A Luca-Inspired Italy Itinerary
If your house is anything like mine, your kids have had Luca playing on repeat since it was released, and all you can think about is eating pasta on the Italian coast.
If you haven’t seen Disney and Pixar’s latest release, it’s set in a fictional town in the Italian Riviera. The story follows two teenage sea monsters who magically appear human when they dry off and explore Pontorosso, a fictional animated town created using “the best parts of every one of the five real towns” in Cinque Terre. The story is adorable, and I love the message of silencing your fears to try new things!
Despite the picturesque setting and the idea of sipping aperitivo on the cliffs overlooking the water, I know you have your own fear of traveling to Italy with your kids—a fear that’s far harder to silence. How are you going to visit the ruins without the kids whining, and what do you do with them when you finally live your dream of drinking chianti in Tuscany?
Well, SILÊNCIO BRUNO!
Just because you have kids doesn’t mean you can’t travel. You can go to Italy as a family—and enjoy it!
The secret? An Italy itinerary inspired by Luca.
Day One
Flying internationally into Rome from the States typically has you arriving in the early morning. I recommend just taking this day easy and not planning much so you have time to deal with the jet lag.
Personally, I love doing a tour on my first day so I can get learn about the history, layout, and get acclimated. Because this is a Luca-themed itinerary, obviously, the best type of tour is on a Vespa! Luca and his friend Alberto first visit Pontorosso to get their own Vespa, making it the perfect way to start this itinerary. Despite Luca and Alberto’s less-than-stellar safety record, Vespas are available with sidecars for children ages 5-14 so they, too, can enjoy this Italian tradition—safely.
Day Two
While I don’t have anything specifically Luca-inspired for your first day, no Italy itinerary is complete without a few days in Rome, and I’m sure you don’t want to travel all the way there without visiting some of the main attractions!
Hit the ground running on your Rome itinerary by visiting the Colosseum with kids. I recommend a Gladiator for the Day tour—Annabelle got to try on helmets, train, enter the arena, and left with her very own gladiator name (and a certificate)! This is a unique family experience that combines a private visit to the Colosseum with a real training session at the Rome Gladiator School, fostering confidence—and a bit of healthy family competition. Annabelle could not stop talking about how she “took everyone down”—including her dad!
After a leisurely lunch, wander through the Roman Forum and go up to Palatine Hill for a great view. It’s a lot of history in one day, but the climb up and through the ruins make it fun for little ones. The hill is usually less crowded than the Forum below, and there’s even a picturesque garden maze for kids to explore!
Day Three
On day three, head over to the Vatican bright and early—just make sure you reserve tickets in advance! While it’s sure to be crowded and hot, it’s still incredible—its towering walls, expansive Baroque architecture, and rich history make it a must-see. Don’t miss the Raphael rooms, the Sistine Chapel, and a stop at St. Peter’s Basilica! Two to three hours is usually enough time to get an overview of the Vatican Museums and avoid tired and grumpy kids (and adults.)!
After lunch, if you’re feeling refreshed enough to tackle another museum, head over to the Borghese Gallery. Before heading in, stop at the gift shop to pick up a copy of I Am the Artist. It has about 15-20 works with kid-friendly descriptions of the museum’s art, letting little hands (and minds) engage with the artwork and avoiding a mid-museum meltdown. If you don’t think they can handle more museums, I still recommend heading over to play in the Borghese Gardens. You can rent bikes, take a carriage ride, or just meander—there are several playgrounds and lots of room to run and play for little ones!
Day Four
Day four is your time to shine in the Tuscan sun! Rent a car or hire a private driver to explore Tuscany on your way to Florence. Stop in the hilltop town of Montepulciano, about a 2 hour drive from Rome. Walk around the little town and enjoy some incredible views of the Tuscan countryside before finding somewhere for lunch.
About an hour away from Montepulciano is Castello Banfi, a beautiful, family-owned estate in Montalcino. It’s one of the bigger vineyards, but it has a castle for kids to explore before you head into the tasting room. There, you can enjoy a few fine Tuscan wines while your kids sip on seltzers of their own.
Once you’ve finished your taste of Castello Banfi, move on to Florence, about two hours away. If you’re feeling antsy, the drive has plenty of small towns where you can stop, refresh, and explore. Siena, for instance, is about halfway between Castello Banfi and Florence, and it has plenty of playgrounds for kids to explore while you stretch. Once you’ve arrived, spend the night in Florence and get ready for day five!
Day Five
Start your day with a stroll through the city’s winding medieval streets with a guide, stopping to see the spots where history was made by legendary figures like Michelangelo, Galileo, and Dante, and visit the Leonardo da Vinci Museum for an interactive exploration through the mind of Italy’s creative genius.
