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Message |
    
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 255
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 - 5:39 pm: | 
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i accidentally posted this in please help before realizing it probably belongs here:
we're just starting to plan a 10-day trip to tuscany with a 7-month-old for early october. this will be our first big trip as a family of 3 and i'm looking for suggestions on where to make our home base. we're looking into renting someplace with a kitchen so that we can eat-in, make our son's food, etc. we'd like to be in or near a town that affords us lots of walking/sightseeing/eating opportunities. but we're also considering renting a house outside of town since we do plan to rent a car (so that we can make a couple of day trips if we feel up to it).
has anyone made a similar trip? any suggestions would be much appreciated.
thanks! |
Ink
Citizen
Username: Pageturner
Post Number: 129
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 - 9:53 pm: |
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We went last August with a young child, not a baby - we stayed in an apartment on a farm, a common set-up. We didn't count on there being no screens on the windows and having lots of flies and mosquitoes buzzing around as we tried to sleep. We thought the nearest town was closer to the farm than it actually turned out to be - so we had to drive. Also, there weren't sidewalks on the narrow roads into town,so it wouldn't have been possible to walk even if we were up for walking a couple of miles. Being a drive from Florence, even though we thought it wasn't far, ended up limiting us because of driving in, finding parking on the outskirts, then walking to sites, which were quite far from parking (with a little kid). We travelled to Lucca and Sienna, and I wish we had made plans to spend a night or two in each town. We always had to worry about getting back to our place early enough so that our daughter wouldn't be overtired. Our car got towed in Luca, btw, which was expensive and took a lot of time to sort out. I ended up feeling that it would have made things a lot easier if we hadn't relied on the car so much, and had stayed in Florence. We did enjoy cooking, using fresh local ingredients, though of course, that meant eating out less, which we really couldn't get enough of, given it's Italy. } |
kathleen
Citizen
Username: Symbolic
Post Number: 556
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 - 10:00 pm: |
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Have you looked at the Slow Travel website? It has many, many candid reviews of many different Tuscan apartments, farmouses and villas from travelers who actually stayed in them. You can avoid an experience like Ink's.
Try a Google search for Slow Travel.
The Slow Travel website also has a message board where you talk with others about your specific wish-list, and people can help pinpoint a situation that would be a good fit for you.
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delin wareham
Citizen
Username: Dwareham
Post Number: 67
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 5, 2006 - 10:44 pm: |
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You can't go wrong with Sienna. Get yourself an all-terrain stroller (Bertini, etc) or a Hip Hammock (it's like a Baby Bjorn but for bigger kids) and you'll be good to go on the cobblestones. You'll be a half-hour from Florence without all the noise and mess of a bigger city, plus the countryside around Sienna is magnificent. I wouldn't worry about the hills -- you'll have to catch your breath every now and again but it's worth it. Besides, it'll give you a reason to stop at a coffee bar or gelateria.
It's also near San Giminano and fairly close to Assisi, which is also nice.
There is a beautiful nunnery on the hill in Sienna where you can stay -- I can't remember the name but you can probably find it in a search. Nice rooms and reasonable price; if I remember right, I believe they also cook for you.
Even if you stayed in Sienna for the entire 10 days and never ventured away from there, you'd have a fabulous time.
Buon viaggio. |
kathleen
Citizen
Username: Symbolic
Post Number: 559
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 6, 2006 - 9:55 am: |
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I'm glad delin w. so enjoyed Siena, but I think you could go wrong there with a baby, given how very steep the streets are, and it would be more exprensive to stay in Siena than in other Tuscan locations. Plus, finding parking for a car in Siena for several days running can really be a hassle.
I still recommend the Slow Travel website for identifying the best location given your specific needs.
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doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1593
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 6, 2006 - 1:04 pm: |
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Hey Mimi,
I've taken a similar trip with (older) kids (and one on the way)...it was great. Would be happy to share our contacts (we rented a beautiful home outside the walls of Montereggioni (sp?), between Sienna & Florence - it was quite large, as we were with family, but I know they have all sizes)...were I to do it again I would go with Sienna or maybe Cortona. I have a book called "Italy With Kids", which you may borrow if you like.
An overnight trip to Venice (by train) was really easy & so worth it.
By the way, we were fine with our Maclaren stroller. Slings & maybe a backpack (which I have & am happy to lend) might also be the way to go
What fun!
-DoulaMomma
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doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1594
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 6, 2006 - 1:06 pm: |
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just found this:
http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/italy/ss/cortona.htm |
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 257
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 6, 2006 - 8:09 pm: |
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thanks, everyone, for the leads. i can see the slow travel trip logs will become addictive.
dm: i'll email you.
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KRNL
Citizen
Username: Krnl
Post Number: 94
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Friday, July 7, 2006 - 4:07 pm: |
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The no screens on the windows can be a problem, as just reported to me from a friend who just returned from Tuscany. Mosquitos seemed to be the issue. Other than the windows in their villa, they had a great time. |
kathleen
Citizen
Username: Symbolic
Post Number: 562
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, July 8, 2006 - 6:48 am: |
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mimi,
The second week of this trip report is about a couple with a small toddler in Tuscany. (First half Rome.) They seemed especially taken with Pienza (for being flat).
http://www.fodors.com/wire/archives/001919.cfm
Early october will drastically reduce problems with mosquitoes. |
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 260
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, July 9, 2006 - 8:20 pm: |
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thanks, kathleen. i'll check it out. |
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