10 Things to do in Verona with Kids

In the city of Romeo and Juliet, not only romantics are guaranteed to have fun. Here are some of the best things to do with children in the city.

Andressa García

Andressa García

11 min read

10 Things to do in Verona with Kids

Chicos sentados en la escalera |©Dieter Müller

From simple plans such as simply crossing the Adige River over the stone bridge, to taking them to the Marcantonio Stadium, the city of Verona has many attractions that you can experience with the kids, and most of them count as some of the best things to see and do in Verona.

It is also an excellent activity for children to take them to eat ice cream in any of the best ice cream parlours in Verona, taking into account that this is one of the most representative desserts of Italian cuisine. You can also include in your plans a visit to the most incredible amusement parks in the city.

1. Get in touch with nature at Parco Natura Viva

Parco Natura Viva, Safari|©Andrea Martini
Parco Natura Viva, Safari|©Andrea Martini

Children generally love adventures with animals, being able to see them up close and see how they behave in their natural habitat, which is why Parco Natura Viva, a zoological garden near the city, is ideal to take them and also to include among the best excursions from Verona.

With some 42 hectares of woodland and more than 1,500 animals of 200 different species. The park offers two amazing sections to visit. One of them is the Faunistic, which is a path where you can walk through the spaces of each type of animal, according to their continents. Here you will see up to 90% of the total number of species, and it will take you at least 4 hours to walk through the whole area.

There is also a Safari area, which is a circuit where you can drive around the park in your own car. To enter this area you have to go through a separate entrance, but it still belongs to the Parco Natura Viva. There you will be able to see the African animals, always in your car. It will take you no more than 40 minutes to complete the tour.

Interesting details

  • Price: Tickets to this zoo can cost between 12 and 17 euros per person, depending on age. There are also free tickets for children up to 5 years old.
  • Opening hours: The zoo is open daily between 9.30am and 4.30pm.
  • How to get there: You can get there by bus, using the summer bus lines, although in winter these are deactivated, so you should consult the Verona bus page.

Take a trip from Verona

2. Travel back in time to Roman times at the Arena of Verona

Silhouette of a child in the Arena of Verona|©JORGE NAVARRO
Silhouette of a child in the Arena of Verona|©JORGE NAVARRO

One of the things you will love to do with children is to visit this amphitheatre in Verona. If you don't know how to visit the Arena of Verona, I recommend you to find out about the prices and also the types of guided tours for children. This is a very good option because it allows them to get to know the Arena and its history from an entertaining point of view.

Some guided experiences for families with children include some dramatisations of the Roman era. You can make this an excellent plan for children, but it is important to book well in advance to avoid queues for the children.

Interesting details

  • Price: The price of this type of visit can vary, but the entrance to the Arena of Verona can cost from 2,5 euros per person.
  • Opening hours: The Arena is usually open from 10:00 to 16:30, sometimes, when there are evening performances, the Arena closes a little later.
  • How to get there: To get to the Arena you have several options, you can get there on foot, by private car, by taxi or even using public transport.

3. Walk along the city's river with the kids

River Verona aerial view|©Antonio Pérez
River Verona aerial view|©Antonio Pérez

A trip on the river is one of the best ways to discover Verona's fascinating and rich history. One of the best ways to embark on a river trip is rafting, which is an activity that children love. This type of trip usually starts at the church of Santa Anastasia.

After this place, you will continue to the cathedral and the Bishopric square, just before entering the stone bridge. This is one of the best points of the walk to take good pictures, because it is here that you will see the hills of the city, the Roman theatre and St. Peter's, important points of prehistoric Verona.

One of the things you and the kids will like the most is the way the Adige river divides the city in two, barely communicated thanks to a couple of ancient bridges. Besides the fun of the ride, your kids will really enjoy the scenery on what is definitely one of the best tours of Verona.

Interesting details

  • Price: Depending on how you choose to travel along the river, you can pay from 18 euros per person.
  • Timetable: The timetable is suggested by the tour guide, although these types of adventures take place during the morning.
  • How to get there: These activities are done by boat, so you will have to get there on your own by public transport or by private car.

