Where to go first week in Jan?

[Imalldonethanks]

Looking for a short break (up to 5 days) somewhere fun and exciting with 4 kids (aged 4-10).

As it will be pretty cold I'd rather a city destination so there's stuff to do and see.

Don't mind a hotel or air bnb... but just want to go somewhere open (I fondly remember a pre kids holiday in the Italian lakes over New Year and everything was shut!).

what about barcelona? list of things to do: runnerbeantours.com/what-to-do-in-barcelona-in-january-an-insiders-view/

and an option of air b and b here:

www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/16458427?location=Barcelona%2C%20Spain&adults=2&children=4&infants=0&guests=6&toddlers=0&check_in=2019-01-02&check_out=2019-01-06&home_collection=1&s=-y8sNTww

all the best x

Stockholm would be amazing with kids - cold but loads to do.

Good suggestions - thank you both. Will look into them.

If you go to Spain at that time of year, make sure you look out for the Three Kings Parade on the evening of the 5th. It's the biggest part of Christmas in Spain and usually involves the Three Kings parading through the streets on camels throwing sweets to children in the crowd. Plus floats etc. I would have thought it would be a pretty big event in a large Spanish city.

We saw it in Tenerife one year and it was great fun, even as childfree adults.

P and O ferries sail from Hull to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, offering mini breaks and mini cruises to places like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Bruge and others. They offer coach transfers to the destination city, If the trip you choose involves overnights in the city then you arrange your own accomodation.

I'm planning on taking my kids on a mini cruise to Bruge that week, they are half price over the winter months. It's no frills, but for the price probably cheaper than 2 nights away in the UK (Those are spent on a cabin on the ferry) and a day in a city overseas, it's good fun.

Ooh, I like the sound of those mini cruises. I'd like to see Amsterdam and Bruges but not bothered about spending much time there. They sound great.

Have you done one before? What's the food and drink like on the ship? I don't like paying mega bucks for shit food and it looks like you'd need evening meals on both journeys. If it was nice, I wouldn't mind, but if it was horrible, I'd probably rather have a big lunch and take a snacks to have in the cabin in the evenings.