Chester is a picturesque town on the river Dee in Cheshire, in the North West of England, not too far from Liverpool. Chester has a wide range of activities available to visitors, from simply walking round the compact city centre and shopping to visiting the very visible Roman ruins which are dotted through the town. Particularly impressive is the Roman amphitheatre next to Grosvenor Park, and you can also see a reconstructed hypocaust (Roman underfloor heating, more interesting than it sounds) in the Roman Gardens - and another one in the basement of a Spud U Like restaurant! Chester Racecourse is nearby for the family's gamblers and horse fans, and the more active-minded can try their hand at boating on the River Dee. Chester Cathedral is also well worth a visit, as is Chester Zoo (which might be more to the tastes of the younger members of the family). There are also many brilliant restaurants in Chester, but also a large number of traditional English pubs, many of which serve reasonably priced hot food for meals out.

Sardinia has been an overlooked Mediterranean island, as it lies between Italian Sicily and French Corsica. But it is an amazing holiday destination, great for kids, which is packed full of amazing sights and activities, with a great climate. Whether you've chosen to visit Sardinia to check out Phoenician or Roman ruins, or just to soak up some sun and enjoy some excellent Sardinian wines, you're sure to have a great time.

As a relatively large autonomous island, Sardinia presents a huge range of activities for a family holiday. From the sunbathing perfection of its Mediterranean beaches to the exploration of sites such as Su Nuraxi di Barumini - a building structure dating from the Megalithic period - there is something to interest everybody. About a quarter of the island is designated as either a National Park or other protected reserve territory, so much of the environment is unspoiled and the naturalists in your family can have a great time spotting incredibly rare creatures such as the Sardinian Fox or the Mediterranean Monk Seal. It's definitely a destination for fans of the great outdoors, but with such a diverse amount of wildlife on display, no one can fail to be captivated by the Sardinian landscape.

Madeira is a Portuguese island in the Atlantic, west of the Mediterranean. Madeira has many visitors each year, and has some great landscapes, gardens, flowers, and sublime tropical climate.

Madeira has a number of beaches scattered around its coastline. Among the more notable of these is Calheta which is one of the top resorts in Madeira. This beach has golden sands, crystal clear waters, and a marina. The beach is also good for a variety of water sports such as canoeing and windsurfing. Alternatively, at Lido there is a large and small outdoor seawater swimming pool, which also has direct sea access. Ponta Gorda also has similar outdoor seawater pools. For golf fans Madeira Island also has a few golf courses. At Funchal there is the Palheiro Golf Course, while the Santo da Serra overlooks the bay of Machico.