Fuss-Free Family Holidays With Simpson Travel

The Med is the go-to summer playground for families for a host of very good reasons, from the practical (reliable sunshine, child-friendly beaches, short flights) to the delectable: fabulous food, vibrant waterside towns and luxury villas with space for all, expertly managed so you can relax and enjoy the break you deserve.

With so much choice, it never hurts to take a little advice, so we asked our friends at Simpson Travel for their family holiday recommendations for summer 2024.

Taking your baby or toddler on their first holiday is such a lovely moment, and with a little planning you can make sure that it’s a treat for mum and dad too. Whilst Greece can feel too hot for baby skin in the height of summer, it’s ideal in the late spring and early autumn months, and you’re guaranteed a warm welcome for your littlies all over Greece. Packing for this age group can sometimes feel a bit like moving house however, so many Simpson Travel villas offer a complimentary infant pack with essentials ranging from cots to changing mats to children’s cutlery, so you can travel a little bit lighter.

And if you want to lighten the load even more, how about a few hours of complimentary professional childcare each day so you can have a lie in or an afternoon out? Mousses Villas in Lefkada has a fantastic creche for kids from 6 months to 3 years, which is offered free of charge outside the peak school holidays. There’s also a great restaurant on site and beautiful Lefkada beaches just a short drive away; if you thought it was impossible to have a truly relaxing holiday with toddlers, this place might just change your mind!

Top choice: Mousses Villas, Lefkada

Also consider: Corsica for incredible beaches and short flights; France’s Ile de Ré for bucket-and-spade charm and self-drive convenience.

These are the golden years in holiday terms, when your kids are old enough to do lots of things, but young enough that they still want to do them with you! Obviously, your family interests will play a part, but Mallorca is a great all-round choice for this age group, with its long, sandy beaches at Puerto Pollensa and Alcudia, and an unrivalled choice of family villas. Holiday homes here tend to have large, enclosed gardens so the kids can run around safely, and at Simpson Travel’s Family Favourite villas you’ll find a supply of garden games ready and waiting for them to get stuck in. Eating out is also extra fun here; ordering tapas is a great way to encourage children to try new flavours, and you can usually order them early in the evening rather than hanging out for the usual 9pm Mallorca dinner time. And for a family night in to remember, we can also organise an outdoor cinema set up in your villa garden - you choose the movie and we will sort the rest, popcorn included!

If your kids are longing for some company their own age, there are new friends to be made at Mousses on Lefkada, with a fantastic programme of activities for primary-age kids offered in the main summer holidays. From face-painting and mocktail making to water-walkers and scavenger hunts, there’s plenty to keep the kids occupied while you take a few well-earned hours off.

Top choices: Finca Can Llamas, Ca’n Sion, Sa Fontasa

Also consider: The beachfront Simpson Hotels Bella Mare (Corfu) and GK Beach (Crete) offer complimentary supervised Beachlife activities for 5- to 11-year-olds on selected school holiday dates.

Proceed with caution! Joking apart, this can be a hard one to get right, but years of experience tells us it boils down to three things: freedom to roam, friends to hang with and of course, free WiFi. Virtually all Simpson Travel villas and hotels have free WiFi, and some have ultra-fast broadband, so it’s worth asking when you’re making your booking. We’ve also got properties with Playstations and Netflix for night owls or long hot afternoons when the air-con is calling. If logistics permit, taking a friend or travelling with another family seems to be a magic formula, so if you’re looking for extra space you can check our large group villas and villas together collections.

For destinations, the ultimate is somewhere where older teens can walk out to a little local action, be it a beach club, café-bar or surf school, without needing to be ferried there in the car. Kalkan, on Turkey’s stunning Turquoise coast, is ideal, with several beach clubs to choose from and statement villas for that perfect Insta backdrop. Closer to home is Hossegor on the Aquitaine coast of France. Suffused with an irresistible Cali-French vibe that influences everything from the fashion to the food, France’s surf capital is a natural playground that delights all ages.

As one of the Simpson mums told us: “We took our teen boys to Hossegor and they liked it so much, the older one is taking his mates and going back without us this year. It’s about as close as I’m ever going to get to them admitting they had a good time!”

Top choices: The Eden Collection – Villa Maya in Kalkan, Casa Duna beside Hossegor

Also consider: Villa Raconet, walking distance to Pollensa Town in Mallorca or Villa Rahi, small but perfectly located in Agios Stefanos village in Corfu.

Find the perfect family holiday

Try something a little different this summer