You have been dreaming about Tuscany and have endless things on your bucket list. You find the perfect villa in Tuscany with us or you have been browsing among our excellent options as you consider your plans. An important consideration, however, if you are travelling with kids is how to create a travel itinerary that is fun for adults and children?
While you may want to tick things off that bucket list and you might want to introduce the little ones to some major cultural touchstones and expand their horizons, balance is incredibly important – it's a holiday for them as well, after all! You'll want to make memories that last a lifetime but that don't feature endless complaining. So, how do you get the balance right? Here's how to create a dream schedule for you and for the kids during a vacation in Tuscany...
1. Don't Plan Too Much
You'll certainly want to make the most of your time in Tuscany but there can always be too much of a good thing. Adults travelling together might also be able to dart around but little legs and needs are less capable of this, as you might imagine. Plus, you need to always factor in that things may not go according to plan and this is even more likely with children in the mix. So, instead of trying to see it all, prioritise one or two major attractions in a day. If visiting a big-hitter like the Uffizi with endless things to take in under the one roof, it is also worth planning on seeing some major works as it is impossible to see it all and dragging a child around will only exhaust them.
2. Use Resources For Kids
Making attractions like museums more appealing to kids and allowing them to appreciate the excitement of learning is made easier by the resources that many museums and institutions offer specifically for children. Check out the website before your visit or ask at the front desk and you will often be provided colourful, engaging, interesting printed materials, quizzes, specially curated itineraries, and more and usually for free! Make the most of it!
3. Interactive Experiences Are Key
In general, interactive activities and experiences are the best way to keep everyone happy and interested so if you schedule activities like food tastings, cooking lessons, child-friendly tours, and more, everyone will be able to immerse themselves into Tuscan culture. It is also worth keeping in mind that many of our vacation rentals in Tuscany offer such experiences directly, allowing you to enjoy yourselves without having to get everyone in the car first. If you want to learn about Tuscan cuisine with potential budding chefs in your own villa or plan a personalised itinerary of the surrounding area with your children's tastes in mind then contact us and our team can help you find rentals that offer these experiences upon request and at an additional fee.
4. Book A Villa With Pool
As noted, not over-stuffing your schedule and planning activities that the kids can enjoy particularly are both helpful ways to keep the travel party happy but if you book a villa with pool in Tuscany, you'll always have something fun to do and right on your doorstep. This is an easy way to have something to do in the morning before you head out on an adventure or something to look forward to upon your return.
5. Get Outside
Tuscany has a varied and famously lovely landscape and diving into it is something any visitor will want to enjoy but little ones in particular will have fun exploring. So, head to a villa on the Tuscan Coast and explore her beaches, plan hiking expeditions, rent bikes and cycle between vineyards in Chianti, or go on a mad dash around one of the endless impossibly pretty historic towns that will make the kids feel as though they've stepped into a fairy tale!
6. Make Use Of Treats
Look, sometimes the easiest route is simply to give in, indulge, and allow a little treat to reward the little ones when they've been patient. Gelato is very integral to a vacation in Tuscany and something the whole family can enjoy while getting to know the region...
