, a giant trampoline to bounce on, swings and a heated pool, and enough amusements to keep imaginations (and little legs) running riot for days. Grown-ups can indulge in me-time with a massage, and, after the children have had an early supper and are tucked

&O. But it is the Blue Flag beach itself that is the real star: a paradise of talcum-powder sands surrounded by white cliffs and vineyards. For a fabulously fun day out, visit the Wet ’n’ Wild Aphrodite Water Park in Paphos.You may also be interested in reading Best

– then promptly shut, as the air con won’t work with open windows and, as we soon learnt, to keep those pesky mosquitoes out.The villa is set on a hectare of land, with a shady pergola which overlooks the surrounding hills, dotted with medieval spires, and full

to arrange babysitting with a local nanny for you; alternatively, laze by the pool while your children splash about with inflatables in the shallow end. Le Lodge Kerisper is a great place for frazzled parents to get a few days’ respite.- Worth getting out

and opulence on the rue de Rivoli. Eminent guests from days gone by include Picasso, who hosted his wedding dinner here, Coco Chanel, and Salvador Dali, who once demanded a herd of sheep be brought to his room and, upon their arrival, took out his pistol

’s antiquities. Hotels are geared up for year-round travel, with heated pools and indoor facilities if the days turn cool. Stay either at the chic Almyra in Paphos, a baby-friendly hotel that can provide all your baby equipment on arrival (www

waterfront bar, followed by dinner out, in a restaurant where children are welcome and can run around happily until late. As well as siestas, the Spanish love a fiesta and if you are around on one of the patron saints’ days – there are a lots of them – expect