Tuscany with kids: the family guide for babies and toddlers (2026)

Tuscany has a very special place in my heart. Jack and I got married nearby at a 14th century stone farmhouse right on the Tuscan-Umbrian border, with views over a valley of rolling hills that stopped every single guest in their tracks. I’ve been to Florence more times than I can count, but the region never gets old.

So when it came to planning our first Tuscany family holiday with R, the research felt less like work and more like reconnecting with somewhere we already love – just this time with a lot more kit, a pram, and strong opinions about gelato flavours.

This guide covers everything you need to plan Tuscany with kids: the best places to visit, things to do, where to stay, how long to go for, and the honest practical stuff about prams, heat, and toddler-proofing an Italian holiday. If you’re planning a wider Italy trip, our full Italy family guide covers all the major regions.

If you want a resort stay with a proper kids club rather than a self-guided trip, we also have a round-up of the best European resorts with kids clubs, which includes several Italian properties.

Don’t have time to read the whole guide? Search top-rated Tuscany accommodation here.

Is Tuscany good for a family holiday with babies and toddlers?

It’s one of the best regions in Italy for families, particularly if you want a slower-paced trip. Here’s why Tuscany with kids works so well:

• Italians love children. Expect your baby or toddler to be fussed over in every restaurant, farm shop, and gelateria you walk into.
• The food is made for little ones. Pasta, fresh bread, mild sauces, pizza – Italy’s staples are naturally toddler-friendly and even the fussiest tend to find something they’ll eat.
• The pace suits families. Rural Italy is very much about being based somewhere beautiful, eating well, doing day trips, and letting nap schedules breathe.
• Agriturismo stays are exceptional for families. Farmhouse accommodation with outdoor space, a pool, and often a kitchen is the sweet spot for families in Tuscany.
• Cooler in the hills. In summer, the hillside towns and farms run noticeably cooler than coastal Italy or Rome, which is a real advantage when you’re pushing a buggy or carrying them on your back.
• Kids under 6 usually get in free. Most state museums and archaeological sites in Italy don’t charge for children under 6, which takes a decent chunk off the cost of a sightseeing day.

How many days do you need in Tuscany with kids?

Seven to ten days is the sweet spot for a Tuscany family holiday. Less than a week and you’ll feel rushed between locations; more than ten days and you may struggle to fill it unless you’re planning to really slow down and base yourself in one place.

Here’s our suggested 7-day Tuscany itinerary with kids, based on our trips and visit with R:

• Days 1-2: Florence. Arrive, settle in, tackle the Boboli Gardens, Piazza della Repubblica, and at least one big sight (Uffizi or Duomo but book in advance). Early morning is best to beat the heat and crowds.
• Days 3-5: Move to the Val d’Orcia or Chianti. Check into an agriturismo and enjoy long lunches and pool time. Take day trips to Siena, San Gimignano (for the gelato), and Montalcino.
• Day 6: Montepulciano or Pienza. Both beautiful – Pienza is flatter and easier with a pram, but we love Montepulciano.
• Day 7: Lucca. A wonderfully calm contrast to Florence. Walk the city walls, hire a bike, wander Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, and eat very well.

If you have 10 days, you could add a couple of nights on the Maremma coast or Elba for beach time, but I’d actually suggest spending more days based in one area as the above itinerary is quite tight.

Pisa can be a good place to fly into, and it’s an easy 1-hour drive or train from Florence. The Piazza dei Miracoli is spectacular (and you can actually walk from the airport to the leaning tower – we’ve done this a couple of times for lunch!) but half a day here is enough – there are much prettier places to see.

