🇮🇹Tuscany

Explore Tuscany with your family: medieval towns, Renaissance art, rolling hills, and simple food that kids actually love. Here is your honest family guide.

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Your family guide

Tuscany with kids: where history comes alive and every road leads somewhere beautiful

“Tuscany doesn't just show you history: it lets your family walk right through it.”

— San & Jo

Tuscany is one of those rare places where the scenery looks exactly like a painting, because for centuries, it was the painting. Rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, hilltop towns, and some of the most jaw-dropping architecture your kids will ever see. And the best part? You don't need to drag them through dusty museums to feel it. The whole region is your open-air classroom.

From Florence's iconic Duomo to the leaning tower your children have definitely seen in a book, Tuscany's UNESCO-listed historic centres are genuinely thrilling to explore as a family. Medieval towers in San Gimignano, the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo in Siena, and the sculpture-filled squares of Florence make wandering on foot feel like a real adventure: not just sightseeing.

And when you need a break from cobblestones and art history? Tuscany's hills, coastal areas, and country roads are perfect for active families who want to hike, bike, or simply get lost in beautiful countryside. This is a region that rewards curiosity at every age.

Central ItalyCapital: Florence

April to OctoberBest time to visit

5 UNESCO SitesIncluding Florence and Pisa

Cities and places in Tuscany

9 places

Chianti

Explore Chianti with your family: hilltop villages, castle visits, pasta classes, and some of the best food in Tuscany. Here is everything you need to plan your trip.

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Elba

Elba packs beaches, hiking, history, and wildlife into one stunning Tuscan island. Discover why families keep coming back to this Italian gem.

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Florence

Discover Florence with your family — from climbing Brunelleschi's Dome to wandering the Ponte Vecchio and eating your way through the Mercato Centrale.

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Lucca

Explore Lucca with your family — cycle the Renaissance walls, climb a tower with rooftop oak trees, and taste Tuscany's best pasta in a city with far fewer crowds than Florence.

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Pisa

Explore Pisa with your family: climb the Leaning Tower, discover the Piazza dei Miracoli, eat cecina street food, and stroll the Arno riverside. One unforgettable day in Tuscany.

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San Gimignano

Explore San Gimignano with kids: climb medieval towers, discover stunning frescoes, taste award-winning gelato, and soak up the best of Tuscany in one compact hilltop town.

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Siena

Siena is one of Italy's most beautiful medieval cities, packed with family-friendly history, extraordinary architecture, and delicious Tuscan food — all within easy walking distan…

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Val d'Orcia

Val d'Orcia is a UNESCO World Heritage landscape in southern Tuscany with hilltop villages, free thermal pools, and iconic cypress-lined roads perfect for family road trips.

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Volterra

Volterra is a compact hilltop town in Tuscany packed with Etruscan history, Roman ruins, and artisan culture. Perfect for families who want fewer crowds and more magic.

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What makes it special

Why families keep coming back to Tuscany

Medieval towns that feel like film sets

San Gimignano's towers, Siena's Piazza del Campo, and Florence's fortress-like Palazzo Vecchio are the kind of places that make kids ask questions and actually want to know the answers. History here is never boring.

The most famous skyline in Italy

Florence's Duomo, designed by Brunelleschi, is one of the great engineering wonders of the Renaissance. Standing beneath it with your family and craning your necks upward is a moment you won't forget.

Landscapes made for exploring

Cypress-lined roads, vineyard valleys, and rolling hills create a backdrop that's perfect for family bike rides and hikes. Tuscany's countryside rewards families who slow down and take it all in.

Art that even kids recognise

Michelangelo's David at the Accademia Gallery and Botticelli's works at the Uffizi are pieces your children will have seen in books. Seeing them in real life is genuinely exciting, even for younger visitors.

Coast and countryside in one region

Tuscany isn't just landlocked hills. The coastal city of Livorno and the Tuscan shoreline give families a seaside option to balance out the culture-heavy itinerary with some proper beach time.

Your kind of holiday

Active adventures in the hills

Tuscany's countryside is a dream for families who like to move. Bike the rolling Chianti hills, hike between hilltop villages, or explore quiet back roads that lead to stunning viewpoints. The pace is yours to set.

History and culture without the lectures

Walk through open-air squares that double as medieval history lessons, spot Michelangelo's David up close, and climb the steps of a Romanesque bell tower. Tuscany makes culture feel like exploration, not education.

Food-first family travel

Tuscany's cucina povera tradition means simple, honest food that most kids genuinely enjoy. Think handmade pasta, hearty soups, and crispy crostini. Markets and trattorias make every meal part of the adventure.

Did you know?

Things your kids will love knowing about Tuscany

The Leaning Tower was a happy accident

The Tower of Pisa started leaning during construction in the 12th century because the ground on one side was too soft. Engineers have since stabilised it slightly, but it still leans about 3.97 degrees. Your kids can pretend to hold it up for the classic photo.

San Gimignano's towers were a status symbol

In medieval times, wealthy families in San Gimignano competed to build the tallest tower in town. At one point there were over 70 towers. Today, 14 still stand. Think of it as the original skyscraper competition.

Brunelleschi's dome is still a mystery

Filippo Brunelleschi built Florence's Duomo dome in the 15th century without using a wooden support frame, which was unheard of at the time. Historians still debate exactly how he did it. Even engineers today are impressed.

Taste Tuscany

What to eat with your family in Tuscany

Pici cacio e pepe

Thick, hand-rolled pasta from the Siena area, served with a simple sauce of pecorino cheese and black pepper. It's the kind of dish that looks humble but tastes extraordinary. Kids who love pasta will be obsessed.

Kids love it

Pappa al pomodoro

A thick, comforting summer soup made from stale bread, ripe tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil. It's warming, simple, and deeply Tuscan. A great option for younger eaters who like familiar flavours.

Safe choice

Crostini Toscani

Small toasted bread rounds topped with chicken liver pâté or black truffles. These are the classic Tuscan antipasto starter you'll find at almost every trattoria. Adventurous kids might surprise you.

Must try

Panzanella

A cold summer salad made from soaked stale bread, tomatoes, onions, and fresh basil. Sometimes cucumbers or tuna are added. It's refreshing on a hot Tuscan afternoon and a great introduction to cucina povera.

Daily treat

Ribollita

A hearty winter soup made from black cabbage, cannellini beans, vegetables, and stale bread, traditionally reboiled the next day for even deeper flavour. It's filling, nourishing, and exactly what you want after a long day of walking.

Local favourite