Travel can absolutely be wellness. You don’t even have to step into a spa or go on a fancy wellness retreat. For me, even a few days in a foreign country and soaking in the culture, food, art, and people is so refreshing and energizing. We’ve traveled mainly to Europe with our kids since they were little. I was born and raised in Amsterdam, so European culture is definitely in my blood and a part of my life story. It only made sense to introduce the family to it as well. Traveling Europe as a child is also quite different from going there as an adult with kids, so even more reason to make the trips. I always get asked about the best places to travel in Europe with kids, so you’ll find those below, along with some tips on what to pack and what to be prepared for!
What To Pack
Besides the obvious clothes and shoes, here’s my list of additional items to pack if you’re traveling to Europe with kids:
- For a two week trip, pack 8 outfits, find laundry service right before the end of the first week and then wash all clothes and wear again. Laundry service can be expensive, so be sure to research this beforehand and have a plan in place for when you’re dropping off clothes and when you’re picking them back up. Also pay attention to the weather, of course. The reason why I love this approach is because it significantly cuts down on the packing. Many people think that they can create a capsule travel wardrobe, but what they may not realize is that in cities such as Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, coastal Italy and France, Barcelona, and others, you’re completely sweating through an outfit a day in the summer. All good if you’re ok with wearing sweaty clothes, of course.
- Two pairs of comfy shoes. I love one main pair and then I like having a second pair of fancy sneakers / something that can be worn at night and at nicer dinners. If you’re doing fancy dinners, you’ll need an additional pair of fancy shoes as well.
- A light jacket or cardigan. Yes, in summer. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve needed that when eating dinner near the water at night. I love these easy-to-pack cotton cardigan sweaters for this purpose.
- The BEST boys polo shirts – I stock up on these when they go on sale. They’re lightweight, easy to pack, and hard to wrinkle. You can absolutely put your kids in t-shirts and shorts, but I love the slightly elevated look on them.
- Workout clothes, if you’re planning to work out, go on hikes, or do anything sweaty outside. I love these bamboo lightweight UPF 20+ shirts for a casual hike or boat time. I would bring an extra pair of running / workout shoes as well, depending on what your plans are.
- Swim clothes + flip flops + sunscreen for any boating, swimming, or beach time. Also don’t forget the hats!
- Supplements, medicine, and a mini first-aid kit. Here are some items that go in mine. The nasal decongestant and any pain relievers / motion sickness medicine are packed in my carry-on bag (more on this below). I love the Genexa brand for a cleaner alternative to children’s’ medicine.
- Make-up and cosmetics – You’ll find some of my favorite clean make-up brands here. I also love shopping the travel size cosmetics section in Whole Foods for cleaner travel size shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste.
What To Add to Your Carry-On
I always make our boys carry their own backpacks and navigate the airports by themselves. Great life skill! Here’s what goes into their backpacks:
- Honest Fragrance Free Sanitizing Alcohol wipes – A great addition to hand sanitizer because you can wipe down seat table on the plane with these and sanitize anything in your hotel room as well.
- An extra pair of underwear, pants, and a t-shirt. Since my boys are close to the same age and size, I have one of them carry this in their backpack. You never know when you need a full change of clothes while in transit. Nausea that lead to vomiting on a Jet Blue flight? Been there!
- Tissues, hand sanitizer, and a mask. Call it 2020 trauma, but I like to be prepared.
- Books and some worksheets. Yes, I am that mom. For long-haul flights, I give the boys plenty of movie time, but I also think it’s healthy to take break from screens. I love printing out worksheets from education.com. You can sign up for about $15 / month and can always cancel if you’re not using these post-trip.
- The best child-friendly neck pillows.
- Snacks – Why pay extra at the airport for unhealthy snacks? Find some of my favorites here.
So after a good five years of summer travel, here are the best places to travel in Europe with kids:
Where To Travel in Europe With Kids
Paris – A family favorite. We’ve been three times with the kids alone. Recommendations for Paris:
- A boat ride along the Seine. You’ll need tickets ahead of time. It’s gorgeous. Soak it all in.
