Caring for a baby – whether they’re new born or a little older – is hard work. So, shouldn’t you get away from it all and give those bleary eyes something rather nicer to look at than the pile of laundry you haven’t got round to doing yet? Here is a selection of baby-friendly beach holidays for you and your little one; pack your swimming costume, your sun cream and your baby-wearing sling (wearing a sling is often the easiest way to get your baby on and off the beach) and get ready to sink your toes into the sand…
Golden Beach, Crete (Greece)
Greece is a great place for families – not least for the wonderful weather and stunning scenery, but for the low prices and baby-friendly accommodation options too. If Crete (the largest of the Greek islands) takes your fancy, head to Golden Beach. Situated close to Chania (the second largest city in Crete – with a beautiful harbour if you fancy a gentle after- dinner stroll as a family), Golden Beach has plenty of amenities nearby for food and toilet breaks. The sand is soft so it’s the perfect place to introduce your baby to a new sensation, and the waters are shallow – making them lovely and warm if you fancy dipping your little one’s feet into the twinkling blue sea.
Plage de Kervillen la Trinité-sur- Mer, Brittany (France)
Given that it’s relatively close to home, Brittany is always popular with tourists heading over from the UK and Ireland. It’s home to beautiful beaches with memorable sand dunes, and la Plage de Kervillen la Trinité-sur- Mer is no exception. In fact, the sand dunes shelter the beach from strong winds, making it the perfect place for holiday makers travelling with little ones. And, it’s serviced by bars, restaurants, toilet facilities and a shower, so you’ll have everything you need close to hand. There’s a car park too, so you’ll get there easily and be able to nip back to your car for anything you don’t fancy taking onto the beach.
Praia do Anção, Faro (Portugal)
The Algarve is a popular holiday destination for holidaymakers of all types, and it’s a great choice for those travelling with very little ones. That’s due to the fact it’s sunny most of the year but doesn’t feel too hot owing to the refreshing winds from the Atlantic Ocean. So, you won’t find yourself with a fussy, sweaty baby. (Still, you’ll doubtless want to keep them in the shade and make sure they’re smothered in sun cream anyway!).
Praia do Anção is very well looked after, with well-maintained boardwalks leading the way to the sandy beach. The nearby restaurants are a little pricey as it’s quite an exclusive area, but the beach is exquisitely clean and the deluxe sun beds are a real treat too. As well as touristy beaches with amenities, you’ll find plenty of hidden coves in this part of Portugal if you’d like to get away from the crowds and relax in peace. And, there are gentle rural walks you can do with your little one secured safely to your body if you fancy some scenic cliff walks.
Es Grau (Menorca)
Less than ten miles away from Mahón, the capital of Menorca, Es Grau is definitely a beach to consider if you fancy heading to Spain. The beach is very shallow here, making it a destination that’s ideal for toddlers and young children – and it’s even popular with teenagers doing a spot of snorkelling or paddle boarding around the bay. Still, there’s plenty of room for you and your baby to splash about, with warm water stretching out at shin level for 40 metres.
Just next door is the S’Albufera des Grau nature reserve with short walking routes, so there’s lots of wildlife and foliage if you fancy an amble around the nature reserve once you’ve had enough of the beach (just beware that it’s unlikely to be pram-friendly, so you’ll need to carry your little one). And, there are restaurants right beside the sea, so you won’t need to go for to get a bite to eat.
Ramla l-Hamra, Gozo (Malta)
If you fancy a beach with just enough in the way of facilities to accommodate for a baby, but not so many that it becomes a bit of a honey-trap for tourists, head to Ramla Bay in Malta. You’ll find a stretch of silky yellow sand fringed with green trees, and dark blue waters as far as the eye can see – and that’s about all, except for a couple of quiet bars, some toilet facilities, a shower and a café. And perhaps the ice cream van, if you’re lucky. It’s the perfect place for truly winding down and spending some precious quality time together, listening to little more than the sound of the waves on the shore.
