Most relaxing thing to do with a ten month old in Europe for a week in June?

[anomies]

Think we’re going to stretch our budget to one week away. We’re both knackered. We used to do culture or cycling holidays but not any more. Husband wants to go to an all inclusive after we had a great experience at an adults-only AI when I was pregnant last year. But I think maybe one with loads of kids won’t be so relaxing? What would you do?

We took our youngest who was 7 months old to an all inclusive type resort geared to families and it worked well as the pre-schooler could sit on the beach whilst the youngest slept, as our room was only metres away from the beach and we were literally right outside the villa door. I'm not normally one for days of lounging on a beach, so probably wouldn't have made that choice when we were a family of 3. We also took cultural trips when they were young, wandered temples in Indonesia when the youngest was 1 and the oldest got taken to Rapa Nui at 15 months. Obviously these kind of trips also need plenty of down time and can't be full on sightseeing all day every day. I would choose something you know you will both enjoy, baby will just fit in with whatever you plan.

Go in term time out of peak season and there won’t be lots of children. You could even book a hotel which has a crèche and a spa. Even better if it’s got an adult-only pool and/or restaurant.

The Germans and Austrians have a great concept called Kinderhotels. Have a Google.

www.brennseehof.com/de this is one we stayed at when our daughter was 6 months.

Get an airb&b. Sitting in a hotel room all night from 7pm isn’t my idea of a holiday!

We went to Barcelona at that age, stayed in a lovely hotel apartment in Eixample (safe area and they had cot beds, high chairs big balcony, 2 bedrooms and full kitchen), did loads during the day and had lunch out, then one of us did the bedtime routine whilst the other went out on the hunt for tasty food to cook/tapas to lay out on the table. We spent our evenings eating great food on the balcony and chatting with a glass of cava! One of our best holidays!! Perfect mix of beach and city.

With a ten month old? Honestly, I'd do a nice cultural city break I know I'd enjoy and just take it at a slower pace. Get up later and don't worry. Main meal at lunch with a snack in evening and get an early night. At ten months make the most of the baby being portable and stick them in a back pack. Pick somewhere which has decent flight length and times.

It only needs to change if they are a bit older and want to do things themselves or when number two comes along.

We did this until DS was 3 and getting too heavy to carry.

We did Reykjavik, Vienna, Amsterdam and Wroclaw, Barcelona whilst DS was still v small - being able to make the most of being able to travel off peak was brilliant.

Mix of hotels and apartments.