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Family Holidays to Spain

Cala Bona

Ferrer Lime Isabel

Ferrer Lime Isabel

Cala Bona

Bed & Breakfast

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 for 2 Nights

From East Midlands

From
£364 pp

Capdepera

Beach Club Font De Sa Cala

Beach Club Font De Sa Cala

Capdepera

Bed & Breakfast

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 for 2 Nights

From East Midlands

From
£407 pp

Palma de Mallorca

Catalonia Majorica Hotel

Catalonia Majorica Hotel

Palma de Mallorca

Room Only

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 for 2 Nights

From East Midlands

From
£476 pp

Family Holidays to Portugal

Lisbon City

Occidental Lisboa

Occidental Lisboa

Lisbon City

HB

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 for 7 Nights

From Birmingham

From
£1,072 pp

Estremoz

Pousada Castelo Estremoz

Pousada Castelo Estremoz

Estremoz

HB

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 for 7 Nights

From Birmingham

From
£1,233 pp

Evora City

Pousada Convento Evora

Pousada Convento Evora

Evora City

HB

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 for 7 Nights

From Birmingham

From
£1,567 pp

Family Holiday Deals to Turkey

Ovacik

Sahra Su Holiday Village and Spa

Sahra Su Holiday Village and Spa

Ovacik

All Inclusive

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 for 4 Nights

From Liverpool

From
£273 pp

Oludeniz

Turquoise Hotel Oludeniz

Turquoise Hotel Oludeniz

Oludeniz

All Inclusive

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 for 4 Nights

From Liverpool

From
£294 pp

Turunc

Turunc Premium

Turunc

All Inclusive

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 for 4 Nights

From Liverpool

From
£336 pp

Family Holidays to Greece

Rhodes Town

Africa Hotel

Rhodes Town

Bed & Breakfast

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 for 7 Nights

From Edinburgh

From
£665 pp

Ialyssos

Manousos City Hotel

Manousos City Hotel

Ialyssos

Room Only

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 for 7 Nights

From Edinburgh

From
£738 pp

Pefkos

Eagles Nest

Pefkos

Bed & Breakfast

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 for 7 Nights

From Edinburgh

From
£742 pp

Family Holidays to Mexico

Playa del Carmen

Family Club at Grand Riviera Princess

Family Club at Grand Riviera Princess

Playa del Carmen

All Inclusive

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 for 14 Nights

From London

From
£1,790 pp

Isla Mujeres

Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf and Spa Resort

Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf and Spa Resort

Isla Mujeres

All Inclusive

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 for 14 Nights

From London

From
£2,194 pp

Puerto Aventuras

Hard Rock Riviera Maya

Hard Rock Riviera Maya

Puerto Aventuras

All Inclusive

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 for 14 Nights

From London

From
£4,010 pp

Recent Family Holiday Information and Recommendations

A gentler side of the Dolomites: a summer break in Italy’s Adamello-Brenta natural park

Its peaks are a big draw for adrenaline junkies, but this natural park’s newer attractions offer more inclusive family activitiesThe pool was empty – perhaps because at about 22C, the water was too cold for Italians. It was also about to close. Whatever the reason, we had the glorious Biolago di Pinzolo, a spring-fed, plant-filtered swimming lake, to ourselves. As my son and I swam, we could just make out the tiny red-roofed hermitage of San Martino on the forested slope above, where, according to legend, a hermit survived on bread provided by a tame bear.We’d come to the mountains of northern Italy for an alternative family break, away from the honeypot cities and beach resorts further south. Continue reading...
I’ve written about France for 20 years – here are my favourite places to visit

After a lifetime exploring the country’s cities, coast and countryside, our France expert chooses her personal highlightsMy favourite places to eat in FranceWhen you can gaze on the salt pans of Guérande, near Nantes, cycle through lavender fields in Drôme, in the south-east, and bask in the splendour of the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrénees, you have to wonder how France got so lucky with its diverse landscapes. Most recently, the volcanic landscape of the Massif Central captured my heart. The chain of extinct volcanoes runs south from the highest, Le Puy de Dôme (there’s a rack railway to the top) near Clermont-Ferrand. Continue reading...
My Rasta father showed me the real Jamaica. After he died, I wanted to share it with my kids

