Europe

You can cross three countries in a day here, and that changes what a family holiday looks like. Most of what we cover was built rather than found — museums, zoos and amusement parks rather than a long drive to a view — which is why a wet afternoon here need not end the day.

In June a European evening goes on and on. In the far north the sun does not set at all, so children eat late, playgrounds stay busy and bedtime becomes a negotiation you will lose. The trade-off is the same latitude in reverse: midwinter days are short enough that when you go matters more here than which country you pick.