Short trip to Europe with 11 and 14 year old

[Snappyteabread]

Looking for ideas. Travelling from Glasgow so would prefer something direct. Going away for 2 weeks is just too expensive so I thought perhaps we could go for maybe 4 nights, do AirB&B but not sure where to go. Everything just seems so expensive. Where is decent prices once you get there with direct (or good connections) flights? Thinking city break or something with a mix of things to do.

We did Copenhagen and really enjoyed it!

Barcelona - plenty to do, lovely sandy beach. Zoo, aquarium, free walking tours.

Ryanair fly Edinburgh - Billund for all things Lego if the kids are into that. Fly out Friday evening and return on Monday evening gives you almost 3 full days.

Legoland, Lego House (ideal for a day for older children), Lalandia. Maybe a day trip to Aarhus as there is not much to do in Billund itself apart from Lego stuff, whereas Aarhus is Denmark's second city and is packed with things to do.

I really like Salou. It has the beach, a lovely long beach promenade, also has the theme park and water park and I don't think they are too expensive. Did 5 nights there last year. Jet2 from Glasgow and it's a quick transfer from Reus airport

Forgot to add there are day trips to Barcelona if you fancied combining

Was it not super expensive when you got there? Eg for lunch, entry costs , transport etc?

Love Copenhagen but it wouldn't be my first choice with DC. Yes it is expensive and it is more somewhere to wander around, enjoy really good restaurants, museums, etc. really depends on your budget though, perhaps you can give us an idea? I've just booked Alicante and it was very reasonable , from Glasgow and both a city break with a beach

Mine loved Amsterdam at that age

Yes I wondered about somewhere in Spain. Will go and look. If we got to Spain would love to go somewhere that is really Spanish, not just full of tourists but that will be probably unless we travel a fair distance from an airport.

I know what you mean, and you are right as every flight from Glasgow will go to a tourist destination but it's worth some research to find somewhere that is less touristy. When I went to Salou, I happened to stay 15 min walk from the main area and around my hotel was local cafes / restaurants and best of all a lovely beach that was full of locals with the kids playing into the evening. It felt very different to the main hub just down the road but still really enjoyed that area. There was often outdoor sports to watch and just a lovely evening vibe. We are going back as a family of 6 in June. If you want to stay somewhere more rustic and local then would you be willing to drive to and from the airport? I have been to lovely small Spanish coastal towns but I do wonder if the kids might get bored and something else to point out is many of the smaller places people don't speak much English. So you might feel a bit alienated unless you are very comfortable finding your own way.

If you don't need to be by the sea, and Ryanair goes from an airport near you, then look at flying to Bergamo. Day out in Milan, day at one of the lakes, and a day in Bergamo itself.