The family travel summer season is upon us and we are very excited to share reports “from the field” as we hear news of Italiakids.com readers’ experiences on their journey. This itinerary example is of a courageous two parents and their 2.5-year-old son, who wanted to combine sightseeing with relaxation on a mid-level budget for a 12-day trip visiting Rome, Perugia, and Puglia with a toddler. With an average lodging cost of 190 euro/night, and average daily activities and meals of 200 euro/day, they achieved a budget of about 5000 euro by splurging on some dining and tours, and economizing with simple days at the beach or picnics in the park on others.
Day 1-4 Montefalco, Perugia, Umbria
Lodging: Villa Santa Barbara, Localita’ San Luca, Montefalco, 190 euro/nt, superior room with terrace and baby crib. This hotel offers spacious rooms and family apartments with a nice garden for kids to run around in and lovely pool with a convenient location for visiting Perugia and nearby hilltowns.
Activities:
Day 1: Attend the infiorata (flower festival) for the feast of Corpus Domini in Spello, held the first week of June. The streets of the town areadorned with flowers on Saturday, and the procession and celebration is on Sunday, when after mass at 10:30, the bishop leads the procession through the streets, their feet dispersing the intricate flower decorations lining the street. So, either plan to get there early enough of Sunday to see the decorations and then view the procession, or go calmly on Saturday afternoon and maybe have dinner in Spello and walk around to view the decorations.
Day 2: Day trip to Assisi and a stop for dinner in Perugia.
Day 3: A custom toddler-friendly custom food and wine tour of Montefalco organized by a trip planning concierge with a guide who met the family at their hotel, organized to drive their car for the convenience of baby gear, and booked visits for a stop at a famous cafe in Montefalco ancient center, a visit to a wine producer for wine and cheese tastings at a family-run farm with animals welcoming for kids, and lunch at a Montefalco enoteca with space for kids to roam (420 euro for 6 hour tour with driver and food/wine included).
Day 4: Depart for Trani, Puglia (5-hour drive)
Lodging: Mare Resort, Trani. 1 night, 200 euro, seaview suite. This is a historic hotel occupying an 18th-century palazzo in a central location near the enchanting harbor in Trani, a kid-friendly spot on the sea in Puglia. We love the views from the roof terrace, the modern stateliness of the spacious rooms, and the bikes available for guests in the courtyard.
Activities: The beach!
Day 5-8 Lecce, Puglia
Lodging: Masseria Montelauro, SP358 Otranto Uggiamo Localita’, Otranto, 73028, Lecce. Deluxe room with crib, 235 euro/night.
Activities:
Day 5: En route to Lecce, stop in Alberobello to visit the trulli village (about an hour or so away from Trani), then Martina Franca for lunch, arrive in Lecce.
Day 6-7: the beach! One of the most renowned beaches, Porto Selvaggio, is near here. There is also the charming seaside town of Ugento/Torre San Giovanni, and closer to Lecce there is the famous beach of Torre dell’Orso.
Lunch at Agriturismo Santa Chiara, V. Parabita – 73011 Alezio (LE) +39 388 6020270), which has animals and I am a little playgrounds. You can also stay at the agriturismo. There are many similar options for an agriturismo lunch in Puglia with a toddler.
Day 8-12, Rome
Lodging: Residenza San Calisto, Via del Arco di San Calisto in Trastevere, great courtyard for toddlers to run around at breakfast, family-friendly neighborhood in Trastevere with more local vibe, parking nearby for families arriving by car. 168.08 euro/night with crib.
Activities:
Day 8: Break up the long 5-hour drive to Rome with a stop for lunch in Polignano al Mare, splurging on lunch at the famous cave restaurant of Grotta Palazzese, which is quite contained within the cave.
Day 9: Tag team day! Prepurchase tickets for two separate entrance times to the Borghese Gallery, taking turns enjoying the fun at Borghese Gardens with a toddler. Entrance times are for 2-hour increments, and tickets must be purchased fairly in advance for high season. The Borghese Gardens have an electric train to tour around, play areas, surrey bikes for rent, a child cinema, and lots of space to run around. There is a cafe by the cinema, and a kids’ bookstore and play area at Casina di Rafaello.
Day 10: Coffee in Piazza Farnese where it is fairly safe for kids to toodle around, browsing at Campo de’Fiori, Castel Sant’Angelo and the play park behind it, lunch at Pizzeria Montecarlo at Vicolo Savelli, 13, off of Via del Governo Vecchio. Visit the two toy shops in Piazza Navona, taxi back to hotel for nap time! Time for a date night at at Enoteca Ferrara in Trastevere, with a babysitter organized by the agency International Babysitters.
Day 11: Taxi to Piazza Venezia with child backpack instead of stroller. Take the glass elevator p to the “Terazza” 360-degree view of the city from the top of the Vittorio Emanuelle monument in Piazza Venezia. Then go around the corner from the piazza to the toy store Little Big Town on Via Cesare Battisti, 120. Tour Coliseum and Forum with prepurchased tickets and toddler safely perched in a child backpack to take in the sites. Taxi to hotel for nap time. Then head over to the Jewish Ghetto for dinner at Da Giggetto, Via del Portico d’Ottavia 21. Tel. 06 686 1105. Order the fried artichokes. This is a pedestrian area with limited or no cars.
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