Family villa holidays have become more popular than ever. The choice of properties right across Europe seems to be growing by the minute and more villas means more competition, so families can look forward to plenty of extras like cool media, big gardens, heated pools, all at no extra cost.
We’ve managed to whittle down the bewildering variety of European villas, down to just 10. Every one is close to a beach, they all have pools, and they’re available to rent right now.
1/10 Villa Paradis, Binibeca, Menorca
Sleeps up to nine. Entire villa from £1289 per week
Ideal for family holidays, four bedroom Villa Paradis sits on Menorca’s sunny south east coast. The villa is enclosed there’s a small lawn which is gated, surrounded by exotic palms and flowers. There is also an outdoor table tennis table, pool table and a shaded dining terrace overlooking the private swimming pool, which is slightly raised to take advantage of sea views.
- 4 bedrooms
- 4 bath/ shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 9
- Private pool, enclosed garden, dining terrace, outdoor games table
- Minutes from Binibeca Beach
- Far south east coast of Menorca
- 20 minutes’ drive from Menorca Airport
About the area
Binibeca is one of the best loved family resorts on Menorca’s south east coast, an area known for beautiful beaches and an authentic Spanish atmosphere. Lively Binibeca Beach is just opposite Villa Paradis and great for kids, with plenty of shade, shallow water for playing in, and a friendly beach bar. There’s also a nice choice of family cafés and restaurants in Binibeca village, an easy 15 minutes walk away from the villa.
Find out more about Villa Paradis with Villa Plus.
2/10 Villa Mermaid, Coral Bay, Cyprus
Sleeps up to 11. Entire villa from £1109 per week
Five bedroom Villa Mermaid has two gated swimming pools and a private tennis court, so it’s a perfect choice for big family holidays. The covered outdoor dining terrace contains both a built-in BBQ and pizza oven. Plus, the villa sits surrounded by countryside, and the views are fantastic.
- 5 bedrooms
- 5 en-suite shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 11
- Two gated swimming pools, private tennis court, covered dining terrace
- Minutes by car from local restaurants
- Five minutes drive from Coral Bay and beaches
- 40 minutes drive from Paphos Airport
About the area
Coral Bay is just five minutes’ drive from Villa Mermaid. This is one of the most popular resorts on the south west coast of Cyprus, and famous for Blue Flag Coral Bay Beach, but its lively cafés, family restaurants, and interesting shops are very appealing too.
Historic Paphos is less than 40 minutes by car from the villa, and a must-do visit for the UNESCO World Heritage old town, traditional morning markets and good museums and galleries.
Find out more about Villa Mermaid with Villa Plus.
3/10 Villa Eve, Olhos D’Agua, Algarve
Sleeps up to nine. Entire villa from £1429 per week
This bright, airy family villa has four bedrooms and its own private garden with swimming pool, BBQ, and outdoor dining furniture.
Indoors, windows overlooking the garden run the entire length of the open-plan living/dining area. Three of the four bedrooms also have views of the garden and pool from a large, shared balcony.
- 4 bedrooms
- 4 en-suite bath/shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 9
- Private garden, swimming pool, outdoor games table
- Village setting minutes from shops, restaurants and beaches
- A short drive from Albufeira and Vilamoura
- 35 minutes drive from Faro Airport
About the area
Villa Eve sits in Olhos D’Agua, a pretty village, loved for its relaxed charm and traditional Algarve architecture.
There are local shops, restaurants, and beaches within an easy 10 minute walk of the villa, and you’ll find an even greater selection in lively Albufeira, four miles drive west. Vilamoura is nearby too, and worth a visit for its glamorous marina, and more cool places to eat and drink.
Find out more about Villa Eve with Villa Plus.
4/10 Villa Susana Blanca, Cala Blanca, Menorca
Sleeps up to six. Entire villa from £419 per week
Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large private garden, and gated swimming pool, make Villa Susana Blanca an excellent family holiday choice.
