Look what I found for you lovely lot who really really need a (city) break, some fantastic food, and a shot of culture for 1/2 term. Here is a bespoke list of the best City Breaks for Half-term : Guest posted by Nadine Mellor the Kids Collection Editor at i-escape kids. Now, think about this one super quickly and get on the phone to your banker, as these places will go faster than you can say “why didn’t I stop watching Made In Chelsea and book that holiday” Don’t say I don’t look after you. xo
1. Casa Capella, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is a great city to bring the kids to. They’ll love all that wacky Gaudi design – Park Guell is the perfect introduction – and don’t miss the Museum of Ideas and Invention, which has a slide and a corner of the absurd. There’s even a beach. Stay in this architect-designed apartment, which is in a safe shopping area, has every gadget you could want in the kitchen, and three spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms, designer furniture, black out blinds, state-of-the-art acoustic insulation and laundry facilities.
2. Istanbul Place Apartments, Istanbul, Turkey
Even hard-to-please teens and tweens will get a kick out of exploring one of the world’s most fascinating cities. This complex of seven stylish apartments in the bohemian Galata district makes a great base for sightseeing. Take them on a boat trip up the Bosphorus, up the dizzying Galata Tower, to marvel at the Haghia Sophia or the extraordinary relics and blood-curdling history at Topkapi Palace, or shopping in the Grand Bazaar which contains thousands of shops and bags of local colour.
3. Vinorhady Boutique Apartment, Prague, Czech Republic
Live like a local in this super apartment which has one double and one twin bedroom, and is just 15 minutes walk to the centre. Kids will like exploring the castle, cathedral and chocolate museum plus you can take boat trips on the river; there’s a playground near Wenceslas Square. Return to kids TV channels and WiFi; and for those kids unwilling to give Czech cuisine a go, you can whip up child-friendly fare in the modern kitchen.
4. Jnane Tamsna, Marrakech, Morocco
For a really exotic half-term break and (nearly) guaranteed sunshine, book into this delightful rambling hotel spread over five houses in a walled estate on the outskirts of this colourful city. Here the whole family can revel in extensive gardens, ideal for hide and seek, plus five large swimming pools (one is even heated). Kids have a host of interesting activities to try from learning Arabic calligraphy to playing tennis, Moroccan cooking lessons and camel riding.
5. Apartment 43, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
Set in the heart of the beautiful car-free old town, this sleek, light-filled two-bedroom apartment has been cleverly conceived within a former nobleman’s mansion house, and is best for slightly older kids. Who will be impressed that the sound system synchs to smartphones; as are parents by the swish kitchen and wealth of yummy eateries and food markets on the doorstep. Outside are plazas, playgrounds, botanical gardens, and beaches just a 20 minute-drive away.
Creative Bus Stop 