Italy in March with kids: trip planning tips for families
Italy in March with kids: all you need to know to plan the perfect trip. March weather, the best places to visit in Italy with kids in March, what to pack, what to book when, how busy it is.
An old Italian saying goes: Marzo pazzerello, esce il sole, prendi l’ombrello, which translates into ‘March is crazy, when the sun comes out, get the umbrella’.
I open this travel guide to Italy in March with it because indeed, the saying captures the essence of the month of March in Italy pretty well!
As Italy transitions from winter (February) to spring (April to June), the weather is changeable and while the temperature tends to stay mild, you never know what you get in terms of sun/rain, on different days or even in the course of the same one!
March is a lovely time to visit Italy with kids; however, March’s weather means the month is usually more suited to sightseeing than extensive outdoor pursuits and water activities are, usually, out of the question.
I am an Italian mama (from Rome), and since March often coincides with school holidays, I have extensive experience of what the weather may pull in March.
On this page, you find my tips for making the most of your time in Italy in March with kids in tow!Happy travel planning!
Disclaimer: this is a seasonal travel guide about Italy in March, meant to help you decide the best time of the year for your visit. It does not address the current state of travel. For official information please always refer to official info before making any plans.
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Is March a good time to visit Italy with kids?
March is a lovely time to visit Italy.
The 19th of March is the official start of the Italian spring and the whole month is very much a time when Italian nature and cities start coming back to life after the winter months.
Blossoms and mimosa flowers fill the air, you are able to have lunch outside (often too cold for dinner out still), and tourism kicks off again, hotels and tourism services starting to reopen pretty much across the country.
The weather is usually nice enough for kids to play at playgrounds and for some outdoor pursuits such as simple hikes.
March is a good time to visit Italy for almost any time of tourism but in particular for city visits.
Skiing on the Alps is often possible at the start of the month; however, this is largely dependent on snow conditions each year and it is not guaranteed.
March is less suited to a sea and sun vacation in Italy or for exploring coastal areas.
The weather is not usually good enough in March to swim in the sea or go boating, which means kids can find areas such as the Amalfi Coast as rather limiting at this time.
Important dates in March in Italy
Italy doesn’t celebrate national holidays in March unless Easter falls during this month.
If it does, this will have huge consequences on your trip: easter is a very popular time for tourism to Italy and crowds will be intense and prices high.
If you are planning on visiting Italy over Easter, advance booking of accommodation and attractions is mandatory: see a list of the most popular attractions and tickets/tours providers at the end of this page.
Need to know: During the Easter Weekend (Friday to Monday included) attractions may close or follow shortened opening hours. There is not general rule and each attractions follows its own schedule: it is paramount to check each website for up to date information when making plans over the Easter weekend.
The 8th of March in Italy is international women’s day, an important celebration in Italy.
The day doesn’t impact on opening hours or tourism services. However, you will notice it is a time when mimosa flowers, symbol of the day, appear everywhere: as bouquets, on restaurant tables, as a gift. You will also notice that some places offer free entrance to females on this day.
You can read here >>> all about the 8th of March in Italy.
The best places to visiting in Italy in March with kids
Venice
Venice is one of my favorite places to visit in Italy with kids and absolutely wonderful in March.
At this time, the sharpest cold of the Venetian winter is gone and you can get nice sunny days and a bright sky, perfect for sightseeing.
At this time, kids can enjoy the best of Venice has to offer without worrying about the two things that might make the city hard to take: mosquitoes and heat!
Things you can do in March in Venice with kids are:
- Family treasure hunt with Mariaclaudia Tours
- Family rowing class with Row Venice – this is one of my favorite family activities in Italy, maybe my most favorite of all! In March, I recommend picking a time in the middle of the day to avoid evening humidity
- Glasswork workshop with Fabio (airbnb experience)
- Venetian mask decorating workshop with local artist
You can find here >>> my list of all the best things to do in Venice with kids (family city guide)
Need to know: Carnival and Easter, both huge events in Venice, may happen in March. If you visit during one or the other, expect large drowds and inflated prices. Advance booking of accommodation, tours and attractions are mandatory.
Rome
Rome is absolutely gorgeous in March. I am from Rome and adore my city, so you may say I am biased.
however, March truly is a little special with it comes to visiting Rome with kids!
At this time, the weather is usually mild and with a good number of sunny, dry days and the city turns into an extravaganza of blossoms and flowers, making the city even more beautiful than usual.
It is a fantastic time to visit Rome’s beautiful parks and even venture a little out of town to make the most of the weather – if going to Rome in March, I always recommend to stay a long as you can as you can use it as a base for day trips too!
Rain in March in Rome is possible. However, Rome has plenty of indoor attractions to keep the kids busy and happy should the weather not cooperate.
Rome tourism is always intense but, unless Easter falls in March, the lines are usually contained and much more manageable than in summer and early fall.
Things you can do in Rome with kids in March are:
- Family treasure hunt (guides or self guided around the center, you can use my Rome with kids ebook for a self guided experience!)
- All main sightseeing, such as Colosseum, Vatican, Trevi, Pantheon, but also Ancient Ostia etc
- Gladiator Class
- Pasta Class
- Golf Cart Tour
I adore Rome in March and I highly recommend you visit!
