If you are traveling to Rome with a toddler, there are many things you need to know in advance. The first one is how to keep your child safe, comfortable and happy. Keep reading to discover how!

Rome is a very welcoming city for kids. However, streets and ancient monuments like the Colosseum might be less. That’s why you need to know what to expect and get prepared in advance.

TRAVELING TO ROME WITH A TODDLER: STROLLERS AND MORE

1. Streets in the city center of Rome are often covered with a typical kind of cobblestones called Sampietrini. On a side, they provide Rome with its unique old fashioned aspect, on the other, they can create an uneven street, difficult to walk on with a cheap stroller. In fact, unless you want you want your toddler to experience the roller coasters already, you will have to either walk very slowly with an umbrella stroller or to bring with you a good quality one, possibly with air filled wheels and suspension.

2. Although the streets of Rome make it necessary to bring with you a good quality stroller, keep in mind that it has to be foldable and not too heavy as well. In fact, as Rome is also full of stairs (monuments, metro, bus, etc.), at some point during the day, you will have to fold the stroller and to lift it up the stairs.

3. The good new is that, even if Rome is not very stroller friendly, locals are very child-friendly and kind. You will always find someone who willingly will help you lift the stroller up and down the stairs.

4. Buses and tram might be quite crowded, but you will be happy to know that most of them is well-equipped with an area dedicated to strollers, to make kids fill comfortable even when the space is not too much. However, in rush hours, some public transportations can get extremely crowed. In that case you have three options: avoid rush hours, choose another mean of transportation or bring with you a space-saving foldable stroller.

5. An alternative to a stroller, can be a carrier. What’s good about the carrier is that you don’t need to lift it by hand in case of need and that it doesn’t take a lot of space. On the contrary, it is not recommended, both for your kid and you, if the the temperature is very high. Moreover, the stroller is also a good place to leave you toddler sleeping and to store essentials.

6. If you are asking yourself if you can bring a stroller inside the Colosseum, notice that it is not among the forbidden items. In fact, it’s prohibited to bring bottles and glasses containers, alcoholic beverages and aerosols, backpacks, camping, bulky bags and luggage / trolley, but there is no restriction for strollers. However, as the soil of the Colosseum is unpaved, it is strongly recommended to use a carrier rather than a stroller, as you will end up carrying it by hand most of the time. Another difficulty you might face during your visit inside the Colosseum and the Forum is how to keep your children engaged. That’s why you’d better join a family tour of the Colosseum and the Forum, that, thanks to a skip-the line ticket and a kid-friendly guide, can turn the difficulty into an incredible family travel experience.

If you want to engage kids even more during the trip, you can also get them the Talking Map of Rome and the Interactive Travel Guide of Rome, two editorial products made to have fun exploring Rome with your little ones.

Tapsy