A spring family trip to northern Italy with kids that takes in cities and lakes has to be the perfect tonic to shake off the winter cobwebs. Visiting Verona, Venice and the Italian Lakes. Great for a fun and relaxing holiday all rolled into one.
Northern Italy is one of the best destinations in Europe for a family holiday. With its mix of culture, history, outdoor adventure and incredible food, it offers something for every age. From Renaissance cities to sparkling Alpine lakes, travelling through northern Italy with kids is easy and definitely fun.
Afterwards, check out our complete guide to Italy with kids for more on this beautiful country that we have been fortunate enough to take multiple trips to.
👩💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Lonely Planet Magazine and Wanderlust, amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children, finding the best places for you to explore too.
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Why we chose a week’s trip through northern Italy with kids
Italy works brilliantly for family travel. Children are genuinely welcomed in restaurants, piazzas and hotels, and the food is simple and delicious which makes mealtimes easy. Add to that short driving distances between destinations and excellent transport links, and it makes planning a northern Italy itinerary with kids wonderfully straightforward. We adore Italy and love taking the opportunity to explore all of its corners.
Starting in Venice
We started our trip to northern Italy with kids with a visit to Venice. Taking a private speed boat straight to Murano island, a couple of miles across the water from all the highlights of St Marks Square.
Arriving into Venice by boat
Arriving in Venice by boat is truly the most magical way to begin any Italian adventure. Venice is built on more than 100 small islands connected by bridges, and travelling across the lagoon gives you an immediate sense that this is somewhere completely different from anywhere else in the world.
Staying in Murano
We have visited both Murano and Venice before but never stayed on Murano. So it was lovely to sleep in a former glass works factory (the island is famous for its beautiful glass) for a few nights. And enjoy the peace and quiet of this tranquil island.
Murano has been famous for its glassmaking since 1291, when Venetian authorities ordered glassmakers to move their foundries there due to the risk of fire in Venice itself. Staying on Murano gives you a quieter, more authentic base while still being only a vaporetto ride away from the main sights.
Exploring Venice with kids on a northern Italy with kids road trip
By day we headed in to Venice to get lost amongst the back lanes of Cannaregio. And watch the gondolas gently push through the canals.
Cannaregio is one of the most atmospheric districts in Venice and far less crowded than the area around St Mark’s Square. It’s also home to the historic Jewish Ghetto, established in 1516, making it one of the oldest in the world. Wandering here is great for families as it gives children space to explore while still soaking up centuries of history.
Venice is a beautiful place, but, if I’m honest, not somewhere I ever want to spend more than a couple of days.
It is incredibly picturesque though and out of season is particularly special.
Visiting Venice in spring or autumn is ideal with children. The temperatures are cooler, the crowds thinner and it is far easier to wander at your own pace.
We found a small playground, just across from the Ghetto. Here the children played for the longest time while we relaxed and enjoyed something of the real Venice.
Visiting St Mark’s Basilica, Venice on a northern Italy trip with kids
But then came the real showstopper of this part of our trip, a visit to St Mark’s Basilica. We managed to take a tour after dark.
What an experience this was. sitting in the dark as the lights slowly, gently illuminated the inside of this breathtaking Basilica.
It was a truly wonderful experience leaving even the children spellbound.
St Mark’s Basilica dates back to the 11th century and is one of the finest examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture in the world. An evening tour is particularly special as the golden mosaics glow in the soft lighting, creating an atmosphere that feels almost otherworldly. If you are visiting Venice with kids, booking ahead to skip the queues is well worth it.
Book your skip-the-line tickets to St Mark’s Basilica here
Walking back through the streets in darkness was a magical experience and one I will always remember. It felt the closest to seeing the real Venice.
And then we were off, waving goodbye to Venice from our private boat again. The best way to travel through this watery land.
Verona – Northern Italy with kids
Reaching land we drove west to Verona. Somewhere I wanted to visit for the longest time with all its literary connotations and beautiful architecture.
I knew it was going to be somewhere I would love and I most definitely did.
Verona is a compact and elegant city in the Veneto region, making it perfect for exploring on foot with children. Its Roman, medieval and Renaissance layers are visible at every turn, giving it a rich sense of history without feeling overwhelming.
Staying in Verona with kids
We stayed in NH Collection Palazzo Verona. Right in the heart of the old town in a 14th century house which allowed us to feel like a local and wander in and out as we chose.
It was a great location for us to head out and explore the sights from.
Verona sights on a northern Italy road trip with kids
And we had a wonderful trip strolling over medieval bridges and climbing to the top of the Lamberti Tower. And running around the bottom of the city’s amazing amphitheatre.
The Verona Arena, built in the 1st century AD, is one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world. In summer it still hosts opera performances, which is extraordinary when you think about the centuries of history these stones have witnessed.
It’s a perfect city to just get lost in with sights at every turn. And easy to grab a slice of pizza or an Italian pastry along the way.
Shakespeare in Verona
We couldn’t come to Verona and not buy in to a little of the Shakespearean connection though. We loved seeing Juliet’s balcony and imagining her calling out to Romeo as we stood on it, watching the crowds below.
The balcony at ‘Juliet’s House’ is just a small part of this celebration of the works of the Bard. And also an insight into the way of life in this city several hundred ago.
