Destinations in Europe

Europe Family Holidays

Culturally rich, staggeringly beautiful and with a whole host of jet lag-free, year-round adventures right on our doorstep, Europe isn’t just safe and convenient for family adventures but thrillingly diverse, too.

From its most northerly reaches, families will be enthralled by the ultimate outdoor adventure playground that is Norway, which isn’t just renowned for its fjords, endless coastline and stunning scenery, but also for Arctic adventure, icebergs and polar bears in Svalbard.

Neighbouring Sweden has its own Arctic wilderness – Swedish Lapland – for those wanting to make the most of winter fun, from husky sledding and snowmobiling to witnessing the Aurora Borealis. Summer, too, offers a dramatically different smorgasbord of adventure where you can cycle, kayak and hike through gorgeous forests and coastline during the long days of the midnight sun.

And, just over three hours from the UK, the living geography lesson that is Iceland has become a hugely popular family holiday destination and rightly so. In a dramatic and beautiful land shaped by fire and ice, you can enjoy year-round northern lights to midnight sun adventure in summer, winter or in-between.

For families who prefer holidays where sun, sea and sand are high on the wish-list, our most popular European destinations of Greece, its mainland and islands such as Crete and the Cyclades, and Portugal are the biggest hitters, mainly for summer holidays but also for Easter, May half term and October half term, too.

These are the holiday hotspots which have been drawing families for decades, but fly-and-flop holidays they are not. Instead, we’ve delved deeper into what’s on offer in these paradisical places. From gorge walks and sea-kayaking, to cycling trails and visiting historical ruins, there’s ‘every-day-is-different’ family adventure by day and taverna touring, restaurant roving and laid-back luxury by night.

For those wanting a similar Mediterranean vibe but a slightly less mainstream holiday option, then the culture-meets-coast destinations of Croatia, Turkey, Madeira and the wild Atlantic Portuguese outpost, the Azores, are increasingly popular family holiday choices. Here, whether you’re kayaking in volcanic craters in the Azores, wandering the historic fort-towns of Split or Dubrovnik in Croatia, whale watching or canyoning in Madeira or taking a hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia in Turkey, the whole family will be engaged and entertained.

If you’re looking for something different when it comes to your Europe family holiday, though, destinations which pack a big punch when it comes to active adventure and have a slightly cooler climate in which to enjoy them, the more eastern European destinations of Montenegro, Slovenia and Georgia are the perfect match. Smaller than most other European holiday hotspots, they’re safe, easy to get around, more affordable, rich in culture, cuisine and even richer in dramatic, mountains-meets-lakes landscapes.

For a more in-depth look at which European destination will suit, whether you prefer to self-drive or be accompanied by an English-speaking driver-guide, take a look at our Family Travel in Europe – the best destination for families blog. Feeling adventurous? Our Active Family Holidays in Europe – our top 12 destinations is also well worth a look. Then, get in touch! We’d love to plan the right Europe holiday for you and your family.