Italians love children, make the best gelato and love eating al fresco – these facts alone are enough to make Rome the perfect family city break. For a laid-back day with younger children, head to the Villa Borghese Gardens in the city centre

preserved Roman stadiums. Its modern-day use is as a venue for concerts and operas, but 2,000 years ago it was an arena for bears, lions, gladiators, fights – activities and characters that are guaranteed to capture a child’s imagination, and you can find

(aka The Glasgow Boys), as well as Turner Prize nominees. The gallery runs a free drop-in art workshop for children aged three to 12 on Saturdays from 10.30am to 1pm. These are held in the old rooftop café where there is also a working studio

in full swing since March 13), with a mass of tri-coloured flags and funny hats already on display as we drove through the city to our hotel. We were staying at The Merrion, an award-winning five-star hotel on the edge of Merrion Square. The luxury hotel