Hello. I know there are tons of toddler travel questions out there, but I do have one that I haven't come across. We'll be going (moving actually) to Florence early this fall and I'm a bit nervous about the bathroom situation with a toddler. I was just watching Passport to Europe: Florence and Samantha was saying that the bathrooms are really bad in Florence (sometimes just a whole and to foot prints). I remember this from traveling in Europe - or no seat on the toilets. My daughter will be 22 months old when we move and prime age to start thinking about potty training. We'll obviously spend a lot of time exploring Florence and traveling around Italy and just would like to know what other people's experiences were with this. I know I can buy a portable potty here in the states (small - travel - with plastic disposable liners) is this necessary? Any thoughts will be much appreciated!

Hi sue2you, good question but I sure don't have an answer. But Italian families have little ones too so they have figured out a way to deal with this. No doubt when you get to Florence you can get this figured out if you don't get advice here on Fodors.

Do enjoy your life in Italy. Lucky you!!

Agree - children that age are amazingly adaptable.

I would think that the more calm you are about the whole thing,the more she will be.I have an(American) friend who was living in Rome with her two toddlers.When we were walking through the Botanical Gardens in Tastevere and her three year old had to go,she just picked her up,walked her a few steps off the path and pulled down her pants-she said that that's very common there!

Also,I was recently in India,and saw lots of little ones doing the same!

I have spent a lot of time in Italy both visiting family and living there for 4 years (my family is from northern Italy and I spent a year in Perugia and 3 years in Rome). In my experience the hole in the floor bathrooms tend to be more in the northern part of Italy (north of Florence). They consider it more hygienic. In most cases, it is not bad both the hole and where you put you feet is ceramic and clean. And the toilet still flushes. I also have a recently potty trained three-year-old and public bathrooms are not generally pleasant because the child inevitably touches the toilet seat. The “hole” thing may take some getting used to, but at least there is less for your child to touch.
: )

Have a great time!