Our top tips for a baby friendly holiday at home or abroad

Want to escape with the little one? Keen to go abroad but not sure how to manage it with a baby in tow? Check out our ideas for baby friendly holidays, from low-key breaks in the UK to longer escapes on foreign shores.

Inspired picks for baby friendly holidays in the UK and abroad

Whether it’s relaxing on the beach in Menorca, staying in a rural farmhouse in France or a chilling out in a cottage at the seaside in Cornwall, baby friendly holidays come in all different shapes and sizes.

Have some bucket and spade fun in Cornwall

There’s no need to head for foreign climes to enjoy beachside frolics; and Cornwall holiday homes are the cream of the crop when it comes to baby friendly holidays in the UK. What’s more, you’ll be spoilt for choice when picking a holiday home – you’ll find everything from cute seaside cottages perfect for a small family to sprawling countryside piles where you can bring the grandparents. Cornwall is renowned for its world-class beaches, from lively surf hotspot Newquay to the safe waters of Harlyn Bay Beach, so there are plenty of places for your baby to crawl around in the sand.

Test the waters on a baby friendly holiday in Majorca

A short flight from the UK, with balmy temperatures that aren’t too much for baby skin, Majorca delivers the goods when it comes to baby friendly holidays abroad. Holiday lettings range from apartments to villas, there’s a healthy serving of sandy beaches, and the sea is calm, clear and perfect for little ones. Alcudia will please parents with its safe, shallow waters, elegant old town and buzzing promenade, while Cala d’or has dreamy coves and a busy marina. If you want to get away from the beach, you can strap the baby in a sling and go for a hike in Mondragó Natural Park.

Roam the Roman roads with a baby in tow

A city break might not seem like the ideal choice for a baby, but spend some time in a holiday rental in Rome and you’ll see it’s easy to enjoy la dolce vita with a little one. Most of the city’s main sights are within an easy stroll of each other, and the streets can be easily negotiated with a buggy, so you’ll have plenty of time to stroll the piazzas and check out the remnants of the ancient city. And with Italy’s reputation for family friendly dining you’ll be made to feel comfortable in the city’s excellent cafes and restaurants.

Enjoy sun, sea and sand on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast

If you want a baby friendly holiday abroad that delivers sun, sea and safe beaches, then you can’t go far wrong in Croatia. Savvy parents head for the Dalmatian coast, where you’ll find fascinating cities and stunning beaches backed by scented pines. Rab Island has baby friendly sandy beaches aplenty, while places like Split and Dubrovnik have compact historic centres – perfect for taking a walk with the baby. You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to baby friendly holiday homes too, with everything from city apartments to beachside boltholes and cottages up in the hills.

Find your perfect baby friendly island escape in Greece

When searching for a beachside escape with a baby, it’s no surprise that Greece pops up on the radar. There are dozens of islands to choose from here, from the clear waters and ancient treasures of Crete, to the quiet and uncommercial Ionian island of Paxos. What they all have in common though, is calm azure waters, a laid-back pace of life, friendly locals who’ll fuss over your baby, and charming tavernas who welcome families, no question. On the holiday rental front there’s plenty on offer, too, from flash villas with private pools to whitewashed hilltop apartments with sea views.

Make for the hills and beaches of Portugal

Portugal’s Algarve is an ideal destination for a first holiday abroad with your baby. If you steer clear of the louder resorts, you’ll find plenty of low-key towns and villages such as sleepy Silves, where there’s nothing to do but chill on the beach, eat good food and stroll characterful streets with your baby stashed safely in a buggy. Or head up into the hills, where the pace of life is slower, the landscape greener and the welcome even warmer. Either way you’ll find plenty of holiday lettings to make you happy. On holiday with a baby under 1? Head here off season when the temperatures are mild and the beaches uncrowded.