Italy with my in-laws meant late starts and tricky meals. Then we got a week to ourselves.

Aug 19, 2026 09:38 PM - 2 hours ago 1

The writer (far right) shown connected a multigenerational family travel to Italy.

The writer (far right) went connected a multigenerational family travel to Italy. She said they had a awesome time, but she's gladsome her family of 3 stayed for a fewer other days to research connected their own. Courtesy of Renate Flanagan.

When my husband, brother-in-law, and I were invited to our communal friend's destination wedding successful Tuscany, we promptly RSVP'd "yes!"

My husband, brother-in-law, and I each unrecorded successful the United States, but my husband's parents live successful Belgium, truthful we don't spot them often. We invited my mother and father-in-law to subordinate america successful Italy truthful they could walk clip pinch our 1-year-old son. My mother-in-law suggested that my sister-in-law, her partner, and their 1-year-old daughter, who besides unrecorded successful Belgium, subordinate the trip.

Before I knew it, our travel turned into a multi-generational family vacation pinch a group of 10 ranging successful property from 1 to 71.

I was grateful that we were capable to coordinate getting truthful galore family members together astatine once, but I'm besides gladsome my hubby and I planned dedicated clip for our family of 3 aft the festivities.

The author's boy enjoys feeding immoderate bunnies while successful the Dolomites.

After the author's in-laws near the trip, her family of 3 enjoyed walking connected their ain for a fewer days.  Courtesy of Renate Flanagan.

Traveling pinch a ample group was an workout successful logistics

We looked for accommodations that were ample capable to comfortably location each of america but besides wrong our budget. We recovered an agriturismo, aliases accepted workplace stay, successful a mini municipality called Santa Fiora. The municipality was cute, but it was astir an hr distant from our friend's wedding location and astir of the region's attractions.

We had to scheme strategically astir transportation. The fewer options we recovered for a conveyance that would spot 10 group were much costly than renting 2 normal-sized cars that spot 5 people. Once I saw the narrow, winding cobblestone roads throughout Tuscany, I was gladsome we didn't take a ample van, which would person been challenging to maneuver successful medieval towns.

My hubby and I are "get retired early to hit the crowds and heat" type of travelers. Our boy regularly gets up astatine 6 successful the greeting and doesn't attraction if we're connected vacation.

On this trip, the remainder of our family woke up hours aft america and were lackadaisical astir getting retired the door. We often didn't time off the location until astir 11 successful the morning. By the clip we arrived astatine a town, it was clip for lunch, and it was the power of the day. This isn't really our family of 3 usually operates.

Then location was the food

My father-in-law doesn't eat pizza, pasta, aliases sauces — and we were successful Italy. Another personnel of our group was lactose intolerant. On the different hand, my husband, son, and I are adventurous eaters and emotion experiencing a civilization done its cuisine. We sometimes had to walk respective restaurants earlier we recovered 1 pinch a paper divers capable to fulfill everyone's dietary preferences.

The author's boy eats pasta astatine a edifice while sitting connected her lap.

The writer said it was difficult to find restaurants that could accommodate the varied eating preferences wrong their statement of 10.  Courtesy of Renate Flanagan.

On 1 juncture astatine a pizzeria, I had already requested a array for 10. The hold unit was rearranging the tables to spot our group, while I awkwardly asked successful surgery Italian whether the pizzeria only served pizza. Answer: yes. We moved connected to different edifice that offered much options. It turned retired to beryllium the unexpected cosmopolitan favourite repast of the travel for the full family: donkey stew.

Extending the travel without the extended family was the correct move

After a week, the remainder of the family headed backmost to their respective homes. My husband, son, and I stayed for different week to research the Dolomites successful bluish Italy, a bucket database destination of mine.

The writer and her boy bask a position from a refugio successful the Dolomites.

The writer and her boy bask a position from a refugio successful the Dolomites.  Courtesy of Renate Flanagan.

During this time, we had the state to get up arsenic early arsenic we wanted to deed the hiking trails. Our progressive family hiked complete 20 miles successful 3 days without having to relationship for the remainder of the family's stamina levels.

We loved stopping astatine a refugio, a upland hut pinch a edifice and sleeping accommodations on the hiking trails. In the mediate of our hike, we could sip espressos, eat a lukewarm meal, and usage a bath pinch indoor plumbing. The Dolomites person been 1 of my favourite hiking trips to date.

I'm gladsome we did a large family picnic while my in-laws are still patient and progressive capable to travel. Because we unrecorded acold from my husband's family, I cherish the clip my boy gets to walk pinch them. I'm besides gladsome we reserved portion of the travel for our smaller family unit. It gave america a chance to take activities we enjoyed without compromise.

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