What do kids like best in Europe?

Mine were 9 and 11 last summer. We really liked Rome, Venice and Lucca/Pisa. We stopped at Cinque Terre as a cruise port, and they did not like it much... not really much to do there, so I would give that a miss.

Lucca has bike riding on the walls, a cool torture museum, we stopped at a playground. Climbing the Leaning Tower was a hit.

In Venice, they really liked the rowing class by rowvenice.org

Munich they liked the biergarten playground and biking. We also did a Mike's Bikes day trip down to Neuschwanstein and that was a huge hit!!

We are visiting London and Amsterdam this summer, both of which I expect them to like very much too!
Kim

Sorry to say, I have not traveled with kids. I have, however, enjoyed the Travel with Kids show on PBS. Their website may be informative. Possibly your library system would have the DVDs.

http://www.travelwithkids.tv/europe-with-kids/

What places do your grandsons want to see? That's where I'd start, then investigate the "kid friendly" options in those places.

And don't be so sure museums don't interest kids. I've seen several reports here of various kids who were enthralled by certain artists, or who had studied a particular period in school, and so loved a particular museum. And don't forget things like science museums and transit museums that are designed to have appeal for kids.

Rick's books devoted to a whole city (such as Rome or London) have sections on children; the country books (Italy or England) don't have those details.

Denmark? You can balance out the cultural stuff with Tivoli Gardens and Legoland to meet the interests of your party as you go.

This will be our third summer visiting Europe with our kids (now ages 7, 9 and 12) My kids love museums so I wouldn't rule them out. Let's see, favourite visits:

Switzerland - hiking in the mountains in Bernese Oberland, Chateau de Chillon in Montreux, summer tobogganing at Mt Pilatus, Papermill museum in Basel, boat rides on the Rhine and Swiss lakes, visitng the chocolate factory in Broc-Fabrique, transportation museum in Lucerne,

Paris (2 visits) - Luxembourg gardens, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Louvre (with private guide), boat ride on the Seine, going to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, Musee d'Orangerie, Versailles (inside and out with private guide), Musee Rodin (gardens)

London - Tower of London, British Museum (with private guide), visiting Westminster Abbey and St Pauls cathedral, seeing Mathilda, Harry Potter studios, Windsor Castle, my daughter really liked Kensington Palace, walking across Tower Bridge,

Belgium - exploring the city of Ghent, boat rides in Ghent and Brugges, windmills in Brugges, spending a day exploring the battlefields in Ypres (with private guide), Mannekin Pis,

We're visiting Rome this summer. Their requests:
-Pompeii
-Coliseum
-Palazzo Valentini
-Catacombs

HTH

At 10 and 6, they will have opinions. For example, my 8 year old loves castles, so we've been to quite a few. We are planning on Rome next year and are teaching him a little about gladiators, etc in the thought that the colosseum will be interesting. Another child my love hiking and mountains, so the Alps would be great.

In general, they like going up in things for views (climbing bell towers, riding the elevator up the eiffel tower). Parks are good, as are open squares.

Don't underestimate museums or churches. Yes, it may be tough to spend hours looking at art, but if you prep them they will enjoy a moderate length visit. Not everyday, but to a major site you want to see. We often pick a famous piece of art in the museum beforehand, print a picture of it, discuss a little about it, then go find it. To an 8 year old, the fact that Van Gogh cut off his ear is fascinating ;) Then after be sure to hit a park and get a snack they enjoy. So, for example, St. Peter's in Rome, then gelato.

The main key here is to get them excited about the trip beforehand. Pictures of where they are going, books, a little bit of history of things they might find interesting. Maybe a kids guidebook - a fun one! - for the older child.

There is no city or area I've been that is terrible for kids. Obviously there are restaurants that I wouldn't bring a child to, and red light districts are not family-friendly, but in terms of whole cities or regions, all can be made appropriate. IN GENERAL, southern Europe seems to be very family oriented and in Spain, for example, you will see kids all over even on the square with their parents at midnight. Italy is the same, if I remember correctly (been myself but not with kids).

Things that worked well for us: London (Tower of London, lots of parks, fish and chips, kid-freindly museums). Paris (Eiffel tower, parks, Seine boats, Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame), southern Spain (Alhambra, beaches, wandering narrow streets), Barcelona (cool architecture!). Carcassone (castle!). Amsterdam (parks, canals, stayed on a houseboat, very friendly, Van Gogh museum)

Things I haven't been to with kids but think would be good: Ancient Roman sites, parts of Greece (beaches, ruins), Venice (my kids like boats). Norway (the fjords and the famous train ride). Prague (castles, fairy tale feel).

and of course they will enjoy doing what kids do - playing with their tablets, having a kick around with other kids, making friends in the park, riding bikes, sleeping, and just being kids. Be sure to leave some room for that...

