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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Suggestions for a northern European holiday with teens?

14 replies

VagueButlmportant · 16/05/2016 21:35

We want to go for around 5 nights in the summer with my friend and her two boys.

Teens are aged 13-16. They are not likely to want to go off partying - they are more the geeky computer games types! Wifi is essential.

Requirements so far:
Not too hot (teen 1)
Not too cold (me!)
No sand! (teen 2 and other mum)
No risk of terrorism (friend's DH who isn't coming!)
Opportunity to practise German (not essential)
Some activities to tempt them away from screens eg kayaking / white water rafting/ zip lines / bike riding downhill or flat only / via ferrata or similar

So I'm thinking of avoiding beaches but maybe a lake side would be good. We'd prefer not to cook but could go self catering if plenty of restaurants nearby. Happy to drive.

I've been looking at AirBnB / Owners Direct in Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Slovenia, Denmark etc but happy to consider other suggestions. They all look amazing.

Can anyone recommend a fairly chilled out smallish town with lots of outdoor activities nearby, fairly easy drive from an airport (under 2 hrs) safe to let teens out on their own. Maybe with a big city fairly nearby for a day trip. I'm thinking of a sort of backpacker type place with lots of cool types hanging around. We'd love a place with a garden and maybe even a pool, but walking distance from town so teens aren't reliant on mum taxis.

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Behooven · 18/05/2016 12:42

Peschiera on Lake Garda ticks all your boxes. Loads of activities nearby from water based sports, ferry trips, cable car to the mountain top, water park and themse parks if you fancy a day doing that, really close to Verona and doable to Milan (both with airports too)....The town itself is packed with cafes/restaurants etc.
We've had some of our best holidays in this area, love it!

monkeywrench · 18/05/2016 12:49

What about Interlaken in Switzerland? You can do loads of crazy sports and stuff there, like Zorbing and there is a glacier to visit and lakes and mountain views. It was nice when i was there a few years back, although without teenagers.

monkeywrench · 18/05/2016 19:15

I wanted to write again earlier but Mumsnet went crazy bonkers, having re-read your OP, def go to Interlaken :)

SingingSands · 18/05/2016 19:20

We're off to Copenhagen at half term. It seems to tick a lot of your boxes. Worth a look? Our flights were cheap too - £100 for the four of us, return!

mary21 · 18/05/2016 20:09

Sweden? We used nature travels
Germany cheap flights and cycle Rhine
Tignes France they have a free activity card

squareofthehypotepotenuse · 19/05/2016 09:46

How about the Bodensee (Lake Constance)? There are cycle tours round the (very large) lake and there are lots of activities. And they can practise their German....

mary21 · 19/05/2016 17:32

Acorn family adventure may be worth a look

nmg85 · 20/05/2016 11:40

Copenhagen or Iceland.

VocationalGoat · 20/05/2016 11:49

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VocationalGoat · 20/05/2016 11:51

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Artandco · 20/05/2016 11:52

Austria. Lakes/ mountains/ spas/ German/ warm but not hot. Can mountain bike and canoe and other water sports on lakes. No sand

VocationalGoat · 20/05/2016 11:54

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dingit · 20/05/2016 11:55

Saalbach. Ours loved it. All the adrenalin stuff they want. Have you looked at catered chalets? Brilliant value.

VagueButlmportant · 20/05/2016 20:01

Thanks so much everyone. Some great suggestions. Definitely Bodensee and Saalbach are looking good.

We're getting together to make plans this weekend so I'll update once we've all agreed.

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