Easter lunch with the family got me thinking.
Most people default to London, Barcelona, or Amsterdam when they’re planning a move with kids. Great cities, but also expensive. A 3-bedroom in Amsterdam runs €2,500/month. London school fees hit £15,000/year per child.
A friend of mine, a well-known author, just moved his family from Lisbon to Genoa. Nobody saw that coming. His reasoning: the food, the proximity to France, one of Europe’s best pediatric hospitals.
That conversation sent me down a rabbit hole. I took the cities my friends with families like the most and re-assessed them with specific criteria.
What I looked at for each:
Safety and walkability
International schools (quality and real cost)
Pediatric healthcare
Monthly budget for a family of four
Parental leave and childcare support
Outdoor life with beach and mountain access
Honest downsides worth mentioning.
The output is this list.
These are not just places to park your family, but places where kids can grow up well and you can actually enjoy life too.
Valencia, Spain 🇪🇸
Valencia is one of my favorites. Many people consider it, but somehow not too many mention it online.
And yet you get the same beach as Barcelona with the same weather. The paella is better – this is literally where it was invented. And all at a fraction of the price.
The City of Arts & Sciences sits alongside the 9 km Turia Gardens park built on a former riverbed. Kids cycle everywhere while parents have wine at outdoor terraces as the kids play. It’s the kind of family infrastructure that makes you wonder why you’d ever pay Barcelona prices.
Safety-wise, Valencia has one of the lowest crime indexes in Spain, safer than Barcelona and safer than Madrid.
Schools are solid across the board. American School of Valencia offers IB programs for €5K-20K per year depending on grade level. British School of Valencia runs around €11K annually. Caxton College and Cambridge House round out the options. Serious options at every level.
Healthcare is strong. Hospital La Fe is a top public facility. Private pediatric care runs €50-80 per visit.
And Spain just expanded parental leave to 19 weeks per parent at 100% salary, 32 weeks for single parents. One of Europe’s best.
The expat family community here is real and growing. Play groups, school WhatsApp chats, international parent meetups. You won’t feel alone.
Weekend life: the beach is 10 minutes away. Alicante is 2 hours away. Madrid is 4 hours away. Ibiza is a 1-hour flight.
Now the downsides worth knowing…
Spanish bureaucracy is real. 55% of expats report frustration with paperwork. You need Spanish; English is limited outside tourist areas. The job market for non-Spanish speakers is thin. Rent is rising 6-8% yearly. Summer heat hits hard. July and August reach 35°C+ with high humidity. Valencia is about 3-5 years behind Barcelona on the overtourism arc. It’s visibly happening.
For a Mediterranean city with this infrastructure, this safety, this lifestyle, at half Barcelona’s price? Valencia is the single strongest play on this list.
Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷
Bordeaux surprised me when I started looking at it through a family lens.
It’s the wine capital of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage city with Atlantic surf and a TGV to Paris in 2 hours. You can live the French life without the Parisian stress.
The price difference also matters. Significantly cheaper than Paris, with rent alone around 40% less. Every bit as beautiful. Arguably more liveable with kids. The Miroir d’Eau turns into a giant splash pad in summer and the kids go absolutely wild.
For schools, Bordeaux International School offers bilingual curriculum for ages 3-18, running €8K-18K per year. International School 33 does IB continuum with French/English/Spanish/Chinese immersion programs.
But here’s what most people miss.
The public international sections are the hidden value here. If your kids’ French is up to it, you can get bilingual education with a French Baccalaureate for €0 in tuition at schools like Lycée Magendie. Very competitive entry, but it’s effectively free IB-quality education.
Healthcare is great as well. Hôpital Pellegrin-Enfants is a 225-bed children’s hospital performing 15,000 pediatric surgeries per year. Regional referral center for 6 million people. This alone makes Bordeaux a serious family pick.
France’s family benefits are among the best in the world. From 2026: each parent gets 2 extra months paid leave on top of 16 weeks maternity and 28 days paternity.
