First International Trip with our Baby - Italy, Ireland, or Iceland?
 

Hello,

My husband and I would like to plan a trip for next year with our baby (who will be about 1 year old). We have traveled internationally before (Japan, England, Wales, Scotland, Peru), however we are new parents and will be taking our first trip out of the country with our daughter. We are deciding between Italy, Ireland, and Iceland. I'll be asking different questions on each country's own forum. We think we'd like to plan for 10 nights in Italy (arrive in afternoon, stay 10 nights, leave in afternoon after 10 nights). When we traveled just the 2 of us, we would be out all day 6am-6pm sight seeing, early dinner, to bed early, and all day sight seeing the next day. We would move around every 1-3 days packing as much in as we could. We know we are going to have to slow down A LOT. I'm thinking with 10 nights, I'd like to limit it to 2 places (5 nights in each place), but with so many great destinations in Italy, maybe we could push it to 3 places (3 nights in two places and 4 nights in one). The top things we'd like to see include (I know we will have to skip some for this trip):

• Coliseum
• St Peters
• Roman Forum
• Pantheon
• Trevi Fountain
• Sistine Chapel
• Beautiful coastlines (Cinque Terre/Almafi ??)
• Tuscany
• Nature nature nature!
• Picturesque towns
• Gondola Ride
• Pompeii
• Capri

I would say we prefer 60% nature and 40% historic sights. We also love "doing things" instead of just sight seeing (like taking cooking class for example - not sure how feasible with a 1 yr old though).

What on our list can we cut out? My thoughts are to spend our time in Rome, Tuscany, and Naples/Pompeii/Almafi/Capri area. But that leaves out Venice, Florence, and so much more. I have always wanted to go to Venice but just for the gondola ride - so is it worth cutting out for this trip?

If anyone has been to all 3 (Italy, Ireland, Iceland) would especially love to hear your feedback on which you think is the best fit for our family (2 adults and a 1 yr old).

Please suggest an itinerary (keeping in mind that we have a baby with us and will likely only be able to go out for half a day, back for a nap, and then maybe a few more hours in the early evening). Any suggestions on an itinerary will help us understand what we might be able to do with 10 nights in Italy and compare that to feedback we get for Iceland and Ireland.

Thanks!!

I think the baby thing is superfluous--it won't affect the choice of destination much, just how you go about structuring your days.
I have not been to Iceland, but would ponder how much outdoor exploration--I assume a main attraction there--you will be able to do with your daughter.
It's a stereotype, but man do they love babies in Italy! You have far too much on your list, but the natural rhythm of Italian life would suit travel with a child well--up early, long nap-suitable time for lunch, evening passeggiata. I always like a combo of city and smaller town or village.
Ireland is just so friendly and easy, I think it would be a snap to plan a suitable trip there. Plus it's smaller, less attractions overall in comparison with Italy, so maybe easier to not overdo it. For Italy, certainly no more than three stops in 10 days, depending on what places you choose of course.

I've been to all three (admittedly only a couple of days in Ireland many years ago, so no expert, and not with kids) and traveled all over Europe with babies, but the crucial piece of information I don't see in your post is what time of year you are going. Your proposed daily schedules are impossible to comment on unless we know if this is July or February.

Ireland.

We’ve been to all three. Not with babies although we have had three. My own view is that some couples get stressed out travelling without kids. Some couples don’t stress travelling with five kids. It’s more about you.

I find Ireland and especially Iceland to be extremely outdoorsy countries. Italy can be too but there are probably more indoor/outdoor activity options in Italy.

xcountry - I guess we don't know yet which kind we will be! Since this would be our first big trip with her, do you think one would be better than the other? Do you think Italy would be too overwhelming? Would we be limited on what actives we could do in Iceland with a 1 yr old?

Rachill_az - how are you at the grocery store when she starts screaming? :)

Iceland for us was incredible but that was because we did an overnight hike. You might want to check out what you’d love to do in Iceland but might not be able to because of your daughter. Glacier walk? Whale watching? Actually you could probably take her on that. If there are a few things you might not be able to do I would hold off on Iceland.

Personally I’d pick Italy and rent a couple of apartments. But that’s us.

I just read part of your blog. You’ll love Iceland at some point. Hiking with kids is a real joy.

I have been to all three and really would cross Iceland off the list. Much of it‘s attraction stems from the access it offers to extreme sites like ice caves, glaciers and volcanic landscapes. Not really suitable for one year olds.

One years old is a magical time and a good time to travel as at that age they are starting to explore and walk but will be happy just sat in a light stroller ie be very mobile for longer walks.

We found short city breaks mixed with a beach type environment worked really well for the first three years. Rome works well with Sardinia, which has some of the best and safest beaches in Europe. Sardinia rarely experiences the unbearable heat of places like Tuscany and we found our son loved crawling about on the beach and spending time in the shallow water.

We stayed near Borghese park which worked well for relaxing afternoons after seeing the sites.

I need to figure out how to upload photos and do the rest of what we can do now on this forum. Because I have some great photos of taking our then 13 month old to Italy (and Paris) that I'd love to share with you and give you some cool ideas.

We went in early September, and I'd recommend that for the weather. We did 3 weeks (not all in Italy), and did the typical Venice, Florence, Rome trip on that visit.

As Yorkshire said, they do love babies in Italy! Whether on a train, or strolling, or going to a restaurant, even a slightly higher end restaurant (not the case in Paris, where our son would have been more welcome in the restaurant had he been our dog -- saying this from observation, I still love the French!).

