Getting away during the long school summer holidays is one of the year’s real pleasures — but it helps enormously if the place you pick has plenty to keep the kids entertained, so Mum and Dad get a bit of downtime too.
From Croatia to Spain, here are 6 European holiday resorts that the kids will love.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 10 of the Best Family Resorts in Europe
European Holiday Resorts That Are Family Friendly
When you’re planning a family holiday, you want somewhere that ticks every box: family-friendly accommodation, food the kids will actually eat, sun, pools, activities, and maybe a treat or two for the grown-ups as well. Here are some of our favourite family resorts around Europe.
#1. Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, Croatia
[[IMG:1]]
https://www.mykidstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sun-gardens-dubrovnik-1.jpg
The Sun Gardens Dubrovnik is a genuinely child-friendly resort, with a beach and gorgeous views over the Elaphiti Islands, not far from Dubrovnik itself. It offers both self-catering options and hotel rooms with a balcony or terrace.
Facilities include three outdoor pools (two family pools and one adults-only), a Sports Centre with a gym, three clay tennis courts and a squash court, and a shopping promenade. For the kids, there’s a Sports Academy offering football, tennis, water polo and basketball for 7–15 year-olds, plus a kids’ club with activities and games. Babysitting services are also available.
In summer, a hotel boat runs into Dubrovnik (around 30 minutes away by boat), and there are other trips to nearby islands if you fancy a change of scene from the resort.
#2. Delphina’s Le Dune Resort, Sardinia
[[IMG:2]]
https://www.mykidstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/le-dune-resort-sardinia.jpg
Delphina’s Le Dune Resort has plenty to offer, with accommodation designed for families. Its dedicated kids’ entertainment area, Village Fantasia, includes a play area, swimming pool, and themed play zones for younger guests.
With clubs available for all ages, there’s also a dedicated restaurant for guests of the Baby and Mini Club — and a nice touch is that much of the produce comes directly from the resort’s own vegetable garden and aviary, often collected by the children themselves.
Le Dune Resort has multiple restaurants and a homemade ice cream shop, several swimming pools (with pools reserved for children), a dedicated children’s area with creative workshops, games, a cinema and a nap room with cots, plus a wide range of free sports and activities including five-a-side football, tennis, basketball and archery.
#3. Efteling World of Wonders, The Netherlands
[[IMG:3]]
https://www.mykidstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/efteling-loonscheland-hotel-6-persoons-slaapkamer-1.jpg
If you’re after something a bit different for your family holiday, Efteling might be the perfect fit. Located around half an hour from Amsterdam, Efteling World of Wonders is a theme park with rides ranging from rollercoasters for older kids to the enchanted Fairytale Forest, where you can wander among giants and trolls.
The Efteling resort offers a few different accommodation options:
- Holiday Village Efteling Loonsche Land – set in the heart of a nature area, with a hotel and cosy holiday houses, a restaurant, play equipment for children, and a small animal enclosure. It’s around a 20-minute walk to the theme park entrance.
- The Efteling Hotel – just a few minutes’ walk from the theme park, with themed suites such as The Sleeping Beauty Suite. Kids get their own check-in desk, and stays include theme park access.
- Holiday Village Efteling Bosrijk – set in the woods, within walking distance of Efteling, with luxurious holiday houses spread across a large, varied landscape of dunes and woodland.
#4. Daios Cove Resort, Crete
[[IMG:4]]
https://www.mykidstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/daios-resort-in-crete.jpg
Daios Cove Resort is a stunning 5-star resort, and its range of activities for kids and parents alike makes it a strong choice for a family holiday to Greece.
Babies and toddlers can be looked after in the Crèche Club, staffed by qualified childcare professionals, while older kids can check in to the Children’s Club, where trained multilingual staff run games and activities throughout the day.
Daios is well set up for families, with a child-friendly beach, pool games, an outdoor playground, children’s menus and high chairs at all restaurants, toys for indoor and outdoor play, and babysitting services.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: Family Holiday to Greece at the Sani Resort Halkidiki
#5. Pine Cliffs Resort, Portugal
[[IMG:5]]
https://www.mykidstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/pine-cliffs-resort-algarve-1.jpg
Portugal’s Algarve is a wonderful destination for a family holiday — one worth returning to again and again.
The Pine Cliffs Resort has picked up multiple international awards for family-friendly hospitality over the years, and it’s easy to see why: an array of watersports, a tennis academy, a Junior Club for 8–13 year-olds, and a pirate-themed kids’ village for younger children aged 6 months to 8 years.
The resort sits close to Falésia Beach, one of the most striking stretches of coastline in Portugal, reached via a scenic walkway and panoramic lift down to a private guest area.
#6. Playa Andaluza Beach Resort, Spain
[[IMG:6]]
https://www.mykidstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Playa-Andaluza-Beach-Resort-pool.jpg
The Playa Andaluza Beach Resort in Estepona offers families a choice of spacious rooms with a kitchenette or apartments with a full kitchen and living room, all with balconies.
This family-friendly resort has four pools, including an indoor pool, and sits beside a sandy beach for when you fancy a change from the pool. There’s a kids’ club, play area, sports courts, a teen zone with table tennis, pool and air hockey, and daily activities for younger guests.
There’s also a spa for a bit of parent pampering while the kids are occupied, and babysitting services if you need them. With restaurants, a bar and a shop on site, you might never want to leave — but there’s plenty nearby too, including Roman ruins, the Alcazaba, the Picasso Museum, historic towns, shopping, water sports and golf.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY: 10 More of the Best Family Resorts in Europe
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a family-friendly European resort?
Look for resorts with dedicated kids’ clubs suited to your children’s ages, family pools, children’s menus, and easy access to a beach or safe outdoor play space. Babysitting services are a bonus if you want the occasional evening to yourselves.
Are kids’ clubs usually included in the resort price?
This varies a lot by resort and by season, so it’s worth checking directly with the resort or your booking provider before you travel, as inclusions can change.
What age groups do these resorts typically cater for?
Most of the resorts above run separate clubs for different age bands, from babies and toddlers right through to teens, so there’s usually something suitable whatever stage your children are at.
Is it worth choosing an all-inclusive family resort?
For many families, yes — it can take the stress out of budgeting for meals and activities day to day, though it’s always worth checking exactly what’s included before you book.
Related Articles
- 10 of the Best Family Resorts in Europe
- 10 More of the Best Family Resorts in Europe
- Family Holiday to Greece at the Sani Resort Halkidiki
Before You Go
Planning a family trip involves a lot of moving parts. If you’re still deciding where to go, browse our other European family travel guides for more inspiration, or save this article so you can come back to it while you compare resorts.
Get More Family Travel Ideas
Want more family-friendly travel inspiration delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the MyKidsTime newsletter for weekly ideas on days out, holidays and things to do with the kids.
