“Properly I assume Your Touring Days Are Over.”
Sound acquainted? I began listening to it the second I introduced that I used to be pregnant. In our 8 years collectively, my husband and I had traveled to 18 completely different nations. We had hiked the Inca path, pushed the Icefields Parkway in Banff, taken a microlight flight over Victoria Falls in Zambia, and spent a summer time working at a hospital in Zimbabwe.
Anybody who knew us knew that we valued journey and noticed our rising household as an indication that we had been going to decelerate. However there we had been, 3 months after the delivery of our daughter, planning a visit to Greece with a child, our pals and their 4 month outdated. We felt equal components loopy and courageous – however in hindsight it was the right time, and the right place, to provoke ourselves into touring as a household.
Our daughter was completely breastfed (so we didn’t have considerations about water high quality for bottles), wholesome and never colicky. She had had her 2 month vaccinations and we consulted with our pediatrician previous to leaving.
This isn’t to say I didn’t have considerations. Our daughter spit up – A LOT – and I frightened about how a lot I must pack to outlive 2 weeks in Greece with a child.
She additionally nursed each 2 hours in the course of the day. I used to be involved that I might be spending a lot time breastfeeding that we wouldn’t have a lot time to benefit from the sights. All that being stated, 3 month olds are transportable, not consuming solids, fairly pleased to be held and carried and sleep typically (3-4 naps of various lengths in the course of the day makes for many time for sightseeing).
All ages and stage has its challenges relating to touring so why not begin early?
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2 Week Greece Itinerary with a Child
We had two weeks in Greece. The primary we spent island hopping – beginning in Santorini earlier than heading to Naxos and Mykonos. We then spent just a few days in Athens earlier than renting a automotive and heading north to Delphi and Meteora. We selected to start out on the Greek islands to provide ourselves a calming place to cope with jet lag (extra on coping with jet lag later!).
Flying to Greece with an Toddler
For our household vacation to Greece, we flew direct from Toronto to Athens. Our keep it up had numerous diapers and wipes, 2 additional outfits for child and one for mother, receiving blankets, a swaddle, just a few toys and a structured child provider.
After we boarded the aircraft we launched ourselves to the flight attendants and requested if it was doable to be moved the place there was a free seat between us.
Whereas it isn’t all the time doable, we had been very fortunate that it was on each of our lengthy haul flights. Having an additional seat gave us additional area and made for an ideal little mattress for child. Between the additional seat, the provider, and sitting with mother and pa, the ten hour flight to Greece truly didn’t really feel that lengthy (actually!).
Coping with Child Jet Lag
We had a brief layover in Athens earlier than taking a one-way flight on a reduction airline to Santorini.
We arrived at Santorini early within the afternoon. We put the infants down for a nap for an hour or two. To assist our child with jet lag, we spent the remainder of the day doing every thing we may to maintain the infants awake, regardless that they protested, till their common mattress time (round 9:30 for us). In the long run jet lag + overtired child = a tough mattress time. Our child lastly fell asleep near midnight.
Each evening mattress time shifted about half-hour earlier till we settled at round 10:30. We embraced the European model of consuming late at evening and loved sleeping in just a little later than traditional.
Subsequently, we didn’t plan any actions within the morning in order that we may sleep so long as the infants did and revel in a leisurely breakfast – most breakfast buffets in Greece had been served till no less than 10:30 or 11 a.m. anyway.
Jet lag could make the primary few days of your loved ones journey troublesome. Fortunately there are issues your can do to enhance the scenario. You should definitely learn my tips about tips on how to cope with child jet lag.
Child Pleasant Inns in Greece
Apart from Athens, the place we booked a trip residence rental on the foot of the Acropolis (location, location, location!), we stayed at accommodations in Greece with our child. To make issues as simple as doable, we made positive to choose baby-friendly accommodations that included breakfast and had a pool.
With the ability to take pleasure in a breakfast on the lodge and get ourselves and the infants prepared for the day at our personal tempo made the day that rather more pleasurable. Nobody needs to start out their day “hangry” or strolling throughout city searching for a café or restaurant that’s open very first thing within the morning.
Browse family-friendly lodging in Greece on VRBO and Reserving.com.
