Florence with a baby: travel tips for a first family trip to Florence

Florence with a baby: practical travel tips for a first family trip to Florence.

Italy is a lovely first destination for a family vacation with a new baby and Florence is no exception. 

The city is well served, safe and wonderful and perfect if you want to mix sightseeing with quiet time with your baby.

However, Florence is a city and while I believe it is very possible to enjoy a city break with small kids in tow, there is no doubt that a vacation in a busy city center poses more challenges to a family with a new baby than a week at an all-inclusive resort. 

This is why we have tips for you! In this post, we draw from our experience in Florence as a family with young kids and share our advice for a baby-friendly vacation in Florence, Italy.

If you are planning a first trip with your little one, don’t forget to also check out this comprehensive list of tips for traveling with a baby – it is packed with great travel advice for new parents! 

Is Florence baby friendly?

Florence is a baby-friendly city in many respects. However, it also poses some challenges. 

Here are the main things that make Florence great for a baby and the solutions we recommend for the most common challenges.

Where to buy baby essentials in Florence

One of my biggest concerns when traveling with a baby is to be in a remote location with little access to supplies and little help if needed. 

This is not a problem in Florence! 

The city is perfectly equipped with all you may need for a baby.

In Florence, diapers and daily baby essentials are easy to find everywhere, and you will also have easy access to doctors and healthcare in English, which is always an extra plus to give peace of mind!

You can buy diapers and baby gear in Florence in several types of shops:

Supermarkets – they stock baby diapers, formula, nappy cream, baby bath essentials etc., usually offering several options in terms of brands etc.

Supermarkets come in many sizes and, usually, you can find one open even at weekends, especially in the city center.

Need to know: supermarkets usually do not stay open 24/7. While some do, this is not something you can count on, so make sure you don’t run out of baby supplies after hours. 

Pharmacies – Pharmacies stock a lot of baby gear and are one of the best shops for baby stuff in Italy for various options and quality products. 

In pharmacies, you can find diapers, weaning foods, baby essentials and baby medications – it is good to know that medications are not usually stocked in supermarkets but in pharmacy shops only! 

The cost of pharmacy stuff is usually higher than in supermarkets but usually, this is also where you find more high-end products, such as natural or allergy-free baby products. 

Diaper brands you tend to find easily in Florence are:

• Pampers, 
• Huggies 
• Supermarkets own brands (Lidl, Carrefour, etc). 

Formula brands you find easily include:

• Aptamil, 
• Humana 
• Nidina, 
• Mellin

Supermarkets and pharmacies also stock baby toiletries. 

Planning a trip to Italy with kids? Then consider joining my FREE Facebook group ‘Travel Italy with kids’ HERE, where we can chat all things about family travel in Italy!

Where to find medications and medical help in Florence

For non-urgent medical help, you can:

Go to your local pharmacy: the pharmacist is usually able to recommend a remedy and is usually able to look up on the database the local name of a medication you may be used to at home.

I recommend you bring with you a small stash of medications from home. However, pharmacies in Italy tend to be excellent.

For non-urgent medical consultations, you can contact an English speaking service such as Doctors In Italy 

For urgent medical care, call 118 (ambulance), 112 (general emergency number) or go to the hospital.

Ospedale Santa Maria Nuova, piazza Santa Maria Nuova 1, tel. 055 69381

Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio, via Torregalli 3, tel. 055 69321

Baby friendly parks and green spaces in Florence

Florence’s city center is not very green. However, the city has some lovely parks that are perfect for babies.

One we love is Parco delle Cascine, a large park perfect for walks with a stroller and we also love Boboli Gardens. 

Boboli is not a public park but a monumental one and a great place to catch fresh air. 

I highly recommend you go here on a beautiful day, get your baby in a carrier and enjoy it – it is a Florence landmark and a lovely place for baby-friendly sightseeing in Florence! 

Florence city center doesn’t have many playgrounds for a quick play on the slides.

Nice spots are on Lungarno Santa Rosa and in Pazza Massimo d’Azeglio.

Using a stroller in Florence

Florence’s city center is pedestrian friendly and you can visit most of the city’s main attractions simply taking a stroll. 

This makes visiting Florence with a baby exceptionally easy since you don’t have to come up with elaborate itineraries or things to do: you can just walk out the door and sightseeing is there for you!

It is, however, important to know that Florence city center is not always stroller friendly.

Many streets do not have pavements and in many cases the street surface is less than smooth. 

My solution to this issue is:

Wear comfortable shoes – you can find my selection of the best shoes for Italy here.

