Interesting question. I'll have to look at a Marriott map back soon.

Prague

Berlin

Amsterdam

Well Marriott don't have a map of their hotels on their website (maybe in a darkeded office back at the ranch) still two cities jump out of their list of cities, which is Prague and Budapest. You will get hoggins of history there with just about all the things you list. Good public transport, pretty natural scenary (esp Budapest), good food at sensible prices. I'd have serious surf on this site on those two cities to see what they have to offer.

Paris would be a good choice, and by train you could visit the medieval town of Chartres and its great Gothic cathedral.

Thank you for the input so far! Budapest looks beautiful. Sadly, I checked into its Marriotts and none of them can accommodate 3 guests per room.

We had considered Prague as well, but I had read warnings to the effect that it is more of a party city for twentysomethings...is there any truth in that?

No. Prague is for everyone. There is a healthy population of uni students here as many US schools have overseas campuses but the city absorbs it all well. The city itself is stunning.

The Cesky Krumlov area is beautiful and there are many wonderful day trips from Prague itself. The history here will be appealing to your son as well.

My first thought was the Berner Oberland in Switzerland for a portion of your trip. Direct flight to Zurich from Atlanta, then train to Lauterbrunnen, Interlaken, or Wengen(my favorite) But of course, no Marriotts.

The city that really jumps out when reading your "specs" is London. I know that they have Marriott properties but apparently you did not find them to meet your needs. It is true that there are airport taxes but we really didn't notice them in the overall scheme of things. London is a direct flight from the US east coast and the fares should be less than flying to eastern Europe which will offset the fees and taxes at LHR.

We absolutely love Paris and it, too, meets most of your requirements. I'm not sure about the Marriott points.

Ha, Scatcat - we actually had thought about going to the Berner Oberland this past summer before we switched to Munich! I have been to that region and love it, but we decided we wanted to visit somewhere new to all of us.

I hope I don't sound as though we plan vacations entirely around hotel points - it's just that using those for lodging frees up our budget for more adventures, side trips, unique experiences, etc.

bamafam-I totally understand your wanting to use your hotel points! In Switzerland it would be especially nice due to the high prices there.

I'll second Amsterdam. We stayed in a Marriott there using points and it was fabulous - right in the middle of things. You could venture out to Delft, Bruges, or other locales for day trips. Great public transportation as well.

You'd probably get a wider range of suggestions if you posted a list of cities where you know you can stay. I know that I am unwilling to look up that information. I don't feel like posting a list of good suggestions, only to be told there's no Marriott there. Begins to feel like a shooting gallery, with you shooting things down the guesses that pop up.

Good point, aguamineral. Likely cities would be;

Paris
Prague
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Berlin
Bologna
Amsterdam
Copenhagen
Stockholm
Lisbon
Lucca (smaller, I know, but a relative surprise on this list)

"Our son is an adventurous traveler and is very interested in history, particularly medieval history."

I would pick Bologna, but I would combine it with a trip to the Dolomiti. I am assuming you are going during your son's summer vacation, but I don't know how much time you have.

But a nice trip to take would be to go to Bologna and stay long enough to include Ferrara, Ravenna and Verona as day trips by train. All of them have extremely impressive sights that are unusually kid friendly and easy to see in day or less. You can bike ride through the highly atmospheric medieval streets of Ferrara with its gargantuan castle and Lucca-like walls, you can see the incredible Roman Arena in Verona (and it's picture perfect castle), and pique your son's curiosity about Byzantium with the colorful mosaics of Ravenna. A day trip to Florence and Venice are also possibilities from Bologna.

Then, to get to the Dolomiti, it is a not-long train ride up to Bolzano. He can see Ootsi and you can all have a spectacular Dolomiti high mountain vacation. People generally rent a car, but there are ways to do it with public transportation that will get you in a good position to take spectacular walks with unforgettable scenery.

I realize you won't be able to find a Marriott in the Dolomiti, but if you dig around, you can find lodgings priced to make it worth it for 3 nights or 4.

