Italians love
children
. Don't be surprised by how
much attention people pay
yours here: peeking into
buggies and cheek-pinching are
quite normal, as is help
lugging carriages up steps and
giving up a seat for you and
your child on public
transport.
That said, Rome has a
surprisingly limited amount of
activities specifically geared
towards children. Luckily,
touring the sites of Rome is
something of an educational
experience, and one that
children can enjoy -
especially Castel
Sant'Angelo , the Colosseum
, and of course throwing coins
into the Trevi Fountain
. Pick up the English version
of Conosci Roma,
available free from any
tourist kiosk; it's a children's
map of the centre with
interesting facts about
sights, daily life of ancient
Rome and stickers.
Of Rome's parks, the Villa
Borghese is convenient,
and has a lot to offer kids -
pedalboats, a little train,
pony rides, bikes, and a zoo
. If all else fails, there's
always Luna Park , a
large amusement park in EUR,
or if nothing strikes the
right note, you can always
head to the closest gelato
stand. For more information
, Romac่ 's English
section often has details of
what's on for children that
week, as does Time Out Roma
- albeit in Italian.
Parks and outdoor
activities
Gianicolo This park, high up
on Janiculum hill, is a good
place to keep kids amused,
with pony rides, bumper cars,
puppet shows and other games,
while adults enjoy a great
view of the city below. Luna
Park Via delle Tre...
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Museums
Museo dei Bambini Via Flaminia
80 tel 06.3600.5488. Set to
open sometime in the year
2000, Rome's long-anticipated
children's museum is geared
towards children under twelve
and has a variety of hands-on
activities that teach
youngsters...
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Toys and clothing
Al Sogno Piazza Navona 53 tel
06.686.4198. Mon 3.30-7.30pm,
Tues-Sat 9.30am-1pm &
3.30-7.30pm. Perfectly located
at the north end of Piazza
Navona, two floors of stuffed
animals, handmade dolls, board
games, and replicas of
Roman...
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Rome's puppet theaters
Puppetry has been delighting
Italian children for hundreds
of years, and Rome has a few
venues for viewing true
puppeteers in action.
Sometimes you can find a show
in English, but the storyline
is visually explanatory and
kids don't seem to care...
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La Bufana
There are many stories about
La Bufana , always depicted as
an ugly old woman who flies
along on a broom draped in
black. The most recognized
version is that she was
outside sweeping when the
three kings walked by, she
stopped them and asked...
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