Short-term rental apartments in Europe are all the rage – a budget-friendly and fun option for family travel

By Rita

Travel comes in many forms, and in Europe, short-term rental apartments that are perfect for families and parent-child trips are extremely popular,The Guardianrecently reported on various unique family-oriented short-term rental apartments across Europe. These are thoughtfully designed for “family travel,” allowing parents to bring their kids for a short European vacation that not only saves on travel costs but also lets children have plenty of fun. Maybe you should give this special travel style a try too!

Barcelona

With its quirky striped sofa, cartoon graffiti on the walls, toy chest, and indoor hammock, this small yet stylish apartment has no TV—but every detail is designed with kids in mind. The owner, Mavi, runs a blog about “how adults can explore Spain with their kids.” During their stay, parents can tour Spain using a top-of-the-line Bugaboo Bee stroller.

▲ Interior of a family-friendly apartment in Barcelona (Photo/Screen capture fromKid & Coe website) Paris

Paris

This two-person apartment in Paris is located in a quiet residential area, close to parks, playgrounds, cafes, and bakeries—making it a favorite choice for many family travelers. It’s right next to the famous Jardin des Tuileries, where you can rent a model boat to drive on the lake (1 euro for 30 minutes). Additionally, it’s just a ten-minute walk to the train station, with Disneyland Paris reachable within an hour.

▲ Nearby play facilities of the family apartment in Paris (Photo/Screen capture fromHomeAway website)

Palma, Spain

Traveling in Palma? It might be hard to find a better spot for families than this: just a 15-minute walk to the beach, with an ice cream shop right around the corner. There are two apartments here, Lotus and Bougainvillea, both featuring vintage-chic styles and offering two bedrooms that can accommodate up to six people. The owner, Zaretta, lives next door and is happy to lend out kids’ books, DVDs, baskets, sand shovels, and more.

▲ A view of a Spanish family travel apartment (Photo/Screen capture fromHomeAway website)

Vienna
    Kids aged five and under will feel right at home in this quirky ground-floor apartment. Past the entrance hallway, there’s even more space to accommodate larger families (up to nine people). Just a five-minute walk from the city center brings you to Prater Park, the world’s oldest amusement park, which features roller coasters, bumper cars, haunted houses, mazes, racing cars, trampolines, mini-golf, and Vienna’s most famous Ferris wheel. Nearby universities let kids run around freely, and there’s even a cafe that welcomes strollers. If your little ones still have energy to spare, the apartment has a small front yard with wooden toys, finger puppets, and rocking horses.

▲ Short-term family apartment in Vienna (Photo/Screen capture fromPraterloft website)

Rome
    This charming three-bedroom apartment is just a five-minute walk from the Vatican and Piazza del Popolo, and also close to one of Rome’s best gelato shops, Gelateria dei Gracchi. Tech-loving kids can also check out the nearby video game museum, Vigamus. The apartment owner, Audrey, previously lived here with her children and has left plenty of toys and games neatly stored in the storage boxes under the bunk beds.

% Great for families traveling to Rome (Photo/Screen capture fromHomeAway website)