Are you longing for community? Would you like to spend some time with other homeschooling and travelling families, with fun activities organised in co-creation, but also plenty of time to play and simply live your everyday life? A place where both parents and children can build friendships that last beyond gatherings?
In 2027, we will be organising our longest gathering ever at Lake Garda. A gathering is an opportunity to meet other families with a similar lifestyle. There is no fixed programme with tightly scheduled activities. Instead, we create space for connection, spontaneous plans and shared experiences.
When?
The gathering will take place for 10 weeks in spring 2027. The exact dates will be announced later, but will most likely fall between late March and mid-June. You are welcome to join us for four weeks or longer.
Most spots are reserved for families staying the full ten weeks with us for the stability of the group and to offer families the opportunity to spend more time together and build stronger friendships.
Where?
For the fourth time, we are planning to stay at Piani di Clodia, a resort with many facilities such as swimming pools, sports fields, a playground, a supermarket and direct access to Lake Garda. The resort is within walking distance of the medieval village of Lazise and several theme parks. There are several historic towns and cities like Verona, Sirmione and Venice nearby. Verona Airport is the closest airport, at a distance of 25 km.
See below for some pictures of the resort and the surrounding area.
Who is it for?
For families with children of all ages who practise homeschooling in any form, such as traditional homeschooling, unschooling, roadschooling and worldschooling, or are planning to do so.
They are especially geared towards families who travel and want to give both their children and themselves the opportunity to build friendships that last beyond our gatherings, as we are slowly growing into a small travelling village with a nice mix of new families and families who have met before.
Our events attract families from many different countries, so the main language will be English. It’s easier for teens and tweens to join in if they speak at least a little English.
Our gatherings are both suitable for those travelling by houses and those roadschooling. You can bring your own camping gear (camper, caravan, tent) and book a pitch, or rent one of the many accommodation options available at Piani di Clodia.
Please note that Piani di Clodia is a large resort. Experience has shown that the resort is most suitable for families with teens and tweens, and for families with younger children who feel confident moving around the campsite independently. Think of it as a small village where you have your own place, but friends are never far away.
There is room for about 15 families, big enough for plenty of playmates, yet small enough for everyone to get to know each other.
As an indication, these are the ages of the children that signed up for last year’s edition:
17-15-14-14-14-13-12-12-11-11-11-11-10-10-10-10-9-9-9-9-9-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-7-7-6-6-6-6-5-5-4-3-2
What are the costs?
We ask for a participation fee of €110 regardless of family size and length of stay. Families who have joined at least one of our events in 2026 and stayed for at least the minimum stay don’t need to pay the participation fee.
This fee is merely a commitment fee. It includes our support before and during the gathering, our efforts to bring a nice group of families together, and access to our dedicated Telegram group, but not your accommodation or any extras such as excursions or meals out. The fee must be paid within 7 days after we have confirmed your spot and is non-refundable, unless, of course, we need to cancel the gathering, in which case you will receive a full refund of the participation fee.
Pictures
A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some impressions from one of our earlier gatherings at Lake Garda.
How to join?
Registration will open once we have finalised the last details with the resort and bookings for next season are open. We expect this to be sometime in the last quarter of this year. 🙂
Would you like to be among the first to know when registration opens? Then please fill out the form below, and you’ll receive an e-mail once we are ready to open registration. Just to be clear: this is not a registration form and does not guarantee you a spot.
FAQ
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions below. Do you still have questions? Feel free to reach out! We are happy to help. You can contact us via email at italy@exploringfamilies.eu.
How about the weather?
Spring at Lake Garda is usually lovely, with temperatures already ranging from 15°C to 25°C in April.
Is the waterpark already open?
In previous years, there was at least one pool open. The opening of the waterpark depends on weather conditions.
How to get to Lake Garda?
If you are coming by plane: The nearest airport is Verona Airport, about 25 km from the resort. There are several car rentals at the airport. There’s also a
bus connection from Verona to Lazise. There’s a bus stop right in front of the resort.
Is it necessary to rent a car?
No, not necessarily. Most activities take place at and around the resort, and there’s a small supermarket at the resort which has most basics for reasonable prices. Several theme parks and villages, as well as the bigger cities, can be reached on foot, by bike or by public transport. The buses can be quite delayed, though.
