Hello! Its been a long time since i've been on this forum, but i'm still just as in love with it as I was back in college when I studied there :-) Now, 10 years and many trips later, I'm heading back again this Spring or Summer. But this time my husband and I will have my then 8-12 month old son with us. I know, we might be crazy but we don't shy away from taking him places, and travelling, so we decided this wouldn't be any different.

Any tips or thoughts on travelling in the country with a baby of that age? We will likely spend a few weeks in Granada visiting friends there, and then maybe move on to a week in Madrid, with day trips.

One thing , for sure , as you will have known from trips to España , is that the Spanish LOVE kids ... Their little princes and princesses . Also, in the last few years smoking is banned in bars so your son will not be exposed to cigarette/cigar smoke . Some bars have ignored this rule but they seem few and far between . My brother has 3 daughters and a son in Russia . His son is about 20 months old now but he travelled regularly with all of them as babies with no problems at all . Quite the contrary ... as his 3 daughters are 100% travel and airport savvy now having been exposed to the travel almost from birth !

Master Steve Robinson is correct. All of the Mediterranean countries LOVE babies and kids so you'll be very welcome in Spain. Since you lived in Spain you probably recall that complete strangers like to coddle, tough, stroke, and otherwise baby your baby without so much as getting your permission first. Don't be offended or frightened by it.

You mention visiting Granada. is that Granada City? I don't recommend taking a stroller through the Alhambra - doubt they even allow them there. And going through the Albaicín/Albayzin with a stroller probably isn't a good idea either. There are lots of cobblestone streets, some pedestrian, lots of stairs and the few sidewalks they do have are often narrower than a stroller.

Happy Travels BACK to Spain!! Saludos, MadridMan

Saludos, MadridMan

Follow on to MM's comments on Granada which , OF COURSE , are spot on : Many Europeans are big fans of the baby harnesses/slings that can be worn by mum or dad infront or at the side of the chest . That would be a perfect option if you wanted to explore the wonders of La Alhambra or the beauty of Albaicín in Granada City .
I'm not a father ( my brother is of 4 kids ) , but I always like those harnesses as the baby is in direct eye contact with mum or dad , as well as peripheral vision of what's going on outside .

Haha, this is so true. I guess 8-12 months is a great age too, because I don't think he would be too big for a harness of some sort. I think that the parenting style in Spain is quite liberal, mainly owing to the fact that many parents use grandmas as "Canguros" these days to adapt to a busy life style.

The harness would be a great idea if you're travelling on public transport too, at least on buses there's usually one 1 spot for strollers (maybe 2).

I'm both happy AND frustrated to see so many baby strollers "steam-rolling" or "snow-plowing" their way through pedestrians in Madrid. I think both, "Hey, that's great they take their kids everywhere," as well as, "Hey, why don't they stay home and keep our thoroughfares clear?" hehehe...

Having said that, I can't wait to visit "Cortylandia" for the first time this year. I do love watching the kids staring up in wonder at the El Corte Inglés singing scenes.

Saludos, MadridMan