On holiday with the childrenin San Benedetto del Tronto.

San Benedetto del Tronto is a town made for children: a fine sandy beach with a gently shelving seabed, a seafront six kilometres long and entirely pedestrian, the historic centre a few steps from the house. La Tana dei Dalmatini is designed with families travelling with small children in mind, and below you'll find what keeps them busy without ever getting bored.

What children find in the garden

• ·Three free-roaming rabbits on the lawn — they live in the garden and come up to guests, especially in the morning. Most children remember them as the best part of the holiday.
• ·The budgerigars in the courtyard — you can hear them chirping all day long.
• ·A small round trampoline to jump on — safe, low, out in the open.
• ·Sun loungers in the sun, the shade of the palms, the terracotta amphora. A hundred and ten square metres of lawn to run on.

What they find indoors

• ·A large planted aquarium in the bedroom — a silent submarine that holds even the youngest children's attention.
• ·A library of hundreds of books — there's always an illustrated classic or two for children.
• ·Paper and crayons for drawing on the hottest afternoons.
• ·A TV with Sky Kids and Netflix for rainy hours or the little ones' nap times.
• ·Quiet air conditioning in every room — it won't disturb their sleep, even at night.

For the parents too · holidays change when the children are happy

A holiday with children has two levels: the children's and the parents'. The second depends a great deal on the first. When the children wake up with something to look forward to — the rabbits to say good morning to in the garden, the aquarium to watch for five minutes before breakfast, the trampoline outside to jump on — the rhythm of the house changes. The parents don't have to plan the whole day in advance to stave off boredom: the children already have their own reasons. And when the children are happy, the rest of the family breathes a little more easily too — the morning at the café goes better, lunch at the restaurant becomes more relaxed, the evening in the garden is truly an evening in the garden. The house is designed to give parents that kind of holiday.

Different ages · different interests under one roof

The families who come to us often have children of different ages. The difference shows in how the days go: the youngest stay in the garden with the rabbits, go down to the beach with their parents, rest after lunch. The older ones — pre-teens, teenagers — need something else.

• ·For teenagers who want their own space: the TV has Netflix and Sky with all the channels (sport, series, films) — they can keep up with what they watch at home even on holiday, especially on the hottest afternoons.
• ·The pedestrian centre of San Benedetto is 100 metres from the door: the youngsters can head out on their own for an ice cream, a wander round the shops, to meet people their own age — without the car and without constant supervision.
• ·The house library has hundreds of books — there's always something just right for any age.
• ·The garden is big enough to divide up the space: one corner for the little ones with the rabbits and the trampoline, another shady corner for anyone who wants to read or be on their phone in peace.

The result: everyone finds what they're looking for, and the adults don't have to spend all day mediating between competing wishes.

The beach for small children

The beach at San Benedetto is fine sand with a seabed that slopes away slowly: even two-year-olds can play safely up to 15–20 metres from the shore. Along the seafront there are breakwater reefs that protect the beach from erosion and create a stretch of calm sea — almost a natural swimming pool — perfect for anyone travelling with small children. The beach is about 1 km from the house (10 minutes on foot) and you can get there without taking the car.

Frequently asked questions from families with children

• ·Are pets allowed? Yes, at no extra charge, and more than one is fine. Dogs on the lead in the garden, for the rabbits' safety.
• ·A cot for babies? Yes, on request when you book.
• ·A high chair? Not available.
• ·Air conditioning? Yes, in every room, quiet even at night.
• ·How many beds? Six — two double bedrooms and two sofa beds in the living room. There is just one bathroom (that's the real limit on numbers).
• ·How close is the sea? The sandy beach is 1 km away, 10 minutes on foot. You get there through the pedestrian centre: the pedestrian zone, a park with a playground, tennis courts.

Parks and playgrounds nearby

A few minutes on foot from the house, in the green belt between the centre and the seafront, there are two equipped playgrounds and a garden where children can run and let off steam before or after the beach. The Japanese Garden, in particular, has a little pond with fish and water lilies that the youngest ones love. And the ice cream is just round the corner: there are several good gelaterie in the centre, but the one we go to most often is La Cremeria 2.0.