Soft-as-sugar golden bays, glittering sapphire waters, stunning landscapes and star-sprinkled skies characterise much of Europe’s coastland. Croatia’s glimmering necklace of Adriatic islands boasts a string of delightful beaches. The Split region

This summer,  the new luxury Martinhal Beach Resort & Hotel will be welcoming families when it opens on Portugal’s Algarve. Surrounded by a national park, the resort includes a five-star boutique hotel, spacious village houses and privately owned

Gatwick, for £1,655 for a family of four departing May 2.For more details, visit www.sovereign.comRead our Best beaches for kids: Europe for more lovely beach holiday ideas.

cities like Valencia and Barcelona to the pretty beaches of the Costa Brava in the north east. Or head for the Balearics, to a gorgeous Mallorcan farmhouse, or a family-friendly resort in chilled-out Ibiza. Then there is the cluster of Canary Islands

easyJet are offering four flights a week from London Gatwick on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer. Rhodes has something for all the family – ancient history, beaches, shopping and wonderful walks and cruises

& Beach Resort in Portugal. There’s a glamorous hotel on site but it’s the gorgeous villas for families (some with private pools) that catch the eye with breathtaking ocean views, designer interiors, daily maid service, wireless internet access

Just a short walk from the picturesque harbour village of Collioure, Les Criques de Porteils offers several small private beaches, ideal for sunbathing and snorkelling. To keep children amused, there’s an entertainer, as well as basketball, fishing

gardens, a separate children’s pool and a private beach. Six nights at the Kempinski Hotel costs £23,500 for a family of four.For more information, tel: 00 39 092 367 5000; www.kempinski-sicily.com

Whatever your child’s favourite sport, there will be expert coaching on offer at the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia this summer. The five-week Rugby Academy for children aged six to 15 has the likes of Jason Leonard passing on skills, Pat Cash will be offering tennis tips and t...

on the beach with its golden sand, and rocks perfect for exploring. We dined on fabada, a local bean stew with chorizo, overlooking the sands. My phone had bleeped its last message, but my love affair wasn’t quite at an end. We watched the last two stages