We researched prematurely how we had been going to get from the airport or ferry port to our lodge and when doable, emailed the lodge prematurely to rearrange transportation. We additionally emailed to ask {that a} crib be put apart, if doable.
Alerting accommodations that we had been coming with infants additionally meant we had been sometimes put in rooms additional away from different company. This labored in everybody’s favor.
Packing for Greece with a Child
For touring to Greece with an toddler, we every introduced one giant suitcase and a carry-on.
In our packed baggage we had clothes, bathing fits, hats and sunscreen. We additionally introduced a Kidco PeaPod for child to sleep in, a journey sound machine (in hindsight we should always have simply used an app on our telephones), receiving blankets, diapers and wipes (sufficient for the entire journey, although you would buy at your vacation spot), and a first help equipment.
Our stroller, a Mountain Buggy Nano, was the right light-weight journey stroller for touring with a child. It reclines for sleeping, folds up so small it may be thought-about a carry-on, has a big cover, a 5 level harness and a big basket beneath. We introduced a head/neck help pillow to make it extra snug for our child to sleep within the journey stroller.
Getting Round Greece with an Toddler
We didn’t carry a automotive seat to Greece. As a substitute we used public transit at any time when doable or taxis, the place automotive seats aren’t required by legislation. For security, we all the time wore a seatbelt across the grownup and carried the infants within the structured provider whereas within the taxi.
Whereas not preferrred, this was an association that we had been snug with. We rented a automotive seat from the automotive rental firm for the street journey portion of the journey.
We supposed to take public transit to the airport from downtown Athens however a public service strike compelled us to take a taxi as an alternative. In hindsight, I might advocate it anyway for the peace of thoughts of not having to fret in regards to the logistics of public transit, baggage, child, and so forth.
Greece Household Photoshoot
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Greatest Locations to Go to in Greece with Child
Our 2-week household Greece vacation flew by! We did and noticed far more than we thought we might and felt that touring with our child daughter opened up extra conversations with locals. It compelled us to decelerate and soak up every web site for longer than we’d have in any other case. Every day we picked one factor that we needed to do and regarded the rest a bonus.
If you wish to see how we spent our time touring to Greece with a child, learn on! If not, skip to the underside for just a few ideas that we discovered from our journey and how one can put together to move out in your first household trip!
1. Santorini
We stayed in Kamari, which was outdoors of the principle vacationer space, permitting us to get a gorgeous lodge with breakfast and a shocking pool for a extremely reasonably priced charge. From our Kamari lodge, we had been additionally a brief stroll from eating places, nook shops and a block from the town bus cease.
We had 2 full days in Santorini with a child:
Day 1 in Santorini
On the primary day, we took the town bus (it was an air conditioned coach bus) to Oia and Fira to wander the slender streets and revel in breathtaking views of the ocean. We made the error of bringing a stroller, save your self the headache and simply use a provider – there are such a lot of stairs that we spent extra time carrying the stroller than pushing it!
Day 2 in Santorini
On our second day in Santorini, we needed to see the sundown however heard that it’s a must to snag a spot in Fira hours earlier than the precise sundown. We weren’t concerned about doing that, realizing that the buses can be packed and we’d have probably drained and cranky infants on our fingers.
As a substitute, we booked a Santorini sundown boat tour by means of our lodge that left within the early afternoon and included a hike on an energetic volcano, swimming within the sizzling springs, and dinner.
We solely did half the hike (it was mid-day and there was minimal shade) and if you’re touring alone solely one in all it is possible for you to to swim within the sizzling springs at a time, but it surely was an important expertise nonetheless.
The boat had numerous area and shade, the meals was unbelievable, the Santorini sundown was lovely, it was stress-free and our tour information and fellow passengers couldn’t get sufficient of the infants. We had so many individuals providing to carry them whereas we ate that we virtually needed to create a join sheet!
Household Pleasant Inns in Santorini
2. Naxos
After a morning spent by the pool in Santorini, we arrived in Naxos within the afternoon and had been capable of stroll to our lodge from the ferry port. We spent a full day exploring Naxos together with the gorgeous portara, a 2,500 yr outdated marble construction that was the doorway to an historical temple.
