Spain and Italy Vacation with Kids

The vibrant spirit of Catalonia fills the capital city of Barcelona with captivating sunshine, gorgeous lapping waters from the Mediterranean Sea, and an Old-World charm emanating from the Gothic Quarter. Your family-friendly adventure in Barcelona begins with your arrival at Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Your private guide escorts the family to the heart of the city reflected in the tree-shaded avenue of La Rambla, which divides the historic section into two distinct parts. Take your time getting acquainted with the welcoming ambiance featured on the boulevard where locals sip red wine or coffee in the cafes, peer through the windows of boutique shops, and dine on classic Catalonia dishes in the popular restaurants.

The 12th-century Romanesque façade of the Convent of Santa Anna contains hints of renovation from the 15th century in the Gothic styles of the roof and cloister. The stunning aroma of freshly grilled prawns with garlic drifts through the doors of Mercat de la Boqueria, one of the oldest and most colorful markets in Spain. Fishmongers, butchers, cheesemongers, and produce vendors fill the aisles of the bustling marketplace, while celebrated restaurants serve ham sandwiches and delicious Spanish cheeses made from sheep’s milk. You continue to the Plaça Reial, where the palm trees fringe the public square between the smattering of historic home and elegant arcades. The Fountain of the Three Graces stands at the heart of the plaza with allegorical figures signifying charm, beauty, and fertility.

In the morning, the kids delight in sampling the traditional dish of fresh-make churros dusted with cinnamon sugar. They gladly imitate the local custom of dipping the churros into hot chocolate creating a thick, delicious coating over the Spanish donut. After breakfast, set out on a tour discovering the surreal architectural creations of Antoni Gaudí beginning with the iconic structure of Barcelona’s skyline, the Sagrada Familia. The basilica broke ground as the private church of the Sagrada family in 1882 and as of 2018 remained unfinished. Eight of the 18 towers have been erected with plans of the tallest spire reaching 560 feet.

The incredible detail involved in building the basilica captures the entire family’s attention when arriving at the Nativity Façade. The entrance is decorated with images from the birth of Jesus life in Gaudi’s traditional naturalistic style. The ornate sculptures represent scenes from nature as well as acting as symbols from Biblical stories. A tortoise acts as the base of a large column representing the land while the opposite column is supported by the image of a turtle to symbolize the water. Upon entering the nave, the kids look up and comment on how it feels they have entered a cave decorated with pastel stalactites dangling from the ceiling 98 feet above the cathedral floor.

After exploring the district features of La Sagrada Familia, the kids enjoy running along the stairs decorated with a giant, colorful dragon in Parque Güell draped in mosaic tiles before you reach the Gothic Quarter. The Barri Gòtic reflects the medieval history of the city frozen in time with Old World charisma. The kids feel like they’ve stepped back in time in search of little plazas, outdoor cafes, and the sounds of serene melodies emanating from Spanish guitars. The Capella di Santa Agata was erected in the 14th century over a former Roman wall. The windows in the choir possess the various coats-of-arms of former counts who worshipped in the chapel and lived in greater Barcelona.

The beauty of the Catalonian countryside spreads to the horizon on your way to Montserrat, located approximately 31 miles outside of Barcelona. The gorgeous monastery was erected in the 11th century atop a rugged crag overlooking the steep slopes of eroded cliffs sculpted by thousands of years of wind and frost. The abbey stands on a plateau reaching 4,055 feet above sea level. A community of 55 monks remains in the secluded monastery tending to the grounds and continuing their lifestyle of reverence and dedication. The basilica contains the icon known as La Moreneta, referring to the “Black Virgin,” a 12th-century Romanesque wooden sculpture of Mary. The basilica shines with marble floors and a unique art nouveau-style emanating from more contemporary frescoes along the archways.

The family returns to Barcelona to meet with your private chef eager to introduce you to the specific flavors of Catalonian tapas. The kids have fun making a simple dish, patatas bravas, which consists of fried potatoes topped with a spicy sauce. You love learning how to make the potato croquette stuffed with ground beef known as “la bomba.” The simple but delicious flavors of Catalonian tapas bring to light effect ways to showcase a small number of ingredients with maximum taste. At the end of the class, the entire family is thrilled with learning how to make churros for a sweet end to the day.

