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As a new parent, I have spent countless hours googling Baby and Toddler Friendly Holidays. Craving a bit of sunshine, I wanted get on a plane and travel somewhere not too far from home. Ideally with all the amenities that could cater to my one year old, with minimum stress for us parents.
Enter: A Menorca villa holiday.
Here are my top reasons why I think the best place to holiday with a toddler is Menorca.
Why is Menorca the best place to holiday with a toddler?
Spain itself is always a favourite destination for us Brits. It’s warm, it’s a short flight away, the food is good and the people are friendly. Plus there’s plenty to see and do. But why do I recommend the Balearic Island of Menorca in particular?
It’s a short flight time from London
Menorca is approximately a 2 hour flight from London. Obviously this post is no good to you if you live in New Zealand, but if you’re in Europe then read on.
I didn’t know what to expect from my 15 month old on her first flight. So it was important that we tested the waters with a short as possible journey. As it happened, she was mostly pretty good but didn’t really enjoy being strapped down in the plane seatbelt. It made me glad we chose the Balearics over somewhere with a longer flight time like the Canary Islands or Greece.
Children under the age of 2 travel on a parent’s lap so it isn’t the most comfortable experience for us either having a squirmy toddler on us for several hours, so the shorter the flight, the better!
Menorca is the quietest Balearic Island
Menorca is no place for a stag do – thank goodness! Unlike its island neighbours, Menorca does not cater to the party crowd. It doesn’t have the resorts like Magaluf in Mallorca or San Antonio in Ibiza. Nobody wants Steve and his rowdy stags waking up their sleeping baby! Plus in my new mum era, I don’t want to be surrounded by other people’s noise and chaos thank you very much.
Menorca has a laidback vibe that suited us perfectly, making it all the more ideal as the best place to holiday with a toddler.
It is a small island with beautiful beaches
We chose to stay in Binibeca which is just a short 15-20 minute transfer from Mahon airport. After the flight we just wanted to be at our accommodation as soon as possible so we booked a private transfer. My daughter didn’t nap on the plane so getting her down for a little siesta was a priority.
The other reason we chose to stay in Binibeca was the resort amenities. We were just a 10 minute stroll to the beach, shops and restaurants. A little further than this was Binibeca Vell, an area of interest on many tours of the island.
Of course, Menorca is packed full of beautiful beaches, so wherever you choose to stay is likely to be an excellent choice. Our villa was Villa Beatrice, which can be booked here.
Exploring Menorca is easy by car
We aren’t a fly and flop kind of family, even with a toddler in tow. So we chose to hire a car for two days of our week long break. We opted for a car as we thought it would be an easier way to transport our young daughter around without having to navigate public transport with pushchair and all the baby stuff we end up carrying along with us.
It takes less than an hour to travel from one side of the island to the other, so getting around is relatively easy. Having a car also meant we were free to do everything by our own schedule, which as a parent is a godsend.
Villa holidays in Menorca are popular and family friendly
Having previously worked for a villa company, I know that Menorca is a popular destination for those looking to stay in a private accommodation as opposed to a hotel. We chose to stay in a villa because it was the most family friendly option for us. There are many benefits to staying in private accommodation which I will be sharing on a future post. We stayed at the modest Villa Beatrice, which suited our family’s needs and had space for the grandparents too!
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a little spot of sunshine away from the unpredictable English weather, then I 100% recommend Menorca as the best place to holiday with a toddler. And if you liked this post you might enjoy my other family travel posts.