Med for Families

Happiness is a bucket, a spade and a swathe of golden sand to use them on – if you’re six years old, anyway. A family beach holiday doesn’t get much better than in the coastal resorts that line the Mediterranean. Whether all inclusive package or self-selected, self-catering kit holiday, Birmingham International Airport offers a range of options for making the most of your time in the sun for kids of all ages.

Let’s face it; taking a family on holiday isn’t the easiest of tasks even under ideal circumstances. All the more reason to go with a tried and tested formula like the holiday resorts that book-end the Mediterranean Sea, with the Spanish Costas and Islands at the western end, and the ever popular Greek islands in the east. They’ve been catering for UK family holidays for a while now and have it down to a fine art. Whatever the age group mix and idea of what makes a good holiday, there’s something here for you (or more importantly – for them!).

Costa Blanca: Costa Blanca – literally the ‘white coast’ is arguably Spain’s tourism capital – especially for visitors from Europe’s colder northern countries. From pale sandy beaches for everyone to enjoy, to lively nightspots for the grown ups, there’s enough here to keep everyone occupied.

The main tourist town of Benidorm is well adapted to entertaining UK holidaymakers of all ages, having been drawing visitors for decades.

The high-rise holiday accommodation that lines the signature beach draw comparisons with Manhattan – albeit with very different weather.

Each of the three main beaches in Benidorm (Llevante, Poniente and Mal Pas) have been awarded a Blue Flag rating, indicating the highest possible level of safety and cleanliness. Their high quality and immediate proximity to such a high concentration of hotels can make the beaches crowded in high season, but there’s no shortage of cafes and restaurants on hand to cater for all tastes – from ‘chips with everything’ for those members of the family with a less than adventurous palette, to fairly family-friendly renditions of genuine Spanish dishes.

Many of the resort hotels provide evening entertainment for the whole family, as the town nightlife can get a little on the boisterous side.

Aside from sun, sea and sand, there are a number of excellent theme parks within easy reach of the main town.

Aqualandia is an impressive water park, featuring the daunting ‘Big Bang’, Europe’s highest water slide, including a near-vertical 80-degree angle. For those with nerves of less than hardened steel, there are plenty of other options for having a good splash about. And if you want to see how splashing about should really be done, there’s a regular sealion show too.

If watching the aquatic life proves to be popular with your own little sea monsters, then the Mudomar Sealife Park should be a real hit. There are hundreds of different species of birds and marine animals to see in replicas of their natural habitats, including penguins and giant turtles. The stars of the show, however, are the dolphins, who put on a spectacular display accompanied by synchronised swimmers.

Costa Brava: To the north of the Costa Blanca along Spain’s Mediterranean seaboard lies the Costa Brava – or ‘wild/rough coast’, but don’t let the name put you off – it’s far from rough. The striking rocky scenery that lent the area its name serves as a backdrop for delightful sandy beaches.

The towns that line this Costa are more of a blend of the touristy and the traditional. If you want UK-friendly pubs and cafes they’re very easy to find, but they share the cobbled streets of the smaller resorts with more authentic Spanish tapas bars.

One of the gems of the Costa Brava is Tossa de Mar, until recently an undeveloped fishing village, so it retains much of its authentic Catalonian personality. The town itself is small enough to get around on foot, but if you’re booking an apartment be sure to check that it isn’t too far up the hills surrounding the main resort.

Tossa de Mar's beaches are (like so many resorts) what has brought tourism to the town. It has two Blue Flag rated stretches of sand, flanked by a parade of beach bars and cafes, making it a popular pick with families.

As a less developed resort, there are fewer in the way of noisy night spots, so those with an early bed time are less likely to be kept awake by the sound of loud music (and loud people) spilling into the streets.

The main resort in the region is Lloret de Mar. More developed, the town has more of a buzz to it, and feels more like a manufactured resort (which admittedly it is). Its main attraction is the huge arc of creamy hued beach, large enough that, despite the bigger crowds, it seldom seems overly cramped. As a more developed resort, the nightlife in town at large can be a little on the ‘grown up’ side for families, compared to smaller towns.

Water World is Lloret de Mar’s offering for water park enthusiasts, just outside the town. With a choice of white-knuckle terror chutes or calming lagoons to splash about in, it should satisfy even the broadest range of tastes.

If you’re holidaying on Costa Brava, even with some impatient little ones in tow, a trip to Spain’s nearby cultural capital of Barcelona is well worth the effort. With a wealth of architectural gems, museums and galleries, it might take a little bribery with ice cream, but it makes a refreshing contrast to the beach, if only for a day trip.

Costa del Sol: To the south of the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Sol (literally the ‘sun coast’) lines the Mediterranean fringe of Spain’s southern Andalucia region. The towns along the coast read like a role-call of holiday favourites, from the Maro cliffs, running through Nerja, Malaga, Torremolinos, Fuengirola, Marbella, - the list goes on – the Costa del Sol leaves you spoilt for holiday choice. With over 100km of coastline there is a wealth of beautifully warm and welcoming beaches to enjoy, from the swathes of sand and shingle at Torremolinos, to Fuengirola’s three miles of fine sand.

