When planning a family vacation, there are a number of considerations. The destination and its suitability for children, including entertainment and educational activities, as well as transportation and dining facilities. The suggestions below are mainly timed alongside the school holiday periods.
1. Enjoy winter during the semester break!
For the winter semester break, consider areas that stand out with winter sports – you’ll have so much fun with your children! Just a short flight from Türkiye, Switzerland, Italy, France and Austria, surrounded by the Alps, are excellent destinations for ski vacations. The facilities and services provided at the fully equipped ski centers in Switzerland’s St. Moritz, Zermatt, Davos, Laax and Mürren will make both you and your children happy. French ski resorts in Courchevel, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Tignes, Les Deux Alpes and Megève are equally comprehensive, as are the Austrian ski resorts in Tyrol, Salzburg, Lech and Innsbruck. In addition, Bulgaria’s Bansko is well known for skiing, as are Türkiye’s own Uludağ and Kartalkaya ski resorts. For more details on these last two, please see Türkiye’s ski resorts. And you can get more information about the best ski resorts in Europe here.
2. Enjoy springtime during the mid-term break!
Mid-term breaks in Türkiye arrive with the springtime, offering families a range of enjoyable options for both fun and learning. Cities like London, Paris, Stockholm and Istanbul have amazing museums, along with special events that may interest your kids. Consider, also, visiting spots that are important to your children: libraries, technology stores, or even the locations of scenes from their favorite movies! Theme parks are also great fun – Rust in Germany and Billund in Denmark are both fantastic outdoor theme parks with lots of opportunity for adventure!
3. Wait for summer and enjoy a longer vacation!
When the school year concludes, the summer break begins. The break period is usually around 11 weeks, which – in theory – gives you enough time to explore the world. Of course, parents may not have the same latitude to take time off, but our suggestions can also apply for shorter getaways.
Sea, sand and sun are highly desirable for the ideal summer break. Countries such as Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Tunisia and Türkiye grant visa-free access to citizens of most of the countries and have excellent beaches. Check out our Summer category to discover Türkiye’s best places for sea, sand and sun. Buy a ticket to Tirana, in Albania, and enjoy a seaside holiday in Ksamil, Vlorë, Dhërmi, Orikum or Sarandë. Or fly to Podgorica, Montenegro, and head to Budva, Kotor or Ulcinj in Ohrid and Struga, reachable from Skopje, are two of Macedonia’s most popular holiday destinations.
4. Celebrate the new year in a place that reflects the New Year spirit!
Trees draped with colorful lights, New Year’s markets redolent with the scent of cinnamon and gingerbread…the celebratory spirit of New Year’s Eve will appeal to your entire family. Even better, you can experience this atmosphere in a city that is relatively close – via a flight of about three or four hours. In cities such as Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Prague and Strasbourg, your children can meet Santa Claus or attend local, kid-friendly events at the New Year’s Markets while you browse stalls for handcrafted items and local products. For more information, see the Best places to spend New Year’s Eve in Europe.
