The best European city breaks for families

And exploring these cities with children in tow is still accessible and arguably so much more culturally rewarding than a week on a beach, though if you’re smart, you can factor that in too. Here’s everything you need to know about creating the perfect European city break with kids.

When should I travel with kids in Europe?

Unfortunately, the travel industry sometimes exploits the school holidays, hiking up prices that they know parents will be forced to pay. But sometimes flying somewhere a few days earlier than the holidays can mean a saving of hundreds of pounds – check when your particular school has inset days and make use of these dates to get ahead of the crowds and expensive peak holiday times.

Summer holidays are traditionally the priciest time of the year to travel, so think about taking a trip in the February, May or October half terms instead: southern Europe such as southern Spain, Greece and Italy are still toasty warm by late autumn, but will be cheaper and less crowded. Otherwise booking to travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are traditionally cheaper than the weekends; and many airlines have sales events, particularly in January, so snap up cut-price tickets for the rest of the year then.

The first few days of September before school starts are when prices drop again; check out a Eurostar train-and-hotel package for a last minute, preterm trip. And while travelling around Christmas and particularly the new year is expensive, again, check if your school has inset days before or after the official holidays; a winter trip to spend a few days wandering around merry Christmas markets in Germany, Austria or Czech Republic will get everyone in the festive spirit.

A few other bits of advice: be flexible on when you can travel, weigh up whether the cheap early-morning or late night flights are actually worth it (sometimes having to get a taxi to or from the airport when there’s no public transport negates the cost-saving) and remember that a lot of museums, galleries and restaurants are traditionally shut on Mondays.

Where should I stay when travelling with kids?

Up until recently, Airbnb looked like they were revolutionising holiday accommodation: cheap houses, good for groups and families, in residential parts of cities that allowed tourists to live like locals. But increasingly renting an Airbnb property is now more expensive than hotels – and often includes strict rules and/or half a day of cleaning required – plus several cities have banned or restricted short-terms rental sites like this for having a negative impact on the community and for pushing locals' rent up.

If you’re travelling as a family, you’ll ideally want a house or large flat to stay, giving you access to things like a communal area, bathrooms and kitchen for breakfast (young kids will often want cereal long before the rest of the city has woken up), or for some lunches and dinners at home to save money. However, there are some more ethical versions of booking these types of accommodation: Fairbnb runs on a similar rental model, and 50 percent of the commission goes back into a local project. Home exchanges are also picking up in popularity too, with the bonus of making your family holiday much cheaper too: try Home Exchange, People Like Us or Kindred.

Or, you can book houses or more unique stays through Booking.com (check the ‘entire homes and apartments’ or ‘holiday homes’ under the ‘Property type’ section). The humble guest house is also always worth a look – they are often cheaper than bigger hotels, and you might be able to get a family room, or like bigger hotels, ask if there’s two adjoining bedrooms available. Always ask about whether a single bed can be added to the room, or if there’s a room with two doubles, and find out what provisions there are for baby cots too.

The 6 best European cities to visit with kids

Berlin

Germany’s capital has long been associated with clubbers and creatives; but those in the know are aware that it’s a surprisingly great location for a family holiday too. For the more artistically-minded, head to the contemporary Hamburger Bahnhof gallery to check out weird and wonderful artworks – they have family Sundays where there’s louder, interactive sessions in the space – or step into the future at Futurium, a free-to-enter space that explores what the world around us will look like in 50, 100 or even 500 years later. If retro technology is more your family’s jam then check out the computer games museum, Computerspielemuseum, where guests can play on everything from Pong to cutting-edge VR headsets.

Berlin, though bitingly cold in winter, often has hot and sunny summers, which is why there are a lot of popular open air pools in the high season, favourites being the slide-filled Sommerbad Kreuzberg and Sommerbad Neukölln. Don’t forget to bring I.D. as it will be required for entry, and cash if you fancy a plate of chips or an ice-cream from the kiosk. Berlin neighbourhoods can have incredible local playgrounds and there are also plenty of parks for children throughout the city – there’s even an art-themed minigolf course in Tempelhofer Feld, or stop by to visit Europe’s biggest zoo in the Tiergarten.

To get more amongst nature, the outskirts of Berlin has some stunning lakes where Berliners go to cool off: go for a splash in Müggelsee, Krumme Lanke and in the Grünewald forest, Schlachtensee, stopping for a seafood or schnitzel feast at Fischerhutte am Schlachtensee. If you’re keen for an overnight stay out in the forest, family rooms at the lake-side Seehotel Grunewald start from £77 a night, while back in Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte are good, central places to stay – try Apartments Rosenthal (family-sized apartments from £200 a night) or the cheap and cheerful Pension Prenzlberg (quadruple rooms from £100) – while the canal-side living and independent shops and restaurants of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg might appeal more, in which case try out Hotel 26 (rooms from £140).

