When it comes to family attractions, there are plenty of fantastic places across Europe guaranteed to keep children of all ages (and their parents) happy. So to help you plan that perfect multi-generational day out, we've ranked our favourite 30 activities and experiences – some are renowned, while others are a little lesser-known, but they're all a guaranteed good time. Side note: the kids may never want to leave.
From caves, cliffs and castles to historic theme parks, steam trains and planetariums, click through for our top picks across the continent for family fun...
The ancient Greek Parthenon temple atop the lofty Acropolis hill will surely be on your list if you’re visiting Athens. However, just a few steps away, you'll find that the fantastically family-friendly Acropolis Museum brings all that ancient history to life. Check out the family trails for the little ones to follow, an impressive LEGO model of the Acropolis built with 120,000 little bricks and a ‘Looking for the Goddess Athena’ game that encourages kids to closely examine all the exhibits in their search for the great goddess.
The solar system is usually one of the coolest topics at school, so where better to take the kids than a planetarium? Warsaw’s Planetarium at the Copernicus Science Centre is one of the most modern planetariums in Europe and screens both 2D and 3D films in English, taking kids of all ages on a tour of the solar system, the International Space Station and outer space. Want to get a bit more involved? There are 400 fascinating exhibitions and interactive displays inside the wider science centre.
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Austria’s Stuibenfall Waterfall in the Tyrol region looks like postcard material: the foaming water cascades 522 feet (159m) over cliffs, weather-beaten rocks and mossy boulders, which you can marvel at from a series of viewing platforms. If you’re travelling with slightly older children, you can cross through the mist on a 262-foot (80m) rope bridge. There are also pushchair-friendly routes, so hikers of all ages can reach the falls.
If both little and long legs are flagging after sightseeing in beautiful Bucharest, this vast, ultra-modern and amazingly great value (from just 35 Romanian Leu/£6) waterpark and spa is guaranteed to keep everyone happy. With no less than 16 waterslides, outdoor and indoor pools set among palm trees and even a fake beach, Therme Bucharest will have children merrily splashing around for hours. Parents, meanwhile, can take it in turns to enjoy the saunas, Jacuzzis, hydromassage beds and swim-up bar.
With its swirling grand staircase, Gothic-style bookcases and ornate stained glass ceiling, it’s rumoured that Livraria Lello was one of J.K Rowling’s inspirations for the Hogwarts Library in the Harry Potter series. Be wowed by its awe-inspiring interior, then pick up some copies from the library's specially curated children's collection: books like Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz have been brought to life by local illustrators.
Most children love a secret hideaway and this labyrinthine network of underground sewers in the diamond-dealing city of Antwerp is as hidden as they come. Antwerp’s pavements sparkle with tales of jewels and untold riches, but below ground, this walking tour takes you through a dank but fascinating series of vaulted arches, canals and bridges built in the Middle Ages to keep the city running. With plenty of dark corners to explore, this one is best for older children and teenagers.
There’s something magical about a journey on a steam train no matter how old you are, and kids who’ve seen Thomas the Tank Engine or Paddington 2 will love this adorable attraction even more. The Bluebell Railway is Britain’s oldest standard gauge railway, opened in 1882. Choose to ride on different historic trains as you chug your way across the gorgeous Sussex countryside. There’s also a museum and interactive exhibition that whisks you through the railway's history with a selection of great memorabilia.
Younger children will feel the Christmas magic at the Santa Claus Village. Not only will they get to go on a sleigh ride through the snow-filled landscape with Santa’s reindeer but they can also go on a reindeer safari, see the Northern Lights through the glass roof of your cosy cabin and meet the colourfully dressed Santa’s elves and Mrs Claus. There's also a fabulous extended Christmas market, for stocking up on stocking fillers.
It’s not every day you get to climb aboard a four-storey high mechanical wooden elephant. But Nantes’ Les Machines de l’Île allows you to do just that. As the elephant goes for its walk around an island on the banks of the River Loire, up to 50 people can hitch a ride on the viewing carriage on the elephant’s back and children love watching its levers work, moving the elephant's limbs and head as it 'walks'. Also at Les Machines De l'Île are carousels, a flight simulator and more ride-on machines.
For kids, nothing brings history to life more than seeing the real thing. Set on the banks of the beautiful Loch Tay, the Scottish Crannog Centre displays original artefacts used by the Iron Age people who lived in these overwater houses some 2,500 years ago – from butter dishes to stringed instruments. Your family can also watch textile-making, cooking and craft demonstrations, or head out onto the waters of the Loch itself in a replica longboat.
