Top 11 Places to Visit in Florence with Children

Imagine a family walk along the River Arno, your children discovering ancient history in the Etruscan tombs or opt for a horse and carriage ride through the magical city. Your family will delight in the treasures of Florence lying around every corner from endless shopping possibilities to sampling the gelato, you and your children will enjoy their Tuscany family vacation. Here are just a couple of recommendations for your next family vacation to Florence:

1. Uffizi Gallery – One of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world, the Uffizi is chock full of spectacular art. Be advised this art museum has long lines and a lot to take in. You will want to be prepared for your visit, book ahead to skip the lines and pick what you want to see ahead of time.

2. Accademia Gallery – Feast your eyes on the original David, Michelangelo’s most famous work.

3. Duomo, Campile, Bapistery - The Duomo, a Florence landmark with its red brick cupola will take you and your families breath away. Next door to the Duomo is the Campanile, the bell tower started by Giotto in the 14th century. Climb up the tower, the stairs go round and round, with cool slits to peer through as you ascend. The Baptistery is the oldest building in Florence. Don’t miss the glorious gilded bronze doors, the "Gates of Paradise" outside, and inside the incredible mosaics on the Batistery ceiling.

4. Boboli Gardens – Children will love to explore these formal 16th century Italian gardens. The Boboli Gardens are a part of the Pitti Palace complex and can be enjoyed with a tour of the main seat of the Medici family or by themselves. With classical accents such as grottos, nympheums, garden temples and more the Boboli Gardens are sure to delight.

5. Leonardo Di Vinci Museum – A hands-on exhibition dedicated to the universal genius Leonardo Di Vinci.

6. Museo Zoologico, Le Specola – The oldest scientific museum in Europe, it holds the largest collection of anatomical waxworks in the world. Today the museum spans 34 rooms and contains not only zoological subjects, such as a stuffed hippopotamus (a 17th-century Medici pet, which once lived in the Boboli Gardens), but also a collection of anatomical waxes, an art developed in Florence in the 17th century for the purpose of teaching medicine.

7. Galleria del Costume – With more than 6000 costumes dating from the 16th to 20th centuries, children and adults will be delighted to see what boys and girls wore in the old days.

8. Piazzale Michelangelo – Take a stroll up to the Piazzale Michelangelo for a wide open panorama of the city and a spot of ice cream.

9. Museo Galileo - The Museo Galileo is home to the only surviving instruments designed and built by Galileo himself.

10. Church of Santa Croce – Famous for it's lovely Giotto frescoes and for the famous people buried there, the Church of Santa Croce is worth a visit.

11. Roman Theater and Archeological Museum - The Roman amphitheater, built between 50 and 0 BC, could hold a big crowd of 2,500 people, and is still used for dramatic productions. Don't miss the ruins of the Roman baths and a Roman-Etruscan temple.

With so much to do in Florence, your family will want to spend more than 1 day exploring. Visit Florence on your Italy for Families vacation with Celtic Tours. This perfect family getaway is centrally located in the Tuscan region and is only a short drive to Florence. Learn more about this great family vacation package to Italy.