Favorite European city breaks and holidays with kids (primary age)

[Isabella777]

Hello all! We are expats living here for a couple years and have two children, 6 and 8. They have never been to Europe before and I want to use our time wisely to travel. There are so many places we’d like to go that it’s hard to narrow it down, plus it is just different traveling now than when I was young and childless, and I want to pick places that are both kid friendly but enjoyable for the parents too. What have been your favorite places to travel in Europe with primary age children? All seasons welcome. We generally like a mix of city and smaller towns plus beautiful scenery and nature activities like hiking, and the beach in warmer months. My 8 year old requests to see the Eiffel Tower and Roman ruins so visits to Paris and Italy seem likely at a minimum. Help me fill out my Euro bucket list! Thank you!

Budapest has lots of great things for kids to do and is very pretty.
Innsbruck in Austria has beautiful scenery and is great for walks .
Bergen is Norway is great for nature and seeing the fjords if your kids are quite outdoorsy.
Sicily has lots of great Roman ruins and the food is amazing.

Inter railing can be a great way of seeing a few cities in a short space of time. We've done it with primary age and it's a real adventure.

We generally like a mix of city and smaller towns plus beautiful scenery and nature activities like hiking, and the beach in warmer months.

Could you perhaps try to narrow this down a bit? This list is basically "We like everything", which is great, but you're just going to end up with a list of everywhere that people here have ever been to. Apologies if this seems a little harsh, but it is easier to help when people can give some concrete idea of what they do or don't want. For a start, what is your budget, excluding travel, for your family for accommodation and food for a day?

Also, by "We are expats living here for a couple years" I assume you mean that you are from perhaps North America and you are living in the UK... for the past couple of years or the next couple of years? If so, where in the UK? There are plenty of places to explore without leaving the country, and it will also affect your airport options. 🙏

In the summer I think San Sebastián/Biarritz is a lovely combination

We went to Paris with DD when she was 8, she is a huge history fan and there is tons to see but also other bits if you aren't a museum/castle family.

Italy - Rome but Pompeji is also worth looking at but avoid the Summer

Germany and Austria are great countries, you have the North Sea and the Baltic Sea in Germany, both have their appeal.
You have mountains, either the Alps or lower ranges like Frankonia.
Hiking, watersport, culture, all is there.

Came on to say Innsbruck and Bergen and was beaten to it! You won’t regret either!

Depends a bit on your child - DS loves Berlin, but that is because he loves the Tierpark, the playgrounds, the parks.

Rome was a hit, because Roman ruins are cool.

I think Stockholm is amazing for kids - boat rides, the Skansen museum, the pastries. Plus it is very walkable.

If your children like hiking, Austria in summer is wonderful. The Italian lakes would also be great.

Copenhagen is wonderful , especially Tivoli Gardens. Brilliant for families x