Rome with 9 and 7 yr olds?

[Lovage]

DS1 is really keen to go to Italy, and Rome particularly. I'd like to go too but I'm worried that city breaks and kids might not mix well. DS2 is pretty rubbish at walking for long - he whinges and gets tired and I've heard that Rome is particularly hard on the feet. DS1 is fine for walking but needs plenty of 'home' time in wherever we're staying - all cooped up in a hotel room sounds no fun for the rest of us.

Has anyone gone to Rome with fairly young kids? How was it? Any tips? How did you get there (flights look really expensive - thinking about going by train with an overnight in Turin)? What kind of accommodation did you stay in? I guess what would be ideal for us would be some out-of-city self-catering accommodation (so with a garden and maybe some kids facilities) but with good public transport links to the centre. Does anyone happen to know anywhere like that?!

I think we'd go in May half term cos summer will be way too hot for us and I gather Rome is really expensive at Easter.

Any experiences or advice very welcome. Thx!

We went in October half term 18 months ago with DS (then 7) and DD (then 9) and had a fab time!

We hired a private guide for a 2 hour family tour of the Coliseum and surrounding areas, who was fab, and yes did walk a lot though also got buses very easily. Got the train out to Ostia Antica one day.

We stayed in a small 2 bed apartment round the corner from the Coliseum and flew.

I wouldn't balk at having a few days in Rome with a 9 and 7-year-old - I think they'd love it. A train from the UK to Rome though? That would be something of an ordeal and is it really cheaper than flying Easyjet from Gatwick? With DC that age you could take the slightly less desirable flight times and it would be fine. I think I'd much rather do that than spent 24 hours on a train each way.

Hi, we went in May half term a couple of years ago when my ds1 was 8 and ds2 was 5 and they both loved it! It was pretty hot some days but bearable and it helped that we were staying out of the centre in a fab place called Camping Fabulous (in a static caravan) which meant we could alternate days sightseeing with chilling out days by the pool. It was proabably one of our best holidays and we may well do it again next year!

We booked our accommodation through Canvas Holidays and flew with ryanair from our local airport and got a pre-booked taxi transfer to the campsite. We didn't risk hiring a car as the roads looked pretty scary to me but public transport was cheap and easy.

hannahem we will be doing exactly the same may half term with an 8 yr old and 5 yr old

Any tips? What did kids enjoy? Where did you eat? What's the campsite like? Did you go to the beach at all?
Many thanks!

You'll love it staverton! Our kids loved the lagoon pool at the campsite, could barely drag them away and the ice creams on the campsite have to be seen to be believed. They make them onsite and come in around 20 or so different flavours. The campsite itself is pretty big, lots of shady trees. There's an onsite shop which is good but open slightly odd hours and has pretty limited (and pricey) stock. The nearest supermarket is a good 20 minute walk along a hair raising road (no foot path along most of the way) so in hindsight would recommend asking the campsite reception to book me a taxi there and back rather than risking life and limb to get there and back with bags!

The restaurant on site was really nice, no complaints. We only ate there once as we were enjoying bbq-ing al fresco too much!

We went into Rome a couple of times and did a trip to Ostia Antica by public transport (highly recommend doing this, really interesting and so quiet compared to the sites in the centre of Rome). The best tip I can give you and someone else gave to us before we went is if you want to visit the colosseum don't buy your tickets there, the tickets also give you entry to the Forum and Palatine Hill, if you buy your tickets at one of these site (they are a stones throw from the colosseum) you avoid the terrible queues at the colosseum and can just walk straight in (there usually isn't a queue for people with tickets already). My boys LOVED the colosseum and still talk about it now.

Hope I've not gone on too much but if there's anything else you would like to know I'm happy to help!

I haven't been with kids but I have been twice in the May half term during last few years and it is already hot. First time was mid- thirties, second time was late twenties. So it's hot work walking around. And yes you need good shoes for the cobble streets.

But the ice cream! Worth going for that alone.

Thank you so much what an amazing reply. I am going to read properly tomorrow and digest! V excited. Great tip about tickets.
Thanks again

You're welcome, hope it's useful!

Just realised you also asked about visiting the beach - we didn't in the end, though as part of getting to Ostia Antica we did pass through the beach resort but it seemed that the beach itself was ok but not brilliant and was divided up into sections all of which were privately owned by the hotels and restaurants along the sea front. I'm not sure how much it would have been to use the beach but given how great the campsite pool was our boys weren't really that bothered in the end!

May time will be lovely. I doubt the train would be much cheaper. How long are you planning on staying? There are a couple of nice campsites on the outskirts. What is your budget? There is plenty to see and it really isn't difficult to get around. Central Rome really isn't that big and has a good metro service.

I stayed here recently [http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/borgo-papareschi.html]. Nice clean accomodation. Surrounding area not the prettiest but close to a bus stop and 10 minutes into the centre.