It can be difficult taking children to a spa. Adults go to zen out, while children see a pool and want to shriek with joy. It was therefore such a delight to find Terme Beach Resort, just a short drive from Ravenna, which had natural thermal waters that the kids could enjoy without me feeling like I had to constantly shush them.

The resort is right on the beach – the door of our room opened on to a small terrace with table and chairs that led directly onto the sand – and is surrounded by natural pine forest. The whole place is very family friendly, from the pick-up in Bologna where car seats were provided for the children, to the offer of facilities for heating milk in the middle of the night.

The “spa” is a public facility that is accessed from a door to the hotel and has several pools of thermal water at 33c with lots of activities for adults and children, from swimming lessons to aqua aerobics. The waters are considered to be very healing and the pools are also equipped for disabled people. This isn’t a fluffy robe and slippers kind of spa, this is a rejuvenating, healing place, where you can request massage and treatments if desired or just don a shower cap and enjoy the jacuzzi jets of thermal water.

As well as the beach, the children also have a small playground to enjoy and a large terrace overlooking the sea where breakfast is served in the summer. All the ingredients are locally sourced where possible and many are organic. If your kids are older the resort also has bikes to hire so you can explore the surrounding area, although they will also help with car transfers to the neighbouring towns.

We spent a delightful few days here and would like come in warm weather, it is the perfect place to relax with the kids.