If you are mulling over a 2012 trip to Italy and are looking for was to engage your kids in the experience, I highly recommend the Art al Sole day camp for international children (the program is in English).

Developed for ages 6-12 (Apprentices) and ages 13-17 (Masters), Art al Sole introduces children to a variety of art principles and practices within an array of glorious historical settings in the Italian countryside.

This is a guest post from Carole Yu, one of our Italy giveaway winners. Carole offered to share a bit about her trip, as her story touched us all.

Thanks for sharing tidbits from your travels with us Carole. Reading your story makes me want to get back to Tuscany!

Self-catering apartments and villas are ideal accommodations when traveling with kids in the countryside of Italy. The only downside is that if there is no onsite restaurant available, the meal hassle-factor grows exponentially.

Here’s why:

1. Villages are rarely walkable from rural apartments and villas in Tuscany. Even if the accommodations are within walking distance, these are not roads that are kid-friendly, particularly at night. Think no sidewalks, no lights, blind corners …

Hooray, a winner has been selected! Per our Italy vacation contest rules, they have three days to respond to the email we sent so stay tuned! We’ll draw another name if they don’t answer the message (which surprisingly, is usually the case for the first name drawn).

The blog will be updated with the winner’s information once they claim their prize.

Our annual fall Italy giveaway is coming to a end so it’s time to hurry if you’d like a free stay in Tuscany to be in your 2011 future!

The prize is a week-long stay for a family of 4-5 people at Al Gelso Bianco, a wonderful wine and olive oil estate located midway between Florence and Siena.

Our Family Vacation Photo contest is in full swing! 50 families submitted favorite photos from travels with kids around the world. Literally, there are photos from Lapland to Hong Kong to Mexico to the Grand Canyon—practically every continent is represented.

We are trying something new and the photos are published on the Ciao Bambino Facebook page. Vote for your favorite photo by adding a comment to the specific photo in the Family Vacation Photo Album.

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!

A visit to Tuscany is an excellent addition to any Italy travel itinerary with kids. Despite the touristy element, vacations in this region are easy to manage and there are loads of things to see and do for all ages. Family-friendly accommodations are plentiful, and little tummies appreciate all the pasta and gelato.

Although there are endless wonderful cultural and historic attractions, you can’t see everything in the usual week-long trip. Five of my favorite sights …

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 …

Ciao Bambino’s roots are in family-focused trip planning to Italy and it is still our most requested destination by a long shot. Incredible food, a rich culture that loves children, amazing sights …