Tag: europe

Italy Adventures with Kids: Rome and Amalfi Coast Itinerary and Logistics

Trip motivation During Thanksgiving week 2025, our family took a trip to Italy! November is a tricky time to travel with weather, but the combination of great prices and fewer crowds convinced us to go. Ben and I had been before without the kids (Italy without kids), but this time we decided to bring them along! We loved spending a few days in Rome with some history and museums and then took the train down to the Naples/Amalfi Coast area, where we explored the cities, including an epic visit to Pompeii. We love European travel as it always offers family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains, and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting, but with a little preparation, research, and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our flights, itinerary, planning process, and international logistics such as using the subway, getting a phone card, and finding budget restaurants. For more on our Italy Adventure, see our posts here Italy Adventures with Kids- Rome and Amalfi Coast Itinerary and Logistics 3 days in Rome with Kids 3 days Amalfi Coast Itinerary for Families Planning our Itinerary I love planning trips, especially through well-traveled places where there’s a ton of information to read through and make plans for. Many online blogs were really helpful! We were in each home-base for around 4 days and read numerous blogs and books (Rick Steves is always a must-read for Europe trips). One tip for traveling with kids is take a 3-day best of guide and cut out half of it to make it actually realistic to manage in those same 3 days. Mix in some kid-focused/less touristy options like playgrounds, interactive museums, or a cooking class. We did a lot of bus and train travel on this trip and our kids loved reading their new kindles on the trains and this was a great time for just chatting and reconnecting with gorgeous views. Several months before, I sketched out our plan in excel and on google maps with a balance of activities, rest time, food, rest, and fun. We made sure to research how far areas were and tried to schedule several anchor points with a few optional activities so we didn’t overstuff our schedule. Overview Day 0: Departure from Nashville Day 1: Arrival in Rome, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon Day 2: Colosseum/Forum, Pasta Class Day 3: Leonardo Museum, Vatican City, Evening Shopping Day 4: Train to Salerno, Christmas Lights Day 5: Naples day-trip for Archeology Museum and Castle Views Day 6: Ferry to Amalfi Coast Day 7: Vesuvius Hike, and Pompei Visit Day 8: Return home Flying to Italy We paid cash for a flight on Icelandair after finding a great deal from BNA Cheap Flights. I highly recommend following for some ideas. The cost was $400 RT per person!! Incredible! On the way there, we stopped in Iceland, and on the way home, we stopped overnight in Dublin. Although we didn’t use points for this trip, we did put the trip on our Chase card to build up points for our next trip! Chase Sapphire Preferred Apply Here Chase Sapphire Reserve Apply Here Chase Hyatt Apply Here Tips for Long Plane Rides Sleeping on planes West to East: Plan to sleep! For the overnight red-eye flight to Europe, we emphasized that after dinner service, everyone was going to try and get some sleep. I gave each kid a dose of melatonin and they passed out pretty immediately. We packed these cheap pillows from Amazon (They came with eye masks!). On arrival, get outside and try to limit naps so you can readjust. Activities for long flights East to West On the long flight, the kids were happy playing with the personal screen and alternating between coloring, reading, tv, games, and snacks. Ellie has been loving the Magic Treehouse books and when they were little, they used to love activities in the Magic Ink and small play pack coloring books (Amazon links). We have one Nintendo Switch that the kids love. For more on our favorite activities and tips for flying, see our post here. Lodging Rome: Our home base was the Hyatt Rome The Tribune. We are loyal Hyatt fans, and for this trip, we booked a Family Room (around $350/night), which was big enough to comfortably fit a queen bed for us and two separate single twin beds for the kids. Later on our last night before leaving, we stayed at the Holiday Inn EUR Parco dei Medici. While it was conveniently located near the FCO airport (which was the whole point!), trying to get there late at night from the city center after a long day of travel was exhausting. Salerno: Housing here was incredibly cheap in chilly November! We booked a Mini Apartment at Il Salernitano (via Booking.com) for a steal at about $80 a night. It had decent space, with 2 bedrooms, and a mini kitchen. Transportation in Europe Train travel and public transportation is one of our favorite things about Europe. Everything is pretty straightforward and inexpensive. We did learn that the trains are not always on time and to make sure you’re on the right stop when you stop! In Rome, we did a combo of walking, uber/taxi rides and public transportation. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. Kids under 10 are often free, but policies can vary We took trains between Rome, Frascati, Salerno, and Pompeii. We prioritized flexibility in our schedule and purchased tickets the day before or day of which let us pivot due to weather variability. If you prioritize cheaper tickets or are more firm in plans, you should buy tickets 2 weeks out as prices went up closer to departure. Other transportation: For the Amalfi coast, we planned a full-day ferry trip with Travelmar . While in Pompei, we took the

