Venice With Kids: What We’d Do Again (and What We’d Skip)

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Venice ended up being one of those places where the city itself was part of the experience. We mixed the iconic sights with food, hands-on activities, history, wandering, and a playground break when the kids needed to just run. The goal wasn’t to check every box — it was to actually enjoy Venice together.

1. Stay somewhere that gives everyone room to actually sleep.

We stayed at Ruzzini Palace Hotel, and it was stunning — honestly, it felt like staying in a palace. With two kids, though, beautiful isn’t enough for us. Space matters, because everyone sleeping well can make or break the next day. Our suite had a main bedroom for us and an attached living room for the kids, and both kids had their own bed. No sharing, no kicking each other in the middle of the night, no one waking everyone else up. Everyone slept, everyone woke up rested, and we could actually enjoy the next day.

2. Day 1: St. Mark’s, Rialto, and a playground detour.

After arriving, we explored St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge area, and left plenty of room to wander. St. Mark’s is worth slowing down for — the enormous square, the Basilica, the Campanile, the surrounding architecture, and the sound of the bells ringing around you make it feel unmistakably Venice. We also found a local playground and let the kids run. I make room for playground stops wherever we travel. It resets everyone, and gives the kids a chance to interact with local children.

3. Day 2: the Savor Italy Tours food tour.

We did our Venice food tour with Savor Italy Tours. Food tours work really well for our family because the kids aren’t just walking around listening to facts — they’re tasting things, hearing stories, and experiencing the city through its food.

4. The Jewish Quarter was a must for our family.

Afterward, we strolled to the Jewish Quarter. Whenever we travel in Europe, I want my children to see their own history firsthand. We visited a memorial honoring the Jews from that area who were taken and murdered in the Holocaust. Every name and age is inscribed on the stone. I had my children find the names of children their own ages, and we said those children’s names out loud so we could honor their memory. I want my kids to understand that these weren’t simply names on a memorial — they were real children and real families whose lives were taken.

5. Do the gondola ride — and don’t feel like you need to book it months ahead.

My kids loved the gondolier’s live singing and were laughing so hard during the ride. It ended up being one of those simple experiences they genuinely had fun doing. Venice sets official gondola fares, so we arranged ours there rather than paying a marked-up advance-booking price. Seeing Venice from the water is completely different from seeing it on foot.

6. What we’d skip next time: the Murano glassblowing factory.

We loved the idea of watching Venetian glass being made, but the factory was so hot. Between the furnaces and the August weather, the heat overshadowed the experience. Next time we’d visit the Murano Glass Museum instead, so we could still get the history and the artistry without standing next to blazing furnaces in summer.

7. Rosa’s cooking class was one of our favorite experiences.

This wasn’t a big commercial cooking school — Rosa welcomed us into her home, and she is such a wonderful woman and cook that she immediately made us feel at home. We made rainbow vegetables, different kinds of pasta, and tiramisu using locally sourced ingredients. While we cooked, she taught us about the history of Venice. Afterward she sent us a PDF of all her recipes so we could make everything again at home.

What we’d skip or change

The glassblowing factory in August. We’d choose the Murano Glass Museum next time.

Planning around restaurants. None of our restaurant meals were memorable enough that I’d tell you to build your itinerary around them — the food tour and Rosa’s cooking class were the food experiences we’d repeat.

How long we’d stay

Three days felt exactly right for our family. We had enough time to see the major sights, experience Venice instead of racing through it, and leave room for wandering and a playground stop. By the end we felt like we’d really experienced the city — and we were ready and excited to move on to the next stop.

My biggest Venice tip for families

Let the city be part of the activity. Walk the bridges. Listen to the bells. Ride the gondola. Try the food. Stop at the playground. Talk about the history. Let the kids notice things. Venice doesn’t need to become a kid-specific vacation for kids to enjoy it.