Florence
Florence
Florence
Florence
Florence
City Guide
City Guide
City Guide
City Guide
City Guide
Florence
Florence
Florence
Florence
Florence
City Guide
City Guide
City Guide
City Guide
City Guide
Table of Contents
IN A NUTSHELL
Visit Florence With Kids
Florence is an open air museum. There are different attractions to see and different activities for children to do within the city. Travelling to Florence with kids has its own magic. This guide was created with the support of Destination Florence Convention & Visitors Bureau. Here’s all you need to know about planning a family holiday to Florence with kids whether you intend to visit with a baby, toddler or older kids. Since there is so much to do in Florence with kids, it might be difficult knowing where to begin. Thus, we have sectioned out the best things to do with young kids and older kids to make it easier for you.
Here are some of the best things that will make you want to book your trip to Florence with kids:
- There are many kid-friendly museums in Florence that are both educational and fun.
- Florence is full of family-friendly attractions, but they’re all easy to get to even with your little ones.
- Florence has a beautiful and antique carousel and the terrific park – Parco delle Cascine that is loved by all and is definitely worth a visit.
- Florence’s city centre is a UNESCO world heritage site. Walking around the city centre would be a great way to explore this city’s history with kids.
LOCATION
Hotels in Florence
Best Area to Stay in Florence
To better organise your time when travelling to Florence, it’s best to stay in the city centre. However, thanks to the well interconnection by tram to different parts of the city, its easy to reach different areas around the center.
Family Friendly Hotel Recommendations in Florence
Hotel Brunelleschi **** – You can book a room or a suite for your family. One of their family packages consists of 10% discounted when booking a minimum of 3 nights in large rooms such as Deluxe, Family, Suite and also Junior, a delicious breakfast in the historical Stemma and Liberty halls, souvenir photos of your family trip, transfer to and from Florence Airport ro Florence Station, high speed wifi and free access to fitness area, departure time can also be extended to 6pm if available. They will also give you a voucher for an ice-cream per person at Osteria Pagliazza.
Hotel Balestri **** – Located very centrally, 300m away from Palazzo Vecchio and 400m from Ponte Vecchio.Within walking distance you will find various family-friendly activities such as the Galileo Galiei museum where adults and children can have fun with multimedia content. This hotel is equipped with large Family Rooms able to accommodate up to a maximum of four people, with rooms of 42 square meters made up of two bedrooms each with its own bathroom and beautiful view on the Arno or the city. Hotel Balestri is very kid-friendly. Kids are presented with a welcoming gift upon their arrival and don’t pay up to three years of age. Available to all families staying with kids there are: cribs, high-chairs, bottle-warmers, toiletry products and baby-sitting service on request.
Four Seasons ***** – All families are welcomed with a gift. Children facilities include: babysitting service, schild-size bathrobes and slippers, complimentary baby and children’s toiletries, cribs and/or rollaway beds, colouring books and crayons, cartoon movies, games, books and toys. A kids menu is available both in the restaurant and the dining room. On-site activities include: an outdoor pool that is open all day in summer, you can enjoy a picnic in the garden, and home-made ice cream can be enjoyed at the premises. Family suites are available at Four Seasons in Florence.
Hotel Adriatico **** – You can book any family room which accommodates a maximum of 4 people. You would be staying in a double bedroom with a living area with two sofa beds. This is perfect for families, groups of friends and mobility-impaired guests. Family Deluxe Rooms are 45 sqm and 5 maxiumum guests, 2 double rooms to easily fit 4 people and a living area with sofa bed. Services include: Bathrobe and slippers, 2 bottles of water upon arrival, Fast, free Wi-Fi, Air conditioning and controlled heating, minibar, safe, LCD satellite TV, Kettle with selection of teas and coffee, bathroom with bathtub/shower, hair dryer and toiletries set, Florence info kit, cot upon request. Children under 3 stay for free.
Hotel Bernini ***** – A 15th century building, located in the heart of the city, behind Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery. It is also 6 minutes from Via Tornabuoni, the most famous shopping street. Kids’ TV channels, babysitting/child services are available at an additional cost.
Villa Cora ***** – Located in a park, overlooking the Boboli Gardens. Children of all ages are welcome here. Their family room is situated on the third floor. It features 2 distinctive and beautiful rooms – 1 master bedroom and the other room has 2 single beds. There are 2 marble bathrooms and this family room can accommodate up to 4 people. There is both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant on site.
PLAY
Activities for children ages 0-5
Tiring our babies and toddlers whilst they absorb all that is around them.
Museums in Florence– There are different museums that have many activities for children like the Leonardo Museum, which is an interactive museum. Entrance tickets can only be purchased online.