The choice of hotels and apartments within each resort is every bit as bewildering as the choice of resort in the first place, but that plethora of options makes pricing highly competitive, so it’s possible to pick up a good family holiday for a very sensible price.

First Choice offer packages to the popular Holiday Village on the Costa Del Sol. Set in the popular resort of Benalmadena, it has all the ingredients for a perfect family holiday. Overlooking the sea, the complex boasts several pools (one with a wave machine) and plenty of action to keep children of all ages amused. Dedicated teams cater for kids’ every need, while there’s a health and spa centre for mum and dad to relax in, enjoying a moment of peace and quiet.

There’s also no shortage of activities to break up the fun on the beach. The Aqualand Water Park at Torremolinos is the biggest on this stretch of coast, with a pleasing mixture of high-speed water chutes and restful lagoons.

As the southern most region of Spain, Andalucia’s historic architecture shows the greatest signs of Moorish influence, best seen in a trip to the beautiful city of Granada – a visit to the Alhambra Palace isn’t to be missed. It’s also possible to take a day trip to a new continent, with a visit to Tangiers – see the Kasbah for a rich taste of Moroccan culture.

Mallorca: Ever since package tourism arrived on the island in the early ‘50s, two different Mallorca’s have developed – the mass market ‘easy’ version of the island (from a UK visitors point of view) and the hidden treasure of the ‘real’ island, which still retains a genuine Spanish feel – each has something to offer.

Along with its smaller neighbours in the Balearics, Mallorca is a very popular tourist destination for visitors from northern Europe – especially UK and Germany (stand by with those beach towels!).

The best of the beach holidays can be found around the excellent resorts of Palma Nova, Magaluf and Cala d’Or; the island as a whole boasts no fewer than 39 Blue Flag certified beaches across over 500km of coastline.

Every bit as well developed as the mainland, the choice of accommodation within the main tourist areas is extensive, whether as part of a package or self-catering. Again, shop around for a good price.

There’s plenty of family entertainment on offer. The Pirates Adventure in Magaluf is a spectacular blend of acrobatics, pantomime and comedy for the whole family, while water parks are well represented by Marineland in Clavia near Palma and Aqualand parks in both Magaluf and El Arenal.

As with much of Spain, the further you venture away from the coast, the closer you get to the true character of the place. While relatively small, the island is still large enough to have an interior free from too many tourists, so hiring a car and heading into the hills for a day to find somewhere nice for lunch is great way to take in some impressive scenery and enjoy something a little different.

Corfu: With its golden sands and beautiful scenery, Corfu is an ever-popular Greek holiday destination for many families. Lying just off the western Greek coast, close to the border with Albania, its almost guaranteed sunshine and relaxed atmosphere make it a favourite summer destination for many. With a combination of well developed tourist resorts and more out of the way authentic Greek culture there’s plenty to charm every member of the family.

First Choice has a new resort on the island for summer 2009 – ‘Splash’. Situated in Agios Ioannis on the South East coast of the island, it’s a kids’ dream of a hotel – with a pool and plenty of sports and fun facilities to keep them occupied. In the unlikely event that they tire of Splash, there’s the Aqualand waterpark, right next-door, with an array of flumes and thrilling water rides to have even more watery fun.

Alternatively, the Blue Bay Escape Resort in St Spyridon on the northern coast of Corfu is set in a quiet location close to a pretty nature reserve and offers stunning views over the Ionian Sea, offering a more relaxing and tranquil holiday environment.

Rhodes: Rhodes continues to be one of the most popular destinations in Greece. Towards the south of the swarm of islands that crowd the Ionian Sea, just off the coast of Turkey, the island offers a rich combination of modern holiday and luxury timeless history. There’s a huge choice of accommodation on offer, from simple family run apartments to sophisticated spa hotels, with enough to keep everyone entertained.

As a popular and well developed tourist destination you needn’t put too much effort in to get to the know the culture if you don’t want to – many resorts will take care of everything you need to just laze in the sun, safe in to knowledge that the younger members of the family can run themselves (and the resort staff) ragged having fun. Venture beyond the resorts, if only for a day, and you’ll be rewarded with charming villages (especially inland) and fascinating ancient relics from Greek antiquity.

A good choice for all-inclusive ease is Hotel Esperides, in Kalithea Bay on the northeastern coastline. With its own private beach and position in a family friendly resort town, it’s an ideal holiday venue. Kalithea Bay is renowned for its waters and snorkelling is popular.

The hotel offers flexible durations, three swimming pools, great facilities for kids and an extensive activity and entertainment programme, to ensure that the whole family enjoys a truly great holiday.