Babies in Spain
 

My wife and I are intending to travel to Seville, Marbella old town and possibly Ronda with our 8 week old baby for 10 days at the end of next month. Has to be next month as the reason for the trip is attending a friend's birthday.

We have been to Spain many times, speak quite a bit of Spanish and have lived in Seville for a few months but I must say that we have until now been entirely oblivious to babies in Spain and the locals attitudes to babies. I don't particularly remember seeing or hearing babies when I have been out and about but then perhaps I have just blocked them out!

I'd therefore love to know if anyone has any tips about taking a baby to Spain. Do you think, for instance, that it's OK to take babies to restaurants in the evening or would they be unwelcome?

Many thanks

Have you talked to your pediatrician about traveling overseas with a baby that young?

If you have not, you should.

Hello!

I do not think you will have any problems as Spain is not like Northeren Europe is this sense. Mediterraneans are loud in general and i have seen many couples out with their babies here in Barcelona, i reckon its just as much in the south of Spain. Of course i do not recommend you take your 8 month old baby to a fancy quiet place but at the same time Spain is not the UK! people here will not find this an issue like elsewhere.

Not only did my 2 babies seem welcome everywhere in Spain, they often held a certain celebrity status; Spaniards wanted to play with them, talk about them, make them smile, etc. On the other hand, don't expect anyone to stop being loud, stop smoking, or to give up their seat just because you have a baby with you.

We traveled with our friends to south Spain last year with their baby and the thing I remember most is they were up so late with the parents. I am talking 10pm and later. We saw babies everywhere being pushed in carriages/strollers all over very late and going into restaurants.
The babies were adored by all and the general feeling I thought was acceptance. YOu will have no problems.

The Paradors are very "kid friendly" too. They always provide a little gift for the children too upopn check-in.

The smoking ,as Josh referred to ,would bother me if I had a baby in tow. I am always stunned at all the smoking there.

Thanks for the opinions. Sounds perfect - hopefully it will still be warm enough to eat outside so we don't have to deal with the smoke issue.

Ackislander makes a good point. Unless absolutely necessary, that is young to be on a plane full of germs and viruses.

Babies can fly after 2 weeks and our doctor and health visitor were more than happy about our baby flying at 8 weeks - especially given the relatively short flight from the UK to Seville.

Sure they can at that age and even when just a few days old. The point was this is young to be around a bunch of people and re-circulated air unless you have to. That is the start of flu season and babies have weak immune systems. Just something to consider.

Libero - I think some were thinking you were from the U.S. and thus the "traveling with babies overseas" comment. While I would VERY MUCH suggest that fellow Americans not take their babies to Europe, I can see how it would be a pretty easy thing for you. My British friends often traveled all over with their young kids, just like I do coast to coast in the U.S. (a 4-5 hour flight, not at all the shorter hop you are doing).

So, having said that, we were in Spain in March and were astounded at the very young children, toddler, babies who were out much later than we wanted to be! The whole "don't eat dinner in a restaurant till 10:00 pm" thing was very much in force and the families with toddlers and babies were out in the square with their strollers, etc. We took our babe to restaurants around town in a baby carrier and put her under the table for dinner - nursing discretely when necessary. We took our 6 month old to Disney World one year and put her in the snuggli and she slept from 8:00 - 11:00pm on our chest while we ate, walked, and even went on (easy) rides. So, if you haven't done it already, be sure your child can go in a bjorn or snuggli or sling and you should be fine.

Have a great trip!

Sorry, just wanted to make clear (and wish there was an edit button here) that when I'm talking about what we did with our own young one, I was talking about Atlanta and the states - but I'm basically comparing this to the OP who is going from UK to Spain - pretty much the same thing. And more recently, my own daughter flew from NY to Atl (2 hrs) with our 2 month old granddaughter - I would not let fear of germs on a plane stop me from travelling.

Thanks for the further responses. AtlTravelr - sounds great, in fact there's a very good theme park in Sevilla called Isla Magica so might have to head over with the BabyBjorn - which our little one seems to love! Good to hear that they're so relaxed with kids when out in the evenings - makes for a v nice atmosphere I think and one we don't really have here in the UK.

I dont have children of my own, but I am used to suffer everybody's babies everywhere...;-)
Most of the bars, small restaurants...are smoking places, but most people will stop smoking if you ask them, for your baby's sake. Other places have non-smokers spaces.