10 Best Things to Do with Kids in Verona

The Natural History Museum of Verona (Museo di Storia Naturale) is a great way to spend a few pleasant hours with the whole family. In Palazzo Pompei, near Ponte Navi, are geology, palaeontology and zoology exhibition rooms. The prehistoric and botanical sections are housed separately, in the Palazzina Comando of the Arsenale Austriaco (Austrian Arsenal), across Ponte di Castelvecchio (Castelvecchio Bridge). 

The museum offers a series of family-oriented services, and you can book a guided tour for small groups or individuals. Educational itineraries are available, whereby children follow particular routes through the museum, like the invertebrates to mammals route or through prehistoric sounds and sensations. Routes are divided by age, so choose one to suit your little explorers. The Natural History Museum of Verona is educational for kids but also fun and interesting.

The Children's Museum Verona is a modern, innovative space south of the city. The steps look like piano keys and the rooms are interactive. The aim is to explain science through play. There's a room revealing the secrets of light, the Water Zone for tracing the water cycle, and a mechanical wall showing how numerous cogs make complex machines come alive. 

Not all the exhibits are educational. There are also attractions that are purely for fun, which also get parents involved. Ever trekked through a ball pit? Or climbed a vertical tunnel up to 3.5 metres high? This museum will awaken your inner child, while kids learn all about the mechanisms and forces that regulate nature.

Valpoparco is a fun water park in Pescantina, about a 20-minute drive from Verona. The park has slides, pools, and other water attractions for the whole family. Young children will especially love the Whale Bay Tub, a shallow pool with a whale spurting water.

Adults can relax in the jacuzzi or on sun loungers beside the semi-Olympic pool. Meanwhile, sports enthusiasts can test their skills by playing football, beach volleyball, and padel tennis. The park also has a bar and restaurant where you can take a break with meals and refreshments.

If you're looking to spend a day outside in a green oasis, Parco delle Murae dei Forti (Walls and Fortresses Park) offers an almost uninterrupted 9-km-long belt surrounding the city centre. The park extends along the Mura Scaligere (Scaliger Walls) walk, containing both historic routes and nature trails. The fortresses were constructed in different eras, from the Middle Ages to the Habsburg era. 

Exploring these sights is also a fun and educational experience for children. If you get a kick out of unusual, thrilling settings, you'll love the guided tours through the underground systems connecting these defensive strongholds. Despite being in a city, the park is a highly biodiverse ecological corridor. Nature lovers can venture through wildlife routes and discover environmental treasures.

L'Aquilone bookshop is entirely dedicated to children and teens literature in the centre of Verona, near the Arena and Casa di Giulietta (Juliet's House). As well as books, you'll also find games and audio-visual activities. Doesn't it sound fantastic? It's called L’Aquilone ( meaning 'kite' in Italian), and its very name is an invitation to take flight into a world of fairy tales and mythical islands. 

Five display windows show the shop's impressive range, tempting you to stop and check out what's on offer for young readers. Do your little ones prefer stories or educational books where they can learn new things? Illustrated fairy tales or gripping pop-up books? If they're unsure, the owners are always on-hand to give their recommendations and help you find what you're looking for.

Gardaland amusement park has rides and attractions for the whole family to enjoy. It's located on the banks of Lago di Garda (Lake Garda) a few kilometres from Verona and is reachable by bus from the city centre. Inside are attractions for the whole family and all ages, including play areas for toddlers, kids’ rides and extreme rollercoasters for teens and adults. 

There are 3D cinemas and indoor and outdoor shows of every genre, with performances by stuntmen, acrobats, dancers and clowns. Gardaland is a world of pure and simple fun where even adults can discover their inner child, and makes a brilliant addition to your holiday in Verona.

Look up when passing through Arco della Costa between Piazza Erbe and Piazza dei Signori to see a mysterious whalebone hanging above your head. What's that strange thing dangling from the vault? It's a whale's rib, but legend has it that it belongs to a prehistoric ichthyosaur. While the bone itself is a mystery, the reason it was hung in an archway in Verona’s centre is equally puzzling. 

Some believe it’s a fossil from the Veronese hills that was treated with superstition, others that it was brought by crusaders as a relic. Some still say the answer’s much closer to home. Under the arch is a pharmacy, formerly a spice shop. The whalebone, believed to have healing properties, is merely the shop's insignia.

Castelvecchio, the city fortification with charming medieval towers and crenellated walls reflected in the Adige, is a place that captures the imagination and interest of children. It was built as a residence, fortress and escape route in case of danger. Little tourists will immediately picture knights, guards and soldiers in the passages and sheltered walkways, enriching the castle's history with countless stories from their imagination. 

The Museo Civico (Civic Museum) within exhibits collections from different eras including works of art, coins and weaponry. You access the exhibition rooms via the large courtyard, which was once used as a soldier training camp. 4 imposing towers surround it: one to defend the drawbridge and the others to watch over the river and the city.

Movieland Studios is a movie-themed amusement park located in Lazise, about a 30-minute drive from Verona by car. The park has rides for all ages, plus shows, restaurants, and shops. You can ride a speedboat with a professional stunt performer, drive a safari jeep, and go on a submarine simulator. There are also different movie sets to explore, such as New York, Hollywood, and the Wild West.

Children will have a blast during the magical 3D adventure with water effects or playing a real-life video game. It’s recommended to bring a change of clothing if you and your family plan on going on the splashy water rides.

Parco di Piazza Arsenale (Piazza Arsenale Park) is the nearest play area to Verona's city centre, surrounded by greenery and peaceful public gardens. It's easy to find near Ponte di Castelvecchio (Castelvecchio Bridge), on the river's right bank, and is a fenced and secured area with drinking fountains and benches.

It's great for when kids need to unwind in their own way, something anyone visiting cities with little ones will understand. As well as swings, slides and merry-go-rounds, the play park also has a sandpit and playroom. It also boasts a fantastic view of the city. If you get peckish, there's a refreshment area, a perfect opportunity to munch a snack, drink a coffee and snap some photos while your little ones gorge on delicious ice cream.