PS: If you go to Ravenna, take your son to see the flooded basement under the altar of the church of San Francesco. You pay a euro into a box near the altar, and it lights up a window where you can look down into the crypt and see a pool with a mosaic floor and fish swimming in it. Of all the mosaic sights in Ravenna, the very small but dazzling mausoleum of Galla Placida is the one not to miss, and the one a child might most easily relate to with its lambs and starry decor.

<< but I had read warnings to the effect that it is more of a party city for twentysomethings...is there any truth in that? >>

I've been to Prague twice as a mature adult and never saw the party scene. Any city is a party scene for 20 somethings.

On your first post you mentioned ruling out London partly because of the airport fees. Given that, I would seriously consider expensive cities such as Copenhagen and Stockholm.

Lisbon is very cheap and you have access to the beaches via public transport. IMHO Lisbon is a bit worn looking and not as pretty as other cities (I know I'll get bashed for saying this but I was greatly surprised on my first look at Lisbon).

Of the above list (have not been to all of the cities) I would choose Prague or Paris. Paris has the most incredibly diverse sightseeing, it's pretty, lots of green spaces for your child. You didn't say how long your vacation is but if a week I would choose Paris. I would be bored with Prague in a week.

When you get a short list please give addresses of the Marriott properties. Just because they have a city address doesn't mean they are central to sightseeing. You don't want to spend too much time each day going back and forth to the hotel. Nor should you limit your evening activities (cafes, people watching, etc.) because your hotel is too far from a cafe/main square.

For instance, I looked at Paris Marriotts and noticed that they are all over the place but all say Paris. I would not stay in La Defense (more business than tourist) or in St-Denis or Neuilly. Look at a map of the city and see where the hotels are located in terms of the sightseeing you'll do.

Amsterdam

Adrienne - Yes, our vacation will be about a week, probably in late May/early June. If we were to choose Prague, maybe we could split the time between it and one other city...two or three days might be enough for Prague.

Despite the high departure taxes,London is perfect for your family. Its got the history;shopping;food and fun along with a great base for day trips to everything from Stonehenge to Warwick Castle.You could either rent a car and do the countryside or do train/bus tours directly from London. You can find hotels that are reasonable in the city without worrying about Marriott points and a hotel that is out in the middle of nowhere.
My kids went to London at your child's age and loved it and this was before Harry Potter.There is so much in this city for all ages to enjoy and the public transport is amazing.
Paris would be another great choice as there is so much to see and do there for all ages.Their metro system is easy to use and gets you everywhere.Again you could do day trips out of Paris or even include a trip up to Mont St.Michel which is magical!
I love Rome and as a history major,can say it is one of my favorite cities in the world. Everyone loves this city and this would be a great city to take a child to at this age.Easy to walk,use public transport and the food is out of this world.

Personally,Prague wouldn't hold a child's interest like London or Paris.Budapest is a beautiful city but again I don't think that there is enough for your child's interest unless your child loves Cold War statue parks,prisons,etc.Copenhagen and Stockholm are ridiculously expensive to stay and eat in along with Switzerland. I say this as a mom whose son studied abroad in Prague and as one who works as an international flight attendant.I am a great believer when introducing kids to Europe and the world, is to take them to the great cities that have it all before going to small cities that might not hold their interests for long.

If you end up going to London,Paris or Rome there is a wonderful children series called "Kidding Around (insert the city) which is a guidebook geared to that age group so that they can feel like they know what they are seeing and doing without the an adult read or droning on. My kids loved them!

Start in London, take the chunnel to Paris, fly home from Paris.

I am not sure why you ruled out London. We stayed in London three years ago at Marriott's London County Hall and loved it. We used our miles and received five days for the cost (in Marriott points) of four. The property is next door to the aquarium and directly in front of the London Eye. There is so much history in or near London that I would have it at the top of my list.

Just a suggestion that if you know it's likely to be in the May/June period, and for around just a week, saying so sometime before the 20th post would help.

