Traveling in Spain with kids
Venture beyond the Costas and you'll find a family-sized welcome for little ones - and activities to keep kids and their parents entertained.
Active teenagers will enjoy mountain biking, rafting, kayaking and canyoning, while the more culturally-minded can get stuck into life in the pueblo – shopping at local markets and picking up Spanish words along the way. There are horses to ride, flamenco dresses to gawp at, natural pools to swim in and some impressive wildlife to track down. And at the end of the day, there’s also likely to be a swimming pool – or a sandy beach to dig around in. Don’t worry about whether there’s any British restaurants nearby – Spanish food is child friendly, as are the restaurants; you’ll see toddlers out and about at 10pm.
Our Spain family Vacations
Altiplano de Granada activity vacation, Spain
Family Multi-activity cultural vacation in rural Andalucia
From
€370 to €480
8 days
ex flights
Catalonia family self guided biking vacation, Spain
Customised road cycling tour in Girona, Catalonia
From
€306 to €425
8 days
ex flights
Catalonia family mountain biking & activity vacation, Spain
Family MTB & activities in the Catalan countryside
From
€495 to €720
8 days
ex flights
Lanzarote north coast villa vacation, Canary Islands
Stunning Villa-Solar Pool-Quaint Fishing Village-On the Sea
From
€95 to €135
per accommodation per night (sleeps 2-4)
Learn Spanish & family activity vacation in Spain
Learn Spanish + Outdoor Activities canoe/cave/via ferrata...
From
€679 to €721
7 days
ex flights
Catalan horse riding vacation in Spain
Horse riding in the beautiful Catalan countryside.
From
€700 to €1150
8 days
ex flights
Andalucia villa near Malaga, Spain
Idyllic Andalucian farmhouse with stunning private pool
From
€879 to €1479
per accommodation per week
Andalucian self catering apartment, sleeps 6, Spain
Spacious apartment with breathtaking views over Lake Vinuela
From
€145 to €205
per apartment per night
Catalonia family activity vacation, Spain
Family fun with scenic bike rides & adventure activities.
From
€720
8 days
ex flights
Catalonia vacation, cycling and relaxation
Cycle vacation based from self catering accommodation Palamos
From
€425 to €845
8 days
ex flights
Lanzarote 8 bedroom villa and yurt
"Wow" Factor Villa, 2 x private pools, Sea Views, Nr Beach
From
€700 to €1100
per accommodation per night
Lanzarote self catering cottage in the Canary Islands
Garden Cottage at eco retreat, Pool Access, at Sandy Beach
From
€665 to €910
per week (sleeps 4)
Andalucia self catering cottage on finca, 2 bedrooms
Two Bed cottage with private pool - 5 minute walk to village
From
£495 to £595
per cottage per week (sleeps 4)
Bareboat sailing vacation in Mallorca, Spain
Go sailing in beautiful Palma Mallorca
From
£1372 to £7282
7 days
ex flights
Family eco yurt in Lanzarote
Family friendly luxe eco yurts, sea view, next to beach, Car
From
€185 to €350
per accommodation per night
Lanzarote luxury villa with pool, sleeps 12
Sea views, private pool, ping pong, chill-out & fast wifi
From
€250 to €600
per accommodation per night
Lanzarote self catering apartments, Canary Islands
4 Studio apartments, and 2 Bedroom Cottage
From
€105 to €165
per accommodation per night
Lanzarote seafront accommodation, sleeps 4
Stunning on the beach apartment, hybrid car, quaint village
From
€155 to €250
per apartment per night (sleeps 4)
Extremadura vacation accommodation, Spain
Magical country vacation with comfort and charm
From
€100 to €220
per house per night
Self catering cottage in Alpujarras, Spain
Two self catering cottages in beautiful river valley
From
€275 to €300
per cottage per week
Granada guest house accommodation, Spain
Off-grid hotel in spectacular unspoilt rural Spain
From
€54 to €105
per room per night
Cave accommodation in Andalucia, Spain
Unique Cave Houses in the Andalusian mountains
From
£400 to £700
per week
Family biking vacation, Andalucia Spain
Cycling in the surrounding hills of almond and olive groves
From
£795
7 days
per accommodation
Luxury yurt accommodation in Lanzarote, Canary Islands
Stunning Eco Yurt, beach setting, inc Hybrid Car, Off Grid!
