21 Days in Europe: A Step-by-Step Family Travel Guide

I can’t believe we’re back from our 3-week European adventure! This trip was years in the making, and as lifelong travel lovers, my husband and I were determined to make it happen—kids and all. Traveling with three little ones under eight isn’t easy, but it’s far from impossible. Thankfully, my mom, dad, and brother joined us, and their extra hands made all the difference.

Seeing Europe with my parents has always been a dream. Taking them out of their comfort zone to experience new cultures, cities, and adventures was priceless. At one point, my mom said, “No puedo creer que me iba a morir sin conocer estas partes del mundo.” There’s nothing I value more than spending my money on experiences—especially with the people I love most. Time is irreplaceable; money comes and goes. I knew I had to convince my parents to come along because tomorrow is never promised.

After countless hours of research, I created a 3-week itinerary that was exciting yet manageable—three days in each city to balance adventure with plenty of rest for both the kids and my parents. This trip was truly a dream come true, and I can’t wait to share all the details.

Now let’s get down to the details. After hours and hours of research I was able to compile a 3-week itinerary that wasn’t too hectic. I took into account my little ones and my parents, so staying in each city at least 3 days was crucial for them to take in enough rest. I also didn’t want to feel rushed when visiting a new city. The way I plan any trip is as follows: flight, Airbnb, trains (if traveling within cities), and then activities.

For this trip it went like this:

Going Flight: SFO to Madrid

Return Flight: Madrid to SFO

The cities we visited were Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Cinque Terre, Rome and then flew back to Madrid.

We booked our flights via Air Canada and here’s a tip if you want to save an extra $2500 or more on flights. This tip applies to families with kids under the age of 15. For 8 flights I paid $5,172.48 round trip SFO to Madrid. I didn’t choose seats because Air Canada will always sit families with kids together. I also didn’t check in any bags since we packed light and only took carry-ons. On the flight back they offered to check in our bags for free, so we saved money there too.

Now for the hotel situation, we always book Airbnb’s if when traveling with a larger group. I will be linking the Airbnbs below and giving them a sincere review. As far as costs, well it all depends on the days and times you book them. Airbnbs in the summer tend to be a little more expensive. But much more affordable than hotel rooms especially because in Europe since they are super strict about the number of occupants in each room. We had a little situation in Madrid when we checked into our hotel near the airport before heading back home. My husband and I decided to get 2 hotel rooms near the airport for the last two days of our trip. We wanted to be closer to the airport, and we also had points to cover the cost. This was just a terrible experience and I won’t name the hotel, but now I understand why people prefer booking Airbnb’s over hotels. We had to book an entire extra room because they didn’t let us have our 3 kids in the room with us because the max capacity was 3 people. They told us the kids needed a separate room and they would TRY to see if there was a connecting room so they could be close. Luckily they were able to find one, but I definitely don’t recommend hotels if you have a larger family especially in Europe where they have much more stricter policies.

Airbnbs

Madrid: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/48936177?source_impression_id=p3_1755097272_P3IK0Ao52Iwpj9UX

We stayed here 4 nights.

9/10 this place was in the perfect location but since it was close to all the hustle and bustle it was definitely not quiet at night. At night it would get loud and I had trouble sleeping but it could have also been the jet lag. Either way I recommend this place because the host was very accommodating and helpful. We also loved being able to walk everywhere.

Barcelona: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/46409985?source_impression_id=p3_1755097526_P3q3ZQkTKUGa27Z-

We stayed here 3 nights.

8/10 this place was also in such an amazing location and the views were absolutely breathtaking! The only reason why I rated it an 8 is because the washer broke the first day we were there and their internet was very spotty.

Milan: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1392120839449125537?source_impression_id=p3_1755098999_P3zifid7267edtmf

We stayed here 3 nights.

7/10 was also in such a great location. The reasons why I gave it a 7 out of 10 rating was because the elevator was super scary, it didn’t fit more than 4 people, the televisions were also not working, and the beds were super hard. It was also loud at night because of the trams that were across the street. They never stop running and it definitely got a little annoying at night when trying to sleep.

Cinque Terre, we stayed in Vernazza: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17027265?source_impression_id=p3_1755099209_P3Mk1pD-J5P3xJwb

We stayed here 3 nights

7/10 the apartment was in the heart of the town which most places are because its such a small town. The downside of this apartment was all the stairs. It had so many steps going up and once you arrive to the house you’re greeted with a steep staircase to get to the first level of the apartment. Then there’s another staircase to get to the kitchen and bathroom. It was so scary having the kids here because of all the stairs so I definitely don’t recommend it for families with young kids or elderly people.

Rome: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/916046679124039195?source_impression_id=p3_1755099472_P3E6DcR4uKklJMdo

We stayed here 5 nights.

10/10 this apartment was on a lovely street close to the Piazza del Popolo. It was walking distance to cafes, shops and restaurants. It was also very beautiful and updated. It also had a great washer and dryer where we were able to do laundry. I definitely recommend this apartment if you are planning a visit to Rome.

Madrid – The last two nights were spent in a hotel near airport but it was a terrible experience so I won’t name the business.

Traveling between cities.

From Madrid to Barcelona we took a train. The train systems can be a little bit confusing when booking online but I used https://www.omio.com and it was so helpful! I downloaded the app and had all our reservations in one place. It’s also helpful to book all train tickets ahead of time to get the best seats and rates.

From Barcelona to Milan we flew on Wizz Air. It was a short 1 hour and 30 minute flight but I prefer traveling by train versus plane within Europe. If you can try to book travel via trains. It so much easier and a lot more fun.

Milan to Cinque Terre we also took a train, it was a 4 hour ride with 3 transfers.

Cinque Terre to Rome was a 4 hour train ride with 2 transfers.