Weekend life looks different here. Atlantic beaches are 45 minutes away. Basque Country is 2 hours away. Spain is 2 hours away. Dune du Pilat – Europe’s largest sand dune – is a day trip. Weekend surf trips become a family ritual.
But the barriers are real and need to be acknowledged.
You will need French, it’s a non-negotiable. Winter is rainy because it’s the Atlantic. No metro, you’ll want a car. Housing market is competitive.
And of course, similar to the others, French bureaucracy is legendary.
If you can get past the French language barrier and the bureaucracy and the winter rain, you’re buying a genuinely lovely life. Bordeaux is the coolest family city nobody’s talking about.
Turin, Italy 🇮🇹
Turin is truly underrated. One hour by high-speed train from Milan and yet a completely different city.
The Alps are RIGHT THERE. This is the underrated food capital of Italy. The slow food movement was born right here in Piedmont. Fiat, Lavazza, and Nutella all come from Turin.
Green space everywhere. The city has 50 parks and 320 km of tree-lined avenues, giving it the most green space of any Italian city. It’s way cheaper than Milan and honestly more liveable and real.
Schools are surprisingly strong for a city this affordable. International School of Turin has been running IB plus American diploma programs since 1963. World International School of Torino does IB for €8,300-18,800 per year. Lycée Français and Vittoria International round out the options. Four solid international schools for a city this affordable is unusual.
Healthcare is another strong point. Ospedale Infantile Regina Margherita is one of Italy’s oldest and largest pediatric hospitals. Italy’s assegno unico provides up to €175 per month per child. Parental leave extended to 14 months in 2026, with 80% salary for 3 months. Daycare subsidies expanding.
Here’s the lifestyle rhythm: Saturday mornings you’re at a farmers market with some of the best produce in Europe. Sunday? Skiing with the kids. That’s the Turin life.
Weekend access is unmatched. Ski slopes are 1.5 hours away. Milan is 1 hour by high-speed train. Geneva is 3 hours. French Alps via the Fréjus Tunnel are 2 hours away.
Now the downsides…
Po Valley winters are cold, damp, and grey. The city can feel disconnected from the rest of Italy. Nighttime safety is uneven in some areas. And Italian bureaucracy applies here too – definitely a factor.
Turin is the gritty-cool Italian pick that nobody’s making. Alps at your back, best food in Italy, world-class schools, rent under €1,000.
I keep coming back to it.
Thessaloniki, Greece 🇬🇷
Greece’s second city has a Mediterranean climate with over 7 km of waterfront promenade and arguably the best food scene in Greece.
And Greeks love kids. I mean genuinely love them. Your toddler will be treated like royalty at every taverna.
Everyone looks at the islands or Athens. Thessaloniki is the family play nobody’s making.
Schools are solid. Pinewood American International School runs Pre-K to Grade 12 for €6,600-12,550 per year. Anatolia College offers IB plus American curriculum with scholarships up to 100% for qualifying students.
But the healthcare situation is what makes this option very compelling.
A brand-new SNF University Pediatric Hospital is opening. It’s world-class with LEED Platinum certification and full neonatal and pediatric ICU capabilities.
Greece offers 17 weeks maternity plus 14 days paternity plus 4 months parental leave, with the first 2 months paid.
Weekend life is Mediterranean done right. Halkidiki beaches are 45 minutes away. Mount Olympus is 1.5 hours away. Meteora is 3 hours away. Your weekends look very different here.
When it comes to challenges…
Greek bureaucracy is paper-heavy and slow. The language barrier is real for administrative tasks. The economy is modest, so local earning potential is limited unless you’re remote. Petty theft in the center exists.
But for a Mediterranean city with swimmable beaches, a brand-new pediatric hospital, serious schools, and Greek family warmth at this price?
Thessaloniki deserves to be in every conversation.
Málaga, Spain 🇪🇸
This is the easy pick and the winning choice for many.
