The Last Word On Travel: Family City Breaks
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Why are families shifting from long sun‑vacations to shorter city breaks?
And so to our
weekly last word on travel with Sarah Slattery, thetravelexpert.ie. And Sarah, when did it start that families, instead of going on the traditional week-long or two-week-long holiday, usually to a sunspot, started going on family city breaks instead?
It's instead, but they're certainly travelling differently. I think we're all probably travelling differently over the last number of years. But we have a few statistics behind it now. According to the CSO, whilst numbers are up 11%, travel numbers are up to 15 million on 2024 to 2025. The average length of trips is actually down. So we are travelling more, but for shorter periods. And I think just kind of listening to people, I suppose, and just from the industry as a whole, I think we're still taking maybe a week's holiday in the summer, but it's not the two week holiday we would have once taken. So you might take a week in the summer, you might do a couple of days around Ireland, you might do a city break.
We're just doing, I suppose, more trips, but for shorter durations.
And how much more emphasis is there on having what's called experiences?
Well, I think we all, we're all looking for that, aren't we? I think, I know we probably blame COVID on it, but I think it's been evolving. We all want these unique experiences now.
How have travel statistics changed for families in 2024‑2025?
We want, and even kids too, you know, they're seeing the Eiffel Tower, they're seeing like Big Ben, all the famous European attractions in New York, at the place in New York, all on their social media feeds now as well. They want to get the snaps with them too. So, and even from an educational point of view, you know, you're studying kids, World War and school and all of a sudden if you're standing there at Checkpoint Charlie with the guards beside you like it's a different experience you do sort of it brings it all to life for you I suppose you see the Berlin Wall it's definitely from an educational point of view as well as experience it's really good I think to bring uh kids on on those kind of trips and one other thing that i think sometimes gets forgotten that when we go on um sun holidays you know the kids might be in the kids club or they could be in the pool on the slides all day or they might meet other friends and you kind of mightn't see them till tea time whereas when you're on a city break you really do connect you they're with you the whole time so it it's a different sort of experience but it's it's a worthwhile one and i think something more family should embrace really
OK, well, let's go to some of the potential venues that people can go to. And I think people are already starting to plan towards the month of December and Christmas time. So you've got Copenhagen as one of the best city breaks for families.
Yeah, it's really particularly good with younger kids. It's a flat city, relatively flat city. A lot of the cities we like to visit have these old towns, not ideal with buggies. But Copenhagen is the opposite. Really, really handy to get around for young kids. And the world's actually oldest theme park is there, Tivoli Gardens. And it closes down for about two weeks before Christmas. The same for Halloween, by the way, and they really go all out. But Christmas, there's like 120,000 lights. There's loads of different carousels and experiences as well as a kind of Christmas markets as well. But it runs from the 13th of November right to the 3rd of January. So really nice kind of Christmas market break or post-Christmas, you know, that time between Christmas and New Year where you're looking for something to do before they go back to school.
What educational and experiential benefits do city trips offer kids?
It stays open until the 3rd of January, so it's a good one for that. You can also combine it with Legoland. The Legoland is two hours by train in Billund. So really kind of nice city break that can combine a mix of a city with fun attractions for kids too.
So when you say it closes down before Halloween and before Christmas, does it reopen as a theme park with the roller coasters and all the rest of it to people once it's been dressed for the period?
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
Why are families shifting from long sun‑vacations to shorter city breaks?
0:00–1:26
2
How have travel statistics changed for families in 2024‑2025?
1:26–3:25
3
What educational and experiential benefits do city trips offer kids?
3:25–5:40
4
Why is Copenhagen considered the ideal city break for families with young children?
5:40–7:39
5
How can families combine Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens with nearby Legoland?
7:39–9:27
6
What makes Lisbon a family‑friendly city despite its hilly old town?
9:27–9:58
7
Which attractions in Lisbon (aquarium, Sintra, water sports) suit kids of all ages?
9:58–10:10
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from The Last Word with Matt Cooper
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