I adore Europe and try to go every year. I feel like I was on a streak of nearly every year from my study abroad in 2011 to our 2 year backpacking adventure in 2018. But then I was pregnant with Baby Marin and the pandemic happened and then I was pregnant with Baby Hobie, so needless to say we took a few years off. Flash forward to summer 2023 and I was raring to go!
On our 36 day trip we visited 8 countries (Denmark, Czechia, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey, and the Netherlands). I debated on what to classify this itinerary as Denmark is in Scandinavia, Austria is in Western Europe, and Turkey is in Eurasia… or perhaps the majority of these are considered “Central Europe”? I needed to communicate that this isn’t a traditional Western Europe itinerary but rather a mashup of a route that made sense to us, so it’s Eastern European-ish.
36 days, 8 countries, 2 kids, let’s do this!
Eastern European Itinerary with Kids
Our route: We flew into Copenhagen because it was one of the cheaper flights to get to Europe and we had always wanted to go. Then we flew down to Prague where our Eastern European road trip started. We rented a car and drove through Czechia, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary where we returned the car in Budapest and caught a plane to Turkey! After spending the bulk of our time in Turkey we made our way to Amsterdam which is where we flew home from.
Summer Vibes in Copenhagen
We fell in love with Copenhagen and it was the perfect city to kick off our European adventure. I think we visited Copenhagen during the best 3 days of the year. It was warm, sunny, and the city was thriving! Read all about our Copenhagen trip here.
Experiencing Prague’s History (and beer!)
Prague’s historical city center is quite charming and we had the best time wandering the cobblestone streets and we sampled a few local beers of course! Prague had something for everyone. Check out our recommendations here.
Our 3 Day Czech Road Trip with Toddlers
We rented a car and hit the road! Our Czech Road Trip included beautiful hikes to see the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks and the secret Lesni Bar, camping in Dolní Dobrouč and near the Poland border (we drove through Poland too!), and wine tasting in stunning chateaus Mikulov and Valtice. Check out our guide to a Czech road trip with kids here.
A Weekend in Austria with Toddlers
We spent Father’s Day weekend in the city of music. We caught a symphony, visited a classic Vienesse cafe, and shopped at Naschmarkt. I even reluctantly visited Prater Amusement Park. Read why Vienna wasn’t my favorite spot here.
Fun fact: If driving from Vienna to Budapest, Bratislava is not the far out of the way. We used our lunch pit stop at Bratislava Flagship as an excuse to see a new country. Hello, Slovakia!
Babies in Budapest
I arrived unsure and left in love. Budapest has hands down the best playground we’ve ever been to and the riverside city lit up at night is a stunning sight! Read about our Budapest trip here.
Traveling Turkey with Toddlers
We spent 3 weeks in Turkey and it was my favorite country we visited. With beautiful beaches, dreamy deserts, ancient ruins, and charming towns, it’s an amazing place! We visited Istanbul, Cappadocia, Kas, Bodrum, and Kusadasi. From hot air balloon rides to paragliding off a cliff it was quite the adventure! We even chartered a sailboat in the Göcek Islands! Click here for our complete Turkey travel guide.
Spending a Layover in Amsterdam with Toddlers
We love Amsterdam and have always stayed in the city but I found this cute house in the suburbs of Oud Ade which was closer to the airport than the city center. I thought it would be perfect to relax and catch up on some laundry before our long-haul flight back to the States. Oud Ade is a pastoral Holland paradise complete with traditional windmills. Bonus points: Our house even had a playground in the backyard!
We enjoyed kayaking the canal, walking to see the farm animals, and we had a great lunch at Brasserie Vennemeer. Marin even got his stitches taken out by a lovely Dutch doctor. Stitches? More on that here. If you have a quick layover, save some cash on staying in the city and opt for the idyllic Dutch countryside!
What gear should I bring for traveling Eastern Europe with toddlers?
We brought two car seats and one stroller. Our WayB Pico travel car seat is the best because it fits in a backpack but Hobie still needed an infant seat so we had to bring our bulky UppaBaby car seat. Our GB Pockit Air stroller is the best! You can roll it one-handed and it folds up super tiny! We also brought our Ergobaby 360 carrier which is the best for hiking, getting around the airport, and on the go naps! I asked our hotels for cribs but sometimes they didn’t have them so we would bed share. (Baby Hobie’s preferred sleeping method!)
Download our complete family travel gear guide here.
Should I go to Eastern Europe with toddlers?
Absolutely! We got around no problem and Europe has some amazing parks and playgrounds! And if that worse case scenario happens? You’ll get through it. Unfortunately we had to access healthcare for each kid on this trip (twice in Turkey and once in Amsterdam) and we were blessed to find helpful, caring, English-speaking doctors. Make a plan and go for it!
Travelin’ with Two Toddlers in Tow,
-Ray
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