At a glance

A survey by Icelandair found that 58% of Brits feel more connected with their families when travelling, with city breaks being a popular choice for family bonding. Prague, Rome, and Lisbon were identified as the top European capitals for family-friendly city breaks, based on factors like activities, cost, and safety. This research highlights the growing importance of holidays in fostering family connections as everyday bonding time declines.

Brits may be spending less quality time together at home, but holidays are stepping in to fill the gap.

A new survey of 3,000 Brits conducted by Iceland’s flagship airline,Icelandair reveals that the majority of Brits (58%) feel more connected with their family when travelling together.

The findings come as everyday family bonding time continues to fall, with reading to children down 30% in six years, playing together down 33%, and even simple conversation declining by 22%.

And it’s not just any trip making the difference. One in five Brits (20%) say city breaks are the type of holiday that brings families closest together.

To help families choose the best destination, Icelandair analysed European capitals across key factors, including family-friendly activities, daily costs, safety, green space and even the price of ice cream.

Best European capitals for a family-bonding city break

Best European capitals for a family bonding city break

Rank

Capital

Number of family-friendly activities

Daily cost for family of 4 (£)

Safety score

Number of public parks

Average cost of an ice cream £

Family-bbonding score

1

Prague

314

82.09

90.59

200

1.43

55.40

2

Rome

782

87.59

30.24

63

2.61

54.60

3

Lisbon

395

75.99

67.60

95

3.26

54.29

4

Paris

576

108.52

0.00

536

3.48

52.90

5

Bucharest

101

68.46

80.56

420

1.45

51.81

6

Luxembourg

77

110.91

81.05

212

3.04

51.36

7

Madrid

325

84.01

78.48

200

2.82

49.96

8

Vienna

164

107.24

77.42

990

2.17

49.11

9

Ljubljana

80

85.22

98.50

77

2.17

47.09

10

Warsaw

113

76.44

88.71

79

1.63

46.76

11

London

774

128.31

6.98

3000

4.25

46.55

12

Zagreb

92

81.01

100

30

2.39

46.19

13

Budapest

225

75.98

66.10

60

1.27

45.81

14

Tallinn

89

95.66

99.18

61

2.17

45.71

15

Bern

36

153.83

87.59

225

3.29

45.39

Source: Icelandair

1. Prague - The Golden City for bringing families closer

Prague takes the top spot with a family-bonding score of 55.40, thanks to its strong performance across all key metrics.

With 314 family-friendly activities, you will be spoiled for choice, from adrenaline-filled fun at Action Park,, to immersive experiences at Signal Space, Prague’s largest digital art gallery.

At an average daily cost of £82.09 for a family of four, it is among the most affordable capitals on the list. Combined with a high safety score (90.59), accessible green space and low-cost treats like ice cream (£1.43), Prague offers the best all-round balance for families looking to reconnect.

1. Rome - pizza, gelato & bonding

Rome ranks second (54.60 family-bonding score), driven by its unmatched number of experiences and iconic attractions totalling 782. . From historic landmarks to lively piazzas filled with pizza and gelato, the city naturally encourages shared experiences.

At £87.59 per day for a family of four, Rome is only slightly more expensive than Prague - but its size and variety mean families can easily tailor their trip to suit different budgets.

1. Lisbon - connecting with a stunning view

Lisbon places third (54.29 family-bonding score), with 395 family-friendly activities and a compact, walkable centre, Lisbon turns everyday exploring into shared family moments.

At £75.99 per day, Lisbon is one of the more affordable capitals in the ranking. Combined with solid safety (67.60) and plenty of open space, it’s ideal for families looking to slow down and properly reconnect.

1. Paris - Eiffel Tower beats Disneyland reviews

Paris ranks fourth (52.90), combining world-famous attractions with some of the best green spaces in the ranking.

With 576 family-friendly activities, there’s plenty to keep families busy. And while Disneyland Paris may top many wish lists, the Eiffel Tower actually scores higher on TripAdvisor reviews (4.6 vs 3.9), making it the city’s standout attraction.

The capital of France ranks highest for green space with 536 open parks,making it ideal for balancing sightseeing with downtime.

While it is one of the more expensive options (£108.52 per day), its mix of iconic experiences and open space makes it a strong choice for families.

1. Bucharest and Luxembourg rank fifth and sixth

Bucharest ranks fifth (51.81), offering a more laid-back and spacious alternative to Europe’s busier capitals.

With 60 public parks to choose from, the city gives families room to explore at their own pace, from wide boulevards to expansive parks like King Mihai I Park, making it easier to slow down and spend quality time together.

The cheapest capitals to visit: Chisinau, Skopje and Ankara

With the cost of living soaring and having to take your family outside of the country, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe are great choices for a budget escape.

Research reveals that the cheapest five destinations, based on the average daily spend for a family of four, are

1. Chișinău, Moldova - £52.34

2. Skopje, North Macedonia - £56.6

3. Ankara, Turkey - £58.22

4. Podgorica, Montenegro - £63.52

5. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The safest capitals in Europe: The smaller, the safer

One of the crucial things when taking a family on a trip is safety. The safety score from Numbeo put the smaller European capitals first, and these ones emerged as the top 5:

1. Zagreb, Croatia - 100

2. Tallinn, Estonia - 99.18

3. Ljubljana, Slovenia - 98.5

4. Reykjavík,Iceland - 91.27

5. Prague , Czechia - 90.59