By My Flight One | 24 October 2026
The best group holiday destinations Europe offers are places where the accommodation, shared meals and activities are simple to coordinate. Suitcase Magazine highlights 6 group holiday ideas in the UK and Europe; in Norway, Union Øye lists its fjord sauna at NOK 2,000 for 1,5 hours.
For groups flying from Paris or Los Angeles, the smartest choice is not always the most famous city. Start with places that make decision-making easier: lodges with activities nearby, destinations with strong public transport, or bases where one booking can cover the whole group.
How to choose group holiday destinations in Europe
A good group destination reduces friction before anyone packs a bag. Pick a base where people can arrive on different schedules, eat without complicated transfers, and split into smaller groups for activities without needing a new plan every morning.
Start with the accommodation style. A large house, lodge or serviced apartment can work better than scattered hotel rooms if your group wants shared breakfasts, one common living area and an easier way to divide costs. If people value privacy, a cluster of rooms in the same hotel may be calmer than a single house.
Next, agree on the trip rhythm. Some friends want walks, saunas and quiet dinners; others want late meals, museums and bars. Write down the non-negotiables before booking flights. That practical step prevents the classic group-trip problem: one person planning an active holiday while another expects a slow break.
Use flights as a filter, not an afterthought. If several people are starting in Paris, check current flight deals from Paris before settling on a destination. If part of the group is in California, compare options from Los Angeles flight deals early, because long-haul routing can affect the whole plan.
The Scottish Highlands are a strong UK choice when the group wants one shared base rather than constant movement. WildLand describes Hope Lodge as part of its Highland work and a 200-year regeneration vision.
That kind of setting suits groups who want walks, fireside meals and flexible days. The practical advantage is that the destination itself does not need a packed sightseeing list. If the group accommodation is the centre of the trip, people can opt into activities without everyone moving together all day.
For planning, appoint one person to manage the accommodation conversation and another to manage transport. In remote parts of Scotland, late arrivals and luggage logistics can become the biggest hassle, so agree in advance on where everyone meets and how food shopping will work.
This is also a good option when your group includes mixed budgets. Some travellers can spend more on activities, while others can keep costs focused on the shared stay and self-catered meals. Keep one shared document for grocery contributions, taxi plans and restaurant deposits.
Norway fjord country for sauna time and scenery
Norway works well for a smaller group that wants a memorable activity built into the stay. At Union Øye, the fjord sauna is listed at NOK 2,000 for 1,5 hours. That is useful for planning because it gives the group a clear shared activity to budget for before arrival.
A fjord base is best for friends who are happy with quiet evenings, weather-dependent plans and scenic travel between places. It is less ideal for a group that wants nightlife within easy reach every night. Before booking, make sure everyone understands that the appeal is the landscape and the shared pace.
Assign practical roles before departure. One person can track activity bookings, one can collect food preferences, and one can keep an eye on transport timing. This avoids every decision being made in a crowded chat thread while people are already travelling.
If the group includes nervous planners, choose a stay with a clear activity menu rather than relying on improvised excursions. A sauna slot, a planned walk and a booked dinner can anchor the trip while still leaving space for rest.
Sicily and Mount Etna for active friends
Sicily is a strong European group option when your friends want food, coastal towns and a serious outdoor day. For Mount Etna, Etna Way lists its North Craters Trekking Tour as running from 09:00 to 15:00. That timetable helps a group understand that the activity takes a substantial part of the day.
Base choice matters in Sicily. A group focused on Etna should avoid spreading itself across distant accommodation, because morning coordination can be stressful. Choose one base, agree on transport to the tour meeting point, and confirm footwear and clothing expectations before anyone flies.
Sicily also works for friends with different energy levels. Some can book the Etna trek while others choose a slower day near the base. The key is to avoid guilt: group travel works best when not every activity is mandatory.
For meals, book early for the nights that matter most. Italian dining can be relaxed, but a group turning up without a plan may struggle to sit together at popular places. Put one person in charge of restaurant reservations and give them a clear budget range.
