How We Planned Our Epic 5-Week Family Tour of Europe (Without Losing Our Minds)

Looking back at our 34-day journey through Europe with two little kids, I’m honestly still amazed we pulled it off. What started as a simple plan for me and my oldest to cruise through Switzerland and Italy in a convertible turned into a full-scale family adventure when I got pregnant with my second son.

Those boys are 16 and 13 now, and we’ve been back to Europe several times since that first big trip. But that initial journey? It taught me everything about planning multi-week European adventures with kids. And yes, I made plenty of mistakes along the way.

When Dreams Meet Reality

My original plan was ridiculously simple. Fly to Switzerland in May, borrow my friend’s Mustang convertible, road trip down to Sicily with the girls. Easy, breezy, childless travel.

Then Ty arrived. Suddenly I was looking at October travel dates, two boys under three, no convertible, and a lot more logistics to figure out. My husband Mike would join us partway through, but the first two weeks? Just me and two toddlers hopping trains across Europe.

If that doesn’t force you to get organized, nothing will.

The Big Picture: Where We Actually Went

After weeks of reworking our itinerary (and probably driving my Italian friend crazy with constant updates), here’s what we settled on:

We started in Zurich, spent a week in Bern with friends, then trained to Bologna where my childhood friend picked us up. Her town of Ferrara became our home base for nearly two weeks. We squeezed in a day trip to San Marino, then the four of us (her daughter came along) road-tripped to Lake Bled in Slovenia and Rovinj in Croatia, with a lunch stop in Trieste on the way back.

Mike flew in mid-trip, and we all headed to Tuscany for a long weekend. Then we flew to Sicily, picked up a rental car in Palermo, and drove down to Sciacca to stay with high school friends. Our last stop was London before heading home.

Thirty-four days. Five countries. Two tiny humans. One occasionally frazzled mom.

Getting Your Planning Under Control

Here’s what saved me: a simple accordion folder with tons of pockets. Seriously, this became my bible.

I printed out a monthly calendar and wrote everything on it. Which country we’d be in on which day. When Mike was flying in. Confirmation numbers. Penciled-in day trips that got erased and rewritten about a million times. Having everything in one place where I could see the whole month at a glance made such a difference.

Yeah, I could’ve used my phone. But when you’re juggling two kids, train schedules, and trying to figure out if you can fit in that hill town day trip, there’s something about seeing it all laid out on paper that just works better. At least for me.

If you’re planning something this big, get yourself organized early. Post-it notes scattered around your house won’t cut it. Trust me on this one.

The Train Situation: Not As Complicated As You’d Think

We only needed trains from Bern to Bologna, so I skipped the whole Eurail pass thing and just booked direct tickets. I splurged for first-class seats for my oldest and me (babies under two go free on most European trains), and honestly? Worth every penny for the extra space and guaranteed seats.

Here’s what I learned: don’t automatically assume you need a multi-week rail pass. Sometimes a simple point-to-point ticket is way cheaper. In 2026, you can book most European train tickets through sites like Rail Europe or directly through the national rail systems. Book 90 days in advance when possible for the best prices.

The key is matching your ticket type to what you actually need. If you’re doing one or two train trips, buy individual tickets. If you’re planning to hop trains constantly across multiple countries, then yeah, look into a Eurail pass. There are even family discounts now where kids under 12 travel free with an adult pass holder.

Flying Budget Airlines: The Good, The Bad, The Reality

Let’s talk about RyanAir and all those other budget carriers. Are they perfect? No. Did they get us where we needed to go for a fraction of what regular airlines charge? Absolutely.

We used RyanAir for our Italy to Sicily and Sicily to London flights. Here’s the thing about budget airlines in Europe: they’re a means to an end. You’re not getting luxury travel, but you are getting €30 flights between countries.

