I’m a HUGE fan of city breaks with kids – a chance for them to experience different cultures, explore historical landmarks and try new, delicious foods.

If you’re thinking of taking the family away for a short break, my top tip is to make sure you have good travel insurance. We were once stranded in Cologne due to heavy fog (our plane was grounded) and if we hadn’t had travel insurance we wouldn’t have been able to get the train home instead.

Meanwhile, in no particular order, here are my top 5 city break destinations for families. I’d love to know yours:

Paris

Easy to explore, steeped in history and culture, great for kids learning French at school, wonderful food and just a half-hour train ride from Disneyland Paris.

Cologne

Roman history, art galleries and the Chocolate Museum – everything kids (and their mums) could want.

Vienna

Brilliant for kids interested in WW1 history – and if you go in December/January there’s the fabulous Christmas market with its awesome ice-skating rink.

Stockholm

With a whole island devoted to families and boasting some incredible museums the Swedish capital is fabulous for kids.

Rome

Your kids will love having pizza in Piazza Navona, the Colosseum and trying out the fantastic gelati.