How Much Does a Trip to Europe Cost? A Family Vacation Budget

Last Updated on November 13, 2026 by Tori Pines

Okay, let’s talk money. Because one of the questions I get asked more than almost anything else since we got back from Europe is: how much does a trip to Europe actually cost? And I want to give you a real, honest, number by number answer because I think the travel blogging world does a really poor job of being transparent about this stuff, and vague answers like “it depends!” are not helpful when you’re trying to actually plan and budget a trip.

So here it is. The real cost of our 10 day Europe trip with two kids, 3 years old and under. No fluff, no sugarcoating, just the actual numbers.

A few important things to know upfront before we get into it: we traveled as 2 adults with a 3 year old and an 11 month old. Our kids were almost always free for activities and attractions, which is one of the most wonderful things about traveling in Europe with young children. For food, the girls always shared a meal between them or ate off our plates. And our flights were completely free thanks to airline points, which I am going to get into below because it is genuinely a game changer and something every family planning an international trip needs to know about.

I’m not going to hide the lead here. Our grand total was ~$8,905. But it’s important to know where we spent and where we saved, so keep reading!!

The Biggest Money Saving Tips Before We Get Into Numbers

Fly Free With Airline Credit Card Points

This is the single biggest money saving move you can make for a European family vacation and I cannot talk about it enough. Apply for an airline specific credit card well in advance of your trip and use it for everything so you can rack up points fast. We are talking a United card, a Delta card, an American Airlines card, not just a general travel card. The return on a specific airline card is so much better and your points go directly toward flights on that carrier.

Our transatlantic flights for two adults were completely free with points, and our baby flew as a lap infant for free. Honestly the points game is something I wish someone had told me about years ago. Start now, even if your trip is a year away. We have the United Quest card and LOVE it. We have been to Hawaii and Europe twice in the last few years and only had to pay taxes and fees for all flights! Get the United card now!

For other tips to survive the international flight with kids read my guide!

Book Your Cruise Through Your Airline’s Travel Portal

This is a tip that most people have no idea about and it is SO good. We booked our MSC cruise through United’s travel portal instead of directly through MSC, and we earned about 40,000 bonus points just for doing that. That translated to roughly one one way flight to Rome. For doing basically nothing differently except where we clicked to book. Do this. It is free money. OH and call to book instead of online, because somehow that saved us another few hundred dollars on the cruise!

Always Buy Attraction Tickets Directly Through the Venue’s Own Website

Please hear me on this one: do not buy tickets through third party booking sites unless you specifically want a guided tour. Vendors on sites like Viator and GetYourGuide add significant markups for zero added benefit when you’re buying a standalone ticket. Always go directly to the attraction’s official website. Save the third party sites for actual guided experiences where a local guide adds real value (which are absolutely worth it!!!).

Kids Are Almost Always Free or Very Cheap

In Europe, children under a certain age, usually 4 to 6 depending on the attraction, almost always get in free. Every train we took, every museum, every tourist attraction, the girls were free. Factor this in when you’re budgeting because it makes a really significant difference for families with young kids.

Choose Your Tours Wisely

Tours can be really wonderful but they can also eat your budget fast. We did a few and loved them, but we were selective. For most sightseeing we explored on our own and saved the tour budget for experiences that genuinely benefited from a local guide, like our Winedering Chianti tour, Ciao Florence cooking class and the Secret Food Tour in Barcelona. Plan most of your activities independently and reserve the tour spend for things that truly can’t be replicated on your own.

Read more: 25 Best Tours in Rome: From Walking Tours to Day Trips, The 15 Best Tours in Venice YOU Should Book

Tipping Culture in Europe

This one surprises a lot of Americans. Tipping in Europe is nothing like tipping in the US, and understanding that before you go will save you a lot of confusion and awkwardness. In Italy and France, tipping is appreciated but absolutely not expected or required the way it is at home. A standard tip if you want to leave one is around 5 to 10%, and in many cases rounding up the bill or leaving a euro or two per person is completely sufficient and warmly received. You will never be chased down for not tipping and nobody will give you a look. It is genuinely different over there and honestly really refreshing. Budget a small amount for tips but don’t stress about it the way you might at home.