It’s Picasso’s birthplace with 320 days of sunshine and all the benefits of Costa del Sol without the tourist kitsch.
Here’s what changed: over 630 tech companies have opened offices here, including Google. It’s becoming Spain’s tech hub. But the beach is still 10 minutes away and tapas are still very affordable. Your partner works from a coworking space with sea views. Your kids are at the beach by 4pm. That’s Málaga.
Schools work at every level. British School of Málaga runs €7,700-10,450 per year. NovaSchool Sunland International offers British curriculum for €6,200-11,450. Sotogrande International does full IB pathway with boarding available for older kids.
Healthcare is strong across the board. Hospital Quirónsalud Málaga ranks in Spain’s top 20. HM Málaga is a top 5 private hospital nationally. Costa del Sol children’s hospital is award-winning.
Same Spanish parental leave as Valencia: 19 weeks per parent at 100% salary.
The crime index is low, making this one of Spain’s safest cities.
Weekend access is unmatched. Granada is 1.5 hours away, and so is Ronda. Seville is 2 hours away. Gibraltar is 1.5 hours away. You can take a ferry to Tangier, Morocco. Málaga airport has 150+ direct routes – one of Europe’s best-connected airports. But the sea is just there so most of the time that will be your weekend.
Now, the honest full picture:
Overtourism is becoming a real issue and locals are frustrated. They raise some valid points, and overall mobility and healthy competition among places bring real benefits. Since I’m not from there, I’ll defer to people with deeper local knowledge.
On the measurable side: the digital nomad influx is increasing demand for housing, and rents are rising quickly. Beyond the historic center, some neighborhoods feel more modern and uniform. An English-speaking expat community forms easily, but learning Spanish helps you connect more deeply and experience the city as locals do.
Safe, sunny, affordable. Top healthcare, strong schools, one of Europe’s best-connected airports. Málaga is the open secret that’s getting louder.
Move before it does.
Bolzano, Italy 🇮🇹
This is a unique play. And let me tell you why.
Trilingual.
Your kids don’t just learn a second language. They grow up thinking in three languages. Italian at home, German at school (or vice versa), English as a third. That’s the default here. Not a private school perk but the standard.
The setup is unusual. The city is officially bilingual with Italian AND German. It’s surrounded by the Dolomites and operates as an autonomous province with its own budget. Italy without the chaos. It’s called South Tyrol.
And it actually works.
South Tyrol is Italy’s wealthiest province. The infrastructure works, buses run on time, and healthcare is excellent and efficient. If you’ve ever said “I love Italy but I wish things actually worked,” this is your city.
Family support stacks. Italy’s assegno unico applies here plus South Tyrol’s additional regional family support. There’s subsidized childcare and free school meals in many municipalities.
But the trade-offs are clear.
Cost is higher than the rest of Italy due to the Alpine premium. You need both Italian AND German to fully integrate, not just one. The culture is more Austrian than Italian. If you want la dolce vita, look south. It is also small, just 108,000 people. If you need a big city’s energy, this isn’t it.
But for an Alpine city where your kids grow up with three languages, the Dolomites outside your window, and infrastructure that actually functions? Nothing else in Europe compares.
That’s why it’s the wildcard.
Genoa, Italy 🇮🇹
Genoa is the blindspot I myself had before chatting with my friend.
He’s a well-known author, moving his family from Lisbon to Genoa. When I asked why, he said: the food, the port energy, the proximity to France. Truly underrated.
The city itself is unusual. A Mediterranean port city with real character and incredible pesto and focaccia culture. The French Riviera is 2 hours away.
The city isn’t polished or particularly touristy. It’s just deeply, authentically Italian.
Schools work here. International School of Genoa offers IB continuum for ages 2-17, running around €8K-9.5K per year. First IB Continuum school in Liguria. Languages offered: French, Spanish, Mandarin, German on top of English and Italian.
But here’s the reason this city matters.
