Europe with Kids: A Beginners Guide

Planning a family trip to Europe but not sure where to start? In this episode Melissa breaks down everything you need to know to plan your first family trip to Europe — from choosing the right destination for your family to getting around once you're there without losing your mind.

With nine trips to Europe across more than a decade of family travel, Melissa has done it every way imaginable: road trips, trains, ferries, budget flights, and everything in between. She shares which countries work best for first-timers and why, what to expect logistically, and how to use points and miles to bring the cost of a family trip to Europe within reach.

In this episode:

• The single most important mindset shift for a first Europe trip with kids
• What you need to know about passports and travel authorizations before you book
• A destination-by-destination breakdown of the best countries for first-time Europe families - including Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Greece, France, and Iceland
• How to get around Europe with kids
• How to use points and miles to significantly reduce your costs
• Practical on-the-ground tips: adapters, eSIMs, travel insurance, and more

00:00 Welcome 
02:11 Big picture planning
05:35 Best destinations for a first family trip to Europe 
17:57 Getting around Europe with kids 
22:30 Europe on a budget 
24:27 Logistical tips for your family trip to Europe 
26:08 Do you need travel insurance?
27:11 Final thoughts and where to go from here

Articles
Europe with Kids — Complete Destination Hub
Should you bring your car seat to Europe?
Ireland with Kids Travel Guide
Where to Go in Italy with Kids
Spring Portugal with Kids Itinerary, Recap and (Slight) Regrets
Greece with Kids: Where Should You Go?
Athens with Kids in One Day (or Two)
Naxos with Kids
Visiting Crete with Kids
Paris with Kids
Best Iceland Tours

Travel Insurance & Gear
Squaremouth (compare insurance plans)
Universal travel power adapter
Airalo eSIM (use code MELISS0517)

Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone.

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Transcript

0:01

Hey there and welcome back to Family Travel Unpacked. I'm your host Melissa and in case you're new here, you can find tons of detailed destination guides, travel tips, hacks and more on my website, thefamilyvoyage.com. And if you've been enjoying the show, be sure to hit follow wherever you're listening so you never miss an episode and drop a five-star review because it really helps other families find the show. Today we're talking about Europe, specifically Europe with kids for the very first time. Where to go, what to know, the logistics. I know it can feel so overwhelming at first. I've been seeing some version of this question constantly in my Facebook group and I'm really excited that families are getting out there and traveling more. Usually they've done a few domestic trips, maybe a beach vacation or an all-inclusive and they're starting to think, okay, could we actually cross an ocean with our kids and go to a place where the food, the language, the culture are all different than what they've experienced before. Where do we even start? And my answer is always yes. It's totally doable. I think we've taken something like eight separate trips to Europe as a family at this point. And when we were traveling full-time, we hopped around that part of the world on and off for another four months. All told, we spent time as a family in France, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. And some of those trips happened when the kids were babies. I won't pretend every moment was magical. That would be a lie. But Europe has so many incredible experiences for kids of all ages that I feel confident you'll find a place you love. Now, obviously, Europe isn't a monolith. There are 44 different countries. And for the most part, they each have a distinct flavor. So today I want to help you figure out where to start. We're going to talk about how to approach picking your first destination, go through the countries I think work best for beginners and why, and then we'll cover some logistics- how you actually get around, a few things I wish someone had told me before our first trip, and of course, how to save money while you're at it. I also have a big list over on thefamilyvoyage.com with links to all of our more detailed destination content. I'll put that in the show w notes so you have somewhere to go deeper after this episode. Let's start with the big picture. Before we talk about specific countries, I want to zoom out and go over some things that will apply no matter where you ultimately decide to go. First, the flight. Most of Western Europe is not that long of a flight from the Eastern U.S. You're looking at seven to nine hours from the East Coast, which is actually less than flying to Hawaii for us. The time change can be tough. It's typically six hours difference from the East Coast and more like nine from the West Coast. And that definitely requires some adjustment. But kids will adapt faster than us adults expect. Just plan a couple of lower