not a large city; you can easily walk around. After a couple of days, you may feel like you have seen the entire city. 

Is Venice worth visiting with younger children

Absolutely! Venice is beautiful and well worth a family visit! Of the Italian cities we have visited, Venice was probably one of my toddler’s favorite. 

Related Post: How We Managed Expectations and Enjoyed a Two Week family Trip to Italy

Related Post: The Best Toddler and Baby Packing List

Check out theses amazing child-friendly cities in Italy

How to travel Rome and the Vatican City with a toddler and have the best time!

Plan the ultimate trip to Rome with the whole family! You will not want to miss out on these historical sites!

An essential guide for traveling Milan with kids

Milan is a beautiful city with the most stunning child-friendly parks. Check out this guide to help you plan the perfect itinerary for a trip to Milan with kids!

A guide: How to travel Verona with kids

How to make the most of visiting Florence with kids

Florence can be a perfect stop on your family trip to Italy! Be sure to read these recommendations before you book your trip!

Visit the beautiful Genoa Coast with your kids

This beautiful Italian coastal city is a gem, with so many unique child-friendly activities! Read this post to help you plan an incredible trip to Genoa with kids!

Save this pin!