Since you've ruled out London due to the Airline Passenger Duty cost and Marriott scarcity, with just a week I'd shoot for Amsterdam. Schiphol is a huge Delta/KLM/SkyTeam hub, so your prospects of getting mileage tickets would be as good as any other destination, and maybe better. The city is easy to get around, and even if you had to stay at the airport (there's a Courtyard there) you could still be in the middle of things in no time. And if you wanted to spend a day or two in the country, driving around rural Holland is just about as easy as it gets, and everywhere is day-trip close; or the train station at Schiphol has frequent service to Delft, another great and historic city. Everybody speaks English, the country will be lush and full of flowers in May/June, and it's about the "softest" landing you can make on the continent in terms of disruption.

My second suggestion would still require you pay UK APD on leaving, but Edinburgh is a fabulous city for a family with your interests. Small and manageable, but full of interesting sights and places, walks, experiences. I believe there are 3 or 4 Marriott properties around Edinburgh.

Sorry for the oversight, gardyloo. I did not think the duration of the trip would sway the responses enough to be of concern. Thanks for the tips.

I second Edinburgh- fabulous place for small and grown kids!

My top 3 choices of your list: Paris, Paris, Paris.

Belgium! Visit the medieval cities of Bruges and Ghent, and in Brussels visit the museum at Porte de Hal (itself one of the ancient remnants of the city gates), to see suits of armour. Also visit the medieval castle just outside Brussels, Kasteel Gaasbeek:

http://www.kasteelvangaasbeek.be/kasteel.asp

and the 15th century castle at Beersel:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beersel_Castle

Both just south of Brussels.

Lavandula

What Jim_Tardio said. Fly into London, take the Eurostar under the Channel to Paris and fly home from there. You won't have to pay the UK departure taxes that way. Hopefully you will have at least 9 days.

And look at day trips from London and Paris. It's nice to get out of the city for a day or so. Hampton Court Palace with its maze would make a good excursion from London for your family. And somebody suggested Chartres. Another possibility from Paris is the medieval town of Provins, an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you want amazing, it's Paris. No question.
London is right up there, too! Lots for a family to do in a week in either city.

If you want medieval, Lucca could fill the bill. Daytrips can also be made from there to Florence, Pisa, and some charming little towns in and around Tuscany, via bus, train or car.

The only Marriott that I have used in Europe is the Amsterdam Marriott at Vondelpark. Quiet and comfortable, it's fairly close to the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum. It's very accessible by tram to the Centraal Station and the center of town, via Leidsestraat. Not sure Amsterdam would absorb an entire week of an 8-yr-old's attention. However, as illnative pointed out, daytrips can be made easily to other Dutch as well as Flemish destinations. You'd have to do some research to ensure the right lineup for you.

Best of luck! Have a great time!

I'm a big fan of Lisbon, which is perfect for a week, but my favorite city is London, and if you have the points for the Marriott County Hall I would absolutely stay there. (Got to do it once and the view is wonderful.)

If the departure tax is that big deal, you can finish in Paris or Amsterdam or Brussels by taking the train. (Yes, Brussels has a Marriott.)

"We had considered Prague as well, but I had read warnings to the effect that it is more of a party city for twentysomethings...is there any truth in that?"


Every big city is a party town if you're looking for a party.
Prague is gorgeous. Only choose a city based on the positives.

All cities have their negatives, it's big enough to have it all.

IMO Number one for your criteria would be London and #2 would be Edinburgh. (they'd be tied #1 for an 8 yo)

Even w/ the high airport taxes. In London 90% of the museums are free so the cost would more than recouped in entrance fees.

And w/ the 2for1 discounts at places like the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace you probably do London cheaper than some of the 'inexpensive' cities being discussed. And the County Hall Marriott is WONDERFUL w/ great views of the Thames/Eye/Big Ben

The problem w/ Edinburgh is the Marriott is not well located.