key days when you first arrive and don't try to squeeze in a packed itinerary on day one and you'll be okay. If you're hoping to start off by visiting Eastern Europe, keep in mind that the flight situation is going to be harder unless you're in a major hub like New York, D.C. or Chicago. Just to give you one example, if Croatia is at the top of your bucket list, the only nonstop to Dubrovnik from North America is JFK and the Zagreb flights only go to Canada. That's not insurmountable, but it can make the logistics harder to work out or much more expensive. Now, the most important piece of advice is slow down. I know when you've flown across an ocean, a lot of people feel like they have to go fast to make the most of it. Maybe they haven't listened to all my episodes about traveling on points, so they think it's just too expensive to keep going back. Or maybe between work and kids' activities, it's just too tricky to find a long window to travel once a year. I totally understand that instinct. But the families who have the best first Europe experiences are almost always the ones who picked one country, narrowed it down to two or maybe three cities within that country, and actually stayed long enough to get to know a place. You'll definitely see people bragging on social media that they hit seven cities in ten days with their kids in tow and they wouldn't change a thing. But what did they get out of it other than a sense of accomplishment and bragging rights? With kids, it ends up being a lot of train stations, a lot of we're moving again, and not enough time to actually experience anything. I'm going to say something maybe a little controversial now, and I'm not going to mention it again in this episode because it just isn't my focus. But if what you want out of your family's first trip to Europe is a sampler so that you can find places you want to go back to, you might actually be better off taking a cruise. It's not what I would personally pick, but it accomplishes the goal of letting you see a little bit of a bunch of different places without the constant unpacking and repacking. There are tons of cruises of all styles and sizes around the Mediterranean, the Baltics, the British Isles, and even some family-friendly river cruises if you want a more intimate experience. Now that I got that piece out of the way. One other logistical note I want to flag upfront, passports and visas. Obviously, everyone needs a passport to visit another country. Most of Europe requires that your passport be valid for at least three months after your visit is over. Although there are a few exceptions like the UK, where it just needs to be valid for your entire trip. Be sure to check the US State Department website for up-to-date info, or if you're Canadian, check whatever your government equivalent is. Now, in the past, Americans have just been able to show up in Europe as tourists without any advanced paperwork, but that's finally changing. The UK recently started requiring an electronic travel authorization for most tourists who don't need a visa, and that includes Americans and Canadians. The EU is also rolling out the European Travel Information and Authorization System, which is really similar. You just apply for it online, but you'll need to do it in advance since it can take a few business days to come through. I'll actually be applying for the UK ETA soon for our family for our upcoming trip to London. But as of right now, the one that covers the rest of Europe isn't slated to be required until early 2027. It's been delayed a few times already, but this time it seems like it's gonna stick. Okay, now on to destinations. While I truly think that basically anywhere in Europe can be great for families, I want to highlight a few standouts that I think are ideal for your first trip. This list is meant to give you a starting point, just some ideas. I'm sure there will be a few people listening who are upset that I didn't include their favorite place. And as always, I'll be honest about the trade-offs for each country, rather than just telling you that everything is amazing, because let's be real, nothing's perfect. If I had to pick one first Europe trip for an American family with younger kids particularly, Ireland would be right at the top of my list. And the big reason is that there's no language barrier. That sounds like a small thing until you're jet-lagged with kids and trying to order food and ask for directions or figure out what you just bought at the grocery store. Having everything in English just takes away a layer of that mental load, and that means you can actually spend your energy experiencing the trip rather than just worrying about logistics. It's definitely a different kind of trip than a grand tour of continental capitals. In Ireland, you're gonna enjoy beautiful nature, centuries-old castles, charming small towns, and lively pub music after dinner. The West Coast, which they call the Wild Atlantic Way, it's some of the most beautiful coastal scenery I've ever seen anywhere. You've got the Cliffs of Moher, the Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry. High-energy