Choosing the Best European Tour for Your Family

If you are seeking new family vacation ideas, and destinations that truly offer something for everyone, spectacular Europe will wow, thanks to its culturally diverse countries with distinctive sights and attractions, historical and artistic riches and cuisine. Connect with your loved ones, as well as with locals, learning what their daily lives are like.

Our land journeys and river cruises include the best European tours for families who love to explore and play together. They're an amazing way to travel, in a region that's magical for every generation. And so easy too! Just relax and focus on sharing the fun, whether cruising along onboard custom-designed riverboats or out discovering local towns and landmarks.

Tauck's Six Best European Tours For Families

Check out our top options for a range of interests. No matter which you choose, enjoy an all-inclusive itinerary led by expert Tour Directors, covering meals, hotels, transportation, transfers and excursions. Since we keep families in mind, these trips are scheduled to coincide with school holidays and summer vacations.

1. Best Tour For Families Who Make History

Perfect for those royal families who want to witness history firsthand––and make it themselves. On the 8-day Castles & Kings: London to Paris family tour, you'll see the most sought-after attractions of these two majestic cities. 

Have a noble time at Windsor Castle. Be awed by the Tower of London. Pedal a bike through the Royal Parks. Race a speedboat on the Thames, and catch a hit play in the West End. Get a bird's-eye view on a private London Eye capsule, and sneak a peek of the British Secret Service's former quarters. 

Cross under the English Channel to Paris, where you'll stroll through the opulent Palace of Versailles. Seek Louvre treasures on a scavenger hunt. Watch street artists create their masterpieces in Montmartre, and visit the Eiffel Tower!

2. Best Outdoor European Adventure Tour For Families

Looking for a family adventure vacation in Europe? If so, your best bet is our 8-day Alpine Adventure, a trek through the Swiss, Austrian and Bavarian Alps.

Cruise Switzerland's Lake Lucerne, and climb Mount Pilatus by the world's steepest cogwheel train. Take the Glacier Express to famous St. Moritz. Engadin Valley brings a cable car ride, glacier hiking, mountain biking, a cheesery visit and rock and rope climbing. 

In Austria, go whitewater rafting, swimming and down slides. Enjoy Innsbruck and a ski-jump demonstration and an after-hours visit to Ötzi-Dorf, an archaeological park about the era of "Ötzi," the mummified Neolithic "iceman." Enjoy a traditional Tyrolean evening of food, fun and games. And next stop: marvelous Munich.

3. Best Relaxing European Tour for Families

For 8 blissful days, drift away on a Rhône River cruise, and savor Paris too. Our Bon Voyage! France Family River Cruise promises a sweet escape during which you'll bond deeply with French culture and each other.

Enjoy a Scook cooking school class and a chocolate-making demonstration at Valrhona's Cité du Chocolat. Gape at gardians (Provençal cowboys) in action atop white steeds during an exclusive outing featuring a farm-fresh lunch at a family-owned ranch, where the Rhône meets the sea. 

In Paris, follow clues on an art treasure hunt inside the Louvre museum. Paint with chocolate in Arles, led by artist Mark Alsterlind. Bike outside the Avignon city walls, and cross Pont du Gard, a three-level, 164-foot "bridge."

4. Best Holiday Gift For Families

This heartwarming idea should make the top of your gift list: a European river cruise straight out of a fairytale. Both ashore and onboard the riverboat, all decked out for the holidays, your family will adore the 8-day Holiday Magic: Danube Family River Cruise.

Visit Vienna's sights, such as the Prater amusement park and its glittering Christmas market. Dress up for an evening at a private palace, with dinner plus a performance and waltzing lesson. Explore Budapest, Hungary, and sail to Bratislava, Slovakia.

Back in Austria, discover the Wachau Valley and Salzburg, and in Oberndorf, the birthplace and story behind the carol "Silent Night." Then on to Passau, Germany for a traditional sweets workshop at a local café popular for four generations.

5. Best Family Trip To Ireland

There's a saying that goes, "If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough." Whether or not your bloodline runs green, the 8-day Ireland Forever tour will surely have even honorary Irish eyes smiling. So, delve into this sensational destination via hands-on Emerald Isle fun.

Journey from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher. Travel by train and a World War II amphibious vehicle. Explore the story of the Titanic. Learn a bit of Irish step dancing. Go on a treasure hunt back in time, from the Viking age to the Middle Ages. Craft pottery, Celtic jewelry and a home-grown Irish dinner. 

6. Best Family Vacation In Italy

Over 8 glorious days, swoon to captivating Italy, where stories come to life and history weaves a magical thread that inspires every generation of your family. Select Italia Bella: Rome to Venice, and indulge in the most iconic and memorable experiences its popular cities have to offer.

Step back in time to ancient Rome, inside the Colosseum. During a guided, after-hours visit to the Vatican Museums, gaze up in awe at Michelangelo's frescoes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Go underground in Orvieto's hidden Etruscan caves. See famed masterpieces in Florence's Galleria dell'Accademia and Galleria degli Uffizi. Make your own authentic pizza. Strike a pose beside the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In Venice, stay at an award-winning hotel on a private island in the lagoon, and cruise past opulent palaces on the Grand Canal.

Believe the hype. The best European tours for families are remarkable and utterly unforgettable. Let us guide you to your perfect experience today.