My husband and I are trying to plan a big anniversary trip in July 2024 to Europe. We will also have our youngest child with us (9 yrs old at time of travel). We are planning to spend between 21-30 days there using Eurail as our primary source of transportation. Our anticipated destinations include Dublin, London, Paris, Versailles, Venice, Rome, Portofino, Barcelona, and Madrid. We mostly want to experience ancient architecture, landscapes, culture, and cuisine, but will also concede to popular tourists attractions. We have a rough agenda, but hope to have more of a laissez faire sort of vibe for flexibility.

Is Eurail user friendly? Child friendly? How easy are seat reservations to make? Must they be made very far in advance? Is the first class ticket worth the extra $$? What roadblocks or challenges do seasoned Eurail travelers see for us? Are there any must-do child/family activities at either of these locations? Is our timeline realistic? What advice would you have for first-time-to-Europe travelers? First time rail travelers? Traveling to Europe with a young child?