The Old Carousel – In Piazza della Repubblica there is an old carousel. The merry-go-round welcomes both kids and adults alike. This square, is one of the oldest in Florence.
Playgrounds – You will find so many around the city.
Piazza Santa Maria Novella – This square is closely located to the Snata Maria Novella train station. Let your kids run around this family-friendly square. There are also various benches around the square when you can rest. Once here, you can also visit the Church which is one of the most important in Florence and has a beautiful facade with coloured marbles.
Ponte Vecchio Bridge – Walk across the river on the Ponte Vecchio Bridge – this is one of Florence’s most famous landmarks.
Fontana Del Porcellino – Located at the entrance of Mercato Nuovo, in Florence’s city centre. This will be a hit amongst young kids because of its animal shape. Did you know that the ‘porcellino’ is said to bring good luck? At times you will find some people lining up to touch its nose.
Florence treasure hunt tour for kids – A fun way to explore Florence with kids, with a local guide. Kids will discover fun and interesting facts about the city. This tour is free for kids under 5 years.
PLAY
Activities for older kids
Keeping the older kids happy, entertained, and reducing the amount of times they ask for a screen or complain about being bored.
If you’re travelling to Florence with kids, you will find several different museums that have many activities for children like:
- The The Istituto degli Innocenti, Along with the Istituto degli Innocenti, this museum offers special activities for families and children,
- The Palazzo Strozzi Foundation offers a “Family Kit”, containing material for both children and adults,
- The Galileo Museum – This museum includes a series of themed tours and workshops that introduce kids to the world of science and its history through play.
- Archaeological museum – Here you will discover Egyptian mummies, Etruscan sarcophagus and Roman sculptures.
- Palenthology museum – A natural history museum dating back to 1775, with a science observatory and botanical gardens.
- Galileo’s telescopes – Discover the original telescope made by Galileo.
- The toy soldiers museum (Calenzano) – This Historical Figurine Museum is situated in the castle of Calenzano Alto. Discover a collection of old historical figurines (dating back to the Etruscan and Roman ages) and the toy soldiers of the Second World War.
- The Planetarium museum – Features a dome and seats up to 54 people. Visits and themes organised at the planetarium in Florence are led by experienced astronomers of the Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri in Florence. Bookings are required for visits.
- Firenze for families map – Get the Firenze for Families kit for free at the tourist information points in the city. The kit includes a map and a guide- available in Italian and English, which show kids our city in a simple and colourful way. Follow the map and explore some of the most interesting places for children.
- Officina Profumo Santa Maria Novella – This is said to be the world’s oldest pharmacy that has been turned into a museum and shop where you can also purchase perfunes and beauty products.
Loggia del Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria – The art here is free to see and it’s a great way to introduce some art to your kids.
Here are two apps to learn while having fun:
Firenze Game (the free app to discover the city with an addicting game) and
The Medici Game (an investigative video game, at the interior of the Pitti Palace rebuilt in 3D).
In winter at the main Piazza of the Cascine’s park – Piazza delle Cascine, there is a small Luna Park.
Libraries in Florence
In Florence you can find different libraries that have different activities and spaces for children like:
- The Biblioteca delle Oblate – A great library with a children’s section. If you’re visiting Florence with a baby or toddler, note that this library has changing facilities for your little ones!
- The Bibloteca Orticultura – A public library situated in the middle of the Orticultura gardens,
- The Biblioteca Pietro Thouar – Situated in Piazza Tasso. There is a children’s section that was designed for kids.
- The Bibliobus – What is cool about the Bibliobus library is that it is a mobile one. It moves around the city of Florence and stops at a place for 2 days before moving to a different one.
- The Biblioteca Fabrizio De’Andrè – Situated in the heart of San Jacopino near Porta al Prato and the Stazione Leopolda. Before the entrance you will find a small library of intertwined stories – a space for boys and girls up to 6 years old.
Todo Modo – This is both a cafe and a bookshop, located within the city centre. Book titles are available both in English and Italian.
Florence treasure hunt tour for kids – A fun way to explore Florence with kids, with a local guide. Kids will discover fun and interesting facts about the city.
PLAY
Parks & Playgrounds
If you’re travelling to Florence with kids, you’ll don’t want to miss out on the amazing parks and playgrounds there.
There are many parks in and near the city centre.
Our favourite parks and playgrounds to visit when in Florence with kids:
- The Cascine park
- The Giardino Borgo Allegri
- The Giardino Lungarno del Tempio
- The Giardino D’Azeglio
- The Piazza Dei Ciompi Park
- The Giardino dell’orticultura
- The Orti Del Parnasso
- The Giardino della fortezza
- The Roses Garden
The Fattoria di Maiano is a really good place, where kids can take part in some activities like petting the farm animals.