Golden Beach, Crete (Greece)
Greece is a great place for families – not least for the wonderful weather and stunning scenery, but for the low prices and baby-friendly accommodation options too. If Crete (the largest of the Greek islands) takes your fancy, head to Golden Beach. Situated close to Chania (the second largest city in Crete – with a beautiful harbour if you fancy a gentle after- dinner stroll as a family), Golden Beach has plenty of amenities nearby for food and toilet breaks. The sand is soft so it’s the perfect place to introduce your baby to a new sensation, and the waters are shallow – making them lovely and warm if you fancy dipping your little one’s feet into the twinkling blue sea.
Plage de Kervillen la Trinité-sur- Mer, Brittany (France)
Given that it’s relatively close to home, Brittany is always popular with tourists heading over from the UK and Ireland. It’s home to beautiful beaches with memorable sand dunes, and la Plage de Kervillen la Trinité-sur- Mer is no exception. In fact, the sand dunes shelter the beach from strong winds, making it the perfect place for holiday makers travelling with little ones. And, it’s serviced by bars, restaurants, toilet facilities and a shower, so you’ll have everything you need close to hand. There’s a car park too, so you’ll get there easily and be able to nip back to your car for anything you don’t fancy taking onto the beach.
Praia do Anção, Faro (Portugal)
The Algarve is a popular holiday destination for holidaymakers of all types, and it’s a great choice for those travelling with very little ones. That’s due to the fact it’s sunny most of the year but doesn’t feel too hot owing to the refreshing winds from the Atlantic Ocean. So, you won’t find yourself with a fussy, sweaty baby. (Still, you’ll doubtless want to keep them in the shade and make sure they’re smothered in sun cream anyway!).
Praia do Anção is very well looked after, with well-maintained boardwalks leading the way to the sandy beach. The nearby restaurants are a little pricey as it’s quite an exclusive area, but the beach is exquisitely clean and the deluxe sun beds are a real treat too. As well as touristy beaches with amenities, you’ll find plenty of hidden coves in this part of Portugal if you’d like to get away from the crowds and relax in peace. And, there are gentle rural walks you can do with your little one secured safely to your body if you fancy some scenic cliff walks.
Es Grau (Menorca)
Less than ten miles away from Mahón, the capital of Menorca, Es Grau is definitely a beach to consider if you fancy heading to Spain. The beach is very shallow here, making it a destination that’s ideal for toddlers and young children – and it’s even popular with teenagers doing a spot of snorkelling or paddle boarding around the bay. Still, there’s plenty of room for you and your baby to splash about, with warm water stretching out at shin level for 40 metres.
Just next door is the S’Albufera des Grau nature reserve with short walking routes, so there’s lots of wildlife and foliage if you fancy an amble around the nature reserve once you’ve had enough of the beach (just beware that it’s unlikely to be pram-friendly, so you’ll need to carry your little one). And, there are restaurants right beside the sea, so you won’t need to go for to get a bite to eat.
Ramla l-Hamra, Gozo (Malta)
If you fancy a beach with just enough in the way of facilities to accommodate for a baby, but not so many that it becomes a bit of a honey-trap for tourists, head to Ramla Bay in Malta. You’ll find a stretch of silky yellow sand fringed with green trees, and dark blue waters as far as the eye can see – and that’s about all, except for a couple of quiet bars, some toilet facilities, a shower and a café. And perhaps the ice cream van, if you’re lucky. It’s the perfect place for truly winding down and spending some precious quality time together, listening to little more than the sound of the waves on the shore.
Do any of these beaches take your fancy? Wherever you decide to go, do some research before you jet off to see if it has the kind of facilities you need for your and your little one.
No matter how old or young you are, water parks are some of the best forms of fun, particularly when you’re on holiday. For both adults and children, water parks can host a whole day, if not more, of entertainment, and if you’re traveling to Europe this summer then you’re in luck. Europe is home to some of the best water parks this year, and you should make sure that you pack your e111 card and swimsuit if you’re heading to any of these water parks.
Siam Park, Tenerife
Siam Park is a Thai-themed water park on the Canary Islands. Siam Park is home to the world’s longest lazy river and has plenty of fantastic slides to take part in. One of the biggest is the Tower of Power, a slide with an 85-foot drop that concludes with a funnel that passes through a tank full of sharks! There’s also a vertical water slide known as the Dragon and a vortex style slide. There’s something for everyone at Siam Park, and with the island having good weather all year round, Siam Park is the perfect place to get your bikini on and slide!
