Parco delle Piscine

Parco Delle Piscine indeed – set among spectacularly scenic Tuscan countryside on the edge of the utterly charming and lively hillside village of Sarteano, this park has three immaculate thermal spring-fed swimming pools to splash around in, which means no chlorine, no additives, just pure unadulterated and completely fresh mountain water for goggle-free family fun.

The main pool has two water shoots to keep the kids occupied, but for more relaxing dips away from all that splashing and sliding, there’s a separate pool set away from the action. There’s an excellent poolside bar that’s open throughout the day for drinks, ice creams and other snacky treats, and when you need a proper meal, the site has a fab restaurant serving traditional Tuscan cuisine for lunch and dinner, providing a takeaway service if you’d rather take your fare over to the picnic area for alfresco feasting.

Out of the pool, kids will be kept very well occupied too. As well as a summer programme of activities, a nicely shaded playground to frolic around in and heaps of green space for ball sports, Delle Piscine also has several ping pong tables and a multisports court for gently competitive games of tennis, basketball and volleyball.

If the idea of a Tuscan nature safari sounds appealing then there’s heaps of interesting wildlife on site for kids and nature-loving grownups to seek out too, including lizards, toads, beetles, damselflies and even the elusive hoopoe bird (although you’ll have to rise early if you want to catch a glimpse of one).

Among the amenities are two big sanitary blocks with plenty of showers, toilets and washbasins (bonus items include bidets and hairdryers), as well as a washing-up area and washing machines, for which you can grab a token from reception. Obviously you’ll inevitably want to share smug snaps of all the smashing scenery you’ll be enjoying, so you’ll find the site’s free wifi service very handy for that.

For the procurement of supplies beyond your basic a short, easy and scenic drive will take you to a large supermarket, 10 minutes away; however most of what you might need is available a short walk away in the village. The site is a mere 550 metres from Sarteano’s centre, and very close to the local supermarket, bread shops, gelateria and a fresh pasta shop, all around 50 metres from the park’s entrance. If you feel like splashing out on a reasonably priced restaurant meal every now and again, the village is full of great local restaurants serving typical Tuscan cuisine.