I stayed at one of our longtime Ciao Bambino Approved properties last summer, Internazionale Domus, and was reminded why this apart-hotel is such an exceptional option for families visiting Rome.

Located on – literally – one of the most coveted and picturesque squares in Rome, the Piazza di Spagna, Internazionale Domus guests need only to walk out their door to be immersed in their adventure. Many of Rome’s major attractions are walking distance from here, not to mention that wandering the streets in this neighborhood is a joyous activity in and of itself.

A phenomenal kid-friendly walking tour guide can be the difference between successfully engaging children in the sights of a city or … not.

We’ve recommended Paolo Lenzi to our clients and readers for years and it was fun to receive an email from Holly Schmidt asking to submit a review of his services.

Here is what she said:

I left out an important Rome attraction earlier this week when I published my post on 72 hours in Rome with kids. On the morning of our departure, we got up extra early to ensure we’d have time to visit the Capuchin Crypt — a set of six chapels made up of human bones and skulls.

Sound creepy? It’s ultra creepy!

Many families use Rome as the starting point for 10-14 day trips to Italy. Rome is my favorite big city in Europe with kids. The layers of history, the chaos, the loitering — it’s impossible to be an outsider here as you are always drawn into the action in some way, shape, or form.

I actually recommend spending at least 4 days in Rome (see my post on creating the best family-friendly Itinerary in Italy). However, I know how hard it is to allocate precious days on vacation and many people end up in Rome for just 72 hours.

The season leading up to Christmas is a light-filled festive time in Rome that can provide an ideal backdrop for an enchanting vacation with kids. Beside its great museums, on-going exhibits, and the ancient Rome landmarks, there are several annual Christmas events that are not to be missed, particularly when visiting Rome with children.

Rome is made up of many neighborhoods and choosing where to stay—with or without kids—can be overwhelming.

The final decision should be made based on the type of experience you want to have, what you want to explore while you’re there, and the accommodation category—hotel, villa, or apartment—you choose.

While traveling as a family in Rome for the first time, it can be tempting to stop on the go and feed your hungry, jet-lagged brood from the nearest touristy establishment as a pit stop between taking in so many sites.

Unfortunately, many of the snack bars and tourist-oriented restaurants seem in my opinion to be churning out increasingly more expensive and lesser quality food.

After I published my recent article on Italy iPhone apps, Ciao Bambino’s Amie contacted me and said, “Love it! Now, can you do one just for Rome apps?” I assumed, given the number of apps in the App Store, that there would be plenty to choose from to make a Rome-only list – and I was right.

For this post, I tried to find apps that were not only good for any trip to Rome but might be particularly useful if you were traveling to Rome with kids …

Rome can be a wonderful place for families. Full of history and culture, with a lively unique feel—when done well—can make for an unforgettable family vacation. What Italy has going for it, is that it’s generally a family-oriented culture and children are easily welcomed into most restaurants and shops.

You should keep in mind, however, that while magnificent, many of the sites were not designed as museums.

Welcome to Rome Week! Given that we know Italy so well, we’re excited to add Rome to the other family vacation destinations we’ve spent a full week covering including Paris with kids, Washington DC with kids, New York City with kids, and Hawaii with kids.

We’re kicking the week off with recommended Rome travel tips and guides to help you started planning a visit to Rome with kids.