10 great European holiday villages

Camping or a villa stay at a holiday village is an attractive option for families planning a budget holiday outside of the UK.

With vast water parks, restaurants, shops, bars and tons of organised activities all on site, these 10 are right up there with the best in Europe.*

1) Bella Italia – Lake Garda, Italy (4-star)

Bella Italia is right on the shores of Lake Garda. The holiday village has direct access to a lakeside beach where pedaloes and canoes can be hired.

Organised activities for kids include a mini-club for 4-10 year olds, theme nights, playground, sports facilities and a water park with five pools. Verona, Venice and Gardaland Theme Park are all within a reasonable driving distance.

Cheap Flights To Italy

2) Domaine La Yole Wine Resort – France (5-star)

It’s all about wine and water here – though not together of course! There’s a water park with six swimming pools and a farm that produces wine and olive oil. The village is within 800m of a sandy Mediterranean beach.

3) Marina di Venezia – Venice Lido, Italy (4-star)

One of the largest holiday villages in Europe, Marina di Venezia’s big attraction is its close proximity Venice’s Lido (a seven-mile long sandbar) and huge water parks. Venice is a short ferry trip across the Venetian Lagoon (33 minutes by Alilaguna ferry).

4) Camping Castell Montgri – Costa Brava, Spain (4-star)

Just 500m from the lively and picturesque town of Estartit, Camping Castell Montgri has panoramic views of the Bay of Estartit from its many terraces. The village’s animation team organises art workshops, group games and sporting activities for kids, as well as tournaments and art workshops for adults.

The village also has a large water park with several children’s pools and numerous water features and slides.

5) Camping Village Sylamar – France (5-star)

Camping Village Sylamar on France’s Atlantic coast has a massive lagoon style water-park with a lazy river, chutes and slides. The village is less than a mile from a wide sandy beach popular with families.

6) Norcenni Girasole – Tuscany, Italy (4-star)

Set on a hilltop in Chianti, amid vineyards and rolling countryside, Norcenni Girasole has a Tuscan picture postcard location.

The village has two swimming pool complexes with pools for both adults and children, one of which is covered and heated, with lagoons, slides and a “lazy river”. Florence is a 21-mile drive away.

7) Bella Austria – Styria, Austria (4-star)

In a beautiful Alpine valley, Bella Austria holiday village is situated in prime walking and cycling territory. The nearby beer museum in Murau is the perfect place to undo all the benefits of fresh air outdoor activities.

While the village’s biosauna, Finnish sauna, infrared sauna and large heated pool make a good place to either revitalise aching limbs or sweat out a hangover.

8) Camping Village El Bahira – Sicily (4-star)

El Bahira suits both sloths and hyper-actives. For the former there’s a directly accessible beach and the white sand beaches of San Vito Lo Capo are less than 2 miles away. The latter have access to climbing, diving, swimming, tennis, cycling and a whole host of other organised games and activities.

9) Camping Le Village Parisien – outside Paris, France (4-star)

Park Asterix, Disneyland Paris, and only a 45-minute drive from Paris, Camping Le Village Parisien, will be attractive to families looking for an affordable base from which they can enjoy France’s theme parks and capital.

On-site activities include swimming tennis, volleyball, basketball, mini-golf and football. Golf, canoeing, fishing and bike hire are all close by.

10) Camping Park Umeg – Croatia (4-star)

Camping Park Umeg is on Croatia’s Istrian coast, five miles from historic Umeg and 15 miles from the Roman town of Porec. Not only in an historic area, the village has masses of activities including tennis, bowls, jogging tracks, table tennis, playground, and an adrenalin park with climbing wall and trampoline.

Bikes, canoes, pedaloes, windsurfing, kite-surfing and para-sailing all available at extra cost.

*Hat tip to Bliss Camping for the selection.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…