I had no idea where I was heading when we set sail from Jamaica in the 70s, but I’m glad I’ve returned with my children to remember their grandfather this wayAs we bump along terrible roads in my dad’s hot, noisy buttermilk-coloured Beetle, I’m unable to take in the beauty of Jamaica’s north coast – its waterfalls and gin-clear sea, its lush fern-quilted interior and the majestic Blue Mountains my dad loved.It’s the late 1980s. I’m 15. It’s been nine years since I last saw my dad. To mark our reunion in the country of my birth, my dad, who adored adventures, and wanted my mum, sisters and I to “visit all your people ’dem and see every corner of your beautiful home”, is taking us on a road trip. However, admiring Jamaica’s landscape is the last thing on my mind as I sit squashed between my sisters in the back of the Beetle, angry at my dad because he’d dropped in and out of our childhood. My aim, despite my teenage moodiness, is to get to know him better. Not Jamaica. Continue reading...
Breathtaking: 24 secret beaches in southern Europe

Dreaming of warm seas and quiet, sunny shores? Our travel writers pick their favourite beaches in Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy and PortgualSeychelles, IkariaOne of Lonely Planet’s best-value destinations for 2024, the Blue Zone island of Ikaria is renowned for the longevity of its inhabitants. On an island dotted with spectacular coves, Seychelles beach, 15 miles west of the capital, Agios Kirikos, is still a major lure. It’s a steep scramble to reach the sand, which is indicated by a roughly painted arrow in the middle of the road near the remote port of Magganitis (itself famed for a taverna where they serve seafood fresh from the boat). Continue reading...
‘Prepare for the sunset of a lifetime’: readers’ favourite beaches in southern Europe

From remote sandy coves in Galicia to bustling town beaches in the Cinque Terre, our tipsters dream of sunny climes and limpid watersOn an out-of-season trip to Zakynthos, a Greek island famed for intoxicated British teenagers that also happens to be beautiful, we stumbled upon Xigia Sulfur beach on the east coast. We were first greeted by the smell of rotten eggs, because of its sulphurous springs. Despite the smell, it’s brilliant: the glistening turquoise waters are framed by the towering cliffs, and the sulphur bubbles out of the seabed. A dip on this beach is said to be good for the skin and generally therapeutic. There are other little coves nearby, linked by paths.Lucas Continue reading...
Share a tip on a beach in southern Europe – and win a holiday voucher

Tell us about your favourite south European beach – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays breakThese dull, wet winter days are the perfect time to reminisce about sunny breaks spent on favourite beaches in southern Europe – and to plan future trips. Whether you love shingle and rock, busy town sands, or secluded coves at the end of a glorious hike, we’d love to hear about your golden discoveries. Is there a particular beach that you long to go back to? Don’t forget to mention any great beach bars and places to eat at or stay in on your shoreline travels.If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words that will be judged for the competition. Continue reading...
‘The old town is adorned with twinkling lights’: readers’ favourite Christmas breaks in Europe

Our tipsters revel in Christmas markets, seasonal tipples and live choral performances from Bath to the Black ForestSalzburg’s Christmas markets are among the very best, and there are plenty of them too, with at least 10 main ones across the season. The Salzburg Advent festival (1-17 Dec) at the Great Festival Hall, Residenzplatz, is a memorable show and highly recommended. With snow falling most winters, the city has that beautiful wintry romantic atmosphere. And best of all is a horse-drawn carriage ride through the snowy landscape, wrapped in a blanket, with a hot drink in hand. Especially perfect for a couples getaway.Colin Snoad Continue reading...
Steam and sparkle: six of the best Christmas railway journeys in the UK

From Santa Specials for excited children to a luxury Yuletide Evening Express for the grownups, these colourful trips will get you into the festive spiritThere’s an affinity between trains and Christmas, but what precisely is the connection? Ghostliness comes into it – the mystique of a train in the wintry night. I think of the misty, hypnotic adaptation of Dickens’s story The Signalman, in 1976, part of the BBC’s A Ghost Story for Christmas strand; or the ghost story in the Christmas number of the Railway magazine (that publication’s only excursion into whimsicality is always worth reading).Prof Paul Salveson, founder of the Community Rail movement, has written some excellent railway ghost stories, but he thinks the more profound connection is that “trains bring us home to our loved ones, and they have a sense of warmth and comfort that cars don’t have”. He recalls, from the 1960s, “lots of “Christmas extras” taking hundreds of people home, to and from Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, often through snow-swept Pennine landscapes. Salveson finds an echo of that Christmas warmth in some stations today: for example, Paddington, with its Friday night brass band. Continue reading...
Top 10 activity breaks for a supercharged half term

