Maman Voyage: all our family travel articles

5 ideas for long weekends in Italy

Today I’m sharing with you all my ideas for long weekends in Italy, because it’s truly a country that’s a joy to visit all year round. Especially if, like me, you suffer from the dolce vita syndrome! Whether it’s for the beauty of the cities, the history, the architecture or the gastronomy, there’s no shortage of reasons to head to Italy for a long weekend as a couple or with the family!

Here’s my selection of the Italian cities we preferred:

1 – A long weekend in Venice as a couple or with the family:

It was to celebrate our engagement that we went to Venice for the first time, a few years ago now. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a city even more beautiful than expected! In fact, I’d always told myself that Venice was such a myth that I’d inevitably be disappointed because I’d expect too much. Well, no! Venice turned out to be magical, magnificent, unforgettable: yes, nothing less than that!

In August 2021, we went back to Venice with the family and the city of canals continued to charm us!

A few ingredients for a successful weekend in Venice:

When to visit Venice? Avoid peak periods such as Carnival or Easter. We went to Venice in June. We had bright sunshine; there were people about but not too many, even though we were there during the Biennale. We were also there in August and, surprisingly, it was calm (international tourism hadn’t fully bounced back). Also, in the height of summer, holidaymakers may be looking more for beaches than cities.
Get off the beaten track: if you stick to St Mark’s Square and the surrounding area, you’ll only find tourists and outrageously priced cafés. As soon as you get lost in the maze of little streets, you quickly find yourself away from the crowds. You then discover great little places, intimate wine bars, family-run and affordable trattorias. So you need to walk, walk, walk, without limiting yourself to the usual route that all visitors take. In fact, the first time in Venice, we even chose not to visit the “big monuments”, where entry prices are quite high. There are enough wonders to discover just by strolling, as the city is a living, romantic museum.
Venice in 3–4 days: you can take two or three days to wander around the city. And add a day for a boat trip to Burano, the little island I liked best (Murano impressed me far less). In fact, to make the most of Burano, and if you have the time, you can plan to spend a night in one of the lovely colourful houses. You’ll then get a calmer Burano once the tourists leave at the end of the day.
La Dolce Vita in Venice: have a Spritz at the end of the day by the water or on Campo Santa Margherita, a large square we particularly loved for its very local atmosphere.
Also read: Our 10 must-sees in Venice.

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Burano

2 – A long weekend in Rome, for travelling through time:

I love Rome, where I went dozens of times as a child. Then we tried Rome with a baby (when Ticoeur was 4 months old) and finally with the whole little family. Find the article about our latest getaway to Rome: 4 days in Rome with the family.

Crossing Rome on foot is a wonderful trip through time. In no other city, as far as I know, do you come so close to the ruins of the past. The remains of the Roman Empire are right there before our eyes, along the street. I also love the city’s many squares, the incredible museums and the Tastevere district.

When to go to Rome? I’ve tried Rome at every time of year. I only advise against late July to late August because it can be far too hot to walk around.
Rome in 3–4 days: you’ll already get a great feel for the city, but you’ll want to come back again and again ;-). Don’t miss the Trevi Fountain, the Roman Forum, Piazza Navona, Piazza Mattei, the Colosseum and a few museums. To optimise your visits, choose the “Roma Pass”, which gives access to transport and several museums at a reduced price (sold at the airport, the station, etc.).
Accommodation: here is a lovely very Italian-style flat, located near the Vatican. You can easily walk to the Tiber and cross over to visit the historic centre or take the metro. Finally, the first time, we stayed in the Monti district, between the Colosseum and the station: see this nicely decorated flat. A practical area for visiting the city.
La Dolce Vita in Rome: to sample the dolce vita, nothing beats lunch on a terrace in Tastevere, a district full of charm.

3 – A long weekend in Ferrara to travel back to the Middle Ages:

Ferrara is a very pretty medieval town located 40 minutes from Bologna airport. The architecture is superb. It’s very pleasant to explore on foot or by bike, discovering the city’s historic buildings. It’s a trip back in time, straight to the 14th century. I could also have suggested a weekend in Bologna, Ferrara’s bigger neighbouring city. I’ll tell you more about Bologna when I get back next week… Ferrara has the advantage of a more intimate setting.

When to go to Ferrara? In spring or early autumn. The region is famous for its thick fog, which you’ll probably see in the evening.
Ferrara in 2 or 3 days: stroll around the old town on foot discovering its historic heritage, and keep one day for a bike ride along the river Po.
La Dolce Vita in Ferrara: dinner in one of the city’s very old restaurants, where you won’t fail to try the pasta specialities with pumpkin and sage.

4 – A long weekend in Florence for art lovers:

Our 2 weeks in northern Sardinia: beach paradise

Oh, how beautiful the beaches of Sardinia are! And there are so many of them! Sardinia was still unknown to us: as half of my family lives in Sicily, we have often opted for the Sicilian option. Over the past few years, we have also got into the habit of going to Corsica regularly, and the Island of Beauty has always delighted us; this year, for once, we tried Sardinia and it turned out to be yet another, very different experience. I will actually write a post comparing Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica for those hesitating between these three Mediterranean destinations. No suspense here: what impressed us most in Sardinia were the beaches, hence this post to share with you the ones we tested and approved last month.

I should point out that I haven’t retouched the photos below. Yes, the colours really are that beautiful, the water that clear, and at times it genuinely looks like the Maldives!

Cala Brandichi

To put things back into context in our round-the-world itinerary: we returned from Rio at the beginning of July on a flight to Frankfurt, then took a train to Stuttgart where we picked up my in-laws, before flying the next day to Olbia in Sardinia, the first stop of our little European tour that would round off our Round-the-World trip.

