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Itineraries/Europe/Europe

30 Days in Europe

The once-in-a-lifetime European grand tour — London's museums, Paris at sunset, Swiss alpine railways, Venice's canals, Tuscan hilltop towns, the Amalfi Coast by boat, Athens' ancient ruins, a Greek island with water so clear it looks photoshopped, and Barcelona's Gaudí dreamscapes. Thirty nights across eight stops in six countries, connected by high-speed trains, ferries, and budget flights. The trip your kids will measure every future holiday against.

30 nights
Family of 4
~A$44,720
8 stops
London4n
Paris4n
Swiss Alps (Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen)3n
Venice3n
Florence & Tuscany3n
Amalfi Coast3n
Athens & Greek Islands5n
Barcelona5n
Start with this itinerarySwap hotels, adjust dates, change stops any time

Your stop-by-stop itinerary

8 stops across 30 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of Europe.

1

London

4 nights
Fly into London Heathrow (LHR) from Sydney via Singapore, Dubai, or Doha (22-24h total). Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line to central London (£13-25/adult, free under 11 with paying adult). Buy Oyster cards for Tube + buses (£2.80/ride, daily cap £8.10). Eurostar to Paris on departure day.

Highlights

  • British Museum — free, world-class, Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. Plan 2-3 hours minimum, kids'' trails available at information desk
  • Tower of London — Crown Jewels, Beefeater tours, 1,000 years of history (£33/adult, £16/child 5-15, book online for 10% off)
  • Natural History Museum — free, the blue whale skeleton, dinosaur gallery, earthquake simulator. South Kensington has 3 world-class free museums in a row
  • London Eye — 30-min rotation for panoramic city views (£32/adult, £27/child, book online to skip queues)
  • Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard — free, 11am Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun (check schedule). Get to the Victoria Memorial by 10:15 for a good view
  • South Bank walk — Thames riverside from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge via Shakespeare''s Globe, Tate Modern (free), Borough Market (street food £5-10/item)

Local tips

  • 💡London''s best museums are FREE — British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A, Tate Modern, National Gallery. Plan 1 free museum + 1 paid attraction per day to keep costs down.
  • 💡Buy a Family & Friends Railcard (£30/year) if you''ll take any trains in the UK — it gives 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off child fares, including to the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.
  • 💡Stay in South Kensington for museum access or Bloomsbury for British Museum + King''s Cross Eurostar access. Both are family-safe neighbourhoods with supermarkets for self-catering breakfasts.
Suggested stay: Family apartment in South Kensington, Bloomsbury, or Southwark
2

Paris

4 nights
Eurostar London St Pancras → Paris Gare du Nord (2h15, €80-140/adult, €50-90/child with advance booking). Paris Métro (€2.15/ride) or buy a carnet of 10 (€17.35). Walk everywhere in central Paris — it''s more compact than it looks.

Highlights

  • Eiffel Tower — book summit tickets 60 days ahead (€29.40/adult, €7.40/child 4-11). Sunset slot is magic. Picnic on the Champ de Mars after
  • Louvre — skip the Mona Lisa crush, head to Egyptian Antiquities and Medieval Moat (€22/adult, free under 18). Wednesday and Friday evenings open until 9pm with smaller crowds
  • Sacré-Cœur + Montmartre — funicular ride up, Place du Tertre artists, crêpe stands. Free entry to the basilica
  • Seine river cruise — Bateaux Mouches 1-hour loop (€16/adult, €7/child). Best at golden hour, no booking needed
  • Versailles day trip — RER C train (€4.55/pp), palace + gardens (€21.50/adult, free under 18). Go Tuesday-Saturday, skip Mondays (closed) and Sundays (packed)
  • Luxembourg Gardens — sailboat pond (€5 to rent a toy boat), puppet theatre, playground, best park in Paris for kids

Local tips

  • 💡Paris Museum Pass (€62/adult for 4 days) pays for itself if you do Louvre + Versailles + Orsay + Sainte-Chapelle. Under-18s are free at all national museums anyway — the pass is for adults only.
  • 💡Eat lunch as your main meal — most bistros offer a 2-course formule for €15-18 at lunch vs €30-40 for the same dinner. Boulangerie sandwich + Luxembourg Gardens picnic is the best budget family lunch in Paris.
  • 💡Take the Eurostar from London — it''s city-centre to city-centre in 2h15, no airport hassle, and kids love watching the Channel tunnel approach. Book 2-3 months ahead for the best fares.
Suggested stay: Family apartment in Le Marais or Saint-Germain
3

Swiss Alps (Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen)

3 nights
TGV Lyria Paris → Basel (3h, €50-90/adult), then Swiss train Basel → Interlaken (2h). Buy a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass (CHF 267/adult, kids under 16 free with Family Card) for unlimited trains, boats, and 50% off mountain railways.