Berlin’s got a great fast-food culture, so be sure to eat like the locals and stop for a burger at the Burgermeister kiosks (known as “the best burger in Berlin”), a currywurst from Curry 36 or brave the hour long queue for a kebab at Mustafa’s Gemüse Kebap. Elsewhere, there are great noodles to be found at Cocolo Ramen, or Korean food at the bright and spicy Angry Chicken.

Reykjavik

A four and a half hour flight from the UK – and halfway to America – might not be the first place you’d think of for a long, family-focused European weekend break, but Iceland, and its capital Reykjavik, has everything you’d need in spades. The land of fire and ice is a great option for bucket list trips to visit active volcanoes (or an indoor theatrical lava show), spot whales and puffins on a high-sea boat trip and hike around jaw-dropping waterfalls and erupting geysers – and happily for the kids, ice cream is hugely popular here, even despite the chillier climes of most of the year.

Cheap flights can be found on the low-cost airlines Play, Easyjet and Wizz Air, and while some people can find Iceland on the pricier side, we found it comparable with prices in London. Families with children six or under can really cash in, as kids that age go free on pretty much any tour, travel or museum or gallery entry. There’s also the Reykjavik City Card, which is about £43 for a 48-hour pass, and allows you free entry to many of the city’s sites. We recommend the Árbær Open Air museum, Reykjavik Zoo and Family Park (there are free-to-use grills for your own BBQs in the summer) and enjoyed the modern art gallery Kjarvalsstaðir gallery, with a little playground in the park outside; all of which are included on the pass.

A wander up the cheery Rainbow street, stopping for pictures and a pastry from Brauð & Co bakery ,will take you on to one of the area’s many outdoor, geo-thermal heated pools, the 86-year-old Art Deco Sundhöll. Spend a couple of hours happily splashing about in the heated pools – they have lots of toys, floats and pool noodles for kids too – and for dinner, you might be surprised to find that fish and chips are traditionally on the menu here (try Fish and Chips Vagninn or Reykjavik Fish). Or, there’s always a warming bowl of ramen at Ramen Momo, or burgers next door at Le KocK (their bagels and doughnuts are also on-point). Don’t forget to leave space for an extravagant sundae at OmNom ice-cream.

Bed down in the stylish Exeter Hotel (double rooms from £152, which includes a great buffet breakfast), a stone’s throw away from the harbour and its many tours; or the comfortable Hotel Frón, also in the centre of the city, which has family rooms and two-bedroom apartments sleeping up to four people for £250 a night.

Rotterdam

Think of the Netherlands, and Amsterdam is probably the first city that comes to mind. But given the wildly expensive prices of hotels in the capital city, Rotterdam is a cheaper and equally culturally-packed city to visit. Just a 30-minute train from Schiphol airport – or just over two hours from London on the Eurostar – with two new big additions to the city in 2025, it makes it the perfect time to visit.

Fenix – an international art museum devoted to the theme of migration – will draw big crowds when it opens in May 2025, as will the National Museum Of Photography, making it a must-visit for any shutterbugs in the family. Meanwhile, other great works of art can be seen at Depot Boijmans Van Beuninge – make sure to have a run about on their oasis, tree-filled rooftop and stop for a sandwich at Renilde restaurant.

Surrounded by water – the port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe – naturally, it plays a big part in the city. Dive into more maritime adventures with the city’s Maritiem Museum, which has a fun soft play and immersive section for younger kids, and nearby you can stay on a big, converted ship called the SS Rotterdam, which has a family room for a very budget-friendly £111 a night. Or push the boat out for a fun night’s stay in a smaller houseboat called a Wikkelboat, complete with outdoor hot tub looking out to the marina in the harbour by Fenix (a boat that sleeps up to six is available from £227 a night). Should you want feet on firmer ground, try the Hotel New York (rooms from £158 a night).

Rotterdam was flattened by bombs in World War II, and the city was built back in new and exciting ways – you don’t have to be an architecture buff to admire the city’s futuristic, Tetris-like Kijk-Kubus, Cube Houses, built by Piet Blom in the ‘70s. Pay €3 and you can check out the inside of one too in a tiny museum. A short walk from the Cube Houses is the Markthal; the city’s giant halfpipe-like food hall, which recently celebrated its 10th birthday. There’s a whole world of flavours in the little stalls and shops here: choose anything from dumplings, gyros and tapas to churros and stroopwafels.

