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Danielle From Ciao Family Travel

Ciao! I’m Danielle!

 

I’m an American mom raising my 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy.

After traveling to over 48 countries, I’ve figured out how to make family travel meaningful and rewarding! I spend hours on hours researching my trips and am ready to pass all that along to you!

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This is the simplest recipe I know for a genuinely This is the simplest recipe I know for a genuinely good summer. 🍉 Low pressure, but still feels like you’re giving your kids the adventure and the academic stimulation they need.

1. Go on an adventure every single day.
You really just need to get out of the house and that can be something as simple as the park or splash pad or something bigger like visiting the nearby nature reserve, a camping trip, or a trip to the zoo. When kids engage with the world in a real, tangible way they are learning so much about it AND getting them outside and running around gets all that energy out too. 😆 Win win.

2. Read aloud every day. 📚
Even 20 minutes is great, but I’ll be honest, I enjoy this part of our day so much that it almost always stretches to 45 minutes or an hour. There is little I love more than being snuggled up with cozy kids in pajamas reading and discussing a fantastic book together (picture books absolutely count as well!). The effects of reading aloud on a child’s brain are incredible. (If you haven’t listened to @readaloudrevivalpodcast yet, you must!) And beyond the brain benefits, it’s just a beautiful moment at the end of the day to slow down and be together.

To take things to the next level, check out my carousel on choosing a summer theme. It’s not necessary, but really fun. 🌞

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛
The best way to see Rome is to visit the iconic si The best way to see Rome is to visit the iconic sites, but ALSO to leave time to soak in the city, visit some lesser-known spots and eat amazing food. 🍝

I’m SO exited to be hosting a women-only tour with @femalefoodie that will be doing exactly that! 

We’ll spend one week in Rome with incredible guides showing us the must see spots and a couple of these gems! Plus there is free time to discover the city at your own pace and follow your own interests. (If you register by June 1st, you’ll win a free 1-hour planning session with me where I’ll help you plan your free time and give you insider tips!) 

My favorite part about the tour is that the meals are highly curated. So many people I know who visits Rome are disappointed by the food because they get stuck in tourist traps! It’s even hard to trust Google reviews because they are mostly written by tourists…🫠 On this tour we’ll be going to incredible restaurants that have been hand picked. 🤩

I’ve lived in Italy for 12 years (one of which was in Rome!) and this is literally the ONLY group tour I’d ever go on to this incredible country. The itinerary, food, guides, extra experiences, and women-only factor just make it extra special. 

Comment “Rome” and I’ll send you a link to register. I hope to see you there! 

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

Travel tips, Europe, girls trip
I can count on ONE hand the number of times I’ve b I can count on ONE hand the number of times I’ve booked a walking tour online (even with hundreds of five star reviews!) and actually loved it. 

Rick Steves recommendation. That man has never let me down!! 🤣)

But…a free walking tour has never disappointed me! 

For years I was so confused as to why more expensive private or small group tours were actually less engaging than the free tours! 🤔

I think it’s because on a free tour you tip the guide at the END depending on how much you enjoyed their tour. That means that for 2-3 hours the guide is putting all his/her energy and passion into giving you the best tour possible. It often feels like an incredible one man show with the best stories! 😁

However, when you pay for a tour upfront, that incentive is gone and in my experience the tours are much more bland. 

I almost exclusively book free walking tours for our family and it’s a win economically AND in quality! 

Finding them is easy - just Google “(city name) free walking tour” and their website will have the time each day they offer a walking tour and where it leaves from. You often don’t even need to book in advance, just show up at the right time and look for someone holding a sign or a colored umbrella.

Comment “free” and I’ll send you the link to my absolute favorite free walking tour!

↗️ Save this for your next trip to Europe!

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

Travel tips, Europe, family travel, the best tours
Knowing this will save you hundreds of euros…💶 Al Knowing this will save you hundreds of euros…💶

All kids under 18 (and all EU citizens under 26) have free admission to national monuments and museums!!🤯

Instead of a family of 6 paying 132 euros to visit the Louvre, it’s only 44! ✨

Instead of 96 euros to walk up the Arc du Triomphe it’s only 32! 😃

In addition to giving children free admission, some museums in Paris (like Musée de l’Orangerie) give adults an extra discount if they accompany a child. 😍
(So instead of 72 euros for our family of six it was 20!) 

And this isn’t just the case in Paris, all of France gives free admission to young people. When we visited the prehistoric cave paintings in Dordogne Valley last spring with our kids, this saved us SO much money. Way to go France. 👏🏻

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, a mom of 4 living in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹 

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

Family travel, travel with kids, France, visit France, Paris,
I still can’t believe how beautiful Spain’s Basque I still can’t believe how beautiful Spain’s Basque Country and our couples trip was nearly perfect! 

Day 1 - Fly to Bilbao and then pick up a rental car and drive to San Sebastián. Take a walking tour of the city and then enjoy the pintxos! 😋

Day 2 - Finish sightseeing San Sebastián (hike to Mount Urgull and enjoy the beach!) and then after lunch drive 30 minutes to the darling town of Hondarribia.

Day 3 - Spend the day in the French part of Basque Country. Biarritz, Bayonne, and Saint-Jean-de-Luz are absolutely beautiful. (Bring a swimsuit!!) 🌊

Day 4 - Start the morning in Zarautz and then walk along the coast to the adorable town of Getaria. Take the bus back to your car in Zarautz and drive 20 minutes to Zumaia where you can spend the afternoon walking along the coast with the MOST incredible views! This was my favorite part of the entire trip. 🤩

Day 5 - Visit the Peace Museum in Guernica (💔) and then drive to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and hike out to the monastery. Finish the day on a walking tour of Bilbao. 

