Europe is a vast continent with so much to offer visitors. So whether you’re looking for a city break, beach holiday or winter wonderland trip, planning the perfect family holiday in Europe can seem like a daunting task. But don’t worry, we’re here to help! We’ve put together eight tips that will help make your holiday planning easy and stress-free. So read on and get inspired to explore some of the best destinations Europe has to offer!
Planning your holiday
When it comes to planning a holiday, things can quickly become expensive and time-consuming. But with our help, you’ll soon realise that your perfect holiday is achievable! If you’re planning a city break or family holiday, for example, choose somewhere within easy reach from home as this will avoid lengthy travel times. This is especially important with young children in tow as those travelling with littlies need lots of flexibility with their schedule. Once you’ve decided where to go, the next step is finding the best deals on flights and accommodation. By using Skyscanner’s Price Alerts feature, for instance, you’ll be able to receive price updates by email so that you don’t miss out on any great deals once they come up.
Choosing your destination
Wherever you decide to go, make sure that your chosen destination appeals to everyone in the family. If you’ve got young children, make sure there are plenty of things for them to do with kids activities on offer. And for teens who are most likely tired of museums and culture, choose somewhere that’s popular with their age group – whether that’s a music festival or clubbing holiday. Finally, for couples or friends, look for destinations with great restaurants, bars and historical sites, as well as things to do outdoors. So now that you know where you’re going and what kind of holiday you want let’s look at some countries across Europe.
Use travel discount codes.
When planning your holiday budget, don’t forget to use some travel discount codes! By using Skyscanner’s free Price Alerts, for example, you’ll be notified by e-mail as soon as great deals become available. You can even choose to receive alerts for specific destinations or dates to find the cheapest flight is easy and hassle-free. Along with checking out online & mobile travel agents, try looking for voucher codes on popular social media channels like Facebook and Twitter. In addition, many airlines share special offers with their followers.
Accommodation
Finding the best places to stay for your holiday is no easy task, but we’ve got some great tips that will help you achieve this. For example, if you’re travelling as a large family or group of friends, choose somewhere with several bedrooms and bathrooms so everyone can sleep comfortably at night without overcrowding. Or if you’re on a budget and need to save money on both accommodation and flights, why not check out destinations that offer discounts for those under 26 years old? Most youth hostels will even be happy to accommodate families with young children, which is ideal if you plan a trip during the school holidays.
Money matters
When planning your holiday budget, it’s always a good idea to look at the cost of things in Europe before you go. By using our Trip Cost Calculator, for example, you’ll see how much you should expect to spend on essentials such as accommodation and meals while abroad. So if your travel funds are running low, why not try being more adventurous with what you eat? And if money is tight but you still want to explore somewhere new, why not head off on a road trip instead? In many places across Europe road trips are cheap and easy because the back roads have less traffic than motorways so petrol costs can be far more affordable.
What to do and see
You’re probably already aware of what you want to do on your holiday, but when you’re looking for inspiration, check out some of Skyscanner’s articles about family holidays in Europe. From places where you can go hiking with young children to coastal resorts perfect for teen beach clubs, we’ve got the lowdown on some great destinations. But if money is tight or you’ve decided to take a road trip around Europe instead, why not try something different like visiting local markets? By immersing yourself in another country’s culture and cuisine this way, your holiday experience will be much more memorable than checking off all the famous attractions on an average tourist trail.
Food and drink
Looking for somewhere with great restaurants and bars? Then be sure to look at our guide to Europe’s best capitals for foodies. From the top nightlife hotspots in Berlin to the fashionable restaurants of Paris, we’ve got some great ideas on where to go when it comes time for dinner or drinks. But if you’re travelling with children, don’t forget that while some European countries have a pretty relaxed approach to alcohol laws, others are far stricter, so be sure to check out our information before you go. Or if you prefer not drinking but still want to enjoy watching people from an outside table, why not try visiting one of the many European coffee shops instead? They serve delicious hot beverages, but often there won’t be a smoking ban either.
Travel with children
Travelling with children can be pretty challenging, but here are our top tips to help you through it. If your kids are very young, why not try visiting destinations that offer free or reduced entry for children? Or, if they’re older and want to go backpacking around Europe, check out our article on how to make new friends as a travelling teen. Either way, make sure you visit the right places for them by checking holiday reviews of each destination on Trip Advisor first. You may also find it helpful to read some of Skyscanner’s articles about family holidays in Europe before you travel so that you have some ideas about what to do together on your trip.
If you are looking for a place you can travel to at any time of the year with your family, Europe is an excellent choice. The weather is usually comfortable, and there are plenty of lovely towns and villages with historic buildings, amusement parks, shops, restaurants and various other things to do. You will enjoy travelling through Europe whether it is by car or aeroplane. In addition, the prices of everything from airfares to hotel accommodations are reasonable and affordable.
