Family-Friendly Things To Do, Experiences and Day Trips in Italy
“Is there anything to do in Italy with kids? I don’t want my kids to be bored in museums and churches.” – this is something I hear very often from families who are skeptical about taking kids on a family vacation to Italy. I always joke that Italians also have kids! And those kids love to do fun things. I would love to show you some ideas of what you can do with kids in Italy.
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Cheese Farm and Brunello Wine Tasting in Tuscany
Private tour and tasting in a family-run Brunello winery
Visit a farm, lunch with fresh and more mature cheese
Experience the raw milk cheese-making process step-by-step
This tour has something for visitors of every age. Run through the Tuscan hills, taste excellent cheeses (and, for the parents, wine!), and meet the heritage farm animals unique to the region. The day starts on the vineyard of a family-run winery. As you taste their small production of Brunello wines, the vintners will help you learn more about the process and history of winemaking in the region. (And, if you fall in love with a particular vintage, they will gladly arrange for a case to be shipped directly to your home after the tasting.)
After learning about Italy’s rich history of viniculture, head out to a farm nestled deep in the Tuscan hills. Here the children will discover how milk is turned into cheese on the educational farm. Even the very youngest will be able to enjoy the tactile sensations of soft wool and the sounds and smells of the farm as the animals are feed, milked, and shepherded. After you experience the step-by-step process of transforming raw milk, taste the products, from the fresh ricotta to the riper, well-aged cheeses.
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Explore Chianti: Cashmere Farm and San Gimignano
Tour and lunch at Chianti Cashmere goat farm
An afternoon in the amazing San Gimignano
Learn how cashmere goats are raised, how shepherds collect their wool and how artisans transform it into the softest natural fiber in the world. The kids will love to interact with the goats and touch the many wonderful textures from the goats’ fur. The small farm is the only certified Wildlife Friendly Farm in Europe, nestled in the Chianti hills between Florence and Siena. After you learn the secrets to sustainable, animal-friendly cashmere, enjoy a simple lunch of local ingredients, including organic produce from the farmers’ market, cheese from the neighboring sheep and goat herders and, of course, wine from the local Chianti hills. From the farm, enjoy a picturesque drive through the countryside to reach San Gimignano.
This walled medieval town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its extraordinary 14 feudal towers still standing (in the 14th century there were a total of 72!). Take time to explore: climb the towers, shop in the artisan boutiques & enjoy the best gelato in town.
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Family-Friendly Cooking Class – Pasta, Gelato and Biscotti
Cooking lesson (half-day or full-day)
Lunch or dinner with your own creations (3 courses)
Wine tasting pairing for adults to accompany your meal
13th Century castle tour
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and tie up your apron! Our cooking class with demonstrations led by local chefs is hands-on, where you can create your own Italian classics from scratch, like pizza and gelato. After you finish cooking, take a tour of the 13th-century castle, including the underground prison that now serves as the estate’s wine cellar. Then, of course, sit down to enjoy all your hard work! Taste your creations on the terrace overlooking the vine-covered hills. For the parents, enjoy pairing from the estate’s own wine production.
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Sweet Siena: Delicious Tour for Families
Eat your way through the most delicious town in Tuscany!
Get ready for traditional Sienese delicacies, chewy panforte, ricciarelli, ice cream, pizza & more.
As you taste Siena’s delicacies, learn their history and traditions. Between bites, wander down the medieval cobblestone alleyways, explore the splendid Renaissance palaces & stroll through the grand piazzas. A guide will explain the history of this special town and its amazing food! If you’d like to stay in Siena for the afternoon, feel free to join us for a peek inside the Duomo and the Palazzo Comunale, or to one of the famous Contrada museums.
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Horseback Riding, Lake Swimming and Lunch in a Medieval Castle
Italians believe in healthy living – which means both eating well and playing well!
Around the vineyard hills and ancient farmhouses, into enchanting woods and across giant sunflower patches… explore this breathtaking region on horseback!
After your excursion, leave your horses in the stables and relax for a two-course lunch with wine-pairings in a 13th-century castle.
The castle estate in the hills of Montalcino is used to produce excellent Brunello wines, with the underground prison serving as the cellar.
Feel free to take a tour of the castle, as local experts explain the process and history of winemaking in the region.
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Spend an active day outside, starting with a horseback riding adventure through the woods of Tuscany.
Then take a break for a light lunch of local products on a farm.
Followed by an afternoon swim, where you can play, exercise or simply relax by the pool.
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Alpaca Family-Friendly Trekking Day with Brunello Wine Tasting Lunch
Adults can taste the estate’s spectacular wine at the Brunello vineyard
The kids can play in the hills and learn about the rich history of winemaking in the region.
After the tasting, relax for a two-course lunch (with wine pairings for the adults, of course), featuring a gourmet interpretation of classic dishes of the region.
Then it’s off to the farm! Greet the animals and learn about farm life.
Your alpaca companion will be waiting for you to take a nice long walk around the countryside together.
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Montepulciano Tour for Families
Morning visit of Montepulciano (Renaissance palaces, underground cellars, handicraft shops and artisan boutiques )
Visit a historic winery in Montepulciano city center
Lunch in an organic cheese farm outside Pienza – Val d’Orcia Area
Prepare yourself for breathtaking views, classic Tuscan cuisine, and unparalleled access to authentic Italian culture. Start the day with a walk around Montepulciano, a small hilltop town still encircled by medieval fortress walls. Then head to an organic cheese farm in the hills overlooking Val d’Orcia and Pienza. Meet the sheep and goats and enjoy a lunch of organic local produce along with the farm’s own cheeses, all paired with excellent regional wines. During a guided tour, the farmers will explain the animals’ role and the daily routine of shepherds. Then stop in the creamery to discover how the cheese is formed and aged.
