Trip to Spain with 6 Month Old--take Graco Snugrider Frame or Bugaboo?

I've been to Spain and can't wait to go back. If you're going to be using the subway in Madrid, you'll want your stroller to be easy to either grab and carry on the subway or collapse easily. Would you consider a backpack type carrier for your infant? The streets can get crowded in the larger cities and might make handling a stroller difficult. Beware of beggars and gypsies. The pickpockets are very talented and having stroller to contend with might make you an easy target. We never had any problems but there was a group of Japanese tourists whose tour guide had all their passports and money she was carrying stolen from her. The gypsies are infamous throughout Spain, if you need more info on safety feel free to write me back. I found that the less I carried the easier it was to maneuver. The streets themselves weren't too bumpy. Even in Pamplona where there is cobblestone it was not any worse than a brick sidewalk. I didn't travel on any unpaved roads. Everything in Spain is pretty well paved. Only out in the country do you encounter dirt roads, and even those aren't bad. Good luck!

Go with the smaller easier to travel stoller.

My sister lives in Barcelona and doesn't care for her Bugaboo there. She prefers the cheapo umbrella stroller for around town.

I am not familiar with the Bugaboo, but I traveled to Italy with a Graco stroller when my baby was five months old and it was fine. There were a ton of cobblestones, and we had no problems whatsoever. I would definitely recommend taking the lighter, more convenient stroller.

If you have one, I would also recommend bringing a baby carrier (like a Bjorn) of some sort. We ended up using that more than the stroller on days that we were hopping on and off public transportation.

Good luck, and have fun!

i would definitely go with the lighter stroller if you have to have one.

my husband and i just bought a backpack carrier (kelty FC 1.0). it's so much nicer than the front carrier! easier by far on the back (my 4 month old already weighs 20 lbs and it's really starting to matter where i carry the weight!) also most backpacks offer more storage for diapering items, toy loops, and the upright position my little girl fights for if i try to put her in the stroller for too long! ours, being a frame version, will stand up on it's own with the baby in it, so unlike our bjorn, i can take her off and set her down without her rolling away.

i'd much rather carry the baby on the train with the backpack vs. the stroller, (car, bus or plane for that matter, and i've done all) one reason i prefer it is that you can't keep your stroller on the plane, and you pretty much have to collapse your stroller on congested public transport. other than on a plane, at least the carrier/pack is small enough that it doesn't mean you have to have a squirmy baby in your arms while en route. (sitting on a plane is one exception when the bjorn is still good to have, being worn on front)

have a great trip and remember that you know yourself and your baby best, if you know you can't realistically 'wear' your son for as long as you will need to and you really need a stroller, then just take the most functional one, whatever you can open/close easily and can easily navigate whatever terrain, cobblestone or otherwise, and plan on having a lot of fun!

A.

ps
(i feel compelled to mention based on a previous post that gypsies are part of the romani people group, therefore, making their/our status that of a minority, not an occupation of thieves. i know people like to use the name as a derogatory term but you might not want to help perpetuate this lie of us being traveling thieves if you want to be p.c. and care about discrimination).

I vote for the Graco. I took my Maclaren umbrella stroller to Spain last year. It was great. Light weight and compact is what you want when your traveling around Europe. There were lots of stairs and no ramps! Be prepared to lug your stroller up and down to the public transportation stations. Have a great trip!

We took our 14 month old to Portugal last year. You both have good points. We took the Graco stroller and seat. We beat the thing up :) Left our nice stollers at home and retired the Graco when we got back. Keep in mind that the seatbelts in Europe don't lock (the carseats do) so you'll need to take the locking clip and learn how to use it and how to install the seat without the base before you go. We used a few taxis and airport shuttles and had to do this.

Hi C.,
We did quite alot of travelling when my son was young. MY advice is, take the Graco, especially if you are dependents on public transportation. Even if you will be renting a car, European cars are a lot smaller, and the Bugaboo is big. When you're travelling, the lighter and the smaller, the easier (I think). The Graco should be fine, even for cobblestone roads.
Have a great trip!