We spent 10 days in Italy last summer with our 5-year-old and 7-month-old, focusing on Lake Como, Venice, and Reggio Emilia.

We prioritized a slower pace, fewer transitions, and choosing home bases that made travel with two young kids feel manageable—not overwhelming.

This itinerary ended up being one of our favorite trips as a family!

First! If you are planning a trip to Italy, check out our printables for a fun Italy Food Bingo or our Lake Como and Venice bingo cards to keep kids engaged on their trip.

Why This Itinerary Works for Families

• Fewer hotel changes (we stayed 5 nights in one place)
• Slower pace with built-in downtime
• Walkable destinations + ferry access
• A mix of sightseeing and relaxed days
• Direct flight to minimize travel stress

Day 1: Travel + Arrival → Lake Como

We took a direct flight from Dallas to Venice on American Airlines, which made a huge difference traveling with two young kids—no layovers, no extra stress.

After landing in Venice, we went straight to Lake Como.

There are a few ways to do this, but what worked best for us:

• High-speed train from Venice to Milan
• Rental car from Milan train station
• Drive to Bellano (our home base on Lake Como) — about 1.5 hour drive 

We chose this route because our Airbnb wasn’t super close to the Bellano train station and there was some construction on the train tracks in preparation for the Olympics and with kids + luggage, minimizing transfers was key.

👉 After arriving: straight to bed. No plans. This is essential.

Days 2–6: Lake Como (Bellano Base)

We spent 5 nights in Bellano, and it was honestly the perfect choice for traveling with kids.

Why we loved Bellano:

• Much less crowded than towns like Bellagio or Varenna
• More affordable
• Direct ferry access to explore other towns
• Slower, more relaxed feel

Where We Stayed in Lake Como

We booked this Airbnb in Bellano and would absolutely stay here again.

View from our Terrace

What worked well for us:

• Extra space (key with two kids)
• Outdoor space (the most amazing terrace with jaw dropping view)
• Quiet location
• Easy access to ferry
• A good “home base” for slower travel days
• A safe parking spot for our car (although a little bit of a walk)

What our days looked like:

• Early Morning: Breakfast at any of the cute local bakeries or cafes OR quick breakfast at the rental  
• Mid Morning: Planned one activity for the morning (Beach club, visit the natural gorge in town, explore another town by ferry) 
• Afternoon: Downtime / naps
• Evening: casual dinner + gelato + early night

👉 A few highlights: 

• Orrido di Bellano: An easy paved (but narrow — no strollers!) walkway takes you all around a beautiful natural gorge. Tickets can be purchased online or on site
• Lido di Bellano: Beach club with lake access and pool and restaurant/bar. All reservations must be made online. They do require swim caps for the pool (but sell some on site)
• Ferry trip to Bellagio for the train tour (AKA Trombetta Express): The 40 minute train through the city was a great way to explore without having to lug the stroller up/down all the hills/steps and included an audio guide. Our daughter loved the novelty and it was also quiet enough for son to nap on us.
• The playgrounds in Varenna and Bellagio
• Gelato almost daily at Il Gelataio Matto
• Pastries at Pasticceria Lorla
• Pizza at Ristorante Pizzeria Bernina

What I’d skip next time:

• Villa visits: There are many famed villas to visit all around Lake Como. We did visit Villa Monastero — and it was truly beautiful! But our daughter couldn’t care less. She whined the entire time, continuously asking when we were going to be done. I think for older kids they may be more interested and babies/younger toddlers that can chill in their stroller likely would do well, but 5-7 years old probably won’t care much.

Getting Around Lake Como with Kids

• Ferries were easy and a fun experience for our 5-year-old
  • You can pre purchase tickets online or go early in the morning to the ferry stand and buy tickets directly (we had no issues with lines at the Bellano ferry stop but heard lines can get crazy in the other towns like Varenna and Bellagio)
• Having a car was helpful for arrival/departure
• We didn’t need the car daily once we were settled

Days 7–8: Reggio Emilia

After Lake Como, we drove to Reggio Emilia and stayed for 2 nights. 

This stop was a bit different from the others, but ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the trip—especially for our daughter.

Why we chose Reggio Emilia:

• To visit a Parmigiano Reggiano factory
• A quieter, more local Italian experience
• A chance to slow down before heading to Venice

What we did:

• Visited a Parmigiano Reggiano factory to see how parmesan cheese is made (a highlight for our 5-year-old!)
• Explored the town at a relaxed pace, found some more playgrounds to explore 
• Enjoyed simple meals (this region is known for being the best food in all of Italy!) and downtime

This stop felt much less touristy than the rest of our trip and was a nice reset before Venice.

Days 9–10: Venice (Staying in Murano)

From Reggio Emilia, we drove to the Venice airport, returned our rental car, and then took a private water taxi to our hotel (a free service offered by the hotel, just had to pre-reserve).

We stayed on the island of Murano at the Hyatt Centric, and it was absolutely perfect for traveling with kids.

Why we loved staying in Murano:

• Much quieter and less crowded than central Venice
• Still easily connected to the main islands 
• A more relaxed, family-friendly feel
• Cheaper restaurants (La Perla Ai Bisatei was a favorite)

What we did in Venice:

• Explored the canals and wandered the city
• Stopped in shops (our daughter loved the Venetian mask stores)
• Lazily hung around in the piazzas enjoying an espresso
• Ate lots of incredible food—especially gelato and cicchetti 
• Booked a glass blowing demonstration in Murano (our daughter loved this)

One thing we intentionally skipped:

We didn’t spend time standing in long lines for cathedrals or museums.

With young kids, we knew it wouldn’t be enjoyable—and instead focused on simply experiencing the city.

A memorable splurge:

We ended the trip with a private gondola ride, which was such a fun and special way to close out our time in Italy. 

Where We Stayed in Venice

We stayed at a Hyatt property in Murano and would absolutely recommend it for families visiting Venice. They have a large suite that was bigger than anything we could have gotten in Venice proper. 

What made it a great choice:

• Quiet location away from the crowds
• Easy access to Venice via water transport
• Family-friendly and comfortable after long days exploring

Getting Around Italy with Kids 

• High-speed trains were efficient and comfortable
• Renting a car was helpful for Lake Como and Reggio Emilia
• Returning the car before Venice made things much easier
• Private water taxi = worth it with kids + luggage

Happy travels! Be sure to check out our post on general tips traveling to Europe with kids. If you want more travel inspo for Italy — check out our posts on some travel we did pre-kids:

Emilia Romagna

Venice

Milan