The 30 best villas in Europe for October half term
Family holidays in October half term were once a well-kept secret, but this particular school break is fast becoming a popular time for a getaway with the kids. After all, who wouldn’t want to take advantage of cheaper prices and get a last blast of glorious sun, just as the weather turns chilly back at home?
Many private and some state schools now have two weeks off at this time of year, making a break outside the heat of summer even more desirable. But in 2024, half term trails into the start of November for some pupils – and that means going farther for (almost) guaranteed sunshine. If you don’t mind the occasional threat of clouds, there’s more choice – and if you’re moved by autumn colours rather than summer heat, Europe is yours for the taking.
We’ve spoken to villa companies and tour operators to canvas their favourite hideaways for autumn family breaks – from cute boltholes in the Canaries to sprawling Sicilian estates. Some of them are simple village houses for families of three or four, while other, more extravagant offerings have room for grandparents, uncles, aunties and more.
Prices are for a week’s self-catering during October, unless otherwise stated. All villas had availability for October half-term at the time of writing.
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Under-eights
Terracotta Botanica, Tenerife, Spain
Tenerife rentals tend to come with all-white interiors and all-grey terraces, but maximalism reigns at this whimsical, Bali-inspired house in a quiet corner of the colourful 16th-century town of La Orotava. Expect beamed living areas, elephant artwork and a flower-packed garden, while a playhouse and outdoor pizza oven should please little ones.
Sleeps eight, from £1,707 (plumguide.com).
Villa Alti, Sicily, Italy
On the island’s south-west coast, across the road from a sandy beach, bijou Villa Alti is great for young families. There’s a pool to splash around in and it comes with a cot and high chair – as well as a rooftop hot tub for nights under the stars once the kids have gone to bed. A patio heater means you can eat dinner outdoors, even on cooler evenings.
Sleeps four, from €1,756/£1,476 (020 7193 7302; wishsicily.com).
Villa Vigneronne, Languedoc, France
Young families will savour this quintessentially French escape in the village of Saint Thibéry, complete with stone floors, vintage rugs and bright art. The living is easy here; take a stroll to the bakery for morning croissants or a leisurely 30-minute drive to the laid-back beaches on the coast. You won’t want to go home.
Sleeps eight, from £1,924 (0333 888 0205; oliverstravels.com).
Casa Emblemática Garaday, Lanzarote, Spain
In the dramatically situated village of Tinajo, near the Timanfaya national park, this characterful cottage has been passed down through generations and is great for a total escape – at an age when all they need is a swing set to be happy (there’s one on site, as well as books and puzzles). The location makes sightseeing by car a breeze, or simply savour the October sun from the plant-filled terrace.
Sleeps up to six, from £800 for four nights (booking.com).
Martinhal Quinta Family Resort, Algarve, Portugal
In-resort villas are brilliant for families, combining the flexibility of self-catering with the facilities of hotels. This collection of swish properties with private pools in Quinta do Lago is run by a group known for its child-friendly outposts and has mini golf and a kids’ club on site, as well as a baby concierge.
Sleeps four, from £1,495 for five nights (00351 218 507788; martinhal.com).
Terre di Bea, Sicily, Italy
A magical, arty hideaway in a natural park near Cefalù, this one comes with painted headboards, cushioned daybeds and soothing sea views. For families, it’s a place to spend quality time cooking meals in the outdoor kitchen and splashing in the pool (where a hammock dangles over the water for lazy lounging).
Sleeps four, from £2,940 (coolstays.com).
In-betweens
Pythaia, Corfu, Greece
Embrace local life at this comfortable home, which has knockout views over the seaside village of St Stefanos from its shuttered windows. With tavernas, shops and a sleepy curve of beach within walking distance (down steps, so it might not work for young children), there’s no chance of feeling cut off here. Wander into town for beach days and back for evening barbecues.
Sleeps six, from £1,045 (020 3993 6343; cvvillas.com).
VN142, Menorca, Spain
Mere steps from the sea, this slick, white-and-concrete wonder has an infinity pool that seems to segue straight to the rocky coastline. Twin-bedded rooms make it a great choice for larger families, while there’s a glam ensuite for mum and dad. The beaches of Binisafuller and Binibeca are easily reachable by car.
Sleeps 10, from £7,995 (01335 330169; menorcaprivateowners.co.uk)
Kokoblue, Crete, Greece
This gleaming contemporary villa was made for outdoor living and has an infinity pool and dining terrace with sparkling sea views over Souda Bay. Should the weather turn, heating to the floors and swimming pool and cheery, raffia-accented interiors mean that everyone can stay cosily happy.
Sleeps six, from €3,675/£3,150 (01789 297705; freelancevillas.com).