There are displays of furniture and clothes of the period throughout this museum.
I really liked the ‘expressions of love’ left by the thousands of visitors in the entrance to the house too. A testimony to people’s adoration of the city.
Although the connection to Shakespeare is largely symbolic, the Casa di Giulietta has become one of the most visited attractions in Verona. For children, it adds a storytelling element to the city that brings history and literature together in a tangible way.
Read more of what we did on our spring trip to Verona with kids here.
The Italian Lakes – northern Italy with kids
And then we left Verona to drive west. Back towards Milan for the relaxing part of the trip, and a visit to the Italian Lakes.
Lake Garda and Lake Como are the most well known of the lakes. But we were visiting some of the lesser known ones.
Starting at Lake Iseo – a wonderful, tranquil lake packed with Italian charm.
Staying on Lake Iseo
We stayed at the Hotel Rivalago which felt timeless and elegant.
It was a wonderful spot to hear the bells ringing on the church towers of the island. And to breathe in the fresh, slightly salty lake air.
We found a gorgeous little playground just along the lane from the hotel and a wonderful, local pizza shop, ‘Pizza in Piazza’. Here we bought pizzas to go and went back to the playground. The children racing about and coming over for another slice every now and then while we watched the fun and gazed out over the lake.
Lake Iseo is also home to Monte Isola, the largest lake island in southern Europe, where cars are largely banned. Hiring bikes or simply wandering the lakeside paths makes for an easy and memorable family day out.
Lake Lugano with kids
And then we were on to our final destination on this wonderful trip to northern Italy with kids. In a twisting turning drive that took us through Switzerland and into the glacier mountains that surround Lake Lugano.
The scenery becomes increasingly dramatic as you approach Lake Lugano, with alpine peaks reflected in the deep blue water. It feels distinctly different from the other lakes, with a blend of Italian and Swiss culture.
We stayed at the beach side resort of Parco San Marco which is perfect for families. Kids clubs, swimming pools, playgrounds.
It was great to park the car and just stay put, relaxing while the kids played and laughed and had fun.
This was such a calming part of the trip, mixed with perfect fun for the kids. And breakfast should not be missed.
Lake Lugano is ideal for families looking for outdoor adventure. There are gentle hiking trails, boat trips across the lake and even opportunities for kayaking and paddle boarding in the warmer months.
Switzerland
On the way back to Milan airport we stopped at the Swiss town of Lugano to wander by the lake and enjoy some more of that fresh, beautifully clean air before heading home.
Crossing briefly into Switzerland adds an unexpected international twist to a northern Italy road trip and is a lovely way to round off the journey.
This week in northern Italy with kids was such a great mix of adventure, city exploring and relaxing lake time.
Northern Italy is not somewhere we have explored for any great length but this has convinced me that it really does contain all the elements for a perfect family break.
Top tips – Northern Italy with kids visiting Verona, Venice and the Italian Lakes
This is an easy week tour from Venice airport (or do it in reverse from Milan).
We hired a car at the airport – watch out for the huge deposit you will have to leave and make sure you have plenty of Euros on you for the road tolls. You will come to know the E4 intimately.
We loved coming off at Brescia and finding the large Bennet supermarket here for fresh pizzas (the courgette one was salty and garlicky and delicious) and ice creams. It’s a great break.
Finally when you head to the lakes, if you do travel to Lake Lugano and go through Switzerland there’s a crazy large Swiss Franc charge for passing through (for all of 20 minutes).
Book major attractions such as St Mark’s Basilica in advance to avoid long queues.
Carry small change for public toilets in cities and service stations.
Consider travel insurance that covers car hire excess, particularly for a multi-country road trip.
Spring and early autumn offer the best balance of good weather and manageable crowds.
Check out our short video of our trip to northern Italy with kids here:
More of our features on Italy with kids
Check out our guide to Italy with kids and also our feature on the best things to do in Verona with kids.
I loved reading this – brought back great memories of my trips to Italy. I have not been to Lake Iseo before, but it is now on my list of places to visit – thank you! Cheers, Helen
Fab post looks like such a wonderful trip & beautiful pictures
Wow, wow, wow! I want to go! Juliet’s balcony looks incredible, and there’s so much for the kids too!
I adored Verona when we went, much more than Venice, such lovely restaurants and the outdoor opera was great fun even if the sound quality wasn’t that brilliant
It’s a part of Italy I’ve never been to before but it contains all the elements of history and culture that I love.
This brought back some lovely memories of trips to this area wen I was younger – i much prefer Verona to Venice and Milan x
Beautiful pictures. We’ve never been to Italy but it definitely sounds worth a visit
Italy is somewhere I would love to visit with the kids. Perhaps in a couple of years.
Murano glass was famous in Romania when I was growing up, everyone coveted for some! We have never been to Venice, I am sure it is a fascinating city!
What a beautiful place to visit – and those pools by the lake look stunning!
What a beautiful location I’d love to go here to visit
What an amazing trip , it al, looks so pretty and your pictures are so beautiful.
Loved this post, Italy is definitely up there in my favourite countries list! We haven’t visited Lake Lugano yet, and it looks beautiful, that hotel is stunning! 🙂
Oh wow, what an amazing experience. I have never been to Italy but it looks beautiful