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Italy

Europe, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, North America, Spain, UK

25 virtual tours of museums and landmarks

There’s a great opportunity at the moment to visit museums and landmarks from home. Google Arts and Culture is an online platform (also available on the app store and Google Play) where you can get your daily dose of arts and culture. There are videos, high res images and street views with activities to do with the kids as well. Here’s a list of some of the museums and landmarks offering virtual or 360-degree tours.

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Europe, Family, Italy

10 must-see places in Italy

We love Italy and it really does have something for everyone. From Renaissance artwork and crumbling buildings to the most delicious cuisine, it’s a great destination for couples, groups and families alike. Here are just some of the places you really should have on your travel list.

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Cottage & villa holidays, Europe, Italy

Where to stay in the Italian Lakes

Thinking of taking a trip to the Italian Lakes but not sure where to stay? We’ve partnered with Bookings For You, who specialise in self-catering properties in the Lake Maggiore and Lake Como regions, to provide you with some travel inspiration. Based in the UK, Bookings For You provides an excellent level of service (we say that based on our own personal experience) paired with an abundance of local knowledge. They have a huge variety of properties on offer and can assist in finding villas and apartments that best suit needs, taste and budget. Plus they know the lakes well which is useful when it comes to making the most of a trip!

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Europe, Family, Italy, Off the beaten track

Matera and its fascinating Sassi

Once regarded as the “shame of Italy”, Matera is not a destination we’re going to forget in a hurry. Situated in the Basilicata region in southern Italy, the labyrinth of cave-dwelling communes (the Sassi), breathtaking ravine and rock churches make it a truly memorable place to visit. Remarkably, the honeycomb of caves was inhabited by hundreds of families right up to the 1950’s when the inhabitants were moved by law into modern buildings on the plateau above. Today, Matera is no longer seen as the shame of Italy but a fascinating reminder of times gone by. Hardly surprising it was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993 for being the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ was also filmed in Matera.

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Adventure, Europe, Family, Italy, Off the beaten track

Italian Lakes: A mountain hike for cheese

One of the highlights from my recent trip to Lake Maggiore with Bookings For You was the mountain hike. Organised by the Golfo Gabella Lake Resort, our route took us from Campagnano up towards Lago Delio. We might have made the distance had we not been distracted by the magnificent scenery and the sensational local produce. You’ll get a taste of it from this post which features the routes we took and that delicious feast, with perhaps a few too many photos. 

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Europe, Family, Italy, Review, Self catering

The Golfo Gabella Lake Resort, Lake Maggiore

Last year saw me take trips to Tuscany, Verona, Sardinia, Venice (including the islands of Burano, Murano, Torcello) and Puglia. Just when I thought I couldn’t love Italy any more, it turns out I can! I’ve recently returned from a press trip with Bookings For You and some of my favourite family travel bloggers to discover what Lake Maggiore has to offer. Situated in Northern Italy, to the west of Lake Garda and Lake Como, and bordering Switzerland, Lake Maggiore is one of those destinations you know you’re just going to love even before you’ve explored it. What’s more, there’s heaps for families with kids of all ages to do. Read about some of the reasons to visit Lake Maggiore and in this post, where you can stay and what’s available locally. 

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Adventure, Beach, Europe, Family, Italy

10 reasons to visit Lake Maggiore in Italy

Situated in Northern Italy, to the west of Lake Garda and Lake Como, is the beautiful Lake Maggiore – the second largest of the Italian Lakes. Bordering Switzerland, the magnificent scenery that surrounds it and the spectacular views from the mountains really are something else. But as we recently discovered, there’s plenty to satisfy all tastes (we’re even not talking food here) whether you’re travelling with young children, tweens or teens. Here are just some of the reasons Lake Maggiore has to be on your must-visit travel list.

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City breaks, Europe, Family, Italy

7 things to do in Venice with kids

We’ve visited Venice on several occasions as a couple but Venice with kids, some thought we were crazy to take POD with us. But why not, she loves to travel just as much as we do – and is mostly happy walking (always handy for exploring Venice!). As it was her first time visiting this beautiful Italian city, we pre-booked a couple of activities including a gondola ride and boat trip, to make the most of our trip.

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