Best European trips with teens (we are running out of places!)

[Traveltart]

Big birthday coming up next month. It’s me, DH and two early teens. Wanted to book something exciting and long haul but events have spiked prices everywhere. We are now thinking short haul. Trip will be one to two weeks. The problem is we have done a lot of European travel…

What has been your best European trip ever? We loved Sardinia but it was peak summer and we need to take leave in April.

We have been to: Italian lakes, most of the big Italian cities, Paris and many places in France, Greece and many islands, major cities Rome, Milan, Berlin, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Budapest, Copenhagen, Sofia, Stockholm, Geneva, Zurich, Basel, Warsaw, Prague, Salzburg, Venice, basically anywhere beautiful! We have also had plenty of Croatia holidays and have driven a lot through Europe.

I have looked at inter-railing but DH thinks DC would hate it as it would be a lot of travel and bouncing from hotel to hotel. I must have overlooked some gems or fab holidays you’ve experienced in spring?

This.

You have obviously done loads of mainstream Europe. I am looking at Romania for May, have you been there? I am looking a loop but struggling a little as sports competitions are encroaching for us, but the basic premise: Bucharest - Brasov - Sighisoara - Cluj Napoca, given you have been to so many other places wondering if something like that might be an option. Other offbeat places that spring to mind Sarajevo, trip out to Mostar, other places in Bosnia could be added. Lithuania, I am contemplating replacing Romania with a trip split between Kaunas and Vilnius, but the flight is early from Liverpool which is a pain. I haven't seen that you mentioned visiting Malta, definitely worth a visit if you haven't been, it seems to be really marmite but it has lots of cultural sites and we really enjoyed our trip, although I fear you wouldn't get hypogeum tickets this close to departure. Malta good for Semana Santa like parades on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

I know you'e ditched long haul but I'd look at mexico myself.

As for interrailing - why not? I mean, it sounds like money isn't a huge issue so you don't need to be interrailing in the middle of the night to save money on hostels or whatever. Plan it a bit - choose the places you have prevoiusly loved and book the right hotels/ Air bnbs or whatever, and then treat the train journey as an experience in itself.

Or do the Orient Express? is taht still a thing?

Romania - in April could easily get into the 20s. Iceland. Incredible scenery and walking as well as plenty of experiences to be had. Don't miss out horse riding.

I wonder like another poster that the how you do it may make it special for a big birthday. For example an Italian villa with your own pool or sailing fleet in Greece, or learn to paint, cook, rock climb etc. Not sure if anyone has suggested Ireland or Scotland?
Could you interail between your top 10 fav places?

Maybe write a list of European countries you haven’t been too (if there are any) and decide on one of those.
I have been to most of the countries but have a gap around Bosnia, Kosovo and Serbia.

How about Greece? We spent 10 nights in Corfu last April (me, DH, DD12 & DS8) and it was gorgeous.

We do lots of weekend city breaks with our dc. Ones they loved that are not on your list include

Athens - teen dd loved the history, the graffiti, and the general vibe. DS mostly loved the food. It shouldn't be too hot or too busy in spring.

Barcalona - probably their favourite, ds loved going to a football match (womens barca fc), dds highlight was the miro museum. They also enjoyed madrid.

Utrecht (Netherlands), combined with trip to efteling theme park.

Our young teens loved Lisbon - we had a few days in Comporta after and then we took the train to Porto and had a few days there. We did some surfing from there - we got a taxi out to the surf school. It was a holiday that had something for everyone - loved it.

I was also wondering this!

I was going to suggest Andalusia OP, base yourself in Malaga, but looks like you have done this already.

Lisbon and Porto

Georgia - Tblisi high teens to 20 in April. If you visit Kakheti it could be as high as 27.

Another vote for Sicily. It has everything.

Oh well that’s useful 🤪

OP what about Munich to Innsbruck via Garmisch on the train? You think it would be good so why does DH get to overrule that?

Cinque Terre is just overrun with US Instagrammers. It’s ghastly.

If you love Italy have you done Emilia Romagna? You’ve got Bologna, Parma, Modena, Maranello (basically lots of food and cars)

More off the beaten track but glorious and divine little villages with great food is the very north of Tuscany know as Luiningiana

Obviously The Netherlands is incredible in Spring with all the flower fields. The area around Lisse and the keukonhof is filled with tourists but there are other areas a little further afield without the coachloads. If you’re interested let me know as I blog about The Netherlands. This post gives you some idea of what I mean

https://amsterdamwonderland.com/tulips-flevoland-hannekes-pluktuin/

Lisbon which you can combine with the beach. Stay either in the city or by the beach and bus to the other, or stay a few days at each. So close together. The zoo is fab too, even for adults. You could take the train to Porto and stay a few days there.

South East Sicily is also amazing.

This was our (two week) trip

https://affordacool.wpcomstaging.com/2022/07/27/sicily/

Iceland is good for different things all year round. In winter it's northern lights and snow and ice experiences. In summer it's good for hiking and other outdoor adventures. I love Iceland. Do your research but it's a year round destination. The problem for me is how overrun with tourists it is in peak season. To make the most it's a hire car job and early departure to beat the coaches out of Reykjavik... Which may not be easy with teens (it makes a huge difference to your experience though if you base out of the city.).

Helsinki is small but good. Hence my comment about combining with going to Talinn (which is also small).

Azores - I know of several trips to the Azores by Explorer scout groups. So I think it ticks the good for teens box! The biggest problem is the flight route for Ryanair recently got canned so it's no longer as cheap/accessible as even 12 months ago.

Re Georgia/Ubzekistan and outside the EU. Watch your vaccinations. You probably need a Hep A. We are looking at the possibility of that part of the world and that's one of the things you need to consider. The political situation in Georgia is still not ideal with numerous ongoing protests too.

Could you be more specific? Are we talking Kassiopi or Kavos?

No need to fly back out from Malmö. It's likely to be much more expensive. The train from Copenhagen to Malmö is regular and actually stops at Copenhagen airport en route. It's just about the easiest most accessible airport in Europe! I did Eurovision a couple of years ago in both cities and it's daft not to fly in and out of Copenhagen as it's simply cheaper and so easily accessible from Malmö.

I was just about to suggest Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia .
North Macedonia is cheap and the people are lovely and very welcoming .
You can cross the border and go to the capital of Kosovo which is beautiful . Very modern

We stayed in Messonghi for a week before moving up coast to Perama for the last few days.

Antwerp and Brugge. They’re great.

Have you been to Majorca? There are some lovely parts and Palma is beautiful.

Southern Crete? Loutro is beautiful, not much to do for teenagers though.

North East Corfu is great but not in April!

Southern Germany, specifically the Bodensee (Lake Constance). Lots of sporty activities, fab thermal swimming pools, little bit of history. Fly to Zurich, but get the train over the border to Konstanz as the Swiss side of the lake is expensive!