Have you always been wanting to go to Venice but are you wondering if it is a good city to go to with small children? Then why not combine a beach holiday in the surrounding area and go to Venice on a daytrip? We have extended our Italy vacation with a week in the Venice region, and we had a blast!
We chose a cloudy day to take the boat to Venice from close to where we stayed. The boat ride on itself was already fun and we were all excited to arrive in Venice. Venice is built on different islands so there is water everywhere. Who says water, says bridges to cross the canals, and in Venice they are sometimes with stairs, which for parents of small children inevitably means it is not the most stroller friendly city. If you go there with small children, it is recommended to have them in a carrier. Also, Venice is popular and tends to get busy in holiday season, so that is another reason to take a carrier so that your child is higher up and can see things. In a stroller the child would mainly see a lot of legs.
What I like most in Venice is the architecture. The old buildings with such beautiful details on it. First, we passed the Bridge of Sighs and then we headed to the famous Piazza San Marco. Quite a busy place, so after looking around a bit, we went to the back streets of Venice, which are just as beautiful, but with a lot less people. We walked around and at one point we were on a beautiful canal all by ourselves. In the back streets the restaurants are also a lot cheaper, so if you would like to have lunch in Venice, best is to go a bit away from the Piazza San Marco.
We decided to do a Gondola tour to make the Venice experience complete and a nice memory for our children. The prices are fixed, and there are various points where you can get on and wait for a gondola. We all loved the ride and the children were amazed. We passed on the Canal Grande with the Rialto bridge, but also on very narrow and beautiful canals. It was definitely worth it! No matter how touristy it is, Venice still is beautiful.
Of course, you can also visit the islands of Burano with its colorful houses and Murano to see its famous glassmakers.
Where to stay?
We were on a holiday park / campsite where they rent out nice lodges. The holiday park has animation (for kids and adults), they have their own access to a nice beach. There is a swimming pool with slides, and a big play area.
Since the holiday park is a bit big, I saw a lot of kids with their bikes, scooters or skateboards, so if you come by car, this could be a good thing to take with you. Click HERE to see the holiday park.