3 Day Amalfi Coast and Naples Area Itinerary for Families

Background During Thanksgiving week 2025, our family took a trip to Italy! November is a tricky time to travel with weather, but the prices and crowds convinced us to go. Ben and I had been before without kids (link) but this time we decided to take the kids! We loved spending a few days in Rome with some history and museums and then took the train down to Naples/Amalfi Coast area where we explored the cities in that area, including an epic visit to Pompei. We love European travel as it always has family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our days in the Amalfi Coast area with Salerno as our home base. For more on our Italy Adventure, see our posts here Italy Adventures with Kids- Rome and Amalfi Coast Itinerary and Logistics 3 days in Rome with Kids 3 days Amalfi Coast Itinerary for Families After our three action-packed days in Rome, we took the high-speed train south to Salerno, the perfect base for exploring the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and Naples. Salerno is the Cutest! We knew we wanted to see the Amalfi Coast, but we preferred a base that felt less like a tourist trap and more like a real Italian town. Salerno was the perfect fit. It felt like we were part of regular life here-with walkable streets and alleys and real people with their cute running clubs and vibes. It didn’t feel overrun with tourists. Apartment home base Housing here was incredibly cheap in chilly November! We booked a Mini Apartment at Il Salernitano (via Booking.com) for a steal at about $80 a night. It had decent space, with 2 bedrooms, and a mini kitchen. It didn’t really have a dining or living space but that’s ok, the kids enjoyed setting up their Nintendo switch on some down times. The location of the apartment was an easy walk or bus ride to the main train station and port, and definitely met our needs. Our 3 day itinerary in the Amalfi Coast Day 1: Arrival in Salerno We arrived early afternoon in Salerno after a train from Rome. One of the reasons we picked Salerno was for the Luci d’ Artista Christmas lights. This was a magical bonus of visiting in the winter months. From mid-November to early February, Salerno hosts a spectacular Christmas light display. The streets and park are lined with beautiful light installations such as jellyfish, clouds, flowers, and dinosaurs. It felt like a low-key version of the cool light projections we’ve seen in places like Chartres and Innsbruck. Definitely check the dates if you visit in winter! Because it was raining when we arrived, we decided to do some exploring at the Salerno Archeology Museum: Not a must-do, but it was a fun, free, short stop right in town to break up the afternoon. We didn’t spend a whole lot of time exploring Salerno except for the lights. One thing I wished I had done ahead of time was to make reservations at La Botte Pazza: I found a recommendation for this restaurant with all-you-can-drink wine! We missed out because we didn’t book ahead. We ate close by at other restaurants and had great pizza, pasta and steak options. Day 2: Naples Visit Because of some yucky rain, we pivoted our plans and decided that indoor museums in Naples (about an hour’s train ride from Salerno) were the best use of the day. A mini umbrella would be a great item to pack if you have room! Morning: Naples National Archaeological Museum (MANN) We skipped a lot of museum time in Rome because all of the sites were really outdoor museums. We really enjoyed this museum in Naples as a rain option. This archeological museum houses the best artifacts recovered from Pompeii, giving us context before seeing the ruins themselves. Every exhibit had English signage, which helped us read up on the history. We used the Rick Steves audio guide here, too! (Just the transcripts) The downstairs statues were beautiful. We especially liked the Roman Gods room, which features the massive Hercules statue and the impressive Farnese Bull. Near the stairs, there was a cool video about the House of Faun. It made our later visit to the actual site in Pompeii come to life. Kid-Tip: Bathrooms are in the basement! Use the elevator rather than trying to wrangle kids down the stairs. Pizza Lunch & Afternoon Wandering We grabbed pizza along a Via dei Tribunali where there were tons of choices. We went to the famous Gino Sorbillo on Via dei Tribunali. This was the best pizza of the entire week! It was packed and busy but worth the wait. We briefly considered the science museum outside the city but decided the 30-minute commute wasn’t worth the time investment. Sometimes, cutting an activity is the smartest move! Sunset at Castel Sant’Elmo After a late lunch, we walked towards the Castel Sant’Elmo. This castle is mostly just a viewpoint, but it was half-price after 4 PM! (Don’t be like us and accidentally walk all the way around the castle to get to the top!) Look for the elevator to go up. Even with the rain, the views of the Bay of Naples were spectacular. We took a funicular down and had pasta near the Napoli train station before heading back to Salerno. Day 3: Gorgeous Amalfi Coast Views Boat Itinerary We planned a full-day ferry trip with Travelmar for about €142 total, aiming for: 9:40 AM Salerno to Positano Short time in Positano 1:30 PM Positano to Amalfi Short time in Amalfi 4:30 PM last ride back to Salerno Our boat to Positano was canceled due to weather, so we ended up with a simple 9:40 AM ferry straight to Amalfi and spent the full six hours exploring the area.