Best places to visit and where to stay in Tuscany with kids

Florence with kids

Florence is extraordinary: world-class art, architecture, and food. With a baby or toddler it’s pretty manageable, though the cobbled streets in the historic centre need a lightweight buggy and some patience. Stay here for a night or two as a minimum to really soak up the city and sights. Things to do in Florence include:

• Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
• Mercato Centrale – a decent food hall, great for little eaters trying new flavours
• Boboli Gardens – huge, green, and pram-friendly once you’re inside; a great place to decompress mid-sightseeing day
• Piazza della Repubblica – flat, open, with a beautiful carousel; perfect for toddlers to run while you sit at a cafe
• Piazzale Michelangelo – the view over Florence is one of the best in Italy; accessible by bus or a long pram-friendly path
• The Uffizi Gallery – book well in advance; family audio guides are available and worth it. There are also dedicated family tours bookable through GetYourGuide which bring the paintings to life for little ones.
• Ponte Vecchio and the Arno riverfront – lovely for a pram stroll, especially in the early evening when the crowds thin
• Natural History Museum of Florence – the University of Florence runs this across several buildings in the city centre. The dinosaur collection goes down very well with toddlers, it’s rarely crowded, and the facilities are good.
• Gelato making class – there are several family-friendly gelato workshops in Florence where children can make and eat their own. A brilliant rainy afternoon option and a hit at every age.

For a city stay, the priorities are central location, space, and ideally kitchen access. Our top picks:

• Hotel Orto de’ Medici: One of Florence’s highest-rated hotels, just north of the historic centre near the Medici Chapel. Spacious rooms, exceptional staff, and a warm family-friendly atmosphere.
• Hotel Calimala Florence: Right in the centre and walkable to the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, and the Duomo, with very high guest ratings and a rooftop breakfast that consistently earns praise.

For more space and self-catering flexibility, Florence apartments on Vrbo are worth searching and the family filter options are pretty good.

Lucca with kids

Lucca is Tuscany’s most underrated city and one of the most family-friendly. The entire historic centre is enclosed by a wide Renaissance wall and the top of the wall is a flat, tree-lined promenade where locals cycle and walk. Inside, many streets are pedestrianised and the atmosphere is much calmer than Florence. Things to do in Lucca:

• Walk or hire a bike along the top of the city walls: they are completely flat, pram-friendly, and one of the loveliest things to do in Tuscany with young children
• Piazza dell’Anfiteatro: an oval piazza built over a Roman amphitheatre; perfect for coffee and people-watching while toddlers roam freely
• Torre Guinigi: the medieval tower with trees growing on its roof. It’s not pram-accessible but memorable for older children
• Easy day trips: Lucca makes a great base for Pisa (just 30 minutes by train), the Versilia coast, and the Garfagnana mountains

We recommend looking at Castello dei Templari as a base. It’s a beautifully restored medieval castle just outside the city walls, with a pool, gardens, and bike hire on site. You can cycle into Lucca’s historic centre in around five minutes. If you fancy a self-catering option right inside the walls, there are some lovely apartments in the pedestrianised centre.

Pisa with kids

Pisa is an easy half-day addition to any Tuscany itinerary but I’d stay in Florence or Lucca instead. The Piazza dei Miracoli (where the Leaning Tower sits alongside the cathedral and baptistery) is one of the most dramatic public spaces in Italy, and it’s surprisingly easy to navigate with a pram. The wide grassy lawns around the buildings are perfect for toddlers to roam.

• The Leaning Tower: you can climb it (not pram-friendly, but fine with a carrier or for older toddlers), or just appreciate the spectacle from the square
• The Piazza dei Miracoli: wide and flat, plus the lawns make a good picnic spot
• The city centre beyond the tower: often skipped by tourists but worth a wander; the riverfront is lovely

Siena and the Val d’Orcia with kids

This is the Tuscany of the postcards, with cypress trees lining gravel roads, rolling golden hills, medieval hilltop towns. Siena has some flatter areas but is largely hilly and cobbled, as are the Val d’Orcia villages – a carrier earns its place here.