Tropical Islands, Germany
Tropical islands is an indoor waterpark, which is situated in the third largest building in the world. It definitely brings something a little different to a traditional waterpark, but with it being indoors, you can visit it all year round – rain or shine. It’s located just 60km from Berlin, and isn’t just a great
place for slides. Tropical Islands also features tropical pools, beaches and a rain forest, to top it
all off. At Tropical Islands there is something for everyone, and it really is one of the best water parks
in Europe.
Waterworld, Cyprus
This water park is themed around ancient Greece, and it is one of the best in Europe by far. You can expect plenty of slides all over the place including Apollo’s Plunge, Odyssey River and The Fall of Icarus just to name a few. It’s a big water park in the heart of Cyprus’ party capital, so you can expect it to be fantastic. From adrenaline pumping slides, to big wave pools, and even slides for non-
swimmers, there’s plenty to do at Waterworld. Be careful though, the floor can get very hot in the summer heat.
Siam Park is a Thai-themed water park on the Canary Islands. Siam Park is home to the world’s longest lazy river and has plenty of fantastic slides to take part in. One of the biggest is the Tower of Power, a slide with an 85-foot drop that concludes with a funnel that passes through a tank full of sharks! There’s also a vertical water slide known as the Dragon and a vortex style slide. There’s something for everyone at Siam Park, and with the island having good weather all year round, Siam Park is the perfect place to get your bikini on and slide!
Tropical Islands, Germany
Tropical islands is an indoor waterpark, which is situated in the third largest building in the world. It definitely brings something a little different to a traditional waterpark, but with it being indoors, you can visit it all year round – rain or shine. It’s located just 60km from Berlin, and isn’t just a great
place for slides. Tropical Islands also features tropical pools, beaches and a rain forest, to top it
all off. At Tropical Islands there is something for everyone, and it really is one of the best water parks
in Europe.
Waterworld, Cyprus
This water park is themed around ancient Greece, and it is one of the best in Europe by far. You can expect plenty of slides all over the place including Apollo’s Plunge, Odyssey River and The Fall of Icarus just to name a few. It’s a big water park in the heart of Cyprus’ party capital, so you can expect it to be fantastic. From adrenaline pumping slides, to big wave pools, and even slides for non-
swimmers, there’s plenty to do at Waterworld. Be careful though, the floor can get very hot in the summer heat.
Slide & Splash, Portugal
This water park really does offer something a little bit different from your standard water park. It has a huge number of slides just as you might expect, and the park covers 16,000 acres, but that’s not all. At Slide & Splash, there are also a number of falconry, parrot, macaw and reptile shows daily which makes the whole experience even more interesting if you’ve had enough of the slides. You can get to and from the park via a shuttle bus from a number of resorts across the Algarve too so there’s no need to worry about anything.
Aquariaz, France
This water park is located in one of the most unlikely places – in the winter wonderland of the French
Alps. This jungle paradise is the perfect place for both adults and kids, with water jets, slides, pools,
climbing walls and a lazy river. During the winter the outdoor spa is heated so you can get in the hot
tub and soak to your heart’s content.
This water park really does offer something a little bit different from your standard water park. It has a huge number of slides just as you might expect, and the park covers 16,000 acres, but that’s not all. At Slide & Splash, there are also a number of falconry, parrot, macaw and reptile shows daily which makes the whole experience even more interesting if you’ve had enough of the slides. You can get to and from the park via a shuttle bus from a number of resorts across the Algarve too so there’s no need to worry about anything.
Aquariaz, France
This water park is located in one of the most unlikely places – in the winter wonderland of the French
Alps. This jungle paradise is the perfect place for both adults and kids, with water jets, slides, pools,
climbing walls and a lazy river. During the winter the outdoor spa is heated so you can get in the hot
tub and soak to your heart’s content.
Have you been to any amazing water parks in Europe? When ? Tell us about it in the comments below, we'd love to know about it!