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Children's Influence
in Italy (cont'd)
Once you get here there are lots of
fun fairs and theme parks that are good to amuse children
for a day or two. They are nothing like the American/British
equivalent. If your kids have been to Disney etc. they
may be a bit disappointed. The aquaparks will be great
on a hot day . Here are some links showing you what
is available and highlighting the biggest/best.
Surprisingly Genova is probably one
of the best Cities here for keeping children amused.
The second biggest aquarium in the world should hold
the interest of everyone. When you get your tickets
you will find they have a time on them – the numbers
that can enter at any one time are limited so you have
to come back when it is your turn. There are plenty
of other things to do and see in the area so that should
not be a problem. Christopher Columbus was born in Genova
and his ships are depicted by flowers in the public
gardens – you can find a lot of information and useful
links in the article I wrote about Genova, August 2001.
Working through Italy from north to
south I will try to mention as many centres of interest
as possible. I have provided self-explanatory links
that are available .
If you would like to visit a lake, Lake
Maggiore is probably the best for children. The Borromean
Islands hold a lot of interest apart from their beauty.
Isola Bella has beautiful gardens with peacocks “strutting
their stuff”. Isola Madre also has peacocks and parrots
in the garden of the Palace that was lived in by the
Borromeo family and inside the palace there is a wonderful
display of dolls and puppets that the children of the
family played with. Boat trips around the lake are very
good and the northern part is in Switzerland so that
will make a nice change. Go up to Mottorone Park by
car or cable car for fabulous views; more than 2000
species of alpine and officinal plants and an umbrella
museum, the only one in Europe! During the summer months
there are plenty of fireworks displays organised in
different parts of the lake and on nearby Lake Orta
– if you have the change go to see one, they are something
out of this world!
Venice with its waterways and gondolas
etc.
has plenty of attractions for children, especially if
there is one of the many regattas. Nearby Lido di Jesolo
is a very popular family beach resort.
Further down the coast is the Adriatic
Riviera. The area around Rimini is perfect for children.
There are lots of attractions. The fairytale state of
San Marino is only a short distance away. There are
lots of theme parks and amusement centres, kiddies clubs
and play areas on the beach. Pesero is ideal for smaller
children. It is quieter and not as expensive as Rimini
and Riccione but it has plenty of play areas. A very
good restaurant in Riccione is Trampolines. It has a
play area at the back – great if you want to relax over
your meal once the children have been fed.
Tuscany and Florence with children are
well covered in “Fun things to do with children in Italy”
(see the link 2 paragraphs above this one). Below, I
have just added one link for Florence and extended the
information on Pinocchio.  Pinocchio
is very popular with younger children and you can find
the story online, if not in a bookshop, to read before
coming over. It is a great moral tale for children to
read even if they are not visiting Italy. Disney made
an animated version of Pinocchio so you can add the
film to the book. The author’s mother was born in Collidi
and they have a park there with various attractions
connected with the book. This park is really of more
interest to children under 10. Another thing is that
the “show” they put on at fixed times throughout the
day is only in Italian. Not far from Collidi is Pistoria
and it has one of the best zoos in Italy
Here in Umbria the biggest children’s
attraction is Città della Domenica, just outside Perugia.
This theme park and zoo is, again, really only suitable
for younger children. It is lovely to walk around and
maybe have a picnic but the “rides” are very tame. You
can see attractions such as Pinocchio’s house and fairytale
castles etc. Near Trevi there are the Fonti di Clitunno
(a series of springs revered since Roman times and admired
by Byron among others) and the Tempietto di Clitunno.
You will also find a trout farm. It is possible to fish
for, or select a trout and have it cooked in the little
restaurant in the park. This is a lovely place to eat,
good food and an area for the children to play when
they have finished eating. Assisi is one of my favourite
places in the world. St
Francis, with his love of animals, is popular with
children. The Marmore
waterfalls near Terni should also interest children.
There are lovely walks around the falls as well.
Spot the obelisk would be a good game
to play in Rome, another history lesson in advance of
your trip! Plenty of fabulous fountains to discover
too. Rome has one of the few permanent “luna parks”
(amusements) in Italy – most towns have a visiting “luna
park” once or twice a year. Kiddies in Rome article
(link below) is very negative about children in Rome
– I would not be so pessimistic but I think you have
to work on your preparation and planning to make sure
Rome is a success for all ages.
Certain times of the year hold more
attractions for children. Christmas is very special
of course.  During
Carnival there are many events held for children in
fancy dress. There is a very big selection of costumes
in the shops during that time. A lot of children spend
part of their summer holidays in special centres where
they organize many activities to keep the children occupied
during the day. My son goes to one where, among other
things, he goes swimming and horse riding and plays
tennis and football . Some summer camps are organized
for visitors (tourists) as well (I have given the link
to one) but most will accept children for a short period
such as a few days or a week.
Two of the special events that are organized
with children in mind have links below. Throughout the
year, particularly in the summer, there are local fairs
and festas which can be enjoyed by all the family. Italians
are used to letting their children sleep in the afternoon
so they can stay up in the evening. If you do the same
the children can enjoy being in a very family oriented
atmosphere. There is usually music and dancing and lots
to eat. In some parts of Italy these fairs are called
SAGRE.
Lots of Italian ski resorts have special
classes/facilities for children although I believe that
other countries in Europe are better organized with
crèches and other places where the children are looked
after while their parents go skiing. I would suggest
that Italy is not the best country for a skiing holiday
with very young children. However if they are over 8
years old they will enjoy it immensely. My son is 10
and is a very good skier. He mixes with children from
all over the world when he is in a ski resort and they
all have a great time. Children are much freer here
than in most European countries.
Overall then Italy is a very “child-friendly”
country. If you have any specific questions just let
me know. Here are some of the messages about children
on holiday I found on one message board. There are many
other boards where people share their experiences and
knowledge. The AOL board is the best one I have found
so far.
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