Last Updated on 22/02/2026 by Ting Dalton
When you have young children, the idea of actually relaxing on holiday feels faintly ridiculous. You’re in a beautiful place, the sun is out, the food is good – and yet you come home more exhausted than when you left. Unless you’re happy to offload the kids into a club all day or stump up for a nanny (wishful thinking), entertaining them falls squarely on you.
Which is exactly why I want to tell you about Villa Pia. Hidden in the hills of a tiny village called Lippiano, right on the border between Tuscany and Umbria, this family-run retreat has been quietly perfecting the art of the family holiday since 1997. I know that, because I came back from our week there having read an entire book – in the hammock, under the wisteria, while Monkey roamed free. I hadn’t managed that since before he was born.
Quick facts: Villa Pia, Lippiano
- Location: Lippiano, on the Tuscany–Umbria border, Italy
- Type:Â All-inclusive family hotel (part commune, part manor house)
- Accommodation:Â Up to 25 families; rooms in the main house or Palazzo Regina
- Food:Â All meals included; four-course adult dinner nightly
- Children under 2:Â Stay free
- Prices: From around £1,690/week (low season, family of 3); from around £2,610/week (high season) – check Villa Pia’s website for current rates
- Nearest airport:Â Perugia (40 minutes); Florence (1 hour 15 minutes)
- Car:Â Essential
- Wi-fi:Â In communal areas only; no TV in rooms
What is Villa Pia?
Part commune, part hotel, part self-catering – Villa Pia is genuinely unlike anywhere else I’ve stayed. A lovingly restored 15th-century Florentine manor house, it now accommodates up to 25 families in its main house, converted barn and stables, plus the sister property, Palazzo Regina, a short walk up into the village.
The staff – many of whom live locally or on-site – run the place with warmth and precision. It’s been the same formula for nearly three decades, and the repeat guests you’ll meet (there are many) are proof that it works.
Accommodation at Villa Pia
We actually stayed at Palazzo Regina rather than the main house, which at first felt like being picked last in PE. Then we opened the bedroom shutters and saw the view – rolling Italian hills in every direction – and got over ourselves immediately.
The rooms are generous: two large bedrooms connected by a long hallway, with plenty of space for a family to spread out without tripping over each other. Downstairs, a well-stocked kitchen operates on the same help-yourself policy as the main house – fresh fruit, yoghurt, cereals, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol in the fridge, all included. Monkey found the small playroom within approximately 45 seconds.
Palazzo Regina only accommodates four families, so it’s quieter than the main hub. A babysitter is provided every evening, so you can walk down to dinner without worrying about who’s watching the children. Ours – Gabriella – had genuine child-whispering abilities. On the two evenings we actually left Monkey behind, we returned to find him tucked up fast asleep.
Rooms in the main house are simply furnished with original tiled floors and antique wardrobes. There are no TVs, no toiletries, no air conditioning – fans are provided. Bathrooms are small but functional. What you gain is space, character and the kind of honest simplicity that forces you to actually slow down.
Food, glorious food
I’ll be straight with you: you will come home heavier. This is a guarantee, not a warning.
Breakfast runs until 11am at the main house – croissants, fresh bread, cold meats, cheeses on top of the usual cereals and fruit. We quickly learned not to overdo it, because the lunch bell rings at 1pm and there are over 20 freshly cooked dishes laid out daily. Pasta, salads, grilled meats and fish – we didn’t eat the same thing twice all week.
Children eat at 5pm, with a menu that sensibly speaks to younger tastes: fresh pizzas, Italian sausages, pasta, watermelon by the bucketful. Monkey was beside himself.
Adult dinner, a few hours later, is a different occasion altogether. The long communal table in the courtyard is laid properly — tablecloth, wine, water, candles. Aperitivi and nibbles come first, then four courses. During our stay, we worked through bresaola, risotto, tagliatelle, roast beef and lamb, tiramisu and pear tart. The cooks – locally sourced, fiercely talented – grow much of what they serve on-site. You will not go hungry.
What the children do all day
Monkey was in his element. Between the two playgrounds, climbing frames, two trampolines, a tyre swing, a soft play room and an enormous dressing-up chest, there’s enough to keep children occupied from breakfast to bedtime. The shallow kids’ pool is ideal for little ones; older children tend to take over the ping-pong room (groundsman Alejandro is an expert – consider yourself warned).
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, there are art classes and cooking clubs for children (chargeable extras, worth booking ahead). Monkey adored the art sessions. The cooking classes – for adults – were among the highlights of our week.
On site there’s also a music room, yoga and pilates sessions, wine tasting, reflexology and massages. I had a genuinely wonderful treatment from Maria Giovanni in the on-site beauty room; other guests spent the entire week booking back-to-back appointments.
The community feel
This is the thing that sets Villa Pia apart, and it’s also the thing that won’t work for everyone.
