FamilyFun, Eguisheim

Without doubt, the most popular landmark for all Mannheimers is the water tower "Wasserturm". No wonder it serves as the backdrop to so many wedding and holiday photos. Romantic and dreamy, it stands in one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau sites in Europe. Its fountains, promenades and arcades are a popular meeting place for locals and visitors alike. You get the best view of the water tower from one of the surrounding cafés on the Friedrichsplatz. Sitting under the arcades sipping a cup of coffee is guaranteed to give you a Mediterranean feeling. On summer evenings, you can marvel at the water fountain choreography. In the winter, the Christmas market around the Wasserturm is worth a visit too. https://www.visit-mannheim.de/en/Media/attractions/water-tower

The Luisenpark is divided in an upper and a lower part. The lower Luisenpark is the oldest part of the park, and entry is free. The upper Luisenpark charges an admission fee, but it also has a lot more to offer. Drift lazily in gondolettas on the Kutzerweiher lake, climb over the stones in the mountain stream and experience a real Chinese tea ceremony. In the conservatory, you can discover not only tropical plants but also hundreds of species of colourful butterflies as well as fish, monkeys, crocodiles and many other exotic animals. Outside you will find cows, sheep, guinea pigs, storks, flamingos and more. The daily feeding of the penguins is quite the spectacle. Don't miss it! The park has many different playgrounds. Climbing, swinging, sliding, digging, and trampoline jumping — kids will love it! Parents can lounge on the free-to-use deck chairs. There are various restaurants, cafés, and kiosks in the park, but you can also bring your own food and beverages. https://www.visit-mannheim.de/en/Media/attractions/luisenpark

Each summer, in the middle of an enchanting landscape in the westernmost Austrian federal state of Vorarlberg, the Bregenz Festival presents high-calibre opera al fresco with the theatre on the lake. In addition, the festival attracts approximately 200,000 visitors to the border triangle between the Alps and Lake Constance with unforgettable debut opera performances and concertante treasures in the Festival House, unheard material as part of “Kunst aus der Zeit” at the studio theatre, as well as touching gems of operatic literature at the Theater am Kornmarkt in the months of July and August, with more than 80 performances in total. https://www.bregenz.travel/en/tourism/culture/bregenz-festival/

The new building of the National Museum of Natural History opened its doors to the public in December 1996. In this modern museum are presented in ten exhibition rooms the people, the regions and landscapes of Luxembourg and the development of life on earth as well as the origin of the universe. http://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/museum/national-museum-of-natural-history-natur-musee-luxembourg

One of Europe's most significant zoological gardens, established in 1858, featuring two highly interesting exotic and nocturnal animal houses. Frankfurt Zoo, situated in the heart of the city, is home to some 500 animals species from across the globe. Open 365 days a year, Frankfurt Zoo is a great place to relax and enjoy the scenic surrounds while learning something about the animal kingdom as well as nature conservation and species protection. https://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/en/Media/Attractions/Leisure/Zoo-Frankfurt

Influenced by the style of an English garden Le Parc de la Tete d’Or is the largest urban park in France and contains numerous attractions for all the family including a zoo, boating lake, botanical gardens, miniature railway, pony rides for children and more.It’s an excellent place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty and includes dozens of trails for walking, jogging or bicycling and large open spaces for activities and picnics.Created in 1857 by the brothers Denis and Eugène Buhler in the same year as New York’s famous Central Park, Le Parc de la Tete d’Or has seen numerous additions since it’s initial creation, including in 1865 the impressive glass houses containing species of plants and flowers from all over the world and in the 1960’s the inclusion of the rose gardens featuring 30,000 rose bushes comprising 350 different varieties.The name of the park originates from a legend that says treasure with the “head of Christ” could be buried somewhere in the park.France’s second public zoo after the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes in Paris contains almost 400 different animals divided into 64 different species.The last 10 years have seen improvements to the zoo’s infrastructure including in 2006 the new African Savannah featuring zebra, giraffes and pink flamingos. The zoo is a member of EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is dedicated to the preservation of species threatened by extinction. https://thisislyon.fr/things-to-do/sports-and-recreation/parks-and-recreation/parc-de-la-tete-dor/

