Exploring Europe on a Budget with Kids: The €100/Day Guide

# Exploring Europe on a Budget with Kids: The €100/Day Guide

Dreaming of showing your kids the cobblestone streets of Europe but shuddering at the potential cost? You’re not alone. The idea of exploring Europe on a budget with kids can seem like an impossible fantasy, a myth whispered only by backpackers without children. But what if I told you our family of four not only did it but thrived on a strict budget of just €100 per day? It’s not a myth; it’s a strategy. This guide breaks down exactly how we planned, traveled, and ate our way through three incredible countries without breaking the bank.

Is a €100 a Day Europe Family Trip Possible?

Yes, absolutely—with careful planning and the right mindset. This budget is challenging but achievable, especially if you focus on specific regions and travel styles. Our €100 per day covered accommodation, food, activities, and local transport for two adults and two children (ages 7 and 10) after our long-haul flights were booked. The key is to shift your perspective from a “vacation” to a “travel adventure,” prioritizing experiences over luxuries. This means swapping hotel restaurants for vibrant local markets and expensive taxis for efficient public transport.

Pre-Trip Planning for Budget Family Travel Europe

Your success starts long before you board the plane. Aggressive saving and smart planning are the cornerstones of an affordable family vacation in Europe.

• Choose Your Destinations Wisely: Not all of Europe is created equal when it comes to cost. We specifically chose Portugal, Spain (Andalusia region), and the Czech Republic because they are notoriously some of the cheap European destinations for families. Countries like Switzerland, Norway, or even central London would make a €100/day budget nearly impossible.
• Travel in the Shoulder Season: Avoid the peak summer months of July and August. We traveled in May and early June. The weather was beautiful, the crowds were manageable, and prices for flights and accommodation were significantly lower. Spring (April-May) and Fall (September-October) are ideal.
• Book Flights in Advance: Use flight aggregators and set up price alerts months ahead of time. Flying into a major hub (like Lisbon or Madrid) and using budget airlines for regional hops can save a fortune.
• Pack Light: This cannot be overstated. With budget airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet, checked baggage fees can destroy your budget. We traveled with carry-on backpacks only. This forced us to pack only essentials and made navigating train stations and city streets much easier.

Finding Affordable Family Accommodation in Europe

Accommodation will be your single biggest expense. Forgetting hotels and embracing self-catering options is the most effective way to manage this cost.

We exclusively booked apartments through platforms like VRBO and Booking.com. Having a kitchen is a non-negotiable budget-saver, allowing you to prepare breakfast and pack lunches daily. We aimed for an average nightly cost of €40-€50. This is achievable in our chosen countries, especially if you stay slightly outside the main tourist center and use public transport. When researching, it’s worth reading detailed guides on how to find the best vacation rentals for your family to learn the tricks for uncovering hidden gems and negotiating better rates for longer stays.

Eating Well on a Budget: Our Family Food Strategy

Eating out for every meal will decimate your €100 daily budget. Our rule was simple: we ate one meal out per day (usually lunch or an early dinner) and prepared the rest ourselves.

• Breakfast at Home: Cereal, yogurt, fruit, and toast from the local supermarket is a cheap and easy start to the day.
• Picnic Lunches are Your Best Friend: This was our secret weapon. We’d hit a local bakery for fresh bread, a market for cheese, cured meats, and fresh fruit, and have a fantastic picnic in a park or by a river. It saved money and felt like an authentic local experience. For more inspiration, check out this fantastic guide to exploring Europe’s best food markets.
• Embrace the “Menu del Día”: In Spain and Portugal, look for the “menu of the day.” It’s a fixed-price lunch, usually including a starter, main course, dessert, and a drink for around €10-€15. It’s the biggest restaurant bargain in Europe.
• Hydrate for Free: Pack reusable water bottles for everyone. Tap water is safe to drink in most of Western and Central Europe, and you’ll save a small fortune by not buying bottled water.

How to Travel Europe with Kids Cheaply: Transportation Tips

Getting around is the next major budget category. Our strategy for how to travel Europe with kids cheaply involved a mix of buses, trains, and a lot of walking.

• Long-Distance Travel: For country-to-country travel, we favored buses (like Flixbus or ALSA) over trains. They are often significantly cheaper, and for a family, the small difference in travel time is worth the savings.
• Regional Travel: For shorter distances, regional trains were perfect. They’re typically less expensive than high-speed rails and offer a scenic view of the countryside.
• City Transit: Once in a city, we relied on our feet and public transport. We bought multi-day or family transit passes, which offer unlimited rides on trams, buses, and metros. An indispensable tool for this is a transit app; we found that some of the best navigation apps for planning European city travel can save you hours of confusion and help you find the most efficient routes.
• Avoid Taxis and Ride-Shares: These were reserved for absolute emergencies only. They are budget killers.

Our 4-Week Budget Family Travel Europe Itinerary

This itinerary focuses on value, pacing, and experiences that are fun for both kids and adults. We stayed in each location for at least 4-5 nights to reduce travel days and take advantage of weekly rental discounts.

• Week 1: Lisbon & Sintra, Portugal: Flew into Lisbon. Explored the Alfama district, rode the historic Tram 28, and ate our weight in pastéis de nata. Took a day trip by train to the fairytale castles of Sintra.
• Week 2: Seville & Andalusia, Spain: Took an overnight bus to Seville. Enjoyed the Alcázar, free flamenco shows, and tapas. We used Seville as a base to visit Córdoba for a day.
• Week 3: Prague, Czech Republic: Flew from Seville to Prague on a budget airline. Walked the Charles Bridge at dawn, explored the Prague Castle complex (you can walk the grounds for free), and enjoyed the incredibly low prices for food and drink. Prague is a goldmine for budget family travel, and many guides cover the most amazing things to do in Prague on a budget, helping you find free and low-cost activities.
• Week 4: Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic: Rented a car for three days (our one big splurge) and drove north from Prague to explore the stunning rock formations and hiking trails. It was a perfect, nature-filled end to the trip.

Breakdown of Our €100 Daily Budget

Transparency is key. Here is how our €100 a day Europe family trip budget typically broke down. Some days we were over, some days we were under, but it averaged out.

Accommodation

• Average Daily Spend: €45
• Notes: Average cost of a 2-bedroom apartment booked in advance.

Food & Groceries

• Average Daily Spend: €30
• Notes: Includes supermarket runs for breakfast/lunches and one budget-friendly meal out.

Activities & Attractions

• Average Daily Spend: €15
• Notes: Focused on free walking tours, parks, and one paid attraction every few days. Kids often get free/discounted entry.

Local Transport

• Average Daily Spend: €10
• Notes: Cost of a daily family transit pass or single tickets for a family of four.

Is This Budget Realistic for Your Family?

This budget is tight but doable. It requires discipline and a commitment to the budget travel mindset. If your family prefers resort pools, daily restaurant meals, and taxis, this isn’t the plan for you. But if you’re an adventurous family who loves local markets, picnics in the park, and the freedom of self-catering, you can absolutely make it work. For more perspectives on sustainable long-term travel, it’s worth reading advice from seasoned experts like Nomadic Matt, whose blog offers in-depth tips for saving money while traveling that can be adapted for any family.

Ultimately, exploring Europe on a budget with kids taught us that the most memorable moments—like chasing pigeons in Prague’s Old Town Square or sharing a baguette on the banks of the Guadalquivir River in Seville—cost nothing at all. With the right strategy, you can give your kids the world without spending a fortune.

Ready to plan your own adventure? Dive into our other articles in the Guides & Tips category for more expert advice on making your family travel dreams a reality.