If you are wondering what you could do with an eight year old boy while traveling in Italy, here are a few suggestions on how to let your child experience daily life in Italy, not like a tourist but like any other kid. Programming in every detail of your trip is not necessary; on the contrary, it may be a bad idea - especially when traveling with children.
I have been traveling in Italy with my own child for the last ten years and if there is one lesson I have learned, it's that children have their own interests and tastes when it comes to traveling. In fact, children - like adults - love to be involved in making decision about their vacation activities, they expect to be included in the conversation, and want to be able to choose to a certain extent what to eat, visit, and experience. Sometimes my Italian background leads me to arrogantly select and impose a museum visit or a traditional Italian dish to my son with the result of having a disappointed eight year old staring at me in disbelief.
Traveling with my kid not only allows me to discover new aspects of his personality and character but also new interests that he develops while vacationing. Yes, being exposed to new experiences such as, for example, taking the tram during rush hour, drinking barley cappuccino at an historic cafe, or witnessing a reenactment of a Medieval event may be at the same time exciting and empowering for a child. Empowering because after a while he starts noticing and then performing some norms and habits of the locals; and knowing a few words of Italian accelerates your child's connection with the Italian culture, allowing him to navigate more comfortably. He may enjoy attending a sagra (food festival) so much that he might ask you to do it more often. Consequently it is crucial to make sure to have free time to be able to accommodate your child's desires and needs by choosing on-the-spot how to spend the next few hours or days of your visit. I would like to clarify that major national events are advertised online but in Italy the great majority of events especially at the local level are publicized on newspapers and street posters only; hence, being flexible is a must if you do not want to miss out on family happenings and cultural gatherings.
Therefore, I would not plan too much before leaving, other than your over night stays. In this regard, I would look into agriturismi (farm stay) and alberghi diffusi or scattered hotels, so as to make your stay more culturally interesting. Alberghi diffusi are located in villages and hamlets all over the country, and their rooms are often scattered throughout the town but overseen by one manager. This is an Italian concept now followed by other countries like Croatia and Switzerland that offers an alternative to more traditional hotels and bed and breakfasts.
I Want to Do What the Other Kids Are Doing
"Why should I do things that I do not really want to do?" - My son John's point of view.
Italy has unique cultures, languages, and architecture; so different from region to region within the country and so dissimilar from other countries in Europe and the rest of the world. Children by nature are curious and fascinated by what is new, peculiar, and different from what they are used to at home. I found that John was intrigued by norms and habits of Italians such as taking public transportation and hanging out in centro (historic center).
He noticed that in centro people of any age tend to take the bus or tram; there are lines of students, workers, and shoppers waiting at the bus stop. So what better way to reach the centro from the railway station than jumping on a super crowded tram! So crowded that he could barely reach the machine to stamp his ticket - he learned that you enter from the back of a bus, opposite of what he is used to do at home. Getting on a tram was one of his favorite ways to experience rush hour in the morning when people go to the centro to work, run errands, go shopping, or spend time with their friends.
An Italian centro is designed to bring people together - it has been this way for centuries. In fact, monuments, cathedrals, and market places are all in centro inside the ancient city walls - which very often are not so visible since very little is left standing. The social aspect of the centro is reflected in its urban architecture and design; squares, boulevards, porticoes, pedestrian malls, and public gardens are popular among the locals. John quickly realized the importance and function of such public spaces. Where Italians meet with friends and spend a couple of hours socializing, my son could run, sit on a bench, or play with a fountain.
Pretty soon he began to enjoy spending time in centro; so much that he started venturing down pedestrian streets and watching window shops. Yes, window shops! He surprised me when he asked to go inside stores and shops - which it is not one of his favorite things to do at home. I could not figure out why suddenly shopping was so appealing to him. It turned out that the architecture of the shops was attracting him, not shopping. Some stores are located in beautiful historic buildings and I have to admit that it is fun to go in just to admire the palazzo. And that is what he did! Exploring.