Book one of the best tours in Verona

4. Take them to taste the huge variety of ice creams and biscuits

Street food|© Alexis rodriguez
Street food|© Alexis rodriguez

If there's one thing you can't miss out on doing with the kids in Verona, it's taking them to try some of Verona's most popular ice cream treats, which are also traditional among the local population. I assure you that the hardest part of this activity is choosing just one among the many flavours of creamy ice creams.

Veronese biscuits are also a must-try for you and the kids. In case you or the kids prefer sweets instead of ice cream, then you have to give yourself the chance to try the famous Romeo's sighs and Juliet's kisses.

To taste the Veronese pastries I recommend you to do one of the best gastronomic tours of Verona, where you will get to know and taste even more flavours of the Veronese cuisine in general.

Interesting details

  • Price: The prices of the gastronomic tours vary according to the type of tour. While the prices of ice cream and other sweets vary from one establishment to another.
  • Hours: You can enjoy ice cream, biscuits and sweets at any time of the day. About the gastronomic tours, the tour guide will give you all the information.
  • How to get there: To enjoy the desserts of Verona you don't need to travel far because there are many sweet shops where you can taste these flavours. So the best option is to walk around your place of accommodation. In the case of tours, you could travel by private bus, private car or on foot, depending on the tour.

Book a food tour in Verona

5. Visit the Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium

Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium|©Andrea
Marcantonio Bentegodi Stadium|©Andrea

If you plan to visit Verona for two days, and you have the kids with you, I recommend taking them to the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi, which, although a multi-purpose stadium, is mainly dedicated to football, which is one of Italy's passions. It is the regular home of the teams Chievo Verona and Hellas Verona.

It was built to replace the "Stadio Comunale di Verona", and inaugurated in December 1963. As for its name, it is dedicated to Marcantonio Bentegodi, who was a very important benefactor in the history of sport in Verona during the 19th century.

You can take the children to visit this place and you can even take them to enjoy the football that is played here. If you want to take them to enjoy football, you can include this place among the best places to visit in Verona in June.

Interesting details

  • Price: If you want to go to watch football together with the kids, you should know that tickets may vary according to the popularity of the teams playing. The least you can pay for each ticket is approximately 8 euros.
  • Opening times: Match times may vary depending on the season schedule.
  • How to get there: You can get to the stadium by private car, public transport, train or bus, or by taxi. It is located in Piazzale Olimpia.

6. Enjoy the Gardaland amusement park

Gardaland|©rosa640
Gardaland|©rosa640

For an adventurous experience with the kids, I recommend you to visit Gardaland, which is one of the most popular amusement parks in Verona and in the whole of Italy. It is located on the southeastern shore of Lake Garda, hence its name, of course.

If there's one thing you're going to love about Gardaland, it's the sheer number of attractions for both adults and children. At the same time, it is subdivided into areas with different themes and shows for all audiences. These areas are divided into: Fantasy, Adventure and Adrenaline.

The first area is dedicated exclusively to children's fun. Some of the most fun things that children will enjoy in this section are the Prezzemolo Land which has a large medieval castle. They will also have fun in the Baby Canoe, Kung Fu Panda Academy, Saltomatto, among other attractions.

The adventure section is full of entertainment for all ages, while the third area is especially dedicated to thrill seekers. It's definitely one of the best things to do in Verona in summer if you're travelling with children.

Interesting details

  • Price: Tickets vary in price according to the places you want to visit within the park. The general admission ticket costs approximately 44 euros. To enter Gardaland and Miniland Lego, you will have to pay around 49 euros. And finally to enter Gardaland and the Aquarium you will have to pay up to 47 euros.
  • Opening hours: It always opens around 10:00. Closing time may vary according to the month. There are special opening hours for certain important dates such as Christmas or Halloween.
  • How to get there: To get to this park from Verona, you can use the 164 bus that goes to Garda and stop at Gardaland.

7. Climb to the top of the Lamberti tower

Veduta Torre dei Lamberti|©Paolo Rosa
Veduta Torre dei Lamberti|©Paolo Rosa

Very close to the famous balcony of the Shakespearian novel, stands the Lamberti Tower which is about 84 metres high. With these dimensions, it is the tallest in the entire old town, so at its highest point you will find nothing less than a 360° view of the entire Veronese cityscape.