At breakfast, the kids share their favorite moments from exploring Barcelona ranging from learning how to make new and exciting dishes they can take back home to noticing the different animals carved into the ornate facades of La Sagrada Familia. Your private guide greets the family in the hotel lobby and escorts you to the airport for your flight to Florence, Italy. Upon landing at Pisa Airport, you venture into the marvels inside the Piazza dei Miracoli. The grand architecture decorating the square exemplifies the prestige of the former naval powerhouse between the 11th and 13th centuries. You are impressed by the sheer size and incredible list of the Leaning Tower, which stands 187 feet tall with a nearly four-degree tilt. The foundations date back to the 12th century and began to lean before the third story was erected due to the soft soil in the piazza.

You continue into the historic city center of Florence, the medieval city known for inspiring the art, philosophy, and science that changed common perception during the Renaissance. The kids point out the preserved walls erected 13th century with gates standing 115 feet tall. The captivating ambiance of the city derives from the antique mansions, dramatic domes, and soaring towers climbing above the labyrinth of cobblestone streets. The Palazzo Vecchio was once the principal palace of the city and erected like a fortress from which regal families like the Medici could exercise power between the 14th and 16th centuries. The turrets along the upper section resemble a quintessential castle from the Middle Ages, while a replica of Donatello’s heraldic lion of Florence flanks the entrance. The courtyard dates back to the 15th century with an intricate arcade of sophisticated columns. Vasari designed the central grand staircase in the 1500s leading into a hidden room where the kids can try on period costumes taking them further back into history.

In the morning, Florence fills with the aroma of buttery pastries emanating from the hidden bakeries scattered around the city. Locals visit the neighborhood bars before work for a quick espresso and cornetto, an Italian croissant. The family meets the guide in front of the Galleria dell’Accademia. The gallery was erected specifically to host one of the city’s most iconic masterpieces, Michelangelo’s David. The long corridor leading to the sensational figure is lined with lesser-known works of Michelangelo, including The Slaves.

The unfinished sculptures were commissioned in the early 16th century by Pope Julius II to decorate his papal tomb. The figures look as though they are crawling free from the stone. At the end of the corridor stands the renowned image of David reaching a height of 17 feet tall. The subtle details bring the marble to life with impressive impressions on the leg muscles, veins on the muscular arms, and a pensive stare as he looks onto the battlefield before meeting Goliath.

After touring the gallery, you continue onto the cobbled lanes of Florence for a guided gelato tour through the city beginning at the oldest gelateria in the Florence at Vivoli. The gelato shop once brought ice down from the mountains to produce the fabled ice cream and have since developed a popular artisanal style focusing on inventive flavors like chocolate, dried fruit, and cherries. The kids delight in the sampling the different kinds of gelato both in Vivoli and around the city finding their favorite flavors among the innumerable options.

The train ride to Orvieto takes the family through the gorgeous Umbrian countryside showcasing the verdant green hills and lines of cypress trees for which the landscape of Central Italy is known. Vineyards create elegant rows on the rolling slopes and lead to the unique soft limestone crag supporting the historic streets of Orvieto. The city was founded atop an original Etruscan settlement becoming a stronghold for the Guelfs and successive struggling Popes. The cathedral is the most striking feature in the medieval city with a unique façade glinting with gilded frescoes.

The clear Gothic design is decorated with sculptures and vibrant stained glass, as well as remarkable mosaics. Construction began on the cathedral in the 13th century and retains a sense of majesty in the Cappella del San Brizio, in which the artist Luca Signorelli painted sensational frescoes depicting The Last Judgment and The Resurrection. The important Biblical stories are told using real people with human characteristics instead of with familiar symbols resulting in an extraordinary realization for a 15th-century artist.

You reach Rome with the family ready to tour the fantastical history decorating the streets and piazzas. Your guide leads you on an impressive exploration through the vibrant ambiance of the Eternal City arriving at the best-preserved ancient structure in Rome, the Pantheon. The edifice was built in the 1st century AD as a temple dedicated to all the gods of Ancient Rome. The oculus at the center of the dome provides natural light in the fascinating space reflecting against the marble floor. The tomb of renowned Renaissance painter Raphael is held inside the nave opposite the grand mausoleum of Victor Emanuel II, first king of a united Rome.

