If you were going on a citybreak with a 6 year old, a 3 year old and a 1 year old......

[waitingforgodot]

where would you go and where would you stay? My friend and I want to take our kids away for a couple of nights. On a fairly tight budget and would prefer accomodation with a separate living area so we can have a glass of wine or two when kids are asleep. Anyone done this? Any recommendations?

I'd say Paris is the best bet.

You can get the EuroStar and take a day to Disney (and, if you can manage it, take the EuroStar to the Disney resort and then take the local train to central Paris - it's much cheaper and great for the kids because the Disney train is totally geared for kids!) The trip isn't too long and you can get by with a splash of French (yet feel totally immersed in another culture)

Paris is very child friendly and there is lots to do - the river boats are cheap and great for the kids...

I'm afraid I don't know about accomodation. We stay here but it isn't what you would call budget

how about barcelona something like this

Dh and I did this for my 40th when our children were 8, 7, 4 and 22 months. We went to Paris on Eurostar and stayed in an apartment hotel, either this one or one very similar.

There was a bathroom, 2 bedrooms, a small kitchen and a large living room with a sofa bed in it which dh and slept in so we could stay up watching tv after the children had gone to bed.

We didn't do Disney as that is not our thing, but the kids had a great time going up the Eiffel Tower, having a boat trip on the river, climbing Sacre Coeur, walking in parks, etc. HTH

We got married recently and family who came to stay stayed in these apartments in Newcastle upon Tyne. It cost £80 per night for a 2 double bed apartment, which had a decent-sized sitting room and kitchen. The apartments were centrally located and there's loads to do in Newcastle - let me know if you're interested and I can tell you more.

Paris or Amsterdam, really child friendly

thanks for all your suggestions. We are in Scotland so Eurostar not practical and Newcastle is too close!
I am liking the Paris suggestions and Barcelona although flights are a bloomin fortune. Am off to search on Ryanair!

If you are in Scotland, then you shouldn't discount London!!

You can get a direct train down, and there are LOADS of things to do... THe Science Museum is great fun, as is the Froggy bus (now called Duck tours, I think), The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Eat at the Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood??

Or Dublin - Ryanair do great flights to Dublin... Take a day trip to Hoath or to Killiney CAstle??

We went to Prague. Booked an apartment rather than a hotel room (which are really expensive!), through a Czech travel agent (think they were called Athos travel), whose website is in English.

Oh yes, we booked an apartment in Prague through happyhouserentals.com. It was great, in a real locals neighbourhood but only three underground stops from the centre. There was a great little wine bar at the end of our street where a glass of wine cost something like 80p. Happy days!

Right, it looks like flights to Dublin are cheapest so Dublin it is.
So now looking for child friendly activities in Dublin please?

Marking for later -- will post some links this evening.

HM

Thank you!

Waitingforgodot:
For kids I would say these are some of the best places to visit:
Environmental adventure playground There's a rainforest and galaxy and quite a few other things!

This is the Dublin alternative of The London Duck tour, which I've taken with my DSDs many times. I've never taken the Dublin one, but the London one is great fun - even if you don't listen to the educational stuff and just wave at people out of the windows!!

THis puppet theatre is good, if your kids like stuff like that!!!

There is, of course, Dublin zoo... Pretty standard as zoos go.

There's Trinity college, but not really sure how much that would hold the younger kids attention!! And the Guiness store - but again, can't say what this is like from a kids perspective.
day trip on the DART to Hoath is nice and equally you can take the DART the other way to Dun Laoghaire, Dalkey and Killiney... Dalkey Hill is nice to climb if your kids are outdoorsy sorts and the views are gorgeous!!

Slightly further afield, but still do-able is Avoca or WIcklow - Glendalough is lovely and POwerscourt is a favorite place of mine.

Hope that's of some help!

We took our 3 and 4 yr olds to Liverpool at half term and had a great time. Stayed in a apartement in the city, went by train and did various galleries, ferry trips and the beach. Had a great time and am looking for the next place to go - we might be heading to Scotland in October!

That is fab! Thank you so much for all the info.