shubha_r

Hi everyone,
Just came back from a fabulous Paris trip (without kids!!). Time to plan next year's trip

We have 2 kids, age 10 and 6. We would like to travel with them on our next special occasion trip.

Debating on few destinations.

Italy
Spain
London/Switzerland
Turkey

My kids have traveled on long flights and international before. They are pretty good little travelers !!

What are your thoughts? Planning a 10 day trip next summer. Any inputs greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Surfergirl

Italians love children and if the children are good with the heat in summer, that would make an ideal destination.

Alternatively, kids love London and love the alpine region of Switzerland, so if you want a slightly cooler destination, I would go for that.

My son -- whom we took to Italy at both 1 year old and 12; Switzerland at 5, and to London -- well he's been there 4 times, so many different ages -- loved each place for different reasons.

Either way you can't go wrong.

nytraveler

I would not do Spain in the summer - it's just too hot - for anyone.

Other than that any of your destinations would work.

mgboydcom

Spain was ranked first for family friendly holidays and I wrote about why barcelona is ideal here:
http://enjoy-apartments.com/blog/201...ndly-holidays/

There is also a link in the blog to a tips page on barcelona family travel which may be helpful when planning (even if you decide on somewhere else). While Spain can be hot in summer, Barcelona has beaches and cool breezes but can be sticky and humid.

Christina

I'd vote for any of the first 3, they can all be great, I agree. Now the weather is something I don't understand for summer for Spain in particular, and probably Italy. It can be 100 or more in lots of Spain in the summer, pretty sure.

I don't get the Turkey idea. I'm no Turkey expert, only been there once for a day, but that seems like a place that you need to be older to appreciate the culture and history of it. Of course, there are beach resorts in Turkey, if that was the idea.

kimhe

San Sebastián on the Atlantic coast of Spain would be a great option (pop 180 000). The cultural capital of Europe in 2016, Belle Epoque architecture, some of the finest city beaches on the continent and the culinary capital of Spain if not all of Europe.

Spain is very diverse both in geography, climate and culture, and San Sebastián has been a favourite summer destination for the French and Spanish for some two hundred years because of the cool summer climate, beautiful landscapes and the three fabulous city beaches.

I've lived here and visited for some 25 years. Children are everywhere at all hours and there are several playgrounds around the city center. Spain in general is extremely child friendly and San Sebastián is no exception. Several city parks (Urgull, Cristina Enea, Ulia, Miramar, Ayete) with possibilities for lots of activities, boat rides to the Santa Clara island in the La Concha bay in the middle of the city or along the coast to nearby France, or visit the old world fun-fair up at Monte Igueldo in the western end of the city. Taking the funicular to and from the fair is half the fun. http://www.monteigueldo.es/indexIN.html
And, of course, the city beaches (Ondarreta, La Concha and Zurriola). Swimming pools and kids activities at the Ondarreta beach.

A quite spectacular Aquarium down in the harbour: http://www.google.no/search?q=San+Se...w=1600&bih=719

Although you don't eat better anywhere in Spain (or in Europe), it's all very casual and affordable having the famous pintxos (Basque tapas) of all kinds. No problems with pizzas and hamburgers either, but I guess your kids will love the local stuff in food crazy San Sebastián.

Take the popular (especially with kids) Txu Txu train to get to know the city: http://www.txu-txu.com/pages/intro.html

The jazz festival in the end of July attracts top artists from all over the world to play all over San Sebastián. 2012 will be the 47th edition: http://www.heinekenjazzaldia.com/?language=eu

Lots of sports activities and events in the city; horseraces, regattas, pelota vasca etc. Real Sociedad from San Sebastián is one of the best soccer teams in Spain: http://www.spanishabroad.com/prog_te...seb_sports.htm

About San Sebastián, "A different kind of Spain": http://marshlands.blogstream.com/

San Sebastián in New York Times a couple of months ago: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/08/07...tin-spain.html

Promotional video for the 2016 European capital of culture candidature: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zTb...C05FF5C514DF62

shubha_r

Kimhe, are you their travel spokesperson ? wow, I admire all the detailed information, hope I can put it to use some day !

easytraveler

Depends on where you are coming from. You want to give them an experience different from at home.

kimhe

He-he, I know I'm quite enthusiastic, but it's based on a long and deep love affair with a fabulous city. San Sebastián - or Donostia as it is called in Basque - will also be the no. 1 city for lots of the Spanish themselves. Visited almost every year since 1987, and I studied and lived here for six months back in 1996.

And when it comes to food, Ferran Adrià - the world's most renowned chef for the past good ten years (El Bulli) - has suggested that San Sebastián is the best place to eat in the world "in terms of the average quality of the food, in terms of what you can get at any place you happen to walk into".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...rink.shopping2

BigRuss

If you go to Spain, stick to the east coast (Barcelona to Valencia) and/or the Basque country (Bilbao, San Sebastian, etc.) and avoid Andalusia and the south - too hot, tons of tourists, and really dry inland. Seville and Cordoba are worth seeing, so is Salamanca; all will enable you to fry an egg on the ground.

Italy is great because (1) it's hard to find a bad meal; (2) there's always something to do. But you need to plan the trip well or the kids will get sick and tired of art museums and churches.

London is great for kids, as is the UK in general. It's far easier to live inexpensively in London than in Switzerland.

Turkey will be the most foreign to them and likely to you. Consider reserving that destination for when the younger is approaching teendom.