Travel Around Europe

While our main focus is on Switzerland, we also explore hiking holidays, beach escapes, and city adventures across Europe.

Here you’ll find our experiences, tips, and guides from destinations like the Dolomites, the UK coast, Portugal, and beyond, perfect for planning your next active holiday.

Contents

Hiking holidays
Biking holidays
Beach holidays
City holidays

Hiking holidays

Lakes District UK • Family Hiking Trip

Trip report from our fall break hiking the "fells" in the Lakes District in northern England, with rugged but gorgeous scenery quite different from Switzerland. Here's our itinerary and trail maps if you want to follow in our footsteps.

Pembrokeshire Coast Path UK • Family Hiking Holiday

During spring break, our family walked on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in Wales, a very special experience that we all loved. We hiked seven days, about 12-20 km each day, staying overnight in villages along the way. Here are all the details including trail maps, lodgings, transport, etc.

Calanques in southern France • 3 Day Itinerary

Trip report from our spring break family holiday in the Calanques National Park in southern France, hiking along the coastline to rocky inlets surrounded by cliffs.

Spring break hiking trips around Europe

Since hiking season doesn't start in Switzerland until about mid-June, we often spend our spring breaks hiking elsewhere in Europe, often along coastlines. Here are some of our favorite spring hiking trips we've done as a family.

Dolomites – Best Hikes for Families in the Italian Alps

We love the unique character of the Dolomites (the Italian alps), so spiky and rocky, such a different feel from the Swiss alps. Here are our favorite family hikes in this area from our recent summer holiday.

Mont Blanc France • Tips for Family Hiking Holiday

Fiona from Mont Blanc Family Fun give us her top tips for a family holiday in the Chamonix and Mont Blanc region, including mountain viewpoints, family walks, playgrounds, lakes, and rainy day options.

Cornwall Coastal Path UK • Family Hiking Holiday

Four fantastic hikes suitable for families along the most spectacular sections of the Cornwall coastline, including trail maps and logistics.

Scottish Highlands with Kids

Our two week holiday in the Scottish Highlands, with lush landscapes, dramatic coastline, and relative isolation compared to more popular destinations. While many hikes in this area can be quite challenging, we found a good number of hikes suitable for families.

Biking holidays

Alsace Bike Tour through Charming French Villages

Leisurely bike tour through the Alsace wine region of France, passing through vineyards and adorable villages.

Netherlands: 11 Beautiful Bike Rides for Spring

Cycling routes from our family's spring break trip to the Netherlands, in which we rode bikes around tulip fields, along waterways with windmills and through coastal dunes.

Beach holidays

Cyprus beaches with kids

Cyprus was a great beach destination for our family. We especially loved rent a motor boat so we could explored the coastline and snorkel in quiet lagoons.

9 Best European Beach Destinations for Spring Break

After the long winter, our family is anxious for sun and sand. So we often spend spring break on European beaches, even if the temperatures are still cool for swimming. We always have a good time and love being on the beaches off season, away from the crowds.

Sardinia Beaches with Kids

After a long winter, we love visiting beaches during spring break so Sardinia was a perfect fit for our family. Even if the water is a bit chilly, we played in the sand, climbed on the rocky coastline and explored the headlands. It's nice to visit off season, when the beaches are deserted and full of possibility.

7 Best Beaches of the Algarve Portugal

Our favorite beaches and activities for families in the Algarve region of Portugal, including dramatic cliffs, hidden caves, and rolling sand dunes.

Corsica with Kids • Itinerary for Families

Trip report of our lovely family spring break in Corsica, with dreamy beaches and lots of nature to explore.

Corsica with Kids: Santa Giulia Beach

Popular beach on eastern coast of Corsica with white sand and shallow calm water, good for families. Nice long stroll around the bay.

City holidays

Favorite European Cities for Spring Break

See where we've traveled during spring break, from city tours to road trips to spring flower bonanzas.

Family Travel: Night Train to Berlin

While our night train to Berlin with the kids wasn't as romantic as seen in the movies, it was very convenient, an efficient use of time, and definitely more comfortable than a car or plane.

Berlin with Kids

Our trip to Berlin included important sightseeing but also lots of fun, including bike tours, lively food markets, and interactive museums.

10 Fun things to do in Barcelona with kids

What to do in Barcelona with kids including outdoor spaces, museums, tours, active excursions, and rainy day options.

Tuscany with Kids

How we made our tour of Tuscany hill towns fun for our kids including lots of parks, lots of gelato and a trip to the sea.

Paris with Kids

Our tips for enjoying Paris with children, including strategies for dealing with their short attention spans and limited mobility.