Southern Tuscany with kids: best places to see, how to plan a perfect trip
All you need to know to plan a trip to Southern Tuscany (Grosseto province): best places to see, what to expect, travel tips.
Southern Tuscany is a beautiful part of Italy and a varied, exciting one to visit.
Nestled between Rome and the beautiful rolling hills of Val d’Orcia and Siena, Southern Tuscany is a land where small towns, hot springs, pretty hills and stunning coastline exist and an area with something for everyone.
Cultural tourists will love the many historical towns of the area, foodies will adore the famous wines of this area, kids will have a blast at the parks and beach fun this region offers, and everyone will enjoy how easy it is here to rest and relax!
Because of all this, Southern Tuscany is ideal for a family vacation. Some of the best family activities in Tuscany are here!
Italians have been flocking here for decades, and I am one of them!
I love Southern Tuscany, have come many times as a child and now as a parent with my own kids, I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a cool Tuscany vacation with kids.
In this post, I share a quick overview of Southern Tuscany, the best places to visit and tips for visiting.
As always, this guide is based on my personal experience of the place and follows my own trips to the area.
I am from Rome, so Tuscany is very much my backyard! If you look at the photos of my kids, you can see some are from when they were tiny and some are much more recent; that’s because we go to Tuscany almost every year so we have tons of family photos there!
For accommodation recommendations, I have also included personal recommendations from trustworthy parents who have visited with children and have been generous in sharing their views with me.
Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase, I might make a small commission.
Why visit Southern Tuscany with kids
- Southern Tuscany has a beautiful coastline, with beautiful sandy beaches and rocky coves, perfect for small kids and teens
- Southern Tuscany has the famous hot springs Saturnia, much loved by locals and foreign visitors alike
- It has several significant and pretty medieval towns, including the famous Pitigliano, the ‘Little Jerusalem’ of Italy
- The area of Scansano is famous for the production of Morellino, one of the best wines in the world, perfect for wine-loving parents
- Southern has great kids’ attractions, such as the stunning Garden of Tarots and its colorful sculptures, Adventure parks, the beautiful Maremma National Park and, of course, stunning sandy beaches for all ages.
Where is Southern Tuscany: map and transport options
Southern Tuscany is the Southernmost province of Tuscany, a large region in central Italy developing between Rome, Umbria and the Po Valley.
The main city in this area is Grosseto, the provincial capital of Southern Tuscany and the area develops both along the coast and inland.
Southern Tuscany is north of Rome and south of Siena, Arezzo and Florence and it is best explored by car.
You can rent a vehicle in Rome or Florence, respectively, about 2 and 3 hour drive from this area.
My go-to car rental agencies are Hetz and Avis, both of which I regularly use myself.
The best things to do in southern Tuscany with kids
Southern Tuscany offers plenty of fun opportunities to families with kids.
The area is varied yet small enough so that you can visit from one home base, taking day trips.
Another reason why I recommend Southern Tuscany with kids: you can have a bit of everything without endless drives!
The best things to do here include:
- Enjoy the beach and the small cove of this beautiful coastline lounging on the sand or partaking in the several water sports available
- Go to hot springs
- Visit small towns
- Enjoy nature in Maremma and Uccellina Natural Park
- Treat the kids to a day in a water, adventure or sculpture park
- Go wine tasting
Let’s see where and how to enjoy them!
The best places to visit in Southern Tuscany
Orbetello and Mount Argentario
The area of Orbetello and the sea promontory of Mount Argentario is one of the most beautiful and popular in southern Tuscany.
Less than two hours from Rome, this area has a very peculiar geography that makes it beautiful and sought after.
Here you find:
- A beautiful lagoon, perfect for bird watchers
- Stunning sandy beaches, such as La Feniglia and La Giannella, long beautiful stretches of sand along the outer edges of the lagoon and wonderful Ansedonia
- Cliffs and coves on the other parts of the promontory, a paradise for boat lovers, especially
- Coastal towns such as Porto Santo Stefano and Porto Ercole, with cozy marinas and an upscale feel.
- Pretty Capalbio, inland town with stone houses, pretty piazzas and a quintessential southern Tuscany feel
The area is very popular as a location for second homes of doctors and other professionals from Rome and has a chilled and high-end feel, without being over-the-top glamorous.
Recommended length of stay: several days, in summer you can easily relax in this area a week or more.
