Italy’s Top Active Vacations for Families

With all its world-class art, and cultural and historic treasures, family travelers don’t always consider Italy for an active vacation. But skiing, hiking, cycling and other sports provide families with experiences of a lifetime, revealing highlights of Italy most travelers miss. These three are favorites:

Hiking Cinque Terre
The five picturesque little port villages along the Ligurian coast are connected by rail, but a far more scenic way to experience these is hiking between the towns along Sentiero Azzurro. This dramatic coastal path travels along the clifftops in places carved into the cliff face itself, commanding an endless series of spectacular views. Dropping into the villages you can relax in a harborside café or restaurant to enjoy a bit of La Dolce Vita. Hike the entire distance or choose one or two segments; you can catch the train in any of the villages, so you don’t need to commit to the entire 12 kilometers from Monterosso to Riomaggiore.

Cycling in Tuscany
Like Cinque Terre, Tuscany is scattered with picture-perfect towns, but instead of being tucked under seaside cliffs, Tuscan towns crown hilltops with clusters of buildings whose appearance has changed little since the Middle Ages. Touring between these by bicycle, families can enjoy the countryside and smaller villages, getting a taste of Tuscan life.

Fields of poppies and other wildflowers, vineyards, orchards, and rolling hillsides line the way along Strade Bianche (white roads). This network of country lanes and farm roads weaves among the hills south of San Gimignano, and you can book guided or unguided tours that include lodging, luggage transfer, and meals at agritourism farms and villages along the route.

Skiing in the Dolomites
While the prospect of skiing in Europe’s alpine heights may seem daunting, Italy’s majestic Dolomites are not just for Olympic skiers. Gentle slopes; long, easy runs; and beginner areas for kids are just as easy to find among these mountains and valleys as the steeps and chutes that make the Dolomites a favorite for expert skiers.

Enjoy the glitz of Cortina d’Ampezzo or the more laid-back family atmosphere of Arabba/Marmolada or Alta Badia, and you can also enjoy the benefits of budget-friendly Dolomiti Superski pass. This inclusive ticket allows access to lifts and trails at 12 different ski terrains at prices far below the cost of U.S. and Canadian resorts.