Forget the famous spots – 8 best purpose-built resorts for families with fewer crowds but ALL the water parks & beaches
AFTER spending years working in travel, I’ve realised some of Europe’s best purpose-built family resorts are the ones you’ve probably never even heard of.
While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the classics, I’ve found stacks of alternative resorts that deliver everything families love about those hot spots – but they are a lot quieter, and a fraction of the price.
Think wide beaches, shallow water, proper family hotels, and massive waterparks – just without the overwhelming crowds or the inflated peak-summer price tag.
So, I’ve narrowed it down to eight resorts that hit all the non-negotiables for parents: short UK flights, quick airport transfers, walkable beaches, and stress-free dining with toddlers in tow.
8. Petrovac, Montenegro
If you want to try something genuinely different without sacrificing convenience, Petrovac is a proper hidden gem.
Tucked along Montenegro’s coast, it’s practically built for families with young kids.
The whole resort centres around a calm, horseshoe-shaped bay protected by small offshore islands that keep the sea remarkably still and safe for paddling.
There’s a completely pedestrianised, traffic-free promenade where kids can run around freely while you finish dinner, lined with casual, welcoming tavernas where children are treated like royalty.
Tivat Airport sits just 40 minutes down the coast, meaning you aren’t subjecting tired kids to a massive transfer coach journey after landing.
I found seven nights at the four-star Hotel Rivijera from £568pp, based on a family of four flying direct from London Gatwick on August 22 on a bed and breakfast basis.
Montenegro deal
Hotel Rivijera, Petrovac
- Seven nights
- Gatwick flights
- Bed and breakfast
From £568pp. BOOK HERE
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7. Cala’n Bosch, Menorca
Menorca is the undisputed king of low-stress family travel, but Cala’n Bosch is the specific resort I recommend time and time again.
Everything revolves around a central marina packed with seafood spots and ice cream parlours, where children can watch the boats coming and going while you enjoy a relaxed meal.
The beaches are sheltered, slope very gently, and stay shallow for ages, making them ideal for little swimmers.
Plus, the whole resort is exceptionally compact and flat, so you can easily walk everywhere without ever needing a hire car or bus.
You’ve got Aquarock Waterpark right in the centre of the resort for a change of scenery, and Mahón Airport is under 45 minutes away.
A family of four can bag seven nights at Club Ciudadela from £493pp, with flights from Manchester on August 25 on a self-catering basis.
Menorca deal
Club Ciudadela, Cala’n Bosch
- Seven nights
- Manchester flights
- Self catered
From £493pp. BOOK HERE
If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue
6. Nessebar, Bulgaria
Most people looking at Bulgaria default straight to Sunny Beach.
But just ten minutes down the coast sits Nessebar – a historic, UNESCO-listed town that delivers the exact same value with a much calmer atmosphere for parents.
It serves up the best of both worlds: a charming, stone-paved old town packed with ice cream parlours and bakeries, flanked by long, wide stretches of soft, golden sand that slopes gently into the sea.
It gives families that proper, classic beach holiday feeling, but with dirt-cheap dining and a far less chaotic night-time vibe than its noisy neighbor.
Burgas Airport is a breeze at just 25 minutes away, and Aqua Paradise – one of Eastern Europe’s biggest waterparks – is right on your doorstep too.
There were plenty of hotels to choose from, but in terms of value, I couldn’t get away from this one: seven nights all-inclusive at the Sol Nessebar Resort from just £675pp, based on a family of four flying from Manchester on August 25.
Bulgaria deal
Sol Nessebar Resort, Nessebar
- Seven nights
- Manchester flights
- All inclusive
From £675pp. BOOK HERE
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5. Gouves, Crete
Gouves is one of those places families stumble across by accident and then end up booking for five years straight.
Sitting just 15 minutes from Heraklion Airport, it delivers one of the shortest transfers anywhere in the Greek islands – a total lifesaver after a four-hour flight with young kids.
Trust me, I know this one from experience.
