BEACH BEACH BABY
Does a beach break come into your family’s European plans? There are plenty of choices.
Life’s a beach, or so the cliche goes. But life has changed beyond recognition in the 21st century. With that in mind here are some European family beach holidays with a difference.
Sleep safari-style in western France
Family camping trips can be an adventure or an ordeal. The beachside Atlantic Club Montalivet Resort offers activity: an extensive pool complex, surfing and other sports; plus variety and novelty, not least in the range of accommodation. As well as cabins and spacious tents, this five-star campsite has quirky options such as en suite safari tents and airlodges — your childhood fantasy, treehouse-tent combo. The nearby vineyards of the Medoc beckon thirsty parents.
Get the kids cooking in Portugal
The sleek aesthetic of Praia Verde, in a leafy, unspoilt pocket of the Algarve, might signal an adults-only vibe, but the imaginative range of activities for youngsters: market trips and cookery lessons; movie nights with popcorn; pools and beach swims; is exemplary. There’s plenty for parents, too, from birdwatching to boat trips, oyster-tasting to off-road biking.
A treat on Crete
Another five-star hotel adding sophistication to sustainability and a superior family package, the new Domes Zeen Chania is well endowed with options for entertaining offspring. Along with a dedicated pool, kids can caper among yurts and tepees, in the Zen retreat that hosts the kids’ club, or on the private beach below. Minimalist Baliinfluenced interiors, jungle spa and restaurants maintain high standards for grown-ups.
Yoga for the young
The family that does sun salutations together, stays together — that’s the idea behind new Spanish family wellness experiences launched at the Kempinski Hotel Bahia, in the low-key Costa del Sol resort of Estepona. As well as curated parent-children yoga sessions, there are tailored spa treatments, tennis sessions and Spanish cookery classes to be enjoyed en familia.
Get adventure-ready in Greece
Tweens ready for more than sand and splashes are invited to join the Adventure Club at new, five-star MarBella Elix in Perdika above Karavostasi Beach on Greece’s north Ionian coast. The programme for preteens, devised by the Exploration Society, packs in activities such as kayaking, canyoning, woodland skills and treasure hunts. There’s digital detox for all age groups, too, with wellness and fitness options including hiking, yoga and tennis.
Shooting and salsa in Sardinia
Ambitious offspring? Academies at Forte Village in southern Sardinia beckon twinkle-toed youngsters to hone their skills with coaching in football — with former Chelsea players, no less — basketball, tennis, rugby and dance.