kids are gonna have a blast running through those lush green meadows and stomping in puddles. Of course, there's plenty of rich, layered history to sprinkle in too if that's what you're interested in. It'll also be pretty easy for kids to find comfortable, safe foods in Ireland, but they can venture out a little bit if they wanna experiment. You can get great stews, fish and chips, soda bread, and also a variety of American-type food. Personally, I think Ireland is best explored by a rental car. That'll get you off the beaten path a little and into the most beautiful areas. Probably the biggest challenge of the whole trip is that you'll be driving on the left side of the road. That can take a day or two to adjust to. But the country's compact and the main roads are generally in good shape. Irish people are some of the warmest we've encountered anywhere. Kids are welcome everywhere, including pubs. Irish pubs for lunch and dinner are family establishments, not just bars. And it's a whole fun cultural experience. Obviously, kids have to get home to bed at some point, but we'd usually order some dessert just as the evening music was starting, and it was totally fine to stay and listen with the kids for a few songs. I'll never forget my daughter getting sung to on her second birthday in an Irish pub down in County Cork. In other countries, the traditional music performances are mostly just for tourists at this point. I'm looking at you, Portugal. But in Ireland, it's super common to mix with locals at a trad session in towns and villages. No matter when or where you go in Ireland, plan for layers and allow for some rain. Ireland's green for a reason, right? Pack accordingly, and just don't let it derail you. Some of our best moments there happened in a drizzle Next up is Italy, which is probably the most popular first European trip for American families, and I get it. The food alone sells the whole country. When our daughter was younger, somebody asked her her favorite place from all of our travels, and she said Italy because pizza and gelato. She's not wrong. Even though the food is familiar, it's going to feel totally different than traveling in the U.S. or Canada in a good way. We've been to Italy three times with the kids at this point, and I still feel like we've barely scratched the surface. The country is so varied. Rome's the obvious starting point because you can't beat the history for kids and adults. You just walk through a square and you can see excavations of the city that are thousands of years old. Yes, there are crowds most of the year, and yes, you definitely need to book those big sites in advance, but it's one of those places where even young kids can get excited about seeing a bunch of old buildings. But the amazing thing about Italy is that you can find just about any kind of trip you want. If Rome is the history trip, the Dolomites, part of the Italian Alps, are the adventure trip. This is one of the best family hiking destinations in all of Europe. I just can't tell you how much we loved it. The trails are in great shape and they're well marked. The scenery is breathtaking. There are gondolas and ski lifts to get you up the steepest slopes, and mountain huts along tons of routes offer food, farm animals, playgrounds and more. Where else can you take a mid-hike wine break to stare at snow-capped mountains while your kids jump on a trampoline or pet a goat? That's not an exaggeration, by the way. The answer is Alpe di Siusi, which you can read about over on The Family Voyage. Of course, everyone knows about Venice and its canals, and it really is magical, but you'll need some strategy. The crowds are massive for a lot of the year, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Go back in the morn- go out in the morning, wander off the main tourist drag, and give yourself permission to just get lost in the back canals. Driving in Italy is really straightforward, except that you can't go into the historic city centers with a car. But if you'd rather take the train, that totally works. On two of our trips, we did a combination of rental car and trains, and on the other one, we just used trains the whole time. One of the really nice things about Italy is that if you're someone who needs to ease into things, there's nothing wrong with planning for Italy to be your first and second trip to Europe with kids. You could have two totally different experiences, but at least some of the logistics will feel more familiar the second time. We visited Portugal this past spring as a family, and it earned a spot near the top of my beginner's list. It hits a lot of the right notes. There's interesting history and architecture. It has walkable cities with lots of personality, and it also has a less intense vibe than some other countries you might consider. Plus, it's one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe. Your money will definitely go further here than France or Italy. The affordability piece definitely matters if you have two or three kids, because in a lot of European cities, you'd need at least two hotel rooms to fit everyone. So being able to get