13 chic European rentals for Easter holidays with the family

Spring is in the air — and so is the first family getaway of the year. These holiday homes are stylish, kid-friendly and at the time of writing have availability during the Easter window. Though, they probably won’t stay empty for long…

Italian villas don’t get much more luxe than those at Reschio, a 3,700-acre pastoral estate tucked in the rolling Umbrian hills. Husband-and-wife team Count Benedikt and Donna Nencia have transformed a clutch of old farmhouses into rentals, including four-bedroom Piantaverna, with light flooded interiors overlooking private verandahs. Daily maid, concierge and private pool service are all included and with activities like horse-riding, cookery lessons, fishing and lake swimming on tap you never need leave the estate.

One night from £5,079 for 8, reschio.com

Nothing says ‘Mediterranean holiday home’ like an outdoor kitchen, right? Within walking distance of a sandy beach, four-bedroom Can Torrens has a fabulous outdoor cooking and dining area – not to mention a pool, table tennis and minimalist-chic boho décor. Simpson Travel can arrange lots of family-friendly extras to make life easier, like nappy delivery, car seats and toys. Even a private nanny service, so parents can enjoy a date night in Puerto Pollensa, a five-minute walk away.

One week for 8 from £715pp including flights and car hire, simpsontravel.com

Croatia is first-rate when it comes to value, as this striking four-bed villa shows. With its boxy Bond villan-esque exterior, heated pool and hot tub, it’s great for your ‘gram, but the benefits run deeper than good looks. It also has a handy location 80m from the beach and is within a short drive of Paklenica National Park, known for its hiking trails, wildlife and Manita Peć cave of stalagmites and stalactites. All perfect if you’ve got teens in tow.

One week from £2,439 for 8, myluxoria.com

With the amenities of a plush family-friendly hotel – but the privacy of a self-catering hideaway – the two-bed villas at this rambling estate in the south of France come with access to perks like a kids’ club, babysitting and specialist children’s concierge. Activities range from bike hire to tennis courts, though toddlers will especially love meeting the Easter bunnies, chicks and lambs at the onsite mini-farm.

Four nights from £667 for 4, lescarrasses.com

Across the water from Morocco’s Tangier, Tarifa starts its beach season early – and you’ll be right by the sands when you book into this countryside retreat. Trad farmhouse from the outside, and stripped back and modern within, this four-bedroom stay is your perfect home base for exploring the southern Spanish coast. That is, if you can tear yourself away from the magnificent pool area, complete with olive trees, cactus garden and plentiful cushy seating.

One night from £932 for 8, stayone.com

A seafront villa fit for a Greek goddess. Three-bedroom Athena has all the kit to keep the next gen entertained – 10m swimming pool, table tennis, boules pitch, darts board and, of course, WIFI – while parents can focus attentions on raiding the beautiful kitchen’s dedicated wine fridge. You’re a 10-minute walk from taverna-stuffed Kassiopi, but if you fancy a more dramatic outing, the villa concierge can arrange a luxe boat hire.

One week from £5,274 for 6, villacollective.com

This recently renovated three-bedroom beauty in the south of France combines French-Provençal style with Scandi touches (the owners are Swedish). Its single-story design mean it blends seamlessly into its picturesque surrounds, so it’s perfect for a calming break (if the kids co-operate that is). There’s a sizeable pool and you can even peep the sea from outside — a reminder you’re just 20 minutes from Nice, if you want to indulge in its cool design scene and scene-y beaches.

Seven nights from 14 - 21 April are priced at £3,719. theluxurytravelbook.com

Sleeping four to six people, white-washed Casa Agostos looks like it’s been lifted from a glossy interiors mag. It’s the Algarve dream with its cool concrete floors, selectively chosen wood furniture and airy linens – particularly if you’re travelling with older children where you’re not so stressed about potential spills. The olive tree-encircled lawn is big enough for kicking a football around; just mind it doesn’t land in the 15m pool.

One week from £2,790 for 4 to 6, indigo-rock.com

Bring the iconic Marbella Club to you this Easter – this rustic-cool villa, half an hour’s drive from the legendary hotel, comes from the same team. Laid-back but sophisticated décor is supplemented with panoramic ocean views, palm-flanked infinity pool, private spa, housekeeping and daily included breakfast. All that’s missing is the original MC’s superb people-watching.

One night from £12,500, marbellaclub.com

Instagram families – and foodies – will love this romantic Landaise brick house ringed in forest. Wood beams, a farmhouse kitchen with communal table and boho accents join facilities like a heated pool, table tennis, bikes, veg garden and a boules pitch. Five minutes away local village Magescq is home to two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Relais de la Poste, but the self-catering-inclined can make use of the excellent baker, butcher and fish shop nearby.

One week from £6,690 for 6, sjvillas.co.uk

A free kids’ club, adventure park, mini farm with rabbits and chickens – high-end sustainable Tuscan estate Castelfalfi ticks all the boxes for a family getaway. The spacious and contemporary three-bedroom Casa Medici gives more privacy than the standard hotel rooms and comes with fireplace-flanked living room, outdoor seating area and private pool area. Just what’s needed after a busy day zip-lining or exploring nearby idyllic walled town San Gimignano.

One night from £5,850 for 6, castelfalfi.com

Dune Residences are literally a stone’s throw from the gorgeous Ionian sea, perched on a dune, with their own private beach at the doorstep. Designed by architect Luca Zanaroli with with a cool, modern minimal take on the coastal aesthetic, and your own garden landscaped with maritime plants, the five properties feel like a home away from home. The View has, as the name suggests, uninterrupted vistas of the ocean, so is the one to bagsie. It has two double rooms and you can request a cot for little ones.

3 nights from 18 - 21 April are £781 for 2 adults and 2 children. welcomebeyond.com

This 17th-century casal is an understatedly stylish hideaway in Mallorca’s buzzing capital. It’s a case of location, location, location as the property is moments from the city’s Arab baths, the Convento de Santa Clara and the royal palace of La Almudaina. It can be booked as interconnecting rooms for families of four, but for the ultimate blow-the-budget multi-generation adventure, it can be hired exclusively for your whole crew. Rooms come with chic kitchenettes perfect for enjoying relaxed family lunches without leaving the confines, or you can hit the town for its famous tapas.

Buyouts from £4,180 per night (the property has 14 double rooms), including VAT. Breakfast and city taxes excluded. portellapalma.com