Family at a European holiday village ()
Vacations don’t need to be overscheduled sightseeing tours. Sometimes what you really need is some simple relaxing downtime with your family; a safe place to go with activities and services that facilitate family fun. In Europe, holiday villages fill this niche and then some.
A holiday village is a purpose-built vacation resort that offers accommodations, activities, time out in nature and indoor pursuits with the goal of bringing families together. Visualize a family-oriented summer camp, but with conveniences that both teens and adults want like lively evening events, restaurants and adrenaline options. This is quality time galore!
Reservations at a holiday village typically include your accommodation, use of facilities and some of the activities. Food at restaurants or on-site grocery stores costs extra as most visitors self-cater to some extent. The accommodations range from glamping tents to luxury homes and nearly always include a complete kitchen. The most common room on offer is somewhere in the middle: a small fully equipped cabin.
Four well-established companies have holiday villages throughout Europe, and each has its own vibe.
The villages at this Dutch-run company have the most upscale options on this list with cottages, fancy treehouses and luxury homes tastefully secluded and surrounded by nature. Centre Parcs guarantees that each park is 90 percent nature. There are numerous included activities like a petting farm, adventure trails, playgrounds, sports fields, skate parks, evening entertainment and a big indoor water park called AquaMundo. There are also plenty of other paid activities like spa visits, ropes courses, paddleboarding, horseback riding, paintball, archery and craft workshops. There are cafés and restaurants plus a supermarket for groceries.
Centre Parcs offer 34 holiday villages in:
The Netherlands
France
Belgium
Germany
U.K. and Ireland (separate website)
Another Dutch-run chain of holiday villages called EuroParcs is less expensive than Centre Parcs, but still offer plenty to do. Here, the focus is on outdoor pursuits or local area attractions. Accommodations range from camp pitches and glamping tents to cabins and tiny houses. They are often located near other tourist sites and cities so it’s easy to venture out. At the parks there are sports fields, playgrounds, kids clubs and trails. Many also have pools, natural swimming lakes or wellness centers. In addition, there is a restaurant and snack bar for the times you don’t feel like cooking inside your rental.
EuroParcs offer 50 holiday villages in:
The Netherlands
Belgium
Austria
Germany
Luxembourg
A British company, Eurocamp has the most variety of village types. There is no campsite available for your own tent or RV. Instead, the word “camp” is used to refer to a fun family outdoors-focused experience; visualize grilling out at a nice state park campground while the kids play at the playground or your teenagers take a kayak out on the lake. Accommodations are in well-equipped mobile homes. Eurocamp villages are sorted into four different categories. The first are called ‘Campsites’ and are the original holiday villages with a pool, playground and small café. In the next category are the ‘Villages’ which have bigger pools with slides, kids’ clubs and more activities; The ‘Resorts’ category takes it to the next level with spas, restaurants, nighttime entertainment, and beachy locations. Lastly, the ‘Splash Parcs’ have extensive indoor and outdoor pools, waterslides and spas.
Eurocamp offers 150 holiday villages in:
France
Spain
Italy
Croatia
Netherlands
Germany
Luxembourg
Austria
Switzerland
This English company calls its holiday villages campsites, but don’t let that deter you. Much like Eurocamp, very few have tent or RV pitches and instead have a village of comfortable and modern mobile homes or glamping tents available to rent. The goal here is outdoor adventures, and most Canvas Holidays villages are located in sunny warm places where the beach and countryside are the focus. They also have some of the best budget vacations available on this list. Kids clubs are a hit with families while evening discos and field trips are available for teenagers. In addition, almost all villages have an extensive outdoor swimming pool with slides and inflatable obstacle courses. There will also be sports facilities, a small café, a grocery store, and evening entertainment.
Canvas Holidays offer over 200 holiday villages in:
Portugal
Spain
Italy
France
Croatia
Austria
Germany
Holland
Switzerland
