Timișoara, a major city in western Romania, has been named the best family vacation destination in Europe this summer in a new ranking by DiscoverCars.com. The study compared over 100 cities across Europe, analyzing accommodation and attraction costs, weather conditions, and airport connectivity to identify the most affordable and family-friendly spots, and Timișoara came out on top.
The ranking focused on the three largest cities by population in each European country and used a scoring system where lower scores indicated better performance.
Timișoara impressed with its sunny summer weather, averaging 27°C in June, July, and August, and low car rental costs, just RON 44.86 per day, the second-lowest in the ranking. The city’s family-friendly appeal was further boosted by its abundance of parks and green spaces, including the Rose Park and the Ion Creangă Children’s Park.
Kumanovo in North Macedonia took second place, praised for its proximity to attractions like the Bronze Age Kokino Megalithic Observatory. Warsaw ranked third, benefiting from a high number of daily flights – 299 – making it one of the most accessible cities on the list.
Madrid and Budapest followed in fourth and fifth place, with the rest of the top ten rounded out by Patras, Athens, Zagreb, Bălți in Moldova, and Bitola in North Macedonia.
“We believe this research offers an excellent selection of options for family vacations this summer. If you’re trying to manage your budget carefully, this ranking includes many cities where accommodation and car rental are very affordable. We also took into account a wide range of factors related to local attractions, including whether free parking is available nearby and how far each attraction is from the city center,” said Aleksandrs Buraks, Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com.
Buraks highlighted Timișoara’s charm as a summer destination for families, with its scenic architecture, sunny weather, and open-air museums, such as the Banat Village Museum, which recreates a 19th-century rural village complete with traditional houses, a church, and a school.
Two other Romanian cities were also included in the top 20: Cluj-Napoca ranked 12th, followed closely by Bucharest in 13th place. Families visiting Cluj-Napoca this summer can head to the Turda Gorge Nature Reserve, located just 15 km from the city – a spectacular canyon perfect for a nature walk. In Bucharest, Orășelul Copiilor offers rollercoaster-style attractions and more, while Therme Bucharest combines relaxing thermal pools with fun water slides.
DiscoverCars.com’s methodology included analyzing hotel and car rental prices, ticket costs for popular attractions, distance from city centers, weather data, and the number of daily flights from the nearest airport.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Conceptw/Dreamstime.com)
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