Highlights

  • Jungfraujoch ''Top of Europe'' — cogwheel train to 3,454m, ice palace, snow park, Sphinx observation deck. The marquee Swiss Alps experience (CHF 247/return from Interlaken, 25% off with Swiss Travel Pass, kids free with Family Card)
  • Lauterbrunnen Valley — 72 waterfalls, Staubbach Falls visible from the village (free), Trümmelbach Falls inside the mountain (CHF 15/adult, CHF 6/child)
  • Grindelwald First — cliff walk, First Flyer zipline (CHF 33), First Glider eagle ride (CHF 33). Adventure playground in the clouds
  • Harder Kulm funicular — viewing platform between Lakes Thun and Brienz (CHF 18 return, 50% off with Swiss Travel Pass). Sunset views of Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau
  • Lake Brienz paddle steamer — free with Swiss Travel Pass, stop at Giessbach Falls (a waterfall you ride a funicular up beside)
  • Paragliding tandem over Interlaken — soar above the valley with a pilot (CHF 180/pp, age 5+ with some operators)

Local tips

  • 💡The Swiss Family Card is FREE and makes kids under 16 travel free on all Swiss transport when with a parent. Get it at any SBB counter on arrival — it saves thousands of francs across 3 days of mountain railways.
  • 💡Base in Lauterbrunnen, not Interlaken — it''s cheaper, quieter, and you wake up inside the valley of waterfalls. Train to Interlaken is 15 min. Grindelwald and Jungfraujoch trains depart from the valley.
  • 💡Switzerland is the most expensive stop on this trip. Self-cater breakfasts and lunches from Coop or Migros supermarkets (CHF 30-50 for a family) and save restaurant spend for one special mountain-hut dinner.
Suggested stay: Family chalet or guesthouse in Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken
4

Venice

3 nights
Train Interlaken → Milan → Venice (6-7h total with 1 change, €50-90/adult with advance booking). Venice Santa Lucia station is on the Grand Canal. Buy a 72h vaporetto pass (€40/adult, €29/child) for unlimited water bus travel.

Highlights

  • St Mark''s Basilica — gold mosaics, free entry to the ground floor, €5 for museum/balcony with piazza views. Go at 9am opening to avoid 2-hour afternoon queues
  • Doge''s Palace — Gothic architecture, Bridge of Sighs, Tintoretto''s Paradise ceiling (€30/adult, free under 6, €20 for 6-14). Combined ticket with Correr Museum
  • Grand Canal vaporetto ride — Line 1 is the slow all-stops route down the Grand Canal (covered by vaporetto pass). Best seats are at the front or back, standing
  • Murano glass-blowing demonstration — free at many workshops on Murano island (15 min vaporetto from Venice). Kids are mesmerised by the furnace work
  • Burano island — rainbow-coloured fishermen''s houses, handmade lace, the most photogenic island in the lagoon (30 min vaporetto from Venice)
  • Gondola ride — the classic Venice experience (€80 for 30 min, up to 6 passengers per gondola, no need to book — gondoliers wait at stands throughout the city)

Local tips

  • 💡Stay in Dorsoduro or Cannaregio, not near St Mark''s — they''re quieter, cheaper, and more authentic. Campo Santa Margherita in Dorsoduro has a playground, gelato shops, and family restaurants in a real Venetian square.
  • 💡Venice has no cars but lots of bridges with steps — if you have a stroller, it''s exhausting. Bring a carrier for toddlers or plan routes that minimise bridge crossings. The vaporetto is your friend.
  • 💡Book your apartment with a kitchen — eating out in Venice averages €80-120 for a family dinner. The Rialto Market sells fresh produce every morning, and pasta + sauce from the supermarket costs €5-8.
Suggested stay: Family apartment in Dorsoduro, Cannaregio, or near Campo Santa Margherita
5

Florence & Tuscany

3 nights
High-speed Frecciarossa train Venice → Florence (2h, €25-50/adult with advance booking). Florence is compact and walkable. Rent a car for 1 day if doing a Tuscan hill town day trip.