When we pulled into the courtyard after a long drive from Bologna, several guests we’d never met got up to introduce themselves and offer us a drink. By the end of the week, we were fetching drinks for each other’s children, organising village walks to the ice cream shop together, and keeping a collective eye on a flock of small people as they roamed the grounds. I found Monkey and a gang of boys – naked, armed with sticks – screaming at the top of their lungs by the trampoline one afternoon. Honestly, he was fine.
If you don’t like mixing with other people, this is not your place. Meal times are communal, the atmosphere is social, and the magic of Villa Pia depends entirely on the group dynamic. In our experience – and based on the reviews of dozens of returning families – it’s almost always a good one.
Day trips from Villa Pia
You need a car. Without one, you will feel stranded – especially on Thursdays, when the kitchen closes, and guests head out for the day. A fellow guest during our stay couldn’t drive, and it was genuinely difficult for her.
With a car, the area is exceptional:
- Lippiano village (on foot): A medieval castle, a church and a bar selling artisanal gelato. The owners kindly let us look around the castle.
- Anghiari (short drive): A beautiful hilltop town with wrap-around walls and cobbled streets, famous for Leonardo da Vinci’s lost fresco La Battaglia di Anghiari. Don’t miss dinner at La Pineta, a pizza restaurant in a pine forest with a playground for kids.
- Sansepolcro (20 minutes): Birthplace of Renaissance painter Piero della Francesca, with a museum dedicated to his original works.
- Città di Castello (20 minutes): Medieval architecture is worth an afternoon.
- Arezzo (30 minutes): The Church of San Francesco contains extraordinary frescoes by Piero della Francesca; there’s also a Roman amphitheatre.
- Perugia (1 hour): Umbria’s capital, with a helter-skelter of cobbled streets, medieval towers and very good chocolate.
- Siena (1.5 hours): Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here’s my post on what to do in Siena.
- Florence (1 hour 15 from Perugia airport): Worth a day if you haven’t been. I love it, and think it’s great with kids.
What to know before you book
Villa Pia is not a big resort. There’s no air conditioning in rooms (fans are provided; pack accordingly if you’re going in July or August). No TV. The wi-fi is in communal areas only, and in the rooms, you’re essentially off-grid. For some families, this is the entire point. For others, it could be a frustration – especially if you need a reliable signal.
The all-inclusive model means alcohol is included throughout the day, which sounds wonderful and is, but it does mean you’ll need to pace yourselves. The ethos is genuinely relaxed rather than performatively luxurious.
Children under 2 stay free. The property is well set-up for babies and toddlers – equipment available to borrow, babysitters, a soft play area – but the best experience tends to be for children old enough to wander, play and make friends independently.
Villa Pia: The verdict
We came home having genuinely rested. Monkey, who had run wild all week, actually asked for a siesta on the flight home. I had finished two books. My husband had rediscovered the joy of doing nothing in particular with a cold glass of wine.
Villa Pia isn’t glamorous. It’s not slick. It doesn’t try to be. What it offers instead is something harder to find: a week where the children entertain themselves, the food is exceptional, the company is warm, and the hills of Umbria are right there every morning when you open the shutters.
We met families who had been coming back every year for a decade. After our week, I completely understood why.
FAQs about Villa Pia Italy
Where is Villa Pia?
Villa Pia is in Lippiano, a small village on the border of Tuscany and Umbria in central Italy. It’s around 40 minutes from Perugia airport and 1 hour 15 minutes from Florence.
Is Villa Pia all-inclusive?
Yes. Meals, drinks (including alcohol), and most activities on-site are included in the price. Some extras such as children’s art club, cooking classes and beauty treatments are chargeable.
Do you need a car at Villa Pia?
Yes, a car is essential. Lippiano is a very small village, and while there are taxis available, the costs are high. You’ll need a car to explore the surrounding area, particularly on Thursdays when the kitchen closes.
Is Villa Pia good for babies and toddlers?
Very much so. Children under 2 stay free, and the property is well-equipped for very young children – soft play, toys, equipment to borrow, and babysitters available in the evening.
How much does Villa Pia cost?
Prices start from around £1,690/week in low season for a family of three (with a child over 2), rising to around £2,610/week in high season. Check the Villa Pia website for current pricing, as rates vary by season and family size.
Is there wi-fi at Villa Pia?
There is wi–fi in the communal areas of the main house, but not in bedrooms. There are no TVs in rooms. If connectivity is important to you, this is worth factoring in.
What is Palazzo Regina at Villa Pia?
Palazzo Regina is Villa Pia’s sister property, a five-minute walk up into Lippiano village. It accommodates up to four families in larger rooms than the main house, with a shared kitchen and small playroom. A babysitter is provided there every evening at no extra charge.
* We were invited to stay at Villa Pia for a week. All extras and flights were paid for by us. Opinions, as always, are my own. Check Villa Pia’s website for current prices and availability
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