Florence and The Tuscany countryside in March
March is a wonderful time to visit Florence. Like Venice and Rome, Florence in March has mild weather perfect for sightseeing and plenty of attractions to keep kids busy on a rainy day.
In Florence in March families can:
- Take a family tour of the Uffizi (wonderful museum, but hard without a kids’ guide)
- Take a gelato class
- learn to make pasta by taking a pasta making class
- Go to a kid friendly museum such as the Selfie Museum, the Museum of Illusions or the Leonardo interactive Museum.
You can find here >> my tops things to do in Florence with kids
March is also a lovely time to visit the Tuscan countryside. However, I recommend you set expectations with the kids as the weather and season can limit what you can do.
Farms for instance may / may not have activities in March (this usually depends on how the season goes) and holiday places such a campsites with kids’ activities are usually not operational at this time.
On the other hand places such as hot springs or bike paths truly come into their own at this time, when the extreme of summer and winter can’t spoil the fun.
If planning on spending time in the country, I recommend you have your one vehicle and you make plans in advance: unlike the summer, March is not a time for lazy afternoon in the villa’s pool so having options for kids is helpful.
Bologna and and Motor Valley
One of my favorite areas to visit in Italy with kids in March is that of Bologna and the Motor Valley, in Emilia Romagna.
The reason I love this part of Italy so much, in this season, is that it offers a good array if indoor options that make it less volatile, entertainment wise, than many others.
Specifically, here you find the Car Factories producing Lamborghini and Ferrari, which are super fun for kids who love cars but, surprisingly, also for car skeptics like me (we had the best time here!) and you also have indoor food attractions such as FICO (Italy’s Food theme park) and the Gelato Museum.
These attractions, as well as good weather ones such as Mirabilandia and Miniature Italy and the area famous food make Bologna and surrounding area perfect for a string trip with kids!
Other places in March in Italy – what to expect in Italy’s most popular destinations
Is March a good time to visit Lake Como?
Lake Como starts getting back to life in March, when spring returns to its shores.
At this time, the weather is still chilly and it is too cold for boating and swimming.
However, it starts to be possible to enjoy lakeside walks and the beautiful views of the mountains. This can be a good time to visit Lake Como if you have small kids who can enjoy time at the playground and don’t need more elaborate activities.
if you have older kids and teens, I find the best way to visit Lake Como in March is as a day trip from Milan.
Is March a good time to visit Cinque Terre?
The weather in March is hit and miss in Cinque Terre.
At this time, rain is still frequent and the temperatures too low to go to the beach.
However, some paths reopen and the second part of the month even see some sea-based activities such as ferry crossing start again.
Early March is usually low season here, with many hotels and tourism businesses closed while late March starts seeing higher numbers of visitors again.
Cinque Terre doesn’t have much to offer kids in case of bad weather. Therefore, I like to pick accommodation slightly outside from Cinque here proper, at this time, to have more options.
I find places such as Chiavari or Sestri Levante better, as this time, as they offer easy transport to Genoa which has the wonderful Aquarium, perfect for a rainy day. From them, it is still easy to visit Cinque Terre: you definitely don’t have to renounce seeing Cinque Terre just based on weather!
Need to know: Easter, if happening in this month tends, gets VERY busy here: advance booking of accommodation and tours especially is recommended.
Is March a good time to visit the Amalfi Coast with kids?
March is still early in the year for a visit to the Amalfi Coast, which can be a little disappointing for kids.
The area really comes to life from April onwards, when hotels reopen and ferry services between the towns and to the islands resume, while March is still a very quiet, sleepy time here.
March is still too cold to swim in the Amalfi coast and it is also a little too cold for lazy breakfasts or dinners out.
If this is the only time when you can come and visit, I recommend you stay in Sorrento and explore the rest of the costiera as a day trip from here, waiting for a sunny day, rather than planning several days in the area.
What to book in advance in Italy in March
March can get busy in Italy so I recommend you book early.
Accommodation you can usually book up to about 1 year ahead, although more availability is usually released 6 to 9 months in advance, when prices for the new season are set.
Tours by private tour operators are often available for booking up to 9 months – 1 year ahead
Tickets for individual attractions vary.
Last Supper, Milan: Tickets come out in 3-month batches. I recommend checking the site for dates as soon as your trip is confirmed. Their official site is >>> here (books out very fast) or sometimes you have additional availability on GetYourGuide >>> here.
Colosseum, Rome: the official site releases tickets 30 days in advance only.
Vatican, Vatican City, Rome: tickets come out ar different times depending on the exact type (standard, morning, tour etc), usually 90 days ahead and they sell out very fast. You can get them on the official site of the museums or choose a guided tour via GetYourGuide here: I highly recommend them as the museums are vast and easily overwhelming, without a guide.
I hope you enjoyed this overview of Italy with kids in March and it helped you plan your trip. Happy travel planning!
This past was published in 2020 and has now been fully updated.
About the author: Marta Correale is an Italian mama of 2, born and bred in Rome. Avid traveler, Marta graduated in Classics at the University of Rome and married her love for history and travel in a career as a travel writer. She is the writer and editor behind Learning Escapes, family travel blog about cultural travel with kids, the creator of the successful travel sites Mama Loves Rome, an in-depth travel site about her native city of Rome, and Mama Loves Italy, a comprehensive resources with travel guides, tips and advice for families planning a trip to Italy with kids.