The villa is detached in spacious, fully enclosed grounds, bordered by palms and shrubs for added privacy. A large lawn gives children plenty of freedom to run around, and the swimming pool is surrounded by a fixed fence, for extra peace of mind.
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bath/shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 7
- Private garden, gated swimming pool, outdoor dining pergola
- Countryside setting
- Five minutes drive from local beaches
- 45 minutes drive from Menorca Airport
About the area
Villa Susana Blanca sits in the countryside close to Cala Blanca, on Menorca’s far west coast. A popular family resort, Cala Blanca has a lovely beach with safe, shallow waters, and lifeguards in summer. The beach is well managed, with toilets, showers, a good snack bar and equipment hire. Additionally, many local resort hotels welcome non-guests to use facilities, and enjoy their evening entertainment.
Find out more about Villa Susana Blanca with Villa Plus.
5/10 Villa Los Arcos, Playa Blanca, Lanzarote
Sleeps up to nine. Entire villa from £2229 per week
Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an adjoining annexe with separate entrance, make Villa Los Arcos perfect for larger families to spend time together, and have privacy too.
The villa sits in an elevated position and enjoys exceptional panoramic sea views from several bedrooms, the outside terrace, and swimming pool.
- 4 bedrooms
- 3 shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 9
- Outside terrace, private swimming pool
- 10 minutes drive from Playa Blanca Old Town and nearest beach
- 30 minutes drive from Arrecife Airport
About the area
Playa Blanca Old Town is easily reached by car from the villa, and has a great selection of cafés, bars and restaurants overlooking the sea.
You can also stroll along, or even cycle, the coastal walkway in Playa Blanca. The views are lovely and it runs past Rubicon Marina where you’ll find designer shops, a quaint French bakery, swimming pool, bowling alley, and several restaurants with pretty wooden terraces looking out over yachts moored in the marina.
Find out more about Villa Los Arcos with Villa Plus.
6/10 Quinta Riad Alamos, Guia, Algarve
Sleeps up to 11. Entire villa from £1699 per week
A stylish, Moroccan-style, five bedroom villa, Quinta Riad Alamos has a large private pool, and lovely views across open countryside and vineyards.
Several comfortable outdoor seating areas continue the Moroccan theme, and the villa also has a brick BBQ and dining terrace to the side. A large lawn gives kids plenty of freedom, and games tables add to the fun.
- 5 bedrooms
- 5 en-suite bath/shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 11
- Private swimming pool, BBQ, outdoor dining terrace, games tables
- 5 minutes drive from Guia
- 15 minutes drive from beaches
- 35 minutes drive from Faro Airport
About the area
Villa Quinta Riad Alamos sits surrounded by countryside close to the historic town of Guia; known as the birthplace of Chicken Piri Piri. The town centre is only five minutes drive from the villa, and has a fantastic selection of restaurants, and some shops.
The coast is 15 minutes away by car, and Gale and Sao Rafael are just two of many lovely beaches within easy reach. Lively Albufeira is also nearby, for kids’ activities, and yet more fabulous beaches.
Find out more about Villa Quinta Riad Alamos with Villa Plus.
7/10 Villa Mara, Kalami, Corfu
Sleeps up to 11. Entire villa from £1649 per week
South facing Villa Mara has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a private garden with swimming pool. A good choice for larger families, there’s also a kids’ splash pool and plenty of lawn for playing.
The villa enjoys sun all day, poolside views over Kalami Bay, and an outdoor seating area offers welcome shade when the weather’s too hot.
- 5 bedrooms
- 4 bath/shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 11
- Private swimming pool, splash pool, garden, shady outdoor terrace
- 10 minutes walk from Kalami
- 10 minutes walk from beaches
- 50 minutes drive from Corfu Airport
About the area
Kalami is a relaxed resort with a lovely pebble beach, and a good choice of shops and tavernas along the seafront. Many restaurants have seating on the beach itself, so kids can play, while parents linger over dinner. Kalami beachfront is also home to the famous White House, once the home of author Lawrence Durrell, and now a well-loved local restaurant.