His thirst for exploration led him to pleasant discoveries such as for example a hidden outdoor area of a bookstore in Pisa. He loved to spend time there underneath its pergola - where he could also cool off on a bench. It was a nice break from the heat of the day and the crowd of the pedestrian mall.
What Are We Doing Tonight?
Often while it is hot during the day, in the evening it cools down. A cool evening is a great excuse to go out again. So if during the day the centro is crowded with people who rush around from one office to the next, in the evening it becomes the leisure place. While stores and shops are closed, restaurants, bars and ice cream shops (gelaterie) are open until late at night. The centro is crawling with people everywhere; sitting at cafes, taking a stroll and eating ice cream. Gelaterie are assaulted by families; gelato is what children are after, including mine.
Let your kid order a gelato by himself! It is very empowering for a child to be somewhat independent while in a different country even though he is not fluent in Italian - it does not matter. However, for this reason it is very useful to learn a few basic words before leaving for your trip and continue learning while in Italy. Every new Italian word that you learn gets you closer to the local culture; for an eight year old it means to be able to somehow interact and play with Italian children.
Let's Go to an Evening Festival!
In the evenings in addition to strolling on the main stretch in centro or along the sea shore, in small towns there are often festivals that attract artists from all over the area. Street performers gather together to offer a variety of shows to spectators. Usually there is an entrance ticket to access the old borgo (village) that is closed off to the traffic so that families can safely meander through its small streets. We attended one of these events last August. It took place in Rosignano Marittimo in the province of Livorno, and the name of the event was "Il Paese dei Balocchi" (The Toy Town). It is an evening festival that starts at 8:00 pm designed for children and their families. Jugglers, dancers, acrobats, musicians, stilt walkers, and actors are spread all over the borgo doing their performances. Children with their families can walk from one show to the next until late at night all the way to the top of the hill where the castle stands. Street food and refreshment are available. My son's favorite performer? A stilt walker playing with fire.
Mom, May I Have a Cappuccino?
An eight year old may also like to go to a bar. Yes, a bar! An Italian bar is a combination of an American bar and a coffee house. Anybody can go in; it is a place to socialize. According to the time of the day, children may drink a fruit juice, high school students a cappuccino, and grown ups a glass of wine. There are bars that serve really good pastries, sandwiches, and hot dishes - all made daily. In addition, a few bars are well known for a particular sandwich, coffee drink or aperitivo - an alcoholic drink enjoyed before dinner.
If you are in centro, make sure to visit an historic cafe; Caffè Al Bicerin in Torino (since 1763), Antico Caffè Greco in Rome (since 1760), or Caffè Gilli in Florence (since 1733) are just an example of many more widespread all over the peninsula. In addition to their wonderful coffee drinks and confectionery, historic cafes are well known because of the artists, writers, and politicians who frequented them in the past. Needless to say, it is quite an experience to have a coffee sitting at one of their tables. Thus a cafe is a great place to take a rest with your family and in the afternoon it is the perfect spot for merenda - the children's afternoon snack, usually around four o'clock. Of course my son joins the locals; he loves going to a bar and getting a cappuccino almost every time we go out. He really looks forward to it! However, being that a cappuccino is made with espresso, it is not exactly an ideal drink for a child. There is nevertheless a way around it: cappuccino all'orzo, a cappuccino made with barley. Orzo (barley in English), has a similar taste to coffee but it does not have caffeine, and this is my son's favorite hot drink at a bar!
So yes, you may have your cappuccino - but all'orzo!
A Castle! Look!
