Do's, Don'ts & Cultural Guide

✅ DO

• Book wheelchair assistance — Free at all airports; request when booking flights
• Choose hotels with lifts — Many European buildings are old without elevators
• Plan rest days — Don't pack every day with activities
• Carry medications with prescriptions — In original packaging with doctor's letter
• Get comprehensive travel insurance — Ensure it covers pre-existing conditions
• Use priority boarding — Available for elderly passengers on most airlines
• Book accessible rooms — Ground floor or near elevator, handrails in bathroom
• Take canal boats/river cruises — Less walking, still see the sights

❌ DON'T

• Underestimate the walking — European cities involve lots of cobblestones and stairs
• Plan back-to-back city visits — Travel days are exhausting
• Forget comfortable shoes — Orthopedic insoles are essential
• Skip meals — Maintain regular eating schedule for medication timing
• Book hostels or walk-up apartments — Stairs can be challenging
• Visit in extreme weather — Summer heat or winter cold can be hard on elderly

✅ DO

• Book family rooms — Many European hotels have connecting rooms
• Pack snacks from Nigeria — Familiar food helps with fussy eaters
• Visit parks daily — European cities have amazing playgrounds
• Use audio guides for kids — Many museums have child versions
• Take train journeys — Kids love trains; more space than planes
• Plan interactive activities — Science museums, zoos, aquariums
• Bring entertainment — Tablets loaded with shows for long waits
• Eat early dinners — 6-7 PM before restaurants get crowded

❌ DON'T

• Over-schedule — One major activity per day is enough
• Force long museum visits — 1-2 hours max for kids
• Skip naps/rest time — Tired children = difficult trip
• Eat late European dinners — Kids can't wait until 9 PM
• Forget familiar items — Favorite toy, blanket, bedtime book
• Take overnight flights — Kids rarely sleep well; arrive exhausted

✅ DO

• Bring car seat for flights — Many airlines allow them; baby sleeps better
• Pack extra supplies — Diapers, formula, wipes (may be expensive/different brands in Europe)
• Request bassinet on flights — Book bulkhead seats with baby bassinet early
• Bring lightweight stroller — Compact ones for cobblestone streets
• Use baby carriers — Better than strollers for metros and stairs
• Book apartments with washing machines — You'll need to do laundry
• Feed during takeoff/landing — Helps with ear pressure
• Bring familiar foods — Pap, baby food your child already eats

❌ DON'T

• Forget medication — Calpol/infant paracetamol, teething gel, thermometer
• Plan tight connections — Allow extra time with a baby
• Visit during peak season — Crowds + baby = stress
• Forget changing supplies — Not all European toilets have changing tables
• Pack checked-only essentials — Keep diapers, food, change of clothes in carry-on
• Book rooms far from elevator — You'll be making trips at night

• Passports for ALL family members (including babies)
• Birth certificates (for proving relationship)
• Consent letter if one parent is not traveling
• Travel insurance covering all ages
• Vaccination records for children

• First aid kit with child-appropriate medicine
• Prescription medications with doctor's letter
• European emergency number: 112
• Embassy contacts saved in phone
• Travel insurance emergency hotline

• Favorite snacks from home
• Entertainment (tablets, books, toys)
• Familiar blanket or stuffed animal
• Noise-canceling headphones for kids
• Portable phone chargers