Italy in spring! Where would you go? Post Reply

[SamJo]

I'm travelling with my husband and one year old to Italy for two weeks in late spring and wondered does anyone have any must have friendly spots and/or destinations? (Excl Amalfi).

We have booked some quite treaty boutique hotels/cottages in the hills around asciano/Siena and a few nights in Florence. But what else would anyone suggest? We don't want to move many times... Venice with kids? Rome? Umbria? Stay longer in Val d,Ordcia and just relax? I am especially looking at agriturismo and boutique places, and ttripadvisor seems to be pointing toward staying in the one area of tuscany! Sicily and puglia may be too far this trip, unless it is a must.

Would love anyone's thoughts on other places and accommodation you loved.

[SamJo]

Kid friendly spots I meant to say! Also, we are not looking at Bologna, Pisa or Lucca this time.

[Casper]

Having just come back from venice ( went just with my partner and left my one yr old daughter with my parents) I would say avoid. Absolutely amazing place but not pushchair friendly at all as there are lots of steps to get on the bridges over the canals and can get very busy. And of cause there is water everywhere with no barriers between pavements and the canals so could be dangerous. I am sure many people have taken there young children but personally I wouldn't. I would suggest Tuscany.

[darlingmummy]

hello SamJo, definitely avoid Venice with a 1yr old.
Sicily is way too far and so is the Amalfi coast.
Tuscany is a great choice and you can easily drive to the coast for a few days of sunshine and relaxation.
if you can face the drive I would suggest Rome, the most wonderful place on earth, an open air museum.
you can easily walk everywhere, get a hotel in the centre of town, all restaurants are kids friendly and again Rome is a short drive away from the coast if you fancy a change of scenery

[claphamama]

You could drive East towards Le Marche and stop in Umbria on the way (Assisi, Gubbio, Lake Trasimeno, Clitunnio Spring) and then move to Le Marche. I love Sirolo, it’s a magical place.
Or you could drive up to ‘5 terre’. Regarding child friendly…I am Italian myself and I don’t find Italy very baby friendly. Don’t get me wrong, people love children, will accommodate them in any restaurant – no matter what time at night and how luxurious the restaurant is! – but there are no changing facilities and strollers are a nightmare.

[Mrs.AAA]

I used to live in Italy before moving to London a few years ago. My husband is from Italy so we were there for a number of years before moving over.

If you're staying primarily in Tuscany, I would suggest Volterra. Many people overlook Volterra when in fact it is more beautiful than San Gimignano, and a nicer & smaller version of Siena. Volterra offers lovely slow food eateries throughout and a great Gelateria Caffetteria called Chic e Shock. Children love it and adults do too! (http://www.vigilucci.it)
The views from the old fortress of Volterra (now a prison) over the Tuscan landscape is untouched and frankly breathtaking, one of the best. One church in Volterra even holds a Caravaggio and there are various museums too. It is a beautiful medieval town.

Check this out: (I am a fan of Rick Steve's reports)
http://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-li ... dolce-vita

If you want further sight-seeing or reliable food suggestions my friend, Annie Adair, runs Tuscan Tour (http://www.tuscantour.com). Tuscan Tour is a wedding and touring operation that Annie runs her home right outside the walls of Volterra, and she is married to a local. If you pop her an email she can make you some fabulous and well-known local restaurants and places for you and your family.

I would not suggest Cinque Terre to be honest because the main walking areas of Cinque Terre have not fully recouped since the landslides of a couple of years ago. We have a place near there, closer to Nervi, but we check in periodically and many of the walks are still inaccessible.

A lovely town to visit is Massimo Maritima. It's higher in the hills. An alternative, yet great place to relax and have a picnic lunch, should you want to go for a countryside drive in southern Tuscany, is Manciano. Right outside Manciano, there is a natural thermal spring that has created a small lagoon with low running currents that run over flat rocks. Many locals enjoy it there and have picnics. There are picnic tables set up and parking is nearby.
Depends what you'd like to do with the children, but if the weather permits at that time, it might be nice.
(http://www.tuscanypass.com/tuscany_ther ... urnia.html)

I have other suggestions, but don't want to bombard you. If you want to PM me, feel free. While I lived in Italy, and still go back because we have a place there, we traveled a lot all over.

No matter where you go, what you do, make sure you choose your places to eat based on reviews. Touristy places to eat in Italy are always disgusting and disappointing. TripAdvisor is great for restaurant reviews in Italy - even Italians review places. Eating good food MUST be a key requirement to any holiday organised in Italy

Buon viaggio...

Mrs.AAA

[Mrs.AAA]

I meant to say Massa Maritima - sorry!

[SamJo]

Thank you so much for the ideas so far! Nice to hear some lesser known places.

Good tip on Venice, particularly as my son launches himself at any body of water and is up and running... And cinque terre is out too.. Sounds like it may be Rome or Florence to fly in/out and tuscany.

Now to find more accommodation in the Tuscan/Umbrian countryside.

Mrs AAA thank you so much! We took him to Volterra last time and it is a stunning town. I will check out those links.

Claphamama sirolo sounds wonderful... We have been known to change a nappy on the grass by Pisa tower (oops), so I do understand what you mean. Looking forward to him being the perfect age to just eat and eat normal food now, and what a place for it.

[AbbevilleMummy]

Try Villa Pia on the Umbrian/Tuscan border.

http://www.villapia.com/

Very popular with nappy valley parents. If you search this site you will find many people raving about it.

We went when our daughter was 18 months old and it was perfect.