SunLodge at Camping Barco Reale

This secluded Tuscan spot is well-placed for trips to some of Italy's most romantic towns and cities. The countryside is pretty special too, so there's a lot of choice. Will you start your trip with a mountain hike? A soothing soak at the thermal baths of Montecatini (30 minutes' drive), perhaps? Or, if you're in the mood for culture and history, with a trip to the birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci (20 minutes)? The area around Pistoia is also good for family-friendly trips, as there's a zoo just outside town (25 minutes) and the ever-popular Parco di Pinocchio theme park (45 minutes). Equally kid-pleasing times can be sought in central Pistoia (25 minutes) or the nearby town of Prato (30 minutes), both of which are famed throughout Italy for their chocolate production. For city excursions, there's nothing quite like the Tuscan classics – days strolling around the Uffizi Gallery in Florence (45 minutes) or admiring Pisa's Leaning Tower (an hour) can be combined with trips to Lucca (45 minutes), a wonderfully well-preserved walled town at the foot of the Apuan Alps.