You picture a terrace with a cappuccino and a cathedral view. Your toddler pictures the pigeons on the square and the escalator in the department store. On a city trip with a toddler you can have both, as long as you plan the day around a small person with short legs and firm opinions about naps.
Pick your base before your sights
Open the map and study the streets around your stay. A park or playground a few minutes’ walk away will save your afternoon. Add a bakery or supermarket for breakfast, and a tram or metro stop with a lift. Check the route from the station exit to the front door. A short stretch on the map can hide stairs or cobbles. With a separate bedroom, or a door between the cot and your bed, you get a quiet evening once your toddler sleeps.
One highlight a day
Choose one main activity per day, such as a museum with a children’s corner or a boat trip. Plan it for the morning, when your toddler has the most energy. Fill the rest of the day with light things like a market or an ice cream on a bench. Group sights that sit close together to skip long rides across town.
Toddlers see a city at knee height. A street musician or a rubbish truck can beat the most famous building. Let your child stop and stare. You see more of a neighbourhood that way than when you rush from one ticket queue to the next.
Naps first, sightseeing around them
Put the sightseeing before and after the nap, and protect the nap itself. Some toddlers sleep in the buggy during a long stroll through the park. Others need the dark hotel room. You know your child. If you head back for the nap, one of you can go out alone for an hour of shops or that exhibition full of breakable things.
Buggy, carrier and a well-stocked bag
A light buggy carries a sleeping toddler and your shopping. A carrier gets you up the stairs and through crowded metro carriages. Many parents bring both. Your bag holds snacks and water, plus a spare set of clothes. A picnic blanket turns a patch of grass in the park into a rest stop. Dress your toddler in layers, because a windy bridge and a warm museum can follow each other within ten minutes.
Dinner early and close by
Eat early, near your base. Restaurants are quieter at that hour, and you can walk back in a few minutes when your toddler runs out of steam. With a small kitchen in your apartment you can skip the restaurant on some evenings and eat on the balcony.
We plan the city around your toddler
Wabokkio plans family holidays for young parents with toddlers and works on request. You tell us which city tempts you and how your toddler sleeps and eats. We look for a base near green space and good transport, with a room layout that suits your family. Within 5 working days you receive a personal quote. We charge no service fee and show no off-the-shelf prices.