Kid Friendly Cities in Europe for Spring Vacation

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Check out these kid-friendly cities in Europe for a perfect spring vacation! Attractions for the whole family, beautiful blossoming parks, pleasant weather, and more. With fellow travel bloggers, we collected the best European destinations for families. Are you ready to explore not only capitals, like Amsterdam, Berlin, or Budapest but smaller towns such as Brugge, Gdansk, or Venice too? Never too early for exploring! Several families (we included) hit the road and left for the first trips abroad with their little one during the babies’ first year.

Kid-friendly Cities in Europe for Spring

Barcelona (Spain)

Bianca from NomadBiba

Barcelona can be chaotic and crowded, but there are some great places that kids would enjoy visiting. Starting with Gaudí’s masterpieces, younger kids will have fun visiting Parc Güell with its colorful and fantastic mosaic figures. And the Sagrada Familia will surely impress older kids with all its intricate details. If you are traveling with younger kids, note that kids younger than 6 years old are not allowed up in the towers, and those younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult. If your kids get bored inside, there’s a nice playground across the street. Also, keep in mind that it is always best to buy your tickets online to save time and ensure that you can get in.

But Barcelona is much more than Gaudí! If you want something thrilling, head to the Tibidabo Amusement Park and enjoy the views while your children have fun on the park’s rides. If you are looking for free things to do in Barcelona, the Magic Fountains in Montjuïc, near Plaza España, are a good option; or simply a day at the beach will do the trick. For museums, our favorites are the CaixaForum, located not far from the Magic Fountains and free to enter. They organize many activities for kids, and the CosmoCaixa, a science museum where kids can learn with fun interactive displays (also in English). Finally, if you’re looking for a nice place to stay, Gracia and El Born are probably the best areas for families.

 

Budapest (Hungary)

Katalin from Our Life, Our Travel 

Budapest is a perfect spring destination to explore with your family. The weather is pleasantly warm, with no big fuss about dressing up your kids. It can be over 20°C. Don’t want to drive around in a big city? No worries, every important sight can be reached by public transport easily, and you can use the public boats as well! Indeed, cruise along the Danube (or just cross from one bank to another) while taking pictures of the Parliament, the Castle, the Gellért Hill, and more. Your kids will like it too.

The city has several parks and nearby forests covered by blossoming flowers during March and April where you can escape if they get bored with sightseeing downtown.  Buda side gives more options for families. If you prefer to stay with the main tourist attractions, explore the Castle and the Labyrinth beneath it, and try the funicular. If you are more into nature, go to János Hill’s forests by cable car or by the children’s railway, or go spelunking to one of the caves under Buda.

Bruges (Belgium)

Dawn from 5 lost together

Bruges, Belgium, and its UNESCO World Heritage old town is a wonderful place to visit with kids. Adults and kids will love its charming canals and narrow cobblestone streets.

Start by taking a horse and carriage ride around the old town, where you will be transported back to a different era as you take in the Gothic buildings and hear the horse’s clip-clop sounds. Spend some time taking in the action of Markt Square and treat yourselves to some delicious Belgian waffles or chocolate. You can then work it off by climbing the 366 steps of the Belfry Tower for great views over the city.

Kids love boats, and a canal boat tour will allow you to learn more about Bruges’ history and see the historic buildings from the water. Find a restaurant with outdoor seating to enjoy dinner, where you can sample some of Belgium’s famous brews.

Bruges gets very busy in the summer, so if you can visit during the shoulder season, you will be rewarded with fewer crowds.

Madrid (Spain)

Perri from Seeking the Spanish Sun – Facebook

Even though Madrid is a big Spanish city, without a beach and lots of hustle and bustle, it’s still great to visit with children.

Madrid locals love children, so you don’t have to worry about the odd tantrum or being noisy in restaurants. They might even get a lolly-pop from the waiter. The tapas lifestyle in Madrid is perfect for children who like to graze and pick at food. You can always grab a snack of bread, cheese, or fruit anywhere, at any time of day.

There are some amazing attractions that the kids will love in Madrid. Including outdoor swimming pools, a water park, two big amusement parks, an aquarium, and a zoo! The firm favorites chosen by my niece and two nephews (who are 4, 6, and 9 years old) are both located in the stunning parkland of Casa de Campo.

The Parque de Attraciones has an awesome area of kid-friendly, fun rides in the Nickelodeon World, where they also get to meet their TV heroes.

Madrid Zoo Aquarium has a wonderful selection of animals, a superb breeding program, and you can get really close to the enclosures.

Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Frankie from As the Bird flies – Facebook

Amsterdam is full of things to do for children of all ages, from the most famous museums which have tours and activity guides for children to the hundreds of parks and playgrounds scattered across the city, and spring is a great time to visit the city because there are tulips to look for and hopefully some sunshine! Science Museum NEMO is arguably the best place to take kids no matter the weather. With four levels of hands-on interactive science exhibits, there’s something to do and learn for all ages. Even if you don’t want to pay for the entry, the roof garden is a free open area with some outdoor exhibits for kids to play with, and it has some of the best views in Amsterdam.

