Ten Nice Family Holiday Destinations in Europe

Is it to be a sporting adventure, a cultural break or a relaxing sojourn in the sun? Here are 10 suggestions for more than nice family holidays throughout Europe – whatever you decide to do and wherever you end up, you’ll come home with precious memories to share with your kids for ever.

Sandwiched into the Pyrenees between France and Spain, much of the picturesque, mountainous country of Andorra is dedicated to skiing in winter. If you’re new to the slopes, it’s a great place to learn to ski or board with snow-sure novice pistes for all the family – and if you’ve got older teens travelling with you, the lively nightlife won’t blow their budget on that first round of drinks.

The small capital city of Andorra La Vella sits roughly halfway between the main ski areas of Grandvalira and Vallnord (aka Pal-Arinsal). Both these modern resorts have ski schools, copious green runs for beginners and pine-lined slopes for intermediates to swish down, as well as a scattering of more challenging pistes for expert skiers.

German surfer Sebastian Steudtner made history in 2020 when he rode a record-breaking 26.25m wave off Nazaré on Portugal’s Atlantic coastline. But not all surfing adventures need to be so extreme; the country has plenty of surfing spots with small beach breaks for families learning to surf together. Matosinhos Beach near Oporto is ideal for complete novices – this long stretch of beach with consistent waves boasts plenty of surfing schools offering lessons and board hire. Not into water sports? Time to laze in the sun! 

Despite its size, London is a surprisingly family-friendly city. For starters, there’s so much to do for free, from watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace to viewing dinosaur skeletons at the Natural History Museum or enjoying street theatre in Covent Garden. And when you set out from your London hotel, walk through the parks – from Hyde Park to Richmond Park, they’re all free too!

With careful planning, families can also enjoy big-hitting London attractions together. Book ahead for bird’s-eye views of famous landmarks from the London Eye, or discover the magic of Harry Potter’s Wizarding World at Warner Bros Studio Tour London.

One of the most popular family holiday destinations in France, Disneyland Paris is close to several family hotels offering free stays and discounts for children under 16. A visit to this bucket-list attraction gives families the chance to bond over sightings of Mickey Mouse and Snow White in the daily parades, and try out gentle or adrenaline-stirring themed rides. Each day at Disney ends with a magical live show and spectacular firework display… fabulous moments for visitors of all ages.

With two parks to find your way around, you’ll need a schedule. Non-negotiable attractions may well include the Frozen show at Walt Disney Studios and the Autopia car-racing track – miss them out at your peril. 

There’s nowhere more spectacular than Rome, where centuries of history ooze from every piazza. But is it a family holiday destination? Pre-planning is key here: book skip-the-line tickets for must-sees like the Colosseum and the Catacombs of St Callixtus – most youngsters love a good gory story – and concentrate on catching outdoor sights like the Trevi Fountain and Forum instead of spending hours trawling museums.

And don’t forget that all Italians adore children – at every opportunity your offspring will be fussed over and made to feel special. They’re welcome in most restaurants, where menus feature pizza and pasta dishes, and you’ll find gelaterias selling ice-cream on virtually every corner of Rome’s historic centre.

For a beach break with a difference, book a family holiday near Sopot – with wonderful sandy beaches, this resort is the undisputed summer capital of the Polish Riviera. Here you can enjoy temperatures in the mid-20s°C while you take dips in the Baltic Sea, go windsurfing and flyboarding in the Gulf of Gdańsk, or stroll the longest wooden pier in Europe.

If you’re looking for a bit of history along with your beach holiday, have a foray through the beautifully restored old town of gorgeous Gdańsk, where you can also visit the thought-provoking, interactive European Solidarity Centre and purchase exquisite amber jewellery from artisan street stalls.

Many families head to Athens to tour the Acropolis and world-class museums, but you don’t have to go far to discover the Athens Riviera. South of the city a necklace of public beaches runs along the coastline; the sandy swathe at elegant Vouliagmeni has shallow waters for swimming and seafront fish restaurants for dealing with family hunger pangs.

The rocky coves between Vouliagmeni and Varkiza have microscopic pebbly beaches and pristine seas for snorkelling, while experienced windsurfers and kiters flock to the exposed beaches around Anavyssos. To combine your Greece beach trip with a slice of culture, head for the pocket-sized beach at Cape Sounion for sublime views of the clifftop Temple of Poseidon – best seen during a majestic, fiery sunset.

At first glance, the Côte d’Azur might seem a bit glitzy for holidays with little ones, but its hedonistic combination of turquoise Mediterranean lapping beaches and almost-guaranteed sunny weather make the region a top tip for family trips. In Nice, stroll west along the famous Promenade des Anglais to pebbly Carras Beach where your kids can swim safely watched by lifeguards, play volleyball, or piggy-back on jet-ski trips around the sweeping Baie des Anges. 

Antibes is another sure-fire French Riviera hit with the kids, with food trucks backing the white-sand Plage de la Gravette and a handy playground just off Plage du Ponteil. And if you have celebrity-struck teenagers, there’s no better place to star-spot than along Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes – especially during the Film Festival in May.

Life in family-friendly Amsterdam moves outside on warm summer days. You can explore the canals on boat trips, cycle along the Amstel – a conveniently flat and traffic-free route safe for kids – and help toddlers to build sandcastles on Zwemstrand Sloterplas city beach. Kids will love cooling off in water fountains on the sloping roof of NEMO Science Museum, riding mini-trains to the petting zoo in leafy Amstelpark, and inspecting the inner workings of Sloten Windmill. A word of advice: be sure to book hotels well in advance of your visit, and buy an I Amsterdam City Card for discounted entry into all the main visitor attractions.

Looking for a summer break that will suit your teenagers? Barcelona is one of the coolest cities on the planet, with a swirl of vibrant street performances to watch on the iconic Las Ramblas boulevard, and a seafront promenade perfect for boarding or biking to sandy beaches. You can enjoy panoramic views over the city from the rides at Tibidabo Amusement Park, or take guided tours with your football-mad progeny of the hallowed portals of Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona. Not forgetting Gaudí’s glittering, multicoloured Sagrada Família cathedral, the biggest Insta-worthy pull in the city. Barcelona’s best family hotels have swimming pools for those days when the kids don’t feel like stirring too far from home base. 

So here you have some fantastic ideas for family-friendly holidays in Europe – you’ll have fun wherever you go!