particle と - Why does 冬休みは家族でイタリアやイギリスへ行きました。 have で instead of と?

Why does this sentence:

冬休みは家族でイタリアやイギリスへ行きました。

have で there instead of と?

Wouldn't "with family" be 家族と?

Answer

家族で should be taken as "as a family" rather than "with family"

(Both と and で could be used, though IMHO, 家族で implies that all family members were present whereas 家族と implies you only went with some/maybe all family members.)