First time abroad for children

[Khaleesi90s]

I am a single mum of dd (9) and ds (16) and unfortunately I haven't been able to take them abroad yet. I have promised I will take them this year in sept/oct. I will keep that promise no matter how I achieve it, they deserve it. DD is autistic so now I am wondering where to go? DS has mentioned Greece but am thinking that is a long ish flight. In an ideal world we would be going to Disneyworld but I do have a budget so will have to be Europe. Any advice/ideas would be great thank you.

If you'd prefer DisneyWorld would you consider Disneyland Paris? I've heard good things from friends about it with their children (who have autism). Also doable by train which might be easier for you than flights.

Allow plenty of time to get passports if they don't have them already. Apply now to avoid the summer rush.

What sort of trip do they want? Beach/pool lying in the sun, or seeing a new country/city history, art, etc?

Majorca is completely geared up for young families, is only a couple of hours flight away, has some great hotels and apartments for self catering or AI, and the sea is warm and clear. I think it’s an excellent “starter holiday” destination.

Greece sounds delightful. Get them reading the Ancient Greek mythology before you go (horrible histories has a brilliant one) and take them to Athens and then maybe an island. It’s a far shorter flight than Disney world, and once you’re on a plane you don’t notice an extra hour or two.

I love that your DS had the suggestion too. I like letting my DC plan a holiday (I give them the budget!) and they’ve taken us to some great places I’d never have considered.

Greece also fabulous and they love kids. Corfu and Zante are probably the nearest islands. Can’t beat Greek food! Beaches are a mix of sand or pebble, and the sea is generally choppier than the Balearics. But an excellent choice.

They actually both want to fly on an aeroplane. I am trying to be optimistic about this haha but wondering how dd will be. France is a great idea though and somewhere we would like to go.

Thank you I thought about the passports too and will apply for them soon as they will their first ones and mine is out of date. I think they would like a pool and beach kind of holiday. They both love swimming.

Great idea. I have been there 3 times myself and it's a much shorter flight.

Great idea thank you. They both love history so as well as beach and a pool they would love to see some historic places.

I love Greek food. It's been a long time since I have been. Do you know a good place? I have been looking at Kos. I don't want somewhere too crazy busy but still with enough to do.

Kos is about the furthest away, I think? The old town is lovely but there aren’t any big resorts that I can think of. We stayed near Tigaki (?) which was quiet but had a lovely big beach. Have a look at the Gaia hotels, they are AI, the one with the castles in the pool is lovely.

Corfu has a reputation for being greenest and is easy to get around.

Zante/Zakynthos also small and pretty but not a lot going on from what I recall.

Crete is much bigger than the other islands so while there are historic sites you might get a long drive away from them. It’s livelier in the main resorts. Be careful that your hotel is near the right airport as there are two, and sometimes cheap deals mean a really long transfer time.

Haven’t been to Rhodes or Kefalonia but they’re on my list! Cyprus also worth a look. Very Greeky and some great beaches.

Check out Menorca too, very beautiful and there are restrictions on big building there so it’s quite quaint and authentic feeling, but has done great resorts. Cala Galdana is stunning. It is generally more expensive than Majorca though, less choice I guess!

Majorca !
Majorca offers a mix of relaxation and adventure, with calm, shallow beaches, scenic boat trips, and charming villages to explore. Don’t miss a visit to Palma’s old town or a fun ride on the vintage Sóller train.
Warm but not scorching in summer.

Guys thank you so much for all your helpful advice, it's been great and I am hoping to book something this month to go in September.

Have you thought about a Eurocamp type holiday? they have sites across Europe. There will be things to do onsite, usually great swimming pools, play areas etc. They have sites near Rome and Venice, so you could tick most boxes for you in terms of, beaches/swimming/history and culture.

If they love history, swimming and beaches then consider Italy? You could spend a few days in Rome or Pompei and then head for a beach somewhere?

Looking at the suggestion for Eurocamp in Italy, what about Lake Garda? There are campsites along the road near to Peschiera where there is a train station. You could get the train to Venice and Verona if you want to see history and culture and there is Gardaland theme park (although I'm not sure if this is aimed at younger children) and a waterpark. Weather should still be nice in September (although some storms possible, they are normally brief). October will be getting a bit chilly at the ends of the day .

Majorca is a good suggestion too if you are mainly looking for relaxation.