At Olympiaberg in Munich, every skier can find just the right slope. The highest hill in the city offers a variety of options for descending: gently descending slopes for everyone who wants to learn to ski and bobsled, and steep descents for those who like to fly across the snow. The Olympic Park in northern Munich is well known beyond the borders of the capital city. The unique tent architecture of the buildings and the Olympic Tower are some of Munich’s well known landmarks. After the Olympic Games in 1972, a 300-hectare-sized park was developed into a recreation center for the entire city. Joggers, cyclists, and walkers take their laps here, and swimmers do lengths in the Olympic swimming facility. At over 50 meters (150 feet) high, the Olympic Hill towers over the park grounds and is an ideal spot to enjoy a view of the roofs of Munich and to the mountains beyond. http://www.muenchen.de/int/en/sights/parks/olympic-park.html

A little bit further from the city you can discover the largest and most exciting labyrinth in the Netherlands and much more. You try to reach the green heart. Wandering the way to the center. But watch out for the spontaneously spraying water walls! In addition to the unique entrance building with a giant butterfly-shaped roof, a water playground with dozens of fountains has been laid out. This is beautiful to look at, fun to walk through and play with! https://www.drielandenpunt.nl/dagje-drielandenpunt/labyrint/

Whoever has experienced the wide variety and idylls of Nuremberg Zoo will come back again. The elegant movements of the dolphins and sea lions in the dolphin lagoon, the tropical atmosphere in the manatee house and the feeding of the polar bears in the Aqua Park provide an unforgettable experience. Young visitors have time to stroke and feed the animals in the children's zoo and run around in the huge playground. 3295 animals of 292 different species can be seen at the Nuremberg Zoo! https://tourismus.nuernberg.de/en/discover/places-of-interest/nuremberg-zoo/

Cologne Zoo was founded in 1860 and is one of the oldest - yet also one of the most modern - zoological gardens. In no other zoo the development of the zoological gardens over the years can be seen so clearly: the buildings starting from the menagerie of the 19th century to the wildlife reserve of the 21st century, from the Moorish-style elephant house and the former birdhouse in the style of a Russian basilica dating back to the 19th century, to the ape island created in a Hagenbeck style and modern natural worlds such as the rain forest. Since the big cat enclosure opened, designed as a biotope habitat, visitors to Cologne Zoo have been able to view the animals in glass-fronted enclosures without bars. The conversion of the old birdhouse into the South America house for primates shows that tradition and progress must by no means be mutually exclusive. The modern elephant park provides the zoo's elephants with the most space north of the Alps. Cologne Zoo is also famous for its primate collection. The zoo has around 500 different species of animal from all the world's continents and oceans, including predators as well as the magnificent aquarium with a terrarium and insectarium. http://www.cologne.de/what-to-do/zoo.html

Discover a completely renovated Grévin Museum in Paris. Experience the Spirit of Paris of yesterday and of today with astounding scenes : the major events of the 20th Century, French history and the latest news. The brasserie, the theatre, artists' studios. all the legendary Parisian haunts where you will rub shoulders with the "Tout Paris" celebrities. Three hundred wax figures are waiting to meet you at the Grévin Museum, to be photographed with you, to be remembered forever... http://www.paris-paris-paris.com/paris_landmarks/museums/grevin_museum_paris

The Belgian Comic Strip Center has been honouring the creators and heroes of the 9th Art for more than 25 years. The regularly renewed permanent exhibitions and a diversified programme of temporary exhibitions enable visitors to discover the countless aspects of comics art. Tintin and the Smurfs lead the way towards further adventures, an encounter with a world where creativity has no limits. Enhanced by an exceptional Art Nouveau home designed by Victor Horta, the Belgian Comic Strip Center is just as much a tribute to the pioneers as a glimpse of contemporary comics art. https://visit.brussels/en/place/The-Belgian-Comic-Strip-Center

