Seeing many threads of people taking their children has made my husband and I decide to take our 9 month old daughter with us in Europe. We have wanted to take her with us from the beginning but our families keot telling us it will be too cold in dec/january. ANyway, we are thankful that we can take the babies nanny with us to help. Therefore, our daughter could stay in the hotel with the nanny when we want to go out for dinner or to the opera. <BR> This is our itinerary before deciding to take our baby with us.<BR>dec 27-31 Arrive in Paris midday and stay in the Prince de galles hotel.<BR><BR>jan 1-4 Arrive early morning in Rome and stay in St regis hotel<BR><BR>JAn 5-7 Take the morning train to Venice and stay at the metropole<BR><BR>jan 8 overnight train to Vienna<BR><BR>Jan 9-12 Vienna and stay at the Bristol (using starwood points)<BR><BR>Jan 13-17 stay in London at the mandarin oriental in knightsbridge<BR><BR><BR>Since we have decided to take our daughter we know we cant go to as many places. Can we get help changing the itinerary? Any comments would be appreciated.<BR>

ynot:<BR><BR>1. How are you getting from Paris to Rome?<BR>2. How are you getting from Vienna to London?<BR><BR>As much of an advocate of bringing children on trips as I am, this is the kind of trip I never, ever would have planned with a baby in tow - even if I had a nanny. An overnight train? I won't even do that without a baby. The five cities in three weeks trip scenario involves far more packing and unpacking and time in transition than I could ever handle with an infant. You're probably too far into the planning stages to contemplate such a radical change, but my two cents is that if you're bringing a baby to Europe, go one or two places and settle in for awhile.

I agree with StCirq...your present itinerary is too much even if you have your nanny along. Why not do just 2 places, for longer stays? You can do Paris and London, 1 week in each, travel between the two via the Eurostar. There's plenty to do in these cities without getting bored. My mother and I are taking my son to London in March (he will be 21 months)..and I'm already having logistics nightmares! Good Luck!

I agree, Paris &amp; London should be plenty &amp; you can easily daytrip many places from each of those locales. I totally agree w/the other posters &amp; too abhor overnight trains. I, too, am an advocate of traveling w/children &amp; my (will then be) 9 month old is going w/us to Paris in the spring but we have rented an Apt. &amp; are staying there. Thx to this board for the Apt. suggestions. We are going this route as hotel rooms tend to be very small &amp; this gives you some 'room to breathe' while the little one is napping, etc.

Agree, too much to do. You will spend alot of time transfering and checking in and out of places. It is nice you have the convenience of a nanny, but I would try to cut the trip down to two cities. If it is going to be cold, it may also rain and schlepping with a baby would be too much. Pick out two cities and do day trips when the weather is nice.

Thanks so much for your sugguestions, I truly am thankful for each of your comments. how about doing the followingBR>dec 27- jan 2 Paris.<BR>jan 3- jan 9 take the train to Nice.<BR>jan 10-jan 17 take a flight to london. <BR><BR><BR><BR>SInce we are bring ouir baby and the nanny we are also thinking of changing our accomodations.<BR>In London we are thinking of the may fyare apartment in mayfair.<BR>We are thinking of finding an apartment in Paris too. HAve any ideas of nice ones?<BR><BR>Is this itinerary more child friendlly?

Although I personally do not have any children I have helped raise me neices and nephews. <BR> I am glad you have decided to take your daughter with you and I am happy you are privilaged to have a helper.<BR> Just a sugguestion. Wht dont you make go to the naples/amalfi coast region? You will have the beautiful scenery and the weather will not be too bad.<BR><BR>If I were you I would do dec27-jan 2 Naples/malfi coast. Then go to Rome for a week and spend the last week in london.

ynot:<BR><BR>Your revised itinerary is much better - still more than I would bite off, but a LOT better, assuming you are flying out of London.<BR><BR>If you can find apartments in Paris and London, I think you'd be much more comfortable. Problem is, most apartment rentals are by the week (for the obvious reasons), and you might have to either pay for a full week or give up on the idea.

Now your new plans sound more reasonable, you are on vacation after all, no use getting stressed by hopping all over the place. The apts usually rent from Sat to Sat, but I have seen a web site for shorter or midweek stays, if I can find it I will post it. I do think it is better to stay in an apartment, you will have a place to have food on the spot if needed. <BR>Just remember to enjoy yourselves and your baby while you are there.

I just went through the Apt. search process for PAris myself. I'll top some postings for you or you can search yourself as well.

MUCH better--for you and your baby. You might consider using a Citadines apartment in Paris.

Regarding your thoughts of renting an apartment in Paris and a hotel in London, I'd think the other way around. Although price may not be the biggest issue here, I find that you can get two nice hotel rooms in Paris for the price of one in London, and flats in London are a better deal compared to hotel prices than apartments in Paris. Personally I can't imagine cooking in Paris -- just too many dining options outside your doorstep, but at the end of the trip it might be a nice option in London. I also think it is easier to find NICE apartments in London with several decent bedrooms and two baths than in Paris where most second or third bedrooms tend to be like an oversized closet with beds against the wall.

There are legit 2 &amp; 3 bdrm apts. in Paris. One of our keys while looking was to make sure they listed the size in square meters or square feet. That helps to determine how much room you will really have. Check out Chez Vous, Paris Perfect &amp; Panache Rentals (the one we ended up with). Unlike Patrick I am very much looking forward to doing some cooking in Paris. But don't think I won't do my share of fine dining as well.

In retrospect, I think my response needs a little clarification. With a group like ynot plans to have an apartment could always be nicer, and I have nothing against renting one in Paris. In fact, I've reserved an apartment this next summer myself for the first time after staying in many hotels and I am looking forward to it.<BR>What I was really saying was that of the two cities -- London and Paris -- I just think the apartment rental is a much better &quot;deal&quot; in London than in Paris compared to staying in hotels. It is much easier to find a charming and accomodating small hotel in Paris that in London for a lot less money, and I still think it is easier to find nice apartments in London than in Paris. So to me if you are renting an apartment in one and a hotel in the other, I'd go for the apartment in London and the hotel in Paris. Just my opinion.

The point is making everything easier or Parents and Baby. By having access to a kitchen you can give Baby her food in peace, then eat out in luxury leaving Nanny to watch Baby. I would rather have a cosy apt. in Paris and in London where the Family could hunker down and be a family in the mornings and evenings.

I am one of those people that are not too fond of london. So, I would do a week in Rome, a week in florence and then fly to london.

Hmmmmmm how about skipping Paris and going to warmer weather like Amalfi coast and naples?

Personally, I would do london and then go to Venice and Vienna. I think you can take an overnight train from Venice to Vienna.