I also thought Belgium is a good idea. I stayed at the Brussels Marriott last year. The city is a great base for visiting so many other places.

Not sure if points can be used toward other Marriott brands, and I KNOW that this is not the safest of cities, but the Renaissance in Naples is in a pretty good location and the city is also a great base for visiting many sites that offer what you're looking for.

I've been to all the places on our list except Scotland and Berlin. What comes to my mind is Stockholm... I bet your son would love exploring the Vasa.... a ship that sunk in the harbor
350 years ago... brought up and restored and has it's own museum. (Plus... the other sights in the city.) You could split your time with Copenhagen. I bet your son would like Tivoli, too.

PS.. June is usually a good time to visit Scandinavia.

Thanks, all! Great feedback.

Austria! If you make your base Salzburg, theres tons of history and culture to be had, plus the natural beauty of the area is overwhelming!

Also, for your son who is interested in medieval history, Salzburg has The Hohensalzburg Fortress, the biggest and also best preserved medieval castle in Europe Perched high above the city, its loaded with history and the views are amazing

Thanks, ahiddenbird. We traveled to Salzburg when we were in Munich earlier this year, and Hohensalzburg Fortress was a highlight of the trip for all of us.

I admit it, I am a TRAVEL WHORE! I always try to find the best way of raping the Airlines and Hotels, etc. to get the most out of my hard earned miles and points. With that said, my choices would be....

Moscow/St. Petersburb (AMAZING CITIES) The Hotels are outrageously expensive, but I was able to use my Marriott points at each of them. I flew into Moscow and out of St. Petersburg, also using my points. This was end of August/Labor Day a few years ago. However, in my experience and having talked to others who have been to both cities...You love one and hate/don't like the other, and it was true for me. I LOVED MOSCOW!

Whirlwind Scandanavia Trip (Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki and Copenhagen) or any combination of each. Did this about 5 years ago and spent 5 days in each of the cities, using my Hilton points (Scandic Hotels). Loved Stockholm and Copenhagen, thought Oslo was BORING, but surrounding area was beautiful, and Tolerated Helsinki to the point that I left for two days and took the boat to Tallinn.

PARIS PARIS PARIS - What else can you say, most beautiful city on earth!

London - Love London! Go at least twice a year and do nothing, but the same old thing. Theatre, musuems, nightlife, rinse and repeat!

Finally, Marriott acquired these new trendy boutique-type hotels called AC. They are ALL over Spain and Italy and I think even Portugal. They are normally low tier level, meaning you could spend a number of nights in various cities for very few points. I would go back and do Andulucia over and over. Malaga, Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Cadiz, etc. Hell you could even do Madrid area and/or Barcelona!

Hope this helps and haven't read all of the previous posts, I know you have already ruled out some cities, areas, etc. (London). But good luck and enjoy!

Look at the interactive map of Delta and Skyteam and perhaps you will see where you want to go nonstop out of Atlanta?

Paris , and or Paris/London.
I have taken my kids to Europe, and both those cities fit your bill. The museums in London are great, your son will likely really enjoy the Natural History Museum, and right across the street is the Victoria and Albert Museum, both are excellant. The Tower of London with its included Beefeaters tour is fun and informative. And for an outside trip Warwick Castle is lots of fun, they have great jousting and catapault demostrations .

For Paris, well the Invalids War Museum ( there are ROOMS of armour , medival battle axes, spears, etc etc, , literally could spend hours just covering the medival stuff) this was both my sons favorite musuem in Paris.
Great daytrip, Provins, look it up, its a world heritage site, done up like a living museum inside the old walls, also , great shows, I saw the Birds of Prey show and really enjoyed it, its done outside, with real horses, camels etc..

Thanks to everyone for your help! After much debate, I think we're leaning toward Paris combined with a few days in Normandy. We may wait another year or two so that our son will be a little older and better able to appreciate the D-Day beaches and WWII history - for this coming summer, we will likely choose a destination other than Europe. But I've bookmarked this thread so that I can put all your advice to use when the time comes.