Which luggage to take for Italy with baby for a month?
Mar 23rd, 2011, 04:44 PM
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Which luggage to take for Italy with baby for a month?
I'm shopping around for luggage to take for our travels mid-May to mid-June in Italy. It will be my husband and I plus our 14 month old son, which if you've traveled with baby know that there is always extra stuff you need. We'll be in Gorizia, Venice, Tuscany, Rome, and a couple of small towns where my husbands grandparents were born. We'll be using train and rental car, but no plane except for our flight in/out through Trieste. Also, will need a mix of business and casual clothes as I'll be speaking at a conference during first part of my trip.
We'll be taking carseat/stroller for baby.
And then I've been looking at the following for my husband and I
Eaglecreek switchback 22 with detachable daypack (wheeled backpack) http://www.eaglecreek.com/bags_lugga...-Max-22-20296/
That way we can have our luggage on our backs and my hands free for baby in ergo carrier (soft carrier) on front and husband's hands free for stroller/carseat for those times when we have to get everything up onto a train or vaporetto or when cobbled streets might kill roller wheels. But be able to roll things when we are at a more leisurely pace (daypack also slips over rolling handle when pulled up).
My main question is do you think the 22 size would be sufficient for our needs, as I've heard 22 is better for train travel? They also make a 25 (http://www.eaglecreek.com/bags_lugga...-Max-25-20297/). I know lots of you travel light, but think in terms of baby and a one month stay. Will it still work? Thanks!
We'll be taking carseat/stroller for baby.
And then I've been looking at the following for my husband and I
Eaglecreek switchback 22 with detachable daypack (wheeled backpack) http://www.eaglecreek.com/bags_lugga...-Max-22-20296/
That way we can have our luggage on our backs and my hands free for baby in ergo carrier (soft carrier) on front and husband's hands free for stroller/carseat for those times when we have to get everything up onto a train or vaporetto or when cobbled streets might kill roller wheels. But be able to roll things when we are at a more leisurely pace (daypack also slips over rolling handle when pulled up).
My main question is do you think the 22 size would be sufficient for our needs, as I've heard 22 is better for train travel? They also make a 25 (http://www.eaglecreek.com/bags_lugga...-Max-25-20297/). I know lots of you travel light, but think in terms of baby and a one month stay. Will it still work? Thanks!
Mar 23rd, 2011, 04:49 PM
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IMHO you will need a lot more luggage tan that with a baby. Where wil you put your diaper bag? Babies toys? Portable crib or playpen? Stroller?
I have friends who went to europe with a 2 month old and traveled by car since it was somuch easier with all of the baby stuff. they had 2 large checked bags - 27 or 28" each - one mostly filled with baby stuff - as well as carry ons, stroller/baby seat and diaper bag for the planes (diapers, food, toys, blanket etc).
I have friends who went to europe with a 2 month old and traveled by car since it was somuch easier with all of the baby stuff. they had 2 large checked bags - 27 or 28" each - one mostly filled with baby stuff - as well as carry ons, stroller/baby seat and diaper bag for the planes (diapers, food, toys, blanket etc).
Mar 23rd, 2011, 04:51 PM
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Sorry - unless you are going to fid a way to bay proof every hotel room or apartment how will you get on without a playpen or equivalent to put the baby in? Just think about how much trouble a toddler can get into in 2 or 3 minutes if not confined or watched every moment.
Mar 23rd, 2011, 05:43 PM
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Make sure to plan on doing laundry several times, probably every 4-5 days so your clothes won't take up too much space.
If you think you'll have enough space in your daybag for your money/maps/camera and all the baby stuff, then you're probably right. You could order the bag somewhere with a good return policy and try out a trial run of packing all your stuff to see if there is enough space.
My husband and I travel with 55 liter bags, but we don't have a kid, and they are only full if we come home with too many useless trinkets! We also usually take 6 days of clothes and they were about 2/3 full at the beginning of a month trip.
If you think you'll have enough space in your daybag for your money/maps/camera and all the baby stuff, then you're probably right. You could order the bag somewhere with a good return policy and try out a trial run of packing all your stuff to see if there is enough space.
My husband and I travel with 55 liter bags, but we don't have a kid, and they are only full if we come home with too many useless trinkets! We also usually take 6 days of clothes and they were about 2/3 full at the beginning of a month trip.
Mar 24th, 2011, 06:20 AM
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Lindy, thanks for that vote of confidence and your experience. All but one of the apts, where we are staying having washing machines.
Anybody else out there, especially those who've traveled with a little one have any input?
Anybody else out there, especially those who've traveled with a little one have any input?
Mar 24th, 2011, 02:29 PM
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When i travelled with my daughter when she was a baby, i took a separate changing bag so all her stuff was easy to get at rather than being mixed up with mine. Were you planning on getting a bag each (two) or just the one?
When my daughter was about the age of your son i invested in a trunki (the ride on suitcase) all her toys fitted in that and over the last 3 years its provided endless entertainment both overseas and at home
When my daughter was about the age of your son i invested in a trunki (the ride on suitcase) all her toys fitted in that and over the last 3 years its provided endless entertainment both overseas and at home
Mar 25th, 2011, 06:36 AM
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I traveled to Italy last Sept with my 2 1/2 year old who was still in diapers. For the 4 of us - my husband, older daughter, the little one and me - we brought two 25" suitcases for 2 weeks. One shared by my husband and I; one shared by the girls. We brought a backpack as carry on and used it for day trips and anything we needed for our daughters. We brought a small, lunch bag cooler for juice boxes, milk. We brought a mini diaper pouch, which fit a few diapers, wipes, travel tube of diaper cream and changing pad. And of course a stroller. Rather than taking our own stroller, we actually bought a used very sturdy, very lightweight stroller on craigslist for next to nothing, knowing it would get abused on cobble-stone streets and it did! The car seats we rented through our car rental company.
The two suitcases worked for us. We traveled by train and car from Venice to Rome. We were also traveling with 4 other people so we had some help with pushing the stroller, getting bags on the train, etc. We never wished we brought MORE luggage, that's for sure! Good luck and have a wonderful trip!
The two suitcases worked for us. We traveled by train and car from Venice to Rome. We were also traveling with 4 other people so we had some help with pushing the stroller, getting bags on the train, etc. We never wished we brought MORE luggage, that's for sure! Good luck and have a wonderful trip!