Get moving in or outdoors then relax in one of our selection of hotels, lodges, manor houses or even a castleIn the heart of the Devon countryside sits an Arts and Crafts manor house and 58 lodges with private hot tubs. Rolling hills and 125 acres of parkland provide the ideal setting for families (and their dogs). Dive into the indoor pool then try your hand at tennis, archery or pickleball. Book a bushcraft and survival course and learn to build shelters and make fires – essential skills come the apocalypse. A jam-packed itinerary is recommended to make the most of the facilities: a fully equipped gym, group fitness classes, a spa, games room and seemingly endless child-friendly courses. Then feast in one of three restaurants, or enjoy a DIY roast dinner kit delivered to your lodge for a cosy night in (themoleresort.co.uk, from £225 a night for a 2-bed lodge for 4 people). Continue reading...
Postcard from Bordighera: autumn sun on Italy’s Ligurian coast

Extravagant villas, wonderful food, exotic gardens and a calm beach attracted British expats to Bordighera in the 1880s – and it’s just as enticing todayLeaving my wife and daughter under a parasol on Bordighera’s beach, my teenage son and I set off in search of the largest Ficus macrophylla in western Europe.The tree, commonly known as the strangler fig, was planted in 1886 by Clarence Bicknell, British botanist, collector, lover of Esperanto and chaplain of Bordighera’s Anglican church. Continue reading...
The couple who bought a crumbling Scottish villa – by accident – and turned it into a holiday let

Cal Hunter and Claire Segeren spent four years, and acquired 300,000 Instagram followers, doing up a dilapidated house in Dunoon. Now it’s open to holidaymakers, you can see the results for yourself You know that feeling when you accidentally buy the wrong house? No, me neither. Cal Hunter does, though, and it was to prove quite the most fortuitous error of the 31-year-old carpenter’s life.The blunder, in 2018 – attributed to a fast-talking auctioneer and a mix-up with lot numbers – left him and his partner Claire Segeren, 29, with a derelict Victorian villa 35 miles from the apartment in Glasgow that they had been targeting. Continue reading...
Pews, picnics and pedalling: my cycle trip through Herefordshire – with a toddler in tow

Camping out in churches makes this family cycling trip along the Golden Valley Pilgrimage Way an adventure to remember“East is at the top of the map, south on the right, west is at the bottom and north you’ll find here on the left … ”I stood looking at the guide in Hereford Cathedral who was uttering these frankly insane words and gripped my OS map tightly. About to set off on a three-night e-bike pilgrimage on the Golden Valley Pilgrimage Way (GVPW) – with my toddler in tow (literally, courtesy of a hired trailer) – I was relieved that cartography has come a long way since the Mappa Mundi, the largest medieval map in existence, was drawn in the 1300s. Continue reading...
A family rail adventure in Sicily

A family heads to Sicily and takes in Palermo, Catania and the circular narrow gauge railway around Mount EtnaIt took the second thud to rouse me. Worried I’d slept through it, I slid up the blind to find our train pulling into the port city of Villa San Giovanni in Calabria, Italy. Not quite 6am, the last of the night’s sky was taking leave: navy clouds pulled apart before my eyes, a single neon-pink patch igniting the ridgeline of the Peloritani mountains in north-east Sicily.As I watched the waters of the Messina Strait turn silver in the dawn light, the train jerked and we began to roll the way we’d come. Shunted back and forth, I realised the carriages were uncoupling: this was the moment I’d waited years to witness. Little legs in pink pyjamas appeared on the ladder and my five-year-old daughter climbed down from her berth. “Are we riding on the ferry yet?” Continue reading...
‘A magical event evoking times past’: readers’ favourite UK country shows

Rural traditions going back centuries can be seen at these fairs celebrating farming, food and landscape The 175th Dunster Show, being held today (18 August), is not to be missed. It has all of the features you’d expect – livestock, tractors, horses and friendly competition. It showcases local produce and crafts. And all with the spectacular backdrop of Dunster Castle and beautiful Exmoor.Sarah Continue reading...
Boards, bikes and hikes: my family adventure in West Cork, Ireland

With surfing, e-biking, kayaking, hiking and history, we join an all-action family break around County Cork’s spectacular bays, headlands and beachesAt first, there is some fussing from my 10- and 12-year-old sons. “Will the water be too cold?”, “I don’t want to wear a wetsuit”, “Are there even any decent waves?”… But once their young surf instructor, Josh Mahony, appears with two boards under his arms and the kind of shoulders that suggest he could paddle south to Spain and back in his lunch break, there is only silence as they follow him into the waves.Some hours later, having caught many waves including their first proper unbroken green ones – before today they’d only surfed more easily managed whitewater – it’s an effort to get them out. Continue reading...
‘A good time while we preserve the environment’: a Welsh family resort with eco-credentials

