My family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children – 8yo and 2yo), plus 4 extended family members (all adults – 2 are in their 70s with mobility limitations) will be traveling to Tuscany in February 2026. We are all flying into Florence to meet up. Then, we plan to hire a car to take us from the airport to our rental apartment in Lucca. Lucca will serve as our homebase for the trip.
Our plan is to do day trips and fill in down time with exploring Lucca. We will have 7 full days in Italy (but I already know that will not be enough!). We want to avoid renting cars on this trip so we anticipate relying on trains, car hires, and taxis.
There is a range of activities we are considering, and it would be great if we can fit in as many as possible. We would like to go with local guides and ideally, find some unique opportunities to engage with the culture, to make this an authentic and immersive experience. I would also love to find some opportunities for my children to interact with local kids.
I am looking for advice and reputable company recommendations for the following:
1.) A reliable car hire company that could accommodate a group of 8 (6 adults and 2 children), plus luggage, from FLR to our apartment rental in Lucca
2.) Recommendations for the following activities:
• Winery/Olive Oil tours (family-friendly) with a driver
• Things to do while in Pisa in addition to seeing the Leaning Tower. We plan to take the train into the city.
• We were hoping to take a boat tour to Cinque Terre. Do they operate in February? Where should we go for a great pesto experience in this area?
• We are planning to visit Viareggio during Carnevale. We understand it will be quite crowded, however, we would like the kids to see the Madri Gras Parade on Feb 17th. We are planning to take the train to the city earlier in the day.
o Where is the best area/restaurant/hotel to watch the parade?
o Ways to get the kids involved in the celebration?
o Other suggestions for what do in Viareggio earlier in the day before the parade?
o Will the beaches be open for walking?
• Leather goods demonstration or classes in Florence
• Marble cave tours with a driver
• Truffle hunting excursions – Do they operate during the February?
• Best options for visiting the thermal baths – Are there minimum age restrictions?
• Family-friendly pottery classes (anywhere in Tuscany)
• Family-friendly cooking classes in Lucca or countryside (ideally for making pizza, gelato, pasta, or tiramisu)
• Collodi Pinocchio tours with a driver
3.) While we plan to do all the typical family activities in Lucca (bike the wall, visit the Piazza, climb the Tower, find all the playgrounds, eat lots of gelato), I was hoping to find some ways to connect with local families with children, such as play groups, language learning classes, musical performances for children, sporting events, or drop-in after-school programs for kids. How would I go about finding these or other opportunities for meeting local families in Lucca?
I have read that there are limited things to do in Tuscany in the winter, so I am casting a wide net. I am also concerned about the size of our group and relying on finding transportation may limit our options. Our family of 4 has a good deal of experience traveling internationally with children, but this is the first trip we are finding it necessary to plan out in so much detail given the circumstances. Am I better off using a planning consultant to sort out this trip itinerary?
I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance!