If you are planning a family holiday to Italy, there are a number of tips you may want to keep in mind to ensure you get the most out of your experience. Planning a holiday can involve a lot of work, so here are a few top travel tips to make it easier.
Pack all the essentials
You can get anything in Italy if you forget something important, but it’s always good to pack the essentials. If you are going for the summer holiday, it’s going to be hot, so pack all your sun gear including:
- hats;
- sunscreen;
- sunglasses;
- beach wear.
Also take any medicines you or your children will need because it’s always more convenient to have them on you rather than having to go to a doctor and then pharmacy where language barriers could be an issue.
Make it a learning experience
Italy is a great destination if you want to make your holiday into a learning experience. Start by getting your children excited about some of the attractions you will visit. They may be more excited about the beaches and the theme parks, but try to get them interested in the history as well.
Before you leave home, tell them about attractions you will see like the Colosseum in Rome, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa. These things can spark off a greater interest in history.
You can also inspire your children to learn the language. The best way to learn a language is to go somewhere it is spoken, so consider learning the basics as a family before you go with a course like Rosetta Stone, and then encourage the kids to use what they learn.
Children have an amazing capacity for learning languages, especially when they find it fun.
Explore the different types of pizza
Eating out will be a popular activity in Italy, and the one thing you’re sure to eat a lot of is pizza. Most kids love pizza, so try to sample the different types including the Margherita, the Pizza Romana and Sicilian style pizza depending on where you go in the country.
Get off the beaten track
The cities are great in Italy, as are the beaches. But you may also want to get off the beaten track. If so, hire yourself a car and explore some of the most interesting areas including:
- the lakes region where you can see Lake Como and Lake Garda, and there are opportunities for hiking and mountain biking (if your children are old enough for the latter);
- the Maremma, a region in Tuscany with beautiful beaches and hot springs in Saturnia;
- le Marche in the centre of the country, where you will find vineyards and castles to explore.
See more than one place
You could simply choose one resort and stay there, or you could take in two or even three different destinations on a multi-centre trip. This is a great way to see even more and to ensure no one gets bored – it can also make the holiday seem longer as well.
Keep these tips in mind when you plan your holiday
These are a few tips to remember when planning family holidays to Italy. As well as the above ideas, make sure you find suitable accommodation for your family, perhaps in a villa with space for the kids to run around, or in a family-friendly resort – there are plenty of them to choose from.