an affordable hotel or vacation rental is huge. Lisbon is a good base to start with. It has great neighborhoods to wander and beautiful hilltop viewpoints scattered all around the city. From Lisbon, you can easily take a day trip or two: see the palaces in Sintra, relax by the beach in Cascais, or check out the coastal scenery and wildlife near Sesimbra. Porto in the north is definitely worth the time too. We actually preferred it over Lisbon. It's a lot mellower, and it has a more local feel, even though it obviously still has a big tourism infrastructure. Plus, you'll get more traditional food in the north. Now, as a family with a variety of dietary restrictions, we did find Portugal a little tougher than some of the other beginner-friendly European countries. But you'll find English speakers basicallyeverywhere, and I was actually really surprised that a lot of ads and business signs were only in English, no Portuguese. That goes to show you just how much tourism has exploded there, particularly in Lisbon. I just put together a full itinerary and recap from our trip, plus detailed guides to Lisbon and Porto over on the blog, and I'll link to all of those down in the show notes. Now, Greece had been on my personal bucket list for years and years, and when we finally went, it delivered everything I hoped for. My kids recently asked to go back since they were pretty young, and I think that's a good sign. The historic sites are perfect for capturing kids' imaginations because even preschoolers are going to like hearing the stories of Greek mythology and then going to the places where they happened. The food is delicious, and I think it's really kid-friendly. You'll find meat and french fries in a lot of places, and really simply prepared fish in others. The beaches range from nice to absolutely stunning, depending on where you go. And the people are warm and lively in a way that makes you feel so welcome. For a first Greece trip, I'd suggest combining Athens with one island. Athens is incredible, but it's intense, especially in the summer heat, so having island time as a contrast is really nice. Naxos is a great family choice. I'm surprised to read that it's the 10th largest Greek island because it feels a lot more intimate that that, especiallyy if you stay in the main town. It's super walkable, and the island has beautiful beaches and a real local life. It's not totally overrun with tourists the way that some of the more famous islands can be. It's in the Cyclades group with Santorini and Mykonos, but it gets fewer than 1,000 cruise e passengers in a year, while those more famous islands can get close to 8,000 passengers in a day. Anyway. Crete is another great option. It's the largest island in Greece, and it actually used to be its own country. You could easily spend a week or two checking out the history, going on hikes, hitting the beaches, and checking out different towns. Crete is so big that some families will even split their time between the east and west sides. I have some really helpful guides for visiting Greece with kids, and I'll link to those down in the show notes for you. Now, one heads up on the weather. Greece in summer is really hot, and it can be crowded with European vacationers who just want to come south to turn into lobsters. If you have kids who wilt in the heat, May or September are both beautiful and much more comfortable, and the crowds are a fraction of peak summer. There are plenty of shops and restaurants on the islands that don't open until May 2nd, so do keep that in mind. If you're really excited about swimming and beach time, September's perfect because everything'ss still going to be open and the water's had all summer to warm up. France, specifically Paris, is probably one of the most recognizablee cities in the world for kids of all ages. It could be the perfect first trip to Europe for the simple reason that your kid will be familiar with it and excited about it. We've taken our kids twice, once just to Paris and oncee on a longer road trip around the country, and we're contemplating another visit now that both kids are studying French. The depth of what France offers is hard to overstate, But here I'm just going to focus on Paris because I think that's the best option for families who are new to European travel. Yeah, it is crowded and expensive, but it's Paris. Go up the Eiffel Tower, get a crepe outside of Notre Dame, pick up a croissant on the way to a carousel, and top it all off with macarons and toy boats in the Luxembourg Gardens. It's impossible not to be charmed, even if you don't do every single thing on the checklists. Paris has an incredible vibe, and if you plan it thoughtfully, it works really well. I've done two lengthy road trips around France, but honestly, if it's your first time visiting Europe, I'd stay in Paris the whole time. There are great rail networks that can take you on day trips you literally can't do anywhere else, like the Palace of Versailles and Monet's gardens at Giverny. I'd say the biggest downside of Paris is that compared to a lot of places in Europe, there isn't nearly as much tolerance for kids