Read more: Where to Eat in Florence, Italy: 12 Best Restaurants & Dishes, Where to Eat in Positano: Top 10 Best Restaurants & Local Dishes

What we did and spent in Europe

Florence: 3 Nights on Land

We spent three nights in Florence with kids before boarding our cruise and stayed at the absolutely wonderful Martelli 6 Suites and Apartments. We got the upgraded studio room with a full kitchenette and a separate living space, and it was SO worth the upgrade especially with two little kids. Having a kitchen meant we could store snacks and breakfast items which saved us money throughout the stay. The location was literally half a block from the Duomo which meant we were central to everything and barely needed transportation the whole time we were there.

Hotel: $684 total for 3 nights

Martelli 6 was such an incredible value for what we got. We loved this room.

Getting to Florence from Rome Airport: ~$110

The train from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Florence was 50 euros per adult (100 euros total) and the kids rode free on our laps. Add a short taxi to the hotel and you’re looking at around $110 total for the family. Book the train tickets in advance for the best price and availability. I highly recommend you use the Trenitalia app to do so.

Activities: 

Here is what we did and what each cost:

The Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s David was 20 euros per adult and completely free for the kids. Absolutely worth every euro. (but if you are able to go on the first Sunday of the month it’s completely free for everyone!)

Our pizza and gelato cooking class was 79 euros per adult and free for the kids. One of my favorite experiences of the entire trip. So fun, incredibly interactive, and the kids were completely engaged the whole time. Use code toripinestravels for a discount!

We planned a day trip by train to Pisa and Lucca which cost 24 euros per adult in train tickets and was free for the kids. Such a wonderful, easy day trip from Florence.

Our family photoshoot was $400, which sounds like a lot and I will not pretend otherwise. But these are the photos that are going on our walls and that we will have forever, and I genuinely think it was worth every dollar. Book our photographer Ken using my link and save $25 off your first photo shoot!

The Winedering Chianti wine tour starts at 55 euros per adult and is such a beautiful way to spend an afternoon in the Tuscan countryside.

Food in Florence: ~$465

Breakfast on the go each morning was about 15 euros per day. Lunch was around 40 euros per day at places like Mercato Centrale. Dinners at sit-down restaurants with drinks ran about 100 euros per evening.

Florence Total: ~$2,000 to $2,400

Depending on which activities you choose, across hotel, transportation, activities, and 3 days of food.

Read More: Sundays in Florence, Italy, Towns Near Florence You MUST Visit, 2 Week Italy Trip Itinerary 14 Days in Italy + Where to Stay, Tips & Packing List!, Italy Travel Tips: Everything You MUST Know Before Traveling to Italy

The Cruise: 7 Nights on the MSC Grandiosa

We decided to try a cruise for this trip to Europe since we had small kids with us. And in many ways, it was a great decision! We didnt have to lug their stuff from country to country, or spend time traveling and having to entertain them along the way. Plus, it was a pretty good value for our money. For a full review read my blog post!

Cruise Cost: $5,100

Our 7 night MSC Grandiosa cruise was $5,100 for our family of four. Mediterranean cruises for four range from around $4,000 to $10,000+ depending on the cruise line, the ship, the itinerary, the cabin category, and the time of year you sail. Ours was a really solid mid-range option and we felt it was excellent value for what we got. And remember, book through your airline’s travel portal to earn serious points on top of this.

On-Ship Expenses: ~$310

This is honestly one of my favorite parts of our cruise breakdown because it is so much lower than most people expect. We spent about 20 euros per day on drinks at dinner, which was our only real daily expense on the ship. We did NOT buy a drink package and we are SO glad we didn’t. We also did not buy specialty dining, and again, zero regrets. The buffet food was genuinely fantastic and it would have felt like a complete waste of money to pay extra for food when such good food was already included.

What we did spend on: a WiFi package for $150 (buy this in advance online, it is cheaper than buying on the ship) and a laundry package for $20. Both were absolutely worth it especially with two little kids generating a lot of laundry.