Istituto Gaslini is one of Europe’s best pediatric hospitals with nearly 400 beds and over 18,000 hospitalizations per year. It’s JCI certified and the only Italian pediatric hospital with a Da Vinci robotics surgery center.
If you have kids, this alone puts Genoa on the map.
Same Italian benefits apply here: assegno unico, 14 months parental leave, and expanding daycare subsidies.
Weekend access is Mediterranean at its best. Nice is 2.5 hours away. Portofino is 30 minutes away. Cinque Terre is 1.5 hours away. Milan is 1.5 hours away. The Ligurian coast is right there.
The challenges are similar to the other Italy options but with some nuances.
Traffic and parking are painful due to steep, narrow streets. The city has limited direct international flights, just 27 routes total, so you’ll connect through Rome or Milan for long haul. English is limited in daily life. The job market is thin for expats. There are some areas to avoid at night.
But for a Mediterranean port city with Europe’s best pediatric hospital, an IB school, the Riviera next door, and a cost of living well below Milan or Rome?
Genoa is the pick that insiders are making.
My friend included.
The Comparative Picture
Best overall value: Valencia (lifestyle + cost + safety + infrastructure)
Coolest lifestyle: Bordeaux (wine + surf + TGV to Paris)
Best food city: Turin (slow food capital, fight me)
Best beach access: Málaga or Thessaloniki
Best for trilingual kids: Bolzano (Italian + German + English by default)
Best healthcare: Genoa (Gaslini, one of Europe’s best pediatric hospitals)
Best parental leave: Valencia/Málaga (Spain’s 19 weeks at 100% salary)
Who Should Consider Each
Remote workers with young kids: Valencia is safe, walkable, affordable, with beach access. Turin offers cheap living, green space, proximity to the Alps, and great schools.
Sun and sea families: Málaga delivers 320 days of sunshine with the beach 10 minutes away. Thessaloniki puts you 45 minutes from Halkidiki with Mediterranean warmth.
Families who want culture and cool: Bordeaux combines wine culture, surf, UNESCO heritage, and a TGV to Paris. Genoa offers port city soul, pesto culture, and the Riviera next door.
Families optimizing for education: Bolzano gives your kids trilingual fluency by default for free. Turin offers 4 international schools with IB options.
If I Had to Pick Just One…
Valencia.
It’s safe, warm, and affordable. The beach is 10 minutes away. The Turia Gardens give your kids space to run. You’re eating proper paella for dinner because this is where it was invented. Spain’s parental leave policy is among Europe’s best. There’s a growing tech scene if you need it. International schools at every level.
Not glamorous enough to be overrun. Not obscure enough to lack infrastructure.
But since I’m Italian, for me personally? I’d take Genoa.
Valencia is amazing for many. Genoa is the one that speaks to me.
Three Important Rules Before Relocating
1. Visit in WINTER with your kids. If the city works in February, it’ll work all year.
2. Talk to parents already there. Not bloggers. Not influencers. Actual parents living the life you’re considering. Facebook groups and school WhatsApp chats are where the truth lives.
3. Do the actual math. Run your monthly budget with real rent prices, school fees, and healthcare costs. The Instagram reel doesn’t show the €1,800/month 3-bedroom or the €15K/year school fees.
The best cities for growing a family aren’t trending. They’re just underratedly excellent.
And this was just Part 1.
I’ve got a Part 2 coming with 6 more cities that almost made this list – including some that might surprise you even more.
Are you considering a move with your family? Which of these cities speaks to you, or is there one I missed that you think deserves to be on the list in Part 2?
Reply and let me know – I read every message personally.
And if you enjoyed this, click the ❤️ button and restack.
Stay free,
Ale
Writing from Lisbon
I would choose Thessaloniki
Genova e Torino? Due città tramontate? Mmm.. avrei detto Bologna o Verona a quel punto, ma in realtà non verrei in Italia. Molto meglio il Ticino/Lugano