Family accommodation you may like:
Capalbio Resort – family resort offering accommodation in rooms and cottages on an estate with a beautiful pool, on site restaurant, kids’ playground
Orbetello Family camping Village (Beach) – family-friendly campsite close to the beach with bungalows, tent and campervan pitches, kids entertainment etc.
Podere Maremma Agri-resort (country stay) – family-friendly country stay with family apartments, pool, kids’ playground and on sire restaurants.
Agriturismo Colle Oliveto (country stay) – family-friendly country stay offering self-catering apartments and rooms in a stunning country setting with a seasonal pool.
Saturnia and its scenic hot springs
Saturnia hot springs need no introduction!
Once a local spot of pretty hot springs in a rural setting, Saturnia was discovered by social media a few years ago and it is now a popular spot attracting visitors from Italy and beyond.
You know that photo on the web with an ancient mill, and azure pools of water with steam whimsically rising from them? That’s Saturnia!
And while the reality of the place is not quite as glamorous and airbrushed as the photos suggest (the photo above is my own, and there is no retouching, so you can see how it really is), it is indeed a lovely place!
The springs are free to access and a popular place for a quick dip, especially in the colder season. Saturnia is in Southern Tuscany, about 2.5h from Rome and less than 1 hour drive from Orbetello.
You can find all info about Saturnia and its springs here, with also specific tips to visit with kids >>> our guide to Saturnia hot springs, Tuscany.
Recommended length of stay: this is a quick stop. People tend to stay a couple of hours / half day and often visit with nearby Pitigliano.
Pitigliano
Pitigliano is one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany and a Southern Tuscany must-see.
Perched on top of a tufa rock hill and built in colors that make the town look like it is emergent from the rock itself, Pitigliano is both scenic and historically significant.
Since the 1400s, Pitigliano has been home to a large Jewish community, so important to earn the town the nickname of Little Jerusalem.
The synagogue and the Jewish museum here are among the most popular sites for a visit but the whole village itself is worth as top for its scenic location and historic feel.
Recommended length of stay: this is a small village you can visit in a couple of hours. It also makes a lovely lunch stop if exploring the area. It is easily visited with Saturnia, just down the road from here.
Pitogliano doesn’t have specific attractions for kids. However, the pretty village and its car fee spaces make it easy enough to also visit with little ones and my two always enjoy a bit of exploring here.
read here >>> our essential guide to Pitigliano
Talamone
Talamone is an adorable small town on the Southern Tuscany coast, perched on a rocky promontory stretching into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Historical and pretty, Talamone is overlooked by the impressive Aldobranchesci tower and is a great place for a stroll and seafood meal.
What makes Talamone stand out, however, it is not just its center, but its position!
Close to the town, you have access to the beautiful Uccellina and Matremma nature areas and many beautiful beaches and coves, sea famous for water sports such as windsurfing, kite-surfing, and sailing.
Recommended length of stay: You can see Talamone itself in a couple of hours. The area, however, has plenty to offer for a long stay (a week or more).
Family accommodation you may like:
Talamone Camping Village – family-friendly camping village with bungalows, tents, pool, kids’ activities and sea access
Castiglion della Pescaia and Punta Ala
Castiglion della Pescaia is a very pretty coastal town in Southern Tuscany, popular with families, especially thanks to its sandy beach and calm waters.
Originally a fishing village and now a popular vacation spot, Castiglion della Pescaia is pretty but it is also famous for its relaxed beach and fantastic location, close to Mount Argentario, Maremma National Park and ancient Vetulonia. A treat for history lovers.
I first came to Castiglion della Pescaia when I was a child myself and my auntie took a house here for the summer. It has been a favorite ever since!
This is an adorable town and a great place to call home for a while, if you are looking for a relaxed beach town in Tuscany to mix beach time and day trips.
Shops, playgrounds and all the tourism services you expect from a beach destination are in town.
Within the ra of Castiglione della Pescaia you also find Punta Ala, an exclusive beach resort area with stunning beaches, a tourist port, and a wonderful pine tree forest.
Recommended length of stay: this is a pretty town to call home for a family beach vacation especially. Stay a few days to enjoy all the area has to offer.
Family accommodation you may enjoy:
Hotel Miramare Casiglion della Pescaia – 3 star hotel with family rooms and a private beach
Punta Ala Camp and resort – family-friendly campsite under the shade of pine trees, offering bungalows, a playground, an adventure park, a restaurant on site and beach access.
