Hill towns are wonderful places to visit with kids. Though the splendors of Italy's cities, such as Venice, Rome, and Florence, are unparalleled, in some ways visiting hill towns makes an even better vacation for families.
The hill towns my family visited in Tuscany and Umbria are picture-perfect: no mini-malls or fast-food joints; your imagination can time-travel freely to the medieval times kids love so much. Many lanes are pedestrian-only, which is always nice for parents with darting kids. Also, the scale of a town is manageable: big cities can overwhelm, and getting from place to another can be grueling especially in hot weather.
More good news is that you needn't go bankrupt touring Italy with your kids. In the pages below and you'll find tips on severaltypes of low-cost lodgings suitable for families. Also check out "short term car leasing": you'll want your own vehicle to explore hill towns!