In the 15 years before I had the children I had been lucky enough to visit Italy every year. I adore the place. I love everything about it. Â I love Rome, Sienna, Positano, Lucca, Sam Gimignano, Milan, Brindisi, Pisa, Florence, the list goes on! I have travelled all over Italy, but yet in the 4.5 years since we have had the children we haven’t taken them yet and I can’t really explain why. Â In fact as I am sitting here typing this, I am wondering when we can fix that!
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I can however give you the top ten reasons why we should go, in fact why I should book a holiday right now:
1. The Italians are famous for their love of children, they would love my children.
2. Pizza and pasta are two of my children’s favourite meals, so they would eat.
3. The weather is beautiful and we all love the sun.
4. Italy is stunning, we can walk, swim, play happily.
5. The flight isn’t very long.
6. I love the food, and I mean love love the food. I love it all, the cheese, the pasta, the antipasto….
7. I can’t get enough of the wine, all of it red, white, rose!
8. Prosecco comes from Italy, I mean it actually comes from there, so I should go there to drink it!
9. I could drink beautiful coffee.
10. And now I have found Villa Pia.
Villa Pia is nestled between Umbria and Tuscany near a lovely town called Lippiano. Â In what appears to be the most stunning countryside sits an award winning family friendly villa. Â Not only is Villa Pia family friendly, it is truly all inclusive (yes they even provide the wine!).
What strikes you when you first look at their website is the facilities for the kids,  two swimming pools, sand pit, trampoline, indoor soft play room and adventure play space, children’s art classes and cookery classes.  But not only are there facilities for the kids, there are facilities for us too! There are beauty treatments, adult cookery classes, Pilates classes, wine tasting, on-site babysitting service (yes I have deliberately put that in bold!) and so much more to make sure your holiday is as relaxing as possible. The suggestion that I can sit on a sun terrace, drink in the stunning countryside vista and watch my little ones play in the sand pit sounds wonderful.
But what sounds even more wonderful is that I wouldn’t have to cook.  Villa Pia serves a big, communal breakfast and lunch buffet.  Afternoon tea-time soon becomes the children’s early dinner at 6pm and the dining room is within monitor range of the bedrooms. If you want to go out there are English-speaking babysitters. (In bold again!). Villa Pia pride themselves on making meal time a real family time with fresh, all-natural, child-friendly menus that cater to every taste and diet.  For those with requirements that might not easily be met, Villa Pia can provide nut-free, gluten-free and other allergen-free dishes upon request.  With a fridge and pantry always stocked with yoghurts, milk, bread, fruits, tea and coffee and guests being welcome to help themselves at any time, I genuinely believe me and my kids would be very very happy!
Having already booked our family holiday in June this year, I think (unhappily) we won’t be visiting this side of summer, but we haven’t yet booked for October half term. Hubby??? What do you think??
NB: Post in collaboration with Villa Pia for Mothers and Shakers
Karen Beddow founded Mini Travellers in 2014 while doing what she loves most...going on holiday!
Mini Travellers is for parents looking for holiday ideas, destination reviews, days out and things to do with the kids. We also have family travel tips, activity ideas and all other things family holiday related. Take a look at some of our latest reviews for holidays and day trips in the UK.
What a fun and insightful post on the amazing sounding Villa Pia. Really can’t wait to visit, it will be my first trip to Italy unbelievably, so you’re lucky to have explored there so many times before.
Villa Pia has such a great offer for families, the food is what everyone raves about especially and I’m big on food hehe. I hear it’s beautiful in October too. Thanks so much for your great write-up 🙂
this looks amazing! Italy is on my holiday hit list but I was planning a child free break once my children were older. May be able to bring it closer now I’ve read this! #Sundaystars
this does sound lovely I always think of italy as somewhere id want to visit as a couple rather than a family holiday but you have just changed my mind! thanks for linking up to sunday stars xx
Ohmygoodness — this place looks heavenly!! My boy has travelled the world and Italy is HIS favourite place too! And I have never been!! EVER!
I think — just as soon as we have some spare cash — we need to remedy that! 🙂 #SundayStars
Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk
Ooh it looks wonderful, I could just spend a peaceful week in a Villa right now x
Oh we love Italy too, and Villa Pia looks fantastic! Nothing better than a villa full luxuries for the parents and facilities for little ones. Fingers crossed you get to go at HT 😉 x