Take a ride on a camel, zoom on zip-wires or learn to cut diamonds
13: SICILY
Where: Junior golf at the Verdura Resort, a 60-minute drive from Palermo.
What: The Junior Golf Academy at the Rocco Forte resort is run by Giacomo Dovetta, rated one of the world’s top junior coaches. Once they’ve mastered their swing, enjoy a round on one of three golf courses. Children can also take classes in rugby and fencing.
Don’t miss: The Crystal Maze-style Escape Room – teenagers can challenge parents at solving puzzles and find the key to the door to escape. It costs £22pp.
Price: Seven nights’ B&B costs from £1,855pp, based on two adults and two children sharing connecting rooms (scottdunn. com) and including international flights and private transfers. A three-day Active October Half Term course costs from £85pp.
14: SPAIN
Where: Cycle along beaches and the back roads of Catalonia from La Gola to La Fosca.
What: Cycle through the lower Emporda Plain on the Costa Brava. Take in rolling hills dotted with medieval villages. Stay at two family-friendly agroturismos and one seaside hotel, all with a pool. Bike routes are relatively short, leaving time to relax.
Don’t miss: Delicious red Palamos prawns found on the menu at many local restaurants.
Price: Six nights’ half-board, luggage transfers, route maps and notes, and bicycle hire, costs £815 per adult and £630 per child with Inntravel (inntravel. co.uk). Flights and transfers extra. Best local airports are Girona and Barcelona.
15: OMAN
Where: The Muscat coast. What: Spend a night in a Bedouin camp, take in the Jebel Akhdar mountain range and explore ancient Nizwa. Climb the dunes at Wahiba Sands, go dolphin-watching from Muscat and watch turtles lay their eggs on the beach at Ras al Jinz.
Don’t miss: Nizwa cattle market, held every Friday, is one of the finest in the Middle East.
Price: From £1,799 per adult and £1,699 per child including six nights’ B&B (one night in tented accommodation), four lunches, two dinners, and activities with Families Worldwide (families worldwide.co.uk). Flights extra.
16: LANZAROTE
Where: Timanfaya National Park, Playa Blanca.
What: Optima Villas has a range of properties with pools in Playa Blanca. It organises excursions including camel-trekking across the volcanic lunar landscape of Timanfaya National Park.
Don’t miss: Enjoy a G&T featuring the island’s brand Ave del Paraiso.
Price: Three-bedroom Villa Keur Africa costs from £840 a week (optimavillaslanzarote.com).
17: ST LUCIA
Where: The Pitons. What: Head to Morne Coubaril Historical Adventure Park, which offers zip-wire activities.
Don’t miss: Coconut ice cream at beachside cafe Jammers.
Price: Zip-wire tickets are $75 (about £57) for adults and $37.50 (about £29) for children aged eight to 12 (stluciaziplining.com). A seven-night stay over half-term at the Windjammer Landing resort costs from £4,859 for a family of four sharing a two-bedroom ocean view villa on a room-only basis. The price includes return flights and transfers (destinology.co.uk).
CULTURAL CITY BREAKS 18: AMSTERDAM
What: The Dylan, a 40-room hotel on the Keizersgracht, one of Amsterdam’s most famous canals. A family package offers two interconnecting double rooms and tickets to NEMO Science Museum.
Don’t miss: While the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank’s House are essential for older kids, the Tropen museum has lots of interactive exhibits.
Price: The Dylan’s family package costs £975 (dylanamsterdam.com).
19: PARIS
What: Kid & Coe has a family apartment in Marais. You’ll find bunk beds in the children’s rooms, plus Lego and scooters.
Don’t miss: La Cité des Sciences, the biggest science museum in Europe (cite-sciences.fr).
Price: The Meslay Residence costs from €200 (about £177) a night. Visit kidandcoe.com.
20: ANTWERP
What: With great shopping and culture, Antwerp is best suited to families with older children. Stay at the boutique Franq hotel in the heart of the city.
Don’t miss: More than half of the world’s diamonds are cut in Antwerp. Adults and children will be dazzled by the new Diamond Museum, Diva, where you can watch diamond-cutters at work (divaantwerp.be).
Price: Franq hotel (hotelfranq.com) has double rooms from €154 (about £134) a night.