Seeing a live whale swimming next to you is not something your family is likely to forget. Few places are better to catch the flip of a tail than the warm waters around the Portuguese island of Madeira. The North Atlantic is a haven for different species of ocean-bound mammals, from humpback whales to bottlenose dolphins. Various companies offer special boat trips where you can see the animals in their natural habitat and as an added bonus, kids aged over six will adore the lighter-than-air feeling of speeding across the water on a catamaran.
With its majestic palaces, Baroque churches and pedestrianised cobbled streets, Dubrovnik’s UNESCO-listed walled old town will seem instantly familiar to anyone who’s seen Game of Thrones, because it doubled for the sunny King's Landing. A Game of Thrones Walking Tour (with optional boat trip add-on) is a guaranteed hit, transporting your TV-obsessed teens to the locations used in the series, from formidable fortresses to the city walls. Avoid the crowds by visiting in late autumn or early spring.
This incredible country has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Who said outdoor bathing in winter has to mean cold water? At Iceland’s brightly-pigmented Blue Lagoon the milky blue, mineral-rich waters are naturally heated to a wonderfully warm 38°C (100°F) all year round. Are your kids nervous swimmers? Complimentary water-wings are given to all kids under eight. The Blue Lagoon is situated conveniently close to the airport, making for a perfect pre- or post- flight stopover, but be sure to book online as it gets extremely busy at peak times.
Literal money-making might not seem an instant draw for the kids, but the family-friendly Royal Mint Experience will surprise you. You can follow a coin’s journey from a blank to a bank, letting the young'uns run loose on all the interactive displays, or even have a go at pressing your own coins. Little hands not large enough to do that? There are regular storytelling workshops for younger children.
While crowds flock to the Eiffel Tower, Paris’s gardens and parks can get forgotten, but the 47-acre Jardin d'Acclimatation is no ordinary park. A family favourite since it opened in 1860, you’ll find a funfair complete with mini roller coasters, two free playgrounds, a hall of mirrors, boat rides, plus a farm and aviary containing 450 animals. Older children will love the mini-golf and radio-controlled boats on the lake. The park is open every day, all year round, so you can stop by whenever you need a little extra fun in the French capital.
You don’t have to love dinosaurs to enjoy the sprawling Baltow Jurassic Park, but it certainly helps. Set in the Polish countryside, Europe’s largest dinosaur-themed park is a rather wonderful mix of natural history museum, woodland nature trails, playground and amusement park. With 100 life-size dinosaur models scattered around the grounds, it’s educational and fun, not to mention a great photo opportunity. Petite prehistorians will adore the prehistoric aquarium, an audiovisual experience that brings you face-to-face with a 65-foot (20m) megalodon shark. There's also a European bison safari, in case you want to see real-life animals.
There’s nothing quite like a castle to capture a child’s imagination and the 800-year-old Kalmar Castle, complete with turrets and drawbridge and spectacularly located on an islet on the Baltic coast, is one of the most family-friendly you’ll find. In summertime, the whole castle transforms into a child's paradise, where activities include dressing up as royalty with the staff, learning to joust, challenging a dragon and stargazing from the turrets. Should children complete their challenges, they'll be rewarded with a knighthood ceremony in the Great Hall. It's worth noting that the castle is only open on weekends, from 11am to 3pm.
You won’t have to do much persuading to take the kids to a chocolate museum and this one among the cobbled streets of Prague’s old town is one of the world's most-visited. Watch scrumptious Belgian pralines being made, before moving through the museum's many rooms to learn about the history of chocolate, from its origins in Central America 3,000 years ago to present popularity. Best of all, your ticket includes a tasting of three different types of chocolate, so kids can get a sweet fix.
Amsterdam has to be the world’s most bikeable city, and the ability to whizz about on a whim extends to all the family – even little ones who haven’t started cycling. Special family-friendly bike tours and bike rental companies now offer not just the traditional two wheels, but also tandems and cargo bikes, so even if you’re travelling with babies or toddlers, you can drop them safely in the front and explore Amsterdam’s canalside streets, parks and museums by bike.
Featuring the world’s largest model railway with a track length of 50,500 feet (15,400m), you don’t need to be a model railway enthusiast to be wowed by this extraordinary reconstruction. Watch the little trains as they chug through cities and landscapes in Europe, the USA and South America in miniature. But Hamburg's Miniatur Wunderland isn't just a static scene: model planes take off and land from the tiny Knuffingen Airport, Mount Vesuvius erupts, while a Swiss chocolate factory churns out real chocolates. Plus, there are always new places to explore: Provence and Monaco are currently being constructed, while Patagonia opened in spring 2023.