Opt for a sturdy stroller – strollers are better able at withstanding cobbles, thank you may expect. However, some strollers are better than others in Florence!

The sweet spot is a stroller that has all-terrain wheels, yet it is compact and easy to fold, an item that is unfortunatly impossible to find!

however, there are some strollers that are better than others. You can find here >>> good compact strollers we love for travels in Europe.

Bring also a carrier – for some attractions, especially, a carrier in Florence is the best option.

These include climbing the duomo (impossible with a stroller), a visit to the Boboli Gardens and The Uffizi. 

Public bathrooms and baby changing facilities in Florence

Public bathrooms in Florence and baby changing facilities are few and far between in Florence.

Like in the rest of Italy, the easiest way to change baby diapers on the go is to improvise and use your stroller as a changing table, then hop into the first cafe and ask to use the facilities to wash hands etc.

Cafes in Italy must give access to restrooms to their patrons but are usually happy to help families with young kids even if they don’t buy anything.

If they re difficult, ordering a coffee or buying a small bottle of water is sufficient to get access.

Florence with baby in summer: how to deal with the heat

Florence gets very hot in summer and this can be not just unpleasant but also dangerous for a baby.

If planning to go in the hot season, make sure you have a hotel with air conditioning.

While this may seems obvious, art conditioning is not a given: unless the accommodation description mentions clearly, it will not be there.

If in doubt, ask!

Also, be prepared to adjust your daily schedule so you can be home in the middle of the day and make the most of the milder hours of early morning and evening.

It is very common for families to stay out late to make the most of the fresher air: Florence is safe and pleasant in the evening.

You can find my tips for dealing with summer heat in Italy with baby here.

The best places to visit in Florence with a baby

You can visit most Florence main attractions with a baby, but some are easier to enjoy than others.

Some baby friendly places we like in Florence are:

Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio – among the most famous attractions in Florence, they are easy to enjoy even just staying outside

Piazza della Repubblica – a lovely historical square with a gorgeous carousel perfect for kids and adults

The banks of the river Arno, from where to admire Ponte Vecchio without having to tackle the crowds on the bridge itself

The Boboli Gardens, mentioned above, one of the most beautiful open spaces in Florence

Piazzale Michelangelo, from where you can get stunning views over the city (get the bus up here, as access with strollers on foot is not easy due to many steps)

Piazza Santa Maria Novella – lovely and spacious, perfect to mix sightseeing and some fresh air

Piazza Santa Maria Novella – where you can admire Florence’s Duomo, stunning even just form outside, should a visit be too much for your little one

Need to know: if you want to visit the Uffizi Gallery with a baby, I highly recommend you consider a speedy tour. The museum is vast and not very family friendly and the best way to tackle it, I believe, is with a carrier and a good plan of action about what you want to see!

Where to stay in Florence with a baby – tried and tested addresses

• Antica Torre di Via Tornabuoni, an elegant, family-friendly boutique hotel in the center of Florence with rooms and apartments. Their baby friendly accommodation include socket covers, high chair, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer as well as cots on request.

• Airbnb Super Host Appartmento Rosa Brandi, a beautiful family friendly apartment in a historic building close the Florence’s Duomo and Santa Maria Novella.

As well as nice accommodation, the apartment offers baby equipment such as cot, changing table, baby bath, high chair and children’s tableware, Washing machine, dryer and dishwasher

Find photos and prices on Airbnb here

You can find many more family friendly accommodation options in Florence in our guide >>> where to stay in Florence with kids

Eating out in Florence with a baby

Florence restaurants are family friendly.

High chairs have become increasingly common in the last few years so you can usually avoid bringing one with you.

In many cases the space is limited so you may not be able to keep the stroller open. If heading to a restaurant close to your accommodation in the evening, leaving the stroller at home is usually best.

What to pack for visiting Florence with baby

You can find my full list of baby travel essentials here, however, these are the main things to pack to Visit Florence with a baby:

• A good stroller
• A good baby carrier
• A good diaper bag big enough for daily essentials (or a standard size backpack you can use for baby gear)
• Mosquito net for the summer
• Portable blinds for nap time in the hotel room
• A well stocked family first aid kit.

You can find complete packing lists at the following links: Italy in summer packing list, packing list for Italy in spring , Italy in the autumn and Italy in winter packing list.

I hope you found these quick tips for visiting Florence with a baby handy! You can find more idea about visiting Florence as a family in our guide to Florence with toddlers and our favorite things to do in Florence with kids of school age here.

You can find all our tips for visiting Italy with a baby here.

Safe travel planning!

This post has been fully updates in April 2023.