Europe With a Toddler

When Sarah and Matt Darlow packed their bags for Europe, they weren’t just planning a getaway. They were claiming a rare pause after a decade of medical training, cross-country moves, and new parenthood – one precious window before life accelerated again. With 2-year-old Hannah in tow, they set out for Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and London, discovering along the way that traveling with a toddler doesn’t limit adventure – it transforms it.

“It was his first opportunity to decompress since he started his medical training 10 years before,” Sarah said of Matt, now a spinal surgeon. “It was really a celebration.”

Matt felt that shift just as deeply. “After so many years of medical training, taking a break from the grind to truly relax and enjoy life for the first time in a decade was an amazing experience,” he said. “Sharing it with my wife and daughter made it even more special.”

Both 33, the Houston couple met in high school and married during Matt’s residency. Their honeymoon had come with constraints, and when fellowship ended in Tampa, they asked if Matt could delay starting his attending job just a few months. The result was a once-in-a-lifetime, seven-week family journey.

“It was nice to be able to gain a break from the reality of everyday life and get to immerse elsewhere and truly explore and be present where we were,” Sarah said.

Rest break on the trail from the Männlichen Alpine Herdsman Playground to Kleine Scheidegg in the Jungfrau Region, Switzerland.

Choosing Europe with a Two-Year-Old

The planning phase was long and careful, shaped around Hannah’s age, temperament, and sleep habits.

“She’s incredibly easy and flexible and adaptable. However, sleeping is not her strength,” Sarah laughed.

They began in Switzerland for one simple reason: a direct flight from Tampa to Zurich. “We figured a one-stop [flight] would be the best way to start.”

From there, they built their route around family-friendly destinations, using blogs, advice from friends, and a desire for places that balanced nature and city life.

“We wanted a mixture of small to moderate-sized cities, mountains and nature, beach,” Sarah said. “If we had something like [culture] on the agenda for a day, we would make sure we spent the rest of the day in a playground or doing a picnic.”

Portugal made the list for two reasons: its reputation for being family-friendly and the ease of eating with their dietary restrictions. “Matt is gluten-sensitive and I’m a vegetarian,” Sarah explained.

Once in Europe, the family planned to rely mostly on trains, buses, and cars – making Portugal an easy fit after one international flight.

“Hannah loves vehicles and transportation. She loved trains. She still asks all the time if we could take a train to go somewhere,” Sarah said.

Panoramic views of the Swiss Alps from the Mürren flower trail. 

Switzerland: Marble Runs, Cowbells, and Alpine Playgrounds

After Zurich, the family headed into the Alps to the car-free village of Wengen.

“It’s completely centered around children,” Sarah said. “Every business has this marble run, and there’s no cars, so they can just go from one to the other.”

In Wengen and similar Alpine villages, “marble runs” are giant wooden ball-track installations sprinkled around the town or along easy mountain-trail paths. Kids buy a wooden ball, drop it into the tracks, and watch it race through tunnels, funnels, and chutes – a playful way to explore the village and the mountains.

Hiking became a daily ritual. Hannah rode primarily in a hiking backpack, though she often climbed down to explore on foot. “They have these famous alpine cows that all wear cowbells. So as you’re hiking, you just hear the cowbells kind of moving.”

The alpine playgrounds left the deepest impression.

“They’re universally designed, so any age or ability level can use them,” she said. “They’re built into the mountainside… and they’re just everywhere.”

One featured a giant cow whose tongue became a slide. Another was flower-themed on a meadow. Hannah quickly learned to distinguish types of parks. “She’d say, ‘Is it a park with toys or no toys?’”

Chocolate also became a daily indulgence. “There’s a giant chocolate fountain in the middle, and her eyes were like dinner plates,” Sarah said of the Lindt factory.

Lucerne, the medieval lake town, rounded out their Swiss days. “Equally beautiful,” Sarah said, “but in a very different way.”

Alfama neighborhood of Lisbon, Portugal (Photo: Photo by Claudia via Flytographer)

Portugal: Pastries, Cliffs, Trams – and Skipping Every Line

After their time in Switzerland, the family flew on to Portugal, landing first in Porto – where being a family came with unexpected perks. 

“There was a two-hour wait,” Sarah said of a major attraction, “and we just walked immediately to the front. That is the policy in all Portugal. If you have a baby or a family, you don’t wait in line anywhere.”

The Algarve coast became one of the trip’s most striking landscapes.

“It gave very California coast vibes, but bigger and a little bit more adventurous,” Sarah said.

Food became both an adventure and a daily joy. “The pastries were unbelievable,” she said, especially the famous pastel de nata, a Portuguese egg-custard tart that quickly became a daily ritual for the family.

Beach days came with a special surprise: bolinha – fresh donuts sold by roaming beach vendors. “That was one of Hannah’s favorite highlights of the trip by far,” Sarah said. Vendors announce themselves with bells and calls of ‘Hola, bolinha!’

Porto’s hills brought stroller logistics into focus. “Sometimes, something looks like you’ll be five minutes away, but it’s actually 30 minutes away because it’s up a hill,” Sarah said.