The resort layout is super-relaxed, with flat, quiet roads lined with family-run tavernas and mini-marts, alongside sheltered sea walls that break up the waves and create pancake-flat, shallow swimming lagoons.
For easy day trips, you’ve got Dinosauria Park and Watercity Waterpark all sitting less than a 10-minute drive down the road.
And the best part is the price, because I managed to find seven nights with breakfast at the Despo Hotel from £398pp, with direct flights for a family of four from London Gatwick on August 25.
Crete deal
Despo Hotel, Gouves
- Seven nights
- Gatwick flights
- Bed and Breakfast
From £398pp. BOOK HERE
If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue
4. Tigaki, Kos
Kos often gets overshadowed by Crete and Rhodes, but Tigaki deserves way more attention for families with buggies and toddlers.
The sand beach stretches uninterrupted for miles and the water stays waist-deep forever.
The entire resort is completely flat making it an absolute dream for pushchairs, scooters, and little legs that get tired quickly.
It has that quintessential, laid-back Greek island charm where parents can relax while the kids play safely on the sand right in front of the taverna tables.
Kos Airport is barely 20 minutes away, and the massive Lido Water Park is right down the road when you want a break from the ocean.
For just £580pp, I found seven nights all-inclusive for a family of four at Hotel K Ilios and Farming, flying direct from London Gatwick on August 19.
Kos deal
Hitel K Ilios and Farming, Tigaki
- Seven nights
- Gatwick flights
- All inclusive
From £580pp. BOOK HERE
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3. Cala Millor, Majorca
Cala Millor on Majorca’s east coast is the ultimate substitute for a stress-free Spanish break.
It’s home to an enormous, Blue Flag sandy bay with crystal-clear, shallow water, backed by a massive, palm-shaded pedestrian promenade lined with wooden playgrounds, shaded cafes, and flat cycling paths.
It’s made for effortless family days out, giving you all the incredible facilities, beach games, and amenities of the island’s famous mega-resorts, but with a much more relaxed, authentic island feel.
Palma Airport is also around an hour’s transfer.
It’s a little further than other resorts, but all via the main highway, making it a stress-free, fairly straight drive.
And I’ve picked out seven nights at the four-star Garbi Cala Millor from £548pp, based on a family of four flying direct from Gatwick on August 20 and staying half board.
Majorca deal
Hotel Garbi Cala Millor
- Seven nights
- Gatwick flights
- Half board
From £548pp. BOOK HERE
If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue
2. Porec, Croatia
If you fancy trading standard package resorts for quaint old towns, Porec in Croatia is easily one of the best family bets in Europe.
The centre is completely pedestrianised and packed with waterfront pizzerias and street performers that keep kids mesmerised.
Instead of scorched, open sand, the coastline here is lined with lush, fragrant pine forests that run right down to the clear swimming bays.
This means tons of natural shade so young kids can swim and play all day without getting overheated.
Pula Airport is less than 45 minutes away, and Aquacolors Porec – one of Croatia’s biggest waterparks – is sitting right outside town.
And I found a deal for a family of four, spending seven nights at Hotel Istra Plava Laguna from £513pp, with flights direct from London Luton on August 25 on a half board basis.
Croatia deal
Hotel Istra Plava Laguna, Porec
- Seven nights
- Luton flights
- Half board
From £513pp. BOOK HERE
If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue
1. La Pineda, Spain
If Salou has always appealed for the theme parks and beaches, but you wish the town itself was quieter and easier to navigate with children, La Pineda is an absolute cheat code.
Sitting just five minutes down the Costa Dorada coast, it boasts a massive beach with super-shallow water, backed by a flat, green promenade that’s ideal for pushchairs and evening strolls.
It’s ideal for families who want a chilled base, but still want easy access to world-class attractions.
Reus Airport is an absolute dream at just 15 minutes away, and you’ve got Aquopolis waterpark right inside the resort itself.
There is also PortAventura World theme park that’s a quick 10-minute taxi ride down the road (named one of the best in the world).
I clocked seven nights at Hotel Best Sol D’Or from £473pp, for a family of four departing Birmingham on August 25 on a room-only basis.
