Travelling around Europe with a child is very convenient — there are child-friendly hotels, discounts on travel, pram lifts on public transport and children's menus in every café... Children's entertainment is also perfect. There are even separate museums for children, and adult museums offer special tours and discounts.
Where is the greatest concentration of attractions for children? Kidpassage brings you the top 10 European cities that will captivate children at first sight.
Copenhagen, Denmark
It is the city where Hans Christian Andersen, the wonderful storyteller, lived, so everything around you could be a fairy tale.
Whether it's the changing of the guard at Amalienborg Palace, the waltzing elephants at the Zoo, the Guinness World Records collection, the Children's Museum at the National Gallery or the outfits from Granny's wardrobe at the Danish National Museum, everything seems like a miracle.
And isn't it a miracle that every park in the Danish capital has an unusually decorated playground?
Of course, a holiday with children in Copenhagen would only be complete with a visit to the Andersen Museum, the rides at Tivoli Park, a photo at the Little Mermaid monument and a visit to the world's largest Lego shop.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
At first glance, not the most 'child-friendly' city can make for a great family weekend. The main way to relax with children in Amsterdam is by walking.
Enjoy cycling through the streets with your family bike, taking a boat along the canals and walking through the parks with great playgrounds. Explore the Nemo Children's Science Museum halls, the lanes of Artis Zoo or the impenetrable forests of the Tropical Museum.
Stroll through the Van Gogh Museum or the Rembrandt House (and a children's quest map). Take a breath of fresh air in the Amsterdam Woods. And when you're tired, recharge your batteries at Hans Egstorf: Stroopwafels & Croissants.
Paris, France
Travelling to Paris with children is a great way to see the city beyond the romantic fog. The French capital is full of unusual attractions. There's the Museum of Magic, the Jardin d'Acclimatation zoo with no animals but cute rides, and the Aquaboulevard, where you swim rather than walk.
Natural History Museum & Zoo at the Jardin des Plantes has a massive central display of 7,000 animal models, bones and specimens – from giraffes and elephants to hippos and hyenas. Another way to experience the collections is in the Virtual Reality Cabinet, where children can interact with scientific concepts using tactile mats at five VR stations.
And surprisingly, in the middle of the capital is the Ferme de Paris, where children can see how vegetables grow, and cows graze.
A must-see in Paris is the Louvre, which offers special tours for children. And, of course, you can't miss a day at Disneyland, where children's dreams come true, even when they're grown up.
London, Great Britain
London has welcomed Harry Potter, Peter Pan, Paddington Bear, and other little visitors.
Taking the kids on a red double-decker bus tour of London is a good idea. Or, if you prefer, you can see the city from the cockpit of an amphibious vehicle that travels part of the way along the River Thames.
You can see the landmarks mentioned in the phrase 'London is the capital of Great Britain' that every schoolboy has memorised. From here, you have a wide choice — the British Museum (mummies) and the Natural History Museum (dinosaurs), the Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes museums, the Sea Life Aquarium and Madame Tussauds, the Science Museum, the London Eye, the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe and the world's largest toy shop, Hamleys.
If you walk in a London park, take nuts and bread so the children can feed the squirrels and swans.
Barcelona, Spain
The only non-metropolitan city on our list is Barcelona. Surprisingly, its attractions for adults are very much appreciated by children. We are talking about Antoni Gaudi's fantastic buildings — the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Park Guell, and Casa Batlló.
But there are also plenty of attractions for children: the Tibidabo amusement park, the CosmoCaixa museum for the curious, the zoo and the dolphinarium.
Barcelona's Montjuïc Hill is full of family-friendly places to visit. Start the day in the Spanish Village and head down to the Magic Fountain in the evening for a kaleidoscope of experiences.
Rome, Italy
Ancient Rome is the first thing that comes to mind when considering Italy's capital. There are indeed plenty of antiquities here, from the Colosseum to the catacombs.
Before you take the kids to see the Roman ruins, take them to the 3D Time Elevator, where the history of the Roman Empire comes to life. There's plenty to do and see on a Roman holiday with the kids.
Take them to the Sistine Chapel and the National Museum of Rome, teach them about science at the Explora interactive children's museum and entertain them at the family-friendly Cinecittà World theme park.
Relax in the parks or climb Janicul Hill and watch a puppet show in a tiny tent. And remember to try the famous Italian ice cream at one of the gelaterias.
Vienna, Austria
The Austrian capital has more activities for children than any other city. Many of these activities also involve learning new things.
Freedom of action + curiosity + play are the main principles of the Zoom children's museum and the children's section of Schönbrunn Palace, the House of Music and Das mini at the Technical Museum.
The amusement rides at Prater Park are fun, and the Vienna State Opera and Sacher cake shop are also worth a visit. Family holidays in Vienna are especially memorable during pre-Christmas when children can enjoy fairytale performances and warm gingerbread in the city's squares.
- Vienna for kids
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Berlin, Germany
Berlin is Vienna's main rival for the attention of young tourists. Many museums cater to children's curiosity.
The children's museums MACHmit! and Labirint, as well as the adult museums such as the Museum of Natural History, cater for them. The LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and the Ritter Sport chocolate shop offer the most colourful and exciting experiences.
Children can also have fun at the historic Berlin Zoo or Computer Games Museum.
If a holiday with children in Berlin promises to be long, we recommend the experimental Extavium museum in Potsdam or the huge Tropical Islands water park.
- Berlin for kids
- Top-Rated Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Berlin
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Prague, Czech Republic
The sights of the Czech capital are like an assortment of sweets: all different and impossible to refuse! The names of a few places will give you an idea of the best places to visit with children in Prague. Sea World, Papilonia and Lego Museum, Railway Kingdom, Dino Park, Majaland Praha amusement park — you'll never see a bored child here.
You can spend a whole day at the Prague Zoo, one of the best in Europe, or at the Technical Museum. You can also ride on the old trams, go to the aquapark or see a performance at the Puppet Theatre.
Children will love the majestic Dancing Fountains and the thrilling rides at Luna Park. To impress your teenager, take them to the Museum of Magicians and Alchemists.
Lisbon, Portugal
The main attractions for children in Lisbon are all in one — the Parque das Nações. Children will love wandering through the labyrinthine Oceanarium, where the warm seas meet the ice of Antarctica.
The Museum of Knowledge, an experimental museum for children, answers to their questions. Contemporary art, including graffiti, is also on display in the park.
A holiday with a child in Lisbon would not be complete without a trip over Europe's longest bridge, the Vasco da Gama Bridge, a cable car ride over the city, a walk along the River Tagus, a ride on the mountain tram, a ride in the spooky old Santa Justa lift and a trip around the world... on a giant map on Avenida Brasília.
Explore the world with your children and make the discoveries fun! And for more family-friendly destinations where kids are always welcome, check out our exclusive Kidpassage collection. Have a nice trip!