• Piazza del Campo, Siena: unmissable but go early to beat the crowds and heat. It’s vast, fan-shaped, and slopes gently, so toddlers can run while you sit at a cafe around the perimeter.
• Pienza: tiny, gorgeous, far quieter than Siena, and in our opinion has the single best view in Tuscany. Good for a pram wander and brilliant pecorino cheese. There’s also a small playground in the town which is handy.
• Montepulciano: steeply hilly and honestly challenging with a pram, but beautiful. There is a playground near the main entrance to the town which is useful for wearing little ones out before or after the adults explore. Better for confident walkers.
• Val d’Orcia drives: rent a car and just drive; the countryside between Siena and Montalcino is extraordinary

As this is prime agriturismo territory, a farmhouse stay here will serve you well and likely bring a pool, outdoor space, and vineyard views. Some options to consider:

• Agriturismo Nobile: Right outside Montepulciano with views up to the hilltop town, a pool, an excellent on-site restaurant, and a free shuttle into town so you don’t need to worry about the ZTL restricted zones.
• Agriturismo Merigge: A stunning property near Montepulciano with a pool, spa, cooking classes, and truffle hunts. Great for families who want to feel properly looked after.
• Poggio Ai Gelsi: A more budget-friendly option near Pienza with uninterrupted Val d’Orcia views, a shared pool, and its own outdoor space per unit. The 2-bedroom house sleeps a family of four comfortably and rates start from around £135 a night in June. Good honest value for the location.

You can also rent a private villa in the Val d’Orcia, particularly great if you want more space or are visiting Tuscany with a larger group.

San Gimignano and the Chianti region with kids

San Gimignano is famous for its medieval towers and for Gelateria Dondoli on the main square (a gelato that has won international championships and many visitors plan their trip around). The Chianti wine region between Florence and Siena is less about sightseeing and more about being somewhere beautiful – you can enjoy vineyard agriturismo stays, farm shops, long lunches.

• Gelateria Dondoli: make the trip; the saffron and pine nut flavour is something else
• Chianti Sculpture Park: a 1km woodland trail with large-scale artworks; genuinely great for toddlers and babies in carriers
• Chianti agriturismo stays: many welcome families warmly, have grounds to roam, and sell their own wine and olive oil

The Tuscan coast, Maremma and Elba with kids

If you want beach time alongside the Tuscan countryside, the Maremma coast in southern Tuscany is brilliant. It’s less developed than the Italian Riviera, with long sandy beaches, shallow calm water, and a nature reserve. Elba is a short ferry from Piombino and is another lovely family beach destination with calm coves and an island feel.

• Castiglione della Pescaia: one of the most family-friendly Maremma beach resorts, with a good range of holiday rentals right on the coast
• Maremma Natural Park: wild beaches and pine forest paths
• Elba: calm shallow water and beautiful coves; good for a slower-paced beach week
• Pitigliano: a clifftop Etruscan town in the deep south of Tuscany that really has to be seen to be believed. It rises straight out of the volcanic rock and looks almost impossible from a distance. Not the easiest with a pram but worth a short stop to take it in.
• Saturnia thermal springs: free natural hot springs about an hour from the coast. The water flows into a series of natural rock pools at a constant warm temperature. Children love it and it costs nothing – just turn up, park, and get in. Go early in the morning to avoid the crowds.

A special mention: the Tuscan-Umbrian border

If you want the full rolling-hills, stone-farmhouse, vines-and-olive-groves experience, consider basing yourself on the Tuscany-Umbria border, which is where Jack and I got married, and which gives you easy access to both regions from one beautiful base.

The estate at Chiesa del Carmine (home of the Vineria del Carmine winery) has a stunning property sleeping up to 14, set in a 13th century farmhouse with a pool, panoramic valley views, and access to wine tastings, truffle hunts, and cooking classes on site. It’s one of the most extraordinary places to stay in central Italy and works brilliantly for a larger group or extended family holiday – there are 8 bedrooms on site. Lake Trasimeno, Perugia, Cortona, and Montepulciano are all within easy reach.

