Rome - Day 1

Is this the first time your children have taken a long flight? Do you know how they deal with jet lag? Often children adjust more quickly than adults, but everyone is different. I would not plan anything strenuous the first day or two. The kids might enjoy walking around the Pantheon especially in the evening when there's a lot going on. Just eating at the outdoor cafes and discovering gelato can be pretty cool.

So you will arrive at your hotel around 9.30/10 am depending on how you are getting into Rome from the airport. Have you talked to the hotel about the possibility of early check-in? Having the chance of shower before heading out would make a difference as to how everyone feels. I'd start by finding a cafe and having some food (and coffee!) and deciding what to do. There are plenty of cafes in the piazza around the Pantheon. A good chance to introduce the kids to real Italian pizza! Just stroll around the neighbourhood and get acclimated to it, there are a couple of supermarkets close by - handy if you want to assemble picnic meals, snacks etc. The Pantheon itself is amazing and well worth a few visits. Do you have Rick's Rome guidebook? It's got lots of good ideas and also some walking tours. Once you can check into the hotel, do what the Italians do, take a short siesta before heading out again.

Hopefully the kids will get some sleep on the plane but if not good luck. Dont plan any museums. Maybe just a walk around the area or a bus tour where kids can just doze off? You also won't be that far from the trevi fountain which you will want to see. Also a walk though Boghese Park with a rest on a bench or grass might be nice.

As mentioned, if possible check-in, unpack and shower. Try not to go to sleep. Hit the streets for a neighborhood orientation and stay outdoors unless it is pouring rain. Outdoor activity helps you adjust to local time. Have a leisurely lunch, see easy sights like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona. They are all close. If you are just dog-tired or if check in is not possible until afternoon, go back for a rest. Set the alarm and allow yourselves no more than 90 minutes to 2 hours (maximum!) to nap. Get up and out by 6:00PM. Have an apperitivo gelato. Or have a real apperitivo with wine for you and Coke for the kids. Usually you will be served some munchies along with the drinks, always a hit with kids (and us!). Sit at a sidewalk cafe and just sip that apperitivo and enjoy the passing parade. Hit a restaurant that is a little walk away from the hotel, forcing some light walking to and from (10-15 minutes away will do the trick) and try not to eat dinner until 8:00PM. Then back to the hotel and bed by 10:00. By morning you will be (mostly) on local time. Ciao!

Wow, my kids would never make it to an 8pm dinner on the first day! As recommended above, head for your hotel to drop off luggage and freshen up. Early lunch. Avoid sleepy museums or vehicle based tours, everyone will fall asleep. See the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. Eat gelato. Take a nap if needed. Then do something active outdoors. At the top of the Spanish Steps, you can enter the Borghese Gardens where there is a place to rent pedal go-karts or bikes. A huge hit with the 9-12 yr olds! There is a loop path they can go on that takes about 45 min. You can go along, or rest on a park bench until they return. It is a safe area for them to pedal off together without you. Grab an early dinner and get everyone to bed before they melt down. They will wake up very early the first couple of days, probably starving. Take snacks and activities to keep them busy in the room until a "civilized" wake up time.

Hi Allison, recently went to Rome (also stayed near Pantheon - Santa Chiara Hotel) with 2 kids (6 and 8) and arrived about 11am from Australia. Didn't have anything planned for the first day as I wasn't sure how kids would be. We had a pizza lunch at a cafe near the Pantheon recommended by the hotel - it was packed with locals which was fun to observe on our first day (be careful of the cafes/restaurants that surround the Pantheon as we experienced our worst meal at one of them - they seem to be geared towards the tourists ie €10 meal deal - cheap but so was the quality of the food). We wandered over to Piazza Navona (5mins) and had a gelato. We then walked to the Trevi Fountain, popping into some churches along the way. Then wandered back to the Pantheon along a different route. It was a great day and probably the most relaxing of the week we were there. I can highly recommend a restaurant called La Sagrestia (side street near Pantheon) - we ate there twice with the children who loved it also). Have a great holiday!

A lot of your choices will depend on what day of the week it is. Options are limited on Sundays and esp. on Mondays. Whatever you choose, try to get in a good bit of walking and sunlight to help you reset your clocks. If you have to take a nap mid-day, limit it to 90 minutes, then get up and go out for a walk.