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?

1. By train to Sicily including sleeper all the way from Milan to Cefalu, with a side trip to the volcanic islands of Lipari, Vulcano and bucket -list Stromboli. Finished with a performance of a 2,400 year old play in a 2,000 year old theatre in Siracusa.
2. Train again, to Ljubljana, Vienna and Amsterdam for a few days each.

I've not read through all the responses but I'd still consider long-haul to the Far East. Go somewhere like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia or Malaysia and, while the flights will be a bit more than to Europe (you should be able to do it for around £800pp return, maybe less, booking early enough) the cost of living once you are there is so cheap that it outweighs the travel costs and, in my experience, comes in a lot less, overall, than Europe.

Corsica, Sicily?
Moroco?

Drive somewhere over several days- it’s a different experience to flying.

Nice/Monte Carlo?

I know you’ve chosen but the Channel Islands are great for the early teens age group. Lots of history and fantastic nature in your doorstep. You can easily island hop over the course of a week or so.

Sicily with a side trip to the Aeolian volcanic islands? Stromboli is reliable for small scale eruptions activity.

We are back! Munich for a few nights, lovely town in Bavaria for another to see the Neuschwanstein castle, train to Innsbruck and then train to Verona before getting another train to Lake Garda. DC managed a day of impromptu skiing up the glacier near Innsbruck (thank you to whoever suggested it)! The highlight as ever was Italy and Garda’s magnificent towns.

I agree, just had the holiday of a lifetime in Thailand and Malaysia
however, if you want to avoid a Middle East transfer flight costs have rocketed because lr that insane man in the White House
we actually flew back today via Abu Dhabi, airport like a ghost town but plane to Manchester chocker full of families

I’m flying to Copenhagen with my boys, then getting the new train to Prague, via Berlin. We are adding a Hamburg stop and then Prague to Munich, fly home from there
Any ideas and tips? They are 22 and 19

That sounds lovely! How did you get home from Lake Garda? By train? It seems like a very long journey!

Sorry I hadn’t read that you were flying! I’ve been looking into a similar trip but worried about the long train journey home from Lake Garda!

Yes @elizabethcharlotte We flew into Munich and out of Verona (reward flights). Very quick flight. We have driven to Garda before as part of a bigger trip and our friends drive there several times a year as they have family there. They usually do it in one go (from London) but I prefer to break it up.

Sicily is lovely in April. You can go there by the only train that goes on a ferry in Europe! Or just fly to Catania or Palermo!