Family Holidays in Umbria

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Umbria for Kids Base yourself in or close to one of the beautiful hilltop towns, but make sure it's one with a pool in summer, as Umbria has no coast and can be hot. There are lots of small animal attractions and honey farms. Many hotels offer outdoor activities for children. The region is the 'green heart of Italy' with rolling hills, streams, lakes and valleys. It's the perfect place to escape from it all, as it's far less popular with foreign tourists than Tuscany. It's at its best from spring to autumn. It's easy to get around the region and the distances between the main sights are short, making it a good spot for day trips. It's easy to mix culture with outdoor activities thus keeping all members of the family happy.

The Must-See Despite its rural atmosphere, Umbria is crammed with artistic treasures. Assisi with its beautiful hillside setting and perfectly preserved medieval center is great for a family outing. Kids emphasize with St Francis's love of animals, so will like the highly decorated Basilica di San Francesco and the kitsch souvenirs of animal figurines. They can play 'King of the Castle' in the Rocca Maggiore fortress above Assisi. If little princes and princesses are into castles Umbria has plenty of them. The Castello del Leone in Castiglione del Lago on Lake Trasimeno is also fun to visit. Umbria has some beautiful hilltop towns, like Orvieto, Spoleto, and Todi. Explore with an ice cream in hand. With kids be sure to take a trip to Narni, a lovely medieval town that is the center of Italy. C S Lewis also took the name randomly from a Roman map to name his mythical kingdom, Narnia. It's 21km south of Todi. Run along an aqueduct in Spoleto, spot Etruscan remains and the underground city in Orvieto and walk around the vast walls of Amelia.

The Great Outdoors The Valnerina is one of the most beautiful parts of Umbria. The eerie Piano Grande, 20km northeast of Norcia, is a riot of wildflowers in spring and summer and you can go horse and donkey riding. Hike up Monte Subasio near Spello or go white water rafting on the Nera and Corna Rivers and explore the caves at Frasassi just over the border in Le Marche. The Fonti del Clitunno, South of Trevi is a beautiful spot. Springs bubble up into a lake surrounded by weeping willows and it has been a sacred beauty spot since Roman times. Then move on to be impressed by the dramatic Marmore Waterfalls, near Terni, that was made by the Romans. There are more rafting opportunities here which is great for teenagers.

The Big Day Out Spend a day splashing about on the water. Umbria's Lake Trasimeno is Italy's fourth-largest lake. It's a good spot for cycling, swimming, windsurfing, and sailing but avoid the bleak northern shore. Make an adventure of it and catch a ferry to the tiny Isola Maggiore in the middle of the lake. St Francis lived here as a hermit. Alternatively, go Wonkers on a tour of Perugina chocolate factory in Perugia. Nestle' makes thousands of Baci chocolates here every week. Also just outside Perugia is the Citta' della Domenica, a theme park-zoo with a mini-train, pony rides, and fairy-tale village.

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