Summer is the time most families get to properly go away together and choosing the right destination makes all the difference. Whether you are after guaranteed sun, theme park thrills, lakeside days or something a little more adventurous, these four destinations are worth considering.
Orlando is the obvious choice for a reason. Disney World covers four separate parks and Universal Orlando adds the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the brand new Epic Universe, which opened in 2025. Two weeks is the right amount of time to cover everything properly and go back to the parks you want to revisit. If your children have been asking about Orlando, this is the summer to do it.
Lake Garda sits in northern Italy, backed by mountains and lined with pastel coloured towns and clear water. Bella Italia Resort in Peschiera del Garda is one of the most popular bases on the lake, with pools, slides, a private beach and kids activities all on site. Beyond the resort, Gardaland theme park is a short drive away and the town of Sirmione is worth a ferry trip across the lake.
The Algarve is one of the most reliable family holiday destinations in Europe. The coastline is dramatic, the beaches are wide and sandy and the resorts around Albufeira and Vilamoura are well set up for families. Easy to get to from Dublin, good food and a relaxed pace. It is a destination that works for every age and one that people come back to year after year.
Rhodes is one of Greece's most family friendly islands. The beaches are clean, the sea is warm from June onwards and the resort areas have plenty of options at different budgets. The medieval old town is worth a morning and the island is easy to explore by car. For a straightforward sunny family week, Rhodes delivers.
Most journeys are designed to get you somewhere as quickly as possible. The Blue Train does the opposite. Over three days and two nights, it travels roughly 1,600 kilometres between Pretoria and Cape Town, turning the distance between the two cities into an experience in its own right.
Europe is packed with iconic destinations, but some of its most rewarding holidays begin just beyond the well-trodden tourist trail. If you've already ticked off the big-name cities or simply fancy somewhere that feels a little different, there are plenty of places offering beautiful scenery, fascinating history, and memorable food without the queues. From medieval towns on the Adriatic coast to volcanic islands in the Atlantic, these lesser-known corners of Europe prove that sometimes the best trips are the ones you weren't expecting.
Summer might get most of the attention, but autumn can be one of the most rewarding times of year to travel. Cooler temperatures make days outdoors more comfortable, landscapes shift into rich seasonal colours, and many destinations settle into a quieter rhythm once the peak summer crowds have gone. That’s where the ‘cool-cation’ comes in. Instead of chasing the heat, these trips are all about crisp mountain air, lakeside walks, dramatic scenery, cosy food, and the kind of weather that makes you want to pull on another layer and keep exploring. From the Italian Alps to the Canadian Rockies, here are seven destinations that come into their own in autumn.
Finding your match...