During our 2 weeks in Sardinia, we chose 3 bases from which we explored the area:

Costa Paradiso (in the north) -> I actually recommend our villa, as it was the best accommodation of our Sardinian stay. Edit 2026: unfortunately, this villa is no longer available to rent. Here is a similar one for 8 people.
Bosa (on the west coast) -> our accommodation is no longer available to rent. As an alternative, I suggest this charming address in Bosa: La Locanda di Corte or, as a more budget-friendly option, this house with a swimming pool, 4 km from the town (a car is required).
Posada (on the east coast) -> we stayed at Hotel Sale.

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Our 3 bases in Sardinia

Discovering the beaches of northern Sardinia:

Beaches near Costa Paradiso:

The cove of Costa Paradiso, accessible via a pleasant path (10 minutes). The walk down is enjoyable as long as you avoid the hottest hours of the day. The children loved swimming in the river arm that flows into this beach.

Costa Paradiso beach

Cala Sarraina (very easy access, just a short walk from the car park). A lovely little beach bar.

Cala Sarraina

Lu Litarroni/Naracu Nieddu: several access points are possible. We recommend the one that brings you out near the restaurants/bars, with a small shaded path to reach the beach (10 minutes). Paid parking (2€/hour). A very large white-sand beach. Pleasant bar with a view over the beach. When we were there, there were a bit too many waves for the children.

Lu Litarroni

Best access path for Lu Litarroni

Beaches near Bosa:

Compoltitu beach: in fact, we tried three beaches near Bosa, but this one was our absolute favourite, so we went there every day and it’s the one we recommend! Note: getting down to it is a bit of a workout, but perfectly doable (allow about 10 minutes). It was Ticoeur and Titpuce’s favourite beach because the sea was very calm and the water deepens very gradually.

Compoltitu (Bosa)

plages du nord de la Sardaigne — Compoltitu (Bosa)

Beaches near Posada:

Posada beach

Cala Brandichi

san teodoro sardaigne — Isuledda (San Teodoro)

Porto Taverna

We also visited the following lovely beaches, but liked them less, mainly because they were too crowded: La Cinta and Porto Istana.

Practical information for enjoying the beaches with children:

Bring a parasol, as there is rarely any shade.
We favoured the beach in the morning before 11am and in the afternoon after 4–5pm to avoid the intense heat. What’s more, there are very few people in the morning (note: we were there in mid-July – I imagine there are many more tourists in August).
We made good use of the small kiosks and beach bars, which are cheaper than in France. Ideal for having a coffee and treating the children to ice creams.
As usual, don’t forget hats, water and sun cream.
I don’t know if it was just the beaches we went to, but none of them were supervised :-(. In any case, we never take our eyes off the children.

Cala Brandichi

I hope you enjoyed this little overview of the beautiful beaches of northern Sardinia! Don’t hesitate to also check out our itinerary in southern Sardinia.

Perhaps you already know northern Sardinia and its beaches? Any other spots to recommend?

Our week on Lake Lugano

The lakes region had been on my list for a long time: Lago di Lugano, Lago di Como, Lago Maggiore, Lago di Garda and the others… An area I didn’t yet know. At the end of August, we spent a week on the shores of Lake Lugano with the children and the grandparents. Lake Lugano lies on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Our house was on the Swiss side, 6 km from the Italian border, right on the lake. Staying on the border is quite fun because you cross it several times a day depending on the visits you have planned. In the end, we must have spent 50% of the time in Switzerland and 50% in Italy: an Italo-Swiss holiday!

Ticoeur’s age: almost 6
Titpuce’s age: 3 and a half

During this week on Lake Lugano, we organised a day trip to Milan to visit the World Expo, and we spent another day on the shores of Lake Como. Today, I’m presenting the shores of Lake Lugano, as it’s the area we explored the most.

Things to see/do on the shores of Lake Lugano:

the village of Porto Ceresio (Italy): romantic, full of charm, small but very lively. A lovely family atmosphere and a playground that’s ideal for children.

the village of Gandria (Switzerland): a picturesque village with its little lanes and old stone buildings

Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland): a UNESCO-listed site and it really is superb! We first parked by the Brusino Arsizio cable car. A return cable-car ticket costs CHF 20 per adult and CHF 12 for children (prices updated in 2025). Once at the top, we did an easy 1 hr 40 min hike to the Serpiano viewpoint. The children walked well. As usual, they prefer hiking to a stroll around town. The panorama on arrival is breathtaking!

a walk in the Breggia Gorge (Italy): a surprising place, I must say: you come across strange geological formations but also an old disused cement works.

the town of Lugano: a very airy, very clean, very orderly and very wealthy town. I especially liked the lakeside and the park.

the church and the baptistery in Riva San Vitale. The latter is the oldest building in Switzerland!

The Santa Croce church

the train museum in Mendrisio (Switzerland): it’s crazy how many model trains there are in this museum! A huge collection! On the other hand, the rooms are a bit boring… They should make this museum more lively because it has real potential. Ticoeur liked it and, as it was raining, it was handy to take shelter there.

the market in Ponte Tresa (Italy): very lively; it takes place every Thursday. You’ll find very good local products but also lots of uninteresting clothing stalls.
swimming in the lake: nice for adults but not suitable for young children. When you know that Lake Lugano is very deep (almost 300 metres in some places!), it’s intimidating – you think about it… Even with floats or armbands, we weren’t very reassured, so we filled a small inflatable paddling pool by the lake for Ticoeur and Titpuce. For adults, swimming is pleasant because the lake is huge and the view is superb. For my darling, the water is too cold (22°C when we were there). In the villages, there are small beaches, but the water remains deep.