Day 6 - Finish sightseeing in Bilbao (visit the Guggenheim museum if you like modern art!) and then head to the airport. 

Check out my “Spain” highlight for more details and where we ate during our trip! 

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

Visit Spain, Basque Country, couples trip, visit Europe, life abroad
If you’ve been feeling the pressure to want or exp If you’ve been feeling the pressure to want or expect big gifts this Mother’s Day, just remember that this is an idea you don’t need to buy into.

I’m choosing to focus on what actually fills my cup: homemade cards, a great husband and just being with the people who make me a mom. ✨

Let’s bring the focus back to connection instead of consumerism. Thank you Italy for teaching me that less is often more. 💛 

(Note: any of our Italian family who reads this will think it’s ironic because we still go “way overboard” at Christmas time with 4 moderate gifts + one stocking per kid. 😆 I tried telling my mother-in-law that 4 gifts is actually pretty low-key by standards in the USA, but I don’t think she believed me. 😅) 

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛
Only 2% of travelers who visit Spain go to the Bas Only 2% of travelers who visit Spain go to the Basque Country! 🤯 (The other 98% are missing out!) 

This one week here has been the biggest surprise. It’s insanely beautiful, the food scene is unreal, and the days have basically been a mix of swimming, hiking, and wandering through the cutest little towns.

AND San Sebastián has the highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world! 😮 (We also had unforgettable meals for as little as €20 euros per person!)

How did it take Andrea 4 years to convince me to come here?! 😆

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

Visit Spain, Basque Country, couple travel, great food, travel Europe, my favorite spots, I love travel, Spain
This is a summer tradition I wish we had started e This is a summer tradition I wish we had started earlier. ✨

This year we’re studying the Old Testament, so I’m planning to dig deeper into Mesopotamia — specifically Sumer, Assyria, and Babylon. I’d love any suggestions for books or activities!

Would you like to see what we end of doing and reading?! 

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

Summer of 2026, how to have the best summer, choose a summer theme, summer fun, summer with kids.
The last day to apply to join the tour is Monday, The last day to apply to join the tour is Monday, May 4th. Comment and I’ll send you the link to apply!

Brooke has brought hundreds of women to Italy, and this is a tried-and-tested tour with incredible reviews. Her tours sell out in minutes, so the fact that she is reserving one just for us, is SO special! 💛

This will truly be the girls’ trip of a lifetime. ✨ I can’t wait to share an unforgettable week with you!

Danielle
A few years ago I finally realized that no matter A few years ago I finally realized that no matter how long the trip is, I really don’t need to pack more than 4 shirts, 4 pairs of pants, and 1 sweater for my kids. (They wear 1 shirt, 1 pair of pants, and 1 sweater the day we leave.) This is true even for the two months we spend in Oregon every summer! 

For Andrea and myself, we can get away with only 2-3 pairs of pants because we aren’t playing in the dirt or dropping food in our laps. 😆

In the winter I can totally get away with packing just two sweaters… it’s cold so I’m not sweating and they’re staying clean under my coat all day long.

It took me a while, but I finally realized that the less stuff we bring on a trip, the easier it is to move around, unpack, and actually enjoy the experience.

Making sure the Airbnb we’re staying in has a washing machine is a top priority for me. I’ll run a load in the evening when we get back from sightseeing and then let the clothes dry overnight. It literally doesn’t add any extra time to our day, and it keeps everything simple and stress-free.

Oh and hot tip: pack a few detergent pods in your carry-on so you don’t have to buy them during your trip or hope your host has detergent available. I always toss a few into a small plastic container and it travels perfectly!

What’s your favorite packing tip? 

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

#travelwithkids #familytravel #traveltips
I can’t believe I finally get to say this… I’m ho I can’t believe I finally get to say this…

I’m hosting a girls trip to Rome with Female Foodie and I’m over the moon 🇮🇹✨

I’ve seen a lot of influencers promote small group trips in Italy, and as a local I’ve honestly never been tempted to go… except for this one!

Female Foodie tours are special because it’s a group of ALL women. It’s about women laughing, exploring, and eating together just as much as it is about the sites. (And you know I’m a sucker for girls trips!)

@femalefoodie tours are incredibly popular and literally sell out within minutes, but she’s reserving a tour just for the Ciao Family Travel community. 🤩

There are only 24 spots and sign-ups end on May 5th. I would truly love to meet some of you in person!💛

Send this to the girlfriend you want to come with, and comment ROME and I’ll send you a link with more details where you can apply to join. 💌

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

#lifeinitaly #traveleurope #familytravel #expatinitaly
They’ve got a pretty incredible menu, but should I They’ve got a pretty incredible menu, but should I really be forced to pay €5,69 for lunch every day?! That’s about €114 euros a month if you have one child…

Where do you stand on this? Is expanding a kid’s palate and ensuring that everyone has equal lunches worth the financial stress on families? (This is a country where the  Median net income: about €1,500–€1,800 a month.) 

How does your country handle school lunch? 

👋🏻 Hi! I’m Danielle, an American mom raising our 4 kids in my husband’s hometown in Italy. 🇮🇹

I share our family travels with an emphasis on unique and educational experiences. So glad you’re here! 💛

#lifeinitaly #traveleurope #familytravel #expatinitaly

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