5 European Trips To Keep Your Teens Off Their Phones

4 min read

There was a time when travelling with my kids was lovely. Sure, I had to carry snacks like a pack mule and referee a few tantrums in airport security lines, but still—manageable. Back then, our summer holidays were the holy trinity of family travel: beach, mountains, or a good old art city with a hotel breakfast buffet that offered Nutella packets.

Fast-forward to today: my children are now teenagers. One is permanently fused to her phone, the other behaves like any suggestion I make is a personal attack.

Then I realised that it’s not that they don’t want to go on holiday—it’s that they want to curate one. A trip that fits their mood, matches their outfit, and is, above all, “Instagrammable.” – I’m not a travel agent, darling, I’m your mother. But fine, challenge accepted.

So I did something radical. I’ve started to plan trips that they wouldn’t just tolerate—but actually enjoy. Here are the 5 European cities that would get teens off their phones (mostly).

The Best European Trips For Teenagers

Traveling with teens can be a challenge sometimes, but it gets a lot better when you visit places that actually interest them. The key is finding cities with fun activities, cool sights, and plenty to explore—things that get them off their phones and into the moment.

These cities are great for families because they offer something for everyone, making it easier to enjoy the trip together.

Iceland: Nature Too Big to Scroll Past

Iceland was the first place that made my daughter put her phone down voluntarily. We stood in front of Gullfoss waterfall, and for once, she wasn’t taking a selfie. She just stared. “It doesn’t even look real,” she whispered. Exactly.

We climbed glaciers, soaked in hot springs, and my son even thanked me for taking him snorkeling between tectonic plates. Yes, a real thank you. Iceland is wild, raw, and not filterable in the best possible way.

What to Pack

• Waterproof jacket (yes, even in summer)
• Thermal layers
• Swimsuit + quick-dry towel (for hot springs)
• Power bank (the cold drains batteries)
• Sturdy shoes for lava fields

Mum’s Pro Tip

Book Blue Lagoon last. It’s perfect for relaxing before the flight home, especially when everyone’s tired and slightly sunburnt from volcanic mist.

Lisbon: Pretty Enough for the Feed, Cool Enough for the Teens

Lisbon was a genius move. Bright tiles? Tick. Trams? Tick. Pastries? Triple tick.

I let the kids take over photography duty—suddenly, they were too busy snapping azulejos to eye-roll my historical facts. My son even researched a rooftop bar with mocktails “we had to try.” Yes, I let them pick dinner spots via Google Maps—it was empowering and delicious.

One of our favorite stops was the Oceanário de Lisboa, an impressive aquarium that fascinated the whole family with its incredible marine life displays. Another must-see was Belém, where we explored the historic towers and tasted the famous pastéis de nata right from the original bakery.

What to Pack

• Comfy walking sandals (those cobblestones…)
• Linen shirts or cotton dresses
• Sunglasses + crossbody bag (pickpocket safe!)
• Reusable water bottle
• Room in your suitcase for ceramics

Mum’s Pro Tip

Let them lead the way one afternoon. They’ll get lost, but they’ll also get curious—and proud when they find the way back.

Rome: Pizza, Pantheon, and Just Enough Chaos For Teenagers

Rome was a sensory overload, which is exactly what you need to knock a teen out of their social-media trance. We did one major site a day—Colosseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain—and the rest of the time, we wandered. No plan, just streets, scooters, and snacks.

We made a game of rating gelato places. I declared myself the official “Gelato Commissioner.” They rolled their eyes, but they kept playing.

What to Pack

• Flowy dresses (instant gelato glamour)
• Comfy sneakers (Italian streets don’t care about your style)
• Portable fan or cooling mist spray
• Scarf (for church visits or bad hair days)
• A clear gelato ranking system

Mum’s Pro Tip

Skip the queues—book skip-the-line tickets in advance. And always have coins for public toilets. Always.

Amsterdam: Bikes, Boats, and Buying Vintage

Amsterdam was made for teens. Safe, flat, and full of quirky energy. We rented bikes and zigzagged along canals, stopping for fries and vintage shopping. It was the first time they didn’t act like I was ruining their social life by being seen with them in public.

At the Anne Frank House, something shifted. They went quiet. We talked afterward. Not performatively—just human to human. Honestly, I teared up.

What to Pack

• Layers (weather changes hourly)
• Waterproof jacket (yes, again)
• Small backpack for shopping
• Reusable crochet bag (for market finds)
• Lockable phone holder for bike rides

Mum’s Pro Tip

Book museum tickets before you even pack your bags. Amsterdam museums sell out fast—and teens do not enjoy “surprise culture” after 9am.

Edinburgh: Ghost Tours, Bookshops & Bagpipes

I wasn’t sure how my kids would take to a city known for its moody skies and medieval alleys, but Edinburgh surprised us all. The secret weapon? Its vibes. Between the castle, cobblestone closes, and moody bookstores, the teens were hooked.

“This city’s kind of…vibey,” my daughter said. Translation: she’s already mentally outfit-planning for her gap year.

We climbed Arthur’s Seat, took a ghost tour that made even my skeptical son jump, and shopped for tartan scarves like extras in Outlander. And yes, we made a pilgrimage to The Elephant House Café, where J.K. Rowling wrote the early Harry Potter books—because even teenagers have nostalgia.

We spent hours inside Armchair Books, a chaotic heaven of crooked shelves and secondhand everything. Even my son (who claims he doesn’t read unless it’s Reddit) found a book he liked.

We ended our days in cosy pubs (for me) and cafes with endless hot chocolates (for them).

What to Pack

• Waterproof everything (umbrella, jacket, shoes—yes, all of it)
• Cosy jumper (bonus if it’s Hogwarts-y)
• Portable charger (photos galore, especially in Old Town)
• Notebook/sketchpad for inspired daydreamers
• Small torch (for ghost tours and late-night snack missions)

Mum’s Pro Tip

Do the ghost tour at dusk. It’s creepy enough to entertain them, but not so scary they’ll end up in your hotel bed. Bonus: they’ll remember it forever—and talk about it more than the castle.

The Secret? Create Memories Teens Will Actually Remember

I learned something: Teens don’t hate family travel—they hate feeling like extras in our movie. So now, I let them have some say. I play dumb and ask for help navigating. I build in downtime for them to mope or post or wander. And I don’t schedule every minute.

They still roll their eyes. But now, I know they’re also making memories—just like I am. And maybe one day, they’ll be the 50-something mum dragging their teenagers through a European square, laughing, sighing, and wondering how the time went so fast.

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