and their typical silliness in public spaces. There are some small playgrounds here and there, and one big beautiful new one near the Louvre at Jardin Nelson Mandela, but it's not like Switzerland or the Nordic countries where there are epic playgrounds on every block. Also, some traditional French food isn't gonna be popular with kids. It can be really rich, and there are heavy sauces involved. But it's a great opportunity to get your kids to try new things like stronger cheeses or less common meats like duck. And when all else fails, go for steak frites. Just hold the mayo. The final European country I want to talk about is Iceland. It earns a spot in this list primarily because of how accessible it is to the United States. Flights from the East Coast are under six hours, and they can be really, really cheap. Plus, the time change is just four hours for us East Coasters. There are so many flights from different airports in the US, and it's not just the huge ones. You could fly nonstop from Nashville or Pittsburgh. What you get for that relatively quick flight is unlike anywhere else. Glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, volcanic fields, naturally occurring hot springs that you can just jump into. We went as a family in summer 2024, and it was incredible. The biggest downside of visiting Iceland is that prices can be super high for food, accommodations, and rental cars. Just keep that in mind when you're pricing out your first Europe trip. And I'll be honest about something else. This isn't necessarily what I'd recommend as a first trip to Europe if you have little kids. Of course, I know plenty of people who have done it with their toddlers and loved it, but it wouldn't be my inclination personally. I think Iceland is great for older kids and for families who are up for adventure. If you have a school-aged kid who's a bundle of energy and just can't stand still, the shorter flight and wide-open spaces to speed hike to waterfalls could be just the ticket. But the driving distances can be significant, the weather is variable, and the best experiences involve hiking and being outdoors. I think it's not as ideal for younger kids who need a rigid nap schedule and early bedtimes. if you're a family with kids who can hike and stay flexible, Iceland is pretty hard to beat. As I said before, there are tons of wonderful places around Europe where you can have a great first visit with kids. We loved all the playgrounds around Switzerland, and it's hard to top chocolate and cheese. But you'll probably end up moving around a decent bit, and it's crazy expensive. Amsterdam could be a great pick because the city is really compact to get around, and there's a wide variety of things to do with kids. But if you're staying more than a few days, you'll want to plan for some day trips unless you want to add another destination, which is totally doable thanks to the location and the excellent train routes, but it's just something to keep in mind. Once you've decided where you're going, the next question is how you're going to get around once you're there. You have a few options, and the right one depends on your destination. First, let's talk about flying. Europe has a massive network of budget airlines. Ryanair and EasyJet are the biggest, but there are others as well. Flights can be incredibly cheap if you book in advance, sometimes$25 or$50 per person for a segment that would take you five hours to drive. But there are two catches. First, those airlines are strict about luggage, and they charge separately for everything, bags, seats, water, you name it. The way you might push the limits of a carry-on in the U.S. could cost you real money on a European budget airline if your bag's too big for their sizer. Maybe it's the push you need to pack lighter, or maybe you're just going to end up spending an extra hundred bucks to check your bags. Another thing to consider is that European airports, especially the ones that are usually used by budget carriers, can be far from the city centers. Factor that ground transportation time and cost into your calculations when you're comparing the flight to a train. Like if you're catching a discount flight from London, it's probably going to be from one of the smaller airports instead of Heathrow. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it could take you up to an hour and a half to get there. And that brings me to trains. European trains are honestly one of the great joys of traveling over there, and it's definitely worth doing with kids if the train fits into your itinerary. High-speed rail between major cities is super fast, and it runs from one city center to the next. No long taxi ride to an airport, no security lines, and the experience itself is fun for the kids. They can walk around, watch the scenery go by, have a meal in the dining car. I still remember my son's first time on a high-speed train in Germany when he wasn't even three. He got a kid's meal in the dining car, and it even came with a cute little toy ICE train that he could roll around the table. I think we still have it today. Kids often travel at steep discounts