Florence most family-friendly destination in Europe, says survey

Florence is the most family-friendly city in Europe, according to a new survey by TripAdvisor.

The Italian city beat other contenders such as Edinburgh and London to take the prize, which was calculated on the basis of the number of recommendations from reviewers with family.

TripAdvisor users clearly felt that the art on offer in Florence rated higher than the cultural attractions in Edinburgh, which include Edinburgh Castle, frequent festivals and the Royal Yacht Britannia.

London was ranked the third most family-friendly city - suggesting that despite its comparatively high prices, the lure of world famous attractions such as Big Ben and the Tower of London have helped it remain a family favorite.

The German capital Berlin took fourth place, with TripAdvisor saying that the world-famous zoo and beautiful parks and playground made it a great place "for children to just be children."

March is one of the busiest booking months for the peak summer season in Europe, with thousands expected to book their summer getaways in the coming weeks.

Also this week, the American Society of Travel Agents named Orlando as the top US attraction this summer, citing the area's popularity with families thanks to attractions such as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

Other entries in the top ten included Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Miami, San Diego, Washington, DC, Honolulu and Seattle.

The top ten Family-Friendly European Cities

1. Florence, Italy
2. Edinburgh, Scotland
3. London, England
4. Berlin, Germany
5. Barcelona, Spain
6. Rome, Italy
7. Vienna, Austria
8. Paris, France
9. Budapest, Hungary
10. Istanbul, Turkey

See the full list at http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TCfamily