Located at the foot of the Atomium, Mini-Europe is the only park where you can have a whistle-stop tour of Europe in a few short hours. A truly unique journey! Enjoy a stroll taking in the typical atmosphere of the most beautiful towns of the old Continent. The incomparable chimes of Big Ben welcome you to the heart of London. The gondolas and mandolins invite you to discover the charms of Venice. Follow the TGV high-speed train from Paris to the other end of France. You can make the models work yourself: the eruption of Vesuvius, the fall of the Berlin Wall, a bull-fight in Seville, the take off of the Ariane spaceship and many others. All in all, 350 models and sites with an unequalled level of craftsmanship. Visit also the European area, packed with interactive multimedia games and the exhibition. https://visit.brussels/en/place/Mini-Europe

Though there are plenty of exotic animals to admire in its 40 hectares, Planckendael is much more than 'just' an animal park. Planckendael is synonymous with adventure! For example, you can follow a trail that leads across suspension bridges and through the treetops. There is more than enough space for children to play, for animals to frolic and visitors to stroll. This outing is a guaranteed hit!The Zoo was a prize-winner too. It was crowned the ‘Child-friendliest Zoo’ by the Diamond Theme Park Awards, the Oscars for the best theme parks and attractions in Europe! https://toerisme.mechelen.be/en/zoo-planckendael

The Antwerp ZOO is one of the oldest and best-known zoos in Europe. It will take you and your parents at least half a day to see and do it all! The penguins live in Vriesland with their own arctic enclosure, elephants and giraffes are as tall as the Egyptian temple they stay in and hippopotamuses goof around in a pink villa. 950 different species and 5000 animals live at the zoo, that’s more than all the sweets you’ll ever eat all in one place! Walk among the chimpanzees and the gorillas in the Valley of the Great Apes. It’s a great place to observe the apes’ antics, as they enjoy the grass under their feet and the wind on their skin. From there you can stroll to the Buffalo Savannah, where Cape Buffalo and birds live in harmony. And as you look out over the new savannah where the giraffes and the zebras live, you really will feel as if you are on an African safari. Don’t forget to check out the Skywalk where you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view over the historical garden and where you can get up close to the red pandas. https://www.visitantwerpen.be/en/sightseeing/antwerp-zoo

From exotic lions to the domestic lynx: Salzburg Zoo captivates visitors, big and small, with its wealth of animal species. An ideal excursion destination in the south of Salzburg City. With around 1200 animals and 140 different species, the former “Tiergarten Hellbrunn” promises a fascinatingly delightful experience. From pygmy mice to white rhino, all sizes and shapes of creature are represented - and from different continents. The Africa section of the zoo is particularly popular, featuring a broad Savanna-like area and a lion house. Eurasia attracts visitors with red pandas, Alpine ibex and brown bears. From the Americas, you will get to see sloths and lowland tapirs, amongst others. Australia is also represented, for example with Parma wallabies. The broad, 14-hectare grounds provide plenty of space for broad and very open enclosures. Salzburg Zoo is committed to keeping the animals in a habitat that is as near-natural as possible. The characteristics of the different habitats blend beautifully with the landscape features of Hellbrunn itself: from imposing rock faces to hilly riparian countryside. https://www.salzburg.info/en/sights/top10/zoo-salzburg

