Italy is a place that makes me think of football, fun and ice-cream. My kids are desperate to go there, and experience the pleasure of having that soft ice-cream on a summers day from one of the famous Italian ice-cream parlours dotted about its lands. Ice-cream isn’t the only COOL thing to be done there though. We’ve been looking for things to do in Tuscany with kids that is even “cooler” than the soft stuff….
We wanted to prove that there is an awful lot more to the country than ice-cream and Roberto Baggio’s dodgy hairstyles.
Visit Riserva Naturale Provinciale Diaccia Botrona and spot a Flamingo
Flamingoes are very, very pink. And they eat prawns which makes them pink. Clearly this makes them cool.
This nature reserve in the town of Castiglione della Pescaia in Tuscany on the coast offers boat tours for you to get a bit up close and personal with the wildlife there. The wetland area is actually over 1000 hectares, which really is mahoosive. Flamingoes frequent (try and say THAT quickly) the marshlands, so there is every chance you and the kids will see one of these amazing birds. Now THAT is worth it, wouldn’t you agree?
Costs for the trip are reasonable too; kids/adults are €6/12, and the boats run 5pm and 6.30pm Tuesday to Sunday mid-June to mid-September.
Pop to a proper Gelato for an Artisan Ice Cream experience
Ice cream is, as I’ve already said, what Italy is all about, but no more so than Tuscany, which is FAMOUS for its amazing gelato. If you are going to Tuscany with kids, it would be rather remiss not to indulge in the odd ice cream here and there…
In fact, to truly experience the “cool” side of Tuscany, you have to visit a REAL gelateria. Thankfully there are a few to choose from to make your trip that little bit special. The perfect gelato is served in pans, and shouldn’t make you thirsty, so keep these tips for finding the best gelato in mind when you are on the hunt for your gelateria in Tuscany. Why not check out Gamberorossa’s Guide to the Best Gelateria in Italy too – so you have a heads start!
Check out the Vespas at the Piaggio Museum
The Vespa is a Italian icon.
A visit to Tuscany with kids HAS to include the Piaggio Museum as it has over 100 of them for you and the kids to check out!
Yes, we know it is just a scooter, but it is one hell of a cool scooter; it seems to be everywhere in the movies. Why, even James Bond gets in on the act in the Thunderball film in 1965.
Vespa was founded approximately 110 years ago, and the museum established in 2000 to tell the story of this iconic scooter. From videos, to the advertising campaigns used from the 1930s to the present day; you’ll learn all there is to know about these gorgeous scooters.
Your kids will want one afterwards, I’ll bet!
Visit the Marble caves in a 4×4 adventure!
The marble in Carrera in Tuscany is simply stunning….
Visiting them with a 4×4 tour has GOT to be one of the coolest ways to experience them. Your kids will love the 2.5 hour adventure up to the quarries, including visiting an underground quarry. What would that even look like?!?
Cave di Marmo Tours offers these trips daily, and they do need to be booked in advance; but the views and experience is worth the extra planning required.
Ride the Funicular on Elba for the stunning views
Elba is one of the most famous parts of Tuscany, because of Napoleon’s exile there after his abdication in 1814. The Funicular at Monte Capanne is one of the coolest ways to visit and see the beautiful island for yourself.
If your kids are brave enough, you could even buy yourself a one-way ticket, and walk down the mountain together. This is a great way to see the Moufflons, Peregrine Falcons, and Buzzards on the mountainside up close (ish!). And kids do love a good mountain sheep, right?
Ending an article on sheep – now THAT’S cool 🤣
But we haven’t quite finished our Tuscan tour…..
When my husband was about five-years old, he dropped his ice-cream outside the Colosseum. There followed an ocean of tears after that split second realisation that he wasn’t going to be allowed to eat it anymore. Here is to hoping that that when we visit Tuscany; these cool activities make up for this rather distressing and un-cool memory of Italy!
Anything to stop him mentioning it every. single. time. we buy an ice-cream for the kids….
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Helen
Helen
Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine!Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time.KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10.It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania.Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on.Get in touch TODAY!