Next June my husband and I are taking our family (12 of us and a baby)to a villa near Lucca to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. After the villa stay we will have our 10 and 11 year old grand daughters for another week - their parent will go home to the USA. I was thinking that a farm or agriturismo would be fun for them...they love animals ...but have not found any that are not exhorbitantly costly. We would be fine driving up to the Piemonte area or to Umbria or, staying in the Tuscany area. I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks, Giannetta

Not sure what you consider "exhorbitantly costly". The agriturismos we have stayed in have been about 100 euros per day.
There are not too many agristurismos that have animals, most produce olive oil or wine. You can check the following sites to see if they are acceptable.
http://www.allhome.eu/Umbria-Terni-A...gio-Boalaio-86
http://www.farm-holidays-italy.com/f...p;IDregione=16
http://www.toskana-pur.de/tuscany-ho...griturismo.htm

After spending time in Lucca at a villa, spending time at an agriturisimo might feel much the same to the girls. I would recommend taking them to either Venice or Rome - with a week you could do both!! There is so much for them to see and experience in these wonderful cities - I think it might make them feel very grown up - and you would be suprised what they can appreciate at that age.

giannetta,
I took a couple of nine year old granddaughters to Italy this year. My trip report may give you some ideas. http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35046872

Feel free to e-mail if you have questions.

Henry

Hi

Have you looked at http://www.agriturismo.com/ ? My wife and I stayed at a place in Chianti this summer and here is my trip report with pictures: http://gardkarlsen.com/tuscany_italy_travelogue.htm

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Giannett, as it is June, in Toscana, I suggest to go to Maremma, very close to Pitigliano, at the agriturismo LOCANDA ILUNE (really not expensive), you will enjoy it very much, I am sure.
Look at its website: www.ilune.it .
Also, in Tuscany but not in Maremma, I suggest you agriturismo CASTIGLIONCELLO (not so cheap, really), located in the part of Tuscany close to Romagna. Website: www.agriturismocastiglioncello.it .
In Umbria I suggest you agriturismo CASALE NEL PARCO DEI MONTI SIBILLINI whose prices are good enough as they include swimming pool and mountain bike. The location is very delicious. Website: www.casalenelparco.com .

Vincenzo

This is where we stayed last Oct. It is about 10 miles south of Siena. Beautiful place with olive groves around it. Prices were unbelievably low. There is a small village about 2 miles down the road with a grocery store. http://www.ipianelli.com/

I've been researching them for a late 2008 trip and most are very reasonably priced compared to hotels in major cities. I assume the girls can share a room? What is your budget per night?

You should be able to find a good agriturismo for much less than Euro 100 per night but note that they rarely have animals other than cats. On the other hand, if you go sufficiently rustic, there are wild animals all over the place - pictures here: http://www.lamole.info/dondoli.htm and here: http://www.greve-in-chianti.com/thin...to_see_eng.htm

TTT What happened to giannetta

Hi Marycang,

Our budget is flexlible up to a point - I expect to have the girls in the same room with us. The one farm/riding vacation I was referring to cost $435/night with breakfast and dinner..it was NOT elegant, as one might expect at that price. That seemed very high to me so I am grateful to be receiving so many other possibilities.
Thanks - Janet

Hi Giannetta

I will suggest you a good web site where you can find what you need:

Check this:
http://www.italy-farmholidays.com/ag.../toscana/#desc

Here are a lot of agriturismi in all italy expecially in Tuscany...

Thanks Karl but that was a year ago.