Highlights

  • Uffizi Gallery — Botticelli''s Birth of Venus, da Vinci, Raphael. Book timed entry 2+ weeks ahead (€20/adult, free under 18). Go early morning for smaller crowds
  • Duomo + Brunelleschi''s Dome climb — 463 steps to a panoramic Florence viewpoint. €30 combined ticket covers dome, baptistery, campanile, museum. Book timed dome entry online
  • Ponte Vecchio — medieval bridge lined with gold and jewellery shops, sunset views from the bridge or Piazzale Michelangelo above
  • Piazzale Michelangelo — hilltop terrace with the iconic Florence panorama (free). Walk up from the river or take bus 12/13. Best at sunset with gelato in hand
  • Tuscan cooking class — hands-on family class making fresh pasta and tiramisù (€70-90/adult, €40-60/child, 3-4 hours including lunch)
  • Day trip to San Gimignano or Siena — medieval towers, Palio horse race legacy, world-class gelato at Gelateria Dondoli. 1-1.5h drive from Florence

Local tips

  • 💡Book Uffizi and Duomo dome online 2+ weeks ahead — both use timed entry and sell out in peak season. Early morning slots (8:15-9am) are least crowded and leave the afternoon free for wandering.
  • 💡Florence has the best gelato in Italy — Vivoli (oldest gelateria), La Sorbettiera (best pistachio), and Gelateria dei Neri (local favourite). Budget €4-5/serving and eat it twice a day guilt-free.
  • 💡The Oltrarno neighbourhood (south of the river) is quieter, cheaper, and more authentic than the tourist centre. Artisan workshops, local trattorias, and the Boboli Gardens are all on this side.
Suggested stay: Family apartment near the Duomo or in Oltrarno
6

Amalfi Coast

3 nights
Train Florence → Naples (3h Frecciarossa, €30-60/adult), then Circumvesuviana train Naples → Sorrento (1h, €4/pp). SITA buses along the Amalfi Coast road (€2.40/ride). Ferry between Positano, Amalfi, and Capri (€15-20/pp).

Highlights

  • Pompeii — walk the streets of the Roman city buried by Vesuvius in 79 AD. Genuinely awe-inspiring for kids who''ve studied Romans (€18/adult, free under 18)
  • Positano — the vertical village of pastel houses cascading to a grey-sand beach. Walk the stepped streets, swim, eat seafood. The most photographed town on the coast
  • Amalfi town + Cathedral — the coast''s namesake town, Cathedral of St Andrew (€3), Paper Museum (€4.50). Less hectic than Positano
  • Capri day trip — Blue Grotto boat ride (€18/pp entry + €15 rowboat), chairlift to Monte Solaro (€12/pp one-way), Piazzetta people-watching. Fast ferry from Sorrento (€22/pp, 25 min)
  • Path of the Gods hike — 7.8 km cliff walk from Bomerano to Positano with 360° coastal views (free, moderate difficulty, 3-4 hours, age 8+)
  • Sorrento — gelato on the piazza, limoncello tasting (parents!), Marina Grande beach, pizza at the source (€8-12 for the best pizza in the world)

Local tips

  • 💡Base in Sorrento, not Positano — Sorrento is a real town with supermarkets, affordable restaurants, and flat streets for walking. Positano is beautiful but vertical, expensive, and exhausting with kids. Day-trip to Positano by ferry (€10/pp, 25 min).
  • 💡The Amalfi Coast road is terrifying by car — hairpin turns, no barriers, buses scraping past. Take the SITA bus or ferry between towns instead of driving. Locals never drive the coast road by choice.
  • 💡This is the trip''s beach-and-rest stop. Don''t over-schedule — plan 1 activity per day (Pompeii, Capri, or Path of the Gods) and leave afternoons free for swimming and gelato. The kids need the decompression by Day 20.
Suggested stay: Family apartment or B&B in Sorrento, Positano, or Amalfi town
7

Athens & Greek Islands

5 nights
Fly Naples → Athens (2h, €40-80/pp on Ryanair/Wizz). Athens Metro from airport to Syntagma (€9/pp, 40 min). Blue Star ferry Athens (Piraeus) → Naxos or Paros (4-5h, €35-50/pp, book online at ferries.gr). Fly out from Naxos/Paros → Athens → Sydney via hub.

