One of my absolute favorite places to visit is Spain. I was fortunate to spend a few months there while I was in college and just fell in love. Naturally this was top of my list of places to bring my kids. I managed to fit this trip in just before my youngest was two. Which means…lap infant!
I have a few friends who were also interested in a trip to Spain and they also happen to love my kids so it was an easy trip to plan for four adults and two kids age 5 and 22 months. Since I was traveling without my husband we only chose two cities to limit extra travel time and logistics. We chose Madrid and Sevilla.
Why Spain should be on your travel list: Beautiful beaches, architecture, the FOOD, museums, parks, did I mention the FOOD? There is also never a bad time to visit. For this particular trip we went at the beginning of November which meant the weather was perfect and it wasn’t as busy since it was after Europe’s fall break and before the holiday travel season. I’ve also been there at Christmas, from January to May as well as the middle of July. Any time of year is worth visiting if your time off isn’t flexible as long as you are prepared (i.e. if you are going to Sevilla in the middle of the summer make sure to lay low or plan indoor activities in the afternoon, make sure you have sun coverage, drink lots of water and wear light clothing).
Recommended Activities in Madrid:
If you are there for only 24/48 hours:
- Walking Tours – we chose one from With Locals, it was a great way to see the city and get your bearings the first day there. We did this one shortly after we landed and it also helped with jet lag. Meaning, it kept us (including my older daughter) busy so we didn’t acknowledge how tired we were
- Plaza Mayor
- Royal Palace of Madrid
- Puerto del Sol – we stayed near here. It is a wonderful area with pedestrian only streets for shopping
- Chocolatería San Ginés (my daughter’s favorite)
- Grand Via (for shopping)
If you are there for longer and looking for family friendly ideas:
- Parque de El Retiro: you can rent rowboats, visit a puppet theater, explore playgrounds and see ducks, turtles and street performers.
- Madrid Zoo Aquarium: See zoo animals, aquarium exhibits, and dolphin demonstrations
- Faunia: Part zoo and part nature park, has penguins, flamingos, tropical birds and farm animals
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales: See dinosaur skeletons, fossils and animal exhibits
- Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Once we dipped our toes in Madrid we moved on to Sevilla. There is only one way you should travel there from Madrid and that is the train. Specifically the AVE. The train station in Madrid, Puerta de Atocha is pretty central in the city and there are several trains a day that go to the Santa Justa train station in Sevilla. I recommend booking train tickets directly with Renfe a little in advance but you don’t always have to, I just prefer to to ensure everyone gets to sit together. Also, just a heads up, some tickets do not go on sale until about six weeks prior so if you are looking months in advance and do not see available tickets, no need to start worrying. Once in Sevilla you can either take the bus or a taxi/rideshare from the train station to your hotel or vacation rental.
What I love most about Sevilla is not just that it’s absolutely gorgeous, but it is a very walkable city. One of my favorite areas to stay in is el Barrio Santa Cruz. The buildings are beautiful and it’s very close to many of the major attractions in the city.
Recommended Activities in Sevilla:
- Real Alcázar de Sevilla – this was by far my kids favorite, there are beautiful buildings, it’s actually still used as a royal palace by Spain’s royal family. There are also expansive gardens, birds, ducks and peacocks. I was surprised to find out my kids actually liked this better than the aquarium.
- Plaza de España: very photogenic landmark, kids can watch horse carriages, rent rowboats in the canal, and see street performers.
- Sevilla Aquarium
- Metropol Parasol (also known as Las Setas) – elevated walkways, great city views and interesting architecture.
- Sevilla Cathedral: one of the largest gothic cathedrals in the world
- La Giralda: the Cathedral’s bell tower, you go up via ramps rather than stairs making it a bit easier. Great views of the city.
- Torre del Oro
- Parque de María Luisa: shady paths, playgrounds, ducks and birds – conveniently located next to Plaza de España
If you are planning to be in Sevilla for more than three days, there are many options for day trips. While on this particular trip, my friends decided to do a day trip to Morocco, while I stayed in the city with my girls (this is when we went to the Alcazar and the aquarium). The day trip to Morocco is a FULL day (like 13 – 15 hours) which I do not necessarily recommend with really young children, which is why we skipped that particular tour. However, it could be fun with older kids. It’s about a 2-2.5 hour bus ride to the coast then about another 1-1.5 hour boat ride and they get to see whole other continent, try different foods and perhaps even get a camel ride. If you are interested in this type of excursion I recommend using a tour company like Viator or Get Your Guide or a Sevilla local company Naturanda as they often include all the transportation and even some food and gilded tours once in Morocco. It’s easier than trying to piece it together on your own if you have kids in tow.
Some other day trip options from Sevilla:
1. Córdoba: Easy 45min train ride, Mosque-Catedral, compact historic center, horse-drawn carriages, pretty courtyards and narrow streets.
2. Cádiz: 1.5 hours by train, one of the oldest cities in Europe, great beaches, seafront promenades, castle views
3. Jerez de la Frontera: one hour by train, famous for equestrian art and dancing horses
4. Ronda: about 2 hours by train, famous for Puente Nuevo – a dramatic bridge over a deep gorge
5. Granada: 2.5 hours from Sevilla, known for the Alhambra a historic site with gardens, fountains, and palaces. This is another long day tour that might be tough with younger kids, may want to wait until they are a bit older than 2-5.
I can’t recommend Spain enough for a trip with your minis!