3 Ways Your Family Can Experience Italy Like the Locals

Brought to you by Family Experiences by Trafalgar

Nothing takes the magic out of a road trip through the Italian countryside than a back-seat chorus of “Are we there yet?” Take the stress out of planning every single moment of an Italian family trip by booking a guided holiday – all you have to do is sit back, sip espresso and employ these travel ideas so you leave feeling like you’ve experienced the real Italy.

Ways Your Family Can Experience Italy Like the Locals

Learn how to say more than ciao

Understanding more about the city you’re in is easier, and far more rewarding, if you can string together a few sentences in Italian. Learning new words is a great way to get kids excited about a place they might not know much about – you can put per favore on the top of the list – and it’s a great activity to do together. Memorise a few words before you leave so you have the basics covered, then tap into your travel director’s language knowledge for the duration of your guided holiday to make chatting with Romans in their native tongue a breeze. Challenge your family to master a new word every day.

Try a pizza-making class

You’ve likely tried your hand at prepping a pizza at home but there’s something special about learning to make a margherita from scratch in the country where it was invented: rolling the dough, spreading homemade tomato sauce and selecting only the best bits of basil to sprinkle on top. There are scores of cooking classes to choose from in most Italian cities – each arguing their method is the best – so make it easy for your family to enjoy an authentic Italian lunch by going on a guided holiday that includes a cooking experience.

Wander in winding streets

Once you’ve seen the bucket-list sites, put away the map and take your family exploring. Although the backstreet canals of Venice lend themselves to aimless wandering, Florence has just as many secrets. Speak to your travel director about any hidden gems (they know the best fornos for pastries and the perfect spots overlooking the Arno River to settle in with a spritz or a milkshake). Have your children choose your path for the afternoon and, if you get seriously lost, look out for the dome of the Duomo to find your way back to a central location.