Maremma Regional Park
The Maremma regional park is a beautiful natural area stretching along the Southern Tuscany coast and immediately inland.
The park so wonderful natural space and includes sandy beaches (between Talamone and Principina), the green Uccelina hills with their wonderful trails, the Alberese Pine forest and large flat areas home to the Maremma cows, very cool for kids to see, with their big horns!
The park offers walking trails, the option to get horse carriage rides, bike trails, horse riding opportunities, canoe excursions and more.
You can visit this park from any of the nearby towns in the area.
You can find here >>> the official park website
Kids’ attractions in Southern Tuscany
In Southern Tuscany, you also find children’s attractions perfect for a day of fun. Young kids may enjoy:
- Acqua Village Water Park Follonica – not technically in the province of Grosseto but so near to be a perfect day trip from It, this is a great water ark with pools and slides
- Parco Avventura Cielo Verde – adventure park for kids with treetop trails for kids and adults
- Parco Avventura le Marze – adventure park for kids with treetop trails for kids and adults
- Il Tasso Scatenato – adventure park for kids with treetop trails and ziplining
- Parco Aquatico Splash Water Park – inflatables in the sea in Gavorrano (Follonica)
- Enjoy-Wibit Park Water Park, inflatables n the sea in Punta Ala
- Giardino dei Tarocchi, a beautiful sculpture garden that is not for kids as such but tends to capture their imagination because of the colorful, large and imaginative sculpted creations it contains.
Wine tasting in Southern Tuscany
Parts of Southern Tuscany are famous for the production of one of the best wines in the world: Morellino di Scansano.
Wineries in this area offer the option to drop in for a tasting, either for a visit to the cellar or for a longer stay accompanied by lunch, often the best way to enjoy wine tasting in Tuscany with kids.
The wineries in this area don’t have specific kids’ programs. However, some such as Tenuta Il Quinto and Tenuta Fortuna can tailor make an experience around your needs.
In all cases, I recommend you get in touch directly to make plans: visits are by booking only and they will be able to recommend the best time and setup for a family visit.
Wineries you may enjoy are:
Tenuta il Quinto, Magliano in Toscana, offering tailor-made winery visits and tastings
Tenuta Fertuna, Grilli, a beautiful wine farm offering wine tours, wine picnics and tasting with the option of light lunch and dinner in the estate
Tenuta L’Impostino, Civitella Paglianico wine tours, vineyard visit, poolside tasting, e-bike tour and wine tasting. Also an Agriturismo offering farm stay and on-site restaurant. Double, triple and quadruple rooms are available.
Tentua Rocca di Montemassi , Roccastrada, a beautiful wine farm offering tours and tasting plus the option of an overnight stay
Where to stay in Southern Tuscany with kids – summary
Principina – a lovely small town on the coast with pretty beaches, a pleasant center, a family-friendly atmosphere and all the services you expect from a pretty vacation spot.
Here you have a pleasant promenade, beaches, shops, restaurants and a distinctive lack of evening noise, the place being popular with families more than partygoers.
Popular places to stay with kids are:
- Hotel Grifone, Principina a Mare
- Residence Mareblu, Principina a Mare
- Hotel Fattoria La Principina, Principina Terra
Castiglion della Pescaia – an adorable town with a family-friendly vibe, pretty medieval streets and all the service you expect from summer vacation spot.
- Riva del Sole Resort and spa
- Camping Village Maremma Sans Souci
- Camping Village le Rocchette
- Camping Village Baia Azzurra club
Punta Ala – a wonderful seaside resort area with sandy beaches, an inflatable water park (in the sea), hotels, resorts and campsites.
Albinia/Orbetello/ Capalbio/ Monte Argentario
Talamone
The most beautiful beaches in Southern Tuscany
Among the best beaches in Southern Tuscany, there are:
La feniglia https://goo.gl/maps/QeALDgPaLGtzfV5f6
La Giannella Map https://goo.gl/maps/tXqi96nwDzVVmhUHA
Cala Violina https://goo.gl/maps/7aq3ztgMTEXwCL4N8
Capalbio beach https://goo.gl/maps/crq4We65YZifZPzB9
Spiaggia delle Rocchette https://goo.gl/maps/jGDdyFQLyChwJxCJA
Spiaggia delle Marze https://goo.gl/maps/7aq3ztgMTEXwCL4N8
All these beaches offer a mix of free / wilder stretches and beach clubs. You can read here >>> all you need to know about beach clubs in Italy.