Planning on a trip to Italy during the upcoming October break? There are plenty of things to do as a family, above and beyond museums and walking – and gelato! At Arte al Sole, we’re also happy to take the kids on their own art exploration adventure…while parents get to enjoy some grown-up time, too! In any case, here are a few special events we’ve selected for Family Travel looking for some neat To Dos this October:
WHAT TO DO IN ROME

The light show in the Forum of Augustus is still going on! Nights can be cool so dress up. The show helps rebuild the Forum in its original, with audio in multi-languages. It’s short so you can eat early and catch some zzzzss after a stroll along the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Info: http://www.viaggioneifori.it/en/
If you want to save time and avoid crowds, you can always take a guided VIP tour in the early early morning – an hour before the Vatican Museums open.

Ask us to book it!

Afterward, we recommend the wonderful multimedia show on the Vatican at the nearby Auditorium (shows in English, too) / We can book a tour + show for you too.
Just outside Rome is the tidy town of Marino nestled at the foothills of the Frascati wine region. On October 6th, they’ll be hosting a wine festival (sagra del vino) – Might miss it? Make your way up to Castel Gondolfo or enjoy typical Roman eats in Ariccia (town of the roast pork – porchetta) or hit a winery in Frascati. The strawberry town of Nemi is a cute option, too.
There’s more for families to do all around town ….! But if the weather’s nice, check out all the things to do at the Villa Borghese Park — on my video at

UMBRIA FOR FAMILIES
Mark this date: October 4This is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi –

Patron Saint of *ALL* Italy, whose namesake was chosen by our current Pope. There are plenty of events going on October 3-4th, and churches around Italy allow you to bring your livestock and pets for a blessing, in honour of the Saint’s Canticle of Creatures prayer and love for our fellow beings. Churches throughout Italy celebrate the Saint this way. Nearby, the fantastical town of Trevi celebrates their Medieval ways night after night at the Terziere Events, including jousting, eating in old-fashioned taverns, and a genuine palio!
Florence never fails to disappoint – it hosts so many events / exhibitions it would be hard to write them at all! Check out some of our earlier posts on What to do with Kids in Florence, but keep tabs in a few places on some of the goings on.

I love that the Uffizi has lowered this painting by Fra Angelico (That means, Father Angelico or Beato Angelico-Blessed Angelico in Italian) to child eye-level – we will for sure be adding it to our sketching stops for our Family Tours! [photo cred: Galleria degli Uffizi]

For more resources on Florence, check out:
Visit Florence – https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-events/october-in-florence.html (or Rome or Venice) by Prontopia on Facebook!
The Florentine NewspaperHow to get around in Florence
Join our Family Travel Italy Facebook page for more insider info! Or, ask us about visiting Carneval City in Viareggio (near Lucca) or Mask Making in Venice, Boat Tours and other Treasure Hunts around Italy! Or book your spot at our summer Day Camps! Info@artealsole.com
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