As a military spouse living in Naples, Italy, I have the opportunity to travel with a toddler to many different European cities.
Living in Europe and being able to travel to different countries frequently has been an amazing experience. From visiting the Christmas markets in Prague to enjoying tapas in Barcelona. I LOVE to travel!
In this blog, you will learn all about my travel tips, tricks, and hacks for traveling with a toddler in Europe. After reading this post, you will be 100% prepared for your upcoming summer trip to Europe.
This post is all about Traveling With A Toddler
Traveling With A Toddler In Europe: Everything You Need to Know
1. Pack a Durable Stroller
A travel essential when going anywhere with a toddler is to have a stroller. However, when visiting Europe you must bring a durable stroller. The streets in a lot of European cities consist of cobblestones. Traveling on these types of roads can be quite a task. Traveling with a durable stroller will make a huge difference considering all the walking you will be doing. Also, having a durable stroller gives you confidence that the wheels of your stroller will endure the rough streets in some European countries.
2. Plan Meals Ahead of Each Day
As I shared in a previous blog post, in some European countries the hours of operations for some businesses are adjusted to practice ‘riposo’ (or siesta as it’s referred to in Spain). In Italy and Spain, the locals that observe this practice take a midday rest. Since businesses, including restaurants, close down for a few hours and reopen later on in the afternoon/evening. As a parent traveling with a toddler, it is important to be aware of these midday breaks and have a food backup plan.
Related Blog Post: Living In Italy: 19 Shocking Cultural Traits About Italy
3. Pack Snacks
Another must while traveling with a toddler in Europe, is always having snacks with you. When traveling in Europe, be prepared to spend hours out exploring the city you’re visiting. Depending on how your day is scheduled, you may have to prolong your next meal, and with a toddler that can be a difficult decision to make. However, having snacks with you will help to keep your toddler settled until your next meal. Having snacks will also allow you to continue exploring before taking a break.
Video Link: https://youtu.be/Rtd0he24JLw
4. Make Reservations At Restaurants
Making dinner reservations is crucial when traveling with a toddler in Europe. Since my family and I have moved to Europe, I have noticed that restaurants do not keep an abundance of high chairs in their businesses. I have also gone to restaurants where they do not have any high chairs at all. It is important to make reservations at restaurants ahead of time and request a high chair in your reservation. I have witnessed several times in European restaurants when two people need a high chair, the restaurant will typically give the high chair to the person who requested it in their reservation.
5. Plan For Weather
When traveling with a toddler in Europe, it is important to do your research on how the weather is in the country you’re visiting. As to be expected, the temperature varies depending on which country you are visiting and the time of the year. Making sure your toddler is dressed appropriately will help ease any stress you may have regarding their comfort level while you’re traveling. Last year, my family and I visited Prague for Christmas. I assumed that the weather would be mild, since in Italy the winter weather was fairly warm. Thank God my dental hygienist advised me to buy my daughter a snowsuit because when we eventually went to Prague it snowed twice on our trip.
TIP: If you’re visiting London in the rainy season, make sure you buy a rain cover for your stroller. My family and I visited London in February and were not prepared at all for all the rain. We ended up buying a poncho to cover my daughter’s stroller. Check out the video below.
Video Link:https://youtu.be/0yzvt-1-ehQ
This post is all about Traveling With A Toddler