Museums, cathedrals, royal palaces, country churches, villas, and archeological sites are all over Italy. There are so many options to sightseeing! However, the more famous the museum or monument is, the more crowded it is. Art cities may be impossible to visit during holidays and summer - too many people. I know that my son does not enjoy crowds so in order to obviate the issue we try to go to less traveled cities and regions. During our visits I learned that ornate royal palaces are boring to him as well as Baroque cathedrals' masterpieces; on the contrary, castles and necropolis are fun to explore. He appreciates the simplicity of early periods in architecture thus what better structures to visit than Medieval castles? The region of Valle d'Aosta happens to have a good number of Medieval fortresses and residences all over the territory. The combination of their presence with the majestic highest peaks of Europe in their background is striking. I would say that Valle d'Aosta is a spectacular region well worth visiting. It offers a great combination of outdoor activities with sightseeing. We choose a couple of castles; Fenis and Issogne. They belong to the region so the entry ticket is very reasonable, 7 Euros. By the way, visitors are not allowed to visit the furnished castles on their own; they need to be with a guide - but there is no extra charge. We were lucky enough to be the only visitors with the guide, in both castles! We just showed up at the right time - I guess. We scored!
Time for a Scavenger Hunt: Open Air Museums
Exploring and scavenger hunting are some of my son's favorite activities, hence no wonder he likes visiting open air museums and Etruscan necropolis - a great choice instead of crowded traditional museums. The open air museum in Cibiana di Cadore in the province of Belluno was a great alternative to a rainy hike in the mountains. The three adjacent villages of Cibiana, Pianezze and Masariè have about fifty wall paintings on old stone mountain houses. Italian and international painters were commissioned for the project, they depicted the life of the past in the villages - a life long gone. Murals are not on every house, and some are easier to find than others; therefore, for John the fun was in finding the wall paintings first and then guessing what they represented. If your son like mine is interested in figuring out the meaning of the murals it is useful to have a map before starting your visit. You can grab it at any tourist office in bigger towns. Some murals are more abstract than others so it may be harder to figure out what religious event, trade or person they are depicting. In Italy there is a number of villages with outdoor paintings, murals and sculptures - all are worth visiting. In Piedmont (Piemonte) in the province of Biella, check the village of Bonda di Mezzana Mortigliengo. In the province of Bologna, in the region of Emilia Romagna, stop by the village of Dozza, with its beautiful Sforza castle at the top of the hill - open to the public. The art in the villages is usually the result of projects that involve multiple artists with diverse backgrounds, but their artistic representations on buildings' facades narrate aspects of life of the villages, thus transforming such villages in modern art galleries. There is neither a schedule to visit them, nor a ticket is required.
Another outdoor alternative to traditional museums is the archeological park. In Tuscany for example, because of its historical traditions tight to the ancient population of the Etruscans, it is possible to visit ruins of early Etruscan towns - these are truly archeological sites. We visited the necropolis of Baratti and Populonia near Piombino in the province of Livorno. The necropolis is situated on the coast next to a forest of Mediterranean trees; actually, many of the tombs are under the tree canopy. It is possible to walk inside the tombs, sometimes visitors need to bend and walk through low and narrow short tunnels to access the chambers. There are no objects left inside since they have been already looted centuries ago, but architecturally the structures are fascinating.
I was not sure how my son would like to go visit an archeological park, but it turned out to be extremely interesting for him and us. It was a hike primarily in the woods with tombs over two thousand year old along the way, some more visible than others; a self-guided tour that we did at our own pace. John was leading our party and scouting for us, he kept himself busy.
By the way in Tuscany there are Etruscan archeological sites scattered around multiple provinces, particularly near Grosseto where visitors can admire the necropolis of Vetulonia and Sovana.
I Want to Go All the Way to the Top! Hiking in the Alps
If your son never stops like mine, hiking is a great way to burn energy and there are plenty of opportunities to do so in urban, country, and alpine settings. John loves the outdoor so we decided to spend some time in both the Dolomites in the north-east and Piedmontese Alps in the north-west. Visiting these areas was a great excuse to expose him to local mountain communities and cultures. In both mountain ranges there is abundance of trails with a variety of difficulty levels. It is important to chose the appropriate excursion for your family. In this case being informed avoids surprises while on the trail. If you need to rest often there are mountain huts along the way or at the end of your trail; they usually open the second week of June.
