Your favourite city break with teens.

[Starsandrain]

We’ve never been on a city break with our children (12 and 14) and would like to. Wondering if you can recommend your favourite place you’ve been. We would like to go in October but may have to wait until May to save up. I think the weather will be nicer in May too. Thanks for any recommendations.

For me my shortlist starts flight options (within budget or convenient times from my local airport), but I've had some fab family breaks in Valencia (city culture, beach, aquarium), Chicago for big city vibe, Lisbon (same reasons as Valencia) and London never disappoints

UK - we've enjoyed Edinburgh, London, Brighton, York, Manchester and erm... Gateshead! (Though that was to watch out football team play)

We've also enjoyed Paris, Como, Freiburg and Amsterdam.

Never done a city break? With teens? Probably Barcelona is your safe banker for all of you. But book tickets for tourist stuff or you won't get in. It's an easy city generally for a Brit.

Otherwise Amsterdam.

Another mention for Edinburgh. Absolutely loads to do.

Berlin, Barcelona or Amsterdam

We went to Lisbon last October with DS 14 and 17. Was brilliant. Did a Tuktuk tour. Went different places on the trams and metros. Had lovely food and drink. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

We live less than an hour from York, and did a last minute, low cost mini break last summer with dc 11 and 14. Was brilliant.

Seville or Munich

Reykjavik is pretty small but has some decent museums and galleries. Eating out and even groceries are eye-wateringly expensive and teens are not cheap to feed.

My teens loved Copenhagen and we loved it too. With a Copenhagen card all your public transport and a very large number of museums and visitor attractions are included in a flat price. Grocery shopping was OK, think Waitrose not Tescos/Asda. Eating out was pricey.

Barcelona is a great city break destination though we haven’t been in a while. I’ve heard it has become more expensive in the last few years. When my friend told me how much Picasso Museum tickets for a family of four cost I was gobsmacked.

We went to Barcelona last October with our DS - he was 14 almost 15 then. It was great, we all really enjoyed it. Weather was lovely too.

Washington DC

Reykjavik is great but it's not a 'first city break' location for me. It's next tier after that for me. And I'd say don't stay in the city itself too (ideally hire a car depending on time of year).

DS also loved Krakow and Dublin

Barcelona, Prague or Budapest. My teen hated Munich. She like Oslo though and Krakow.

Rotterdam. Really cool.

Glasgow and Venice

Mine mentioned recently how much they enjoyed Heidelberg

Another vote for Budapest. Went after reading reviews on here. Teens loved it. Vienna also.

Liverpool in the UK. Rome abroad.

We loved:
Amsterdam
Hamburg
Paris
Prague

Berlin is next on the list.

For UK
York
Edinburgh
London (we live near enough that we do day trips though)

We are history nerds so we look mainly for historic buildings/museums etc.

Great suggestions. We are in a similar situation with DD 15. Copenhagen seems to be winning!

Budapest and Vienna should be on the list. With the following cavet: Budapest is affordable. Vienna eyewatering. But both should be on the shortlist.

Wouldn't put Rome on list simply cos it can be shit for food, it's only place we've been ripped off and if you aren't used to travelling it's off putting seeing the pushy Romans trying to flog you shit.

Avoid. It's on second tier.

I second Valencia. Bioparc is fabulous, there's Oceanografic and the science museum. Beaches and the Turia Gardens to cycle or electric scooter. It's Europe's second most cycle and scooter friendly city and it's possible to hire these everywhere.