A great park to have a nice adventure at, is the Parco Avventura Il Gigante. There are activities suitable for different age groups. When visiting make sure to allocate enough time so visit at least 3 hours before closing time and wear sport clothing.
FOOD
Family-friendly cafés & restaurants in Florence
Our top recommended cafés and restaurants, when travelling to Florence with kids:
Pic Park | Ristorante per Famiglie – Pizza e Hamburger – A family-friendly restaurant. Whilst kids have fun, parents can relax here. There is an indoor play area and an outdoor area that has a park with kids games too. Their menu is simple but delicious, full of genuine ingredients that all will love. Pizza, pasta and burgers are amongst the top favourite.
Mercato di san lorenzo – The Market is actually divided into. The indoor market is the Central Market, mainly dedicated to food.The outdoor market along the narrow streets where you will find other local things such as souvenirs. At the Central Market you can enjoy a dish or pick out some ingredients to create your own dish.
Fattoria di Maiano – Lo Spaccio restaurant here is the ideal location to try out the typical traditional dishes of the area.
La Lombricaia di Montalbino -Enjoy an authentic Florentine meal here in between the countryside. They also have a kids menu.
L’angolo del Gusto – Ideal for family lunches and dinners. Children have a special area where they can play, leaving the parents time to enjoy their meals. Serving mostly pizzas but other dishes too.
Fuoco Matto – Located in FLorence’s city centre, this is a pizza and grill restaurant. Here you will find a children playing area with games.
American Diner 1950 – As an American diner, serving is on roller skates. On Kids Tuesday, for every adult/parent that finishes a whole meal, a child (up to 8 years) eats for free.
It’s good to note that most restaurants will cater for a toddler, making a smaller portion of what’s on the menu. Some restaurants also offer to make a plate of pasta with tomato sauce for kids.
TRANSPORTATION
How to Get Around in Florence with Kids
Florence has good a transport service. So, if you are in the city centre, you can move easily by walking, by bus or by tram.
On Foot
Florence’s main historic center is quite small. This makes it easily accessible on foot.
Buses
A small fleet of buses also provide links between main key areas in the Florence city center. Florence’ orange city buses and the white-and-purple and blue buses are operated by the regional bus company Autolinee Toscane. It’s good to note thbat you should oard the bus using the front or rear doors. The middle door should be used when getting off the bus only.
Transport Passes in Florence
The Firenze Card (€85) which is valid for 72 hours, offers free entrance to many museums and sights, and you can pay an extra €7 to include unlimited public transport. If you’re an EU citizen, your card also covers family members who are 18+ or under and are travelling with you.
Tram
Florence has two tram lines. Line T1 runs north to south, and line T2 links Florence Airport with Piazza della Unità in front of Santa Maria Novella train station.
Taxi
You will find many taxi stands in Florence’s city center, including in front of the Santa Maria Novella train station, on Piazza Sante Croce and Piazza del Duomo.
You can book a a taxi by calling Taxi 4242 or Taxi 4390. You can also book your taxi through apps such as appTaxi or It Taxi.
It is not advisable to drive around Florence since there is limited parking spaces and some streets are pedestrian only.
TOYS
Toy Shops & Clothing Stores for Kids in Florence
- DREONI – An old and traditional Florentine shop.
- LEGO store – Selling all LEGO sets and minifigures.
- Città del sole – You will find toys and books for children, teenagers and adults alike. Città del sole is a toy store unlike any other.
- Maghi e Maci – A children’s clothing shop. All collections are created and produced in Tuscany.
- Baboo – A children’s clothing store located in in the Piazza Beccaria area. You will also find items from the following brands: Moulin Roty, Popolini, Loud&Proud, Maxomorra. You will find games, items for sleep and travel and also gifts.
- Anichini– Clothing for newborns, boy and girls. They also sell clothing for occasions, accessories and gifts.
- Baroni – Great quality clothes for babies and children, made in Italy.
Insider Tips
Weather
You can visit the city all year round. However, the best period to visit Florence are the mid seasons.
Climb the tower of Florence’s Duomo
Kids will love climbing all the way up to the top!
TRAVEL TO FLORENCE
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Booking With Kids gives you family travel tips to inspiration on the best places to travel with kids, we’re here to help you make your next trip a positive one.
Booking With Kids gives you family travel tips to inspiration on the best places to travel with kids, we’re here to help you make your next trip a positive one.
