Dear mummy, we’ve had miserable weather in the UK recently with only small glimpses of sunshine gracing our weekends. It been pretty diabolical. My folks are dreaming of warmer climates, another summer in the UK won’t cut it this year. My daddy occasionally travels to Italy on business and raves about the friendliness, warmth and hospitality of the people he’s met on his travels.

My mummy loves Italy too and is particularly fond of Florence after visiting a couple of years back. She’s seduced by the history, the art and the countryside. My daddy loves the cosmopolitan atmosphere, the alfresco dining and the wine!!

I’ve been promised a holiday to Italy in the near future to indulge in the great cuisine, amazing gelato ice creams and take in some sights!

My folks have always been fans of villas, wanting to stay in a place away from it all. Finding a location where they could let it ‘all hang out’ and fully relax without strangers fighting for sunbeds and queues at hotel check-ins. An Italian villa sounds like it could be right up their alley.

So, I’m going to be their tour guide in this post, publish it and leave it under their noses to browse at their leisure. Hopefully they will get the hint and be wowed at some of these great properties I am suggesting we stay in this summer or next.

So, without further ado here’s my top picks from a firm family favourite Tots to Travel.

My folks love to be treated well on their holidays and before I came along only stayed in top-notch hotels (it was their annual luxury and they wanted the best). Now I’m here, standards have slipped a little, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I’ve found a solution to our ‘twos company – a toddlers a crowd’. What about a palace?!? *cough* ok, our budget won’t stretch to Princess Sofia Castle but I have found one that comes pretty close!

1) Casa Castagna – My luxury choice.

Umbria, Italy. Sleeps up to 12 in total plus 2 infants in cots in 6 bedrooms.

It’s on a mountain with amazing views of the nearby Apennine Mountains. Set in the heart of five acres of beautiful woodland. This looks like a wonderful property to explore surrounding countryside or just sit and take in the views with a cool drink.

This would be perfect for a large family holiday! Think of all the role-playing a child could do in those grounds and all the large family dinners we could have! And my daddy would be King of the castle!!

It comes fully equip with toys, games and dress-up clothes, as well as a full-size pool table, table tennis and a big TV with a DVD player, a cinema surround sound, and a small library, plus a choice of CDs and DVDs. Phew! That’s a lot of things to do! So if the weather was bad we’d all have enough to occupy ourselves with! Check out the pool! My mummy would love to swim lengths in that! Its very luxurious!

What’s not to love? Well, the price I suppose… but you get what you pay for folks. It is a dream holiday villa!

So, if my parents budget can’t stretch to that amazing property I have to be realistic. What about…

2) Casa Anna – My slow-paced choice.

Perugia, Italy. Sleeps up to 12 in total plus 3 infants in cots in 5 bedrooms.

No less grand, but it has less bedrooms. A beautiful farmhouse, which has been lovingly restored to feel like a home away from home with a big pool and nearby villages to explore. We love the interior decor and the amazing swimming pool!

It would be nice to explore the quiet streets of nearby village of Montone, enjoy some authentic Umbrian food and meet the locals. Early nights and snuggles on the sofa reading books sounds blissful and we could see us doing this here!

Still pushing the boat out too much, what about this then?

3) Casa Alice – My secret garden choice.

Le Marche, Italy. Sleeps up to 12 in total plus 3 infants in cots in 5 bedrooms.

We love this colourful country property and its rustic charm. Its hidden away and very private.

It has a games room and a play area for kids in a safely enclosed garden terrace with its own climbing frame and swings. Next to this, there’s a trampoline with safety netting that we all can bounce on.

It has beautiful olive tree-lined pathways to the separate pool area which looks very inviting and a perfect sun-trap for my folks. Looks delightful!

Next is our mystery wild card…

4) Casa Podere Ierna – My Funhouse choice.

Perugia, Italy. Sleeps up to 10 in total plus 2 infants in cots in 5 bedrooms.

This one is really for me, the property is jammed packed with extras my whole family would love. It sounds like my idea of heaven!

It’s got a two-level soft play area!! Yes really! How cool is that! My own funhouse!! Set in a separate play room, it has secret little reading nooks with books and toys.

I could spend days in there, I would want to sleep in there! Hopefully I can wangle this property!

My mummy would fall in love with that kitchen and might encourage her to cook and experiment with Italian food. Outside there are ride-on play-tractors, to a huge trampoline, a 12 x 6 metre pool as well as a shallow toddler pool, both of which are heated. Perfect for me as I don’t know how to swim yet. I’d love to play in the sand pit, which is in an enclosed outdoor play area while my folks play badminton! What an amazing property!

Last but not least the most realistic for our small family…no it’s not a shoe box it’s…

5) The Old Mill – My Italian charm choice.

Tuscany, Italy. Sleeps up to 8 in total plus 3 infants in cots in 3 bedrooms.

It’s a stunning stone farmhouse, which has been beautifully restored in a traditional style with chestnut beamed ceilings and terracotta floors throughout. We love the look of this building and its immaculate gardens.

We’d love to paddle in the Tuscan streams, and relax by the pool. The Old Mill is surrounded by beautiful countryside and has enclosed fields where little ones can roam and play on swings and slides.

We’d love to have family barbecues on the pergola then snuggle up together in the evenings, sounds like our kind of Italian holiday!

Whatever family friendly villa you are looking for I’m sure Tots to Travel have it covered. All tastes, all budgets and hundreds of locations in Europe are catered for, why not pop over to see if you can find your dream property to stay in this year.

If we find one we agree on in Italy we’ll let you know and post pictures of our adventures!

Buon viaggio!

Love Bella xx

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post with Tots to Travel all options are my own.