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Anything different to do in Florence or Venice and Lake Garda with two daughters age 9 and 11?

We are traveling soon and try to balance museums, churches and all those wonderful Italian sites with fun things for kids. Anyone have any suggestions on what kids might like?

Posted by
15144 posts

Gardaland theme park: http://www.gardaland.it/resort/index-en.php?desktop=0
Garda Auto Safari: http://www.parconaturaviva.it/index.php?changelan=2&idp=2
Some Florence museums that I enjoyed as a kid: http://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/museums-for-families-in-florence.html
Also in Florence I suggest visiting the Boboli gardens behind the Pitti Palace. Climbing the cathedral's dome and/or bell tower is fun too.

Posted by
11613 posts

Google "Italy (or city name) with kids" or check Lonely Planet guidebooks for ideas.

Posted by
696 posts

Venice - get the early morning vapoetto and sit up front and stay on for the entire length of canal. There are several places along the canal where you take an inexpensive gondola ferry across the canal. (Rick Steves notes them)/ The market in Rialto was amazing- lots of fish and vegtables I hadn't seen before. Believe it or not, we also watched the garbage barges . Part of the wonder of Venice is how do they manage without cars!!

They might enjoy a trip to the grocery store to pick out treats and sodas that we don't have here. My son enjoyed that.

Depending on your religion, your girls might enjoy finding the 'hidden' saints and Blessed mother statues and paintings that adorn these cities.

We enjoyed going to the top of anything - though the walk up to the top of the Duomo in Florence was a bit claustrophobic. We enjoyed Pisa very much. Did a day trip to Via Reggio for a beach day which was lovely