Getting to the Cruise (Florence to Civitavecchia Port): ~$114

Train from Florence to Roma Termini was 35 euros per adult (70 euros total, kids free). A second train from Roma Termini to Civitavecchia was 12 euros per adult (24 euros total, kids free). Then a taxi from the Civitavecchia train station to the port was 10 euros per adult (we could have waited for the shuttle which was 6 euros per adult, but a taxi pulled up while we were waiting and we split it with some other cruise passengers and just went for it).

Getting from the Cruise to Rome Airport: $150

We paid for the cruise line’s shuttle transfer from Civitavecchia back to Rome Fiumicino Airport, which was 50 euros per person. They charged us for our toddler but our baby was free as a lap infant. For the ease and peace of mind of not having to figure out trains with all our luggage at the end of a long trip, it was absolutely worth it.

Port Day Expenses

Palma de Mallorca: $191

Hop on hop off bus was $40 per adult (kids 7 and under free), so $80 for us. Beach chair and umbrella rental was $30. Lunch including drinks, the most incredible tapas and paella and sangria right off the beach, was $81. One of the best meals of the entire trip and worth every euro.

Barcelona, Spain: $230

Taxis getting around the city totaled about $50. Secret Food Tours Barcelona was 90 euros per adult (kids free), so $180 for our family. The food tour was absolutely worth every penny and one of the highlights of our Barcelona day.

Cannes, France: $170

Le Petit Train was 15 euros per adult (kids free), so $30 for us. Lunch at Le Caveau Provençal was $106 for the family including drinks, a truly delicious French meal. A street crepe was $4. And our afternoon at the beach club was 30 euros which included access to the beach and our drinks. Such a dreamy afternoon on the French Riviera.

Genoa, Italy: $153

The Genoa Aquarium was $39 per adult (kids free), so $78 for us. Not our favorite stop but the aquarium kept the kids happy. Lunch including drinks was $75 at a wonderful little local restaurant where we ate all the pesto. Zero regrets on the pesto front.

Cinque Terre (via La Spezia): $172

The Via dell’Amore and full day train card combo was 35 euros per adult (kids free), so $70 for our family. Breakfast in Riomaggiore right on the water was $35. Beach chair rental in Monterosso was $30. Pizza, salad, and drinks on the beach for lunch was $37. Genuinely the most magical and affordable port day of the entire cruise. Our favorite day of the whole trip.

The Grand Total

Let’s add it all up. Here’s the full picture:

Category	Approximate Cost
Flights	FREE (airline points)
Florence Hotel (3 nights)	$684
Florence Transportation (airport to hotel)	$110
Florence Activities	$756
Florence Food (3 days)	$465
Cruise (7 nights, family of 4)	$5,100
On-Ship Expenses (drinks, WiFi, laundry)	$310
Transportation to Cruise	$114
Transportation from Cruise to Airport	$150
Port Day Expenses (all 5 ports)	$916
Souvenirs (across 10 days, ~$30/day)	$300
GRAND TOTAL	~$8,905

So just under $9,000 for a family of four for 10 days in Europe, including a 7 night Mediterranean cruise and 3 nights on land in Florence, with flights completely covered by points.

Is that a lot of money? Yes. Absolutely. I am not going to pretend otherwise. But when you break it down, the cruise alone at $5,100 is covering 7 nights of accommodation, all meals, entertainment, and transportation between five different countries. That is genuinely extraordinary value when you think about it that way. And without the points strategy for flights, this trip would have cost significantly more.

A Few Final Thoughts on Budgeting a Family Trip to Europe

The best money we spent on this trip was on experiences over things. The cooking class in Florence, the family photoshoot, the food tour in Barcelona, the Via dell’Amore in Cinque Terre. Those are the things we talk about and think about and will remember forever. The worst money we almost spent was on drink packages and specialty dining on the cruise that we thankfully decided against.

Travel with kids does not have to be as expensive as people think, especially in Europe where children are so often free or significantly discounted. The points strategy alone can save you thousands of dollars on flights. And once you’re over there, the experiences available to your family are genuinely priceless.