Mantua is an easy city for families: flat, compact, with a pedestrian centre and lakes all around. Distances are short, the monuments have stories that are easy to tell children and, when patience runs out, there’s always a lawn or a boat ready to set off.
Travelling with children also means pushchairs, bags and changes of clothes: leave them at Mantova Locker, near the station, and take only the essentials with you.
At a glance: 1 day · short, flat routes · families
The stops
1. Castello di San Giorgio
A real castle, with towers, a moat and bridges: everyone loves it even from the outside. Inside, in the Camera degli Sposi, ask the children to spot the vase teetering on the edge of the ceiling’s oculus, the putti peering down and the peacock.
2. Museo Diocesano Francesco Gonzaga
It houses a rare collection of armour from the 15th and 16th centuries, which for centuries clothed the votive statues of the Sanctuary of Grazie. For young fans of knights, it’s a real discovery.
3. The piazzas and the Rotonda di San Lorenzo
The city’s oldest church, round in plan, sits below the level of the square: you go down a few steps to enter the Middle Ages. Then an ice cream under the arcades.
4. Boat trip on the lakes
A boat ride on the Mincio among herons, water lilies and, in summer, lotus flowers. For children it’s often the best moment of the day. The service is seasonal: check the timetable.
5. Bosco della Fontana
A nature reserve of oaks and hornbeams, once the Gonzaga hunting forest, with a hunting lodge at its centre. Flat trails and shade even in summer. You can get there by car or by bike.
6. Sanctuary of Grazie
The sanctuary on the Mincio where a stuffed crocodile hangs from the ceiling: a curiosity no child ever forgets. In front, the village on the water.
Visit Mantua luggage-free
Leave your suitcases, backpacks and bags at Mantova Locker and travel light: we are at Via Solferino e San Martino 4, just a short walk from the railway station, open 24 hours a day. Find out how it works, our prices and where to find us.
Practical tips
- Many museums offer reduced or free admission for under-18s: ask at the ticket office.
- In the centre you walk on cobblestones: a pushchair with large wheels is more comfortable.
- In summer bring mosquito repellent if you go to the lakes or the forest, especially towards evening.
- To avoid tiring everyone out, alternate a museum with an outdoor activity.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do in Mantua with kids?
Visit the Castello di San Giorgio, take a boat trip on the lakes, see the armour at the Museo Diocesano and spend half a day at the Bosco della Fontana.
Is Mantua pushchair-friendly?
Yes: the city is flat and the centre is pedestrianised, although some streets are cobbled.
Is there a nature park near Mantua?
Yes, the Bosco della Fontana Nature Reserve, a few kilometres from the city, and the Mincio Park, which surrounds the lakes.
More Mantua itineraries
- Mantua in one day: a walking itinerary through the Gonzaga masterpieces
- A weekend in Mantua: what to see in two days of art, theatre and lakes
- Mantua in half a day: what to see between trains
- Mantua on the water: lakes, boat trips on the Mincio and lotus flowers
- Mantua by bike: the lakes loop and the Mantua–Peschiera cycle path
- Mantua for food lovers: an itinerary of pumpkin tortelli, risotto and sbrisolona
- Palazzo Ducale and the Camera degli Sposi in Mantua: a visitor’s guide
- Palazzo Te in Mantua: what to see in Giulio Romano’s villa
- Sabbioneta from Mantua: a day trip to the Gonzaga ideal city
- Mantua for free: what to see without spending a penny
- Around Mantua: 6 villages and places for a day trip
- Mantua in 3 days: a complete itinerary of the city, the lakes and Sabbioneta
- How to get to Mantua: train, car, plane and getting around town
- When to visit Mantua: the best time, season by season
- Mantua by night: sunset over the lakes, aperitivo in the piazza and theatres
- Musical Mantua: Teatro Bibiena, Mozart, Monteverdi and Rigoletto
- Mantua in the rain: museums, palaces and arcades for an indoor day
- What to see in Mantua
