Hello,

We are planning to take 10 days off in early Feb 2011 and wanted to go to Greece or Turkey with our son who will then be almost two years old. We are not beach people so we thought Feb should be a good time to go to one of these countries. Has anyone been to Greece or Turkey with a baby? Are they stroller friendly? While i understand there could be some attractions where we may have to carry him and lift the stroller (we did that in Germany a couple of weeks back!), we will not be able to manage if we have to do that all the time!!

Any inputs will be very helpful.

Thank you!

Would he be too big for a backpack carrier by then? There are lots of cobblestones in Greece, and uneven pavement even in Athens.

I also think that in February you will have to pick your spots, since the weather is not going to be ideal, and in Greece it's low season and many tourist spots out on the islands will be closed I think.

Where did you plan to go, any ideas?

He will be big for a backpack carrier by then. Would you know if Turkey will be a better choice? Any other options?

we had not thought of specific places yet, first wanted to figure out which country will be better...

Thanks!

Both countries will be rough going for a stroller...we broke ours at Sounion with a two year old riding, and the streets in Istanbul are certainly not smooth. Have you considered somewhere like Nice, where the weather will be clement in February and the pavements are not cobbled?

First of all, be prepared for winter weather, no matter which of the two countries you choose. February is the coldest month of the year in that part of the world, and it's not unheard of to have snow.

An ordinary stroller designed for city streets and shopping malls may not survive the trip. If you can find a reasonably priced jogging stroller as in http://www.joggingstroller.com/home.jsp, that would be a safer bet.

I do not know exactly what you are looking for yourself. However, any large city like athens, istanbul or Rome with historic sites, museums, etc. will not be very exciting for your son.

My recommendation is to try Antalya or its satellites Lara or belek which has excellent all Inclusive resorts with mini clubs for kids open all year round. Althoug february will be too cold for the beach, some of these resorts will also have heated pools.

Other advantages of the area are:
-february lows 40s highs 60s.
- flat area with paved roads
- if you rent a car, some very exciting antique sites within easy driving distance where you can take your son in a stroller also (Perge, aspendos, Side)
- a scenic old town in Antalya (some hills there)
- large supermarkets, pharmacies, etc. for your son's needs.
- very scenic areas within easy driving distance.
- a ski resort close enough for a day trip, saklikent.
- frequent flights from istanbul with different airlines, some quite cheap.

the only problem is it might be wet and some days windy. But that will be the case most places you pick.

Further to Tarquin's comment, we are just back from Nice where our two children, their spouses and three grandchildren (3 and under) met us, having flown in from the UK. We were very lucky to have had a run of 6 days with full sun and blue, blue skies, about 20-21 C every afternoon. Can't speak for Feb, it's always a crap shoot from Nov through March.

The young ones loved the beaches in Nice and Cannes, the carrousel and kiddie rides, the tourist "train" ride around Nice and the park at the top of chateau hill. The parents and grandparents appreciated all the smooth pedestrian streets, the promenade, the extreme good humor of the waiters.

The old farts loved the Matisse Museum, excellent seafood, shopping, etc.

I'd give it a look but would be concerned about rain in all locations mentioned.

People from North America so often believe (wish?) that the Mediterranean/Aegean is like the Caribbean ... it is NOT tropical, temp in Feb. more like Washington DC, and RAIN is for sure. If February is the only possible month, I would consider an urban destination elsewhere in Europe where there's a lot of stuff to do indoors. If you can move your holiday just a bit, consider early April ... both Turkey and Greece much more enjoyable, warmer daytime temps, less rain, lots of flowers.

And please, believe the people who say, Greeks streets, sidewalks, pathways are hellish on strollers... you would end up carrying a 2-year-old much of the time; no fun. Nice sounds like a super answer, if you can bump the trip into April sometime.