We’ve put together this list of some of the best attractions and best places in Europe to take teenagers to give you a helping hand in planning your next holiday.
Places in Europe to Take Teenagers
Going abroad with teenagers can be a great time for you to get to know more about your teenaged kids and their interests and passions. But how do you keep teenagers busy and happy while catering to the sightseeing needs of the whole family in Europe, including yourself? Let’s have a look at these best places in Europe for teenagers!
1. World-class Tennis, Cycling and Football in Paris, France
If your teenage offspring are more of the sporty type then there are plenty of sporting events in the city of Paris to keep them occupied while you go sightseeing. On many occasions, the ATP World Tour of masters tennis takes place in Paris. You can see the contemporary heroes of tennis (think Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal) square off against each other in this high-stakes tournament.
The Tour de France is always a fan favourite for teenagers and their parents. Plan your vacation accordingly in order to give your teens a chance to watch the finish of this historic cycling tournament at the Champs-Élysées. If you want to get involved yourself then it’s easy to rent a bike in Paris and take advantage of the many pleasant cycling routes.
If your family are fans of European football (soccer) then you can’t do better than watching home team Paris St Germain face off against the best football teams when they compete in the Ligue 1, the top division of French football. You will have to hurry if you want tickets to their game!
2. Tate Modern Gallery, London, England
Set in a commanding sugar factory building overlooking the river Thames, the Tate Modern gallery is a mecca for art lovers the world over. The gallery is extremely friendly to families with an accessible ethos and layout. Guides to the permanent art collections are always available and exhibitions tend to run with a great deal of published educational material.
If you have a teenage art student in your family then you simply have to take them here for a little inspiration and research. Later on you can continue to stroll along the bank side where you will encounter several of London’s most important arts institutions such Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the National Theatre, the Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, and the British Film Institute, as well as the Royal Opera House.
You could easily spend a couple of days just exploring the South Bank area which is always alive with food markets and street performers. The South Bank is located a short walk from London hotels and Waterloo station.
3. Parliamentarium, Brussels, Belgium
If you have politics or law buffs in your family then you simply have to take them to the Parliamentarium exhibit while you are in Brussels. The museum is full of exciting interactive exhibits which chart the course of European history up to the formation of the European Union. When you’re done you can delve further into the past by visiting the Grand Palace, which is set in one of the city’s most historic mediaeval squares.
You might be surprised at how much your teens already know or how curious they are–no matter how cynical and grown up they might pretend to be. We hope you enjoy these ideas and that visiting one or two of these best places in Europe will provide a great chance to bond with your teenagers over new experiences.
This article was written by Susan Varano, a freelance writer specialising in travel. Susan is well travelled and has reported on destinations from all around the world.
The photos are beautiful! In 2012, to celebrate our 10th anniversary, my husband and I spent 8 days in Paris and were there for the final day of the Tour de France. It was amazing! The sound and the speed of those bicycles is unreal! Maybe next time we’ll take the kids…..!
Paris is well worth a visit just to see the architecture but there again that applies to London/England too. In fact I believe that all you need to do to keep a teenager occupied and interested is visit London – absolutely everything is there and you’d need at least a week just to see some of the attractions. London would be my choice for a teenager.
I laughed at the statement, “No matter how cynical and grown up they might pretend to be,” but definitely agree with it. Who can maintain that facade when in Europe?
Thanks for the great advise, and the photos are great. I’d definitely keep this in mind for our next big family trip. 🙂
These are great choices! My girls would enjoy visiting all of these places!
The Parliamentarium looks awesome! Las Ramblas in Barcelona would probably be fun for teens as well. I really liked it at 28! 🙂
Thanks for the great advise.
My sister will be travelling to Europe on March break she has 4 teens,13/14/16/18 so I told her about the places you mentioned
My sister did get to visit some of the places you mentioned,they had a lovely trip.
Your photos are all beautiful
I’ve never been to Europe but I wish I could go because it’s on my bucket list
Hope to be able to take my kids to Europe when they are teens. Thanks for these suggestions.
I would love to visit these amazing places with my family