Check out the magical beaches and resorts in Costa Blanca for your next family holiday
THERE is something magical about a beach, especially when you are four years old and love building sandcastles.
My wife Claire and I were looking for a family resort with a bit of life — but not nightclubs that will keep you awake until the early hours.
Moraira, in the north east of Spain’s Costa Blanca, seemed a great choice.
It is a 90-minute trip from the nearest airport in Alicante so a hire car is essential. It is also perfect for making the most of exploring the area.
As many parents will testify, booking a hotel room with a four-year-old is not ideal. We were also wary about having a villa with a private pool on the doorstep.
Our little one, Lily, cannot yet swim and we did not want to be constantly checking the patio doors were locked.
The solution was Casa Roje, a three-bedroom villa with its own terrace and garden in a small complex.
A 15-minute stroll takes you to a communal pool with an excellent area for kids to play. It was also large enough for Claire and I to swim laps during quiet times (our way of keeping active on an otherwise lazy holiday).
But to keep a four-year-old blissfully happy, there has to be a beach. And that is when the hire car came up trumps.
We loaded it with towels, books, snacks and drinks — along with all the sun brollies, chairs, buckets, spades and bodyboards left by the generous villa owners. I had clearly forgotten I would be the one carrying it all from the car park. But when you discover the beaches, you will not be disappointed.
Five minutes away is El Portet beach in a sheltered, horseshoe bay.
Its warm waters and calm waves are great for families and Lily loved being dragged around on a bodyboard for what seemed like hours.
Pretty restaurants and bars overlook the beach, and after building dozens of sandcastles (and one deep hole when Lily surprisingly demanded that I “make a swimming pool”) I was certainly in need of some refreshments.
Moraira’s main L’Ampolla beach has golden sands, a children’s play area and lots of rocks where we spent hours catching crabs and small fish in the warm waters.
Of course, they were put back without being harmed.
Moraira itself is a delight. It is an old fishing town with an 18th-century castle overlooking the shore but with enough modern facilities to keep demanding holidaymakers satisfied.
The development of the resort has been well-managed and it feels upmarket without being expensive. For a few euros, you can pick up a proper coffee and pastry for breakfast in a little cafe on the main street.
When you have had enough of the beach, there are several restaurants to choose from. Expect to pay around 20 euros per head for a starter and main course.
Saxo, an open-air bar area in the town with a band playing every day from around 4pm, is a great place to enjoy a drink — and, if you are feeling brave enough, an early-evening dance.
Nearby Javea, a 15-minute drive away, has Playa del Arenal, a lovely, large, sandy beach that is well worth a visit.
Its lively nightlife attracts a younger crowd. But by day it is a family resort with great open-air restaurants, including Chabada, where you can sit outside and listen to a range of local singers giving it their all.
Go: Costa Blanca
GETTING THERE: Fly from ten UK airports including Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle and Bristol.
Prices are from £26 one way in October, based on two sharing. See .
STAYING THERE: Jeremy rented the Casa Roje villa, a three-bed, two-bath privately owned property, through a lettings agency.
Prices start from £90 a night but expect to pay up to £150 per night in summer.
See .
However, one of the advantages of having your own villa is that you do not have to eat out all the time.
Ours had a barbecue on the terrace overlooking the pool.
Although I did not want to sizzle burgers every night of our holiday, it made a nice alternative to going out after a hard day in the sun.
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All too soon, it was time to pack up and head back to Alicante airport.
Our only regret was that we became so seduced by the beaches that we did not go out and explore nearly enough.
So we immediately booked to return and do just that... although I expect Lily will insist on a trip or two back to the sea.