Our jetty

Beach in Porto Ceresio

Apart from our walks around Lake Lugano, we never tired of our terrace, whose view was magical from morning to night…

One week in Lanzarote with children

If you are following us on Instagram, you know that we spent a wonderful week of family holiday in the volcanic setting of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Like every summer, we organized a trip with the grandparents. This time, we chose this land of fire that delighted us with its landscapes, its great spaces, its climate, its beaches, its little white villages with cubic houses, with blue or green shutters, not to mention the artistic heritage created by César Manrique. We were based in the centre of the island, in Nazaret, with a dozen of volcanoes in sight. Memorable lunar-like landscapes that will be etched in my memory. During a week, we had time to explore the island deeply. I don’t know the rest of the Canary Islands, so I can’t compare to Tenerife (* not true anymore – update below), Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, Gran Canaria or even El Hierro, but there is no doubt that Lanzarote is a big crush that I recommend for a trip with the kids, or just as a couples gateway! Finally, I have been delighted to practice my Spanish, especially since we are going back to Spain in a couple of days for the 40h birthday of our friends in Valencia.

Age of Ticoeur: almost 6 years old

Age of Titpuce: 3 years and a half

Winning duo: cactus and volcano!

Playa Grande in Puerto del Carmen

View from our house

Program of the week:

D1: Arrival in Arrecife around 3pm. We get our car then go direction our villa in Nazaret. We enjoy the swimming pool with the view on the volcanoes
D2: Visit of la Cueva de los Verdes, a cave formed by lava. Beach near Orzola. Lunch in Arrieta. Back to the villa: nap and swimming pool.
D3: Craft market of Haria. Visit of la Casa César Manrique. Nap and swimming pool then visit of the César Manrique Trust. End of the day on the beach (Jablillo).

Our roadtrip in Sri Lanka with the children

Hello everyone! I’m back to tell you about our roadtrip in Sri Lanka with the children. We came back last night and with the jet lag I woke up at 5am, so I enjoy this opportunity to give you the details of our Sri Lankan family adventures. Clearly, Sri Lanka is a big crush! We are already thinking about going back there. I thought that this country offered a condensed version of Asia: a change of scenery, tea plantations, rice fields, beaches, temples, cultural sites, all of this without having to travel for many miles! A destination suitable for a family trip! I’m looking forward to share with you the enchantment we felt discovering this amazing country.

Train travelling over the 9 arches in Ella

Age of Ticoeur: 5 years and a half

Age of Titpuce: 3 years (that we celebrated precisely in Sri Lanka!)

Itinerary and good addresses:

Arrival in Colombo at 10.40 pm and departure to Bentota in taxi (about 2h).

Chill Island Villas ❤, very beautiful and charming bed and breakfast, nicely decorated and big swimming pool. Perfect to recover from the journey. We had a big double bedroom with a cot for Ticoeur and Titpuce between us in the huge bed.

Bentota (about 10km away) – 2 nights – to begin softly and rest not far from the sea. Accommodation: Chill Island Villas ❤, very beautiful and charming bed and breakfast, nicely decorated and big swimming pool. Perfect to recover from the journey. We had a big double bedroom with a cot bed for Ticoeur, and Titpuce was between us in the huge bed. Activities: visit of small temples, turtle centre and simply swimming pool! Booking: Chill Island Villas.

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When you book a hotel on Booking by following a link on my articles, it allows me to receive a small commission: it does not change the price for you and it helps me maintain the blog. So thank you very much to those who book the hotels we recommend!
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Bus (between Bentota and Galle: 1h10) – lunch break in Galle then tuk-tuk (between Galle and Mirissa: 1h)

Mirissa – 1 night – nice ideal beach for children, very quiet, touristic but a nice atmosphere with a great restaurant of grilled fish on the beach by night. Accommodation: Palm Villa, ideally situated on the beach, delicious breakfast with sea view. We had a bedroom with a double bed, a single bed for Ticoeur and a baby bed for Titpuce. Activities: beach, visit of the colonial city of Galle.

tuk-tuk (between Mirissa and Tangalle: 1h30).

Tangalle – 1 night – here, the beaches are wild and deserted, with big waves. Accommodation: Patini Bungalows ❤, with an adorable reception of Séverine and her family. The bungalows are very beautiful and high quality, with terrace. We had a double bedroom with two extra mattresses on the floor. Activities: beach and also an excursion to a stunning temple (Mulkirigala) not touristic although it is pretty extraordinary, like the Dambulla temple.

Tuk-tuk (between Tangalle and Udawalawe: 1h30).

Udawalawe – 1 night – only purpose of this step: going on a safari with the children in the National Park of Udawalawe, famous for its many elephants. I will tell you all the details of this safari in a blog post dedicated to it. Accommodation: Superson Guesthouse, very simple but a very nice welcome from the family and our host booked everything for our excursion. We had a bedroom with one double bed and two single beds.

Elephant in the National Park of Udawalawe

Car with driver (between Udawalawe and the Morning Mist close to Ella: 2h).

40 min away from Ella (in the middle of nowhere 😉) – 3 nights (and we could have stayed 4): the magic of the tea plantations and the mountains, an exceptional panorama. Accommodation: Morning Mist ❤, not to be missed, for its beautiful location, and the excellent cooking of Pat’. For the family, there is a little individual villa with 2 bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen, so perfect in terms of space. Activities: visit of the neighbouring tea plantation of Amba State (very interesting because it’s a very small plantation which is selling its delicious tea to Fortnum & Mason in London!) Excursion in Ella (hiking at Little Adam’s Peak, waterfalls), and above all bathing in the river, down the Morning Mist and little walks in the plantations.

Tuktuk to the station then 1st class train to Haputale (45 min).

Haputale – 1 night – Stroll in a tuktuk until Lipton Seat, wonderful point of view from where Sir Lipton loved to observe his plantations. Simple accommodation but with a beautiful view from the balcony: The Mist Holiday. We had a little bedroom with two double beds.

