Majorca

Majorca is the sensible first family holiday abroad. It's the shortest flight of the lot, the infrastructure is excellent, and the north and east coasts are full of gentle, shallow beaches built for buckets and spades rather than big surf.

Why it works for families

Short flight time is the headline: two and a half hours is the difference between a baby who travels well and one who doesn't. Add genuinely shallow beaches, splash parks and a strong run of free-child-place deals, and it's hard to beat for younger families.

Where to stay

Alcúdia & Playa de Muro. A long, shallow, golden beach, the gold standard for toddlers. Plenty of family all-inclusive resorts a short walk back.

Cala d'Or & the east. Pretty coves and calm marinas, a little quieter and more scenic than the big northern bays.

Palma. An easy, genuinely lovely city day out, with a cathedral, old town and good food away from the resort strip.

Beaches

The bay of Alcúdia is the family classic: you can walk out a long way before it gets deep. The east-coast calas are smaller and prettier, with calm, clear water in sheltered inlets.

Waterparks & days out

Hidropark in Alcúdia is a manageable, family-scaled waterpark, and Western Water Park near Magaluf is the bigger day-out option. Several resorts also run their own splash parks.

When to go

May to October. The school-holiday peak is hot and busy but reliable; late June and September trim both the crowds and the price.

Quick tips

• Alcúdia's shallow bay is the single best beach in the Med for toddlers.
• The short flight makes it the easiest option with a baby in tow.
• Two free child places here can drop a family-of-five total below a typical family-of-four price.