Rotterdam in general is a haven of international cuisine, including lots of noodle, pizza and pasta restaurants, but if the family want a traditional Dutch meal, then head to the petite Het Eethuisje van Delfshaven, a home-style cooking restaurant where there's hearty dishes like beef stew, schnitzels or sausage and mash on the menu. Those with a sweet tooth will want to leave room for apple cake and cream for dessert. Ted's Place - up on the rooftop of a high rise - is the perfect spot for brunch in the city, hidden in the middle of a secret mini-farm that looks out across the skyline of the city. Go say hi to the chickens or even try some honey from the on-site bee hives.

If you’re visiting in summertime, follow the yellow brick road of converted rail lines along the city’s answer to New York’s Highline, the Luchtsingel - ‘air boulevard’, before stopping for a dip in Van Maanenbad outdoor swimming pool. There’s an impressive indoor pool, should you want to speed through some proper lengths, but splashing about under the trees outside is a more relaxing alternative. A weekend break can be finished with a few rounds of pinball on some of the 100 machines at the Dutch Pinball Museum.

Lisbon

With cheap prices, a city-and-beach combo and generally cracking weather, it’s easy to see why 15.3 million international visitors chose to holiday in Lisbon in 2023.

The outdoorsy nature of the city means that happily, you’ll often find playgrounds right next to charming little cafes and bars. If you’re making a visit to the iconic Time Out Food Market, take your food to go and enjoy it to the right of the building where there’s a tiny playground and al fresco bar right next to it. Alternatively, hike up the hill to the Jardim do Príncipe Real playground, which looks out all over the city, or head to the tiny Praça das Flores, a picturesque square with a petite playground surrounded by restaurants that mum and dad will enjoy such as Cafeh Tehran, Magnolia, or Black Sheep natural wine bar. Fantasising a move here? Book the cute Flores Guest House nearby (family rooms from £80) and make believe for a weekend.

Bear in mind Lisbon is incredibly hilly and full of cobblestones, so unless small babies can be carried in a sling – or buggies are easily transported – there will be a lot of energetic walking involved. You might choose to head to the hip, artistic warehouse district around LX Factory, or stroll through the old part of town, Alfama (you might hear strains of traditional Fado music), and up to the castle at Castelo de São Jorge (take a tour around the impressive medieval fortress), and up even further to the lookout Miradouro da Graça, where you’ll find another playground and parkside cafe-bar, a perfect place for a sundowner. A gorgeous sea-view apartment for four people can be booked in this area at Portas Do Ceu for £277 for two nights.

A long weekend here wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the beach, so jump on a train at the Cais do Sodré station and head out towards Cascais, where any number of the beaches are beautiful – sporty members of the family can even pick up a surfing lesson or join in some volleyball on a beach like Praia de Carcavelos. On a Sunday, join the locals in digging into an arroz de peixe – Portugal’s version of paella – it’s a little more soupy but still incredibly flavourful; we enjoyed a great big terracotta bowl of it at Marisca Petisca.

Once you’ve munched your way through several packets of pastel de nata – and stopped by Anthony Bourdain’s favourite seafood restaurant, Cervejaria Ramiro (book a table upstairs in advance – the staff are really accommodating with kids) – the last day should be spent in the contemporary Parque das Nações district, which is out of the city centre, back towards the airport.

Pavilhão do Conhecimento is one of the best kid-friendly science museums we’ve ever visited: the walking, talking robots and the circus room were the major attractions here, and the other attractions like the oceanarium and the cable cars will make sure Lisbon’s a place that everyone is desperate to visit again soon.

Paris

Paris might not immediately jump out as a family-friendly option, but there's plenty to be found for children, especially on the outskirts of the city. As Paris neighbourhoods (arrondissements) spiral out like a snail shell from the touristy centre, the areas around the 10th and 11th are a good place to stay; with decent hotels and lots of independent restaurants and boutiques on the doorstep. At the fancier end of accommodation is Les Jardin du Marais, where a family suite starts from £226 a night; while Aparthotel Adagio Paris Buttes-Chaumont (sleeping four) near the picturesque park of Buttes-Chaumont slightly further out in the 20th goes for £167 a night.

For first timers, a trip up the Eiffel Tower is a must. It's extra-special at night time, when the whole building shimmers and sparkles like a big disco ball on the hour, every hour. Make sure to book your tickets a few weeks beforehand, and you won’t have to queue.