3 days in Rome with Kids

Background During Thanksgiving week 2025, our family took a trip to Italy! November is a tricky time to travel with weather, but the combination of great prices and fewer crowds convinced us to go. Ben and I had been before without the kids (Italy without kids), but this time we decided to bring them along! We loved spending a few days in Rome with some history and museums and then took the train down to the Naples/Amalfi Coast area, where we explored the cities, including an epic visit to Pompeii. We love European travel as it always offers family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains, and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting, but with a little preparation, research, and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our days in Rome. For more on our Italy Adventure, see our posts here Italy Adventures with Kids- Rome and Amalfi Coast Itinerary and Logistics 3 days in Rome with Kids 3 days Amalfi Coast Itinerary for Families Arrival in Rome from Airport We flew from Nashville to Rome with a short layover in Iceland. There is a new non-stop on Iceland Air to Reykjavik, and this opens up several cheap options throughout Europe. (On the way home, we had an overnight layover in Dublin.) We arrived in Rome around 2 PM and took a train to our apartment. Transportation in Rome In Rome, we mostly did a lot of walking with a few bus and train rides. In-City Transit: When we needed to use the city transport (buses or the inner-city Metro), we used the tap-to-pay feature with our credit cards on the buses and at the Metro turnstiles. Kids under 10 are free but policies can vary, so always check the latest rules! Longer Trains: For our pre-planned longer journeys (Frascati, Salerno), we booked the tickets ahead of time at trenitalia, which simplified those specific transfers. Uber/Taxi: Uber is used as a taxi-hailing app but is not widely used. When leaving Rome, we did choose to call an uber to help us make our way to the train station. Walking: Make sure you have a powerbank since having maps open often drains battery. Hotel Our home base was the Hyatt Rome The Tribune. We are loyal Hyatt fans, and for this trip, we booked a Family Room (around $350/night), which was big enough to comfortably fit a queen bed for us and two separate single twin beds for the kids. Having that separate sleeping space is a non-negotiable for happy travel! More about sleeping in hotels linked here. Because of our status, we had free breakfast which was great. Omelets, pastries, and good coffee meant we could fuel up without having to make a decision before 9AM. Our hotel was near the Borghese area. Many bloggers recommend staying in the Historic Center or Trastevere for the easiest walking access, but we found our spot was still very central and a great location for us. We were near a street that often had sirens nearby, but I’m not sure how one would avoid that while still being close to the action Our 3 day itinerary in Rome Day 1: Sunset Views, Trevi Fountain, and a Gorgeous Church Our first afternoon was a classic Roman walk, checking off some of the biggest icons right away. Spanish Steps to Trevi Fountain Walk We used the Rick Steves audio guide (read from the transcript!) as we walked the cobblestone streets. Spanish Steps: Gorgeous at sunset, but very busy. (Quick Tip: Sitting on the steps is prohibited, so just admire the view from the bottom or the top!) Trevi Fountain: Again, packed with people, but still completely magical. (Other blogs advise getting here right at sunrise to beat the crowds, but the sunset crowds have a special energy.) Sant’Ignazio di Loyola Church Before trips, I rely on guidebooks and social media posts for suggestions. Near the Pantheon, we made a stop at the Church of Sant’Ignazio di Loyola that has a famous “fake dome.” Because the original builders ran out of money, a painter created an incredible optical illusion dome on a flat ceiling. It was such a fun stop and the first of many beautiful churches that we loved Dinner at Peroni Brewery For dinner, I had pre-selected some options that were recommended by other bloggers and guidebooks. I save them to google maps so that when we’re hungry, I can say “We’re a few blocks from this spot” or “Nothing near here, let’s wander”. Near the Pantheon/Trevi Fountain area, we chose the Peroni Brewery for dinner, a decent, inexpensive spot a little off the main walking track. The food was good, the service was fast, and it was a perfect way to settle into Rome life. After dinner, we took a bus back toward our hotel, stopped at a grocery store for some snacks and drinks, and stayed up late back at the Hyatt watching an awesome Vandy football game. Time-zones don’t matter when you’re a true fan! Day 2: Classic Roman History and Pasta Class! Morning at the Roman Forum & Palatine Hill We pre-booked our combo tickets online €18 adults, kids free. (Pro-tip: Don’t line up at the main Roman Forum entrance. Instead, walk through the Arch of Constantine (with the Colosseum on your left) and walk a little ways down toward the Palatine Hill entrance, which had virtually no line! Starting at the Palatine Hill area, you can see where Rome was founded and then work your way back toward the Forum. The ruins are so expansive, and the history is incredible. I did some “mild history teaching” from the Rick Steves audio guide about the different sites. My daughter kept finding spots to do some ballet posing for a photo op! Afternoon Colosseum Visit We had a pre-booked 1 PM entry time for the Colosseum. (The Forum combo ticket can be used 24 hours before or after the specific Colosseum time.)

