Advice about Spain/Canaries

[georgiasmum]

I have not travelled to Spain before (Majorca/Menorca etc) and am interested in going next Summer. Any views, ideas or opininions gratefully received. It will be for 2 adults and a 7 year old who will be nearly 8 next August. Places to stay, activities, hotel recommendations etc etc. Thanks in advance

 

[Brad0053]

Hi GM

Can't tell you too much about Majorca as it was a while ago I visited and it wasn't for very long either.

Again, my experience of Minorca is probably a little dated (3/4 years ago) and I suppose things have changed a bit.

However, you are probably thinking why am I responding when I have no recent experience to share..............well, whenever I go on holiday to a place I have little knowledge of, I find the following website to be accurate. It is reviews submitted by the punters themselves. I find you need to read a number of reviews to get a general picture and obtain a 'balanced' set of opinions.

Ooops, I'm waffling.

I hope it helps.

Holiday Reviews at Holidays Uncovered - Real Package Holiday Reviews

 

[IreneH]

I went to Magaluf in Majorca and it was great but went in April and I hear it is very busy during the Summer holidays. My son went to Minorca with his 2 children and really enjoyed it. When Cat was younger we went to Lanzarote and that was great.

Irene xx

 

[Happe]

Im beginning to know Mallorca quite well, spent a month there last year and have just returned from 3 weeks. It really depends on what you want from a holiday. If its all night partying, english food and the like then you have to look at Magaluf and Palma nova. Great fun resorts with good beaches and lots going on and close to the airport so cheaper for taxis to and from the resort. I would avoid Arenal if possible apart from the waterpark wihich is excellent, we spent an 8 hour day there and i had to drag my 2 out kicking and screaming when it closed. Further north is where we stay in Porto Cristo, which is itself a quieter resort and the beaches are smaller cala's or bays. It closes up around 10pm and there just be a couple of bars open but if you want to be a bit lively theres Sa coma, cala Millor and cala bona up the road about 15 mins away. These resorts cater for all tastes really, quite a nice feel to them.
We visited Alcudia this year and I wish that was where we had bought the house really, the old town is lovely. theres a water park here too.
Its a very pretty island but its not cheap, on par with here i would say. We were there for 3 weeks this time and without going mad we still spent over £2000 between 2 adults and 2 kids. That said I never want to come home when im there and woud willingly sell up here and move out but hubby and kids aint having it yet. One day.

 

[georgiasmum]

Thanks for the tips folks and Brad, I will check out the link. Cheers me dears.

 

[bakerfa]

I don't know the Islands but I do know mainland Spain well.

I'm a bit biased as my parents have been taking my brother and I to Spain since we were 2, they bought a flat there in 1984 and then we (me & them) bought a bungalow too in 2003. I go 2 to 4 times a year and will probably just miss you as I'm out for a fortnight from 7th October after my exams.

For mainland Spain I LOVE Denia on the Costa Blanca or Javea (pronounced Havea). Denia is utterly beautiful & there are a lot of holiday villas there but you still get a taste of the real Spain. Both are on the coast and for a family I would suggest getting a villa in an urbanization with a communal pool and hiring a car. In town you'd have the pool & the sea for swimming, the castle's lovely, tonnes of yummy restaurants, only 1 hour's drive from Alicante so cheap flights, (I always fly Monarch - www.flymonarch.com), the Esplanade and the main tree-lined avenue or the harbour walks for late night walks, excellent shops. 1/2 hr drive to theme parks, Terra Mitica, Terra Natura safari park, Aqualandia water park, Mundomar dolphin world in Benidorm. (I wouldn't stay there as it's very either tacky or elderly & less safe in the evenings). Georgia would be able to meet other kids playing in the pool etc. or on the beach like we used to do when we were kids & there's enough culture/entertainment/beautiful scenery to keep anyone occupied! (I met a particular mix of Spanish & English kids when I was 16 & I still see them most summers even though I'm 28 now! Wow! Except we don't play "What's the time Mr Wolf?" & swim now we go to the bars!) Also the ferry runs from there to Ibiza & Formentera. Fiestas main one is Santisima Sangre, patronal festival of town, 2nd weekend in July to 3rd weekend in July and Moors & Christians parade is 14th to 16th August. The July one is stunning. Tourist office has brochures; week long competitions, bull running along the main street & playing at the harbour, paella making competitions, dancing, parades etc. (No bull fighting - I'm veggie! but they have loads of people standing along the side of the harbour in an arena with people in stands watching & as the bull runs along they tease it & then fall/jump in the sea!)

DÉNIA TOURIST WEB

|| Terra Mítica ||

Aqualandia v2.0

Denia Costa Blanca Spain by Costa-Blanca-Denia.to

BBC - Holiday - Destinations - Javea

The first website is the tourist board, the 2nd is Terra Mitica, 3rd Aqualandia, 4th just a general Denia site, 5th Javea (Just as beautiful but my heart belongs to Denia!)

Hope this completely biased view helps!!!!!!!

Love xxx