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Family-Friendly Truffle Hunting
Meet our truffle hunter and his dog for a 2-hour truffle hunting experience in the woods
Quick snack with truffle delicacies and local wine
Wine-pairing lunch (3 courses) in a charming winery
Calling all dog lovers! Here’s a chance for you to enjoy the magic of Tuscany’s woodlands with some very special canine companions. Hike through the most beautiful nature as the specially trained dogs sniff out truffles. The hike will conclude at a picturesque farmhouse where you can enjoy a quick snack featuring your freshly unearthed treasures. Then it’s off to lunch at a boutique winery featuring local delicacies paired with Brunello or Nobile di Montepulciano wine.
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Taste of Tuscany: Family-Friendly Fun in the Hilltop Towns with Olive Oil and Cheese Tastings
Tour and tasting with an EVOO producer
Lunch at a spectacular cheese farm, paired with local wines
Free time to visit Pienza and the Piccolomini Palace
Tuscany has a long and rich history of creating wine and olive oil, with production in the region going back long before the Ancient Romans. Learn the secrets to these essential products on an organic olive oil farm and vineyard overlooking the hills of Pienza. After a taste of bright green olive oil and ruby red wine, head over to the local dairy farm, where you can meet the donkeys, goats, sheep and more that roam the barn. Learn how they’re milked and how their milk becomes the sharp pecorino cheese or smooth ricotta. Then taste the different varieties along with some produce from the biodynamic garden, some homemade bread, and a glass of wine. After a light lunch on the farm, take some time to visit the nearby town of Pienza.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most picturesque towns in Tuscany, Pienza is renowned for its Renaissance palaces and cathedrals, as well as its astonishingly narrow cobblestone alleyways. It’s also a great place for another cheese tasting, a sweet slice of panforte, or a gelato!
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Wet and Wild Fun in Tuscany for the Entire Family
Excursion to Montepulciano Lake
Motorboat ride on the lake
Guided visit of the winery
Wine tasting with lunch
Discover Montepulciano Lake, one of the 14 natural reserves of Siena Province. It is one of the few freshwater environments left in central Italy, where migratory birds spend the summer on their routes between Europe and Africa. Spot numerous species of water birds and admire the lake area which extends for about 70 hectares.
There are many possible itineraries for a day on Montepulciano Lake. You could hike to the sighting tower and watch birds while hidden inside. You could walk along the shore and take a guided visit to a nearby winery. Also, you could take a motorboat ride followed by a wine tasting and lunch. Whatever you choose, a day on Montepulciano Lake will be a time to feel the peace and harmony of unspoiled nature.
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Family-Friendly Beach Day, Italian Style
Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation
Chairs and umbrella
3-course lunch at a spectacular restaurant by the sea
Few foreigners know about the Tuscan seaside, only about 1-hour driving from most cities in Tuscany. It’s a great way to escape the harsh summer heat and see another side of Tuscany most tourists never visit. Enjoy long stretches of sandy beaches where you can lay out in the sun, swim in the sea, or explore the outer reefs. Everything you need for a beach day – sunbeds, umbrellas, towels – will be provided for you. After you swim and sunbathe, enjoy lunch on the seaside at a casual restaurant.
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Chianti With Kids: Castles, Lunch with Wine Tasting, & Farm Animals
Get a taste of medieval life in Tuscany, from the grandiose nobility to the peasant farmer.
Start in the lap of luxury at a 13th-century castle estate that’s been converted into a Chianti winery. Explore this historic site while learning about the harvesting and fermenting of Chianti Riserva wine (the adults can enjoy a tasting!).
Head to a local farm for a simple lunch of organic, local products. This will include freshly picked fruits and vegetables,. homemade bread from the grains grown on the farm, artisan cheeses, and the farm’s own salami.
After lunch, meet the eclectic crew of farm residents: Tibetan goats, wild boars, donkeys, ducks, pigs, and more!
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Florence – Guided Family-Friendly Tour with Pizza and Gelatto Dinner
The magnificent city of Florence has so many marvels to explore that planning a family trip there can seem a bit overwhelming. Yet the beauty of this Renaissance city, perched proudly on the Arno River and nestled amid iconic villa-adorned hills, is not lost on the little ones.
With a thoughtful, personalized itinerary that involves the children, we will show you the more unique exhibits and educational programs that will inspire a lifetime of family memories. We will also make sure that hungry stomachs get filled with the best pizza and gelato, along with some of the lesser-known Florentine specialties.
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A Day With Pinocchio in Tuscany
Get picked up in your hotel in Florence or surrounding areas and take a panoramic ride through the Tuscan hills to Lucca, one of the jewels of Tuscany.
Walk through this small town still enclosed within the 16th-century city walls as your guide explains the essential history of this unique town, from the Etruscan ruins to the Romanesque church to the Renaissance Cathedrals.
After exploring the town on foot, stop in a traditional trattoria to taste some of the most famous dishes of the region.
Then it’s off to Collodi, the maternal hometown of the author of Pinocchio.
Walk through the impressive Villa Garzoni, where the young writer’s father maintained the gardens and his mother tended to the rooms.
Next to the historic villa is the Pinocchio Park, dedicated to the beloved children’s story. Follow the story of Pinocchio, the cat and the fox, the splendid fairy, and all the other eccentric characters as you walk along the park’s path and recount the tale.
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