1st class train (Haputale->Kandy : 5h).

Kandy centre – 1 night: we had read rather negative comments about Kandy but we really liked it. A lot of colonial buildings around the lake. Accommodation: Vino Villa (we wanted stay in the Mc Leod or the Queen Hotel but it was full), so, our accommodation didn’t have the charm of the colonial residences but it was comfortable, brand new (a double bedroom and two extra beds). Activities: Temple of the Tooth, botanical garden.

Tuk-tuk

1h away from Kandy (still in the middle of nowhere 😉) – 2 nights – in the enchanted setting of a tea plantation in the Madulkelle Tea & Eco Lodge ❤, a unique location for a charming break in the middle of our stay. Everything is perfect: amazing swimming pool with a view, the high quality lodges, restaurant diners and the reception. I will detail all this with pictures because this place was so magical! We had a lodge with a double bed, a single bed and an extra mattress. Activities: farniente in front of the plantations, visit of the Hatale plantation (it was very interesting because all of the engines were working), walks.

Tuktuk between Madulkelle Tea Lodge and Sigiriya (4h).

Sigiriya – 3 nights – we chose Sigiriya as a starting point to visit the cultural triangle, which is the zone with the main cultural sites of Sri Lanka. Accommodation: Lakmini Lodge, simple but adorable reception of the landlord who loves children and who is very impressive in terms of efficiency to organize all of your excursions for interesting prices! We had a bedroom with two double beds. This way, we visited : Sigiriya Rock, Dambulla cave, the old city of Polonnaruwa (all of this in tuktuk). Booking: Lakmini Lodge.

Tuk-tuk to the station of Hanarana then 2^nd class train (until Ragama: 5h) then tuktuk then bus until Negombo (1h).

Negombo – 1 night: this fishermen town is ideally located near the airport so it was perfect for a last night before we left. Accommodation: Green Wood Villa (nothing special but convenient, clean and comfortable + it’s easy to organise your transfer to the airport – however we didn’t see any swimming pool…). A bedroom with a double bed, a single bed and a cot bed.

Our itinerary in pictures:

From Colombo anti-clockwise…

Practical information:

Season of the trip: February. We had 28-30 degrees and the weather was really nice every day, with a little rain sometimes by the end of the day twice or thrice, and gloomy weather the last two days. Because it was Winter Break, there were a lot of people in some areas.
Duration: 16 days
Plane: around 11h of flight with a call in a Gulf State (Oman for us because we travelled with Oman Air) or a direct flight with Sri Lanka Airlines. The children mostly watched cartoons. They didn’t sleep much, although it was a night flight, because there was too much light.
Jetlag: 4h30 with Paris – Since we arrived late and tired from the trip (no big sleep in the plane) we had no trouble adjusting to local time.
Equipment for children: only the Ergobaby for Titpuce but we didn’t use it much because she walked a lot. A few diapers (that we didn’t use either) and two waterproof protections in case one of them wet the bed (only happened once 😉).
Health: there are few cases of malaria in Sri Lanka, but not in its most severe form. It is recommended to take a treatment in case you stay more than 10 days but, in agreement with our doctor, we didn’t take any medicine. However, I used a mosquito repellent treatment on our clothes and I brought an anti-mosquito adapted for infested tropical areas. We mostly used long sleeves T-shirts and trousers, and of course, you have to be extra careful if you have a fever. Still following the recommendations of our doctor, the children were vaccinated against hepatitis A. Important: you should also check with your doctor before you leave.
Transport: it was the only unknown factor of our trip. Everything else was booked in advance. We improvised on the spot, following the advice of our hosts, or following our intuition. This way, on every step, we organized, with the help of our guest house or hotel the transportation to the next step. As you could read above, we travelled a lot in tuk-tuk. We felt at ease with this mode of transport, that seemed safer, more comfortable than the bus, and half the price of a car with a driver. Once again, you should experience to make your own opinion because I don’t want to say that, concerning security, it was perfect! (no seat belt). Be careful, by the way, if you are renting a car with a driver: if you are to pay a more expensive price, make sure the vehicle you rent has seat belts in the back (it’s not always the case!). Concerning the train, we didn’t make much sense out of the booking system. We had booked our tickets before, on the internet (at a tourist price) because it was said that the trains were overcrowded. But, once on the spot, there were plenty of places! For our last journey, we bought our tickets only a few minutes before we went on the train. In first class, there is air-conditioning and cartoons. In 2nd class, since the windows are opened, the heat is not overwhelming, except when the train stops. Thus, with a baby, I would advise you to travel in 1^st class.
Meal: Mainly, you have to like the chicken curry 😉. The children only ate the rice without the curry so, in restaurants, we ordered fried noodles for them. We loved the fresh fruits and fresh fruit juices! We also all loved the hoopers (some kind of pancakes with coconut milk). We found some sweetened plain yoghurts.
Budget: for information purpose, we spent:
600€ for the round trip flight per person
100€ on the spot per day, for the four of us, consisting of: 50€ on the accommodation + 20€ on transportation + 20€ on meals + 10€ on visits. We would have spent less on accommodations but we chose to focus on charm and comfort; we could have spent less on meals, but mostly we had diners in the bedrooms of our guest houses or hotels for an easier organization; we could have travelled only by bus (but it’s more complicated!). In a world, it could be possible to get to 70€/day (maybe less?). On the other hand, if, like many tourists, you choose to rent a car with a driver for your whole stay, you have to consider a 45€/day budget for this benefit. Finally, if my husband could have had an international driving license delivered, we would have rented a car, in spite of the advice against it (this is a personal choice, I will let you make your own opinion about it).