Forest Windmill, Leiria, Portugal
The living is breezy at this converted windmill, hidden in pine forest near the blustery beaches of Portugal’s Atlantic coast. Cute, Hobbity interiors and star-spangled skies are offset by wild stretches of sand and pummelling water within walking distance (these aren’t for paddling, but tweens will be awestruck by the area’s big-wave surfers). Steep winding stairs mean this one’s best suited to older children.
Sleeps four, from £513 for a four-night break (coolstays.com).
Villa Alexandros, Cyprus, Greece
Cyprus should still be warm at the end of October and this kid-friendly stone house makes a good base for last-blast sun. Surrounded by the wineries of the island’s mountains, it’s a place of birdsong and spectacular sunsets. This is, however, very much a family property, with plenty of kids’ toys to play with and a large pool. The beaches near Paphos are about 40 minutes’ drive away, so you’ll need a car.
Sleeps five, from £981 (p8109631; vrbo.com).
Villa Kalithies, Rhodes, Greece
The woefully underrated island of Rhodes comes with ancient ruins, empty beaches and tavernas hidden in inland villages – all ripe for exploration in mild autumn. Use this newly decorated villa as your base. It’s a great home from home thanks to a practical kitchen diner and large pool area (don’t tell the kids but there’s Netflix in every room).
Sleeps five, from £1,246 (0333 888 0205; oliverstravels.com).
Teenagers
Mas des Roses 3, Gourdes, France
Located a short hop from the shops, restaurants and galleries of photogenic Gourdes, which means there’s plenty of exploration options on dull-weather days around postcard-pretty Mas des Roses. At other times, kids can roam its 10 acres of grounds (complete with treehouse, trampoline and ping-pong table). Lots of immaculately kept communal spaces, including a vine-shaded outdoor dining terrace, means you’ll never be on top of each other.
Sleeps six, from €3,975/£3,336 (020 3096 5433; onlyprovence.com).
Ramla Red House, San Lawrenz, Gozo
Highs can hit 25C in Gozo in October, so stays at this red-trimmed village house should be blissfully sunny. Hidden down a historic alleyway, it has a pool ensconced behind high walls as well as a roof terrace barbecue, while nearby mountain biking, hikes and horse riding will satisfy active teens.
Sleeps six, from £1,304 (oliverstravels.com).
Olivia, Zakynthos, Greece
Peligoni’s communal clubhouse is bookable for guests at its properties and works well for older children keen to hang out with new friends (and not Mum and Dad): activities include paddleboarding and sailing. Bring the party home to this sleek stone villa, which is one of four in a private complex and comes with floor-to-ceiling views, as well as a sea-gazing infinity pool and Jacuzzi.
Sleeps six, from £4,270 (020 8740 3001; peligoni.com).
Villa Lüks, Kalkan, Turkey
Teens with a penchant for Selling Sunset may fall hard for the shiny interiors of this marble-clad wonder. But the real draw is its small indoor pool – perfect should the Turkish weather turn iffy (temperatures hover in the low to mid 20s at the end of October). The lively town of Kalkan is five minutes’ away by car.
Sleeps four, from £1,950 (01954 261 431; vintagetravel.co.uk).
Can Diorama, Formentera, Spain
This is a true parent-pleaser: a smattering of delightful demerara-sugar-coloured cubes cast away on Formentera, Ibiza’s quieter cousin. Older teens will love the decor (which includes spray-painted headboards) and having their own cottage next door, while there’s a children’s room sleeping up to four in the main house too.
Sleeps six, from £6,806 (01978 368531; worldwidedreamsvillas.com).
Vista La Janda, Vejer, Spain
In one of Andalusia’s prettiest white villages looking over to the African coast, this little house comes with a shady courtyard and sun-soaked roof terrace. It’s a good-value option for smaller families with older kids who fancy trying surfing on the windswept beaches of the Costa de la Luz and touring Vejer’s tapas bars for dinner.
Sleeps five, from €750/£630 (0034 956 447730; califacasas.com).
Multi-gen
Casa Bella Vista, Ibiza, Spain
If you have kids, sleepy October is probably the best time to visit the White Isle – but stay near a year-round village or town where restaurants and bars remain open. The mood-lifting view out to sea from the terrace is the unmistakable draw of this stone villa near San Carlos, which also comes with lovingly tended gardens and plenty of space for extended families (including a basement bedroom for grandparents).
Sleeps 10, from £4,245 (020 3472 1085; uniqueibizavillas.co.uk).
Villa Santi Terzi, Umbria, Italy
One that’s guaranteed to make the family photo album zing (if you don’t mind autumnal weather as a backdrop), Santi Terzi is an Umbrian palazzo that was once home to the neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova. Evocative traces of its history remain, though they’ve been embellished with family-friendly mod cons, including a special pool that’s half covered by a colonnade and can be heated on demand.
