Packing for southern Europe with children: the things people forget

Everyone remembers swimsuits and sun cream. These are the things families tell us they wished they had packed – or left behind.

For the streets

• A light stroller, or a baby carrier. Lisbon, Porto, the Albaicín in Granada and the villages of Santorini are made of steep cobbled lanes and steps. A big stroller becomes a burden; a foldable one or a carrier is much easier.
• Comfortable shoes with a good grip. The polished stone of old towns is slippery, especially the marble of the Acropolis and the pavements of Lisbon after rain.
• A refillable water bottle each. Rome has hundreds of free drinking fountains with cold, clean water; many other cities have them too.

For the beach

• Water shoes. Many beaches in Greece, Italy and Türkiye are pebbles, and the black volcanic sand of Santorini gets very hot by midday.
• A small beach tent or umbrella. Sunbeds are not free on most organised beaches, and shade fills up early in August.

Papers and power

• Plug adaptors. Spain, Portugal, Greece and Türkiye use round two-pin plugs; Italy also has its own three-pin sockets. One universal adaptor per two phones is a good rule.
• Copies of passports and the children’s birth certificates. Keep a photo on your phone and a paper copy apart from the originals.
• The names of your children’s usual medicines. Pharmacies are excellent, but brand names change between countries. Write down the active ingredient and the dose.

For the journey

A small bag per child with headphones, a charged tablet, snacks and a change of clothes makes long flights and transfers calmer. And ask us for child seats in the car in advance – they are required by law and must be booked with the driver.