Tuscany In A Week With Children?

The small mountain villages are what Tuscany is all about. Visit lesser known Cortona, gorgeous Montepulciano, with its fine wines, Castigliano del Lago is off the beaten track with splendid views of Lake Trasimeno. The one thing you need to do though is go east, Tuscany is so much more than Chianti!

Quick Tips:

Once you feel tired of walking hilltowns, visit Pienza, not far from Montepulciano. An old renaissance city from the 14th century, built on the orders of the Pope, with flowers in every corner and not that many tourists. The pecorino cheese alone makes it worth the trip.

Best Way To Get Around:

Driving is the absolute best way to see all these little towns and the changing countryside.

This is beautiful four-star hotel in the heart of Pisa, only 50 meters from the famous Leaning Tower. A lot of the rooms even have views of it. Hardwood floors and big spacious bathrooms.

The continental breakfast served was, to say the least, super -- parma ham, cheese, and everything else that you come to Tuscany looking for. During our week in Tuscany, I can honestly say that the best coffee (and we had a lot of coffee) served was at this hotel!

The 'official' high season price is 150-200 euro. However, we found an excellent deal on this website. For our room, we paid 88 euro for a double room in absolute high season!

Best Things Nearby:
Even though this resort is completely remote, there are so many sights within a drive from it. Visit Lake Trasimeno, Cortona, Assisi, Montepulciano, Siena, I could go all day...

Best Things About the Resort:
Silence. The one thing you'll hear staying here is the crickets. Buy some Chianti and sit out on the patio overlooking the impressive Pierle Castle and just relax.

Resort Experience:
The resort is a restored 14th century village with a magnificent view of the Pierle Valley. You really understand how remote it is as you drive the final 2kms to the resort on a hilly mountain gravel road that seemingly does nothing else than turn, and turn, and turn! The view though once you reach your destination is simply breathtaking!

It has no facilities for children however, which we were rather disappointed about. The restaurant onsite is very expensive but it also serves some excellent food.

Our one-bedrom was beautiful and decorated with antiques, but tiny. It should be noted that these are not recommended for more than two people.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Not Available
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Fair
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Excellent

As we went to Tuscany we thought our suitcases would be filled with wines from the Chianti region. This was before we tasted a local wine produced in the agricultural school of Cortona. I have never had a wine with so much flavour as this one. And believe it or not, they are all under 10 euro. The store is only open between 7am - 1pm. Knock on the school's door to find someone who may help you, they also offer wine tasting. To get here, go past Camucia and continue 10 minutes along Strada del Vino. It is well signed.

A few hundred meters across the border into Umbria, you'll find the (for foreigners) hidden Lake Trasimeno. Even though this is the fourth biggest lake in Italy, it does not receive the acclaim it rightfully deserves.

We went here over a day, started off in Castiglione del Lago, which we found was an absolutely gorgeous hilltop village. Unlike Montepulciano, Assisi, and others, you'll find real bargains here, excellent prices on food, gelato, souvenirs. Not to even mention the views of the lake.

Some 15 minutes northeast of Castiglione del Lago you'll find Passignano. This is a popular tourist destination among Italians and it's easy to understand why. Stunning views of the lake and surrounded by the mountains of Tuscany and Umbria. We were very happy to find that it was not a hilltop but a flat walk along the shore.

From both the cities you can take ferries to the lakes two islands. That alone is worth a day.