Fairy-Tale Castles
Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Eilean Donan in Scotland, Bran in Transylvania — the real thing.
Year-roundSafe, walkable and endlessly interesting for children — castles and canals, fjords and beaches, all linked by short, exciting train rides rather than long drives.
Safe, walkable, English-friendly and endlessly interesting for children — Europe is one of the world's great family destinations, and the train does the hard work.
No long drives, no language barrier and a hands-on museum, castle or park around every corner. Kids meet the stories they know in real life — the Colosseum, the fairy-tale castles of Bavaria, the canals of Amsterdam, a Norwegian fjord. The compact distances mean short, exciting train rides between bases rather than exhausting days in the car.
Family-run since 1974, Cooee understands family travel from the inside — we build trips paced for children, with the right bases, the right breaks and a few unforgettable set-pieces.
Cities, castles, mountains and islands that delight every age.
Neuschwanstein · lakes · Salzburg
Storybook castles, alpine lakes and The Sound of Music — Southern Germany and Austria are pure family magic.
Museums · the Tower · Harry Potter
Netherlands · NEMO · canal boats
Beaches · ferries · ancient sites
Waterfalls · geysers · whales
Cogwheel trains · lakes · chocolate
The set-pieces that turn a holiday into a childhood memory.
Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Eilean Donan in Scotland, Bran in Transylvania — the real thing.
Year-roundCogwheel railways to Jungfraujoch or up the Flåm valley — engineering that thrills every age.
SummerErupting geysers, tumbling waterfalls, black-sand beaches and puffins — Iceland is a natural theme park.
Jun – AugWarm, calm water, short ferry hops and ancient ruins to explore between swims.
May – OctExcellent — it's safe, walkable, English is widely spoken, and the train network means no long drives with restless kids. Cities are packed with hands-on museums and parks, and the distances between highlights are short. See our Europe guide.
For a first family trip, London → Paris → Switzerland mixes iconic cities with the Alps and short, exciting train rides. For summer, the Greek islands or Italy's lakes and beaches are hard to beat. Keep it to 2–3 bases with 3–4 nights each. See our itineraries guide.
June and early July, or September, balance warm weather with fewer crowds and Australian school-holiday timing. December is magical for the Christmas markets and snow. Avoid the peak August crush at the busiest sights where you can. See our best time to visit guide.
Book an overnight leg so kids sleep, choose a one-stop route with a decent connection to stretch legs, and plan a gentle first day on arrival. Apartments with a kitchen and laundry make a big difference. See our where to stay guide.