Summer Holidays

Best for Families

These five deliver what family summer holidays actually need — short transfers, shallow water, and enough on the doorstep that nobody has to negotiate a day plan.

• Majorca: Alcudia's beach shelves gently for close to 3 km, and most family hotels sit within a 45-minute transfer of the airport. Waterparks, boat trips, and an old town for a half-day wander make it the easiest family booking we arrange all summer.
• Algarve: The wide sands at Praia da Rocha and the sea caves at Benagil keep children occupied for a week on their own. Flight times of under three hours and a deep stock of family rooms make it a sensible first package abroad with young children.
• Costa Dorada: PortAventura — one of the largest theme parks in Europe — sits directly behind the Salou beachfront, so a park day needs no coach excursion. Choose it when the theme park is the holiday rather than an add-on, and build beach days around it.
• Tenerife: Siam Park regularly tops worldwide waterpark rankings, and the south of the island pairs dependable sunshine with sea breezes that take the edge off the heat. The strongest pick for families who rate resort facilities above everything else.
• Malta: English is an official language, transfers rarely pass 30 minutes, and the Blue Lagoon on Comino is a short boat ride from the main resorts. It suits families who want swimming and 7,000 years of history in the same day, no hire car needed.