Have you ever looked longingly at a cheap flight to a European destination, only to realise that the cost of a villa or hotel would put that family holiday outside your budget?

Well here’s an alternative which will give you a modest roof over your head with full access to the beach, pool and sporting facilities to keep your family happy. And if you choose your location carefully you can have access to all the interesting sights that a city can offer.

You’ll probably have heard of operators like Eurocamp and Canvas holidays who offer a tent or mobile home already set up for you in major campsites. What is less widely known is that many campsites have their own apartments, wooden chalets or mobile homes that you can rent directly for less money. It’s a formula that I’ve operated successfully over the past few years when my children were younger.

These are my tips for arranging this sort of holiday yourself;

1. Check out which low cost carriers fly from your local airport and keep an eye out for when they release their summer flights to bag the early bargains. (As I write Easyjet and Ryanair have just released their summer flights)
2. Narrow down to a few areas or cities you would like to visit.
3. Check out campsites located close to your destination airport, preferrably those that can be reached by public transport or a taxi ride. The website I use for this is Alan Rogers which has comprehensive information on the best European campsites and will tell you which have accomodation to rent.
4. Carry out an internet search to find the website and contact details of any campsites that look promising and check out what accomodation they have to offer.
5. Contact your chosen campsite directly to book accomodation. You will get a better response if you e-mail them in their own language – use an internet translator if necessary.

One year we went to Barcelona and stayed in a  wooden chalet by the beach, which was only a half hour bus ride into the city. We alternated one day relaxing on the beach with another wandering Las Ramblas and taking the cable car up to Montjuic.

Then there was the time when we stayed in a mobile home in a campsite on the mainland near Venice, taking the bus and ferry for daytrips into Venice. We managed to see many of the major sites while the pool and beach were at hand for the non-sightseeing days.

I have to say that given the choice, I’d rather stay in the comfort of an apartment or hotel. But for a family on a tight budget, a holiday on a campsite in the sun is a lot more fun than a wet week in Cornwall.