Costa Blanca with Kids: Beaches, Food and Calm

The Costa Blanca is the stretch of Spanish coast British families return to year after year, and the reason is simple: it does the basics extremely well. Alicante is about two and a half hours from the UK, the beaches are famously clean and shallow, and half an hour inland you find castles, orange groves and mountain villages that give you a break from the sand.

It also has a reputation problem. Say "Costa Blanca" and most people think of Benidorm's high-rise skyline. That is one small part of a 200-kilometre coast — and even that part has better beaches for toddlers than its reputation suggests. Here is how to plan a week with children.

Why families keep coming back to the Costa Blanca

Short flight, short transfer, and beaches that have been maintained to a high standard for decades. Alicante airport sits between the northern and southern halves of the coast, so most resorts are 20–50 minutes away. The climate is mild for a long season — this is one of the few parts of mainland Spain where a March or November trip is genuinely pleasant — and the summer is hot but rarely extreme on the coast itself.

The other reason is variety. In one week you can do calm coves, a castle on a rock, an island boat trip and a proper Spanish city, without ever driving more than an hour.

The best beaches for young children

The headline: Benidorm's Levante and Poniente beaches are, objectively, excellent for small children. They are long, immaculately kept, Blue Flag rated for years running, and they shelve so gently that a three-year-old can wade a very long way in flat, shallow water. Whatever you think of the town behind them, the beaches themselves are hard to beat with a toddler.

If you want quieter sand:

• Playa de San Juan, just outside Alicante — wide, golden, gently sloping, with a long promenade and a tram back into the city.
• The coves around Moraira, Jávea and Calpe — small, sheltered and beautifully clear. Many are pebbly rather than sandy, so water shoes are essential and a pushchair is often a nuisance.
• Guardamar del Segura, in the south — huge dune-backed beaches with pine woods for shade, which is rarer than it should be on this coast.
• Altea — pebbles rather than sand, but the water is exceptionally clear and the town is one of the prettiest on the coast.

Where to stay, depending on the week you want

Benidorm — convenient and better than its reputation

If your priority is a flat, easy week with a small child, Benidorm delivers: everything is walkable, the beaches are outstanding, there are lifeguards and facilities everywhere, and the choice of family accommodation is enormous. Choose the Poniente end for a calmer atmosphere.

Altea, Moraira and the northern coves — quieter and prettier

The northern Costa Blanca is greener, hillier and far more low-key. It suits families who want a slower week and do not mind driving to a beach. Bear in mind that "hillier" means steps and slopes with a pushchair.

Alicante and the south — city plus sand

Basing yourself near Alicante gives you a proper Spanish city with a castle on a hill, a palm-lined esplanade and a good beach at San Juan a tram ride away. The southern coast towards Santa Pola and Guardamar is flatter, sandier and generally cheaper.

Days out that actually work with children

• Guadalest — a village wedged under a castle on top of a rock, with a turquoise reservoir below. It is the classic Costa Blanca day out, it is cooler than the coast, and it is small enough to see before anyone melts down. The final approach is steep and there are steps.
• Tabarca island — a boat from Santa Pola or Alicante to a tiny island in a marine reserve, with clear shallow water for paddling. The crossing is short, but check the sea state if anyone is prone to seasickness.
• Santa Bárbara castle, Alicante — reached by a lift built into the rock, which children love, with views over the whole bay.
• Terra Mítica, Mundomar and Aqualandia — the Benidorm theme and animal parks. Mundomar is the gentlest with under-fives; the big rides at the others need older children.
• The orange and lemon groves inland — several offer family visits where children pick fruit straight from the tree, which for a city child is genuinely novel.

Food: the easiest coast in Spain to feed a child

Spanish coastal food is unusually child-friendly — grilled chicken, fish, potatoes, bread, fruit and tortilla are on every menu, and staff are relaxed about small children. Two local specialities are worth trying with them: horchata, a cold, sweet drink made from tiger nuts, and turrón from nearby Jijona, the almond nougat that Spain eats at Christmas.

The one adjustment is timing. Lunch runs from about 1.30pm and dinner from 8pm. Make lunch the big meal — this coast does an excellent-value menú del día — and eat early in the evening at a beachfront restaurant.

When to go

June and September are the best weeks with young children: warm sea, comfortable air, fewer crowds. July and August are busy and hot, though the sea breeze on the coast keeps it more bearable than inland Spain. Easter and late October still deliver good weather for everything except long swims.

Small things that make a big difference

Water shoes for the pebble coves. A UV suit and a hat, because the sun is stronger than the temperature suggests. A carrier rather than a pushchair for Guadalest and the old towns. And if you are hiring a car, book the child seat at the same time and confirm what will be supplied.

Building the excitement before you fly

Children settle into a new place much faster when they already know what is coming. A week of talking about the castle on the rock, the boat to the little island and the oranges growing on the trees turns an unfamiliar week into an expected one — and turns "are we nearly there" into "is today the boat day?".

That is exactly what our personalised book about the Costa Blanca is for: your child is the hero, and the story is set in the real places you are going — a sheltered cove, the castle village of Guadalest, the boat to Tabarca, the orange groves, a cool horchata at the end of the day. It is the only personalised book written about your child's real-life travel destination.

You can build it and see the whole story in a free preview before you spend a penny — no sign-up, no email address. For more on the countdown, read how to get kids excited about a holiday.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Costa Blanca good for young children?
Yes. Alicante is a two-and-a-half-hour flight from the UK with short transfers, and the main beaches are wide, clean and very gently shelving — Benidorm's Levante and Poniente in particular are Blue Flag beaches that suit toddlers well.

Which Costa Blanca beach is best with a toddler?
For flat, shallow, well-serviced sand, Benidorm's Poniente and Playa de San Juan near Alicante are the easiest. The northern coves at Moraira and Jávea are prettier but often pebbly, so pack water shoes.

Is Benidorm suitable for a family with small children?
Yes, more than its reputation suggests. The beaches are excellent and the town is flat and walkable with everything close by. The Poniente end is noticeably calmer than Levante.

What is there to do besides the beach?
Guadalest castle village, a boat to Tabarca island, Santa Bárbara castle in Alicante, the animal and theme parks around Benidorm, and the orange groves inland.

When is the best time to visit with kids?
June and September give you warm sea and comfortable temperatures without peak crowds. July and August are hot and busy; Easter and October are pleasant for everything but long swims.