eco2

We will be visiting Tuscany with our extended family for a week in June. We have a few days after that we may want to explore as a family of four. In Tuscany, we will be staying in San Gimignano. We have two little kids who will be just over 3.5 and 6 in June 2017.

We were thinking of going to Cinque Terre because we have never been, and it looks amazing. I have read reviews though that suggest it isn't good for little kids or will be crazy busy in June. Our kids are well-behaved but are still young, and we need to pace ourselves slowly so they don't get burnt out and fall apart. They thrive in nature. They love hikes (their favorite thing), but obviously, we would never want to take them on anything that is too dangerous for their age. Are there CT hikes they could do? Could we rent a small boat to take us out?

Is there anywhere else that we should consider going to from Tuscany? We live near a beach at home so we wouldn't be going for a beach though obviously, they would also enjoy that. We will have a pool in Tuscany so that is also not a necessity. We just want to experience Italy, show them different places and enjoy our vacation as a family.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Jean

Exactly how many days do you have for this other destination?

Where will you be going after this stop?

Whatever the scenario, I probably wouldn't pick the Cinque Terre in high season with little kids. I might go to Monte Argentario.

eco2

We haven't bought a return flight yet so I am trying to figure this out. I was thinking though Saturday until Tuesday or thereabouts. Monte Argentario looks pretty - sort of like an Italian version of where we live. What are you favorite things to do there? Is the WWF-protected area easily accessible? Can you hike there?

What about Lucca? Also Portofino or Portovenere? Lerici? Would any of these fit our interests/needs? The kids may enjoy seeing a castle - are they worth it?

After this stop, it's likely back to Rome to return home.

Thanks!!

jubilada

I
I would not consider the 5 terre, due to crowds.
He loved walking the wall in Luca, where we stayed for a few nights.

jubilada

He =my then 4 yr old son.

eco2

Does anyone know about the Grosseto area? That appears to be down near Monte Argentario. That seems like a good area since we love nature. Would we also get the Italian feel?

I am still curious about Portofino/Portovenere/Lerici though. However, we don't want to be swept up in tourist crowds. We prefer a slightly less traveled route.

bvlenci

Will you have a car for this part of your trip?

I think Lucca is a nice destination with children. The massive town wall has a park on top of it, on which you can walk or ride bikes, or get an ice cream, or just relax on a park bench. There is a very nice old carousel in one of the piazzas. There's not an awful lot to do in the town, but such small children are easily entertained by a fountain or a playground. It's close enough for a day trip to Pisa or Florence. One advantage is that it's in Tuscany, so you wouldn't have to travel very far.

Lake Garda would be another possibility, with more activities. There is some lovely scenery at the upper end of the lake, although the lower end is more easily accessible by train. There is a big amusement park, Gardaland, at the lower end of the lake, but it's more for older kids, although there is an area for small children. Boat rides on the lake would probably be fun. If you stay at the lower end, you could easily take a day trip to Verona, another very nice town, or even to Venice.

For nature, and beautiful scenery, you could go to someplace in the mountains or the foothills of the mountains. There are many beautiful spots in Le Marche, Abruzzo, and Umbria. To visit these regions, it's best to have a car, although it's not impossible without one.

eco2

Yes we will have a car! We prefer nature and hiking/boating and checking out cute towns over going to amusement parks/children's museums. We can do those here! Thanks!!!

bvlenci

There are lots of cute towns on Lake Garda, and there is opportunity for hiking and boating. Sirmione is a very pretty town on a tiny long narrow peninsula in the lake, near the lower end of the lake.

The lower end of the lake is more than a three-hour drive from San Gimignano. I don't know if you want to go that far.

Mantova (Mantua) is a bit closer, less than three hours from San Gimignano. It's a delightful small city (population around 50,000) situated between two lakes, and on the edge of the large Park of the Mincio, with nature reserves, hiking paths and opportunities for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and other water activities.

Further north, the towns of Rovereto and Trento are actually in the foothills of the Alps, and likewise are immersed in natural beauty.

Jean

I think much depends on how many days you have and how far you want to be from your departure airport. It would be a nearly 6-hour drive from Lake Garda to FCO. Portofino 5 hours. Lucca about 4 hours. If you'd be in this place for several days, it might be worth the long drive at the end, but that's your call. If you can depart from another, closer airport (which would probably mean a connecting flight somewhere), you could cut down on the drive time.

Monte Argentario would offer several things you mentioned. Hiking, boat rentals, nature, a fortress. There are a couple of nature reserves in the area and islands you can visit by ferry. Monte Argentario is about halfway between San Gimignano and FCO.

http://www.italymagazine.com/feature...nte-argentario

We've explored the area between Grosseto and Lake Bolsena but not spent time in Grosseto. We thought this area was very interesting, but I don't know what amusements you'd find there for small children.

eco2

Where would one stay in Monte Argentario? Would it feel like authentic Italy? It doesn't appear to have a lot going on other than the nature parks... We live in a seaside town so I am wondering if this is different enough for us.

Is Portovenere or Lerici do-able with young kids? Is it worth it? I am having a hard time letting that area go from my mind... I think a ferry around the islands or by CT would be nice for them and us. Is this crazy busy and difficult with the car situation/kids/luggage?

Is there anything else between San Gimangano or Lucca and Rome that would be a unique visit?