3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our 2 This post covers our 3 days in London. For more on our United Kingdom, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Arrival in London from Railway Station We began our journey aboard a train from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross, a scenic route that takes around 4.5 hours. We should have purchased tickets ahead of time to save money but weren’t sure if we were going to need a late departure or not. We purchased tickets the evening before for 300 pounds for the family to go from Edinburgh to London. Still a very reasonable price and cheaper and more eco-friendly than a plane ride. The train ride was lovely and offered a comfortable and picturesque experience, with views of rolling countryside, coastal cliffs, and charming villages along the way. The highlight? Glimpses of the North Sea coastline just south of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Transportation in London In London, we took the underground everywhere. Kids are free and entre through the wheelchair gates. We took one long train ride to the Warner Bros studio and these tickets were a little pricey ($30 for all round-trip) but overall bus and subway travel went really smoothly excited!) Hotel In London, we stayed at the Hyatt Place London East near the Tower of London area. It was a little bit of a trip to the main parts of the city near Westminster (15 minute subway) but it was very affordable and its pretty rare for hotels to have spots for 4 people. We paid 150 per night for 3 nights and had a pull-out sofa in a family suite. We have status with Hyatt and received a free breakfast and some gifted chocolates along with some drinks from the bar. I know many families prefer AirBnBs or house stays but we’ve always generally leaned towards hotel stays and we generally use the room and hotel just for sleeping so we don’t need the kitchen or space to spread out that younger families may need. Our 3 day itinerary in London Day 1: Train to London, View Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Evening Boat Tour, Hyde Park Winter Festival After our afternoon arrival, we checked into the hotel and found a restaurant nearby to eat lunch. When we arrived at King’s Cross, I suggested we eat there with the large number of restaurants but we had our suitcases and were ready to unload everything. We were able to find a little fast casual noodle chain to give us energy for a busy evening. Subway to Tower of London and Tower Bridge From our hotel, we hopped onto the London Underground one stop to the Tower Hill area. Navigating the Tube was easy and efficient, and also part of the fun part of being in a new city. We walked right past the large Tower of London on our walk to the river. We didn’t take a a tour on this trip but the outside was really cool to look at and we told the kids a little bit of why it was important. In the area, there was a small Christmas village that we meant to return to and never did. We walked across the Tower Bridge and Ellie immediately asked why we couldn’t go to the top. (Because we adults did it on our last trip without kids and we didn’t feel like it was a worthwhile cost when the cool part of the bridge is looking at it, not looking out from it.) The design on the bridge is really intricate and beautiful and definitely feels like one of the iconic picture spots in the area. River Tour Next, we took a boat tour heading west along the River Thames. We left right after sunset and were able to see a lot of the cool buildings lit up. This was also an easy way to get some guide context to all the landmarks around the city. We passed famous landmarks like The Shard, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and The London Eye. The narrative on board was a little dry and the kids didn’t care much but I enjoyed it and it was a cool way to get our first glimpse of Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower. Seeing these iconic structures from the water was definitely a wow moment. Hyde Park Wonderland We still had some energy in us and hopped on a double-decker red bus to the Hyde Park area. Instagram had been advertising the Winter Wonderland festival and it looked like a really fun Christmas market/amusement park vibe. We were there on a Thursday night (Thanksgiving) and it was popping. The park was frenetic and there were people everywhere. In retrospect, I wanted to go for the lights and food but the kids were immediately disappointed that we weren’t doing carnival games and rides. Something to keep in mind. We explored the Beer hall area and had some churros and food stand dinners. It was a really magical time and area and would have been fun to explore if it wasn’t so crowded and we had been prepared to spend money for activities. After the park, we took a subway back to our hotel and crashed for the night Day 2: St James Park, Buckingham Palace, View Big Ben, Harry Potter Studio Tour St James Park and Buckingham Palace We got a late start to our morning and

