Yachting with Kids: Best Family-Friendly Yacht Destinations in Europe

Exploring Europe by yacht is not just for adults; it can be the perfect vacation for families, offering a mix of cultural discovery, beautiful scenery, adventure, and relaxation. Getting out on the water is one of my favorite things to do, especially in a luxurious vessel that offers all the modern comforts. Plus, it brings the opportunity to discover both popular destinations and hidden gems—some that can only be accessed by boat.

When sailing through warm, clear blue waters, you can anchor in secluded bays and leap off for an unforgettable swim. But don’t rule out more northern regions either, which offer many other delights, such as castles, hot springs, and even encounters with Arctic wildlife like reindeer. From the popular Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, the Greek Islands, and Italy to Scotland, Norway, and beyond, these are some of the top yacht destinations for families in Europe:

Dalmatian Coast, Croatia

Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast officially stretches from Rab Island in the north to the Bay of Kotor in the south, but for a family experiencing the country for the first time on a yacht charter, traveling from Split to Dubrovnik or vice versa is ideal. There are international airports in both cities, and you’ll be able to hit the hot spots while having opportunities to get off the beaten path, discovering hidden beaches and secluded bays with warm, clear turquoise waters for swimming.

Split is home to Roman Emperor Diocletian’s Palace, a complex with some of the world’s most well-preserved Roman architecture, and the basements that were used in “Game of Thrones” as the place where Daenerys kept her dragons. It also makes a great base for outdoor activities like float trips along the emerald waters of the Cetina River in nearby Omis, ATV adventures, and swimming from Bacvice Beach, just a short walk from the main harbor along the waterfront promenade. Dubrovnik’s walled Old City is a must. In fact, you can even take a walk atop the medieval walls that surround the historic center, which served as “King’s Landing” in “Game of Thrones. 

You can’t go wrong with any of the Dalmatian Islands, but some of the top islands to visit include Hvar, Korcula, Mljet, and Vis. You might also want to sail through the Elaphiti Islands to discover secluded spots with stunningly clear turquoise water for swimming. A boat tour that will take you into Bisevo Island’s Blue Cave is sure to thrill all as well.

Azores, Portugal

The Azores are part of Portugal, but lie in the middle of the Atlantic about halfway between the U.S. and Portugal’s mainland. They’re made up of nine major islands, divided into three separate groups, with Sao Miguel the easternmost, home to the capital of Ponta Delgada. This group also includes Santa Maria and the Formigas islets. Pico, Sao Jorge, Faial, Graciosa, and Terceira are the central islands, while the northwestern group includes Flores and Corvo.

The archipelago is ideal for a family yacht charter, offering the chance to explore relatively undiscovered volcanic islands with lush greenery, hot springs, and abundant marine life, including dolphins and more than two dozen different whale species. For geothermal activity, including hot springs, fumaroles, and geysers, Sao Miguel is not to be missed. It also offers many hiking trails that will bring you to stunning lagoons, waterfalls, and volcanic craters. Or, you might join a guided cycling tour and pedal around a volcanic crater with breathtaking views of the twin Sete Cidades lakes and beyond to the coast.

Each of the Azores offers reasons to visit. Pico is dominated by the highest peak in Portugal, a popular but challenging trek, along with unique vineyards recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ideal for the adults who want to enjoy wine tasting. São Jorge is known for its dramatic cliffs, and Terceira boasts a UNESCO city and rich cultural heritage. Faial is the site of a volcanic eruption and a sailor’s hub, while Flores and Corvo are known for their remote beauty with natural pools and waterfalls. 

The Greek Islands

A yacht charter through the Greek Islands brings a long list of possibilities for smooth sailing along calm sapphire waters plus numerous activities for kids and adults alike. You might even throw in a little educational fun with many ancient sites to explore, from Knossos Palace in Crete to Santorini’s Pompeii-like Akrotiri and the medieval city of Rhodes with its well-preserved castle. 

Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands with diverse landscapes that include rugged canyons and mountains for hiking, along with idyllic beaches, including some with pink-tinted sands like Elafonissi. Naxos, Milos, Rhodes, and pretty much all of the Ionian Islands, including Zakynthos, home to the famous Shipwreck Beach. If you have kids who are picky eaters, odds are you can please them here, with pita bread for dipping, souvlaki (grilled meats of various types on a skewer), and sweet treats like loukoumades, a Greek doughnut. 

Italy

Italy has lots to offer, with one of the top yacht destinations for families and yachters of all types, the Amalfi Coast. It’s such a spectacular stretch of shoreline that it’s been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A glittering Mediterranean jewel, it’s made up of dramatic cliffs with beautiful villages and their colorful homes and buildings that cascade toward the turquoise waves below. The major towns include Amalfi, Ravello, and stunning Positano with pastel-painted homes hugging the cliffsides while narrow streets and alleyways burst with color, draped in bougainvillea. Families who like to hike can take an epic trek on the famous Path of the Gods and then perhaps enjoy a swim in the brilliant aquamarine sea. 

Malta

A yachting haven, there are many family-friendly options for yacht charters in Malta. They’re designed to ensure the kids are entertained while providing plenty for adults too, including opportunities for swimming in water that’s as clear as gin and inhabited by everything from moray eels and octopus to colorful wrasse, painted combers, scorpionfish, and damselfish. The craggy coastline featured dramatic cliffs with caves and rock pools to explore too. Between the main island of Malta and Gozo, tiny Comino is famous for its turquoise lagoon and its Blue Hole, naturally carved by the elements, which is a top spot for divers with unique limestone rock formations, arches, and shipwrecks. Paddleboarding and kayaking are also popular.

The capital of Valetta is sure to fascinate with reminders of its nearly 270-year legacy of the Knights of St. John, complete with palaces, watchtowers, and fortifications. The Tarxien Temples are a must-visit in the port region, made up of megalithic structures rich in prehistoric art, including some that depict animals and spirals. You’ll want to explore Gozo as well, with ancient temples, charming villages, and remarkable rock formations. While its iconic Azure Window featured in “Game of Thrones” has collapsed, there are many others, along with hundreds of fossils of sea creatures, easily seen on the exposed rock.

Turkey

Just as spectacular as its name suggests, the color of the water along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast is a surreal, brilliant blue-green shade. A family yacht charter from Gocek to Bodrum is the perfect way to explore it while enjoying an enchanting blend of luxury, nature, and history. Spend time in idyllic beaches backed by pine forests, swim in the enticing water, and explore intriguing ancient sites. You might want to spend a couple of days (or more) in Gocek, set within a vast bay with secluded coves and islands, before sailing to the Bay of Aga Liman, visiting ancient Lydae for a hike to the Lycian city’s Byzantine ruins, including defensive walls, basilica, and tombs. It’s easy to envision the days of Cleopatra, who is said to have stopped to rest here in 46 BC when traveling to Rome. 

You might visit Turtle’s Beach along Ekincik Bay, one of the few remaining spots in the Mediterranean where loggerhead sea turtles nest. Stop in the Bay of Selimiye to explore Selimiye village, an authentic rural village that looks as if it were frozen in time during the early 1900s. While there are countless beaches to enjoy as you make your way to Bodrum, Orak Island is a great spot for snorkeling and diving in calm waters with an underwater cave and outstanding visibility that makes it seem as if you’re swimming in an aquarium. In the resort town of Bodrum, you’ll find more beautiful beaches and the ruins of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Scotland & Northern Ireland

Combining Scotland’s west coast with the spectacular Northern Irish Coast brings the chance to explore islands that few visitors make it to, ancient castles, “Game of Thrones” sites, and much more. While there are multiple itineraries to consider, starting from the colorful port town of Oban brings the opportunity to spend a few days here, perhaps enjoying a night or two at nearby Barcaldine Castle, an authentic castle built in 1609. It’s also easy to reach Kerrera Island from Oban, accessible in just five minutes by a small passenger-only ferry. Take the scenic 2.5-mile hike to the 16th-century Glyen Castle and you’ll see more sheep than people along the way. 

After departing Oban, sail south to do some island hopping, stopping at Jura, known for its wild deer and soaring mountains. Nearby Islay is famous for its whisky, with nine active distilleries and surreal natural beauty, with white sandy beaches tucked into coves and lapped by water that looks like it should be in the Caribbean. Red deer, seals, otters, puffins, and golden eagles can all be spotted here. 