In 2026, you’ve got more options than ever. RyanAir, EasyJet, Wizz Air, Vueling, Eurowings… they all operate similarly. Low base fares, then they charge you for literally everything else. Want to pick your seat? That costs extra. Need to check a bag? Extra. Want to bring a carry-on larger than a personal item? You guessed it.

Here’s my advice: when you’re comparing flights, look at the TOTAL cost, not just the headline price. Add up the base fare plus seat selection plus your baggage fees. Sometimes a traditional airline’s multi-city ticket ends up being the same price or even cheaper once you factor in all the add-ons.

Also, read the fine print on baggage size. Budget airlines will absolutely make you pay at the gate if your bag is even slightly too big. And those fees are brutal.

The Car Rental Learning Curve

We only needed a car in Sicily for six days. I did not want to drag car seats all over Europe (our friends had extras we could borrow), so we only rented at the very end of our trip.

I checked everywhere: Avis, Budget, Dollar, Auto Europe, even my Costco membership travel perks. Everything was either crazy expensive or I couldn’t figure out what transmission the car had.

This is where I have to confess something embarrassing: I can only drive automatic. In Europe, that’s a problem. Manual transmissions are still the default, and automatic cars can cost 50% more to rent.

If you can’t drive stick, book your automatic car as early as possible. Like, the second you know your travel dates. Automatic cars book up fast, especially during summer. The good news is that automatic availability has gotten much better in the past few years, but you still need to plan ahead.

I ended up finding a great deal through a consolidator site, and they even had car seats available for rent (for a fee, of course). Book through sites that let you filter specifically for automatic transmission and compare prices across multiple companies.

And look, I know everyone says “just learn to drive manual!” and they’re probably right. But when you’re planning a trip and don’t have time to learn a whole new skill, just book the automatic and add it to your budget from the start.

Where We Actually Stayed

The beauty of our trip was that most of our stops involved staying with friends. Switzerland, northern Italy, Sicily, London… we had couches and guest rooms waiting for us. This saved us thousands of dollars.

But we still needed hotels for Slovenia, Croatia, and Tuscany. My Italian friend handled the Slovenia and Croatia research (she was just as excited about the road trip as I was), and we found incredible two-bedroom apartments with full kitchens for under €130 per night. Since our two families split the cost, it was ridiculously affordable.

For Tuscany and any other places you’re booking independently, use sites like Expedia to compare hotel prices, vacation rentals, and apartments. In Europe, vacation rentals often give you way more space than hotels for the same price or less.

Pro tip: if you’re traveling with another family or in a group, apartments almost always make more sense than hotels. Full kitchen means you can do breakfast at home, everyone gets more space, and you’re not spending a fortune eating every single meal out.

Getting From the Airport to Actual Civilization

Our London arrival threw me for a loop. We flew RyanAir into London Stansted instead of Heathrow, and I had no idea where anything was. My friend mapped out two options: train to Liverpool Station then taxi (about £67 total), or a more complicated tube and bus combination that would save money but require way more juggling with two kids and luggage.

We took the train and taxi. Sometimes the easier route is worth the extra money, especially when you’re tired and just want to get to your friend’s house.

This is true for any European arrival. Yes, you can usually find a cheaper option involving multiple transit connections. But if the simpler route costs £20 more and saves you an hour of stress? Just do it. You’re on vacation, not running an endurance challenge.

What I’d Do Differently Now

After years of taking the boys back to Europe, here’s what I know now that I wish I’d known then:

Book accommodations earlier. We were fine staying with friends, but for the hotels, I definitely could’ve saved money by booking further in advance.

Don’t underestimate travel days. Getting from one place to another with kids takes longer than you think. We had a few days where we were basically just in transit, and those weren’t exactly the highlight memories.

Build in actual rest time. We were go-go-go the whole trip. Looking back, we should’ve had at least a few days where we just… existed. Kids need downtime too.

Consider getting a good travel planner to map everything out visually. I’ve created one now that I use for all our trips, and it makes the process so much smoother.

