Most places that organise holistic holidays don’t include under-fives. Certainly the little ones aren’t welcomed with an ice-cream, as they were at The Hill That Breathes, a new holistic centre in Italy. But the founders of the retreat have four-year-old twin boys themselves, and they take a different approach.

Italian-born Gaia and her British partner John were stuck in advertising jobs in London before finding their calling in 100 acres (40ha) of virgin pine forest in Le Marche, the region of Italy that borders Tuscany and Umbria. Their eye for detail has contributed to the spotless accommodation built alongside old farmhouses and the outdoor spaces chosen for the views across the hills.

I brought along my son Humphrey, 7, for The Hill’s first holistic family holiday week, joining a grand total of 12 children and assorted parents. Many of the partners/fathers, including my own unreconstructed Yorkshireman, decided to stay at home and there was a sense of adventure about our group.

My first surprise was that the children — from toddler to teenagers — all got on famously. Having organised dozens of disastrous after-school teas, where a fight usually breaks out before the cutlery is on the table, I was amazed by this. Apart from the occasional toddler tantrum, there was barely a wail all week. For me, seeing Humphrey amusing himself happily by the saltwater pool, or making trails through the woods, was more relaxing than a dozen massages (also available on site). Somehow the wildness of the forest seemed to civilise the children while still giving them space to run wild.

Much of the credit for the smiley culture was due to the children’s teacher-cum-rap artist Sandra, who had them putting on plays, African dancing, and creating mini-tepees while the adults fixed their souls. For me that meant taking every class on offer in the Big Tepee: qi gong, t’ai chi, breath work, chanting and libation ceremonies. I had some of the most unsurburban conversations over the sweet pumpkin risotto and wild garlic pizza for lunch, and would now count myself as a passable expert on urine therapy.

The afternoons were free, so we explored the beaches at Pesaro and the Roman city of Fano. Also popular were trips to the majestic university city of Urbino, 15 minutes away. With the bribe of hot dogs, I took Humphrey around the Ducal Palace to gaze at the Renaissance architecture and paintings. And, admiring the pomp and silver of the Vatican’s riches in a crypt beneath another church, I found that by promising a huge blue ice-cream at the end of the cultural tour, I could even squeeze another half hour out of him.

Shopping was another holistic activity, and the Apennine Mountains near by gave up the most delicious dried porcini and truffles, which were bagged for presents to take home. Markets in Fano and Urbino sold stylish T-shirts, sandals and bags for a few euros, and the children all crouched by the open-air petshops to stroke and hold the hamsters and terrapins on sale.

Evenings were spent outdoors, eating and drinking around a large wooden table, listening to the sounds of crickets and windchimes, or the occasional party around a campfire. There was no dispute over parenting styles because all the children stayed up late with adults (ever hopeful of a lie-in), including the holiday mascot, Mimi, 2. We were fortunate to have former the Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan on our week, and he kept us amused with his pantomime routines and guitar playing.

As long as you hire a car to find amusement during the long siesta break, the words holistic and family holiday can sit together in the same sentence. What stayed with me from the experience was how well 12 children got on together, despite their different backgrounds and ages. Perhaps a holiday to the Umbrian hills should be a mandatory annual expedition for every inner-city child. Now repeat after me, kids: “Ommmm.”

NEED TO KNOW

The Hill that Breathes (0870 6092690, (www.thehillthatbreathes.com) has programmes from April to October. The next holistic family holiday week starts on July 27and costs from £495pp (discounts for children sharing with parents).

Getting there: Ryanair (0906 2705656, 25p/min, www.ryanair.com) offers return flights from Stansted to Ancona from £26.38.