The « plus side » for the children? Many activities are suitable for children, especially when it’s about seeing animals, but also the beaches and some walks. We came across many families. Some of them even with small babies. I will soon tell you what the children loved!

So, are you tempted by a trip in Sri Lanka?

Portugal with kids : the Algarve and the Lisbon area

We loved our holidays in Portugal with the kids! I wanted the children to be able to enjoy the sea, I was looking for affordable holidays and great weather. That’s why we opted for Portugal, a very family-friendly destination! Another idea I had in my mind was to travel in a campervan. I had looked at the rental offer all over Europe and it’s in Portugal that I found the best prices, so the first week we hired a vintage VW campervan from the 70’s. For the second week, we stayed in a B&B near Sintra, and then we took an apartment in the center of Lisbon for the end of our portuguese roadtrip.

Some friends told me that there would be too many tourists and too much heat in Algarve. Well, it was neither too hot nor too crowded. As for the weather, it was 26 degrees every day. Just perfect! Regarding tourists: yes, the south side of the Algarve is full of tourists but we avoided them by choosing to travel on the west coast, along the ocean. There, except for a few surfers, you’ll see it on my pictures, it’s really quiet! It is more difficult to avoid the crowd in Lisbon and Sintra at some tourist sites but it was ok. In short, the Algarve on the west coast is very good during the Summer Holidays!

General information about our roadtrip in Portugal:

Kids’ ages: 4 years old for my son and 1 and a half for my daughter.

Period: mid-August, at the height of the tourist season and the heat, but as I said, we had 26 degrees every day except our last two days in Lisbon: it was 32.

Duration: 2 weeks. One week in the Algarve and one week in Lisbon and its surroundings

Transport: we flew to Lisbon, then we went from Lisbon to Faro (capital of the Algarve) by train (3 hours). To get around, we had the Volkswagen combi the first week. For the second week, we looked at car rentals but it was too expensive for us. So, we decided to limit our trip around Lisbon and to visit only the surrounding areas easily accessible by train.

Itinerary of our family vacation in Portugal:

1 night in Lisbon : It was the occasion to see again this city that we like a lot.
1 night in Olhão : from Lisbon we travelled by train to Faro where we took our campervan. We stayed in Olhão near Faro in this nice fishing village before leaving for the west coast (night in a campsite in Olhão).
1 night in Sagrès : it is the south-western extremity of Europe! Now the wild coast begins… (wild camping)
1 night in Aljezur : further north on the west side… Lots of beautiful beaches nearby (overnight in a campsite)
1 night à Odeceixe : it is the most northern point of our journey, still on the west coast… (wild camping)
1 night at Amado Beach : magnificent beach! My favorite of our holidays! (wild camping)
1 night in Salema : we are back in the south but in a quiet part of the Algarve (night in a campsite)
1 night in Olhão : because we liked it and it’s just next to Faro where we have to return the VW campervan (night at the campsite)
1 night in Cascais : We take the train from Faro to Lisbon then we go to Cascais, a very pleasant seaside town at 40 minutes (by train) from Lisbon.
3 nights near Sintra : a very charming B&B with a huge swimming pool (La Quinta do Scoto) – visit of the beautiful castles in Sintra
2 nights in Lisbon : walks, museums and a great trip to the oceanarium!

Portugal with kids: a week in Algarve

During our week in the Algarve, we alternated nights in campsites and wild camping near beaches. I would like to point out, however, that officially, wild camping is forbidden – so I warned you…

Here are some pictures of the west coast of Algarve. We loved that coast! Not touristy and so wild! Amazing beaches all along!

Aljezur village:

Odeceixe village:

The most southwestern point of Europe in Sagres:

Our great vintage Volkswagen campervan, alias “Apple”… We hired our campervan from Siesta Campers. We totally recommend them!

So happy at the beach:…

To give you an idea of the beaches in the south, more crowded with tourists but very beautiful and without big waves…

The characteristic cliffs of the region:

Portugal with kids: in the Lisbon area

For our second week in Portugal we visited the Lisbon area.

Here is Cascais, a seaside town near Lisbon…

One of the magnificent estates to visit in Sintra: the Quinta da Regaleira…

Last stop: Lisbon…

Our tips to visit Portugal with kids or babies

Baby equipment :

We just took our baby carrier (Ergobaby) and a buggy. The buggy was not very useful and it was not very easy to drive in the streets of Lisbon (big cobblestones and big differences in level). The car seats were provided with the campervan. The cot for our daughter was also provided by our B&B and apartement. In the campervan, the children slept together on the back seat which became a large bed. We put our daughter in the back behind her brother so she wouldn’t fall out, and to be on the safe side, we put our (soft) suitcases at the foot of the bed in case…

Places to eat and places to stay in Portugal:

The restaurant called A Sagrès, in Sagrès: excellent fish restaurant at a real good price!
The fish market in Olhao to buy fish for your BBQ
Our B&B Quinta do Scoto in Meleças, near Sintra (you can book here)
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The restaurant Tala Adega Tipica near the B&B in Meleças near Sintra
The bakery Casa Brasileira for a breakfast in Lisbon (fresh fruit and the homemade pasteis de nata)
The roof top of the Bairro Alto Hotel for a drink with an incredible view over Lisbon.
The restaurant Ponto Final in Lisbon (you go there by boat. Beatiful place and excellent fish!)