Our Family’s 3 day Tour of the Scottish Highlands

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our experience with Hairy Coo’s 3-day Isle of Skye, Inverness and Highlands Tour For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Benefits of a Bus Tour We did not feel comfortable driving in the Scottish Highlands, but knew we wanted to visit the area. A bus tour of the Scottish Highlands offers numerous benefits, making it an excellent option for travelers. We chose to take a multi-day tour so we could see as much as possible without backtracking. Our bus was a 16 passenger bus and filled with several other couples and solo travelers. Here are some benefits of a bus tour through the highlands: No Driving Required: Navigating the narrow, winding roads of the Highlands can be challenging, especially for those unfamiliar with driving on the left. Knowledgeable tour guide Our guide shared great context and history of the area we were exploring. Reasonable prices: When adding in the cost of the car rental, and insurance, it was reasonable. And there’s also the benefit of having a pre-determined itinerary of highlights Reduced Carbon Footprint: Shared transportation is more eco-friendly compared to individual car travel. Uninterrupted Views: Without the stress of trying to direct us, we could enjoy the views and point things out as we were driving. Hotel in Inverness Our tour required us to make our own accommodations in Inverness. We found a cheap family suite apartment above a bar and it was perfect for our needs as it had a separate kids room with bunk beds! We actually didn’t spend a lot of time in Inverness but the main city area was very small and all very walkable. Our 3 day itinerary in the Highlands Day 1: Kelpies, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Inverness Of course, because we were on a guided tour, we didn’t get a say in our stops but I believe we hit a lot of great highlights in a quick trip. Many other tours make very similar stops along the way. We always saw other small busses at the parking lots where we stopped. Our tour met in Edinburgh at 8am and we drove in hour to 2 hour blocks over the next 3 days to see lots of great sights. Our first stop was in Falkirk, where we visited a giant art horse sculpture. The Kelpies are 30-meter-tall steel sculptures of two horse heads. They are the largest equine sculptures in the world and are named after “kelpies,” shape-shifting water spirits from Scottish folklore. Carter actually had encountered them in several YA fantasy books including The Menagerie. The visitor center also had some cute Highlands items and a little cafe. We always took advantage of every potty break. Our youngest was 7 and we were a little worried about being on a group tour with her little bladder but we ran into no issues as stops were never more than 2 hours apart. We continued our drive and stopped for a quick lunch in the town of Callendar. This was a very little (20 shops) main street that I’m sure is busier in the high season. We also had the chance to take some pics with some cutie Hairy Coos. (A hairy coo is a nickname for the Highland cow.) Our next section was a lot of driving, but with some beautiful scenery and our guide sharing some history of the Clan history of the areas We were also excited that the tour included a stop to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct area. This area is in the Harry Potter 2 movie and I’ve read that sometimes tours can actually see the train go across! The views were a little foggy but still really gorgeous! There was a also a cafe and informational visitor center here. After this stop we did one more potty break at a little souvenir shop area before arriving in Inverness. We actually didn’t get to spend much time in the city during daylight hours. We found a pizza and brewery spot to enjoy dinner and then went to bed early. Day 2: Isle of Skye Tour: Portee, Kilt Rock, Quiraing Isle of Skye It was important that we visit the Isle of Skye on our Highlands tour, even though we only hit some of the highlights. This area would be great to explore in warmer months with tons of amazing dramatic landscapes and scenic hikes. This was definitely a highlight of our trip We made several short picture stops along the way including of Eilean Donan Castle, and gorgeous lakes and mountain landscapes. We stopped for a grocery/bathroom break right before the Isle of Skye bridge and found some of our favorite snacks, millionaire shortbread (caramel chocolate sweetness), and 60 pence pancakes! Portee and the Trotternish Peninsula We had lunch in the cute seaside town of Portree. As we visited in November, many of the spots were closed. There were ads for boat tours and nature adventures. I definitely think if we visited in the warmer months, it would be great to base ourselves in Portree for a longer stay. There was so much beauty to see in the area with gorgeous backgrounds and amazing views of cliffs, waterfalls, and rivers. The tour made sure to make several stops at picture perfect spots along the way, The Quiraing stop was definitely my favorite. We stayed here for a longer period of time and

