Activities for families on vacation in Europe

If you’re planning a family vacation in Europe then you may be wondering about some of the activities that you can incorporate into your holiday. Here is our guide to family-friendly activities in the most popular European cities. You may also be interested in this blog of family-friendly destinations in Europe and our customized family vacations in Europe, which feature tour ideas.

London

London is a great choice for a family vacation and, with all the iconic sights, we can certainly assure you that you will not be short of something to do. Whilst you should definitely be sure to treat your little ones to a ride on one of the iconic underground tubes, we highly recommend purchasing hop-on/hop-off bus tour tickets so that you can quickly navigate the main sights, including Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament and London Bridge, with minimal hassle. Most also have audio recordings that you can listen to while on board so that you can learn fascinating facts about the city of London.

If you have a Harry Potter fan in the family, we highly recommend popping along to Kings Cross Railway Station, where you can take photos next to the “Platform 9¾” sign, and you can also enjoy a Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studios Tour.

You can also stop by Buckingham Palace to pose for photos with the guards, who are renowned for being able to completely blank all attempts by tourists to make them laugh! Or perhaps you could visit ZSL London Zoo to see the big cats, monkeys, lemurs, penguins and bats. Meanwhile, history buffs will love discovering the gory secrets of the London Dungeon, which has immersive sets and thrilling rides to enjoy.

Families also love Madame Tussauds, which features waxwork figures of popular celebrities and there is also the wonderfully mystical Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, which celebrates the weird, wonderful and bizarre in all its forms! There’s also a Science Museum with an IMAX Theater and those looking for a little more rest and relaxation on their family vacation in London will surely enjoy one of the city’s parks, such as Green Park, which can be easily reached by tube, or Kew Gardens on the outskirts of London, which is London’s largest World Heritage Site.

Rome

Even if your children are not outwardly interested in ancient history, they will certainly enjoy the wondrous sights in Rome, including the epic Colosseum, where you’ll find Gladiators in full costume who will pose with you for photos. If you have a history fan in the family then you will likely benefit from a guided tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum so that you can find out more about the fascinating, if not somewhat gory, history of this part of Rome.

Similar to London, the best way to get about the city is with a hop-on/hop-off bus tour and CitySightseeing offers tickets that last 48 hours, which is great value as the buses cover the majority of the city, meaning you won’t have to pay for separate transport!

As well as the main sights, such as the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, make time to check out Villa Borghese, which has beautiful gardens that you can enjoy a picnic in. Whilst here, you can also head for Rome’s zoological gardens, which has lots of different animals, including big cats, monkeys and elephants, and also has a strong focus on education and conservation.

If your family is a fan of the books by Dan Brown, be sure to pre-book an Angel & Demons tour, on which you can discover all about the Illuminati and their secrets with an engaging tour guide. You can also enjoy cooking classes whilst in Rome, as well as Segway tours.

Paris

Paris is a wonderfully magical city for families to discover and there are plenty of art galleries and museums to experience for a cultural family break in Europe, which can be particularly enjoyable for older children and teenagers. Good picks include The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and Musée Cluny. We also recommend seeking out Le Mur des Je t'Aime, which is an enormous tiled mural with the words “I Love You” written in 250 languages.

There’s also, of course, the Eiffel Tower and we recommend booking “skip the line” tickets so that you can make the most of your time and avoid queueing. And you can also stop to take a photo of Arc de Triomphe, which is a national monument in Paris, or experience the magnificence of Notre Dame de Paris – the iconic Gothic church.

If you have younger children, Disneyland is a lovely treat or you could take a tour of the eerie Paris catacombs. There are also many parks and playgrounds that are great for younger children, such as Square Suzanne Buisson, Parc des Buttes Chaumont and Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet (better-known as Parc de la Turlure). There’s also Jardin du Luxembourg, which has large sand-pits for children to play in.

Dublin

Dublin in Ireland was once voted one of the friendliest cities in Europe, making it an excellent choice for a family vacation. It also has good transport links to other cities, meaning you and your family can enjoy a Europe-wide tour with ease. Thanks to the plentitude of hiking trails and cycling routes, Dublin is a good choice for active families who love the outdoors and we recommend exploring the National Botanic Gardens in particular, which are very pretty at all times of the year, and you can also head to St Stephen’s Green for a picnic as the children can enjoy the safe play area and feed the ducks here. There’s also Dublin Zoo and Phoenix Park to enjoy, which often have activities and events on for families and children.

If you weather is not so great but you still want to appreciate the wonders of nature, take the children to the National Museum of Ireland, which has tributes to Ireland’s wildlife or perhaps take a day trip to the aquarium at Bray, which has fascinating sea life with a focus on education and conservation. If you have a history buff in the family, you could head to Kilmainham Goal, which is Dublin’s ancient jail – it combines well with a visit to Dublin Castle or Malahide Castle as a way to delve into Dublin’s past.

For something a little more active, head to the National Aquatic Centre, which is an innovative waterpark where the children can burn off some energy.

If you would like us to put together a tailor-made family vacation package for you, including pre-arranged tours and activities, contact a member of our dedicated team on +44 1223 637328 or click here to send an online inquiry.