Venture over to Northern Ireland from Islay, perhaps visiting Giant’s Causeway and multiple “Game of Thrones” filming sites like the Dragonstone Cliffs, Ballintoy Harbour, Dunluce Castle, and the Cushendun Caves. Conclude in Belfast, docking in Belfast Harbour near the city center, where you’ll be within easy reach of the world-renowned Titanic Museum. 

Norway

Norway offers some of the most breathtaking scenery on the planet, with a maze of fjords, dramatic snow-capped peaks, picturesque villages, fascinating Viking history, and unique wildlife. You might start in Bergen, with its cobbled streets and colorful roofs surrounded by towering mountains. It’s also a gateway to the fjords, including the country’s deepest and longest, the Sognefjord. Hardangerfjord is where the rolltunga Mountain is located, a place that’s become Insta-famous.

Head north of the Arctic Circle to discover the Lofoten Islands, home to fishing villages with traditional, bright red huts called rorbuer, a symbol of the archipelago, overlooked by craggy mountain peaks. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to spot orcas, sperm whales, pilot whales, and minke whales. Conclude in the Arctic capital of Tromso, where you might even catch the Northern Lights dancing overhead, particularly if you take your yacht charter in late summer, toward the end of August through mid-September. 

Tromsø offers many attractions, but one of the best for families is a tour to a nearby reindeer herd where you can feed the animals and learn about the unique Sami culture. 

Denmark

The Danish South Funen archipelago in the Baltic Sea is made up of roughly 55 islands and islets, providing an ideal yachting escape for families. As Svendborg on Funen Island is a gateway to the archipelago, it’s a popular starting and ending point. It offers multiple attractions, including museums like the Yachting Museum and Naturama, a zoological museum with interactive exhibits for families, and two castles, Valdemars Slot and Egeskov.

Skaaro is a popular island to visit among all ages, with thatched cottages and delicious organic ice cream that comes in unique flavors made with local ingredients like birch sap. The fairytale-like town of Ærøskøbing on Ærø Island offers cobbled streets lined with 18th-century architecture for a trip back in time. There are also picturesque beaches like Vesterstrand with a sandy stretch edged by shallow water for splashing around. Its historic beach huts are popular photo ops as a symbol of the island.

Sleepy Lyo island looks as if it were built as a film set, home to just 80 residents, with traditional farmhouses, ponds, ducks, and chickens. It’s also home to Denmark’s only circular graveyard, which hosts a whitewashed 17th-century church.

Iceland

There are few places in the world where you’ll find as many spellbinding views as Iceland, with dozens of waterfalls, black sand beaches, geysers, hot springs, and glaciers. If you’re an adventurous family, consider a Nordic adventure that begins in the capital of Reykjavik, with intriguing museums, shops, and eateries in close proximity to the port. Of course, you won’t want to miss a soak in the famous Blue Lagoon with its milky turquoise water, or the constantly erupting Strokkur geyser along the Golden Circle. Nearby, Thingvellir Park is the world’s only place where you can swim in the gap between two continents. 

Some of the other highlights include multiple waterfalls on the South Coast, including the nearly 200-foot-high Seljalandsfoss, where you can walk behind the cascade, and famous Reynisfjara, a black sand beach near the village of Vik with basalt columns and dramatic basalt sea stacks rising from the waves. Further east, you’ll find the Glacier Lagoon, where icebergs continuously break off the glacier, drifting through a short river before flowing out into the sea. The waves return some of them to the beach across the road, looking like sparkling diamonds strewn across the black sands. If you’re here during the warmer months, take a boat tour of the lagoon for a close-up look at the glacier and the chance to witness and hear the thunderous sounds of calving. 

Northwest of Reykjavik, it’s worth sailing around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Known as “Iceland in miniature,” it offers many of Iceland’s most breathtaking natural wonders in a relatively compact area. That includes Kirkjufell, the country’s most photographed mountain, waterfalls, lava fields, volcanoes, glaciers, and black sand beaches.