The Real Talk About Traveling Europe With Small Kids

Was it always easy? Absolutely not. There were meltdowns (theirs and mine), delayed trains, that time Mike got rerouted through Madrid and I sat at the Bologna airport for hours thinking he’d been kidnapped, and more than a few moments where I wondered what possessed me to think this was a good idea.

But would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

My boys don’t remember every detail of that trip. They were too young. But they grew up knowing that exploring the world was just something we did. That trip set the tone for everything that came after.

And honestly, some of my best memories are from the simplest moments. Doing dishes at my friend’s house in Italy while the kids played. Walking through small Croatian towns. Teaching Ty how to order gelato in Italian (he mostly just pointed and said “please”).

The big famous sites are great, but it’s the everyday stuff that sticks with you.

Important 2026 Update: What’s Changed Since Our Trip

If you’re planning a European trip for late 2026 or beyond, there’s one big change you need to know about: ETIAS.

Starting in the last quarter of 2026, Americans (and travelers from about 60 other countries) will need to apply for ETIAS before entering most European countries. It’s basically Europe’s version of the ESTA system we use for people coming to the US.

The application is online, costs about €20 (free for kids under 18 and adults over 70), and most get approved within minutes. You’ll need a valid passport, and once approved, your ETIAS is good for three years or until your passport expires.

It’s not a visa, just a pre-travel authorization. But you’ll want to apply at least a few weeks before your trip to avoid any last-minute stress.

Tools and Resources That Actually Help

If you’re planning a big European trip, here are some things that’ll make your life easier:

Use our weekend trip planner to organize your itinerary, even if you’re going for longer than a weekend. The structure works for any trip length.

Book tours through Viator or GetYourGuide for day trips. We didn’t do many organized tours on that first trip, but we do now, and they’re worth it for places where you really want local expertise.

Get your rental car through a consolidator that compares prices across companies. You’ll almost always get a better deal than booking directly.

If you’re doing a road trip portion, plan your routes in advance. European GPS is good, but having a backup paper map or downloaded maps never hurts.

Consider hiring a photographer for at least one family photo session. Looking back, I wish we’d done this. You’re always the one behind the camera, and it would’ve been nice to have professional shots of all of us together. (Save $20 when you use my link!)

Quick-Scan Planning Tips

Here’s the condensed version of what actually matters:

Get organized early with a physical planning folder and calendar. Digital is great, but paper lets you see everything at once.

Book trains and flights 2-3 months in advance when possible. Prices only go up as you get closer.

For budget airlines, calculate the REAL total cost including bags and seats. Don’t just look at the base fare.

If you need an automatic car, book it the second you know your dates. They sell out.

Stay in apartments instead of hotels when traveling with family or groups. More space, full kitchen, better value.

Choose the easier airport transfer option if it’s within your budget. The stress you save is worth more than the money.

Build in rest days. Travel days aren’t vacation days.

Stay with friends when possible. Not just for the cost savings, but for the real local experience you can’t get any other way.

Apply for ETIAS a few weeks before your late 2026/2027 trip. It’s €20, takes minutes, and you’ll need it.

Where We Go From Here

Planning a multi-week family trip through Europe sounds overwhelming. And yeah, there are a lot of moving pieces. But it’s absolutely doable, even with small kids.

Start simple. Figure out where you want to go and who you’re visiting. Build your itinerary around those anchor points. Then fill in the logistics: trains, flights, hotels, car rentals.

The actual trip will be different from what you planned. Trains will be delayed. Kids will have meltdowns at inconvenient times. You’ll discover amazing places you didn’t even know existed. And that’s all part of it.

Those 34 days changed how our family travels. We’ve been back to Europe multiple times since then, and we’re already planning our next trip. The boys are older now, which brings different challenges and different joys. But that first big adventure? It proved we could do it.

And if we can pull off five weeks across Europe with a three-year-old and a baby, you can absolutely plan your own European adventure.

Just buy that accordion folder first.