Take a fresh look at history in the ruined castle of Picquigny. All year round escape game rooms in total historical immersion help you understand fragments of the history of this castle. In summer Picquigny castle is open to the public in the afternoon. Use our well written, illustrated guide to exploring the many facets of this site at your own pace. Treasure hunt for youngsters. In summer there are unusual torchlight tours on Friday evenings or at other times for groups (book ahead). School groups and school holiday leisure centre groups are welcome from April to August for a full or half-day - group workshops (heraldry, illumination, calligraphy, treasure hunt). escape game or torchlight tour. Team building and other private events can be organised with medieval meal and activities and/or escape game. Standing high above the Somme valley for many centuries, the ruins of Picquigny castle are both imposing and picturesque. Climb up to the barbican gate, once a drawbridge, to get a real idea of the castle's past greatness. The tall imposing façade of the main building is truly striking. Then walk along the fortifications to the Gard gateway, the Renaissance style Sévigné wing and the collegiate church open in summer. The Sévigné wing was so named in honour of Madame de Sévigné, a famous woman of letters, who stayed for four days in Picquigny castle in April 1689. When writing to her daughter, Mme de Sévigné compared the castle to that of Grignan and mentioned the river Somme. "After dinner, we arrived here at a mansion that displayed all the pride of the heiress of Pecquigni. It is an old house built on an eminence above the town, like Grignan; a fine chapter, as at Grignan, a dean and twelve canons: I know not whether the foundations be as handsome but there are terraces on the borders of the river Somme which winds in a thousand meanders through the fields, which indeed are not to be found at Grignan. http://www.visit-amiens.com/tourinsoft/details/en_patrimoineculturel/PCUPIC0800010651/PCU

The half-hour carriage ride along Bruges’ historic winding streets trots off on Markt (at Burg on Wednesday morning). Halfway through the ride the carriage briefly stops at the Beguinage. The coachman gives expert commentary en route. https://www.visitbruges.be/en/bruges-by-horse-drawn-carriage-2

The climbing park in Rotterdam has 7 different courses in living trees ranging in various heights and levels of difficulty. Climbing may take up to 3 hours max (including instruction), but you can choose to shorten this time. The climbing park is interesting for young and old people, between ages of 7 (length 1.20m) and 80 years old. For the smallest monkeys there’s a free playwood. https://en.rotterdam.info/locations/klimpark-fun-forest-rotterdam/

Rotterdam Zoo is situated in the district of Blijdorp in Rotterdam Noord. Stroll across the African Savannah and stand face-to-face with the giraffes. Visit Bokito the gorilla and his family. Walk on the seabed in the indoor Oceanarium and meet stingrays and sharks. Stroll through the largest butterfly paradise of Europe: Amazonica, filled with fragrant flowers, thousands of South American butterflies, anacondas and piranhas that love to bite. https://en.rotterdam.info/locations/diergaarde-blijdorp-2/

Larvotto is the principality of Monaco's most popular sandy beach and the main one with free public access. Covered in smooth imported fine gravel this man-made beach is made up of both private and public areas of beach. Despite being a beach in a city setting this is one of the gems of Monaco. Beautiful clear water for swimming, soft pebble beach for sunbathing and plenty of good eateries around to satisfy even the pickiest of foodies. In the stretches of private beach you can hire a lounger and a parasol from the beach club, plus enjoy a cocktail and some food while you top up your tan. Whilst, on the public stretches you will need to bring your own lounger, towel, parasol or whatever you might desire for your trip to the beach. https://www.seemonaco.com/beaches/plage-du-larvotto-monaco-674322

Plaswijck Park has been a small-scale recreational park for over ninety years. It is located on the Bergse Achterplas in Hillegersberg-Schiebroek on the northern edge of Rotterdam. The park used to be known in the 1930s as the earthly paradise. The park currently consists of a Speelwijck (play area), Dierenwijck (animal area) and Wandelwijck (walking area). Speelwijck includes a Port Playground, Monkey Playground and Traffic Playground. And in the event of bad weather, guests can enjoy the House on the Hill, a giant playhouse where kids can jump on a trampoline on beds in the bedroom, squirt bubble bath in the bathroom and crawl and climb through the secret tunnels and passageways. Animals from around the globe live in Dierenwijck, including monkeys, owls, lynxes and goats. Wandelwijck offers various places to relax, including the English Garden and the Picnic Meadow. https://en.rotterdam.info/locations/plaswijckpark/