The portara faces Delos, the birthplace of Apollo, and has a gorgeous view of Naxos city. Naxos was extremely walkable and an important place to make use of the stroller. The waterfront is flat and, whereas different areas of the city are fairly hilly, they’re nonetheless largely accessible.
The subsequent day was spent on the seashore, simply steps from our family-friendly Naxos lodge. The water temperature was excellent, the underside was sandy and the entry was shallow for fairly a distance.
Naxos can be an ideal place to carry toddlers and older youngsters who need to spend just a few days absorbing the solar, constructing sandcastles and swimming! We positively wished we may have stayed on Naxos longer with our youngsters.
The meals in Naxos was tremendous reasonably priced, our lodge had a gorgeous pool and every thing was strolling distance, together with the ferry port. Naxos additionally felt extra genuine than Santorini or Mykonos.
3. Mykonos
We spent 3 nights in Mykonos with our child. Our lodge was a 15-minute stroll outdoors of “downtown” Mykonos however the stroll alongside the busy street was just a little nerve racking. We spent a day strolling round Mykonos, poking into shops and consuming gelato.
We additionally rented an ATV at some point – one other benefit of touring with one other couple – and we took turns touring the island of Mykonos with out our child. In any other case, we frolicked stress-free by the pool at our family-friendly Mykonos lodge.
Visiting Mykonos with a child was simple because it was stroller pleasant, however, relying on the time of yr, it may be very busy and the streets are fairly slender.
4. Athens
We booked upgraded tickets on the ferry to Athens because the journey was 4 hours in size. It gave us entry to a lounge space the place the infants could possibly be on the ground and we may safely go away our baggage.
We took a taxi to our Athens trip residence rental, which was situated subsequent door to the Acropolis museum with a gorgeous view of the Acropolis. We liked the central Athens location and the comfort of getting an condo, together with a washer, which is so good when touring with a child!
Household Pleasant Inns in Athens
The Acropolis with a Child
We obtained up early within the morning to ensure we had been capable of get to the Acropolis earlier than the crowds. Regardless of getting there inside an hour of opening we nonetheless discovered an enormous line. We stood in line briefly, however “households come first in Greece!” a neighborhood stated and dragged us to the entrance of the road and ushered us in.
A child provider for the Acropolis is a should! There are many stairs and the bottom is extremely uneven on the high.
There are shady spots on the Acropolis to cease and feed infants however I might advocate going as early as doable to keep away from peak solar and peak crowds!
Skip the Line Acropolis Tickets
Panathenaic Stadium
Due to our early begin to the day we had been capable of squeeze in a visit to the Panathenaic Stadium. As an Olympic junkie the Panathenaic Stadium was a spotlight for me! The audio tour was unbelievable and the positioning was stroller pleasant (save for a few stairs to stand up to the place the poster/torch gallery was).
Get to the Panathenaic Stadium with the Hop-on Hop-off bus
Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum one other MUST SEE attraction in Athens!! I might advocate going to see the Acropolis Museum earlier than you go to the Acropolis web site, if doable, to study in regards to the restoration course of and see among the authentic artifacts. It positively gave us wonderful perspective of what sort of place the Acropolis was in Athen’s heyday!
We went to the Acropolis Museum as quickly because it opened within the morning timing it with child’s first nap (within the stroller). The Acropolis Museum is totally stroller accessible and has a nursing room and accessible washrooms with change tables.
5. Delphi
WARNING: take a street journey with infants at your personal discretion! We didn’t suppose this by means of and 4 hours within the automotive round witching hour with two infants who hate their automotive seats … let’s simply say I’ve had higher days.
The drive from Athens to Delphi was lengthy with numerous tears (from the infants and perhaps just a few from the adults). In hindsight, we will chortle about it however the drive was a particular low gentle. nce we made it to our vacation spot although we had been rewarded with spectacular views and fantastic sights.
Delphi itself was not stroller-friendly however the museum was and with a car parking zone close by you would simply run again to seize your stroller if want be. We walked from our Delphi lodge and so relied on the provider. We walked the historic web site first (timing it with the newborn’s nap once more) after which explored the indoor museum afterwards as an escape from the warmth.
Sadly, there have been no change tables or nursing rooms. The employees was accommodating and type but it surely wasn’t the best spot to alter or feed the infants. We spent a day in Delphi earlier than heading to Meteora the subsequent morning.
