St. Peter's Basilica and Bernini's colonnade under a clear Vatican sky.

Photo:  Alvesgaspar  · BY-SA

Friday 5 June

Dome of St. Peter’s before midday

Vatican and Trastevere — basilica, dome, noon cannon, lunch across the river.

Meal

Breakfast at Faro — Luminari del Caffè

Via del Banco di Santo Spirito 4

Specialty coffee, sourdough toasts, eggs benedict, smoothie bowls. Walk-in.

Two grown-up plates, two kid plates

  • Kids: smoothie bowls
  • Parents: uova alla benedict or avocado toast with poached eggs
  • Fresh-squeezed juice each
Walk up5–10 min ~€60–70 for four Maps
6 min walk
Sight Booked

St. Peter's Basilica + Dome Climb

Piazza San Pietro

Look for the dome ticket lane on the left side of the colonnade. Inside: Michelangelo's Pietà first (right of entrance). Lift to the roof, walk into the dome's base, look DOWN into the basilica from 70 m up. Then 320 spiral steps to the lantern. 360° view from the top.

Dress code Shoulders and knees covered — everyone, including the boys.

With booking15–30 minWalk up60–90 minSecurity wait. Dome lift another 15–20 min inside. €10 pp (under 6 free) Maps
Sight

Janiculum noon cannon

Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi

Exit basilica around 11:45, taxi to Piazzale Garibaldi (~€10, 6 min). Be in position by 11:55. At noon sharp an Italian army crew fires a real howitzer across the city — a tradition since 1847. Loud, free, the kids' favorite memory of the trip. Stay 15 min for photos.

~15 min Maps
15 min walk
Meal Booked

Lunch: Trattoria Da Teo

Piazza dei Ponziani 7a, Trastevere

Lighter than Da Enzo. Walk down stairs from Janiculum into Trastevere, 15 min.

Parents skip pasta

  • Table: fiori di zucca fritti (peak June), carpaccio di manzo con rucola e parmigiano
  • Kids share spaghetti alle vongole
  • Parents split orata al forno
  • Three contorni: cicoria ripassata, misticanza, grilled zucchini
  • Water, one glass Frascati
~€35 pp Maps
5 min walk
Rest

Siesta at the apartment

Back to base. Reset.

~120 min
Market

Mercato Trionfale

Via Andrea Doria 41

Open until 19:30 on Fridays. Stock Saturday breakfast supplies (optional) plus Sunday snacks.

Maps
Rest

Prati evening

Via Cola di Rienzo café. Crodino for the kids, Negroni Sbagliato for you.

5 min walk
Meal Booked

Dinner: L'Arcangelo

Via Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli 59

Modern Roman. Chef Arcangelo Dandini.

Parents skip pasta

  • Table: supplì cacio e pepe (one each)
  • Kids: rigatoni alla gricia
  • Parents: split fish of the day, or two abbacchio scottadito
  • One contorno of grilled seasonal vegetables
~€50–60 pp Maps
10 min walk
Walk · Post-dinner walk

Castel Sant'Angelo at night + gelato

Ponte Sant'Angelo

Walk 10 min to Ponte Sant'Angelo — Bernini's marble angels under floodlight. Do not enter (Sunday). Walk back via Via Cola di Rienzo. Gelateria dei Gracchi (Via dei Gracchi 272), one scoop. Bed by 23:00.

Maps