Beach Holidays

Beach Holidays for Families

Family beach holidays stand or fall on the first ten metres of water, so every one of these five offers shallow, gently shelving bays.

• Majorca: The horseshoe bay at Alcúdia gives children nearly 7 km of shallow, flat sand, with pedalos and ice-cream stops at regular intervals. The island's north keeps families close to waterparks and boat trips without the late-night noise of the party strips further south.
• Algarve: Praia da Rocha backs a vast golden beach with lifeguards through the season and cliff-framed coves a short stroll either side. Water stays calm inside the headlands, restaurants expect buggies, and the flight time is among the shortest on this page.
• Costa Dorada: The clue is in the name — a golden coast of long, shallow strands, with Salou's beachfront promenade built for evening strolls and PortAventura's theme park rides twenty minutes from most hotels. For the waterpark-and-sandcastle age bracket, it is the complete package.
• Protaras: Fig Tree Bay is routinely ranked among the finest family beaches anywhere — powder sand, knee-deep turquoise water for a long way out, and a resort that winds down by eleven. Quieter and gentler than its famous neighbour up the coast, which is exactly the point.
• Lanzarote: The Papagayo coves shelter some of the calmest swimming on the island, and the volcanic landscape doubles as a day out children actually talk about afterwards. Year-round warmth means half-term trips work here when most beaches have packed up for winter.