Rome to Madrid was a 2 hour and 30 minute flight via Wizz Air.

Activities

Now on to the activities portion of the trip. I used https://www.getyourguide.com and this app also has all your experiences in one area along either information and tickets. It was easy to stay organized. These are the experiences I booked in each city:

Barcelona

Barcelona: FC Barcelona Museum “Barça Immersive Tour”: https://www.getyourguide.com/barcelona-l45/barcelona-barca-immersive-exhibition-ticket-t449261

Barcelona: Park Güell: https://www.getyourguide.com/barcelona-l45/skip-the-line-park-guell-entrance-ticket-t53791

Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Entry Ticket with Audio Guide: https://www.getyourguide.com/barcelona-l45/sagrada-familia-skip-the-line-ticket-t50027

Milan

We booked tickets to the DUOMO but did it directly on their website. Here is the direct link: https://ticket.duomomilano.it/en/categoria/biglietti/

Cinque Terre the only thing we booked was the beach chairs in Monterosso which you can do online. Here is the direct link: https://www.maravelacinqueterre.com/en/alga-baths/#prenota_bagni

And for information on hiking trails and to learn more about Cinque Terre this site is a great resource: https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/monterosso

Rome

This is the city we had the most activities.

I received so many questions about how to see the Pope in Rome, and I will link the tickets below although there is a way to experience for free! I just figured it out after I had purchased the tickets with GetYourGuide. First you have to see the schedule for the papal audience its listed here: http://www.papalaudience.org/schedule

Papal General Audience : If you need less than 10 tickets you can normally pick up tickets without a reservation (subject to availability) from the Swiss Guards at the “Bronze Doors” located just after security in the colonnade of St. Peter’s Basilica.

With or without a reservation, tickets must be collected the day before the audience from 3pm until 7pm. Tickets can also be collected on the day of the audience from 7am until 8:30am.

Seating is always first come first serve so it is best to arrive early! We woke up at 5:30 am and were out the door by 6:10am. We walked and it was about a 30 minute walk from our Airbnb. General Audiences begin at 9:00am, however the Pope will tour through St. Peter’s Square at 8:45am so it is recommended to arrive by 8:30am latest. When entering St. Peter’s Square, everyone will be required to pass through security which includes metal detectors and x-ray machines.

Papal Audience with Reserved Access: https://www.getyourguide.com/rome-l33/rome-papal-audience-tour-with-reserved-access-t677029/

Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica skip the line tour: https://www.getyourguide.com/rome-l33/vatican-sistine-chapel-st-peter-s-skip-the-line-tour-t709427/

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Guided Tour: https://www.getyourguide.com/colosseum-l2619/colosseum-roman-forum-palatine-guided-tour-t195566/

Our 3-Week Family Europe Itinerary ✈️

A detailed guide with tips, reviews, and must-book activities

Overview

After years of dreaming and months of planning, we finally took a 3-week trip across Europe—with three kids under the age of 8, my husband, my parents, and my brother. It wasn’t always easy, but it was absolutely worth it. This itinerary is designed for families or groups who want to travel at a manageable pace without feeling rushed.

Trip Planning Process

When planning, I always follow this order:

Flights
Airbnb or Hotel
Trains (if traveling between cities)
Activities

For this trip:

Outbound: SFO → Madrid
Return: Madrid → SFO

Cities visited: Madrid → Barcelona → Milan → Cinque Terre → Rome → Madrid

Flight Tips 💡

We booked with Air Canada and saved over $2,500 by following this tip:

If your kids are under 15, don’t pre-select seats—Air Canada will seat families together.
We only packed carry-ons to avoid baggage fees. On the return flight, they offered to check bags for free.

Cost: $5,172.48 for 8 round-trip tickets (SFO–Madrid)

Where We Stayed 🏡

Why Airbnb Over Hotels?

Traveling with a large family in Europe can be tricky—hotels have strict occupancy limits. In Madrid, a hotel forced us to book an additional room because our three kids couldn’t stay with us. Since then, I’ve learned to stick to Airbnbs whenever possible.

Madrid

📍 Airbnb Listing

Stayed: 4 nights
Rating: ★★★★☆ (9/10)
Pros: Perfect location, walkable everywhere, accommodating host
Cons: Street noise at night

Barcelona

📍 Airbnb Listing

Stayed: 3 nights
Rating: ★★★★☆ (8/10)
Pros: Amazing location, breathtaking views
Cons: Broken washer, spotty internet

Milan

📍 Airbnb Listing

Stayed: 3 nights
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (7/10)
Pros: Central location
Cons: Tiny elevator, broken TVs, hard beds, noisy trams

Cinque Terre (Vernazza)

📍 Airbnb Listing

Stayed: 3 nights
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (7/10)
Pros: Heart of town, walkable to everything
Cons: Many steep stairs—unsafe for small kids or elderly guests

Rome

📍 Airbnb Listing

Stayed: 5 nights
Rating: ★★★★★ (10/10)
Pros: Beautiful, updated apartment near Piazza del Popolo, great washer/dryer, walkable to cafes and shops
Cons: None

Getting Around 🚆

Madrid → Barcelona: Train booked via Omio – book early for best rates.
Barcelona → Milan: Wizz Air (1h 30m flight) – trains are usually more relaxing.
Milan → Cinque Terre: Train (4 hrs, 3 transfers)
Cinque Terre → Rome: Train (4 hrs, 2 transfers)
Rome → Madrid: Wizz Air (2h 30m flight)

Activities by City 🎟️

I used GetYourGuide for most bookings—it keeps all tickets in one place.

Barcelona

Final Thoughts

This trip was the perfect blend of adventure and rest, and most importantly—it was shared with the people I love the most. With thoughtful planning, you can explore Europe with kids (and grandparents!) without feeling rushed.