Highlights

  • Acropolis + Parthenon — the defining ancient monument, views across Athens from the summit (€20/adult, free under 18). Go at 8am opening or after 5pm to avoid midday heat and crowds
  • Acropolis Museum — glass-floor views of ongoing excavations, Parthenon marbles, Caryatids (€15/adult, free under 18). Air-conditioned, excellent for hot afternoons
  • Plaka neighbourhood — oldest neighbourhood in Athens, tavernas, souvenir shops, ancient streets below the Acropolis. Family-friendly, walkable, gelato on every corner
  • Naxos beaches — Agios Prokopios and Plaka Beach are among the best in the Cyclades. Shallow, sandy, warm turquoise water. Free, with sunbed rental (€10-15/pair)
  • Naxos Portara — the massive marble doorway of an unfinished 6th-century BC temple on the harbour peninsula. Free, best at sunset
  • Temple of Poseidon at Sounion — day trip from Athens (1.5h), dramatic cliff-edge temple overlooking the Aegean (€10/adult, free under 18). Byron carved his name in the columns

Local tips

  • 💡Skip Santorini and Mykonos with kids — they''re overpriced, overcrowded, and not family-friendly. Naxos or Paros have better beaches, calmer atmosphere, and half the price. The ferry is the same from Piraeus.
  • 💡Athens in 2 nights is enough — Acropolis morning, museum afternoon, Plaka dinner. Then escape to the islands where the real relaxation happens. The kids will be tired by Stop 7 of the trip.
  • 💡Greek islands are the cheapest stop on this whole trip — family taverna dinners run €30-40, apartments are €80-130/night, and beach days are free. This is where the budget recovers from Switzerland and London.
Suggested stay: Family apartment in Plaka (Athens 2n) + family villa or hotel on Naxos or Paros (3n)
8

Barcelona

5 nights
Fly Athens → Barcelona (3h, €50-100/pp on budget carriers, book 4-6 weeks ahead). Metro from El Prat airport to city centre (€5.15/pp, 35 min). Barcelona Metro T-Casual pass (10 trips, €11.35). Fly out Barcelona → Sydney via hub on departure day.

Highlights

  • Sagrada Família — Gaudí''s unfinished masterpiece, still under construction since 1882. Book timed entry 3+ weeks ahead (€26/adult, €24/child 11-17, free under 11). Tower lift for city views (€36 with tower)
  • Park Güell — Gaudí''s mosaic-covered park overlooking the city. Timed entry to the monumental zone (€10/adult, €7/child 7-12, free under 7). Go early morning for photos without crowds
  • La Rambla + Boquería Market — Barcelona''s famous boulevard, street performers, and the Boquería food market (fresh fruit smoothies €3, jamón tastings, candy stalls kids love)
  • Barceloneta Beach — the city beach, 20 min walk from the Gothic Quarter. Free, sandy, lifeguards in summer. Seafood paella at beachfront chiringuitos (€15-20/pp)
  • Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic) — medieval lanes, Barcelona Cathedral, hidden plazas, street musicians. Free to wander, ice cream on every corner
  • Camp Nou stadium tour — FC Barcelona''s home ground, museum + pitch access (€28/adult, €22/child 4-10). Essential for football-mad families
  • Montjuïc — cable car (€13/pp one-way), castle, Joan Miró Foundation (€15/adult, free under 15), Magic Fountain light show (free, Thu-Sun evenings)

Local tips

  • 💡Book Sagrada Família online 3-4 weeks ahead — it sells out every day. The 9am slot is the quietest. The stained glass is most spectacular in the morning when eastern light floods through the warm-coloured windows.
  • 💡Five nights in Barcelona as the trip''s final stop is deliberate — the kids are tired after 25 days. Plan 2 Gaudí days, 1 beach day, 1 Gothic Quarter/shopping day, and 1 flex day. No rushing.
  • 💡Barcelona has the best-value family food in Western Europe — menu del día lunch specials are €12-15 for 3 courses. Tapas for dinner at €3-6 per plate means a family can eat well for €30-40. It''s the perfect final city after the budget hits of Switzerland and London.
Suggested stay: Family apartment in Eixample, Gràcia, or near Barceloneta beach

Good to know

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The ~A$44,720 estimate covers accommodation across all 8 stops. Flights, daily spending, activities, and transport are additional — use SaveToRoam’s savings planner to track it all.

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