4 Educational Activities for Travelling in Europe with Kids

It was ancient philosopher Seneca who said “travel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind” – a sentiment that’s as true today as it was in ancient Rome. Travel in Europe opens the eyes and minds of your kids to new cultural experiences while creating everlasting memories.

Discovering the cradle of western civilisation in Athens will bring Greek mythology to life for older kids, and inspire a fascination for classical history and its links to the modern world in younger minds.

First visit the Acropolis Museum with its glass floors revealing ongoing excavations and an interactive LEGO® model of the Acropolis that will enchant younger kids.
 

When you hit the ancient hilltop citadel itself, there’s a spectacular view over Athens that kids will love – see if they can point out city landmarks like Lycabettus Hill and the Ancient Agora. Bucket-list points of interest include the majestic Parthenon, the ornately carved columns of the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike.
 

The legendary Odeon of Herodes Atticus theatre sits just below the Acropolis and is still in use; you can book family tickets for performances during the summer-long Athens Epidaurus Festival.

The Acropolis Museum provides backpacks stuffed full of games and educational activities as well as itineraries to follow on the site. Once up there, the 3D iPad tour enables kids to picture the ruins just as they were in the 5th century BC.
 

Top tips: Prams are not allowed on the site, but if you’re with young or mobility-impaired children, there’s a lift up to the summit on the north-west side of the Acropolis. Base yourselves at Novotel Athenes for Acropolis panoramas from its roof terrace as well as proximity to metro stations and the colourful street market in Monastiraki.

Portugal’s astonishing aquatic wonderland is home to more than 8,000 marine and land animals, and has a strong message on marine conservation that is delivered without sermonising.

The main exhibit is entitled ‘One Planet, One Ocean’, and creates four marine habitats in a single aquarium, which holds a staggering 5 million litres of sea water. As well as featuring manta rays, black-tipped reef sharks and rainbow shoals of tropical fish, the aim of the exhibition is to focus on the vital connection between our planet’s many different ecosystems.
 

In other habitats, kids can watch comic penguins honing their diving skills, sea otters splashing around in the water and orange-beaked Atlantic puffins waddling over rocks. 

Admission is discounted for children, and special family tours are aimed at youngsters aged between 2 and 4. Birthday packages offer private guided tours of the Oceanarium, and expert talks on marine life conservation are on the syllabus at summer camps for kids.
 

Top tips: Anyone aged 6 upwards can join the Oceanarium’s dolphin-spotting cruises along Lisbon’s Tagus River. Staying at Novotel Lisboa puts you 15 minutes away by car, and also 5 minutes from educational activities at the city zoo.

Pompeii brings history roaring back to life. Nowhere else in the world can kids experience daily life in an ancient Roman town, which came to a cataclysmic halt when Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24, 79AD.

Start at the Antiquarium of Pompeii, with its evocative displays of mosaics, sculptures and casts of writhing bodies frozen in time. It’ll help kids understand what they’re about to see, and they’ll adore AmedeoBot, a digital tool showcasing the most appealing buildings.
 

Pick up the free guidebook and decide what to visit. Kid-friendly educational activities include touring the amphitheatre and forum – the centre of Roman life – as well as the shops on Via dell’Abbondanza and the still-glittering frescos in the Villa of the Mysteries.
 

Keep your tone light by pointing out grooves worn down by chariots in the cobbled streets, the 2,000-year-old fast-food joints, and the stone water fountains with funny faces carved into them.

There’s a (free) cartoon map and a smartphone audio guide. Family-orientated guided tours are available, and the 3.5km ‘Pompeii for All’ route takes in the most significant buildings.
 

Top tips: There’s free admission for everyone aged under 18, available only from Pompeii’s ticket office. If you’re looking for family accommodation, Novotel Salerno Est Arechi is about half an hour away by car and has a swimming pool and fitness room.

One of the best things to do in London and positively oozing with history, the Tower is both an entertaining and an educational day out for kids, revealing some dark secrets about the British monarchy along the way. 

Kids will be (literally) dazzled by the glittering, priceless treasures in the Crown Jewels collection, which include coronation regalia, crowns studded with fist-sized gems, and the infamous Koh-i-Noor diamond.
 

Spotting the coal-black ravens keeps toddlers occupied – these gigantic corvids stalk around as if they own the place – while older kids are intrigued by the Traitor’s Gate and the macabre scaffold on Tower Green, scene of the execution of several English queens.
 

Information panels provide information on what you’re looking at, and Beefeaters in smart red tunics give captivating, funny and free guided tours of the complex.

There’s discounted admission for visitors aged 5 to 15, and free educational activities during school holidays like Knight School, at which kids learn how to use a sword, polish metal armour and construct medieval catapults.
 

Top tips: Iconic London attractions like Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, St Paul’s Cathedral and foodie Borough Market are all nearby. If you’re looking to stay close to the action, Novotel London Tower Bridge and its modern European restaurant are only 5 minutes’ stroll away. 

Hopefully you’re now well on your way to booking unforgettable family days out across Europe – happy travelling, wherever you choose to go!