10 days in Tuscany with a toddler

Kat mag

New member
We are planning to visit Tuscany for 10 days at the end of June with our 2 year old daughter. We plan to fly into Pisa and we were thinking on having 4-5 days doing city sightseeing, particularly Pisa, Florence and Siena. We would then like to have 4-5 days relaxing at the beach. We just wondered if anyone had any suggestions on where to base ourselves. We were hoping to just stay in 2 different places so that we're not moving our stuff around too much. Ideally places that have restaurants/bars within walking distance and preferably self catering accommodation. Any tips gratefully received. We plan to hire a car for all or part of it! Thanks
 
Your first base could be Florence. If you plan to hire a car at Pisa airport, then you easily get to Florence via FI-PI-LI highway and find there your first accommodation. Have a look at this page for a selection of self catering lodgings. I suggest you choose an accommodation with private or public parking situated close by.
There you'll find everything you may need at an easy walking distance and visit both Florence with its tourist attractions and Siena, situated at an hour driving distance.

I suggest you take also a drive to Chianti as well, its gentle hills are really worth your while!

Then you could move to Pisa (here you'll find some suggestions for choosing your accommodation - Pisa, Livorno and Versilia offer many hotels instead of self catering accommodation, but I think it's the best location you may choose for seeing all the places you've planned to) and visit the city with its famous Miracles Square. From Pisa you easily get to beach resorts by car: Marina di Pisa, Vecchiano and Versilia (Viareggio, Lido di Camaoiore,......) are just a few locations situated at a very short dirving distance (less than half an hour).

I suggest you take a drive to Livorno also: sandy beaches are less than rocky ones, but they are all actually marvellous and some other famous sea locations - such as Vada, Donoratico, Rosignano Solvay and the Etruscan coast) are not so far away.
 
I agree with Chiara's suggestions of dividing up your stay with something more central, in Florence or just outside, and then moving closer to the coast for the second part of your stay.

In particular, in Florence you could choose an apartment away from the center but close enough for visiting as well as having countryside around you. Take a look at:

http://www.florenceaccommodation.com/agricola-poderino.html
http://www.florenceaccommodation.com/poggio-al-sole.html
http://www.florenceaccommodation.com/la-paggeria.html

From Florence, you could see Florence, Siena, Chianti, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Colle Val d'Elsa.

If you then move to the coast near Pisa, whether right at the coast or not, you can also do mostly beach time but also see Pisa and Lucca from there since you'll be closer.

We'd love to hear what you end up doing, we're working on adding more suggestions of visiting Tuscany with children and your feedback would be great!
 
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