Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

What’s in it for the kids?

Text Sheridan Becker

Jetting off with the kids in tow doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your holiday. Check out our round-up of less obvious destinations the whole family will enjoy

Porto, Portugal

Kids will love Get a view of the city from the top of the Torre dos Clérigos, the bell tower of the Igreja dos Clérigos (‘Church of the Clerics’, Rua São Filipe Néri), one of the city’s tallest landmarks. Get your little ones to count the steps (there are over 200) as a challenge to get them to the top. Another sure bet is a ride on the old wooden trams, which you can take to Praia da Luz in Foz, an area known for its sandy beaches and trendy restaurants. Sixty kilometres from Porto in the town of Aveiro teens can make the most of kite surfing at the Extreme Sports Café (www.extremesportscafe.com).

For all the family Head 56km east of Porto to Aquaparque de Amarante, located in the town of Amarante. This place is guaranteed to provide hours of waterslide and swimming pool entertainment for the whole family. Alternatively, older children can catch some surf at Espinho, where Oporto Surf Camp (oportosurfcamp.com) has been offering workshops and camps for over 20 years. They also offer kitesurfing, bike rides, downhill skateboarding and golf.

Where to eat Casa Nanda (Rua da Alegria 394, tel. ) is an old-time, family-style restaurant that serves local favorites such as bacalha (salted cod), a national dish. The portions are huge and the prices are reasonable. Another great find is Giao (Rua Brito e Cunha 640, tel. + 993), located in the northwest of Porto, where kids will enjoy the best grilled cheese in town, while Padaria Ribeiro (Rua Monte da Bela 300) is the place to go for cookies.

Where to stay The Pestana Porto Hotel (Praça da Ribeira 1, tel. ) is a charming 16th-century property on the Douro River, with riverview rooms. Children up to 12-years-old stay for free when sharing with an adult. The hotel offers bike rentals for families. Alternatively, the 18-story Ipanema Park Hotel (Rua de Serralves 124, tel. ) has outdoor and indoor swimming pools and also offers baby-sitting and child-care services.

Barcelona, Spain

Kids will love Take the only remaining cable car in Barcelona to the summit of Tibidabo Mountain, where you’ll find the Tibidabo Amusement Park – the most popular Sunday excursion for families. For culture that’s cool enough for little ones to relish, the 20-hectare Park Guell, designed by Gaudí and located on a hillside above Barcelona, will have kids raving about the famous Gaudí dragon fountain, the two fairytale gatehouses, and sloping cave-like places to play hide-and-seek. For a watery adventure, children can spend the night surrounded by sharks and over 8,000 different kinds of fish as part of the ‘Sleep with Sharks’ programme at Barcelona’s L’Aquarium.

Teenage daughters will be in their element spending an afternoon shopping at La Roca Village shopping outlet (about 30 minutes from Barcelona). Aspiring young footballers meanwhile, will jump at the chance to tour Camp Nou football stadium. Kids can walk down the players’ tunnel, as well as onto the pitch, before having their photo taken with a mini-replica of the European Cup.

For the family Musée Picasso is a must-see, as is the Parc de la Ciutadella, which offers a number of activities, including paddle boats. While just over an hour outside of the city, PortAventura Theme Park has easily enough thrills and spills to keep all ages entertained for the day.

Where to eat For the best hot chocolate in town, check out Dulcinea (Via Petrixol 2, tel. ) and don’t miss the house special melindros (soft, sugar-topped biscuits) – ideal for double-dipping into the hot chocolate. For a typical taste of Spain, kids will love tucking into tapas at Cervecería Catalana (Mallorca 236, tel. ), which is open all-day long, a rarity in town. Camper Foodball (Elisabets 9, tel. ), with its quirky décor, serves up organic fare based on rice balls cooked in pure, filtered and pollutant-free tap water. Kids rave about the taste.

Where to stay Grand Hotel Central (Vía Layetana 30, tel. ) offers a variety of ‘Enjoy Barcelona with Children’ packages. The tailor-made programme, designed by the concierge, covers the best places to visit according to your child’s age group. Bookings include a complimentary dinner for two adults and two children in the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant. The hotel also offers the best infinity pool in Barcelona. Brussels Airlines passengers can receive a 10% discount when booking. Just quote ‘Brussels Airlines Family’ when making your booking.

Athens, Greece

Kids will love A ride up Lykavitos Hill on the cable car is always a big hit for sweeping views of the Acropolis and the Olympic Stadium. Back at street level, Attica Zoological Park has the third-largest bird collection in the world, with over 2,000 specimens. Its Wild Kingdom features a reptile house, bears, lions, tigers, leopards, zebras and an enclosed, walk-through Monkey Jungle, as well as a working children’s farm and playground. Athens Planetarium (complete with IMAX theatre) will leave kids believing they are visiting the sky and beyond after taking part in all the activities and hi-tech games on offer. Teens will love a day of high-pitched screaming at Allou! Fun Park – a reliable favourite with its massive rollercoaster rides. But the famous Sunday morning flea market around Plateia Monastirakiou is also a must for shoppers keen to pick up vintage bargains.

For the family Hands down, Athens’ biggest attractions are the ancient monuments of the Acropolis, with its classical architecture and majestic carvings, despite lots of crumbly bits. For an overnight adventure, all ages will love to head to Backhus campsite, in Sunio (just outside the city), where you can hire tents and sleeping bags for the night.

Where to eat Paradosiako (Voulis 44a) is a small, authentic restaurant where the food is cooked and served by a grandmother. All her children and grandchildren have been known to stop by for a visit, especially around dinner time. Family-style meals are served with a smile and a big welcome.

