5 Fun Things to Do in Florence Italy with Young Kids

This post is all about fun things to do in Florence Italy with young kids.

free things to do in florence italy with young kids

One of the unexpected hard parts about being in Florence with young kids, was the lack of green space. My boys at the time were 3.5 and 1.5, and it didn’t feel particularly safe to have them out of the stroller on most of the streets. It was either crowded with people, or there were Vespa’s and cars moving quickly and only smaller sidewalks to keep out of the way. We quickly realized we needed to layer in some specific experiences for their age group and be okay skipping a few of the more traditional things to do in Florence Italy. After some trial and error, these are our most recommended experiences the whole family enjoyed.

1. Biboli Gardens

Biboli Gardens ended up being our favorite experience as a family because our kids could safely explore and it felt so open, cool and green compared to wandering around the city of Florence itself. You could easily spend a half day there exploring the various trails, architecture, Medici history and artwork.

family things to do in florence italy with young kids

We brought our stroller but ended up parking it near the entrance since our kids were happy to run around. You can seek out paths that are stroller-friendly but due to many small pebble paths, I would suggest baby wearing if you have the option.

Tickets are 6 Euro per person for adults and children under 18 are free.

Biboli Gardens should be at the top of your list of fun things to do in Florence Italy with young kids.

2. Gelato Everyday

My son still asks to go back to Italy purely for gelato. The whole family looked forward to at the end of every busy day. You will see gelato at just about every corner, and on plenty of other lists of fun things to do in Florence Italy. However, not all gelato is created equal and I would definitely recommend seeking out authentic and artisan gelateria’s during your visit.

Our favorite was Gelateria La Sorbettiera which is perfectly situated close to the Biboli Gardens (recommendation #1). We had many favorite flavors but a standout was the lemon sage. For other gelato recommendations I trust, check out Curious Appetite, who has amazing food tours and an amazing blog. Here is her post about the best gelato in Florence.

3. Playgrounds

As I mentioned, Florence is typically busy, and not the easiest place to let young kids run free. We sought out a few playgrounds which were a great outlet for our boys to get some normal kid play. The two we visited and would recommend are:

Giardino di Borgo Allegri: This playground was easily our favorite spot since it was gated and had a number of areas for the kids to play. It included a circular path with trikes and scooters the kids could use, an outdoor playset and an indoor areas with toys. It felt very safe and had some trees which provided some shade on a sunny day.
Children’s play area Ivo Poli: Another playground we enjoyed. It was not fully gated but there were larger, more interesting play structures than the other location I mentioned. There were also lots of local Italian children playing who sweetly interacted with our boys.

kid friendly things to do in florence italy

4. Piazza Michelangelo

Piazza Michaelangelo was one of my favorite activities as a study abroad student, and also a crowd favorite with my family. Hiking the piazza is gives you stunning views of the whole city and is FREE! We had our stroller with us so we took the “WALK #2” mentioned in this post here.

5. Family-Friendly Restaurants and Aperitivo

Hopefully one of the reasons you are planning a trip to Italy is because you are excited to enjoy the food culture. There is really nothing like it and we found it really easy to enjoy with our young kids. This is not an exhaustive list but are the places we went more than once because they were that good.

Gusta Pizza – a well loved establishment and for good reason. No reservations but open for lunch and dinner on a first come, first serve basis. This was perfect because we were happy to get in line about 20 minutes before opening (7PM) and be seated first thing. The line and wait picks up as the evening goes on because most people would rather eat later. With kids, at 7PM dinner was great for us. One evening we got there after a line had formed but opted to order to go – it was quick and we had a fun experience eating al fresco in the nearby Piazza Santo Spirito.

Ditta Artigianale – Our go-to breakfast spot. It was so nice to have an option for sit-down breakfast with comforts of home like scrambled eggs and pancakes, alongside Italian coffee and pastries. We were staying near the Sprone location and loved sitting on their outdoor patio.

Circolo Rondinella del Torrino – This very relaxed spot by the river is perfect for an appertivo or snack with the whole family. This spot overlooks the arno and has lots of seating options perfect for families or groups. We found a spot by a rock pile and our kids had fun digging and playing while we enjoyed our beverages at dusk.