2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our 2 days in Edinburgh For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Arrival in Edinburgh We flew from Nashville to London connecting to Edinburgh on British Airways. We were team carry-on for this trip as carrying suitcases up and down subway stairs can sometimes be difficult. Our usual routine is to take an uber from the airport to our hotel on the first day and get the hang of public transport and other options throughout the trip. However, on this trip we found it very straightforward way to take a 30 minute tram with a 10 minute walk to our hotel. The cost of taking the tram from the Edinburgh Airport to the city center for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) was less than 20 pounds. Tickets can be purchased at the tram stop ticket machines before boarding. For more details, you can visit Edinburgh Trams. Transportation in Edinburgh In Edinburgh, we walked to most destinations and took a few buses that were easy to tap pay at the front. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. Hotel In Edinburgh, we stayed at the Hilton Double Tree City Centre . The hotel is located a 5 minute walk of the castle, and very convenient to the rest of the city. Views were absolutely gorgeous and the hotel was fantastic with a great breakfast and bar and super kind staff. We used points to stay for free and were even gifted some drinks and small chocolates for our status. For breakfast, there was a buffet along with the ability to order pancakes, omelets, and other small add-ons. If you’re interested in an AMEX Hilton card, the sign-up bonus points are usually pretty high. We were in a small 2 double bed room which was a little snuggly but we didn’t spend a lot of time in the room (except for sleeping and minecraft world building) Our 2 day itinerary in Edingburgh: Day 1: Late Arrival, National Museum of Scotland, Christmas Festival After our afternoon arrival, we checked into the hotel and then walked towards the main area of town. It was a little snowy but the city was so cute with all the lovely buildings and cobbled streets. Our first stop was Greyfriars Kirkyard with is a historic cemetery famous for inspiring many names in Harry Potter. Tom Riddle, Crookshanks, McGonagall. If you’re interested, search online for a map. We wandered a little bit, saw Tom Riddle’s grave and then moved on. Our next stop was right next door at the Museum of Scotland. The only thing I knew going in was that Dolly the cloned sheep was housed here! We spent about 2 hours at the museum. It was great! There was a technology area that the kids loved. It was very hands-on like a science museum. We also took an elevator to the roof and caught a brief cloudy view of the city from the rooftop. If we had more time, I definitely would have loved to come back and seen more of the history or art sections of the museum as well. After our visit to the museum, we walked to the city’s winter festival. We stopped here on several nights, it was so cute. The old monuments and shiny bright carnival lights made for a really fun backdrop to our exploring. There were also several bagpipers playing Christmas music. So fun! Last year, we did Christmas markets in Germany and Austria and it felt like a mini-version of some of those markets. We had some yummy food and explored. We didn’t do any rides much to the dismay of the kids. In this area near West Princes street, there are a few standard favorite shopping spots like H&M and Uniqlo. We also had to grab a power converter that we forgot to pack at a shop near the railway station. Everyone did a great job fighting off jetlag and we went to bed at a totally reasonable 8p. Day 2: City walks, Harry Potter-themed tea and escape room, Royal mile, Christmas Festival Magic Mile We had a little bit of a late start. After a quick hotel breakfast, we headed out for our day. The sun was shining and it was a lot less gloomy than the evening before. We walked past the gorgeous large castle, and for a little bit of the main High street. I read a little bit of context from Rick Steve’s tour book but we were mostly interested in just soaking in the vibes <3 We decided on this trip to skip some of the castle and palace tours because the middle part of the trip would be very history heavy. I think the kids would have enjoyed it but we’ll just have to come back again another time. Department of Magic I highly recommend making time in your Edinburgh trip to visit Department of Magic. This cute cafe/experience is so great if you have kids into Harry Potter (or if you are a fan). We did an escape room with different puzzles to solve and prophecies to find. Everything was cutely themed and the kids were really into it. We tried our best to let them take the lead

