Published 28th Jun. 2021
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Elsewhere in our blog we've talked about Travelling with Teenagers, given Teen to Teen Advice as well as Parental Advice on family holidays all around the far flung corners of our glorious globe. Now that every hidden nook and secret cranny is now in play with teens in tow, let's not forget and neglect our own magnificent continent. Europe equals villa holidays, skiing, city breaks and more, all easily accessible and ready and waiting to fuel their passion for travel. Here are some of our quirkier recommendations for the best European city breaks with teenagers...
Avoid the crowds on route to Iceland's epic 'golden triangle' of huge waterfalls, rift valleys and spouting geysers on a guided family tour in two-seater ATV buggies. You won't see tarmac all day, instead buzzing along off-road tracks.
Home to arguably Europe's finest cuisine and a perfect city beach surf break, San Sebastian should appeal to teen devotees of Deliciously Ella and surf champ Mick Fanning fans alike. We'll arrange cooking classes and/or surf lessons with the best local instructors.
Teens are as partial to a bit of 'braggability' as the rest of us, so they'll love walking through (and social media-ing about) Vikos Gorge - the world's deepest - in Greece's Zagori region. Throw in a visit to the hanging monasteries of Meteora for an educational angle as well, making this one of the best European city breaks with teenagers.
Argentous is a magnificent 65ft yacht that plies the waters of the Ionian Sea every summer. On a private charter Mum and Dad will relish sipping G&T's at sunset while teenagers will fall hard for the contents of the 'garage', namely wakeboards, waterskis, rubber rings and paddle boards.
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
With four teenagers in or entering sixth form, my family have noticed firsthand that A Level study demands not just recall but interpretation. The jump from GCSE to A Level is substantial; essays are longer, critical thinking matters much more and independent evaluation is rewarded. Several experts suggest that examiners across AQA, Edexcel and OCR consistently reward students who demonstrate awareness of competing perspectives, real-world examples and a confident grasp of context.
26th March 2026 - Family Travel
With four teenagers currently moving through the GCSE and A Level years in our household, we have become mildly obsessed with the idea of the ‘incremental gain’. Not in a hot-housing sense. More in the way that any decent sports coach knows that small, cumulative advantages often show up where it matters – in the final scoreline. Because one thing becomes very clear very quickly when you have children doing GCSEs and A Levels across AQA, Edexcel and OCR:
24th March 2026 - Family Travel
It’s no secret that we’re strong advocates of a family sabbatical, so amid the downpours of February, we were delighted to host an event at the Royal Academy discussing just that. Bringing together Thomasina Miers of Wahaca, Walter Kerr of Oppidan Education and, of course, our very own Tom Barber, the event opened the floor for a practical and frank conversation about the best way to take a sabbatical with your children.
26th February 2026 - Family Travel
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