*I visited Tuscany as a guest of Bookings for You and Mansalto Tuscany

Do you ever feel like you forgot who you were before you became a mum? When you’re haring around in this constant mum juggle, it can be easy to lose touch with that fun, carefree side of yourself which you may not even realise still exists deep down inside. A girl’s weekend away is truly the best way to brush off the dust and reconnect with the “you” that often gets bogged down with daily duties. This, I recently discovered when I went on a trip to Tuscany courtesy of Bookings For You and Mansalto Tuscany with a group of gals. So here’s how to make it happen. Firstly….

Give yourself permission to have the perfect girls weekend away

First up, can we just be upfront and say how much you totally deserve this! Forget the days when you’ve felt like a rubbish mum. And instead, give yourself a pat on the back for all the times you’ve totally rocked motherhood. In the form of a weekend with the girls!

Here’s the crack – unless you give yourself permission to totally enjoy a perfect girls weekend away, then quite frankly, you may as well not go. There’s no room for mum guilt here, so be sure you don’t pack any in your suitcase!

Know you have worked hard for years on end and are totally entitled to be away from your family for a while. It will probably even do them good! I came back to a much more self-sufficient unit as well as feeling like a better human being and parent.

Get the people right

Because the opportunity for a perfect girls weekend away comes along very rarely in this mum life, you want to make sure that you’re doing it with the right people! I was so lucky to spend time with Louise from Pink Pear Bear, Emma from Emma And 3, Paola from The Tiny Italian, Kristie from Mamma Prada, Lisa from The Big Travel Podcast and Monika from Mum on The Brink/Inspireroo – all of whom are totally laid back and lots of fun to be with. No dramas, no negativity, nobody being difficult. Just a can-do attitude and happy times.

Where to go

Our perfect girls weekend away was in Tuscany, based out of a villa on the Mansalto Tuscany estate, and I couldn’t have wished for a more perfect place. It was ideal for the amount of time we had – a four day weekend – and the setting provided for some serious Italian relaxation. You can read my tips about what to do in three days in Tuscany here.

New experiences

Our villa was also the perfect base for taking in all the activities that Tuscany had to offer – from all that scrummy food in local eateries, to sightseeing in Siena, touring a vineyard and a super fun Italian cooking class with Cooking in Florence before taking in the magnificent leaning tower of Pisa en route home.

It’s all these new, shared experiences that really make the perfect girls getaway. So it’s worth putting in some extra effort to get some lined up when you finally escape on your trip away.

Of course, you don’t want to come back totally shattered some while you’re busy making memories be sure to plan enough downtime which leads me on nicely to my next point…

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Did someone say pampering?

We all know that us frazzled mums love a spot of pampering, and for me the perfect girls weekend away just can’t be complete without the chance to luxuriate a bit. Our villa came complete with a pool, hot tub, sauna and steam room which really made it feel like a five-star girls getaway. And the best bit was – we didn’t have to rush back for school pick up!

So if you’re thinking about planning the perfect girls weekend away I say…do it! And for inspiration of where to go and stay why not browse the gorgeous range of villas at Bookings For You.

*I visited Tuscany as a guest of Bookings for You and Mansalto Tuscany