6. Meteora
In Meteora, we determined that regardless that it is likely to be simpler to take the bus as much as the monasteries (a metropolis bus goes by each half-hour, stopping in any respect 5 monasteries) we might hike 45 minutes straight uphill with the infants within the provider (all of the strolling made us really feel assured in our health degree, I assume). It was a tricky hike to the monasteries however the trail was shaded, effectively marked and completely protected.
We picked 2 monasteries to see on the suggestion of the lodge employees. We additionally requested for a suggestion for the very best place to look at the sundown – having a automotive rental gave us the pliability to do that with out reserving by means of a tour group.
Closing Ideas on Visiting Greece with a Child
There you have got it! 2 weeks in Greece with an toddler. I’m not kidding once I say it was probably the greatest journeys we’ve got ever achieved. We moved extra slowly and spent extra time taking within the sights and sounds than ever earlier than. We met so many wonderful individuals in Greece and had conversations with locals and fellow vacationers that we might by no means have had in any other case.
Greeks LOVE households and infants and we felt the love in every single place we went. We had lodge employees maintain our infants whereas we ate breakfast, shock us with plates and cutlery after we obtained take out, waiters who made us really feel welcome regardless of our fussy infants and guides who made positive that we had been taken to the front-of-the-line at sights.
In Santorini, the lodge employees even made a particular journey to the airport to get our stroller for us (the story of the misplaced stroller that I’ll save for one more day). So go do it! Make the leap and ebook your first journey with child – you received’t remorse it.
Suggestions for Touring to Greece with a Child
1. Apply Sleeping On-The-Go Earlier than Your Journey
For our household journey to Greece, we needed child to sleep within the stroller and provider so we practiced at residence. We centered on doing no less than one nap of the day whereas we had been out for a stroll or on the grocery retailer.
Practising sleeping on-the-go earlier than the journey meant that it wasn’t a shock to our daughter that she can be anticipated to go to sleep in a loud, vivid or busy place after we had been touring. We did the identical with in a single day sleep.
By the point she was 3 months outdated she was used to sleeping elsewhere – we had visited household out of city, put her down for naps within the pack and play within the basement and in her bassinet in our bed room.
2. Be Versatile
When touring with a child, you may even see tons at some point after which spend the subsequent day stress-free by the pool. Touring from one metropolis to a different would possibly take extra time than you’re used to and it’s possible you’ll not get these evening photographs of the town that you simply had been hoping to get. Carry some playing cards or video games to play within the night, ebook to learn and revel in transferring just a little extra slowly.
3. Feed Your Child Typically
Greece in June is HOT! Do not forget that nursing is holding your child hydrated. As a result of sizzling climate, we stopped to feed the infants extra typically than we’d have at residence. We additionally moist their hats and splashed water on their legs to maintain them cool. We tried to remain within the shade when doable, particularly throughout noon.
4. Spend Your Cash Correctly
We spent just a little extra on accommodations in order that we may have breakfast included, a pool to swim in and a handy location for sightseeing. For us it was value the additional cash to have much less logistics to determine at our vacation spot.
We additionally spent 10 Euro having laundry achieved for us – one thing we had by no means achieved on a visit earlier than. It wasn’t probably the most “enjoyable” cash we’ve got spent on a visit and fairly costly to have one bag of laundry washed and dried for you, but it surely saved us spending a day on the laundromat or carrying round smelly garments and receiving blankets.
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Sarah L.
Sarah L. loves touring along with her household. You may comply with alongside on all their travels with child on Instagram and on their weblog www.exploreasafamily.com
Celine Brewer is the proprietor of Child Can Journey. Not solely does she have years of expertise touring with infants & toddlers, however she’s helped tens of millions of latest mother and father journey with their infants and toddlers for over a decade. Along with writing on her child journey weblog, she has shared her experience on touring with a child or toddler by contributing to articles about touring with a child with the Washington Submit, USA In the present day, the Lonely Planet journal and Being pregnant & New child journal.
Celine additionally writes about household journey on the positioning FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns along with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her ardour about her residence and journey to Banff Nationwide Park and space on their web site TravelBanffCanada.com.
