Once, having a family meant waving goodbye to luxury travel – yet seeing the world is one of the most powerful ways to meaningfully educate children. So, what if there is a way that parents who want luxury travel with kids do not need to give up incredible experiences? What if there is an award-winning online family travel guide that combines a luxury vacation planning service that helps busy families take trips of a lifetime successfully? There is and its name is Ciao Bambino.

Based in California, the CEO of Ciao Bambino Amie O’ Shaughnessy is a mom who loves to travel with her family. So, much so, she founded a company that creates remarkable luxury itineraries for families just like hers. Ciao Bambino a travel agency but also a source of recommended travel option shared through their website and blog. Her team of family travel advisors – all of whom have youngsters themselves – recommend astonishing trips of a lifetime for customers and their loved ones.

Ciao Bambino began 18 years ago when Amie’s son was just a baby, fast forward and today, her not so little one is off to college! Amie started the business realising that travel with youngsters was an entirely new world. She said: “My husband and I were living in London before having our son, and we wanted to get ‘travel out of our system.’ After we travelled the world, we were now seasoned travellers with had an infant, didn’t quell our wanderlust, so we investigated which providers catered for people like us that loved to travel with kids. There were very few, so that sparked the idea for the business.”

Despite location, culture, or circumstance, the challenges of travelling parents across the world are similar – they do not want to give up luxury travel just because they have children. “Travel is one of the most amazing tools we have as parents, to educate our kids and expose them to different cultures and environments,” explains Amie. “Incredible adventures with your family create bonds that you cannot get in your day-to-day life at home. Sometimes exotic places are what create special memories and we want parents to be able to experience those in luxury.”

Where you stay matters

Amie believes that for families with young kids, where you stay really matters which became the lynchpin for her business. She recalls “When my son was a baby, I looked for websites that told me information that was important to me. Where would my baby sleep- will it be split or one room, do we have a kitchenette facility? Are we going to feel self-conscious in the lobby when he makes a peep or are there other families there too?

As infants grow, travel changes but the essence remain the same – people want to travel with their families. Amie continues: “As children develop, parents want different things for them on a vacation. At each age stage needs are different. A holiday for a family with a baby will look different to those designed for those with a toddler, a four- to six-year-old, a seven- to 10-year-old  or a 10- to 12-year-old, a teenager. With our service, we ask our clients all about their child and their preferences. We believe that holiday needs change rapidly between the age groups of a young person’s life.”

Amie took her son to Antarctica for two weeks when he turned 13. She says: “He’s been to seven continents, yet that is the trip that recalls the most vivid memories for us both. It was the most life-changing experience, knowing you are in a place that few humans have set foot. In 2019 we went to the North Pole and saw the polar bears. With global warming, we do not know how much longer we can do that.” Amie reveals that Italy, France and Spain are key European destinations for American families, closely followed by Costa Rica, Japan, the Galapagos, New Zealand, Alaska and Kenya. Personally, she would like to re-visit Japan in the spring. Having travelled to more than 60 countries, her fab four are Antarctica for its remoteness, Kenya for the magical Masai experiences, Italy as it just delivers great food, great wine, and Morocco because it is exotic and visually stunning.

“Adventure travel is big on peoples’ action plans,” says Amie. “We are seeing families are choosing those experiences over beach holidays. Today’s families want to learn how they can become participants in their destination and not just observers. If you have your sights set on Italy, go – entertain your toddler with a ball in the piazza while you and your spouse sip cappuccino amidst wonderful scenery. For families with toddlers, it is all about finding a destination that is safe, has space for kids to run around and has designated sleeping areas, so parents get a break. That all changes when they are 13 and want their own room. An example of a great break with teenagers is Costa Rica. When you get there, you can go zip wiring, then take a surf lesson the next day, followed by a guided night safari with the creatures of the jungle. As your kids get older, those impressive itineraries become an exciting option for the whole family. Remember beach holidays and Disneyland are not your only option with kids, there are plenty of other things you can do.”

Ciao Bambino handpicks four and five-star hotels for luxury travel with kids and offers private tours with a dedicated guide. Amie says: “To this day, much of what we sell we have experienced. We tell you what it is like,  parent to parent.” For instance, a customer might be taking their first international voyage as a family with a baby and want somebody to hold their hand with that first overseas experience,” explains Amie. “Children enhance the journey of our lives. Parents who choose Ciao Bambino want their kids with them all the way. Those parents find joy in the destination when they view it  through their child’s eyes.”

Amie predicts that today parents will book that special trip to the Galapagos, Costa Rica or Belize: “Adventure travel is now more popular than ever,” says Amie.

Luxury travel for families is all about memorable experiences, for example trips to Italy’s Borgo Pignamo – a high end agricultural estate turned into a wonderful resort. Amie explains: “A lot of people equate luxury family travel to having an apartment. We do have some villa rentals that offer independent concierge service, and the next level is hotels where people do things for you – a kids club, restaurants and a social life opens.

Amie believes that luxury travel with kids is coming back ‘bigger than ever’ as people want with that big bucket list trip.

Ciao Bambino is a full-service award-winning travel agency for families.