Obviously this is an adventure you can't miss with children, so even if you're in Verona for a day, you have to take the time to go up and enjoy the scenery. To go up to the panoramic terraces or to the bell tower, you will have to use the stairs or go up in a transparent lift from which you will be able to see the architectural features of the structure.

This is a good activity to take the kids during the day, and it is even one of the activities I would include in my list of things to do in Verona at night, because it allows you to see the whole city in the moonlight, besides being able to live magical and exciting moments together with the kids and the whole family in its panoramic terrace.

Interesting details

  • Price: General admission costs approximately 6 euros, while reduced admission costs up to 4.50 euros and applies to groups of 15 people, adults over 60, children between 8 and 14 and tourists with a Verona province card. You can also find free admission for children up to 7 years old, people who have the Verona Card and want to climb the stairs, as well as international exchange tourists.
  • Opening hours: The tower is open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00. On Saturdays and Sundays it is open from 11:00 to 19:00.
  • How to get there: The tower is located exactly in Via della Costa, and you can reach this place by private car, on foot, by taxi or by public transport.

8. Take part in the treasure hunt through the city

Castelvecchio|©adam w
Castelvecchio|©adam w

One of the most fun and entertaining things kids are sure to love to do in Verona is to embark on an adventure to discover the city' s most iconic sites through a treasure hunt with curious riddles based on attractions. At the same time you will be able to see different interesting places such as the Castelvecchio Bridge and the Arena of Verona.

The game consists in that at each of the attractions that you reach, you will be given new clues to discover the next place of your visit, so it is one of the best activities to work as a team and find the treasure, in this case, the next place on the itinerary. Of course, during this time you will be getting new local information and interesting facts about the city.

Interesting details

  • Price: This type of activity costs approximately 7 euros per person.
  • Timetable: The timetable for this activity is determined by the tour guide and you will be given the information once you make the booking.
  • How to get there: To get to the meeting point you will have to get there on your own, either by private car, taxi or public transport.

9. Stroll on Lake Garda and visit the medieval castle of Sirmione

View of the castle on Lake Garda|©Michael Kemper
View of the castle on Lake Garda|©Michael Kemper

With many features that set it apart from other lakes in northern Italy, Lake Garda is one of the country's most visited tourist attractions, especially as it qualifies as a popular summer destination for travellers arriving from Switzerland, Austria or Germany.

Not to be outdone by its popularity, being a place whose northern area is nestled in the Alps, while the southern area, on the other hand, is complemented by a terrain that is completely flat and picture-perfect. With these attributes, visiting this lake is undoubtedly an incredible activity for children.

But in addition to the lake, children will love to visit a fun village located on a narrow peninsula, and that is none other than Sirmione. The old town is surrounded by water, so kids will love it because they'll think they're floating on water.

Interesting details

  • Price: This experience can cost approximately 89 euros per person.
  • Timetable: The timetable is chosen by the tour guide with whom you go on the experience.
  • How to get there: To go on the excursion, you must get to the starting point on your own, either by bus, taxi or private car.

Book your excursion to Lake Garda from Verona

10. Cross the Adige River on the Stone Bridge

Stone bridge|©Alberto Ramos
Stone bridge|©Alberto Ramos

The history of the Stone Bridge of Verona is similar to that of any other bridge, it simply came to replace a wooden one that was no longer functioning. But its historical value is undeniable, being built during the height of the Roman Empire, around the 1st century B.C.

All these centuries of history plus the beautiful views and the peculiarity of the bridge, is a perfect combination to make children want to cross it. It is a simple but very entertaining and educational activity, in which you and the children will learn about the history behind the restoration of the bridge after Nazi Italy.

Interesting details

  • Price: Crossing the river is free, although if you take a guided tour of the city, you will probably have to pay some money for the tour.
  • Opening hours: The bridge is open all day, so you can visit whenever you want. If you go on a guided tour, the visiting hours will be provided by the tour company.
  • How to get there: You can get to the Verona Bridge on foot if you are nearby, but you can also get there by private car, bus or taxi.