The first thing I’ll say is wow, what a contest! I’m blown away by the enthusiasm of the participants and their fans. We’ve spent the afternoon counting votes for the two leading families, #38 and #29 and quite simply, it’s close, very close. Each family got nearly 1000 votes!

Given our two-hour dose of comment chaos on Thursday night and the close number of votes, I decided to approach Casa Cornacchi today …

Help celebrate the launch of our Facebook page by participating on our Family Vacation Photo Contest. The winner of the contest will receive a free week-long stay at one of our favorite resorts in Tuscany - Casa Cornacchi Country House - a $2,000 value!

We’ve been supporting the Passports with Purpose Fundraiser again this year to help build a school in Cambodia by supporting American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC), an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving opportunities for the rural poor.

The fundraiser has raised over $18K and the Passport school is now a certainty! The school will be built in the Preah Vihear region of Cambodia.

Welcome Travel Blogger’s Caravan! Today is Ciao Bambino’s giveaway day. We’ve joined 15 fellow travel bloggers in a holiday giveaway featuring a wide assortment of fun prizes.

We’re giving away a night at The Westin Verasa Napa Valley. Read our kid friendly hotel review of this fantastic wine country venue.

In addition to Passports with Purpose this holiday season, Ciao Bambino will participate in the first (and, hopefully, annual) Travel Blogger’s Caravan. We invite you to follow 15 top travel bloggers for a chance to win cool prizes.

Prizes range from hotel gift cards and overnight stays—to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones—to luggage and camera bags—to travel guidebooks and DVDs.

We are participating in the Passports with Purpose fundraiser again and the cause is a good one—proceeds will help build a school in Cambodia by supporting American Assistance for Cambodia (AAfC), an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving opportunities for the rural poor.

Travelbloggers around the world are hosting giveaways in support of this fundraising effort. For each $10 donation that you make to AAfC …

Italophiles take note … our friend Kathy McCabe, the Editor of the esteemed Dream of Italy newsletter, just announced a Christmas in Italy e-book that is free to the subscribers of her new Italian Daydreams daily email covering food, wine, culture, and the arts in Italy.

I contributed to the e-book with a few highlights from our properties offering Christmas/New Year’s promotions, but there is much more to know if you are lucky enough to be spending the holidays in Italy this year.

It’s been several years since we last spent the holidays in Europe and managing our accommodation reviews is a constant reminder of what I’m missing.

Most families visit Tuscany in the warmer months when they can travel for longer periods of time and outdoor activities are plentiful. Despite the rain and cold weather typical of the winter months, I love the opportunity to get closer to the local way of life, as countryside villages are not packed with tourists. Even the Christmas period is comparatively quiet, although there are always special themed activities …

Fear not, there is still time to get away with your kids before the holiday madness starts! Here are a few ideas from our portfolio in places that are fun to visit over October and November.

In an unbeatable New York City location for families, Le Parker Meridien is offering Ciao Bambino clients a 10% discount off the best available weekend rates through December 27th.

Don’t miss the opportunity to spend a free week in a HomesAway luxury villa just outside of Cortona in Tuscany. There are only 3 days left to enter this fantastic giveaway, a $10,000 value! The entry deadline is Friday, September 18th at Midnight.