If you’ve got a growing young family you’re no doubt always on the lookout for a new holiday destination that can offer the facilities to not only keep the little ones occupied with age-appropriate activities, but also give mum and dad the chance to relax – a little at least!
Calella is a great little resort tucked in to the Costa Maresme, just an hour from Barcelona, in Spain. Super easy to access and blessed with that lovely Spanish beachy flavour, Calella is not only easy on the eye, it’s easy on the wallet – and chock-o-block with great things to keep young children more than happy.
Family Beach Fun
After your flights and accommodation, entertaining the kids is what invariably puts the biggest dent in the holiday budget – but at a beach resort as lovely and relaxed as Calella, sometimes a cheap plastic bucket and spade can be the best investment of your holiday! The ocean around the resort is particularly calm, so it’s perfect for young ones to paddle, play safely in the shallows, and get on with the important business of building sandcastles.
Under-12s Kids’ Club
With two miles of wide, golden Blue Flag beach to enjoy, the Calella Activa Kids Club makes the most of every opportunity. The club offers fully supervised activities that you can sign the young ones up for, while you snatch the chance for some sneaky sunbathing or paddling with toddlers who are just that bit too young for the club. Popular activities include:
- Volleyball
- Football
- Kayaking
- Aerobics
- Dancing
- Foam parties
- Bouncy castle
- Games
The club is free for children staying in any local hotel and operates from June 15th to September 15th.
Starter Watersports
As well as what’s on offer at the Kids’ Club, the watersports centre situated on the beach has plenty of options, some of which are suitable for even very young children – accompanied by parents, of course. While the parasailing and windsurfing might have to wait a few years, what youngster doesn’t love a banana ride or aqua slider, zooming through the waves hanging on to their mum or dad for dear life? There is also a variety of short boat trips up and down the coast.
The watersports hire centre is located right on the main beach – you can’t miss it.
Inflatable Fun!
Just offshore is the resort’s newest child-friendly attraction: a massive inflatable pier complete with waterslides and trampolines! As long as you’re there to catch the harmless spills, there is endless (totally free) fun to be had, and it’s a great novelty, especially if it’s anyone’s first experience of water-based inflatables.
Children’s Shows
If you’re in Calella in the summer school holidays, every Friday there’s a fantastic show especially for the young ones, which including clowns, jugglers, circus performers, marionettes, storytellers and dancers.
All Aboard the Mini Train
The resort is so geared up for its younger visitors that there’s even a pint-sized train to get around in! The ‘carrilet’ is the perfect way to give little legs a rest and get a complete tour of the town at the same time.
The carrilet runs every half hour in high season in a circular route around the town, stopping at all the hotels to pick up and drop off passengers. The little ones love this!
Other Activities for Young Children
- Children’s play centre in Dalmau Park
- Games and activities in the Pequelandia play centre
- A visit to the Calella lighthouse
- Dinghy sailing (with an adult)
- Bike riding on easy coastal paths
- Mini golf
- Bowling alley
Top tip for ice cream: There are plenty of great family-friendly places you can dine out with young ones, but for an insider tip on the best ice cream in town, head to Capriccio Freddo. The staff are super friendly, the kids can fill up on tastings, and the range of flavours is guaranteed to bamboozle young palates! Located at Bisbe Sivilla 10.
One of the Best Child Friendly Resorts
For anyone with a very young family, Calella is a fantastic choice of resort. It’s lively enough that you won’t get bored, but it’s also very safe, welcoming and totally geared up for children, to the point that all the town’s hotels have committed to providing the best facilities and activities for kids, absolutely free. You can’t do better than that!
Destination tip: For a very different Spanish destination that’s ideal for holidaying with young children, next time why not consider Costa Adeje, in Tenerife.
How to Get to Calella
It’s accessibility to Barcelona Airport means getting to Calella can be quick and easy, even when you’re travelling with small children and the associated luggage that goes with them.
It’s only a two-hour flight from the UK to Spain, and once you land at the airport, the most convenient way of getting your family the rest of the way to Calella is with one of the child-friendly Calella airport transfers from Shuttle Direct. You can choose from a prebooked shared or private service, and a driver will meet you at the airport and transport your family and any luggage (including pushchairs) directly to your accommodation. It will take around an hour for the journey.
If you’re travelling on a family train adventure, you can make the journey from London to Barcelona in around 10-12 hours, with a change in Lyon or Lille.
Where to Stay:
Hotel Internacional – So close to the beach, the Hotel Internacional ticks all the right boxes for a budget friendly holiday, with spacious family rooms and million dollar views of the ocean. The management takes pride in keeping both parents and children happy, and the hotel has a free dedicated entertainment programme that includes beach activities for the kids, with foam parties, mini disco, mini club and the ever-popular inflatables. The Hotel Internacional is the perfect low cost family home from home in Calella.
Hotel Neptuno – Right in the heart of the action, so there’s no need to worry about transport, the Hotel Internacional makes an ideal family base if you’re travelling with younger children. Two sizes of cheerful, spacious family rooms provide flexible options, and the free bike hire and dedicated family entertainment and miniclub are the icing on the cake. The miniclub includes face painting, a mini disco, crafting, and watersports, and there’s even bingo for the parents! Located just 250 metres from the beach, your children will never be bored while staying at the wonderful Hotel Neptuno.
Miami Park Aparthotel – The charming family-run Hotel Internacional makes holidaying with young children a pleasure. You’re just a short walk from the beach, and the onsite daily entertainment and children’s miniclub (June to September) make for an itinerary to please everyone, including clown shows, mini disco, karaoke and face painting. There’s a special children’s swimming pool and playground, while parents will appreciate the spacious suites and family rooms along with the laundry and babysitting services.
About Shuttle Direct
If you’re looking for a fast, friendly and economical airport, rail station or port transfer to and from your holiday or business destination, Shuttle Direct offers services all over Europe and North Africa. Online bookings can be made via a secure, easy to navigate system, and you’ll be met at the airport of your choice and transferred to your final destination without delay. Shared or private services are available.
