Can anyone recommend a resort in Italy

[Samnella]

I am driving myself nuts trying to find somewhere for us for a week in August. DCs will be 5 and 7 . I know I definitely want:

Italy
S/C villa 2 or 3 bed and private so somewhere not built up or overlooked.
Private decent sized pool that we can swim rather than just paddle in.
Walking distance to a village/town for bars/food. Nice family place not fishn'chips or 18-30s.
Good food. I must add I am vege (no meat/fish) so Italy normally works well for me.
We don't need childcare or entertainment.

We shall drive and want places nearby to go and see. The beach is a bonus but not essential.

I am having no problem finding villas on owners direct but would like to focus on particular resorts/towns/villages.

Thanks.

Anywhere around lake Garda

We stayed in peschiera last year, was beautiful. Also visited Sirmione, bardolino and Garda. All were amazing.
Going again this summer

I would 2nd lake Garda and Peschiera ! Fab with loads today in the area!

I am watching this thread too, as we fancy Italy too this summer.

I would 3rd lake Garda. We stayed in the town of Garda itself, but stayed in a hotel. The holiday ticked all the right boxes for us and we just used the ferry to get round the lake and explore the different towns.

Bellagio or Tremezzo on Lake Como - stunning scenery. Ischia is lovely but would be one hell of a drive. I love the part of the Italian riviera between Genoa and Lerici, the Cinque Terre villages and Portofino

I definitely agree on lakes in Italy. Garda is very big, as is como. For smaller appeal try maggiorie. Italianlakes.com.

From lakes, you can get to Verona, Venice, Milan by train quite easily depending on which lake chosen. Get passes for boats around the lakes and just hopping on and off is a lot of fun and means change of venue whenever bored. Carducci is the firm if I remember rightly, certainly at maggiore, as we knew it by car-ducky. You could easily not drive once here which might appeal. Keep passport handy as if u go the full lengths of lakes u see the views alter tremendously as Italy meets Switzerland. Extremely pretty.

Peschieria in Garda is wonderful. There's a big euro camp place on the lake shore. Recommend for kids as very well equipped.

Bear in mind that ALL Italians take their annual holiday in August - that may be why you're having a problem finding something. Literally, everyone decamps to the country/beach/mountains for the month. But I'm sure you'll find something. Yes, the lakes are lovely and Garda is also close to Verona and Vicenza if you fancy a city day out. Garda town is probably the largest town on the lake, but there are about 20 towns to choose from. There's a theme park called Gardaland near Peschiera (I think!).

We rented a villa in tuscany and the pool wasn't heated..the water was freezing in August...just something to watch out for

We went to Lake Garda mid August and traffic was awful. It can take easily an hour or longer to drive from one end to another. The north end is more mountainous but southern end more accessible and commercial. Many Northern Europeans drive down but their schools go back around 3rd week of August so it should calm down a bit then. Can be very hot (30o+ when we were there, 37 in Verona). Lake Lugano might be a smaller alternative.

Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread OP - I've been thinking of going to Lake Garda in June however our DD is 2 and I'm not sure if it will be suitable for us! Would prefer a hotel with a separate bedroom, or apartment complex. We won't be driving abroad so also need to be able to use public transport to get around.

Any suggestions of where to go welcome

"and I'm not sure if it will be suitable for us!"

Why not? I would take a 2 year old to Lake Garda. The best way to explore the lakeside towns is to get a ferry, which is IMO a much better way of getting around, with or without a 2 year old, than any other method of public transport.

Instead of Garda you could consider \link{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castiglione_del_Lago\Castiglione del Lago} although I've just been looking a bit & can't find any properties that tick all your boxes; mostly they're a few km from town, &/or have shared pools

But it's a nice-sized town, on a massive lake (with beaches), in Umbria but close to Tuscany, & with easy access to masses of lovely places to visit. Also on the railway

\link{http://www.homeaway.co.uk/Italy/Umbria/holiday-house-Castiglione-del-Lago/p50644.htm\this one is private} but not walking distance to anywhere

\link{http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p390441t\this is a small complex} & still 4km from town (you probably could walk 4km, but in August you might regret it!)

oh, the first one is actually 2km from Moiano 'which has all you need: bank, pharmacy, supermarket, bakery, gelateria, pizzeria'

(maybe not all you need but it's a start!)

We always go to pogliere campiglioni in monteviarhi.

No beach and not walking distance you have to drive but is fab. Owners brilliant and you get loads of different nationalities who all get along and the kids play so lovely together.

Went one year and met a wonderful South African lady and her family. Asked her how she knew about it and she said someone called Madam Casrafiore had recommended it on mumsnet.

There is horse riding nearby, you can visit Sienna, Luca and Arezzo. All which are fab!

This year will be our 6th visit.

Thanks all. I am loving the power of MN .

I really liked the idea of Lake Garda but have heard its manically busy in August.

I love the link to the complex Ponders. Thank you. It goes against what I said I wanted but it looks lovely.

MadamCastafiore - Thank you for the information. I googled the name but haven't got anything. Do you have a link? Or can I double check the spelling.

We went the last week of August two years ago. While it was busy it wasn't as busy as we expected which was a pleasant surprise.

here

It really is glorious - the kids adore our time there each year and have loads of friends who they email all over the world that we have met there.

Ravello is a great place to go to though - you can go to Sorento, Positano and Capri as well as Amalfi from there and is not too busy, has a fab square with nice little shops and good restaurants and the people are so friendly.

Does anyone know what the weather would be like in Lake
Garda at end of May/beg of June? What are chances of rain as opposed to Southern Italy? looks lovely, but dont want rain!

Thank you MadameCastsfiore. Unfortunately they only have one one-bed flat in August which wouldn't work for us. I am going to look at Lake Garda.

Go here love it!! It's a campsite about 40 mins from Venice. 5 mins walk to spectacular beach, 10 mobs thru pine walk (take a torch!) to local town which caters mostly for Ilans. Direct bus to Venice or Carle - beautiful town with water park and camp set is just right, multi cultural, safe, entertainment there if u want it but not in your face!

Thanks makemineapinot - Have you been in August? Just wondering how noisy and cramped it gets in peak seaon.

Op I stayed in the Poggibonsi area and that was lovely and very easy to visit Sienna and Florence. On another trip we visited Pisa which was a great day out. I love Tuscany, so beautiful with great day trips.

Thanks Fluffy1234 I shall look into that. I looked at the campsite and decided it wasn't for us. We want something smaller. Either some villas around a shared pool or our own villa.

\link{http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p402597\apartment with shared pool at Cetona} in Tuscany - walking distance to town centre - it doesn't say how many apartments are there though

I think you're going to struggle to find an actual villa, with private or shared pool, within walking distance of amenities

Cetona is well placed for visiting Tuscany & also Umbria. We stayed in Sinalunga last time - about 20 miles to the N - & had a wonderful time, partly touring & partly vegging