Sometimes planning a family holiday feels like a nightmare – especially if your kids are pretty spread out in terms of age. One destination that”s well worth a look is Sani, a resort in northern Greece (Halkidiki, to be precise), that is brilliant for families.
Yes, it has all you”d expect from a standard resort on the Greece coast, i.e. sun, sand, sea and some decent hotels, so just what is it that makes this one different from all the rest? It”s a combination of factors, really, and you can read about some of the most important below.
Accommodation designed for families
The first thing that makes Sani stand out from the crowd is that the resort has been designed with families is mind. The whole place has a strong reputation for being family-friendly, but there are some options that are particularly worth looking at.
If you”re looking for the ultimate family-friendly accommodation, you can”t do better than the Sani Beach Club. What”s especially good about this place is that it”s family-oriented without compromising on luxury. Plus, there are kids” clubs for children aged from four months to 16 years – but we”ll get on to that a bit later!
Another great thing about this option is that it”s designed to resemble a traditional village and there”s lots of handy details, like interconnecting rooms, that make it easy for parents to keep an eye on their kids. There are also things like a children”s pool and babysitting services, so it”s easy to keep little ones amused – and to relax!
Blue Flag beaches
Any family planning a beach holiday is always going to be concerned with how safe the beaches are – it”s only natural to worry about things like deep water, strong currents and cleanliness when you”re travelling with your kids. In Europe, you”ll need to look for beaches with Blue Flag status, with said Blue Flags being awarded by things like safety and how clean it is.
So, beaches with this award are basically as family-friendly as any you”ll find, so always make a beeline for those. As you”ve probably guessed, Sani is great in this respect. Two of its beaches have been awarded Blue Flags in 2012, including Bousoulas beach.
This 7 km stretch is brilliant for snorkelling, since the water”s really clear, and the sand is immaculate. Meanwhile, if you do opt to stay at the Sani Beach Club, you can make use of its private beach, which has shallow water that”s great for young kids.
Exciting activities
A huge plus point of breaks in Sani is there”s loads to do – and, you”ve guessed it, that applies to people of all ages. There”s scope for day trips to places like Thessaloniki (the second largest city in Greece), but if you”re happy trying out new sports, lounging on the beach, relaxing by the pool or exploring the local area with walks, you”re pretty much sorted without having to go anywhere else.
A walk through the bird sanctuary at Bousoulas is great for families, since the route”s fairly gentle and there are lots of animals you can spot together. An added bonus is that a lot of this involves walking through forest, so it”s nice and shady.
Other activities include things like sailing, scuba diving and snorkelling at the local beaches, while you can also head to Sani Sports Centre – there are always coaches here willing to give you tips on things like tennis and beach volleyball, and they run frequent classes, too.
Kids” clubs
The good thing about kids” clubs here is that they cater for children aged between four months and 16 years, so there”s something for all ages – and you get peace of mind that your children are being well looked after while you relax.
And before you worry that your teenagers will be less than enthused about being put in a kids” club, theirs will be specific to teens and have things like DJ-ing lessons and sports competitions, so it should appeal!