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Europe’s 50 most family friendly beach destinations have been calculated and ranked by On the Beach– Has your favourite family beach destination made the list??
NB: Advertisement Feature created in collaboration with On the Beach
It’s January and it is peak holiday planning time. I started this year with no trips booked and two weeks in and I might* have 6 trips in the diary with a couple more in the planning. With less going on in January I always find myself sat on the laptop watching the tv in the evening searching for that perfect break. I love travelling, adventures and exploring but I also love beaches and reading and swimming and relaxation, all of which you can achieve if you choose the right family friendly beach destination.
*OK I do have 6 trips booked!
So where is the right family friendly beach destination and how do I choose it?
On my list of things that I look for in a beach destination is really good summer weather, great sea temperatures ( my mini travellers love to swim in the sea or float about on flamingos and doughnuts) and family friendly attractions.
Crete (where we spent a week on our Summer holiday last year) ranks top in the very first Family Beach Index from On the Beach and it is easy to see why! Crystal clear waters, short flight, great summer temperatures and a variety of options from low budget to five star luxury. Crete also apparently boasts the highest number of family-friendly water and theme parks (there are 10) out of all destinations in the study, and enjoys average temperatures of 24* during the summer months.
The survey put together by On the Beach ranks family friendly beach destinations for best weather, warmest sea temperatures, shortest flight times, most family-friendly attractions, and best value for money.
The study was conducted by On the Beach to help families find their perfect beach break and you can see the full results of the study here!
Just putting this piece together and looking at images of the top ten destinations has made me want to book a beach trip in as soon as possible, what about you? Thankfully On the Beach have made booking that holiday budget-friendly with their really low deposit scheme which means that you can book your holiday from £30 per person (amazing for January when pay day seem too far away) and then split the cost up until two weeks before you fly.
On the Beach sale is also now on until the end of Jan, with up to 50% off on some fabulous hotels – take a look here: www.onthebeach.co.uk/holidays/sale
But if Crete isn’t your cup or tea then taking second place behind Crete – and one of a long list of Spanish destinations in the top 50 – is the Costa Blanca due to its short flight duration from the UK, warm sea and air temperatures, and large number of water and theme parks (seven).
The ever-popular holiday island of Cyprus takes third place, despite having a longer flight time, the Eastern Mediterranean island scores highly for its warm sea temperatures, numerous water and amusement parks, and the low average cost of a family holiday. We had a fabulous trip to Cyprus in October and few years ago and agree completely with the variety on offer and for me it works so well outside of the Summer months too.
If you aren’t worried about flight times for example, then the Family Beach Index allows you to sort destinations according to the criteria that matters most to YOU – whether that’s hot weather, warm seas or value for money.
Destinations across Turkey grabbed the top spots in the average temperature category, with Gumbet, Belek and Bodrum all enjoying averages of 25 O during the summer months. We had an amazing trip to Kalkan in 2018 and can certainly advocate for the combination of amazing holiday and value for money when you are out and about spending your money in the local towns.
But Turkey, Crete and Cyprus are only some of our favourite family friendly beach destinations from the last few years. We love Majorca and Menorca and the Canaries too, all of which are on the list!
January is definitely the perfect time to get booking and to capture those all important deals!
To see the full list of Europe’s top 50 most family friendly beach holiday destinations, and the winners of each category, please click here.
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What a good read. I’ve never heard of this company before but I’ll certainly be looking at them now.
I’ve been to Majorca and Spain a few times but I really want to go to Sardinia one day. Thanks for the useful post.
This list is rubbish! All 50 are in the Mediterranean where kids can easily get sun-burned and too hot. Why isn’t Cornwall included? Or Scotland? Or, my favourite, Norfolk? I’m not even sure France gets a mention! Kid’s beaches are not just about sand, there’s a whole lot more factors that seem to have been ignored.
Oh Im sorry that you feel that way about the list and I do agree that there are some fabulous beaches in the UK too
As a Australian family, we are always looking for family friendly beach holidays