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

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

Supervised by trained staff, and complete with nappies, cots, milk and baby food, this dedicated baby area is situated near the pool and is a new addition to the existing Pony Junior Club for four- to 12-year-olds. This elegant resort also has

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

The fact that Hotel Cala di Volpe overlooks Sardinia’s stunning Costa Smeralda should be reason enough to visit, but there are plenty more. As well as being able to walk the private white sand beach whilst looking out onto the beautiful turquoise

, 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