Boasting world-renowned expertise, the Museum presents more than 6000 specimens in their faithfully reconstructed natural habitat. Come and discover the amazing species of the Mediterranean, the incredible diversity of the inhabitants of the coral reef and the monumental Shark Lagoon, all under the same roof. From the highly colourful tropical zone to the spellbinding charm of the Mediterranean section, the Oceanographic museum invites you to observe the underwater world in all its authenticity. The one hundred or so pools, ranging in size from 100 to 450,000 litres, are home to several thousand fish specimens, more than 200 species of invertebrates and around one hundred species of hard and soft corals. https://www.oceano.mc/en/aquariums/our-aquariums

It offers many activities and exhibitions on Nature all year long, with - some twenty theme gardens display 2,500 plant species. A lake, where a hundred birds - ducks, pelicans, black swans - live together in peace and in which are reflected the white marble façades of the Asian Arts Museum designed by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. Also one of the largest greenhouses in Europe: the ‘Green Diamond’, that takes visitors through 6 different tropical climates to discover several thousand rare plant species, including tree ferns, an orchid collection... and many more plants. And you can see crocodiles, iguanas and exotic birds. A family of Varis lemurs are currently delighting visitors. http://en.nicetourisme.com/nice/1256-parc-phoenix%20-

Laid out between the Loire and the Cher, the botanical garden is the perfect place for a good walk. To the south, the arboretum contains hundreds of tree varieties in a scientifically fascinating garden. At the botanical garden of Tours, more than 150 genera and species of trees and shrubs are presented between the main entrance and the play areas to the south. Some trees are remarkable for their size, foliage or age. Let us first mention, at the entrance to the garden opposite the Hospital, on the left, an exceptional copy of Ginkgo biloba, "the tree with 40 ecus". Present from Doctor Bretonneau, a great lover of botany, it was planted in 1845. It is a male foot on which a female branch was grafted at the beginning of the XXth century. The animals were introduced into the botanical garden in 1856 to attract the public to this new public space. At the time, it was an acclimatization garden with animals such as monkeys or lions from circuses or the zoo. The best known of them remains Bobby the seal, which delighted the public until 1996. At present, the animal collection of the Botanical Garden to which the locals are still attached, is traditionally oriented towards exotic species: wallabies share their enclosure with emus. In the center of the garden, an aviary shelters parrots and parakeets. http://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/lodging-dining-goint-out/gardens-and-parks/botanic-garden-tours

Tropical underwater worlds – unique in Hannover: Take a trip beneath the waves in the Tropical Sea Life Aquarium. Fascinating underwater worlds: Sea Life in Hannover offers 3,500 square metres of habitats spanning the local Leine River to the Caribbean up to the Amazon. Whether it’s mussels, freshwater stingrays or piranhas, Germany’s first tropical Sea Life is home to over 3,500 underwater creatures in 37 pools. The Ocean Pool’s eight-metre-long glass tunnel separates visitors by just a few centimetres from sharks and turtles. In the rain forest in the tropical plant dome, a breath-taking ramble takes you over the unique glass bridge – and Cuban crocodiles lurk in the water below. https://www.visit-hannover.com/en/Sightseeing-City-Tours/Sightseeing/Tourist-Highlights/Sea-Life-Hannover

Visit Hanover Adventure Zoo! Rose-pink flamingos by the roaring waterfall, rare Rothschild giraffes towering above you, Barbary lions following every move of antelopes on white desert sand. Look closely at the eyes of lions, tigers and polar bears, and experience apes almost up close. In the adventure zoo you are in the realm of the animals! Large glass panes allow close-to-the-line contact, which touches despite separation. Enjoy visiting your favorite animal - personally, up close. Or you can say goodbye to pelicans, Bennett kangaroos, goats and sheep in their walk-in facilities. And get to know zoo animals better during the daily shows and feedings. https://www.zoo-hannover.de/en