England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics

Trip motivation For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. European travel is quickly becoming one of my favorite things with family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our flights, itinerary, planning process, and international logistics such as using the subway, getting a phone card, and finding budget restaurants. For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Planning our Itinerary I love planning trips, especially through well-traveled places where there’s a ton of information to read through and make plans for. Many online blogs were really helpful! We were in each home-base for around 4 days and read numerous blogs and books (Rick Steves is always a must-read for Europe trips). One tip for traveling with kids is take a 3-day best of guide and cut out half of it to make it actually realistic to manage in those same 3 days. Mix in some kid-focused/less touristy options like malls, playgrounds, hotel pool. We did a lot of bus and train travel on this trip and our kids loved reading their new kindles on the trains and this was a great time for just chatting and reconnecting with gorgeous views. Several months before, I sketched out our plan in excel and on google maps with a balance of activities, rest time, food, rest, and fun. We made sure to research how far areas were and tried to schedule several anchor points with a few optional activities so we didn’t overstuff our schedule. Overview Day 1: Late Arrival, National Museum of Scotland, Christmas Festival Day 2: City walks, Harry Potter-themed tea and escape room, Royal mile, Christmas Festival Day 3: Highlands Tour: Kelpies, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Inverness Day 4: Isle of Skye Tour: Portee, Kilt Rock, Quiraing Day 5: Loch Ness Boat Tour, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield, Pitlochry Day 6: Train to London, View Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Evening Boat Tour, Hyde Park Winter Festival Day 7: St James Park, Buckingham Palace, View Big Ben, Harry Potter Studio Tour Day 8: British Museum, Kensington Park, Science Museum, West End Matilda Show Day 9: Fly Home! Flying to Scotland and London We used the Chase Portal and Chase Points to fly to Edinburgh (stop in London) and non-stop from London on the way back Chase Sapphire Preferred Apply Here Chase Sapphire Reserve Apply Here Chase Hyatt Apply Here Tips for Long Plane Rides Sleeping on planes West to East: Plan to sleep! For the overnight red-eye flight to Europe, we emphasized that after dinner service, everyone was going to try and get some sleep. I gave each kid a dose of melatonin and they passed out pretty immediately. We packed these cheap pillows from Amazon (They came with eye masks!). On arrival, get outside and try to limit naps so you can readjust. Activities for long flights East to West On the long flight, the kids were happy playing with the personal screen and alternating between coloring, reading, tv, games, and snacks. Ellie has been loving the Magic Treehouse books and when they were little, they used to love activities in the Magic Ink and small play pack coloring books (Amazon links). We have one Nintendo Switch that the kids love. For more on our favorite activities and tips for flying, see our post here. Transportation in Europe Train travel and public transportation is one of our favorite things about Europe. Everything is pretty straightforward and inexpensive. In Edinburgh, we walked to most destinations and took a few buses that were easy to tap pay at the front. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. We took the LNER train from Scotland to London. We should have purchased tickets ahead of time as prices went up closer to departure. For our family of 4, it was still very cheap and only $300 for everyone. In London, we took the underground subway and double decker buses everywhere. Kids are free and enter through the wheelchair gates. We took one long train ride to the Warner Bros studio and these tickets were a little pricey ($30 for all round-trip) but overall bus and subway travel went really smoothly excited!) I love how easy train travel is in Europe. We mapped destinations using google maps and compared the time/cost/effort to use a taxi, train, bus, or walk. We used uber or the train depending on where/how far we were going. If you have little ones, it might be harder to use a taxi due to the car seat. If you plan on using a stroller on the subway, many have elevators, but be prepared to fold it and carry up stairs. Eating in Scotland and London Several of our hotels came with free breakfast, and we also stopped by grocery stores for easy cheap meals to start our day and snacks for the hotel room. Tesco pancakes for 60 pence was our favorite snack. During the day, we tried to balance quick meals with sit-down meals. We did do a few fancy meals like a Sunday Roast in Edinburgh and a Brazillian steakhouse. And a lot of fish and chips. In London, we did a few market type set-ups

Traveling Little Morsels

Sharing memories and tips for enjoying travels with littles. Always looking forward to our next adventure!

❤ Jenn Morse ❤

TRAVELING LITTLE MORSELS