on European trains, and on some routes they ride for free. No luggage weight or size limits either, which is a really nice relief. Overall, it's just a much lower stress experience. The downside is that for longer distances, high-speed trains can be as expensive as flights, sometimes more. And rail passes aren't always the money-saving deal they might seem on the surface. Whether they make sense depends entirely on your specific routing and how many trips you'll take. So be sure to do the math before you buy. But also check on the prices early for single tickets because there's some deals on family tickets that require advance purchase a few weeks beforehand. One question I get a lot as a car seat technician is whether or not you need to use a car seat on trains, and the answer is no. Any trains, whether they're long distance or city trains, don't require car seats, and that could be one huge advantage over driving. We're going to talk about cars next, but if you're going to Europe with a child who still needs a car seat or booster seat, it's your responsibility to figure out in advance how you're going to transport them safely. I have an entire article that I'll link to down in the show notes about my take on what to do when it comes to car seats and European travel, because We've done a lot of it and I definitely qualify as an expert, But my take is pretty nuanced. So for a trip centered in one country, especially somewhere like Ireland or Croatia where public transportation is more limited, A rental car is often the right call. You have flexibility, you can go off the beaten path, and the cost per person goes down as your group size goes up. Automatic transmission is available, but it costs a lot more and books up so much faster, So reserve your car early if you'll need one. We do and we pay dearly for it. Also, gas is a lot more expensive than we're used to in the U.S., about double as of when I'm recording this in May 2026. On the one hand, you might want a smaller car for better fuel economy, but on the other hand, European cars are already really tiny and you're going to have at least a few pieces of luggage to fit in the trunk. It's always a balancing act. If it's not too much more expensive, you might want to look at renting a hybrid SUV. That gives you the best of both worlds. We had a great one in Iceland I think I'll look for that again the next time we're renting in Europe. You'll want to have an international driving permit in addition to your regular license in some European countries. I've heard horror stories of people not being able to pick up their rental cars in places like Italy if they didn't have an IDP on hand. You can get one through AAA, and last year they moved the whole process online, which is really nice. right, we've talked about planes, trains, and automobiles, so next up comes boats. If you're in the Mediterranean, especially Greece, ferries are part of the picture. The Greek island ferries are huge boats. They've got cafes and observation decks, and sometimes there are even sleeping berths and playrooms. The trip itself is just really fun for kids, and the views are beautiful for adults. Just know that the fast ferries can cause seasickness in some people, but slow ferries can be very slow. The schedule can sometimes run on island time. So build in a buffer if you have connections to make, and in general, try to be flexible. Our ferry to Crete got in so late that we had to book a last-minute hotel room in the city instead of driving to the house we'd rented on the other side of the island. Now let's talk money. If this is your first time taking your kids to Europe, you might be thinking that it's a once or twice in a lifetime trip because it's just so expensive. The good news is that it doesn't have to be a rarity. If you decide that traveling more with your family is a priority, you can learn how to strategically collect and redeem points to make it happen. I won't go into all the nuts and bolts here because this episode is already getting pretty long, but I want to point you to a few past episodes to set you on the right path. If you head all the way back to episode 7, you can learn the basics of how to travel on points as a family. A lot of that is also covered in my free e-book that you can grab at thefamilyvoyage.com/freetravel. After that, take a listen to episode 30. I did a full case study on exactly how I used points and hotel credits for our recent trip to Portugal. The total cost for our round-trip flights was about$125 per person, but most of that was actually paying for upgraded seats on our overnight flight. Then the total out-of-pocket cost for accommodations for nine nights was$350. Obviously, there are other costs for things like credit card annual fees, but I promise you can make a family trip to Europe affordable if you put in the time to learn how. Once you get on the ground, there are a lot of ways to save money, but it depends on exactly where you're going and how you like to travel. Your itinerary plays into it in a few different ways. Staying in one or two places for your whole trip will save you money because you