- Eiffel Tower Tour to the top. Purchase tickets well ahead of time (before you leave for your trip ideally). I also love a picking up some charcuterie and enjoying a picnic with a prime Eiffel Tower view at Champs de Mars. The first year we visited with the kids, we got to the hotel, I got them showered, rested for about an hour, and then we walked three miles to make this happen. It’s an afternoon I’ll never forget.
- The Louvre Museum – we splurged on a private tour with a scavenger hunt for the kids through Bell Adams travel. Well worth it, but if you’re not looking to spend a ton of money, purchasing your tour and tickets ahead of time will help. The Louvre is the busiest museum in the world, so don’t expect to see everything. Do your research ahead of time and be prepared for long lines.
- Rue Cler – One of the best market streets in Paris. Worth a stroll for cozy pastry shops, cafes, specialty food stores, and more.
- Arc de Triomphe – You can knock this one out in a few hours. We usually stay at Hotel Napoleon nearby. This is also near Champs Elyseés, which is great for high-end shopping if you’re into that.
- Family photos – My absolute favorite photographers is the couple that runs L’Amour de Paris. You have to check out their site. They’re incredible and we have the most beautiful pictures in our home from our photoshoot with them.
- Stohrer – The oldest patisserie in Paris. Grab a few pastries (you’ll want the eclairs for sure) and eat them while sitting outside in the café across the street (great coffee!).
- Boulangerie Liberte: Small bakery with the best croissant, not a lot of seating, though – cutest little street too!
- Brasserie La Lorraine – Amazing bistro if you enjoy seafood. Get the sole merrieur and hot grand marrier soufflé. We have a photo of this hanging on our wall, it’s that good.
Barcelona – Very kid friendly as well, with quite a bit of walking required, so make sure you bring those walking shoes! Here’s what I recommend doing:
- A visit to the Sagrada Familia, of course. You’ll need to purchase tickets well in advance because this sells out quickly. It is the most beautiful church I’ve ever seen and a must-see in Barcelona. We booked a private tour through our travel agent and it was well worth it.
- If you’re here for tapas, a visit to @gatsbarcelona is fantastic, both for the food and the atmosphere.
- Tapeo was our favorite restaurant – we loved it so much, we went twice. The seafood is fantastic.
- Park Guell is amazing for the art and scenery, definitely a must-visit.
- A boat ride is also a must. We booked a private boat and had a mini-charcuterie plate while looking out at the city from the ocean. It was breathtaking.
Amsterdam – I will keep this one short because Amsterdam is my birth city and hometown! It really requires an entire post by itself. So much to do and see and very nostalgic for me. Here’s what I recommend doing:
- The Anne Frank museum, if your kids are old enough. There’s really nothing like it and puts me in tears every time I visit.
- Dam Square is worth a stroll – very fun and picturesque. We stayed at hotel Twenty Seven when we were there and though it’s very pricey, it was a one-of-kind place that the boys still talk about to this date.
- A canal cruise is also a must, whether it’s just for an hour or longer. You’ll love it.
- My favorite museums are the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museums. I’ve spent many field trips and hours there as a child and you can’t go wrong if you’re into art and mind blowing paintings.
- If you’re looking to venture outside of Amsterdam, Keukenhof is beautiful as well as Volendam, where you can explore windmills and beautiful scenery.
- Now, here’s my native insider’s list of things to eat (and ask for at restaurants): Stroopwafels (you can even take a cooking class and learn how to make these!), poffertjes (mini pancakes), flensjes (similar to a French crêpe, but even better!), Dutch coffee, Dutch and Belgian fries with mayo and peanut sauce (trust me on this one), Tompouce (the most divine pastry), and basically anything at the Indonesian and Surinamese restaurants. You really can’t go wrong.
- More foodie picks:
@ciel_bleu_restaurant – very fancy / Michelin ⭐️ (not recommended if you don’t have adventurous eaters)
@fulumandarijnamsterdam – 🌶️ Sichuan food
@proeflokaalarendsnest – draft beer + cheese (go with the “belegen” kaas)
@hansegstorf – warm & fresh stroopwafels. They’ll make these in front of you and they’re divine.
Over the years, we’ve traveled to Athens, Greece, Santorini, Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi, London, Hamburg, Cannes, and Monaco as well – all the with the kids. Which city would you like to hear about next? What travel tips did you find most useful? Leave me a comment to let me know!