Where to stay The Electra Palace Hotel (18 Nikodimou Street, tel. ) is a stylish, modern and affordable 150-room hotel, located in the heart of the tourist area, the Plaka district. The hotel’s best asset is the rooftop terrace, equipped with a swimming pool, bar and barbecue restaurant.

Florence, Italy

Kids will love The Leonardo Museum has plenty of hands-on activities specifically designed for children, who are encouraged to interact with over 30 of Leonardo’s inventions made into models. There’s also the Ponte Vecchio, with its street performers and dramatic views; the San Lorenzo Market, where kids can stock up on souvenirs and gifts for friends back home; and the Parco delle Cascine, where you can take a dip in the swimming pool in the middle of the park. Older kids can let off cultural steam with a bike tour through the countryside. Try Florence by Bike (tel. , florencebybike.it) for bike hire.

For the family Head out of town to the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa (about 80km from Florence). You need to book in advance to climb the tower because only 30 people at a time are allowed to climb the 294 sloping steps.

Where to eat Divinus (Via Dell’Orto 35, tel. ), located in an old convent, is a great pizzeria that has an outdoor garden for the kids to romp in. Dolci & Dolcezze (Piazza Beccaria 8, tel. ) makes the best homemade candy and pastries in town. Children flock here after school. Of course, no trip to Italy is complete without a scoop or two of gelato – Perchè no! (Via dei Tavolini 19r, tel. ) is the place to go.

Where to stay Located in the city centre, the Tornabuoni Beacci (Via Tornabuoni 3, tel. ) is a family-friendly bed and breakfast that occupies the top three floors of the 14th-century Palazzo Minerbetti Strozzi. There is a lovely rooftop garden and terrace offering an amazing panoramic view of the city.

Quels plans pour les enfants?

Ce n’est pas parce que vous avez des enfants dans la maisonnée que vous devez faire des compromis sur le choix de votre destination. Découvrez notre sélection d’endroits moins évidents où toute la famille pourra trouver de quoi s’amuser

Porto, Portugal

Prenez le tram jusqu’à Praia da Luz dans le quartier de Foz, pour batifoler sur la plage. Les ados adoreront le kite surf au Café the Extreme Sports. Et pour les sports nautiques accessibles à tous les âges, rendez vous à l’Aquaparque de Amarante. Et lorsque vous avez une petite faim, Casa Nanda (Rua da Alegria 394, tel. ) est un restaurant familial à l’ancienne.

Barcelone, Espagne

Les enfants peuvent passer la nuit entourés de requins à L’Aquarium de Barcelone, dans le cadre du programme ‘Sleep with Sharks’. Durant la journée, découvrez le Parc Guell avec tous ses thèmes excentriques développés par Gaudi. Les petits s’en donneront à cœur joie en puisant dans les tapas, la cuisine typique de l’Espagne, à la Cerveceria Catalana (Mallorca, 236, tel. ).

Athènes, Grèce

Le Parc Zoologique d’Attique, la troisième plus grande collection d’oiseaux au monde, offre un parcours balisé au milieu de la Jungle des Singes, dans son Royaume Sauvage. Mais sans conteste, la plus fameuse attraction d’Athènes est son monument antique, l’Acropole, qui domine par son architecture et ses sculptures majestueuses. Toute la famille réservera un accueil chaleureux à l’établissement grec traditionnel Paradsiako (Voulis, 44a).

Florence, Italie

Le Musée Leonardo propose une foule d’activités spécialement destinées aux enfants. Autre plan possible : une visite de la fameuse Tour de Pise (environ 80km de Florence). Vous devez impérativement réserver à l’avance pour grimper dans la tour. Divinus (Via dell’Orto, 35, tel.), est une fabuleuse pizzeria située dans un ancien couvent, son jardin très agréable permet aux enfants de jouer sans retenue.

Vliegen voor jonge vogels

Ook als je met kinderen vliegt, zijn er tal van leuke bestemmingen. Maak kennis met minder voor de hand liggende locaties, die gegarandeerd het hele gezin zullen bekoren.

Porto, Portugal

Neem de tram naar Praia da Luz in Foz voor wat strandpret. Tieners zullen gek zijn op het kitesurfen van het Extreme Sports Café. Watersport voor alle leeftijden vind je in het Aquaparque de Amarante. Zin in een hapje? De Casa Nanda (Rua da Alegria 394, tel. ) is een lekker ouderwets gezinsrestaurant.

Barcelona, Spanje

Welke kwajongen wil nu niet tussen haaien slapen? Nu kan het echt dankzij het project ‘Slapen met haaien’ in het aquarium van Barcelona. Voor Gaudigetint plezier moet je overdag in het Parc Guell zijn. Schotel je kinderen typische Spaanse tapas voor in de Cerveceria Catalana (Mallorca, 236; tel. ).

Athene, Griekenland

De Attica Zoo heeft de op twee na grootste vogelcollectie ter wereld en in de sectie wilde dieren kan je door een afgesloten apenjungle wandelen. De grootste attractie in Athene blijft natuurlijk de Akropolis, met zijn prachtige gebouwen en beeldhouwwerk uit de klassieke oudheid. Gezinnen krijgen een warm onthaal in het traditionele Griekse eethuis Paradsiako (Voulis, 44a).

Firenze, Italië

Het Leonardo Museum heeft allerlei kindvriendelijke activiteiten in petto. Een alternatief is een trip buiten de stad naar de beroemde (scheve) Toren van Pisa (zowat 80 km buiten Firenze). Om de toren te beklimmen, moet je vooraf boeken. Divinus (Via dell’Orto, 35. Tel. ), voordien een oud klooster, is een fantastische pizzeria met een mooie tuin waarin kinderen kunnen ravotten.

Illustrations Mat Bartlett

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