Thanks.

bvlenci

I'm not sure what you mean by "feeling like authentic Italy". I've lived in Italy for 18 years, and the only place I've seen that really didn't seem like Italy was Bellagio, where the English speakers outnumbered the Italians by about ten to one. The German-speaking parts of Alto Adige have an Austrian feel, and some towns near Trieste had a somewhat Slovenian feel, but they were in their own way Italian. In a similar way, everyone spoke Italian in Lugano, but it was in its own way Swiss.

I've been in Porto Santo Stefano, which is part of Monte Argentario, but just passing through on our way to Isola del Giglio (which is a nice little island). The area was unmistakably Italian to my eyes, but maybe you have something specific in mind regarding authenticity?

Other places between Lucca and Rome would include Lake Bolsena, mentioned by Jean, and Lake Bracciano, which is a somewhat larger lake, with several pleasant towns, a castle or two, and a fair-sized park at one end.

MonicaRichards

My vote is for Lucca or Sirmione on Lake Garda. We did both when our kids were little. There's actually a ton of stuff at Gardaland for little kids. Mine couldn't get enough of the farmhouse ride, I think we rode it 10 times in a row!

The trip report is here--it was some years ago now, they're teenagers already!

https://rovingrichards.com/travel/italy-2004/

And a video from the Gardaland ride https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUXjLUdK804

nochblad

eco2 - I get what you are looking for.

Go for Monte Argentario - it is rugged, unspoilt and beautiful. Nearby there is Orbettello and Talamone as well as the Maremma. The Maremma is an often overlooked region but is famous for its Italian cowboys known as butteri.

Also nearby are various towns which were part of Etruria which pre-date Roman Italy. Towns such as Tarquinia, Tuscania etc

Jean

"It doesn't appear to have a lot going on other than the nature parks..."

I guess I don't understand what you're looking for or what you'd be doing in Lerici or Porto Venere. But I haven't spent time in Lerici, so maybe I'm missing something. The town doesn't have train service, so most people arrive by car which I think would cause parking problems in summer. We passed through Porto Venere and explored for a day. We enjoyed it, but I've never felt compelled to return.

FWIW, Monte Argentario is a popular destination for Italians. It's been several years since we visited (and we tend to travel in the fall), but Italians far outnumbered foreign tourists.

In the end, I think you're going to go where you want to go, but you should research the logistics/timing of getting to your departing airport.

eco2

I appreciate all replies and suggestions. I think the problem is I am torn between three possibilities and now have a few new ideas to check out.

1. Just go to Lucca and spend the remainder of our trip there. Not sure if there is enough to do or if it is different enough than the rest of our Tuscan trip. Biking with the kids sounds fun, assuming I can get the right gear for our kids' ages.

2. Lucca for biking and then go to Portovenere or Lerici for the next full day to see the towns built into cliffs...maybe boat ride to/by Cinque Terre towns. We've never seen anything like this, and it seems "once in a lifetime" to be so close to it. It would be hard to do with kids and luggage if we can't drive to our accommodations though. Some Portovenere places have parking but haven't found one.

3. Monte Argentario for last day instead of Portovenere/Lerici. This seems easier and less busy than option 2, but I don't feel like I have a good sense of what to do there. It also doesn't seem unique (maybe that is what I meant in part by authentic?). We do love natural places, but it isn't "once in a lifetime" scenery. Also, my parents did not like a previous stay in Porto San Stefano - is this different enough or same general area?

I don't mean to diminish any suggestions. Trust me, I am taking it all in and researching it all here! I am just torn. Too much to see and not enough time (ever!).

StCirq

Here's the "once in a lifetime" experience you might have in the Cinque Terre in summer:

http://images.google.fr/imgres?imgur...8sBNAQ9QEIJDAC

I would also choose Lucca or Sirmione or Stresa or the Maremma or Bolsena or Bracciano.

The problem with trying so hard to find "authenticity" is that unless you have years of experience visiting various corners of Italy and speak the language, it's all going to seem authentic to you, and with very few exceptions, it will be.

bvlenci

Maybe you're overthinking this. Do you really need a once-in-a-lifetime experience (or sight, really)? You're young and will probably be back in Europe many times.

Lucca is not much like the area around San Gimignano. It's on a coastal plain, so no hill towns. It was originally a Roman town, and no other Tuscan town has such massive city walls (which are not medieval, but later).

Actually, the part of Tuscany around San Gimignano is not the most scenic, in my opinion. the Val D'Orcia is much more scenic, as are the parts closer to the Apennines (for instance, the area north and east of Sansepolcro). However, going there would put you considerably further from the airport.

At any rate, I wouldn't want to spend a day here and a day there so close to a long trip. Maybe you should just find a place where you can relax for a few days and not worry about whether it's unique.

eco2

OK, thank you. Those pictures look like hell without kids and with kids, WOW. I was hoping Portovenere was less crazy but really good points, and I get the picture. So now, stay in Lucca or just to drive South? I have tried to find flights out of Milan but it is just not possible so we'll have to trek back to Rome.

The San Gimignano location is set. It's a family vacation, and a huge villa that looks unbelievable is already secured. We do want to do day trips and are open to other areas as well for afterwards. Lucca is just an idea but is not set in stone.

And, yes, I am most definitely overthinking this. That's why I am posting here instead of driving my husband nuts.

Thank you!!

eco2

That castle in Sirmione - my daughters would love it! Too bad so far from airport