Rumoured to have inspired the Disney animated film Frozen’s kingdom of Arendelle, the staggeringly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site of Geirangerfjord will inspire all ages. Children over five will love the 'Ranger Basecamp' programme run by the visitor centre, where they can learn about the glacial landscape and build their own fjord farmhouse (plus, there's a free book with every ticket). Adrenaline-seeking teenagers can kayak or fly across the ice-blue water on a zipwire.
No visit to Rome would be complete without seeing The Colosseum. Particularly good for slightly older children who’ve started learning about ancient Rome at school, certain tours put kids at the heart of the Colosseum experience, with treasure maps, gadgets and quizzes helping them imagine what the gladiators saw (and smelled) as they prepared to face tigers and other frightening beasts from across the Roman Empire. To avoid disappointment or a lengthy queue, tickets are best booked in advance.
Vienna’s Prater park may be best-known for its 212-foot (65m) Riesenrad ferris wheel, but in its shadow lies the Wurstelprater – one of Europe’s best amusement parks. Part traditional Victorian funfair, part 21st-century theme park, you’ll find everything from mini-golf, a Madame Tussauds and pony rides to skydiving and roller coasters. In the summer, the park is usually buzzing with life until about 10pm, and there's no admission fee: you simply pick a ride, pay, then enjoy.
Fairy-tale castles, troll-sheltering bridges and goblins galore can be found at this storybook family-focused theme park, the Netherlands' largest. Efteling is divided into five separate realms: the Adventure Realm is where you'll find many of the roller coasters, while the Travel Realm has the iconic Carnaval Festival indoor ride, where you'll be walked through a selection of the world's cultures in eight minutes. The perennially popular park has been thrilling guests since the 1950s, but there's plenty still to come – a musical haunted house, Danse Macabre, is due to open in 2024.
Soaring 700 feet (214m) above the Atlantic Ocean and stretching some nine miles (14km) along Ireland’s rugged West Clare coastline, there’s more than enough wow factor to mesmerise the whole family at the Cliffs of Moher. There are safe, paved pathways and telescopes with which to admire the views, seabirds and rare wildflowers, plus a multi-award-winning Visitor Centre (built into the hillside like a hobbit’s cave) with exhibitions and interactive screens for children to learn about the animals and birds. Kids under 12 also go free.
Your kids may be crying out for theme parks, but you can’t beat the night sky for a spot of natural magic. A night-time tour at the Teide National Park will have you and your family gazing in awe at bright stars, planets and the Milky Way, all twinkling away in the darkness and uninhibited by light pollution. Hang around and there’s also plenty to do during the day, with volcanic crater hikes and cable car rides up Teide – Spain’s highest mountain at 12,200 feet (3,718m).
Interactivity is the name of the game at London's Science Museum. There are buttons to push and levers to pull on almost every exhibit, plus a flight simulator and fascinating games to play. Mini minds can even take part in live scientific experiments and meet the brains behind them. Younger children and even toddlers will also love the sensory areas with moving, coloured lights which improve their logic skills by helping them to recognise patterns.
The 15-mile (24km) Postojna Caves are arguably some of the most spectacular in the world. If you bring the family here, not only do you get to explore an ethereal, magical world, there’s an underground train ride which makes getting about the caves with tired, little legs very easy. The train passes between two-million-year-old stalactites, each stone structure seeming more amazing than the last. If your kids are eagle-eyed, they might spot the ‘baby dragons’ (which are actually 'olms', a reptile resembling a dragon native only to this region). When you surface, take the kids to the world's largest cave castle, Predjama. Here, they'll be enthralled by tales of the rebellious knight Erazem – a real character from the 15th century.
A magical mix of fairy light-lit gardens and Islamic-style palaces and roller coasters, central Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens have been enchanting children since 1843. From a ‘Magical Trunk’ which takes you on a journey through a land of 32 Hans Christian Andersen fairy-tale scenes to a gilded carousel, there are rides for children of all ages. Teens will love the 'Villa Vendetta' beneath the Tivoli castle, where tales of supposed lunatics lure you to a creepy basement where a family's darkest secrets are revealed. For something a bit more wholesome, there are kids’ shows and pantomimes to wind down with.