A trip on the Dragon Express through Linz's Grottenbahn spirits visitors away into the realm of dwarves, forest animals and fairy tales. The Grottenbahn will enchant you with scenes from famous fairy tales, and takes visitors back to the olden days with a stroll on Linz Hauptplatz in miniature at the turn of the century. A great excursion destination for families! https://www.linztourismus.at/en/leisure/discover-linz/activities/round-tours/grottenbahn/

Zoo Linz is located halfway up Pöstlingberg – and is quick and easy to reach with the Pöstlingberg mountain tramway. More than 600 animals live here, and they look forward to your visit! Zoo Linz offers unforgettable wildlife and nature experiences as well as inviting spots for those looking to relax. Visitors can discover native and exotic species of animals in the zoo while enjoying a breath-taking view over the city. Meerkats, zebras, red pandas, parrots, kangaroos and many other species roam in the open-air enclosures. Caimans, constrictors and monkeys enjoy the warmth of the hothouse. Visitors will be astonished by the biodiversity area: Poison dart frogs, zebra finches, monitor lizards and tarantulas all live here. Visiting the domestic animal park is a special experience for all the family that comes with an incredible view of the city. In addition to native and exotic species of domestic farm animals, this area also includes an opportunity to pet the pygmy goats and see a rabbit tunnel. https://www.linztourismus.at/en/leisure/discover-linz/activities/zoo/

Let's set off up Linz's local mountain! An excursion to Pöstlingberg is an unforgettable experience – not only for children! Whether families visit the pilgrimage basilica, the viewing platform, the Hartlauer Photo Gallery, the zoo or the realm of fairy tales and dwarves – the Grottenbahn, they're sure to have a great time high above Linz. Or you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the city by the colourful Danube as a cosy twosome! Change your perspectives on Linz! https://www.linztourismus.at/en/leisure/discover-linz/worth-seeing/top10/adventure-world-poestlingberg/

Around the world at top speed: See 156 models of the most beautiful buildings from over 40 countries around the world up close! Minimundus, the miniature world at Lake Wörthersee, is a place for exploring, having fun, spending time, learning and enjoying. With models from every continent, the world is miniaturised, covering over 26,000 m² of parkland. On a scale of 1:25, the most beautiful buildings have been recreated in detail according to original plans and using original materials such as marble, sandstone or lava basalt. Nowhere else can you experience the world in just one day. Experience the Minimundus of the next generation. An exhibition of new dimensions, with adventure, games and fun, covers over 1,500 m². https://www.visitklagenfurt.at/en/discover-and-experience/worth-seeing/316-minimundus.html

Valkane is the most notable and most furnished beach in Pula. It is located in Zelenika Cove in the western part of the town, at the beginning of Lungomare Boardwalk. Part of the beach is rocky and pebble and most parts are made of concrete. One part is adapted to disabled persons with special ramps for entering the sea. There are two bars on the beach: Valkane bar and Šumi more, where you can enjoy drinks next to the sea. At Valkane there is a playground for bocce and beach volleyball. Near the Sports Center Valkane, there are several tennis courts, a football field and Valter restaurant. Beach Valkane is awarded a Blue Flag which is given to beaches with lots of facilities and crystal clear sea. There is a lifeguard service on the beach which takes care of the security of the swimmers. Near the beach, there is a bus stop with a direct link to the city. https://www.pulacroatia.net/item/valkane-beach-pula/

Ambrela Beach is located in small St John Cove, between Saccorgiana Beach and Hotel Brioni. It is covered in pebbles with boulders of rocks. On the side, it is surrounded by autochthonous holm oak trees. Ambrela Beach is very popular among the local population and guests. Because of the soft entrance to the sea, it is convenient for families with kids. In the vicinity of the beach, there is a restaurant and a Lounge Bar Ambrela after which the beach was named. You can rent sunbeds, parasols and pedal boats on the beach. In the cove, there is a safe net, and Lifeguard service also takes care of security. There are public showers, toilet and dressing rooms on the beach as well. Entrance is free along with free parking near the beach. Ambrela Beach has been awarded a Blue Flag. https://www.pulacroatia.net/item/ambrela-beach-pula/