Travelling with your kids is a great way to expose them to diverse cultures, build their confidence, and share new experiences.
Nothing they read in a book or find on the internet will ever compare to seeing the real thing, whether it be the Roman Colosseum or the Eiffel Tower. Here are a few family-friendly destinations you might want to consider visiting with your children in 2017.
Top Family Travel Destinations in Europe in 2017
1. Barcelona, Spain
All of Spain is renown for being a great place to travel with children and if you’ve never been, you should start with Barcelona. La Rambla is a broad pedestrian walkway full of eclectic shopping, great food, and sidewalk entertainers. The kids will be enthralled by the sheer abundance of colour, music and things to look at. The older ones will likely enjoy Gaudi’s Parc Guell, and they’ll all want to stop in at Barcelona’s Museum of Chocolate.
2. Copenhagen, Denmark
If your children are animal lovers, take them to Copenhagen. Denmark’s national aquarium has over 20,000 animals, and you’ll find another 3,000 at the zoo. You can also have a look around the world’s largest open-air museum, celebrating the country’s historic rural architecture. This summer, there are special performances centred on characters from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales. And yes, they’ll want to see the little mermaid statue by the harbour…
3. London, England
Everyone’s top list of family travel destinations in Europe includes London, and for good reason. There’s simply no end of kid-friendly amusements, and entrance to most of the museums is free. From Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London, your kids will be immersed in the stuff of history, legend and song.
4. Innsbruck, Austria
Innsbruck was the site of the 1976 Winter Olympics, and still a very popular tourist destination in winter. You can avoid the crowds and benefit from great discounts on accommodation if you visit in the off-peak summer months. Hire a car to take a tour through the Alps, and be sure to visit the Alpenzoo, the highest zoo in Europe.
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands
This is without a doubt the top family travel destination in Europe if you’ve got active kids. You can tour the entire city by bicycle in complete safety, or go for a row on one of Amsterdam’s famed canals. This summer you can even enjoy the beach – on the roof of the Tropen Museum. In a country that’s wild about pancakes, cookies and French fries, feeding your kids on holiday won’t be much of a struggle either.
If our Top Family Travel Destinations in Europe inspired you , remember that some of the best (and least crowded) tourist spots are located just outside of the major cities. Hire a car for an economical and convenient way to see all the sights this year.