Sleeps 20, from £3,568 (020 7684 8884; tuscanynowandmore.com).
Villa Torre Canalotto, Sicily, Italy
Savour your own Sicilian castle at this sprawling pile near the ancient Greek ruins at Selinunte. A beautifully restored manor house – complete with its own tower – it comes with palm-dotted gardens for the kids to free range in (they’ll love the pool and playground) as well as serenely simple interiors featuring tiled floors and wooden ceilings.
Sleeps 12, from £3,645 (0203 868 6514; sicily4u.co.uk).
Villa Ambra, Sardinia, Italy
If you really want to impress your children, how about a pool surrounded by its own white, sandy beach? That’s one of the draws at this Sardinian seaside estate, which also has its own tennis court, ping-pong table – and helipad, if you’re that kind of family. Scattered rooms work well for friends or multi-generational groups.
Sleeps 10, from €7,470/£6,271 (0800 404 7753; emmavillas.com).
70s Modernist Villa, Santa Cruz, Tenerife
It may have the retro flair of a Bond villain’s lair, but this 1970s villa above the crashing waves of El Poris comes with plenty of eccentric family-friendly touches too – including a giant salamander sculpture on the roof terrace. There’s a pool, but older kids will love the natural swimming bath just below the villa (it’s public by law, but difficult to access unless you’re staying at the house).
Sleeps up to 19, from around £6,170 for six nights (welcomebeyond.com).
Villa Maude, Sicily, Italy
Maude is an absolute beauty – more modern than her name would suggest, with a metal-clad extension and a slick infinity pool (though the old part of the house also has an intricately painted ceiling). The whole family should be happy here, mooching around the vast gardens, bonding over barbecues and exploring the local villages.
Sleeps eight, from £6,619 (0800 808 5830; onefinestay.com).
For special occasions
Falkensteiner Luxury Villas, Punta Skala, Croatia
In landscaped gardens overlooking the Zadar archipelago, these five cool limestone villas come with marble worktops, outsized day beds by private pools and upstairs terraces that are perfect for sundowners. A resort location means daily housekeeping and baby equipment, while kids will love the onsite adventure playground and bowling alley.
Sleeps seven, from £9,730 B&B (0043 50 9911 8034; falkensteiner.com).
Villa Bahia, Santander, Spain
The weather probably won’t be on your side at this opulent northern Spanish estate set across more than 60 acres – but then you won’t need to venture out. Staffed by two housekeepers, Bahia has a library, cinema and spa (including an indoor pool, although the outdoor one can be heated up to 27C too). Kids will love the split-level sleepover room.
Sleeps 17, from £19,850 (020 3903 9094; theluxuryvillacollection.com).
Villa Cecilia, Marbella, Spain
Ten minutes’ drive from Marbella’s action, ultra-chic Cecilia was made with extended families in mind. There’s a huge table carved from a tree trunk for long lunches in the central courtyard, and a games room for multi-generational table football tournaments. The villa sits behind the beach near the Artola dunes and bedrooms come with dreamy, pine-fringed views out to sea.
Sleeps 12, from £15,905 (lecollectionist.com).
Son Balagueret, Mallorca, Spain
This impeccably decorated stone masia (complete with a bedroom in a 13th-century turret) lurks on the same vast estate as Richard Branson’s Son Bunyola hotel, with which it shares a tennis court and pebble beach along with two other properties. To give an idea of the scale of the citrus and olive dotted grounds, it takes 15 minutes by car to reach the house from the road, while the beach is a 40-minute walk from its doors – so it’s unlikely that you’ll tire of exploring.
Sleeps eight, from £11,341 (020 3993 7136; cvvillas.com).
Korsan Guney, Kalkan, Turkey
If the impressive infinity pool doesn’t sell you on this house near the resort town of Kalkan, the private decked swimming platform over the sea should. Rooms are simple, with blue accents – it’s the outside space that has the wow factor: there’s a hot tub, outdoor games room and a pillared balcony (on which the local restaurants can serve dinners on request).
Sleeps 10, from £976pp including flights and car hire (020 3839 4492; simpsontravel.com).
Red Chalet, Algarve, Portugal
Algarve rentals don’t get more tasteful than this listed Belle-Époque-style mansion, which stands proudly on the seawall in the resort town of Armação de Pêra. Dripping in grown-up chandeliers and objets d’art, it’s still a good choice for families, who can use the facilities at the neighbouring Vila Vita Parc resort – including a beach club, kids’ club and restaurants. Grandparents (or nannies) get a suite of their own next door.
Sleeps eight, from £18,514 B&B (00351 282 310 156; vilavitacollection.com).
