How to travel Europe cheap with kids in 2023
Europe is safe, family-friendly and can be budget-friendly, and even cheap - if you know what to do. Throughout the summer, families strolling with gelato late into the evening happens everywhere, from Bulgaria to the UK. With so many cultures and experiences so close together, discovering Europe can be the ultimate family adventure. But families visiting from abroad can easily overpay for European holidays because they don’t understand critical differences about traveling in Europe. I can help you make your budget go further while having the best family summer trip ever. Here are my tips on how to travel Europe cheap with kids.
Timing: plan around European school holidays
European summer holidays tend to be shorter. More families travel than in the US, which means that prices jump dramatically when school is out-of-session. June is the best kept secret for travelling cheap in Europe with a family. While most of the US schools finish in late May, European countries tend to stay in school till July. But it’s worth checking the school term dates of the country you're planning to travel to and dates from surrounding countries.
June is the time to get a bargain on accomidation and flights. It’s already warm and delightful, but a fraction of the cost of August.
Public Transport: Trains, trams and buses
Trains, trams and buses are mainstream in Europe and are often the most efficient option when travelling between cities. Train stations are located centrally and can be beautiful, architectural, airy spaces created from Victorian era steel arched beams. Trains are affordable, run often and reliablly, especially on the Continent. And you don’t have to worry about lugging car seats.
Take an overnight train instead of a hotel - there are an increasing number of overnight train routes in Europe that are both entertaining for kids and save you a night in a hotel. If you buy tickets in advance, they can be affordable.
Interrail can be a good option but compare the prices for booking the tickets individually. Sometimes there are surcharges and extra complications that come with booking. Look out for rail cards in a single country, which can save you money on multiple trips.
Buses, trams and metros are very popular in cities and completely safe. Many now accept contactless payment rather than having to purchase separate cards. This is the most efficient way to travel around London, for example. Check the normal bus routes before booking a hop-on-hop-off tour bus because sometimes you can find a standard bus that takes a similar route. Often kids under 10 are not required to pay.
If you’re conversant on the local public transport, it opens up accommodation options too. In cities like Paris, if you’re prepared to take a 20 min metro, accommodation becomes much more affordable.
Booking.com is your friend - check hotel comparison sites that let you search for family rooms
I like the Booking.com platform because it gives a good overview of what is available in the local area with comparable pictures across hotels. Top tip: if you like pools, this is one of the best value hotels in the south of England. They have family rooms, spa amenities and a substantial breakfast.
Booking.com is one of my favourite ways to find accommodation in a location I don’t know well. You can filter for amenities like pools or air-conditioning, price and then look at map view. Map view lets me quickly see the accommodation that is directly on the beach or near a public transport line. They can offer some discounts if you log in.
I like the map view in Booking.com because I’m obsessed with staying near or on the water and in walkable locations, preferably near public transport. The Booking.com map view lets me easily compare hotels.
Even if you don’t book through Booking.com, it quickly gives you the temperature of the local prices and range of options. There are frequently apartments in addition to hotels. Make sure you check the reviews to be sure they have a solid track record. Not all accommodation is on Booking.com, so it’s worth looking at some of the budget hotel chains directly if you just need a quick night before a flight or train somewhere.
Slow travel
Slow down the pace and the space you cover. When planning a family trip booking accommodation for a week can often be the most budget friendly approach. This will also give you an opportunity to make deeper connections locally and learn more about the culture. Consider sticking to a specific region and booking accommodation near good public transport.
Especially when visiting an island like Mallorca, I like to stay for a week and only focus on the hyperlocal area. Taking hikes, bikes and boats to explore - chat to locals in restaurants and cafes. I find these the most relaxing trips, when we’re focused mostly on being in a location rather than ticking off things to see.
The budget EasyJet package holiday - best for getting good package deals
As a twenty something back-packer before having children, I dismissed package holidays as not counting as travel. Yes, for a drop and flop vacation, but not for “travel”. I didn’t understand the contraints parents face with time, budgets and low-level constant hassle. But package holidays can be the cheapest way for families to travel to far flung locations in Europe and northern Africa like Greece, Egypt or Moracco — especially if you’re flying in from the States.
Hostel and Guesthouses
While aimed mostly at young backpackers, don’t forget about hostels and guesthouses especially when traveling in a city. These are good options for a family traveling on a budget because there are often family rooms (triples and quads) available. They are basic, but private. They can be found with shared bathrooms or ensuits. They also usually have very affordable breakfast add-ons. And there are shared kitchens that you can use to make a meal.
Family rooms in hotels and Airbnbs
At the next price point up, while searching sites like booking.com you can search for the number of people and then select the number of rooms. The search helps you identify the hotels that offer family rooms. Sometimes there are pull out couches for the kids or bunkbeds.
Search directly on budget hotel chains sites like Ibis and Premiere Inn as they have family rooms that won’t appear on a wider search. For example, Premiere Inn is one of the best places to stay in London if you don’t want a luxury experience. They are cheap, clean, comfortable and in every part of the city. And they have family rooms.