This luxury resort in Pembrokeshire is attempting to transform itself into a nature-based resort that requires no compromise on fun and comfortIt moves ever so slightly as it spies something in the water before suddenly rising into the air, its feet brushing against the cool of the lake. This grey heron with its glossy coat and elegant neck took up residence at the Bluestone National Park Resort several years ago, and alongside Sid the swan and other wildlife, it has become a regular feature of our daily walks across the site.We are at the resort in the Pembrokeshire Coast national park for a good dollop of organised fun, and to check out how they are trying to tackle the issue of being more environmentally-friendly. Continue reading...
It rained every day, but our 1970s-style English holiday was pure delight | Emma Brockes

Playing with pine cones, my daughter lifted one up and said, ‘Nature’s Barbies!’. I felt more smug than at any time in my lifeIt was at the pub during a downpour, while my children entertained themselves by pretending paper straws were people, that I had what felt like the perfect moment of synchronicity with the 1970s. Outside, the Channel churned. Inside, we lightly steamed. We have been on fancier holidays and had more exciting times, but for pure delight, there is no question in my mind that the theme-park experience of dragging your kids through the memory of your own childhood summer holidays beats every modern alternative.The impulse behind this experience isn’t one of which I entirely approve. Nostalgia has its downsides, and as a motivating force can make us timid and clingy, cleaving too rigidly to the things we know. Heading into summer this year, I was aware that my itinerary was so sentimental – so rooted in a homesickness for the distant past that, while it can strike anyone, comes particularly fiercely for those of us raising our kids a long way from the circumstances in which we were raised – there was a small chance my kids would reject it. There was something perverse, I understood, in travelling from our home in New York, with the attractions of the entire US on our doorstep, to Ventnor, in the Isle of Wight, so I could enjoy reliving what it was like to be five. But I couldn’t help it.Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist based in New York Continue reading...
I took my daughter to Greece – and saw the world through a 17-year-old’s eyes

On our off-season break in Kos, we talk about friends, boys, college, and I realise one-on-one time is beneficial to our relationship and her wellbeing‘Slipping through my fingers all the time / I try to capture every minute …,” mourns Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! as we drive along a dusty road lined with goats and olive trees to Kefalos beach. I glance over at my girl – rosy cheeks, sun-kissed hair, phone glued to hand – and I’m overcome with emotion and involuntarily snort tears down my face.“Mum, are you actually crying?” laughs Lola. “You’re so soft!” Continue reading...
I took my dad to Scarborough – and saw a side of him that I didn’t expect

Over crumble and custard on our short break in Yorkshire, Dad wondered if it was worth him getting into InstagramI’ve got a bit of a thing for my elders. As a kid I wouldn’t leave my great-aunt alone. In my early 30s, I went on six coach holidays with a load of strangers twice my age for my book, The Gran Tour. So it won’t come as a surprise to learn that I recently dragged my old man to Scarborough for a mini-break. When I say dragged, I’m only half-joking. He didn’t fancy the coach ride, for a start. For the first hour of the journey north from Portsmouth, Dad behaved like a hostage, but by the time we’d reached Reading he was leaning across the aisle to help a couple with the crossword.It surprised me that he knew the answer to 4 down was “saturnalia”. And the fact that it surprised me showed how relatively little I knew of the man. I knew his outline well enough – born 1952, shipwright in the dockyard, 12 years sober and counting, ever so kind – but not the full picture, not the finer brush strokes. I hoped that Scarborough might fill in some gaps. Continue reading...
I took my mum to Venice – it was instantly special

We both like to be busy and are good at holidaying together as long as no one else comes with usMy mum is not a sun bunny. She likes active holidays: walking about interesting towns, gazing at historical things (churches, art, gardens), plus non-spicy food and, possibly, some water to paddle in.When my brother and I were young, our summers involved much traipsing through National Trust properties and banging seaside windbreaks into blustery British beaches. Before that, my parents travelled quite a bit: they drove round Europe in a Mini, even making it to Russia. But my dad can’t really manage a holiday these days, so my mum’s options are more limited. Day outings with her book group, occasionally further afield with a friend. And sometimes she goes on holiday just with me. Continue reading...

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