There was an air of wistfulness as we looked up into the rugged hills above the tiny hamlet of Buggiano in western Tuscany, trying to guess which building would become our home for the week ahead. From the pictures in the glossy brochure, we knew that our villa was a distinctive ...

 fantastic children’s programme and activities ranging from botanical tours to pick lavender and rosemary, cookery lessons, pony trekking, art classes and the chance to learn a little French. From £569 per night for a family of four. For places to stay in Europe every

’s national parks or a visit to Copacabana beach with its spectacularly fun sea slides.Parents will love... Island-hopping trips to gems such as Lokrum with its tranquil botanic gardens or exploring beautiful Dubrovnik itself – the Museum of Modern Art has

's on offer to give an alternative stay to a stay at the luxury Gleneagles hotel and resort. Between April 1–28 (excluding Friday 22 and Saturday 23 April), families can book in to workshops and learn to stilt walk, juggle and master the art of the human

, St-Germain des Prés; www.bonpoint-boutique.com- Le Palais de Tokyo“This modern art museum is great and has a very nice café restaurant called Tokyo Eat. While there, your children can go to the Tok Tok ateliers, such as drawing workshops

Standing on the platform at St Pancras Station, Joe looked up at me and asked: “Are we going to paradise?” Actually, our destination was Paris, but perhaps – with all its art and culture – it’s not too much of a stretch to call it some kind

perched precariously on cliff tops are full of swashbuckling history of bandits and highwaymen, while the contemporary art and architecture of Dali, Gaudi, Picasso and Miro may just capture a child’s imagination. Best of all is the fact that Spaniards do

’s car (the Czech Skoda) even got onto the podium for a dousing in champagne. We stayed at Barceló Oviedo Cervantes (www.barcelo.com), a funky hotel with an impressive facade and boutique-style decor – all modern art, leather seats and swivel chairs

, Portugal is a very special place indeed. Located in an unspoilt, idyllic area in the western Algarve, just steps from the beach and a protected national park, it is perfect for a relaxing family holiday. Martinhal aims to become Europe’s finest family

, with an Absolut Ice Bar, a chapel, a wilderness camp and art exhibitions.March is a good time to go, as the  days are longer, allowing plenty of time for cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, quad-bike safaris, snowmobiling and moose safaris. Don’t miss a night