9 days to visit Paris, London and maybe Florence?!
 

Hello!
I am planning a trip for my family (parents, husband and 2 babies (2.5yo and 1yo)) to Europe this October. My husband and I have been to London and Paris pre-babies and am now taking the entire family! Mostly going to relax and shop! We have 8-9 days (on the go days) and I am thinking 3 days for each destination: Los Angeles to Florence (air France) to London (easyjet) and end our trip in Paris (Eurostar) since it has a direct flight back to Los Angeles. Does this itinerary seem a bit too ambitious? I am thinking so especially since we'll be traveling with babies. We can do just Paris and London but my husband wants to try to squeeze in Florence. Any other destinations near London and Paris we should visit instead? Any advise would be greatly appreciated!!

'Relax and shop'?

You won't have time to do any of this.

Your plans sound ridiculous. Sorry - but travelling with a 2.5 and one year old and you want to (a) fly from the West Coast and (b) spend half of your nine days in airports and in transit? Those poor kids.

Your arrival day in Florence will be jet-lag on the ground, a night to recover, one whole day in Florence and then the next day, fly to Paris - meaning checking out-cab to airport two hours before flight - security - fly to London - retrieve bags - get to hotel...there is almost another whole day done. So you get one whole day in London before doing the same thing all over again - for just one day in Paris.

Skip Florence completely. Focus on London and Paris. At least the Eurostar gets you to the middle of both cities without overt airport security and transport to and from airports.

Can only agree that this will NOT work with 2 little ones. The 2.5 year old especially may become the crankiest kid on earth if s/he has to spend all of that time in transit and no time being a kid - running around in parks, feeding ducks on the pond, riding a carousel etc. Don;t know about the 1 year old - it depends on how mobile s/he is - but expecting them to put up with all of that enforced inactivity is just not realistic.

How about leaving the kids with the other grandparents. Bring them a nice gift from Paris or London--OR Paris or Florence--not all 3. You get the idea. Even without the children, 2 stops would be best.

Whew! You and your husband may have travelled like this before children but this is a whole new scene. WIth 6 people, including 2 toddlers, to organize and move around, you would be best advised to stick to 2 cities. I would even suggest sticking to only one.

Two stops would be good but w/ the little ones one stop would be even better. Traveling w/ an infant is easier - but w/i (two) toddlers you need to slow down and allow for naps, parks, playgrounds etc.

Go to either London or Paris and enjoy yourselves instead of having to pack up the kids and moving on every 2 or 3 days . . . OR . . . leave the children home.

The most difficult part of traveling with a group is moving around. With such a short time available, I too recommend eliminating all shifting after arrival, choose 1 city, rent a nice spacious apartment with the savings, settle in with the babies and have time to do your shopping. Because of the uncertainty of the Paris apartment situation, I'd choose London. For anyone desperate to see Paris, an overnight by Eurostar is perfectly easy without moving everyone. The kids, I think, will be infinitely more content in 1 nice location with a kitchen.

Dump the kids or the husband on this plan (re Florence idea).

I think Paris and London would work. Forget Italy.

If your idea is really just to shop and relax, I'd stay home, frankly.

London is easy with kids. Lots of playgrounds and parks, taxi's and buses that take strollers, museums that are free so you wander around for as long or short as you like.
I couldn't contemplate packing up and moving every 3 days with a baby and toddler, and all the stuff you need for them. Even on Eurostar; there are queues, security, you'll have to get your kids, strollers, suitcases on and off the train and in a taxi to the next hotel....

London. Only. Or Paris. Only. You will gain two vacation days by losing the transit days. You will save money. You will come home sane.

Thank you for the responses. I agree with most of you, cut out Italy completely! Just needed to hear it from others.

Swimming against the tide here, but I'd take the kiddies and go to Florence/Tuscany for the entire time. Rent a car and stay in a hotel or apartment in a smallish town or at an agriturismo or villa outside of a town, explore the area for a week, and then spend a couple of days in Florence. FYI, your kids will give you near-VIP status in Italy.