Single Parent Holidays Europe: Where to Go

Single parent holidays Europe: how the destinations compare

Flight times below come from London Luton's published list, so allow longer from further north. easyJet gives about 2 hours 25 minutes from London to Alicante but roughly 3 hours 5 minutes from Glasgow. Transfers are real examples from the companies' own pages and show one resort, not the whole country.

Notice the gap in the last column. Eurocamp's destination list doesn't include Greece, Turkey or Cyprus.

Which part of Europe suits your family?

Little ones and a short flight

Add the flight to the transfer and Majorca comes out at a little over three hours from Luton. Menorca's flight is shorter still at 2 hours 20 minutes, while Benidorm and the Algarve aren't far behind. That matters when you're carrying the bags, the buggy and a tired toddler with nobody to swap with.

Our guide to flying alone with a toddler has the airport side of things.

Calm water you can watch from the sand

easyJet describes Fig Tree Bay in Protaras as soft golden sand with shallow water and lifeguards on duty from April to September, though you'll pay for it in travel time.

TUI lists a mile-long sand and shingle beach with a Blue Flag beside the Blue Lagoon at Olu Deniz in Turkey. Pack water shoes for small feet.

Would you rather stay by the pool? Jet2holidays groups hotels with splash parks and water parks, while our all inclusive guide looks at what's covered when you book.

Sun outside the summer holidays

Short of a long-haul flight, the Canary Islands and the Algarve are the usual picks for a winter or spring beach holiday. easyJet points to year-round sunshine and mild winters in the Algarve. Tenerife and Lanzarote sit over four hours away, so a full half term week earns its journey better than a long weekend.

Teenagers who want company

Eurocamp parcs suit teens who like some freedom: Castell Montgri on the Costa Brava lists a soundproofed underground disco for older kids plus two pools open until 10pm in high season! For more ideas, see our guide to holidays with a teenager.

Driving or camping

Eurocamp prices per party rather than per person, which is worth a look when only one adult is paying. Its accommodation includes mobile homes with up to three bedrooms. Some parcs sit close to ferry ports, airports and railway stations. Free kids' clubs, activities and evening entertainment run at many parcs, so you won't have to plan every day alone.

One big treat

Paris is the quickest flight on the list and Eurocamp's La Croix du Vieux Pont parc lists a shuttle bus to Disneyland Paris. TUI sells Lapland day trips to Kittila as well as short breaks. Its code excludes ski bookings and its terms don't name Lapland, so ask TUI before you count on the saving.

Which savings work where

The offer cards on this page show today's amounts and dates. Your child's age often decides which deal you can use:

• easyJet holidays: children 12 or under, with one adult on the booking.
• TUI: children up to 16 on a package holiday. Our TUI code guide has the steps.
• Eurocamp: one adult with children aged 17 or under.
• Jet2holidays: one adult and at least one child. Its terms print no upper age, so ask first with a 16 or 17 year old.

First Choice has a saving too, on selected packages with TUI Airways flights. On the Beach has no single parent code but sells low deposit holidays with flexible payment plans.

Free child places

Don't assume a free place is yours. easyJet's terms give one free child place for every two full paying adults sharing a room, while TUI and First Choice also talk about two full payers. Jet2's sale codes do work alongside its free child places, so check your total there.

Our free child place guide explains the rule and why one adult can pay more.

Using more than one offer

Mostly you can't. easyJet, TUI and Jet2 each allow one discount code on a booking, while Eurocamp's saving can sit with its loyalty discount and selected offers. Price your dates with each code in turn, then keep the lowest total. Every live single parent holiday deal is in one place if you'd like to compare them.

How long is the journey once you land?

This is the part of a family holiday that catches people out. Protaras is about six and a half hours from Luton once you add the flight to a 105 minute coach, before any airport waiting.

TUI says each hotel's transfer time is on its Hotel Details page and that the coach may be shared with other flights. It also offers private taxi upgrades on most holidays, which can be worth pricing up if the coach would run past bedtime. Jet2holidays lists return transfers as included. easyJet mentions a shuttle service on beach holidays.

Two hotels in one resort can have quite different coach times.

Passports and paperwork that change by country

Check every passport in the family, because child passports run out sooner than adult ones:

• Spain, Greece, Portugal and France: GOV.UK says your passport must be under 10 years old on arrival and valid for at least 3 months after you leave.
• Turkey: GOV.UK asks for at least 150 days left after you arrive, plus a blank page.
• Cyprus: the same dates as Spain plus a blank page.

At Schengen borders the Entry/Exit System may mean a booth on your first visit. GOV.UK says children aged 11 or younger won't have their fingerprints scanned but can be photographed, so allow extra time.

Permission from the other parent

You must have permission from everyone with parental responsibility or from a court. GOV.UK says taking a child abroad without it is child abduction. There's an exception of 28 days if a child arrangements order says your child lives with you, unless a court order says you can't.

A letter is usually enough, so we built a consent letter maker. Carry your child's birth certificate too, plus your divorce or marriage certificate if your surnames differ. The full rules are here. This is general information, not legal advice, so speak to a solicitor or Citizens Advice if there's a court order or the other parent says no.

A Portugal rule worth knowing

GOV.UK's Portugal advice says under-18s travelling with someone who isn't their parent or legal guardian must carry a letter of authorisation certified by a notary or solicitor. Step-parents and grandparents without legal guardianship should read it before booking.

Would you rather go with other single parent families?

Single Parents on Holiday lists group beach weeks in Tenerife, Malta, Istria, Dalaman and Paphos, with a team member staying alongside the group. Campmates also runs holidays abroad only for one parent families. Dates change each year, so check the current programme.

Green World Holidays has small group trips in Croatia for parents with teens. Our single parent group holidays page has more.

What if you're ill and you're the only adult?

Ten minutes of planning makes this far less frightening.

Apply for a free UK GHIC for you and your children through the NHS, avoiding unofficial sites that charge a fee. It covers necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area, but Turkey isn't on the NHS list and the card never replaces insurance.

Then ask your insurer one direct question: what happens to my child if I'm taken into hospital?

Our single parent travel insurance guide covers what to look for. Give older kids the hotel's name and a contact number, then tell reception you're a solo parent. There's more on staying safe in our holiday safety guide.

Still deciding where to go?

Start with your budget and your child's age. Our guides to cheap single parent holidays and one adult and one child holidays can narrow it down. If it's your first trip alone, going on holiday as a single parent is a kind place to begin.

You can also compare the best destinations for single parents or read about holidays abroad in general.

Not sold on single parent European holidays? There are shorter trips in our UK guide, longer ones in our worldwide guide and everything else on our single parent family holidays home page.