Tuscany for Children
Tuscany is a great choice for families looking for a fun and relaxing break. There are plenty of attractions here for kids – large and small – enough to fill every day of a villa holiday in Tuscany.
Get their adrenalin going with the thrills and spills of white-water rafting or shooting down the region’s highest slide. Take them to meet the wilder residents of Tuscany at one of Italy’s top nature parks. Help them learn to make ice cream and get crafty at a top museum. Explore cool caverns together beneath Tuscany’s mountains or take a boat out to see the village drowned in a lake. And introduce them to Pinnochio or Tyrannosaurus Rex.
You’ll have no problem keeping boredom at bay on a family holiday in Tuscany.
Tuscany for children
Pinocchio Park
Take a walk through the story of Pinocchio in a beautiful garden decorated with bronze statuesof characters from the fairytale. There’s also a small amusement park filled with games and rides from the 1940s. At the weekends, a puppet show is staged, and during summer, there are special activities for children laid on, such as mask-making.
Piccolo Mondo
Piccolo Mondo, near Pisa, is an amusement park for children with the highest slide in Tuscany among its rides. Other attractions include go-karts, a 5D cinema and inflatable games.
Il Giardino dei Tarocchi
This fantastical sculpture garden in Capalbio, in Grosseto province, is inspired by Antonio Gaudi’s Park Güell in Barcelona. The garden was created in 1978 by the artist Nicki de Saint Phalle, who has since filled it with sculptures based on the characters of the 22 tarot cards, covering almost every surface in ceramic, glass and mirrors.
Cavallino Matto
This amusement park, the largest in Tuscany, has plenty of different rides to satisfy thrillseekers, as well as entertainment such as magic shows and, in summer, water displays throughout the day. Refuel young ones at the park’s selection of restaurants and fast-food outlets, or pack a picnic.
Read moreAcqua Village Water Parks in Cecina and Follonica
Aqua Village runs two water parks in Tuscany, one in Cecina, in Livorno province, and one in Follonica, in Grosseto province, so you can choose the one most convenient for your villa. Both have a selection of pools and flumes suitable for all ages, whether you have tiny tots who like a paddle or adventurous teenagers who love an adrenalin rush – great fun for all the family. The admission price allows you to stay all day, so pack a picnic.
Pistoia Zoo
Pistoia Zoo is home to more than 400 animals, including giraffe, jaguar, polar bear and a variety of birds and reptiles. One of the main zoological institutions in Italy, its mission is to spread the word about protecting and respecting the world’s animals.
European Fauna Park Poppi
Visit this wildlife sanctuary between Florence and Arezzo to see deer, owls, monkeys, wolves and more. The park has a large restaurant, as well as picnic areas.
Caves and Grottoes in Tuscany
Tuscany has some amazing underground cave systems hidden within its mountains, studded with stalactites and stalagmites, waterfalls and lakes. Archeological studies have found the remains of ancient humans and animals, as well as other interesting artefacts buried in these chambers deep beneath the ground. To locate a cave system near your villa, check the Toscana underground website below. And if you plan to go exploring, don’t forget to wear warm clothing and suitable footwear.
Lago di Vagli
This beautiful lake, north-west of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, is rich in wildlife and popular with walkers for the many paths around its shores. Lago di Vagli has a secret. It is, in fact, man-made, created by the ENEL electricity company when it built the nearby dam. To provide hydro-electricity to the surrounding area, the valley needed to be flooded, including the village of Fabbriche di Careggine, the inhabitants of which were re-housed.
Every 10 years, the lake is drained for maintenance work to be carried out. As the waters recede, the village reappears, watched by locals and visitors alike, who are then able to wander around the remains of the church and other buildings.
It is also known as ‘Paese Fantasma’ (ghost village) and some say that strange events and miracles have taken place since the village was flooded. The next date for the lake to be drained is in 2024. However, it is possible to see the church tower when the water level is low. Boats can be hired at Vagli Sotto and directions will be given to the drowned village.
Castello dell'Imperatore
Pint-sized knights and damsels will love this picture-perfect castle, with its high, crenellated walls and towers, built for the medieval emperor and King of Sicily, Frederick II. Climb the stairs to the top to patrol the castle walls and for fantastic views over the city of Prato.
Palazzo Vecchio Family Museum
Palazzo Vecchio is a landmark of Florence. But did you know that there is a museum within it with attractions for children of all ages? It has two theatres – the Bia and Garcia’s storytelling room is for younger visitors, from three years of age, and the Renaissance Civilization in Florence for older visitors, from eight upwards. Short plays, featuring audience participation, are staged about the court of Cosimo I de Medici and his wife Eleonora di Toledo, who once lived in the palace. For younger children, there are tales about the palace mice and other characters. Activities include making a fresco using techniques from the Renaissance period, which can be taken away as a souvenir. The museum has a variety of guided tours, which include exploring the palace’s secret passages.
Museo d’arte per Bambini
The mission of this museum for children, aged three to 11 years, is to provide a space that will encourage young minds to embrace art. Set in the vast Santa Maria della Scala museum complex by Siena Cathedral, it houses works from ancient to contemporary eras, as well as temporary exhibitions, and features a variety of mediums, from paintings and sculpture to photography and video.
Cheese making in Cugusi
The area between Pienza and Montepulciano is famous for its pecorino cheese. This vast open terrain is perfect for grazing sheep – you’ll find some of the tastiest pecorino in the whole of Tuscany here. Find out how they make the cheese at the Cugusi Dairy. You can taste the different varieties and buy some to take back to the villa, while the children learn how sheep’s cheese is made and meet the animals.
Ice-cream making in Castellina in Chianti
Gelateria di Castellina makes some of the best ice cream in Chianti. Simone, the ice-cream chef, is always happy to explore the mysteries of ice-cream-making with young ones in his parlour in Castellina in Chianti. Book ahead.
Cooking classes in Tuscany
Simonetta and Paola are long-standing friends of To Tuscany and Toscana Mia cooking school is the best place in Chianti for the family to enjoy a cooking session. There are low tables for the children to prepare food at, where they learn how to make pasta and other favourite foods. It’s great to see the kids make and eat their own food at the end of the day – smiles all round.
Tree walking Rapolano Tuscany
Take a walk through the treetops at Saltalbero Parco Aventura at Rapolano Terme, south of Siena. These expert-led canopy tours follow special routes of increasing difficulty according to age and height. Rope bridges, boardwalks, ladders and swinging logs are among the balance-challenging ways to get around this oak woodland. The park, set in the beautiful Ombrone valley, also has play spaces, a mini-golf course and equestrian centre, as well as picnic and barbecue areas.
Umbria for Children
Umbria is perfect for families looking for a fun and relaxing break. There are plenty of places to go on unforgettable family days out, and attractions in Perugia, Terni and Orvieto that the children will love. From theme parks and waterfall rafting to art camps and chocolate museum, there’s a lot to keep your kids occupied on a holiday to Umbria.
After an action packed day of adventures or exploring a medieval hilltop town, you can head back to your very own private villa. The children can make themselves at home and play in the garden whilst you unwind and take in the amazing views.
We have a wide range of family villas that have all the facilities you need for a stress free break with your children. See below for some of Umbrias’s best family friendly attractions.