They rode Lisbon’s iconic yellow trams, explored the Time Out Market. Navigating meals meant balancing Sarah’s vegetarian diet, Matt’s gluten-free needs, and Hannah’s fearless toddler appetite. “Her favorite meal was sardines and olives,” Sarah said.

One of their more “adult” outings was a Porto wine cellar tour. Hannah sipped orange juice from a “big girl cup,” while her parents learned how centuries-old barrels once moved by boat shaped the industry. “It really gives a different meaning to time,” Sarah reflected.

Music, she said, was everywhere. “Hannah was just wanting to stop and dance and listen everywhere we went.”

Arc de Triomf in Barcelona, Spain.

Spain: Playgrounds, Paella, and Flamenco

Spain unfolded in layers of parks, plazas, architecture, and food. Valencia brought both illness and beauty. “Any time you’re sick away from home,” Sarah said, “that was our low light.”

But even sick days included immersive playgrounds, modern architecture, and what Sarah called “unmatched” paella.

Sevilla stood out for its layered history. “They have Moorish, Jewish, and Catholic influence… places built on everyone living together peacefully.”

Hannah’s joy shaped each exploration. “She loved just sprinting around these beautiful open places,” Sarah said. “And everyone was perfectly happy to see her doing it.”

At the Real Alcázar, it wasn’t the palace that captivated Hannah – but the courtyard. “She could run freely,” Sarah said.

Madrid brought Retiro Park, paddle boats, churros, and even gluten-free versions for Matt. The Prado tested their limits. “She was just overdone and over it,” Sarah said.

Sometimes, they simply left.

Barcelona added Catalan language, beaches, Gaudí’s park, and a surprise discovery: “She has a love of flamenco music,” Sarah said. “We could stop and watch them all day.”

Friends joined them briefly in Spain. “There was just like an extra infusion of joy,” Sarah said.

CÓRDOBA WONDER A day trip from Sevilla brought the family to the iconic Mezquita (Mosque-Cathedral) in Córdoba, Spain.

London: A Perfect Ending

London closed their journey just as health and spirits recovered.

“Everything aligned to having the perfect ending for our trip,” Sarah said.

Historic sites mixed with playgrounds and new food scenes. The Churchill War Rooms surprised them all.

“She was enthralled with the tunnels and the maps,” Sarah said. “She asked, ‘Mama, what is this? And who sleeps in this bed?’”

At the Transport Museum, Hannah climbed into old trains and stumbled into a live story-and-music session. “Her gut laughing was hysterical,” Sarah recalled with a smile.

Sitting by the Limmat River in Old Town Zurich, Switzerland.

The Real Magic

When asked about the trip’s most magical moment, Sarah didn’t name a place.

“The magical moments were really being fully present with the three of us as a family, with nothing else pulling us,” she said.

The hardest days came with illness and missed naps. “Whoever was feeling the best had to run to the market and get soup,” Sarah said.

Their survival kit was simple: snacks, flexibility, and one structured activity a day. “Everything doesn’t have to be so overscheduled,” she said.

Hannah fell in love first with being near water – “anything with water,” Sarah said, from beaches to alpine lakes to fountains – and just as enthusiastically with food. “She became quite the foodie.”

Seeing Europe Through a Toddler’s Eyes

Traveling with a child changed Sarah’s understanding of Europe itself.

“The focus there is much more on family life,” she observed.

In Spain and Portugal, she noticed how children belonged naturally in daily life. “Kids are kids, and they make noise, and they can run around in a plaza.”

Returning home, Sarah knows not everyone would take such a leap.

“Most of our friends thought we were a little nuts,” she said. But she wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

“If anyone ever has the opportunity… I think it really changed Matt and my perspective.”

And Hannah? She still asks for trains.

Tips From Our Travelers: Sarah, Matt & Hannah’s Europe Edition

Worth the Splurge: The chocolate shops in Switzerland – and the countryside there as well. “Really, the whole country is a well-worth-it splurge.”

Don’t Miss: Any opportunity to engage with locals.

Favorite Restaurants: 

• Switzerland: Grindelwaldblick at the base of Kleine Scheidegg

• Portugal: Manteigaria for pastel de nata

• Spain: Bodega Biarritz 1881

• London: Dishoom

Packing Tip: Pack neutral basics you can mix and match repeatedly, and layer easily for changing weather.

Don’t Bring: Too much – you can always get what you need locally.

Don’t Forget: An adapter/converter for each location you visit. (London was different than Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.) You can also buy one if you forget.

Avoid This Tourist Trap: Restaurants with pictures on the menu – especially near major tourist sights.

Local Favorite Tip: Find the favorite local snack and look up a popular place to try it.

Safety Tip: Stay aware of your surroundings.

Not Really Worth the Trouble: “Famous” bookstores that charge an entrance fee – they’re overcrowded, too hectic to enjoy the ambiance, and the prices are inflated.

Unexpected Hit: One day in Lisbon, all public transportation shut down early due to a cycling race. Stuck on the far side of town without a car seat, we resigned ourselves to a long walk back to our Airbnb – until a tuk-tuk driver stopped, offered directions, had a car seat, and zipped us home just in time for naptime and an adventurous afternoon.