Kampaoh KikoPark Playa

For days on the beach, have a wander down to Playa Oliva (five minutes’ walk) for safe swimming in shallow waves, kiteboarding and banana boating. Head to Gandía Beach (25 minutes) for a refreshing dip before strolling along the promenade to investigate a couple of seafront tapas bars. To see something of the region beyond the beaches, set out on wetland walks in Parque Natural del Marjal de Pego-Oliva (20 minutes’ drive), where you can often spot egrets, herons and flamingos, or have a scramble up to the Mirador de Marxuquera observation point (25 minutes) for views across to the Med. If you prefer to explore on two wheels, introduce the kids to cycling with a gentle pedal along the Camino Natural Vía Verde de La Safor (10 minutes by bike), which follows a former railway line. And of course, Valencia is only an hour’s drive away for a taste of urban life and a scoot around architect Santiago Calatrava’s futuristic City of Arts and Sciences cultural complex, the riotously decorated cathedral and the sublime colonnaded interiors of the former silk factory Llotja de la Seda.