Paris for easy access, apartments and urban groups
Paris is not only a departure point for many My Flight One readers; it can also be a practical group holiday destination. Euronews reported that the average hotel stay per night for Paris was €144, based on Kayak hotel and holiday rental searches for bookings made by parties of five or more between March and September for stays between July and December 2026.
Treat that figure as an average, not a live quote. For your actual dates, compare hotel rooms with apartments and check cancellation terms carefully. A cheaper stay can become awkward if the group has no living space, no kitchen or a strict arrival window that clashes with late flights.
Paris works especially well for groups who want museums, neighbourhood meals and flexible daily plans. People can separate for shopping, galleries or cafés, then meet later without needing a car. If your group includes travellers arriving at CDG, ORY or BVA, set a central meeting point rather than asking everyone to navigate directly to the accommodation at the same time.
If you want more ideas for food-led travel in the region, My Flight One’s guide to Europe’s gastro-tourism scene can help you shape a trip around meals rather than sightseeing checklists.
Getting there from Paris and Los Angeles
From Paris, group trips to the UK and much of Europe are usually straightforward to research because you can compare departures from CDG, ORY and BVA. For Scotland, Norway, Sicily and other European bases, check airport choice alongside accommodation location; the cheapest arrival airport is not always the easiest for a group transfer.
From Los Angeles, Europe and the UK require more careful coordination because some friends may want to arrive earlier or recover before joining the group. Use the Low Fare Calendar to compare date flexibility, then agree on a meeting city before booking onward travel.
Do not make one person book everyone’s flight unless the group has already agreed on baggage needs, seat preferences and refund rules. A better method is to choose an arrival window, share the same accommodation check-in plan, and let each traveller book the itinerary that suits their budget and risk tolerance.
For train-friendly itineraries, London can also be a useful gateway if part of the group wants to add rail travel. My Flight One’s guide to Eurostar destinations from London is useful if your group wants to reduce short internal flights after reaching the UK.
Key figures
| Figure | Value | Conditions | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Øye fjord sauna price | NOK 2,000 | Fjord sauna for 1,5 hours | not stated | Union Øye, checked on 24 Oct 2026 |
| Etna North Craters trekking tour time | 09:00 to 15:00 | Etna North Craters Trekking Tour | not stated | Etna Way, checked on 24 Oct 2026 |
| WildLand regeneration vision length | 200-year | WildLand’s vision of regeneration | not stated | WildLand, checked on 24 Oct 2026 |
| Paris average hotel stay per night for groups | €144 | average hotel stay per night for Paris; Kayak surveyed hotel and holiday rental searches for bookings made by parties of five or more between March and September for stays between July and December 2026 | 2026 | Euronews, checked on 24 Oct 2026 |
Each figure was checked against the linked source page on the date shown.
Frequently asked questions
Where to go in Europe with friends?
With friends, Europe works best when the destination matches the group’s pace: the Scottish Highlands for shared downtime, Norway for scenic wellness, Sicily for active days and Paris for an easy urban break. Choose the place by the activity style first, then book transport around the most convenient arrival airport.
How to plan a group trip?
Plan a group trip by agreeing on the accommodation style, the pace of the holiday and the non-negotiable activities before flights are booked. Assign one person to accommodation, one to transport and one to dining or activity bookings, then keep all costs and preferences in a single shared document.
Best autumn destinations in Europe?
The best autumn destinations in Europe for a group are the Scottish Highlands, Norway, Sicily and Paris because they suit different trip styles without requiring a complicated itinerary. Autumn is a good time to prioritise weather-flexible plans, indoor backups and accommodation that gives the group one central base.
Where to stay in the UK for large groups?
For large groups in the UK, stay in the Scottish Highlands in a lodge or large house with shared living space and room for self-catering. That setup makes it easier to share meals, split costs and let people join activities at different times without constant transfers.
Bottom line
The best group holiday destinations in Europe are the ones that match your group’s decision style: Scotland for a lodge-based UK break, Norway for a shared fjord activity, Sicily for an active food-and-volcano trip, and Paris for easy urban flexibility.
Before booking, agree on the base, the budget style and the activities that are optional. Then compare flights from Paris or Los Angeles early so the destination works for the whole group, not just the fastest planner.
More from My Flight One: our travel blog archive and Fly the Plane by My Flight One.