Why we think it’s great to visit Portugal with a baby or young kids:

The west side of the Algarve is famous for surfing so yes there are waves but it is still very suitable for young children as on the beaches the waves have allowed the formation of “paddling pools” where children have maximum water up to their knees. In addition, at several beaches there are river arms which reach the sea and where it is therefore possible to swim without waves. Families usually land along the river while surfers are on the ocean side, but both are within a few meters of each other so it’s very convenient!
Our kids loved eating sardines 😉
The children’s favourite outing in Lisbon was to the oceanarium, not to be missed!
The town of Cascais near Lisbon is very pleasant with children: large park and seaside.
You can find nappies, milk and potties in the supermarket (note: there is little choice for salty potties).
Our son loved travelling in our VW campervan as for him, we travelled in Fillmore, one of the characters from the movie Cars!
Portuguese people were so welcoming!

The only negative point:

Walking the streets of Lisbon with children is exhausting! Cobblestones, sloping streets and crowded trams. Plus, it was too hot.

What about you? Are you tempted to spend some family holidays in Portugal?

Italian trip: our family visit of Puglia

Those who followed our adventures know it already, 10 days ago, we were in the South of Italy for a week-long trip with the children in the heel of the boot. We toured the Puglia Region, and we also made a detour to Basilicate, the neighbouring region. I was already in love with Italy, but now! This mezzogiorno region completely enchanted me! A real crush! I advise everyone to go there. For me, it’s one of the most beautiful trip one can do in South Europe with a wide variety of styles, between very old villages, trulli, baroque style, architecture that reminded me of Greece or Morocco in the coastal villages; the centenary olive trees in the background, a wonderful Adriatic Coast with turquoise shaded water and finally, a delicious cooking… A dream!

Age of Ticoeur : 3 years and a half
Age of Titpuce : 1 year

Season of the trip: mid-April to enjoy the nice spring temperatures. We had between 16 and 25 degrees with a first day that was grey, then bright sunshine. I could almost have bathed.

Duration: one week.

Transport: we had booked a flight Paris-Bari with Easyjet for about 100€ per person for a round-trip (free flight for Titpuce – you only have to pay for the airport taxes for children under 2 years old). The transport in the hold of two accessories per baby is free with Easyjet (strollers, baby bed, child car seat…): it’s very convenient! Then, on the spot, we rented a car (Fiat Punto) for 23 euros a day with Budget.

Itinerary:

2 nights in Matera: wonderful old city classified in the World Heritage of Humanity. A big crush for this stop in the Basilicate region! You must see it! [2019 Edit: Some of the scenes of the next James Bond movie will be shot in Matera!]

2 nights in Cisternino in a trullo, adorable little typical accommodation in Puglia. Visit of all the villages and towns around: Alberobello, Locorotondo, Marina Franca, Ostuni…

1 night in Lecce, the baroque city. Then, tour of the peninsula with its very beautiful coast until Gallipoli.

1 night in Polignano a Mare, adorable village flanked on a cliff on the South part of Bari. The following day: visit of Trani on our way to Gargano.

2 nights in the natural region of Gargano, in Vico del Gargano: fishermen villages, very beautiful beaches, forest… a wild environment…

This itinerary, we improvised it the day before we left. Now, if I had to do it again, I would choose between three options:

1/ the same itinerary but shortened by the Gargano because this very wild beautiful area alone deserves a whole week and requires that you take mountain roads that Ticoeur and Titpuce’s stomachs didn’t tolerate. Also, with all these bends, every trip takes more time so on a week, it’s too short to really enjoy the beauty of Gargano. So, I would add 1 night in Lecce and 1 night in Polignano to my initial itinerary.

2/ stay in a trullo in Cisternino or in another village of trulli and visit the whole Puglia region from only one drop point. You can do it because the distances are not too big.

3/ Consider a 2 week stay in Puglia because there really is a lot to do!

Baby equipment:

We had taken our foldable baby bed for Titpuce because we didn’t focus our researches on accommodations that were equipped for babies. For the rides, we used the Ergobaby for Titpuce and Ticoeur walked without a problem. This way, we managed not to be too heavily loaded, with only one suitcase per adult (as a cabin baggage) and Ticoeur brought his little “Woodours” bag to tidy his toys 😉

Good addresses:

A lot! Including:

the B&B i setti coni : we settled in a real trullo. It’s so cute! The landlady is lovely.

la trattoria di Nonna Tetti in Lecce (Piazetta Regina Maria): an authentic and local cooking in a typical setting, with a very reasonnable price.
the Osteria dei Mulini in Polignano a Mare: very delicate! Don’t hesitate to taste the carpaccio of octopus.
il Terrazzino in Matera: a restaurant that is touristic for sure, but we ate very well for a very affordable price: 4 euros for a pizza and 6 euros the delicious dish of pastas shaped like olive tree leaves! Very beautiful location in the old town.

The “baby pros”:

Ticoeur tested and approved all the playgrounds of Puglia 😉
He walked without a problem because the old villages gave him the impression of an adventure: stairs, passages, tunnels, little bridges…
Ticoeur loved the visit of a cave (Castellana) which I’ll tell you about again later
The historic city centres are only for pedestrians or with very limited traffic so it’s really appreciable for a family stroll.
The children liked the breaks on the beaches of the coast: play in the sand and soak the feet in the sea.
Ticoeur and Titpuce loved the Italian cooking!
We often had a baby chair in the restaurants
The car steps are short: between ¼ of an hour and about 2h top. We put the 2 hour trips during nap time.

The “baby cons” :

As I mentioned above, the only damper of our trip was the road in the Gargano area: the children were car-sick because there were only mountain roads in the wild part of Puglia…
I had already mentioned it: in Italy, I don’t like the offer of baby food-jar (too much meat and not enough vegetables). So, for Titpuce, we had brought a couple of baby dishes from France and we also gave her what we ate (she loves pastas!). Otherwise, concerning yoghurt, cheese, compote, baby formula, we find the same products as in France.

What about you? Are you tempted by the Puglia region with your family?