Just over the water from NEMO is Amsterdam’s main library (OBA), and there is a whole ground floor for kids to explore. There are books in many different languages, a fascinating miniature house to look at, and a little tee-pee for little ones to play in. This is where I take my son on a rainy day in Amsterdam, but if it’s warm enough to play outside, it’s good to head to Amsterdam’s parks to find a sandpit or playground to burn some energy. If you’re feeling brave, you can even hire kids’ bikes or bikes with child seats on to make your way around the city. Still, my best advice is to stick to the parks – Vondelpark and Westerpark are great for kids – because cycling in Amsterdam can be a little overwhelming, especially on weekends. Still, you and your kids will never forget cycling in Amsterdam!

 

Gdańsk (Poland)

Karol from Our Life Our Travel – Instagram

Gdańsk, Poland, is a wonderful spring and summer destination for families. You can avoid the summer crowds in the old town. If you still use a stroller like us, be prepared for a bumpy ride through the cobblestone streets between the old buildings. The watermill, the famous Vistula shore with the old crane, granaries, and the moored ships and boats will grab the attention of your kids even more, and you can visit most of these sites from inside too.

Geneva (Switzerland)

Ridima from Little joys and more – Facebook

If you are looking for a family-friendly destination in spring break in Europe, Geneva scores the charts. Proudly hosting the European Headquarters of United Nations, Geneva also has several free- admission museums, parks, gardens, and kid-friendly areas.
The museums offer information on various grounds in an interactive manner. They are also a good way to spend some quality time with the family.

Few such museums are:

• The History of Science Museum- has an exquisite collection of equipment, machines, and techniques ever used for nurturing the field of science.
• Maison Tavel- presents Geneva and its culture from the middle ages to the nineteenth century. It also has a 3D structure of Geneva on the third floor.
• Ariana Museum- has more than 20,000 different objects made up of glass, ceramics, and porcelain. It also has a café on its first floor from where the view of the United Nations is spectacular.
• CERN- where scientific research and fundamental physics is explained and shown engagingly.
• Museum of Ethnography- recites everything about world history and world culture under one roof.

The parks like Jardin Botanique (Botanical Gardens) and La Perle du Lac (Pearl of the Lake) near Lake Geneva promise a relaxing and comfortable time in the city. From La Perle du Lac, the view of Jet d’eau is remarkable. Also, enjoy swimming in the designated lake areas, boat rides, and a hike to Mount Saleve from where you can have a perfect view of the city.

Geneva also has kid-friendly areas like Carouge. With the best of Swiss Chocolate makers, Carouge keeps the kids entertained with street murals like unsolved puzzles, find the way out maze structures, and many more.

Paris (France)

Melissa from The Family Voyage – Instagram 

“I love Paris in the springtime”… yes, Paris in spring is so great that it’s the title of a song! Paris is an amazing destination for families on spring break for so many reasons. First, the logistics are straightforward: there’s enough to occupy your family for the whole week without moving from one location to another, and the entire city can be conquered on foot and by public transportation (so no worries about car seats!).

Second, the City of Lights offers such a sensory feast and a plethora of activities that everyone will be entertained. We love visiting some of the less intimidating sites, like Musee d’Orsay and Sainte-Chappelle, and alternating them with special treats for the kids like carousel rides and macaron stops.

Third, there are so many opportunities to incorporate learning for all ages and interests. You can bring kids’ (non-messy) art supplies to museums to have them create their own masterpieces. Simultaneously, the greats inspire them, discuss architecture and engineering principles at Notre Dame, and even discuss the French Revolution and its underpinnings by contrasting a day trip to lavish Versailles with a visit to the Bastille. We loved our spring trip to Paris with kids last year so much that we’re considering visiting again at the end of our family gap year trip around the world!

Venice (Italy)

Katy from Untold Morsels – Instagram 

Venice is a wonderland for kids, big and small, and spring is the perfect time to visit. The summer crowds have not yet arrived, and you can explore the major sites easily. It’s not hard to be entranced by this city built on water. In Venice, you can simply wander the small streets and canals and find treasures around every corner.

There’s a bookshop where titles are stacked high in gondolas instead of bookshelves, and little campos or squares where local children play and eat gelato. Don’t forget to chase pigeons in St Mark’s Square and take the trip to colorful Burano, a small island boasting great pasta and even a playground. And, of course, you must ride a gondola through the silent back canals.

For us, just watching the people of Venice go about their daily business is entertainment. Visit the market and count the different species of fresh fish. And stop by the gondola workshop to watch these beautiful vessels under repair. Your spring trip to Venice will be a favorite family memory for years to come.

 

Berlin (Germany)

Shweta from Zest in a Tote – Instagram 

We spent about 5 days in Berlin last fall. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise for our family. Spring would be a good time to visit as well – the greenery and sights can be enjoyed without the summer crowds.

We did a self-guided walking tour to cover the historical highlights, starting from Checkpoint Charlie, passing through Brandenburg Gate, and ending up at Potsdamer Platz. You could take a bike, Segway, or walking tour to cover this area.

The highlight of the Berlin trip for my 6-year old daughter was the day spent at Berlin Zoo. With more than 15,000 animals in beautiful surroundings, expect to spend the best part of a day here.

One whole day was spent at Unesco Heritage Museum Island or Museuminsel with my daughter. There were enough cafe and park breaks in between museum visits. We also visited the Berlin Cathedral located in this area. More than seeing the actual church interiors, my daughter and I had fun climbing the 270 steps to the Dome’s outer walkway. Pergamon Museum may not be of much interest to your kids. Still, they will enjoy the interactive DDR museum – this gives an immersive experience of everyday life in former East Germany.

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