The kids are excited in the morning to take part in gladiator training. Their instructor greets the family in a traditional tunic and armor worn by the warriors who entered the arena in Ancient Rome. The kids learn how to strike and block with a wooden sword, as well as how to duck, jump, and roll to avoid being hit by their opponent. At the end of instruction, they receive a certificate of completion qualifying them as certified Roman gladiators. You continue to Colosseum where the real gladiators of the empire once battled. The true achievement of Roman engineering was completed in the 1st century AD with outer walls reaching 187 feet tall.

Ionic capitals decorate the lower level of the stadium while Doric and Corinthian columns adorn the upper sections. The stadium seating could hold around 50,000 spectators. You look down into the Hypogeum, where a labyrinth of walls defines the space where gladiators trained before matches and wild, exotic animals were held. The name of the amphitheater did not derive from the size of the structure and instead was named due to the colossal statue of Nero that once decorated the plaza leading to the main entrance.

Vatican City is a beloved destination for the religiously devout, eager tourist, and art enthusiast located near the heart of Rome’s historic city center. The stunning dome of St. Peter’s Basilica towers over the main square at 450 feet tall. The kids marvel at the history of the piazza, which was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the 17th century over the foundations of the 4th-century church erected atop the crypt. The family enters the famous collection of museums displaying an array of remarkable history around the Mediterranean and beyond, including impressive artifacts from the Etruscan and ancient Egyptian civilizations.

The children are drawn to the mummies and the impressive art decorating sarcophagi dating back to the 6th century BC. You notice the sculptures of gods and pharaohs before continuing your discovery of the incredible artworks in the Raphael Rooms. One of the most famous works of the Italian Renaissance master inside the former papal apartments is “School of Athens,” which depicts contemporary artists of Raphael’s as allegorical figures during the Golden Age of Athenian culture. The work was completed in 1511 and features Leonardo da Vinci as Plato and Michelangelo as Heraclitus.

In the afternoon, the family meets with a private chef happy to introduce the subtle and favored flavors of traditional Roman pizza. The ancient Romans ate a dish similar to pizza nearly two millennia ago using rice flour to craft a flatbread topped with vegetables, meat, or fruit. The kids are happy for the chance to get their hands deep into the dough and make their favorite type of pizza.

The town of Tivoli stands on the outskirts of Rome in the Sabine Hills and has acted as a retreat for affluent Romans for over two millennia. The limestone ridge overlooks the rushing waters of the River Aniene adding to the natural charm of the location and the cooler weather in the summer. The main center of Tivoli preserves the medieval charm of a dramatic castle and collection of sensational churches leading to the renowned grandeur of Emperor Hadrian’s Villa. The rich complex was constructed in the 2nd century AD as the home of the emperor encompassing 297 acres.

The sprawling complex acted as an artistic and archeological project for Hadrian, who filled the space with replicas of works that inspired him along his travels through the empire, especially Greece and Egypt. Reproductions of famous statues continue to decorate the niches of the ruins, which act as an open-air museum providing insight into the aesthetic of ancient Rome. The Maritime Theater retains its allure with framing colonnades reflecting in the mirror pool and sophisticated mosaics draping the columns in an elegant white.

The morning light filters through the windows of the 17th-century Church of Saint Ignazio. The unique ceiling captures the imagination of visitors with a three-dimensional painting conjuring images of a steep, bulbous dome. In reality, the illusion stems from a trick of the paintings designed to fool the viewer after the original architects ran out of money to crown the church with a proper dome. Instead, the ingenious fresco draped across the ceiling reflects the life and works of Saint Ignatius expanding into the sky. After breakfast, your private transfer greets the family in the hotel lobby and escorts you to Fiumicino Airport for your flight home. Instead of returning home, you could extend the family’s time in Italy by traveling south to Naples and the Amalfi Coast or venture to Greece to continue the fabulous expedition into the ancient world.