My nephews (aged 12 and 8) had an old digital camera to share during an extended family trip to Spain. I gave them a "scavenger hunt" list each day, and challenged them to take digital pictures of various things. Their favorite challenge was capturing an alphabet, one letter at a time, using architectural details or other things that looked like letters--no taking pictures of signs and cropping! This got them more involved in looking at the cities and towns around them than they otherwise would've. I also taught them how to order their own ice creams in Spanish, which they really enjoyed doing.

We took our kids to Europe several times between the ages of 9 and 17 (one boy, one girl). They really enjoyed London and Edinburgh and Salzburg. Ireland was fun, but not as much because we did a group tour. Giving them a camera is a GREAT idea. Our son especially loved taking his own pictures (though that was well before digitals and camera phones- we gave him several disposable cameras. ).

Climbing or going to the top of any tower is fun for kids. Museums are not all the same and aren't always about art. Some are very interactive, with exhibits catering to the interest of children and cover diverse subjects. Science, dinosaur bones, cool archeology, holograms, natural history. etc. Castles and ruins, especially if they have tunnels or towers are fun. Zoos and botanical gardens can be fun, boat rides are usually a hit too as well as just riding a train or tram.

Thanks all, for your suggestions. Many of you have suggested the very sites we have been considering, but I also appreciated the clever ideas such as scavenger hunts and rowing in Venice. The Deutsches Museum, the Tower of London and canal rides in Holland are high on our list at this time, along with the aforementioned Roman sights and hikes in the Cinque Terre, my personal favorite. I think it's important that kids know where it is that you disappear to when you're gone for a few weeks every so often and you speak of when you return.

Not all children are the same, so I can only tell you what my two kids liked - both boys now grown. It's easier to tell you what they didn't like. Cute little towns, beautiful architecture and even beautiful scenery did nothing for them. They wanted to be doing something, not looking at something. They loved walking, hiking and climbing big hills or towers. They love castles if they could walk around in them. They liked anything different -- things they had never seen before, food they had never eaten before, things they had never done before. They also liked different forms of transportation like trains, funiculars, boats, all of which are things they didn't typically do in the US. Museums were fine if they had interactive exhibits or really cool things. They generally responded well to guided tours if the guide was interesting and could teach them something about what they were seeing. Most cities will have things that kids will enjoy. Quaint little villages may not grab them.

Carroll - YES! I take my kids mainly to cities and larger towns. So many people say that cities aren't the best for kids, but I disagree. More stuff for them to do. I will take them to small towns when the town features interesting things - a castle, hikes, beach, something like that. But a pretty town that I would enjoy just hanging out in, enjoying "ambiance" does nothing for them.

Well guess my kids are freaks.. but they loved many museums ... I researched and took them to the right ones.. and in the right areas ( as said an art gallery may not be a great choice at that age.. but even the Louvre has child interesting areas.. the Medieval Louvre where they will see the old excavate Moat walls,, Napoleons Apartments.. chandilers the size of cars,, and the Egyptian section)..
Even my skateboarding 13 yr old requested a SECOND visit to the Louvre..
The Catacombs thrilled both my boys.. but my daughter chose not to visit them.

In London my boys enjoyed the Victoria and Albert museum and the Tower of London.. and although they have not been to it.. I HIGHLY recommend the Imperial War Museum.. the usual tanks and planes etc.. but they have a new section where visitors actually walk through what seems to be a trench.. with bombs flashing over your heads.. love that museum . The Natural History Museum is also a sure hit with most children.

My daughter loved a gondola ride in Venice.. and a visit to the Clothing Musuem .. ( likely not as interesting for boys) .. and she loved seeing the Coliseum in Rome..

I think kids enjoy trips much more when they are given some input.. even at 10 your grandchild can go online.. look up " major sites in such and such city" and do some homework. My kids all had to. and it really gives them ownership of the experience.

Ps if you view museums as "stuffy" then that's what your kids will get from it.. there is usually something exciting and interesting in most museums.. but parents ( and grandparents) often need to help kids be interested by telling them some back ground info ...

As for what was awful.. nothing was.. but yes.. over seeing too many churches can be boring.. however climbing the Towers of Notre Dame or St Pauls in London is fun..

I think a lot of variety in a trip is what keeps kids interested. My grandkids are great travelers and love it all, but when asking them about their special moments... it ranges from Paris (a huge favorite) castles in Germany, Romantic road and Xmas markets, Mont St. Michel (spending the night)...A day or two in a small village to relax and regroup, but my gkids really do love cities.

