EU city break with 7yr old needing lots activities....

[shugarsuz]

Trying to plan ahead to next summer for our first abroad family holiday.... need suggestions please!
For 1 week
7yr old boy
Can't just do beach/pool, need activities each day
Has to be EU re flight distance for medical reasons
2 adults 1 child, I'd look at Airbnb or serviced apartments I think and do mix of eating out and cooking for ourselves

Looking at Berlin so far? Plus I speak a little German (whilst most stuff will be in English too anyway)
Euro Disney but a week would be too long?

Any good suggestions of where you've been?

How warm do you want it / not want it?

I love Copenhagen in the summer and there is a good range of things to do I think

Billund is also really popular, but maybe not for a week - you’ve got Legoland, Lalandia, Lego House, Wow Park

Vienna? You have the Schönbrunn Palace & Zoo which is the largest, and arguably best, one in Europe. The city is not too crowded, affordable and with good public transport everywhere. Other stuff for kids include the Natural History Museum (gigantic museum on par with the one in London), the Kindermuseum, Technisches Museum, Haus Des Meeres (aquarium) and Prater (amusement park). The centre of town is heavily pedestrianised with lots of parks and playgrounds.

Ah good question 😊 I'm not fond of the heat but husband and son would be fine in it so I'll survive but ideally not super duper hot

Thanks for suggestions so far!

Innsbruck. A variety of amazing outdoor pools (more like water parks). Beautiful city parks. Cafes. Child friendly museums. Cable cars and trams up to the mountains. Mountain huts with playparks. Zoo. Lakes you can safely swim in. Swarovski crystal world.

Stockholm, genuinely countless things to do (get a gocity pass), family friendly and very easy to get around. Nice temperatures too.

Netherlands? Ferry and Eurostar then also possible. English widely spoken if medical issues may arise. Seven is a good age for Efteling - bit like disney. Plenty of museums and from Amsterdam other cities close by train. Could do a couple of days in Amsterdam with zoo and science museum, day at the beach in The Hague plus Lego centre, then a couple of days at Efteling.

Rome. Coliseum, they can run around the forums, interactive science center, lovely park with row boats called Villa Borghese, endless pizza and ice cream, cooking classes and gladiator school! Plus the Italians are so so lovely with children.

The Netherlands is very child friendly and English is widely spoken and understood. Madurodam ( a model village) in the Hague is worth a look. There is also the theme park at Wassenaar Duinrell.

Have a look at flying to Malaga and staying along the coast there. Feungirola, Torreblanca, benelmadena etc. there's a really good train service and you can do Malaga for a day, Feungirola zoo, benalmada port and market, cable car, aqua park

I've been looking into the Netherlands 😊👍

So maybe...
3-4 nights in Amsterdam, do main central bits
Drop down to Efteling Park for 3 nights (?)
Over to The Hague for coast / Rotterdam for 2-3 nights (?)
Then back up to Schipol for home

So going a little over the one week but packs more in...

I think Copenhagen and Stockholm are good suggestions having lived there- but they aren't cheap for eating out/drinking out- however supermarkets just slightly more than uk and there are options to make it more affordable- happy to advise. .

Reasons they are good relate to lots to do for your child, but great for you too - Copenhagen has lovely white sand beaches all up the coast in both directions , blue sea too and the bridge to Sweden - a great metro- 2 fabulous theme parks- Tivoli and Bakken and numerous things involving the water . Massive acquarium and a big indoor hands on activity place in Hellerup., Viking museum at Roskilde , huge zoo in a lovely area, - lovely playgrounds , outdoor beer gardens and if he's into it masses of cycling .

Stockholm I personally think has less for younger children but is lovely too , lots of watery things, big funfair , fantastic zoo/children's amusements at Skansen , good metro .

Netherlands nice too - but for me you will never better that Copenhagen coastline and the food is way better.

Oh I'll have a look at Copenhagen next, he's defo bicycle mad and we do some mini family cycle rides here....

I adore Berlin but I think it's better for teenagers. Amsterdam is fantastic for younger children, your updated plan sounds great. We took our DDs to Amsterdam when they were about 6 and 9 and they loved it. We stayed on a houseboat and they remember that really well still (older teens now).

Maturodam and duinrell are also good suggestions. You can do day tickets as well as stay for a holiday at duinrell. You can do short stays via canvas or eurocamp which might work for The Hague part as it’s a shortish distance away. Cyclable if you’re fit!