Nothing compares to a childhood holiday by the beach. Fond memories building sandcastles, paddling in the sea and making new friends for a fortnight last for years to come. The only hard part for parents can be deciding where to go because after all, Europe is full of beautiful family-friendly beaches and beach towns. Here at the blog, we are especially big fans of sunny Mallorca.
This beautiful big Balearic Island has great experiences to offer families travelling abroad and we certainly think it should be at the very top of your holiday destinations list. But we wouldn’t expect you to just go ahead and book a trip because we say so. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of our top five reasons to go on a family holiday in Mallorca, to give you a head start on your holiday planning.
1. Location, location, location
Most of the time when travelling with little ones in tow, the best thing we can do is to make it as easy for ourselves as possible. Who wants to be dealing with complications and technicalities (or four-hour layovers…) when there is absolutely no need to deal with the temper tantrum which will inevitably follow? This is one of many reasons why we are so fond of Mallorca. The plane ride is a child-safe two and a half hours from London airports which is ideal for minimally restless kiddos.
Another plus in the convenience-column for Mallorca is how well catered the island is for families. Since it has been a popular destination for all-ages holidays for decades, all the local businesses are experts at taking care of kids by now. You’ll find tons of activities on the beaches (more on that later), and restaurants that care for over exhausted picky eaters with ease. It’s amazing what a difference it makes when you’re confident that your kids will be comfortable and entertained during your holiday.
2. Waterparks galore!
Speaking of keeping the kids entertained… Even the most argumentative of young siblings are sure to agree on one thing: waterparks are great fun! Mallorca just so happens to have the perfect climate for playing in the water for hours, so you’ll be pleased to hear there are plenty of these adventures to be had on the island.
In Magaluf, you’ll find Western Waterpark with tons of attractions for everyone from the adventurous teens and parents in the family to the youngest travellers just learning to swim. Heading to the Alcudía port you can make a visit to the colourful Hidropark which is just a few metres outside of the town centre! And our final recommendation is Aqualand in El Arenal which is super popular among visitors to the south coast so make sure you get a FastPass for the day to get the most out of your visit.
3. Learn and play
One of the best things about travelling with kids is seeing how much they grow from all the new experiences they get to have. The kind of learning they do on these adventures have nothing to do with hauling their maths homework with them to the beach, but rather expanding their little horizons a bit more every day. Perhaps they’ll learn to appreciate some local foods or even to speak a few words of the language, but a family holiday in Mallorca is especially great for picking up some new adventurer-skills.
The soft sands and warm seas make this Balearic Island the ideal place to take your first lessons in sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing, snorkelling or even scuba diving. Head to the clear, shallow waters of Cala Varques Beach for easy snorkelling, or book into the sailing and surfing schools at Playa Esperanza. And for the parents and grandparents along on the trip – don’t forget that there’s no age limit on trying something you’ve never done before!
4. Weird and wonderful wildlife
Something fantastic about travelling to islands is that they tend to have some of the most unique wildlife around. We’re talking about stuff you really can’t see anywhere else and that kids love to explore. Just off the Mallorcan west coast is a little islet called Sa Dragonera, which translates to The Dragon Isle (are you intrigued yet?) Yes, this little rock formation in the Balearic sea is solely inhabited by friendly little wall lizards! As much as we would like to tell you these guys are the island namesake, however, Sa Dragonera is named after the mountain range said to resemble resting dragon.
But if reptiles aren’t quite your thing, or if you’re eager to explore even more wildlife, head north to S’Albufera nature reserve. Walking or biking along the trails in these wetlands you can catch a glimpse of some seriously rare species, like Montagu’s harries and Eleanora’s falcons, mingling with the likes of moustaches warblers and long-eares owls.
5. Fun-filled holiday homes
When it comes to holiday accommodation it can be difficult to please everyone in your party, but don’t fret! Mallorca is full of incredible holiday villas to rent, where you can live like home away from home (with a few luxurious extra perks of course). Holiday villas allow everyone to have their own space, peace and quiet, and recreational activities. Most come with private pools, spacious gardens and beautiful dining and living areas. You can cook in your own kitchen or have a private chef service arranged, and in most places, you’ll be able to sort out maid services as well.
A villa holiday can take you to really unexpected places and some properties are closer to city centres while others are more rural. But there are as many unique villas out there as there are unique families traveling. With all these flexible options out you will certainly find the right one for you.
We can imagine that you’re just about ready to pack your bags and jet off for a family holiday in Mallorca. So go ahead and check out our dedicated page for luxury villas in Mallorca and get in touch with our concierge team if you want help with your search!
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