Europe for 2 weeks with kids

[Anonymous]

Planning to take our kids to Europe summer 2024 for their first international trip. They will be 9 and 7 by then. We could go for about 2 weeks but probably not longer due to not having a lot of PTO. I’d like to go to 3-4 during the 2 weeks since we likely won’t be able to do another trip like this for years. Then again, I don’t want to feel rushed or like we’re always on the move.

Putting budget aside for now, what would you propose as a rough itinerary? Must see/do places that are relatively easy/fun w kids those ages?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Planning to take our kids to Europe summer 2024 for their first international trip. They will be 9 and 7 by then. We could go for about 2 weeks but probably not longer due to not having a lot of PTO. I’d like to go to 3-4 during the 2 weeks since we likely won’t be able to do another trip like this for years. Then again, I don’t want to feel rushed or like we’re always on the move.

Putting budget aside for now, what would you propose as a rough itinerary? Must see/do places that are relatively easy/fun w kids those ages?

I meant I’d like to go to 3-4 different cities during the 2 weeks. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Fly to London stay 4 days
Take train to Paris stay 4 days
Take train Paris to Amsterdam stay 4 days
Fly home

[Anonymous]

Not sure what country you have in mind, but if you wind up in France, my kids (and my husband and I) LOVED the French history theme park Puy du Fou. Think of it as a mix between the Renn Faire and Universal Studios. We spent 2 days there. Kids are now 13 and 15 and still talk about it.

https://www.puydufou.com/france/en

This video is long, but it gives you a sample of some of the bonkers-town shows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMwC3d_V1sg

(Pair it with Paris and Lyon or the Loire Valley)

[Anonymous]

Europe is a big place OP. You have to help us here. What countries interest you? Where have you been before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fly to London stay 4 days
Take train to Paris stay 4 days
Take train Paris to Amsterdam stay 4 days
Fly home

Similar but I'd do (because I think train travel is fun in and of itself)

London 3 days
Paris 3 days
Barcelona 3 days
Somewhere in Italy - Venice or Rome or Florence 3 days

I did not love Amsterdam, personally. I would skip it for a first trip to Europe especially with kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Europe is a big place OP. You have to help us here. What countries interest you? Where have you been before?

I know that’s why I want the best places to go w kids those ages

I’ve been to: Sweden (all over), Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence, Prague & other areas of CZ, Vienna, London, krakow, Ireland. But this was all in my teens and 20s before I was thinking about traveling w kids.

I was thinking London would be easy w kids. Maybe also Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what country you have in mind, but if you wind up in France, my kids (and my husband and I) LOVED the French history theme park Puy du Fou. Think of it as a mix between the Renn Faire and Universal Studios. We spent 2 days there. Kids are now 13 and 15 and still talk about it.

https://www.puydufou.com/france/en

This video is long, but it gives you a sample of some of the bonkers-town shows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMwC3d_V1sg

(Pair it with Paris and Lyon or the Loire Valley)

Thank you! This is the kind of info I’m looking for

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fly to London stay 4 days
Take train to Paris stay 4 days
Take train Paris to Amsterdam stay 4 days
Fly home

Similar but I'd do (because I think train travel is fun in and of itself)

London 3 days
Paris 3 days
Barcelona 3 days
Somewhere in Italy - Venice or Rome or Florence 3 days

I did not love Amsterdam, personally. I would skip it for a first trip to Europe especially with kids.

Thank you! I would love to take the kids to Spain (I’ve never been) and/or Italy (love it!) I agree train travel may be fun for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe is a big place OP. You have to help us here. What countries interest you? Where have you been before?

I know that’s why I want the best places to go w kids those ages

I’ve been to: Sweden (all over), Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence, Prague & other areas of CZ, Vienna, London, krakow, Ireland. But this was all in my teens and 20s before I was thinking about traveling w kids.

I was thinking London would be easy w kids. Maybe also Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

Well for a first time trip, some combo of London, Edinburgh, Paris, etc would work. Personally I wouldn’t waste time with Copenhagen or Lisbon, even though they are for some reason always mentioned here. Honestly I wouldn’t do the cities at all, but smaller towns in England and France, which would be far more authentic, but requires more careful planning and rental cars.

[Anonymous]

I know it’s a very broad question…I guess I was just wondering which places are the most kid-friendly or have attractions kids would particularly like/find memorable since we likely will only take 1-2 trips like this w them when they’re still living at home.

[Anonymous]

Fly to London, stay 4 nights, train to Paris, stay 4-5 nights, overnight train to Venice, stay 3 nights. Could also do in reverse. Or so Spain and France only (flying between), or just Italy and France. It’s easy to get around but don’t try to fit too many cities in one trip over only 2 weeks. We also LOVE Copenhagen and Sweden but it’s less “iconic Europe”, very fun with kids though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe is a big place OP. You have to help us here. What countries interest you? Where have you been before?

I know that’s why I want the best places to go w kids those ages

I’ve been to: Sweden (all over), Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence, Prague & other areas of CZ, Vienna, London, krakow, Ireland. But this was all in my teens and 20s before I was thinking about traveling w kids.

I was thinking London would be easy w kids. Maybe also Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

Well for a first time trip, some combo of London, Edinburgh, Paris, etc would work. Personally I wouldn’t waste time with Copenhagen or Lisbon, even though they are for some reason always mentioned here. Honestly I wouldn’t do the cities at all, but smaller towns in England and France, which would be far more authentic, but requires more careful planning and rental cars.

Thanks! That is different than I was initially thinking (I guess I was mostly thinking of big cities) but sounds very fun too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fly to London, stay 4 nights, train to Paris, stay 4-5 nights, overnight train to Venice, stay 3 nights. Could also do in reverse. Or so Spain and France only (flying between), or just Italy and France. It’s easy to get around but don’t try to fit too many cities in one trip over only 2 weeks. We also LOVE Copenhagen and Sweden but it’s less “iconic Europe”, very fun with kids though.

Thanks! Yes, I don’t want to try to do too much. And I agree about Sweden and Copenhagen I loved both places when I went and I’d love to take our kids there. Lots to think about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what country you have in mind, but if you wind up in France, my kids (and my husband and I) LOVED the French history theme park Puy du Fou. Think of it as a mix between the Renn Faire and Universal Studios. We spent 2 days there. Kids are now 13 and 15 and still talk about it.

https://www.puydufou.com/france/en

This video is long, but it gives you a sample of some of the bonkers-town shows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMwC3d_V1sg

(Pair it with Paris and Lyon or the Loire Valley)

Thank you! This is the kind of info I’m looking for

My pleasure! For context, our family wound up at Puy du Fou when our kids were 6 and 8 because we were headed to France and I knew another family (with 8 year old twins) who had gone to France for 3 week and I asked them what their favorite part was and this was it. One other note: There is kind of a weird subtext to the place, which is that it's situated in the most Catholic region of France and the founder was super Catholic, and so the point of many of the historical skits is that Christianity saves the day. Generally better if you don't speak French, because then you can focus on the crazy stunts and special effects and pyrotechnics you kind of miss whatever religious proselytizing is happening.

Also, Paris is a must-see, BUT it will be insanely (perhaps unpleasantly) crowded in the summer.