Airbnbs can be fantastic and cheap options for families especially with more than two children, but read the fine print and be clear what the expectations are in specific countries. We’ve had so many great experiences, but also a bad experience with a host having expectations that we would wash and put away all the dishes and take out the trash - but not communicated this to us.
Book early or very late
Europeans have more holiday time, so they take a lot of holidays. Planning can happen as soon as flights are released. It’s worth looking into the release dates of budget carriers or the Eurostar if you’re planning a trip a year in advance. You might be able to get deals on hotels last minute, but if traveling with kids you likely want to lock-in your accommodation.
French 5-star camping/EuroCamps
If you’re a family on a budget, this is for you. French 5-star camping isn’t camping. It’s a resort with pools, resturants, bakeries and kids clubs, sometimes directly on the water. Instead of a hotel, they have static cabin/trailers. The cabins have basic beds, kitchens and decks with tables for outdoor eating. They are often amongst trees and spread out to give a bit of privacy. They can be priced between $500-$1000 for a week stay with a family. This is a bargain if you want to explore the local area. They are everywhere in France from Ile de Re to St Tropez.
Italian Agroturismo/Farm stays
In the Italian countryside, it’s popular to have farm villas that have been converted to accomidation. It may still be a working farm with some animals or olive oil production. There might be horseback riding or cooking classes. They come at all price points and can be rustic and very affordable or completely renovated.
Eastern vs. Western Europe/second cities and countryside
Big cities in Western Europe are always going to be the most expensive travel destinations for accommodation, food and attractions. Consider exploring further east to extend your budget especially cities like Trieste, Lubllian and Budapest. Think about alternatives even for classic beach and ski holidays. Croatia, Motenegro and Albania are all exquisite beach holidays while Poland and Bulgaria have ski resorts.
Get active: Ride your bike, kayak or climb a mountain
The most memorable family holidays we’ve taken are ones that include specific activities. We always remember cycling across the South of France or climbing a mountain on Skye. Learning new activities or improving on some can boost confidence and understand themselves as someone who can take on a challenge.
2nd and 3rd cities
Balance your trip with second/third cities. Instead of a week in London - consider balancing with 3 days in Bath or York. Rather than a week in Paris - consider balancing with Rouen or Lyon.
Skiing is much cheaper in Europe
France and Switzerland are the glamour places to ski in Europe, but they are much more set-up to accommodate families. Skiing is more mainstream so there are many budget options especially if you consider Italy, Austria or further east in Poland or Bulgaria.
Get out of the cites
Instead of entering your holiday in Florence - base yourself further outside in towns like Lucca and Assisi and concentrating a single day on Florence museums and sites. Your budget will go further and you’ll have insight into the culture of the region.
With kids, cities can feel like a concrete box full of the same historical sites interrupted with gelato stops. I would prioritise top sites in a day or two and spend the rest on a canal boat trip or cycling across an island.
Hostel and Guesthouses
The foundation of the backpacker experience is hostels and guesthouse. But they are great options for families on a budget to consider. There are often private rooms, sometimes with en-suites. Sometimes they are set up as a quad for four singles. Another plus is using the communal kitchen to make a meal or two. Yes, it might be louder than a hotel, but it can be a good value especially as an alternative in a city.
Free activities like festivals and walking tours
Cities tend to be briming with free festivals and activities especially in the school holiday season, so it’s worth looking up local publications that help flag and doing an on-line search before leaving home. For example, Paris sets up a beach across the city with all kinds of watersports and cool down areas in July and August. There are free things happening every day for kids of all ages and adults, but you need to know the timetable.
Eat out one meal a day
Aside from accommodation and transport, food costs can add up while traveling. Eating out can also become repetitive, time-consuming and be unhealthy in the long-term. I would recommend sitting down for one nice meal a day. I like to research ahead and find somewhere unique with a view or somewhere with fabulous flavours and quality. We like a hardy breakfast or a late lunch after a hike or bike.
Shop at markets and grocery stores
To keep it healthy we try to keep a supply of snacks on hand, go-to grocery store meals and keep a strong picnic game. Apples travel well, without bruising or mushing up in the bag and are hydrating. Dried fruit and nuts. If we’re stationary, we like the 5 pack or cinnamon raison bagels with crunchy peanut butter and a banana as a lunch or breakfast to-go. Or grab a bagette with brie, barbecue chicken and cucumber to cut up for a gourmet picnic under £10. We also like to do ramen if we have access to a kettle as a quick and satisfying late arrival dinner.
Connect with other families
When we ask our children about their favourite part of the trip, they inevitably tell us about meeting friends their age. Sometimes we visit our friends with kids, meet someone while traveling at a hotel or even connect with other travel families. Putting effort into connecting with kids in your desinination can be fun and budget effective. We connected with a travel family while traveling to Vienna recently through a travel FB group. It was one of the top favourites with skiing and the indoor waterslide. And it didn’t cost a cent.