Holidaying with Kids

[dinny_g]

Interesting, will add to the list of potential for next time. Little one is probably too small right now though.

Spent the afternoon looking at stuff and have settled on one of those apartment hotel things in Portugal. Simple reasons really, 30mins to the airport both sides, own pool but close to the beach, but a bit of town around as well, two rooms and balcony. Let's see how it goes!

Sounds perfect Duncs!

We did a 3 week road trip through France and Italy when the nipper was 9 months ago old. He was grand

[McSwede]

Interesting, will add to the list of potential for next time. Little one is probably too small right now though.

Spent the afternoon looking at stuff and have settled on one of those apartment hotel things in Portugal. Simple reasons really, 30mins to the airport both sides, own pool but close to the beach, but a bit of town around as well, two rooms and balcony. Let's see how it goes!

Sounds perfect Duncs!

We did a 3 week road trip through France and Italy when the nipper was 9 months ago old. He was grand

The key to a good family driving holiday in Europe is to drive out on your own and then fly everyone else out to meet you.

You get to enjoy the journey and get a couple of extra days as an added benefit

[Simon]

Interesting, will add to the list of potential for next time. Little one is probably too small right now though.

Spent the afternoon looking at stuff and have settled on one of those apartment hotel things in Portugal. Simple reasons really, 30mins to the airport both sides, own pool but close to the beach, but a bit of town around as well, two rooms and balcony. Let's see how it goes!

Exactly what we did back in Nov 21. An Aparthotel in the Algarve, just 30 minutes from Faro airport. 2 rooms, kitchen, dinning area and lounge. Balcony, pool, yet right by the beach too.

Snap!

In fact, where are you going?

[Swervin_Mervin]

Our go to was Conil de la Frontera when our boy was younger and therefore when we could holiday whenever we liked. It's outrageously cheap prior to mid June as it's a Spanish destination for Sevillans. Hardly any British tourists at all to the extent that a lot of locals can barely speak any English.

Incredible seafood and food in general. Great vast beaches with fine sand and very shallow graded so great for young kids, and lots of places to visit on that side of Andalusia. It's got a really good atmosphere. I think 10 nights in the Conil Sol in late May was about £900 b&b.

Last year we did 4 nights in Seville before heading to Conil, as well and the 6yo took it in his stride. Was no bother being out at midnight or not eating until 9pm etc.

We don't bother with kids club but then I don't think we've holidayed where that's even an option. We tend to do our own thing.

[duncs500]

Sounds brilliant @Swervin_Mervin, and something up our street so will put it on the list for next time. We're going to Albufeira which since I've heard of it is no doubt going to be horrendously Anglicised, but the ease of it will hopefully make up for that. We're near the old town which looks nice enough.

[Gavin]

We went all inclusive to Majorca a few times as the kids wanted pool and park, liked the sea and it was all inc and a short flight.

We also did self catering in Portugal, also pools and sea but not really for little ones swimming. Was waaay more expensive.

Corfu was too hot in summer when the kids were wee but the kids activities were great.

We tend to go abroad in October week or an Easter week as temps are mid to high 20s which is plenty for little ones or they don't sleep which is hellish.

[V8Granite]

Get your kids to go to the toilet before getting on the plane.

Make up an activity pack for them to keep them entertained.

Only get them their own luggage if they want to carry it.

Do not pack everything under the sun.

If your kid makes a mess, clean it up.

If they are screaming, it’s highly likely their ears hurt, take some lollies to suck, not boiled sweets.

Get a window seat for them, they will love it and it will be a distraction.

So so so so many parents are utter shit with kids once they get on a plane.

Dave!

[GG.]

Sounds brilliant @Swervin_Mervin, and something up our street so will put it on the list for next time. We're going to Albufeira which since I've heard of it is no doubt going to be horrendously Anglicised, but the ease of it will hopefully make up for that. We're near the old town which looks nice enough.

I'm more familiar with the area a bit further down the coast toward Faro (Quinta do Lago / Vale Do Garrao) but let me know if you want any restaurant recommendations, etc. as I have a number.

If you want to escape the the tourist / expat / golfer traps then a good local proper Portuguese town is Loulé and worth a day trip (about 30 mins from Albufeira). May be a bit much to manage with a young one but Seville is also very do-able if you want more culture (though you'd want to stay the night) at around 2.5 hours drive - we did it last time we were there and it was great.

See if you can find time to go carting at Almancil as well - its a replica of a Brazilian track and opened by Senna when he lived in Quinta do Lago back in the early 90s. Oh and if you like it enough to go back in October half term I'll see you there

[GG.]

So so so so many parents are utter shit with kids once they get on a plane.

Very much this. I upgraded to business for the Dubai to London leg coming back from Bangkok last year to try and get some rest, only to find a screaming 3 year old in the row in front whose parent did very little to calm her down - may as well have flushed the money down the toilet to be honest

[Simon]

Sounds brilliant @Swervin_Mervin, and something up our street so will put it on the list for next time. We're going to Albufeira which since I've heard of it is no doubt going to be horrendously Anglicised, but the ease of it will hopefully make up for that. We're near the old town which looks nice enough.

That's where we went. Really lovely town - looking forward to going back sometime.

[mik]

Our go to was Conil de la Frontera when our boy was younger a....as it's a Spanish destination for Sevillans. Hardly any British tourists at all to the extent that a lot of locals can barely speak any English.

We went to Palinuro a couple of times for similar reasons. Swap Spanish for Italian in the above sentance.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Sounds brilliant @Swervin_Mervin, and something up our street so will put it on the list for next time. We're going to Albufeira which since I've heard of it is no doubt going to be horrendously Anglicised, but the ease of it will hopefully make up for that. We're near the old town which looks nice enough.

I last went in '96 so it will have changed hugely since then! In fact, we stopped off there in 2007 when holidaying in Lagos, and it took me ages to find the villa we stayed at in '96. When I eventually found it (western side of the old town near the top of the hill) I realised why I'd struggled to find it - there used to be a cliff you could walk along, to the west of town, with loads of coves dotted along it. Well the cliff was no longer there! It had been blasted away to make a harbour in land

The old town was great - the strip, or new town, less so, from memory.

We went in 2019 to Tavira, which is east of Faro. That's a lovely place and there's much less tourism. Stayed in the Pousada Convento which was amazing. There's some great beaches along that stretch to the east of Faro, separated from the mainland ever so slightly. I'd also recommend Vila Real de Santo Antonio for a day out. Used to be a key trading town on the Portuguese side of the River Guadiano - very picturesque. Was a bit down at heel for a few years I think as that eastern side missed a lot of the tourism boom, but the last few years has seen it start to pick up. I know they've opened a Pousada there in the last couple of years on the main square.

[Swervin_Mervin]

Our go to was Conil de la Frontera when our boy was younger a....as it's a Spanish destination for Sevillans. Hardly any British tourists at all to the extent that a lot of locals can barely speak any English.

We went to Palinuro a couple of times for similar reasons. Swap Spanish for Italian in the above sentance.

I'll look into that, cheers mik! Croatia or Italy might be on the cards for us this year - never been to Italy proper, and really want to. Was set on Puglia but we can't fly there from the NW without going on Ryanair, and fuck that. I think Naples has a few options though, which looks to be the closest to Palinuro.