Venice in August | 10 Essential Travel Tips for Families

A previous summer we had a truly brilliant holiday to Italy with the kids, and part of our trip incorporated a couple of days in Venice, before moving onto Eurocamp Camping Ca Savio for the rest of the week. I must admit that even though Adam and I had been to Venice the previous year for our honeymoon, I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to travel there with young children. I was worried that Venice in August would be too hot, and I think there’s something about lots of water around little ones that could make you nervous! However, we had an AMAZING time, and the children still talk about the holiday a lot and would love to go back. 

10 Top Tips for Travelling to Venice in August with Kids

With this in mind, if you’re considering going to Venice in August with kids, I thought that I would include my top tips for having a great time with children visiting during the summer and hotter weather, and making your trip run as smoothly as possible:

Venice in August – Managing Hot Weather in Venice with Little Ones

Let’s not beat around the bush – Venice in August is HOT. between spring and Autumn, you need to make sure you plan lots of breaks when walking around and seeing the sites (there are plenty of cafes and gelato stalls all around the city), as young children will get more tired than usual. Also, the water buses are a great, cheap way of getting from A-B along the canal in Venice, but do carry a bottle of water with you at all times as they too get very hot. However, we found the weather manageable, and with lots of little streets close to together, there is actually a lot of shade when sitting outside. Our kids didn’t moan much – we just made sure that we had plenty of breaks!

Managing Babies and Toddlers in Venice

If you have a baby or toddler with you, a lightweight buggy or stroller is essential, as there are a great many bridges to navigate, usually with steps at the bottom of each side of the bridge, and you want to be able to lift your little ones easily. Don’t let the bridges put you off though! There were so many people with buggies and it didn’t seem to phase anyone, plus there is always someone around the offer a helping hand. A pram fan is a good idea to manage the heat and make it cooler for your baby.

Eating out with Kids in Venice

Make the most of eating out with children. We deliberately made Freddie and Sasha have a siesta in the afternoon in the hotter temperatures, even though they don’t nap anymore, as it meant we could go out about 6 and have a decent evening having dinner and a few drinks. We always chose places to eat on a square, and on a table outside at the edge of a restaurant so the children could go off and play within sight of us without annoying other diners. They would never usually do this in the UK, but it seems really common abroad, and they made friends with other children, coming back to eat their food, before going off again whilst we sat back and relaxed. It was heavenly! 

Gondola Rides with Kids 

You HAVE to do a gondola ride with the children, and this was one of Freddie and Sasha’s favourite parts of our visit to Venice, and at just under half an hour per trip (and you’ll only want to do the one as each ride is about 80 euros, and a fixed price across Venice which is good to know), the length of time is perfect for young children. I’m not going to lie, I was slightly nervous at the fact that NO ONE seems to wear life jackets in Venice, not even children. You can decide yourself before the trip if you want to bring one yourself for your children, but they won’t be readily provided. However, I can report that the ride was pretty sedate, and no one fell in the canal! Lightweight strollers can be folded up and stored on your gondola ride with you, but you will be struggling with a large travel system I’m afraid. 

Getting About with Kids in Venice

Consider getting a Venezia Unica City Pass, that will allow you to access public transport, attractions, museums, churches, and toilet facilities- super handy when you’re travelling with children, who always seem to need the toilet at the most inconvenient of moments!

Pick the best time of year to travel to Venice

August might be hot, but you should re-consider going if you’re planning on travelling to Venice in Autumn or Winter with really small children. At this time of year, Venice sometimes suffers from flooding from high tides called Acqua Alta, which can expose you to contaminated water. Not ideal with little ones who could potentially be up to waist-high in it! If you do decide to go ahead, bring along your own high waterproof boots for touring the flood-prone areas during the fall or winter, and be prepared to be restricted as to where you go in the city. 

Bring your own supplies

Room permitting, pack some of your own snacks, nappies and milk from home for your children, as weirdly there are hardly any supermarkets or ‘corner shops’ to pick up odd bits and bobs, something we are clearly spoiled with in the UK/US!

The best Ice Cream in Venice – Know where this is!

Know where the best ice cream is! Crucial for adults and children alike in hot weather 😉 One of the best places to go for gelato is Gelatria Nico where you get a great view of the Giudecca Canal- we loved it here, and the pistachio ice cream is to die for.

Make it fun

Devise a treasure hunt! This is a fab way of helping little ones learn about Venice, in a non-stuffy way. The city has so many quirks and interesting things to spot, and it made our walks around the city more enjoyable for everyone- Adam and I could get our grown up fill, whilst the children were excited to find the things on their lists. Win-win! Ideas on our list included spotting 5 churches, 5 different bridges, a water ambulance, a water police car, a grocery delivery on a boat, a rubbish collection boat, a Venetian mask with a long nose, a singing gondolier (rarer than you think!), a pizza restaurant… you get the idea!

Playgrounds in Venice for Kids

and finally… if you need your usual playground fix for your children to burn off steam, there is a great playground in Santa Elena park, close to the Bienale Gardens in Castello, with 2 playgrounds suitable for tiny tots as well as older children.

I hope those tips help! Please do let me know by leaving a comment in the box below if you have any other questions regarding a visit to Venice with children, and I’ll do my best to answer.

Read more about our trip to Venice in Part 1 and Part 2.

Happy travelling!

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.