Our travel has always been kind of fast paced and pack it in, see stuff, meet people, and have lots of fun. Our timetables are different than yours, though, since we like to eat late and hang out late . . . we still like the nightlife, and having a kid did not change that.

Starting with Rome: yes, you can do everything on your list. Just make sure you have a super lightweight stroller that is super sturdy for uneven roads and cobblestones. I cannot stress enough finding the perfect stroller . . . preferably with a little suspension. And one that can go all the way down in a lying position so your baby can nap. We had one that was so perfect, we could wheel it under a table in a restaurant and have a nice dinner for 2 with wine! (You get bonus points for taking a fussy baby out of the restaurant to quiet her down . . . even though Italians love babies, we realized that not everyone feels the same!).

Roman forum was a little tricky because of the uneven levels, but we used a baby backpack to assist . . . and our baby had been walking since 10 months, so that kind of helped a lot. Our son danced around the Pantheon (you'll see why!) and tore around St. Peters . . . he especially loved the fountains! He did manage to barf on the floor next to a statue, but that's another story . . . .

Florence . . . I'm going to say he did the best in Florence because there's so many things to do outdoors, like see the whole city from the Boboli Gardens (you'll get your nature, outdoorsy stuff up there -- wonderful place!), and they do have plenty of kid's playgrounds in and around town.

Venice . . . I think our son liked Venice the best, from the water buses, to the Lido, to chasing pigeons in St. Mark's Square. Don't have to worry too much about your baby getting run over by a car, either! The only downside to Venice, and I'm not condemning it, are the bridges. Because you need to be an expert at folding and unfolding the stroller. A baby backpack is ideal.

We visited the other areas with our son, but he was more like 10 at the time. That was another 3 week trip, where we were back in Rome, then headed down to the Amalfi Coast, parked in Positano, then Capri, then Sorrento. Our son is (like us) big swimmers, so swimming in the sea, or going to a public pool were highlights. And in Capri, the Blue Grotto and going up Monte Solaro in Anacapri was an experience of a lifetime! That said, because your daughter will not be a swimmer at a year, this might be something you may want to hold off on, if the two of you love water as much as we do! Oh, because one cool thing to do in Positano is take a day excursion on a small boat, where you can dive into the crystal blue waters, and check out the grottos! Plus, at the harbor/beach (not much of a "beach"), there is some beautiful sea glass and mosaics in the "sand" to collect, and your daughter will be too young to enjoy that.

I'd cross Iceland off the list, too. Go to Italy.

Another vote for Italy. My kids were a little older but waiters and staff were so kind.

I would go in April, early May or late September, maybe October. Personally I would stay in two places, not three. Little ones have gear and they need carried themselves. Hopefully the other poster can advise on whether Italian lodgings have cribs to rent or if you need to bring a playpen etc for sleeping. Also you'll need to figure out the carseat laws.

Consider hiring a driver for a daytrip or two if needed. Personally I would vote for Ostis Antica closer to Rome over Pompeii.

I would recommend Rome and a city in Tuscany. Watch some Rick Steves videos (from YouTube, the library or Amazon) to choose. You could go Florence or Siena. Or someplace like Lucca. Btw, I might have misunderstood your comment, but Florence is in Tuscany.

One thing you won't know until close to the trip is how your particular baby will need naps or will tolerate missingnaps at that age, or whether they will sleep in the stroller. (Not all do by that age.)

​​​​​I would choose lodgings in city centers. Get a bright and early start when your little one is fresh. If needed, take turns in the afternoons for staying with the baby during naptime. The other parent does some solo meandering and also picks up items for dinner.

Your night before flight home should be near the airport, or at least in the city you are flying out. While I would generally lean toward apartments on booking.com for your family, the night before you leave, for sure get a hotel. Some even have a shuttle. But either way, getting hotel help loading up for the airport would be great.

Thanks so much for everyone's feedback! And thank you to HuisClos and 5alive for the wonderful tips for traveling with a baby!

I think you have all convinced me that Italy is going to be the best option for our family. I'm very excited! It has always been at the top of my bucket list but for some reason it kept getting pushed further down. I'm thrilled to finally decide to go, and this time we'll have a baby with us!

Now for the planning. Let's say we have 10 nights and would like to only stay in 2 different locations (only change hotel/bnb/apartments once), what would you recommend out of these combinations?

Rome and Tuscany country side (with a day trip to Cinque Terre) - where to base ourselves in Tuscany?
Rome and Sorrento area (with trips to Capri, Amalfi Coast, Pompeii) - where to base ourselves near the coast?
Rome and Venice

How many nights in Rome? In Rome we'd like to see Coliseum, St Peters, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Sistine Chapel (keep in mind the 1 yr old and moving at slow pace and potentially coming back to hotel midday for nap).

For the second portion, would love to base ourselves somewhere scenic where we can walk outside and enjoy nature (country side or coast) and take a couple of half day trips nearby.

Thanks for all the help!

We've decided on Italy so will start a new post in the Italy forum.

10 days - best to do Rome as you have a long wish list for and then either Amalfi or Tuscany - Tuscany would be neat to drive around - Amalfi a pain but ferries and buses go everywhere. Book Rome-Naples or Rome-Salerno trains early to snag limited discounted tickets at Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia or www.italotreno.com- two competing railways using same tracks and stations - take whatever is cheapest. www.seat61.com has sage info on booking own train tickets online (always available on walk-up basis too but much higher fares) - general info like what to expect and first v 2nd class, etc also www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.