Perugia, Cortona and Arezzo are each worth a half day if you’re based in this area. Neither is particularly easy with a pram given the steep streets and cobbles, but both are manageable if you pack a carrier and keep the visit fairly short. Arezzo’s cathedral and the hilltop fortress are the highlights.

Want a resort with a kids club in Italy?

If a self-guided Tuscany trip sounds like hard work and you’d rather have a resort that does the heavy lifting, Italy has some outstanding options with dedicated kids clubs and creche facilities. Our round-up of the best European resorts with kids clubs includes several Italian properties from Forte Village in Sardinia, Verdura Resort in Sicily, Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, and Parco San Marco near Lake Como. My guide offers full details on minimum creche and kids club ages, what the clubs include, and honest price comparisons.

Getting around Tuscany with a baby or toddler

You need a car for Tuscany. The hilltop towns, agriturismo properties, Val d’Orcia countryside, and coastal areas all require driving. While the trains in Italy are fantastic (I talk about some of the Italian train trips I’ve done here), they make it much harder to get around the more rural areas. Things to know:

• Book an automatic if you can as the hills and narrow lanes are much easier without a manual gearbox
• Arrange child seats in advance through your hire company and confirm when you collect – they are not always automatically included even if you’ve booked them, so double-check at the desk
• If your children are prone to car sickness, come prepared. The Tuscan side roads are beautiful but relentlessly winding, and distances that look short on a map can take much longer than expected because of the curves.
• Avoid driving into historic town centres as most have ZTL restricted zones that fine you automatically. Park outside and walk in, or use the tram in Florence.
• Florence and Pisa are well connected by train if you want to fly into Rome or Milan and pick up a hire car en route.

Practical tips for Tuscany with a baby or toddler

• Heat. Tuscany in July and August regularly hits 35C in the valleys, so we’d suggest going in May/June or September if you can. Regardless, book accommodation with a pool, plan sightseeing for early morning and late afternoon, and pack a UV sun shade for the pram. Hillside towns and farms are noticeably cooler.
• Best time to visit. May, June, and September are the sweet spots as they are warm enough for pools and outdoor time, but not brutally hot, and meaningfully less crowded. Spring means the countryside is at its greenest.
• Eating out. Italians eat late – dinner in Tuscany typically starts at 7:30-8pm. With young children, lunch is often the easier main meal out and this is what we typically do with R. Family trattorias are very welcoming. Larger supermarkets often sell excellent pizza and panini at a fraction of restaurant prices, which is worth knowing for budget days.
• Nappies and baby supplies. Widely available in supermarkets (supermercato) and pharmacies (farmacia). Farmacia staff are very helpful for any minor health queries and usually speak enough English to assist.
• Pram vs carrier. Bring both. A lightweight buggy handles flat city streets and promenades well; a carrier is essential for cobbled hilltop towns, steep lanes, and churches.
• Tipping. Not expected in Italy. Some cafes and gelaterias have tip jars but there’s no pressure. You won’t be chased for it.

Tuscany with kids: our scores

• Getting there: 8/10. Excellent UK flight connections to Florence (FLR) and Pisa (PSA). Pisa is often cheaper and has good car hire at the airport.
• Pramability: 6/10. Florence and Lucca are manageable with a lightweight buggy, but hilltop towns can be harder work.
• Adult fun factor: 10/10. The food, wine, art, and scenery are simply unbeatable. Tuscany gives as much to parents as it does to the children.
• Cost: 7/10. Not the cheapest European destination, but agriturismo stays and self-catering keep costs very reasonable. Eating lunch out and dinner in saves too.

Tuscany has that ability to feel magical however many times you visit it. Taking R back to the region where Jack and I got married is something we’ve been looking forward to since before he could even eat the pasta – and knowing what Tuscany is like, I don’t think it’ll ever disappoint.

Allie, Jack & R x

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Tuscany with kids: frequently asked questions