Wait! An Amusement Park!
Sightseeing and hiking can be fun, but kids sometimes need a break. John loves theme parks and in north of Italy there are three amusement parks: Leolandia, Gardaland and Mirabilandia. In addition to rides they offer a variety of shows. My son's favorite show at Mirabilandia: Sfida a Hot Wheel City - not to miss. It is a stunt show with cars, motorbikes and trucks, very entertaining.
If your schedule does not allow the time to visit an amusement park, in the summer small carnivals move from town to town and they may show up where you are vacationing. Try treats like torrone and croccante! They are both made with nuts and are considered typical carnival's food. Although local fairs are small, that does not mean that they are less fun, on the contrary. The advantage, in addition to cheaper tickets, is less waiting time in line to get on a ride; for your kid it translates to more rides!
What's for Dinner? Let's Go to a Sagra!
Walking, playing and sight seeing can really exhaust a child and make him hungry. During the day you can pack your own lunch or grab something to eat at the deli area of a supermarket - gastronomia in Italian. If there are no grocery stores around, other good options may be a bar, a bakery (panetteria) or a snack stand if you are on the beach. However, in the evening it is nice to sit down and take it easy. There is no lack of restaurants and pizzerie (pizza places), but if you are on a budget and adventurous, try a sagra - food festival; it is a great way to eat with the locals. It is also the best way to taste traditional dishes, and discover territorial wines at a very fair price. Sagre take place all year around but in the summer usually they are more frequent. Located on the outskirt of towns, near parks and playgrounds they make it easier for children to entertain themselves while they are waiting for their food. You can find out about sagre in your area by paying attention to street posters on walls. Attend the sagra del porcino (king boletus mushroom festival), or sagra del cinghiale (wild boar sagra)! The selection is wide based on the area and season. Pick the one appealing to you, and buon appetito!
Hurrah! The Beach!
A summer vacation for Italian families usually means going to the beach. And my son John embraces this particular local mindset. Taking a break and enjoying the beach can be quite rewarding. Italy has wonderful beaches particularly in the regions of Calabria, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicily, and Tuscany. Some have sand, while others have rocks. No matter where you are in the country, there are two kinds of beaches: public and private. A public beach in Italian is called spiaggia libera, a spiaggia privata or stabilimento balneare is the private beach. Parking may not always be available; in fact, often it is street parking. Sometimes it is free parking and other times it is pay parking.
Spiagge libere - public beaches
Public beaches generally do not offer any services. They may have a lifeguard, that is pretty much it; no public restrooms, no showers. Usually they are quiet in June and September; in fact, when they are not crowded they are very pleasant. On the contrary in the months of July and August spiagge libere can be extremely busy to the point that it is hard to walk among laid towels and colorful umbrellas. It is not uncommon in some areas to see a spiaggia libera squeezed among two private beaches or across the street from hotels and apartment buildings. In Tuscany, in the provinces of Livorno and Grosseto public beaches may stretch for miles and have a Mediterranean pine forest next to them, which makes it a nice escape from the scorching heat and urban development.
Stabilimenti balneari - private beaches
The alternative to a public beach is a private beach, and in Italy they are all over. You can rent an umbrella with two loan chairs for a day, two days, a week or for how long you need. Prices vary according to the location. You can inquire once you get there. Keep in mind that in the months of July and August beaches can be busy. The advantage of being in a private beach is the presence of facilities: a shower, bathroom, bar and restaurant are available. Often parking is included as well. The draw back is that there is no privacy; people are sitting next to one another in rows, and there are multiple rows of umbrellas and loan chairs. You are trading privacy for convenience.
There is much more that you can do in Italy with your family, just follow your instinct and have fun! It is the best way to do it. As for now, this is the end of my post.
Buon viaggio! Happy traveling!
Comments