For a fun “hands-on” activity with a special souvenir to take home, keep an eye on the colorful designs around Florence! The designs are native to the area, and Francesca Vannini’s paper-making class (a personal favorite of mine) teaches you and your kids how to make authentic Florentine designs.
Day Six
Florence has some of the most incredible museums, and several provide excellent programs to involve young visitors in the exploration of color, design, and technique, as well as secret passageways and ghost stories. Check the calendars of Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Strozzi, Novecento Museum, and the Museum of Santa Maria Novella for kid-friendly tours and workshops. You won’t have time to do them all, though, so pick one or two to try out!
After lunch, coordinate a tour to one of Florence’s most famous neighbors… Pisa! See the iconic Leaning Tower on a tour with round-trip transportation. Admire Cathedral Square and the Pisa Baptistery as you follow an expert guide past the city’s main attractions, pose for a picture, and take some time to explore the area independently.
Day Seven
You may be wondering—”Christina, this is a Luca-inspired Italy itinerary—where’s the Luca part?”—okay, okay, I’m getting there! What Luca-inspired trip would be complete without a stop in the aptly-named city of Lucca?
Traveling to Lucca by train is super easy, and it’s only 20 minutes from Florence! Enjoy bicycling around the town’s medieval city walls or take one of my favorite family tours: Medieval Beasts & Mystic Symbols of Lucca. This tour of the city gets kids looking at (and drawing!) some of the most famous beasts and mystical symbols spread across Lucca. It challenges kids to find a menagerie of animals on the most famous churches in town, on towers, and on buildings and shops, finishing at the stunning church of San Frediano.
After lunch, head back to the train station and enjoy a two-hour train journey to Monterosso, one of the towns of Cinque Terre that inspired Luca.
Day Eight
After a night in Monterosso, spend your morning enjoying the beach—just remember to look out for sea monsters! Monterosso has an incredibly sandy beach with a gradual water entrance, making it the best beach option for families with young kids.
“Hiking” between the five towns that inspired Luca is incredibly popular, but I think the Monterosso-to-Vernazza trail is the best for families with kids. It’s not the easiest part of the route, but it is the best combination of accessibility for little legs and incredible views. From Vernazza, I would take the train to Corniglia for gelato. Then, hop on a boat to Manarola, where you can enjoy the iconic view with an aperitivo in hand while the kids enjoy the little playground nearby. After dinner, take the ferry back to your hotel in Monterosso and spend another night there prepping for the next day’s travels.
Day Nine
This morning, after a leisurely seaside breakfast, it’s time to take your last train ride (about an hour) to Genoa.
Start your day by visiting what has become one of the city’s most iconic symbols: Acquario di Genova, the famed Genoan aquarium that boasts 70 exhibits and 4 open-air tanks that hosts around 400 different species, including fish, marine mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates—no wonder the fishermen in Luca believe in sea monsters!
Regardless of age, destination, or interests, one of my favorite things to include in any itinerary is a food tour with a cooking class. In this case, I saved the best for last—Remember that scene in Luca where Luca and Alberto start gobbling up the pasta that Gulia and her father make? Genoa happens to be the home of pesto, that delectable combo of culinary genius with basil, cheese, and a hearty helping of pasta. Throughout the tour, you’ll visit local shops and gather the ingredients for your own trenette al pesto, ending your vacation on a light—yet delicious—note. Return to the hotel with bright smiles and full bellies for one more night in Genoa to prepare for your return trip the following day.
After nine days of ruins and rolling hills, gelato breaks, sea-monster lore, and real-life magic, you’ll head home with a suitcase full of memories—and probably a child begging to watch Luca one more time on the plane.
Even if you’re not looking for a Luca-inspired Italy trip, I learned that there are plenty of lessons (and memorable moments) packed into any Italy adventure (sea monsters, I was happy to learn, are optional!). But if you’ve been dreaming of your own Luca-inspired adventure (or any Italian escape that feels easy, immersive, and designed for real families), I’d love to help you bring it to life. Let’s plan an Italy itinerary that silences your inner Bruno and replaces it with confidence, curiosity—and maybe a little pesto.
Who is Christina?
Meet Christina Vieira, a Traveler, a Planner, and a Mom. She is also the owner of Showcase the World Travel, a modern travel agency that helps busy Moms take the vacation they deserve without adding “planning it all” to their to-do lists. After all, Mom should get to enjoy their vacation, too!
She specializes in Disney, the Caribbean, and Europe and has helped dozens of families have magical vacations that they will always remember. She loves traveling with her four-year-old daughter, Annabelle. Her favorite destinations include Walt Disney World, Wyoming, and Prague.