How many families will be coming?
We’ll be keeping the group small – big enough for plenty of playmates, yet small enough for everyone to get to know each other. There’s room for about 15 families. Most of the spots are reserved for families who join us for the full ten weeks. A limited number of spots is available for families with shorter stays.
What happens if you cancel the gathering?
If fewer than 5 families commit to joining, we’ll cancel the gathering and refund your full participation fee. Even in that case, we’ll still be at the resort ourselves and would love to spend some fun weeks together.
In the very unlikely event that an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control forces us to cancel the gathering after all, you will of course receive a full refund of your participation fee. The resort’s refund policy depends on the type of accommodation you book. You can find their policy on their website. Please note that you’ll need to contact them directly, as all bookings must be made with the park itself.
What happens if we need to cancel?
The participation fee is merely a commitment fee. This fee is non-refundable if you cancel.
The resort’s refund policy depends on the type of accommodation you book. You can find their policy on their website. Please note that you’ll need to contact them directly, as all bookings must be made with the park itself.
Is there accommodation available?
Yes, the resort offers lots of different types of accommodation, including glamping tents, caravans and bungalows.
Do we need to stay for the full ten weeks?
You are welcome to join us if you stay at least 4 weeks. However, experience has shown that even 4 weeks often feels too short, so if you can stay longer… 🙂
Can we also stay somewhere else and visit during daytime?
No, that’s unfortunately not possible. It is our experience that especially kids miss out on too much fun when their family stays somewhere else. It also works best for the group dynamics if every family stays at the same resort.
What languages are spoken?
The main language spoken is English, so it will be easier to join in for teens and tweens if they speak at least a little English.
What is the difference between a gathering and a hub?
During our hubs, we offer planned activities on 3-4 days each week. At gatherings (like this one in Italy), we don’t have a fixed programme, and instead leave things open for spontaneous meet-ups, hangouts and activities. Every family can organise activities as they please. It is our experience that a lot of activities spontaneously occur. Also, knowing ourselves and our children, we’re pretty sure we’ll come up with plenty of spontaneous things, like potlucks, games, sharing circles and definitely one or more visits to a theme park. In fact, we are already looking into baking workshops, led by Italian cooks, and Italian language classes.
Are activities mandatory?
No, all activities are optional, so don’t feel like you have to join every activity. We know how valuable it is to have a good balance between community time and personal time.
Can my child join activities on their own?
Although our gatherings are family-oriented and not drop-off events, sometimes a child prefers to join certain activities on their own. If your child is responsible enough to participate without a parent and transport to the activity or excursion can be arranged, it’s absolutely fine with us. However, parents remain fully responsible for their child at all times.
Can we join communal meals if we have allergies or dietary requirements?
Yes, definitely. Everyone is asked to include a list of ingredients at organised potluck meals. In our experience, there’s always a good selection of vegan, vegetarian, keto and gluten-free options. There are even gluten-free pizzas available at the restaurant on the resort.
How much does accommodation at the resort cost?
This depends on the type of accommodation and family size. Please check
the resort’s website for their prices. See below for some sample prices for reference. These are based on a family of four: 3 persons aged 10+ and 1 person aged 1-9. Prices at the resort can be higher or lower depending on your family situation.
Campsite pitch:
2 weeks: from €776.50
4 weeks: from €1,207.43
Apartment:
2 weeks: From €971
4 weeks: From € 1,711
These prices include electricity, hot showers and access to facilities like the swimming pools. Tourist tax is not included in above prices.
For apartments, final cleaning, linen and towels are not included.
The sample prices of the resort are subject to change and availability, and are based on the 2026 season.
Do we need to book the resort ourselves?
Yes, you need to book your accommodation directly at the resort. Once we have confirmed your spot, we will send you all the details you need to book your stay. We are happy to help if needed.
Can we decide at the last minute?
Technically, yes (up to 14 days before the gathering starts)… but the gathering has limited spots, as we aim to keep the group small enough for everyone to get to know each other. Our previous gatherings at Lake Garda filled up pretty quickly. So it might be wise to book earlier.