Also in Italy:

Road trip in Scotland with a baby

For our very first summer with baby, we chose to spend 10 days in Scotland, to avoid extreme heat, crowded destinations and also to go hiking in the Highlands while baby still wasn’t too heavy! In Scotland, even in August, temperatures were mild and the landscapes were green. For this first family trip to Scotland, we focused on the Highlands, especially Isle of Skye, and, on the city side, we visited Edinburgh and Glasgow. We loved visiting Scotland with baby, and our Ticoeur was an angel throughout this travelling holiday (as always, to be fair!). I hope to show you just how pleasant and easy this destination is, even for new parents. In this article, you’ll discover our itinerary, our favourites and our hikes.

Ticoeur’s age: 11 months Time of year: August (it was about 18 degrees and we only had one rainy day! Phew!) Duration: 10 days

Our 10-day itinerary in Scotland with baby:

We did a travelling circuit in the Highlands, moving from B&B to B&B with our travel cot. The distances between two stops are not long. At most, we drove 3 hours in a day, and Ticoeur used the time to have his nap. Once there, we did short hikes of one or two hours, carrying Ticoeur in the sling. Here are our stops:

Arrival in Glasgow –> heading to Edinburgh
Edinburgh (2 nights)
Glencoe, for the hikes (3 nights)
Isle of Skye (2 nights)
Plockton (1 night)
Crianlarich in Trossachs National Park (1 night)
Glasgow (1 night)
Return to Paris

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Step by step, it looked like this…

Edinburgh: 2 days discovering the Scottish capital

Two days is a little short for discovering Edinburgh, but it gave us a good overview of the atmosphere and beauty of the Scottish capital.

Day 1: We discovered the Old Town around the Royal Mile, the main street, with the charm of its cobbled streets, cathedral and medieval buildings. The whole centre was very lively because the Fringe theatre festival was on.

Day 2: We visited New Town, the part of Edinburgh dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. In Princes Street Gardens, we didn’t miss a stop in front of the Ross Fountain, where there is a playground! Then we went for a bucolic walk in the picturesque Dean Village area along the Water of Leith. After lunch, we climbed Arthur’s Seat, an old volcano overlooking the city. The views are very beautiful! Then we visited Rosslyn Chapel, an iconic location in the book The Da Vinci Code.

2026 edit: I went back to the Scottish capital, so you can find my full article for spending 3 days in Edinburgh. Indeed, if you can, 3 days seems to me the ideal length!

Scotland road trip — Edinburgh, Old Town

Good addresses in Edinburgh:

Globetrotter Inn (youth hostel): tiny but inexpensive room, backpacker style, very beautiful building, very green setting, free shuttle to the city centre.
Café Marlayne: restaurant mixing French and Scottish cuisine. Very good and inventive.
Howies: an institution for trying Scottish cuisine.

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Leaving Edinburgh, we stopped in Stirling, a small historic town nicknamed “the gateway to the Highlands”. Then we drove through Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, stopping to walk up to the Rob Roy viewpoint in Aberfoyle, to stretch our legs. The rest of the route towards Glencoe offers superb panoramas over many “bens”!

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Glencoe: 3 days of short hikes with baby

The climb up the Pap of Glencoe ❤:

It took us two hours to climb to the top of the Pap of Glencoe, carrying Ticoeur in a sling. At the top, we had our picnic break (with a cold baby food jar for Ticoeur), then went back down. Papa Voyage carried baby on the way up and I carried him on the way down. We loved the magnificent landscapes over the mountains and lochs… We went back to the B&B to let baby have his nap!

The next day, we did two short hikes around Glencoe:

Lost Valley:

The climb to the “lost valley” took us 1 hr 30 and, perhaps because of its name, we did get a little lost! The light mist didn’t help. Let’s just say it put us in a lovely mysterious Scottish atmosphere! The trail is 4 km return, with about 300 m of elevation gain (allow around 3 hours for the return trip).

Lochan Trail:

This is a very short, easy walk around Lochan lake, through the forest. 1.6 km – about 45 minutes.

Good addresses in Glencoe:

Kate and Alan Ward – Saint Brides Old Rectory (B&B): very warm welcome, well located near the loch and not far from the hike starting points / North Ballachulish

Lochleven Seafood Café: by far the best restaurant we ate at in Scotland (we ate there 3 evenings in a row!). Delicious seafood at affordable prices and with inventive recipes.

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On the way between Glencoe and the Isle of Skye, we stopped in Fort William to do a few baby-related purchases.

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Isle of Skye with baby: 2 days on our favourite island!

Isle of Skye was the favourite stop of our Scotland road trip! Everything is beautiful on this island! You want to photograph every stone, every cliff, every sea view! Warning: the roads are winding! But fortunately, Scots are very polite and drive very courteously!

Just before Isle of Skye, you first come across the famous Eilean Donan Castle ❤ , one of the most photogenic castles in Scotland! We visited it, but our favourite part was more the exterior.

During our two days on the island, we visited the most beautiful places on Isle of Skye:

Neist Point

This is where the film Breaking the Waves was shot. We walked to the lighthouse.

Quiraing hike ❤

Superb 1 hr 30 hike! Breathtaking scenery! It was our favourite hike!

Kilt Rock

Then we stopped at Kilt Rock, a waterfall that drops into the sea.

Old Man of Storr ❤

This is truly the island’s unmissable hike, to admire the Old Man of Storr, which is a kind of giant menhir. It took us 1 hr 30 for the 5 km (with 340 m of elevation gain).

After this hike, we stopped at Café Arriba in Portree, the island’s pretty little capital. It was good and friendly.

Hike at Talisker

We walked in Talisker Bay, along the cliffs. It is magnificent! After this walk, we tried to visit the famous Talisker whisky distillery, but they don’t accept children.

Accommodation on Isle of Skye:

On Isle of Skye, we spent one night in Dunvegan and one night in Flodigarry.