Find out more about Villa Mara with Villa Plus.
8/10 Villa Tess, Carvoeiro, Algarve
Sleeps up to 10. Entire villa from £1569 per week
Five bedrooms, four bath/shower rooms, and a great central location, make Villa Tess an exceptional choice for larger families.
The villa is set in pleasant, fully enclosed gardens, screened by hedging, and also has a heated outdoor pool, games table, and covered terrace. The main lounge features an elegant fireplace, and there are wonderful sea views from the upstairs balcony.
- 5 bedrooms
- 4 bath/shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 10
- Private swimming pool, enclosed garden, covered outdoor terrace
- 5 minutes walk from Carvoeiro
- 5 minutes walk from beaches
- 50 minutes drive from Faro Airport
About the area
Villa Tess is just five minutes’ walk from a good choice of shops and restaurants in the centre of Carvoeiro. Originally a small fishing village, Carvoeiro is now one of the Algarve’s most popular resorts, and home to beautiful Carveiro Beach. Centianes Beach is within easy driving distance too, and both Benagil and Marinha Beaches are nearby.
The area also appeals to golfers, and has three good local courses: Vale Do Milho, Pinta, and Gramacho. The historic city of Lagos is just 30 minutes drive from Carvoeiro, as is Portimao; one of the Algarve’s largest towns.
Find out more about Villa Tess with Villa Plus.
9/10 Villa Victor, Paleokastritsa, Corfu
Sleeps up to 15. Entire villa from £1309 per week
A wonderful choice for a large family, or two families holidaying together, Villa Victor has six bedrooms, six bath/shower rooms, a private pool, and huge garden.
A fully-fenced lawn runs round the front and side of the villa, and the outside seating area and dining terrace are both covered. The garden itself enjoys plenty of natural shade, but there is more than enough room for sunbathing around the pool.
- 6 bedrooms
- 6 bath/shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 15
- Private swimming pool, large garden, covered outdoor dining terrace
- 10 minutes drive from Paleokastritsa
- 10 minutes drive from beaches
- 30 minutes drive from Corfu Airport
About the area
Paleokastritsa is on Corfu’s west coast, an area known for its broad, sandy beaches and spectacular scenery. The town has excellent taverna on the seafront, so parents can relax over lunch or dinner, while children play safely by the sea. Several smaller sand coves, and more rugged beaches, along the coastline are ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and rock pool exploring.
Find out more about Villa Victor with Villa Plus.
10/10 Villa Ana Maria, Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote
Sleeps up to 11. Entire villa from £1749 per week
Four bedrooms, five shower rooms, and an adjoining one bedroom annexe, make Villa Ana Maria ideal for larger families.
The spacious outdoor area has its own private pool, with Roman steps and partial wooden decking. There’s a built-in BBQ and covered dining terrace too, and more than enough sun loungers to take full advantage of Lanzarote’s wonderful weather.
- 5 bedrooms
- 5 shower rooms
- Sleeps up to 11
- Private swimming pool, large outdoor area, covered dining terrace
- One bedroom annexe with shower
- 10 minutes walk to beaches
- 10 minutes drive from Arrecife Airport
About the area
Puerto del Carmen is one of Lanzarote’s most popular family holiday resorts. You’ll find a great choice of restaurants, bars and shops on the lively Strip. Nearby, sandy Playa Grande is perfect for energetic water sports and kids’ activities. But tiny, hidden coves scatter along the coast here too, if you want to go snorkelling or swimming in more peaceful surroundings.
Cycling’s a fantastic way to get to know the area. Bike-hire’s easy, and the dedicated cycle route along the coast from Puerto del Carmen to Arrecife is dotted with rugged and unspoiled beaches.