Advice please, we are traveling to Tuscany in June with a giant 1 year old who can't walk yet. He is too heavy to use a traditional carrier and I'm not sure how feasible a stroller is. Do we get a hiking backapck and stick him in it? If so, do we find room in our suitcase for this? Do we bring the uppababy stroller or go with an umbrella one? HELP! We have rented a car for the duration of our trip. Opinions and advice greatly appreciated from two parents with sore backs

What part of Tuscany? I just returned last week. It will be hot to carry a 1 year old all the time. There were lots of people with strollers. Just be prepared to have to carry the stroller and baby up some stairs periodically. People are always willing to help if need be n

There are travel strollers that instead of unbuttoning the baby fir stairs, you unbutton a cradle with baby in it which makes it far easier on baby.

You can get carriers for toddlers that aren’t hiking backpacks. They can be quite comfortable

Christin we used a lillebaby toddler carrier with my 90th percentile 18 month old in Mexico and it was quite comfortable, like an assisted piggy back. We used a cheap umbrella stroller for getting from place to place by bus but getting around the city a carrier was better with uneven streets and lack of sidewalks

I'd take a small travel stroller. Get somthing better than the umbrella ones as they are hard on your back cuz they are small and generally don't recline. We used Summer lite stroller we got it second hand from fb market place. It reclines so they can nap on the go. Has uv protectant shade and folds super small. Very light weight

A stroller will be your friend especially if they sleep in it, many a late night meal is shared with a sleeping baby in the stroller at Italian restauarants. You will be able to put it on the plane for no fee.

You can gate check a stroller, car, folding crib for the plane at no charge

Also other things like water and baby puches are allowed on the pkane for kids under 2

Umbrella strollers are so uncomfortable for kids. I woukd look up folding travel stroller on amazon and buy the one for 199, you can also buy a little back pack for it. It folds up so tiny you won't believe it. Went on 2 trips with it with my grandkids, so awesome.

We recently travelled with the Ubbababy g-luxe and loved it - were so grateful to have something for our 1yr to sit in that could also quickly fold & be thrown in a car.
Beware - any stroller you travel with runs the risk of getting damaged by the airlines (likely). Consider buying a used one to save some $.

Take a stroller with big wheels. When I was in Tuscany I saw so many families struggling with strollers on the cobblestone streets everywhere.

I used a Lillebaby Airflow carrier in Europe in August 2019, it was hot but bearable in 35+ degree weather. That carrier is good to 60 lbs.

I've flown with my citi mini gt and gate checked it. I also took a summer lite umbrella type of stroller when I went to the UK and it was great.

Keep in mind you don't buy strollers, you rent them
Buy whatever works for you, then sell it afterwards on Craigslist. There is always lots of interest in strollers.

When our daughter was 2 we wheeled her around Europe in her Bugaboo stroller. It folded up and came in a travel bag so you could just leave it at the airplane jet bridge.

You will need their car seat for your rental car, so that we just put in her airplane seat. After that, you just leave it in the rental car.

I just put straps on the car seat and wore it on my back, but there are also bags for that purpose.

You'll find that in Europe, people think nothing of helping others with strollers. We would try to navigate down stairs and a stranger would just pick up one end without asking and help carry it up or down.

Geoff yup, people do that in Czech republic as well. They won't usually even ask you.

What area are you staying?

Buy a cheap stroller once there and donate when you leave.

We just got the babyzen yoyo stroller to travel Europe with! It’s so light and folds up really easily and tiny, it can fit in the airplane aisles and in the overhead compartment or under a seat. Airlines are familiar with it

We travelled with a baby in Italy. Be sure your stroller has sun coverage - it will be hot. And try for one that’s not too heavy. There are so many stairs … so you’ll have to carry baby and stroller up and down them. Good luck! The beautiful thing is that Italians love a baby! You’ll get lots of help and positive attention.

Teresa Yes, agree with this - the Italians love children and are so helpful.

A good soft structured carrier should be good at 1. I took my enormous 18 month old to Europe in my Tula. Folds up small a small all that, quite comfy as a backpack. I’d do the umbrella stroller over the big one. A lot of Italy is old and strollers aren’t great anyway

We just came back from a 3.5 weeks trip including Italy with a 1.5 yr old and 3 yr old. We have the foldable Zoe travels stroller. We push it right onto the plane then fold it and put it in the overhead. It was a life saver. Especially climbing all the stairs to the apts in Italy (airbnb's). It also adjusts to lie down and the top comes allllll the way down to cover their faces during day naps. Def doesn't FEEL as good as my UPPAbaby on the cobblestone lol

Our 3 yr old always wanted the stroller and I baby wore my 1.5yr old and my body feels broken now lol

get a good soft structured carrier like a Tula

Bring the stroller free to gate check it you will thank yourself lol used one for my twins while in Mexico

You may be able to rent a stroller in Florence? I think maybe a hiking carrier may be more versatile for the cobblestones, stairs, and general mobility.

I’d recommend if you do get a different stroller get it early and use it for some time. We borrowed a friend’s old uppababy cruz to travel in Europe, we found bulky and cumbersome and our kid wouldn’t nap in it either (like her usually stroller). A carrier would be great, but the towns in tuscany are all on-top of hills, so depends on your car situation

I kinda want to see this giant baby. I have an image in my head of a literal giant baby! Have fun!

Stinky hot with back pack . grab A heavy duty umbrella , lots of cobblestone that can make for bumpy rides Check your stroller separately and a car seat unless you rent one from the car rental. have a blast so awesome

Umbrella stroller!

Umbrella stroller!

We used ours in Italy and London and Disneyland
It’s too hard carrying and too hot

Just got back from Italy where we brought our “beast” uppbaby. It is a dream in cities, just a tad tricky on big sets of stairs. Bring it!