Most children and a greater number of adults than probably want to admit it, love Water Parks.  The combination of swimming pools and slides is hard to beat and if you add hot summer sun then you have a recipe for holiday happiness.  The Hidro Park at Alcudia has all the ingredients for a great day out for everyone from 3 years old to 90+.  And I must say, on the day we visited, almost everyone between those ages seemed to be there…

We found a quiet spot on the grass next to the trampolines and behind the Water Balls (giant plastic balls filled with water that you roll around in).  The boys immediately dashed off to queue for the biggest slide whilst we slathered ourselves with Factor 50 and settled down with our books.  I am one of those grown-ups that loves the slides but not the queues – at a quieter time of year ie not July/August I’d have been hurtling down them screaming at the top of my voice, much to my son’s embarrassment. As it was, I was very happy to relax in the sun whilst he and his mate had fun.

The best bit came mid-afternoon.  Over the tannoy came the announcement that the ‘Wave Machine’ would start in 10 minutes … and the hordes came in their thousands, flocking to the wave pool to experience the ultimate wave bounce.  When I explained to an elderly lady what everyone was doing she said, in a broad Lancashire accent, “There’s a bloody great wave machine just outside here – on the beach!”  I don’t think she quite got the joy of fake waves …

After a good few hours of water park fun we left and drove on to Alcudia beach – to see the real wave machine for ourselves.  Now, I have to admit that this beach was just far too crowded for my liking. It definitely appeals to those who love to be up close and personal to fellow sun-bathers and swimmers and the town is much the same – fab if you want lots of bars, shops and restaurants within a small space.  The boys were strongly tempted to join in a vigorous game of beach volley-ball but were dragged off to have a drink by the rather more sedate Grand Canal, part of a series of waterways that run through the town and create a calm oasis amongst the hurly burly …

It’s only a very short drive or leisurely stroll to the fascinating old part of Alcudia.  Many of the Moorish buildings and town walls have been restored, and there are lots of narrow little lanes to explore.  We found a lovely pizzeria just off the main square where the locals were clearly giving their seal of approval; always a good sign anywhere in the world. As we ate, the nearby church rang out a resounding peel of bells, which seemed to signal a fitting end to another magical day on the beautiful island of Majorca …

Many thanks to Low Cost Holidays for the opportunity to escape to Majorca.