Food! Set an example by being adventurous w trying foods you would not always think to order and sharing it w them. Even if no one likes the selection there is a memory to be gained, an adventure undertaken and an example of good travel risks demonstrated. Example: asked our daughters to decipher a german restaurant menu without asking for help or using a dictionary. One daughter thought she was ordering steak and ended up w liver! Fun moment and fortunately I love liver!

Fairs, arcades, amusement parks and cable cars. Google search your destinations for these type of activities and make time to attend one. Fairs are a special favorite as often it is a small circus atmosphere. If your kids do not have common access to subways and cable cars then provide the opportunity to partake in thise you encounter.

We are planning our third trip to Europe with my 7 year old - Harry Potter, the Sound of Music and Paris figure heavily.

What do they like? Battles, medieval stuff, Renaissance? What have they studied recently? What books? Magic Treehouse books give them snippets of different times and places. My daughter just read Stage Fright on a Summer Night which takes kids to the time of Shakespeare and Midsummer Night's Dream. That may result in us making a side trip to Stratford Upon Avon and another visit to the Globe Theatre.

The point is find out what they like and then plan a bit of your trip around that.

My daughter loved museums, loves Monet (trip to Giverny), attends French school so we did a workshop at the Louvre.

French amusement parks are a throwback. Waterparks, playgrounds, playing in the fountains (if there are 100 people already there, you won't be singled out!). Just spending time together and making memories is the best way to engage and they will remember the trip forever.

At home, it's mundane; on vacation, it's an adventure!

I forgot to add, check the programs on for kids at museums, art, science or otherwise, and monuments. They are designed for kids and families.

I bought a $50 digital camera for my daughter for Europe when she was 4 1/2. Lots of pictures of her shoes and me driving but lots of beautiful, interesting shots. One was of such excellent composition and quality that an enlargement is on our wall.

We took our 3 kids (8, 12, and 15) on the Rick Steves Family Tour last year (the itinerary has changed for this year). They loved every minute -- museums, history, towns, cities, mountainsides. We added time in Rome before the tour and added another week after the tour ended in Paris.

I just asked them your question. They all LOVED Venice and Florence - and agreed that they could have spent a couple of weeks there. We all loved the American Cemetery outside of Florence as well. Rome was up there as well for my oldest but not my 8 year old - my 12 year old said not to miss Rome "if" you were doing Italy but it was not on his list to go back until he had seen much more of the world. The history of the Vatican and ancient Rome might be a bit much for the 6 year old and possibly the 10 year old. My 12 year old had the stamina and the interest but not as much of the background knowledge that my 15 year old had.

After the tour was over we spent another 5 days in Paris (the ending city) and then took the train (fast, easy, and cheap) to Brussels, Belgium and then on to Ghent. We all loved Ghent -the canals reminded us of Venice and the castle was fantastic. Public transportation was easy, the city was walkable, and there was plenty to do. Paris has so much for kids - and don't discount the museums - while the Louvre was a bit too much for my youngest (who has not yet studied as much European History or Art) they ALL loved Invalides - we went twice and spent hours there. They loved Luxembourg Gardens, climbing the towers of Notre-Dame, the Seine River cruise, among other things. If I were taking my kids for 7-9 days and not on a tour I would split the time between Paris and Belgium. We purposefully passed on Disney Paris because we were in Europe to see Europe - although if you were looking for "fun for kids without boring museums" that is an option for a two day break from the history. I just asked my kids if they regretted us not going to Disney while in Paris and they looked at me like I was crazy --- the only thing they regretted was that we did not have enough time in any of our places during 3 weeks. I think that there is plenty to do in Paris, Brussels, Ghent and Brugge to keep your Grandkids happy. If you are willing to wait a couple of years, I would suggest taking them on the RS Family Tour -- fabulous for kids!

We lived in the Netherlands when I was nine. I loved visiting the Hoge Veluwe National Park (including the museum with all the Van Goghs!). Also loved Madurodam (miniature city with representations of buildings from all over the country), Keukenhof, and traveling around the Iselmeer, seeing the polders, and learning how they were created. We also spent a couple of weeks in England just prior, and I really loved Kew Gardens. Vacationed in Scandinavia, and enjoyed the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.

Have to agree with the tip about the kids having their own camera. No matter what the images look like I think it keeps them a bit more engaged in the trip. Also, I always have a travel journal/trip log that I make for the kids and have them fill it out at the end of each day. It has fill in the blank questions (what hotel, memorable sites, memorable meals, means of travel, etc) as well as plenty of pages in the back for additional writings and sketching. Each day has its own page. There is so much going on they will forget by the next day what they did the day before... fun to look back on years later. I also take art supplies (sketching pencils, markers, watercolors and small sheets of watercolor paper) Often they will paint in the hotel room at night.