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Plockton: 1 day

We continued our road trip towards Plockton, located just after leaving the Isle of Skye. It is less spectacular than Isle of Skye, but the seaside landscape is very restful, very beautiful. In short, we really liked the little town of Plockton.

Good addresses in Plockton:

Seafood Shore Restaurant: very good seafood dishes.

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The Trossachs National Park: 1 day

Then we drove back down into Trossachs National Park, passing through Crianlarich. There, we walked along the shores of Loch Lomond and admired Ben Lomond.

Very good dinner at the pub The Village Inn in Arrochar, right next to Loch Lomond. We tried their famous haggis, that slightly unusual Scottish speciality. The fish & chips is very good too.

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Glasgow: 1 day

Our stay in Glasgow was too quick: we only spent one night and one day there, with the programme including: a walk in the West End (a very nice neighbourhood) and a visit to the Burrell Collection in Pollok Park (8,000 works of art from all periods).

On the road between Loch Lomond and Glasgow, don’t miss a detour to this superb natural site, The Devil’s Pulpit but be careful because the descent is not secured and the path could be slippery after rain.

Good addresses in Glasgow:

The Kelvin Hotel West End : very warm family welcome in this small hotel located in a beautiful old house, in a pleasant neighbourhood.
Kember & Jones: for a quality snack in a lovely deli.

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Scotland with baby: practical information

The “baby pros” in Scotland:

a pleasant climate, neither too hot nor too cold in August. Do bring a small rain jacket, cardigan and hat for baby.
a very calm environment, as nature is everywhere and the region is not densely populated
perfect for hikes with baby because you can still carry them (it’s practical when baby is not walking yet)
Ticoeur had no trouble sleeping through the night; he fell asleep in less than a minute as soon as we put him in his bed. The time difference of only one hour was easy to manage.
in all the restaurants, we found high chairs, changing tables… And we often saw a children’s play corner in pubs!

The “baby cons” in Scotland:

you need to protect baby against midges bites (small harmless but unpleasant mosquitoes… use mosquito repellent or products against midges sold locally). We came across a cloud of midges once after a hike. We quickly got back in the car. Also watch out for ticks!
the risk of rain 🙂

Other practical information:

Budget: similar to France
Flight: we took a return Paris-Glasgow flight. Ticoeur slept the whole way, which earned him compliments from the other passengers, so happy not to endure children crying for an hour! We had brought the car seat and the travel cot because with EasyJet (and many airlines), any baby accessory can travel free of charge in the hold.
Car hire: we picked up our hire car at Glasgow airport. Then we had to drive on the left!
ETA: travel authorisation required, in addition to a passport, to enter the United Kingdom. Apply about 3 days before. Cost: £20 per person from 8 April 2026 – valid for 2 years.
Hikes: to find hikes suitable for a trip to Scotland with children (so hikes that are neither too difficult nor too long), I used a very well-designed site -> https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/
Baby equipment: baby sling, car seat and travel cot. Baby food jars and nappies bought locally. Don’t forget sun cream because you are very exposed in the mountains. For hiking, we really found that carrying baby in a sling was very practical and not too tiring.

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On our list for a future trip to Scotland with children:

More islands!: Arran, Jura and Mull really appeal to us for their end-of-the-world feel.
Visit more castles (especially haunted ones!): particularly in the eastern part of Scotland: Ballindalloch Castle, Castle Fraser…
Follow in Harry Potter’s footsteps: after visiting the Harry Potter Studios in London, we also want to see some of the filming locations from the films, such as the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Loch Arkaig.
Edit: we took a second trip to Scotland, one week as a family in the southern Highlands, discovering Oban, the Isle of Kerrera, Kilchurn Castle and Inveraray. That way, you can mix our two trips to Scotland to build the ideal stay that matches your wishes!

And you? Fancy discovering Scotland as a family?

Also in Scotland:

1 – A long weekend in Venice as a couple or with the family:

A few ingredients for a successful weekend in Venice:

2 – A long weekend in Rome, for travelling through time:

3 – A long weekend in Ferrara to travel back to the Middle Ages:

4 – A long weekend in Florence for art lovers:

During our 2 weeks in Sardinia, we chose 3 bases from which we explored the area:

Discovering the beaches of northern Sardinia:

Beaches near Costa Paradiso:

Beaches near Bosa:

Beaches near Posada:

Practical information for enjoying the beaches with children:

Our itinerary in pictures:

General information about our roadtrip in Portugal:

Itinerary of our family vacation in Portugal:

Portugal with kids: a week in Algarve

Portugal with kids: in the Lisbon area

Our tips to visit Portugal with kids or babies

5 family hikes in the Aosta Valley

3 days in Florence as a family

4 days in Naples as a family

Our one-week family itinerary in southern Sardinia

Our 10-day itinerary in Scotland with baby:

Edinburgh: 2 days discovering the Scottish capital

Good addresses in Edinburgh:

Glencoe: 3 days of short hikes with baby

The climb up the Pap of Glencoe ❤:

Lost Valley:

Lochan Trail:

Good addresses in Glencoe:

Isle of Skye with baby: 2 days on our favourite island!

Neist Point

Quiraing hike ❤

Kilt Rock

Old Man of Storr ❤

Hike at Talisker

Accommodation on Isle of Skye:

Plockton: 1 day

Good addresses in Plockton:

The Trossachs National Park: 1 day

Glasgow: 1 day

Good addresses in Glasgow:

Scotland with baby: practical information

The “baby pros” in Scotland:

The “baby cons” in Scotland:

Other practical information:

On our list for a future trip to Scotland with children:

Edinburgh & Harry Potter: 10 places not to miss!

3 days in Edinburgh with my teenager