Teenage boys first holiday alone

[KingCatMeowInSpace]

My son has asked me for suggestions of somewhere him and 4 friends can go next June for their first holiday abroad. They don't want beech n clubbing type holiday - mentioned Berlin/Poland but they're open to other ideas - def want a city break and things to do. They're excitable just turned 17/18 year olds who aren't overly street smart but are capable. Suggestions please. I'm assuming air B&B.

Copenhagen maybe? Hire bikes and cycle the city, design museums, castles, boat trips around the harbour and swimming directly off the harbour walls all around the city centre. Good night life (not Ibiza style) great food. Would be on the more expensive side but flights can be dirt cheap if they’re willing to fly midweek/v early or v late. Plenty of airbnbs in the city centre. It’s a great city for a short break. If they’re looking for a full week you can get the train to Sweden and visit Malmo too.

Air bnb might not want 4 young men,

i know dc who have been to Newquay. Lots go to Majorca and Crete. Berlin is interesting and worth a look. Or Paris and Amsterdam by train. Hopefully excitement doesn’t end up as being drunk.

My ds and friends went to Marakkesh in the summer - ds was still 17 but his friends were 18. They stayed in a riad and did organised trips to the desert to do quad biking and camel riding. Lots of other young people were there too and they had a great time. My daughter went a couple of years ago too and stayed in an Airbnb.

DS and his pals went to Budapest, and I know of quite a few groups of teens who have enjoyed it - it's got good cheap food and beer, so a bit like Prague used to be for us back in the day, and it's got cool boat parties and baths that seem set up for a young crowd - he and his mates had a great time

Berlin and an aparthotel is a great first holiday. Cost of living is cheaper than here. Drinking age is 16.

I would look at hotels and or aparthotels rather than airbnb. What is their budget per night?.

I'd also be prepared for one or perhaps two of them to drop out of this holiday before next summer.

DH and I went to Cologne for a city break recently and it was fantastic. There’s an AMAZING theme park just outside the city (Phantasialand) which would be brilliant for teens. Also a Lindt chocolate museum/factory, lots of cool vintage shops, cake shops, boat trips, a zoo etc.

Oh yes, ds went to Phantasialand with school in year 9 and loved it!

They have part time jobs and reckon they can save about £2k each by then

Yes I've been to cologne and phantasmagoria land as a teen. Also the monorail along the Wuppertal river.

No idea why my iPad changed Phantasialand to that 😂🤦‍♀️

Amazing 😅

I think Berlin would be suitable, one of the easiest cities I have ever come across to travel around. Cologne as an alternative can be done by train from London using Eurostar and the connection at Brussels in four to five hours.

Youth hostel shared dorm would be the best option, airbnbs aren't keen on groups of men.
I'd recommend Budapest, Munich (if they're into beer halls) or Brno in Czech if they want somewhere a bit less touristy. Porto is great too, lots to see and do.

Find out the drinking age and tell them.
And remember if he books he's lead passenger so he's responsible for paying up should any of them drop out .
Check with insurance companies make sure they all have insurance.
Most of all let them go and May they have the best time and return home with lots of stories and memories

Thanks everyone- have passed on your suggestions. He contacted a couple of youth hostels in Berlin and they said they don't allow 17 year olds unless with a parent/guardian. 2 of his group will be 18 and 3 will be 17 so they won't allow them. Don't suppose anyone knows nice youth hostels in Berlin that would allow them ?

My daughter went to this one, no idea if they allow just 17 year olds.... https://martas.org/gaestehaeuser/martas-gaestehaeuser-hauptbahnhof-berlin/ueber-uns. don't know if they allow people under 18 to stay without a guardian, but I think these people do....

https://www.aohostels.com/de/jugendhotels/

Thank you/ shall check them out - once I figure out how to get your second link in English lol

Think they may have already decided on Berlin but Tallinn is fantastic. Also krakow with a visit to Energylandia. If they drink then Munich is also a great shout in summer

Thanks - like the sound of those places- ideally they'd like Berlin then somewhere else- think any of your suggestions would work for the second part of their trip - easily get to one of them and stay a few days you think?

Ensure that the under-18s have appropriate documentation, for example granting power to the over-18s to take medical decisions for them in an emergency.

Have a backup finance/get-them-home plan for when someone gets robbed of his passport and phone, or they blow all their money with 3 days to go.

Fly into Berlin and train to Munich fly out of Munich or vice versa would be a great trip.

To really make it special a visit to Europa Park would amazing I’ve not been but it’s on my bucket list.

Certainly beats my 18-30 to Kos😂

When my son was 17 he did a tall ship sailing from Aberdeen to Norway for his DfE then a few nights on his own in Oslo (though it turned out that some of his shipmates were staying at the same youth hostel so they hung about together) and then a few nights in Stockholm.

All that to say that we had no problem finding youth hostels in Oslo or Stockholm that allowed 17 year olds to stay so if you have problems finding somewhere in Berlin, maybe try Scandinavian countries?

Munich. The weather should be nice in June. Very pretty and safe in the City centre. Lovely beer gardens and food. Day/rail trips to lakes and mountains. Although it's more traditional Germany rather than edgy Germany (Berlin)