How many days should you travel abroad with kids?

One of the first decisions in planning a trip is how many days. Too short, and you feel you ran around without resting. Too long, and the kids (and the wallet) get tired. Here's how to get it right.

By type of destination

A beach or resort holiday in Greece or Cyprus calls for 5 to 7 nights, enough to settle in and relax. For a city trip to Vienna, Prague or London, allow 3 to 5 nights per city, because beyond that you start running out of attractions. And for a road trip with several bases, as in Austria or Italy, aim for 7 to 12 nights, with 2 to 3 nights at each base.

By the kids' ages

With babies and toddlers it's better to keep it short and slow, and 5 to 7 days in one place beat hopping around. School-age kids handle 7 to 10 days and a varied itinerary nicely, and teenagers can already enjoy longer trips of 10 to 14 days, with more content.

The important rule of thumb

No fewer than two nights in each place. One night means most of the day goes on checking out, traveling and checking in, with almost no time left to explore.

How much is too much?

Beyond 12 to 14 days, most families with kids start to feel the fatigue of laundry and homesickness. If you have more free time, consider splitting it into two short trips a year instead of one long one.

Trip length is one decision out of six, and the order of all of them, from the kids' ages to the packing, is in the family trip abroad guide.

An itinerary that fits your dates

The number of days affects everything else: how many bases, how many attractions a day, and what the budget is. Diretix takes your dates and builds a balanced daily itinerary around them, not too packed and not too empty, matched to your ages and pace. One trip a month is built in full, for free, up to 12 days.