Then, the early bird catches le worm – breakfast is an exciting affair in Paris, where you’re never more than a few metres away from a stunning croissant or pain au chocolat. Standout bakeries include Du Pain et des Idées (the chocolate and pistachio swirls are especially good here), Tout Autour Du Pain and Boulangerie Mamiche (make sure to also try their babka). Hot chocolate is also big business here: try the classic Angelina’s or in the literary cafe, Les Deux Magots. For lunch or dinner, it’s best to head to a traditional boullion or bistro - most kids will be happy with chicken or steak haché and chips; these restaurants are casual and also very pocket friendly – try Bouillon Pigalle or the cheerful Brasserie Des Prés, or there’s always crêpes a plenty in places like the Breizh cafe in Canal Saint Martin.

You’ll want to set an entire day aside for La cité des sciences et de l'industrie, the city’s excellent science and industry museum, which has a whole section especially dedicated to children; one for 2 to 7 year olds, one for 7 to 12 year olds, where they can get hands on with water experiments, machinery, computer quizzes and even building a “house”. And babies aren’t forgotten either – a soft play “baby city” is also available, and is free on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons. Other cultural centres always worth a visit are the Pompidou Centre in Les Halles – there’s often a great art or photography exhibition there – meanwhile any Emily in Paris fans will want to climb to the top of the steps at the Sacré Coeur to take their own selfies.

If the weather is good, and the children are up for a run about, there are great playgrounds in Jardin du Luxembourg, the Trocadero (opposite the Eiffel Tower) and near the science museum in La Parc De La Villette – including a little farm. In the large parkland to the east (Bois de Boulogne) and west of the city (Bois de Vincennes), the old-fashioned amusement park in the Bois de Boulogne, the Jardin d'Acclimatation, is popular, as is the zoo and mini-golf in Bois de Vincennes.

Florence

While we all probably dream of a week’s family holiday in a Tuscan villa, prices can be prohibitively expensive, but a short break in Florence can be done on a budget, getting a taste of everything this popular region in Italy has to offer.

Florence has got two big draws: its art and its food. While it’s probably a bit over ambitious to try and do all the incredible cultural offerings going on here (not to mention pricey), it’s best to choose one or two to focus on – plus, children are more likely to engage in one or two museums, than if they’re dragged to a never-ending list. For us, the Uffizi Galleries was the must-see gallery – walk over the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge beforehand – to see Boticelli’s Birth of Venus in person, or the vicious snake head of Medusa, all set in a staggering beautiful gallery that looks out over the Arno river and up to the Tuscan hills.

This city is an artists’ city too, so another tip for children is buy them a sketch pad and pens and ask them to draw the famous pictures, buying you time to look through the history of art or the galleries have special themed tours for kids with downloadable brochures – flowers and monsters are the most recent subjects. Other bucket-list sights will be Michelangelo’s David in the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze – you can actually see a replica statue for free in the Parcheggio del Piazzale park in the south, with a bonus of incredible panoramic views of the city (bring a picnic from the Mercato Centrale) – or the painted ceiling on the dome of Florence Cathedral.

One of Florence’s most famous sons, Leonardo Da Vinci, has not one but two museums dedicated to him in the city. We recommend heading to Leonardo da Vinci Interactive Museum on Via dei Servi, where visitors can get totally hands-on with his inventions, and learn just how far ahead of his time this visionary really was. As for other monumental machinery: there’s also one of Europe’s largest model railways at the HZERO Museum.

When it comes to food, it’s hard to put a step wrong in this city. And it should be plain sailing for the children too: who doesn’t like a diet of pizza, pasta and ice-cream? Little gems of a restaurant such as Trattoria Sostanza offer the best of the simple, hearty local cooking, while Osteria Cinghiale Bianco is the place for pasta with the local favourite wild boar ragu. The best pizza is the subject of wildly raging debate, but Il Pizzaiuolo and Gustapizza always rate highly. The gelato is plentiful – so good it sometimes deserves a twice-a-day treat – but the trick is to steer clear of bright coloured stuff, the traditional artisanal ice cream should be in muted colours, and not piled too high (it means it is fresher). Favourite spots include Gelateria dei Neri, Gelateria di Medici and Perche no.

Dreams of staying in a fancy villa needn’t be dashed by the budget either, a family room sleeping four in the old-fashioned but grandiose Hotel Villa Liana to the east of Florence costs from just £122 a night, whereas more basic stays – but closer to the centre – can be found from £142 a night for a quad room at B&B de’ Biffi.