Europe Trips with Kids

Trips to Europe with kids can be terrific fun and memorable for a life-time. And trips in Europe don't need to cost the earth; after all, families there take holidays too!

Let's start with some popular destinations (but don't miss the Europe Trip Ideas, further down.)

• London Sightseeing, and more
• Paris With Kids
• Venice With Kids, Tuscany & Umbria: Medieval Hill Towns , and more Italy With Kids
• Greece With Kids

Europe Trips - Ideas
For something a little different, consider these ideas...

Barging : Pilot your own barge, or cruise along in catered luxury; often, bikes are provided to explore beyond your river or canal.

Biking : high end family bike holidays, all details handled; a friendly lower-budget option, too.

Castle Stays: Pack the plastic swords and crowns, and go stay overnight in a castle-- some are surprisingly affordable.

Eurocamp: Forget your usual ideas about camping: Eurocamp provides the lodgings for you, plus resort-like facilities, and kids' programs.

Family Adventures - escorted tours, with all details handled, and exceptional itineraries. See a review of Adventures By Disney - Viva Italia: Rome; medieval hill-town Orvieto; Tuscan countryside, Florence; Venice. Bellissima! ABD has several trips in Europe.

Stay Somewhere Fun: these places provide fun for the family right on-site. Enjoy them as a destination (like families in Europe do), or as a home base for exploring the environs.

• Center Parcs Family Resorts: in northern Europe, each with a huge domed area that houses a tropical pool (slides, waves, etc.), restaurants, shops, etc. Large cottages; country settings; lots of outdoors activities.
• Eurocamp- I'm gonna say it again: check these places out, look for resort-like facilities.
• Familotel - Holiday Hotels for Families
  Great for families with young kids! Family holiday hotels in Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland; kids activities, childcare and babycare (with your holiday package), play zones, baby gear (even strollers.) Ski holidays, summer holidays with pools, slides, outdoors activities...
• Hay Hotels - stay in a barn in the German countryside.

More Europe Trip Ideas for families: horse-drawn caravans in Ireland, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Grand-Travel...

Other Ideas About Places to Stay

Vacation Home Rentals: Renting a multi-room place, with kitchen, has many advantages for families. You might also try Untours: vacation rentals (apartments, farmhouses, cottages) plus grand transportation and insider tips for the area.

Europe Trips: Getting There and Getting Around

Airfares within Europe are remarkably low, thanks to no-frills airlines such as Ryanair. One way to gestalt a trip to Europe is to fly to London, enjoy a day or two there, then take a discount airfare to a smaller city in, say, Italy. (These airlines do serve big cities like Rome, as well, but typically they use a secondary airport.)

As for getting around: legions of travelers love the trains in Europe, but -- for family traveling-- my family loves the convenience of a car rental. The economics of car rental look good, too, once there are three of four of you. Plus, you can explore the countryside, stop at small towns, etc.

• "Lease" a car or minivan: it's a way to do car rental, with lots of advantages
• Get Around in a Renault Kangoo - just my opinion: a perfect vehicle for families; we wanted to bring the Kangoo home
• Discount Airlines
• more Getting Around, on Europe Trips

^{*photo courtesy of Eurocamp}