minimize ground transportation costs, and you can also get long-stay discounts if you're doing a vacation rental. On the flip side, If you really want to go somewhere like Paris that can get expensive, it might be better to just stay there for a few days and then go to a less expensive part of the country. It's all about balance, right? Also, it's generally going to work out cheaper to stay in places where you can take trains and buses versus places where you'd need to rent a car. My son and I spent 100 euros total for our nonstop train from Rome to Bologna, and it would have been even cheaper if I'd booked further in advance. In Portugal, it was just 100 euros for all four of us to travel from Lisbon to Porto. Now that's a good deal. Here are a few practical notes that'll make your trip go smoother. First up, power adapters. Your US devices won't plug directly into European outlets. And just to add another layer of complexity, the U.K. uses a different plug from continental Europe. The easiest solution is one universal travel power adapter that has a bunch of USB ports built in. It'll let you charge multiple devices off of a single wall plug. That combination covers everything and takes up almost no space in your bag. I love mine so much that I actually use it every single day, even at home. I'll link to it down in the show notes.. My husband uses the 28-watt version since he's usually just charging his phone and headphones. But I picked up the 100 watt version so that I can charge my laptop directly off of it too. In terms of your cell phone, check whether your carrier covers Europe before you go and what it costs. The$10 or$12 a day roaming add-ons that most U.S. carriers offer adds up really fast over two weeks. A better choice for newer phones that are unlocked is buying a cheap eSIM. This isn't a physical card that you have to insert. It's basically just an app that you install and it allows you to buy service in whatever country you visit. I use Airalo and the prices are so much cheaper. A 10-day pass with unlimited data is$35 and it covers all of Europe. There are also cheaper options if you don't need a ton of data. The nice thing is that your regular U.S. phone number still stays active so you can pick up incoming calls and texts, no charge for that. I'll drop a link down in the show notes or you can use code MELISS0517 to save$3 on your first Airalo eSIM. If you're on certain T-Mobile plans like I am, you actually don't have to buy anything extra, although sometimes I do anyway after I've used up my allowed block of fast data because the slower data that's unlimited, it's really slow. Finally, I wanted to touch on travel insurance. I've waffled a lot on this over the years. On one hand, the premium travel credit cards that we have provide a lot of coverage. But on the other hand, when you start using different cards to book different things or getting your flights on points, the waters can get kind of murky as to what's covered and what's not. And of course, I didn't have a standalone travel insurance policy when we were in Portugal this spring and our flight situation got out of control. Everything worked out fine in the end because Europe has awesome consumer protections, but it would have been way less stressful if I knew I had a great travel insurance policy in my corner. So I say get a policy. For a single trip, I like to compare my options with SquareMouth. I've got a link to it in the show notes, and I've used it before. Usually you can get a policy for a 10-day trip for something like$150. If you think you're going to become more of a jet-setting family within the next year, you might want to opt for an annual plan with Allianz instead. That's what we use, and it's only been a positive experience. They have a really slick app that centralizes all of the info about your policy, the claims process, and also resources for getting medical care when you're abroad. All right, that's the big picture on taking your family to Europe for the very first time. Here's my bottom line. If you've been on the fence, stop waiting for the kids to be older or for the timing to be perfect. They're way more adaptable than we give them credit for, and the earlier you start, the more years of European travel you'll have ahead of you as a family. Just pick one country and slow down. Let it be a little imperfect the first time. The memories will be worth every complicated moment, I promise. Everything I mentioned today- destination guides, transportation resources, gear recommendations, travel insurance, it's all linked down in the show notes and over on thefamilyvoyage.com. There's a lot more content waiting for you there. And if you're trying to figure out which destination is right for your specific family, reach out. Email me at melissa at thefamilyvoyage.com or find me on socials at The Family Voyage. I love hearing what you're working on and I'm happy to help you think it through. Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me. If this episode helped you out, be sure to hit follow wherever you're listening and leave a five-star review. Until next time, safe travels.