From
€155 to €285
per accommodation per night (sleeps 2)
Catalan countryside hotel, Spain
Eco Costa Brava countryside sports hotel with 25m pool
From
€44 to €105
per person per night incl breakfast
Almeria walking vacation in Andalucia, Spain
Walking in the surrounding hills of almond and olive groves
From
£595
7 days
per accommodation
Pyrenees family vacation, Andorra
An action-packed center-based summer activity-week
From
US $918 to US $1120
8 days
ex flights
Family vacation cottages in Andalucia, Spain
Family cottages with stunning views
From
€100 to €160
per house per night
Catalonia family walking vacation
Walking vacation based from self catering townhouse Palamos
From
€375 to €795
8 days
ex flights
Catalan Pyrenees family activity vacation
Adrenalin-filled family adventure in the Catalan Pyrenees
From
£1020 to £1145
8 days
inc UK flights
Activities for families in Spain
Stay in a cave!
Surrounded by gorgeous natural parks, natural pools, horse riding trails and tiny traditional villages, the cosy cave houses of Granada make an excellent base for adventure or culture vacations for those traveling in Spain with kids. The inside temperature remains pleasantly cool year-round.Watersports
There’s more to Spain’s water activities than swimming pools. Try whitewater rafting or open kayaking on the rivers of the Pyrenees, kayaking around the turquoise lakes of the Andalucian Altiplano or even sea kayaking off the coast of Cabo de Gata.Cabo de Gata
Cabo de Gata, famed as the setting for “Spaghetti Westerns” due to its bizarre desert landscape, is a great choice for families seeking something a little different. Dry weather is virtually guaranteed, but the coastal location keeps it slightly cooler than the rest of the province. As well as exploring Europe’s only desert, kids can visit the genuine Western film sets in Mini Hollywood.
Our top Spain family Vacation
Altiplano de Granada activity vacation, Spain
Family Multi-activity cultural vacation in rural Andalucia
From
€370 to €480
8 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Spain or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Responsible Travel asks the experts
Tom Powers, from our supplier Pura Aventura, shares his advice on traveling in Spain with kids:
“Kids being up at midnight in a restaurant is perfectly normal and accepted. When I go to Spain with my young children, within about a day they’re on an adult timetable. It can be difficult for parents who think “What do we do – we’re feeding the children now, but then how can we go out after – bedtime is at eight o’clock, so they’ll be asleep by then…” But in Spain, they do what you do, at the times you do it. So the conflict of trying to make sure everyone’s in bed at the right time disappears; everyone goes to bed at midnight or one o’clock. I find that kids step right into that and they love it. The Spanish don’t separate the kids from the adults – and that makes it a wonderful stress-free experience as a parent.”
“Kids being up at midnight in a restaurant is perfectly normal and accepted. When I go to Spain with my young children, within about a day they’re on an adult timetable. It can be difficult for parents who think “What do we do – we’re feeding the children now, but then how can we go out after – bedtime is at eight o’clock, so they’ll be asleep by then…” But in Spain, they do what you do, at the times you do it. So the conflict of trying to make sure everyone’s in bed at the right time disappears; everyone goes to bed at midnight or one o’clock. I find that kids step right into that and they love it. The Spanish don’t separate the kids from the adults – and that makes it a wonderful stress-free experience as a parent.”
Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus, shares his top tip for traveling to Spain with kids:
"A great area for families is the Picos de Europa in northern Spain. You can get the ferry to Santander which works well, and you’ve got good accommodation, great cities like Bilbao, wonderful museums... On that coastline there is lots of family-run, small accommodation, all locally owned. So the Picos is absolutely fantastic for families, but also accessible – you can take the car on the ferry so the packing is one less thing to worry about! So that’s one of my top picks.”
"A great area for families is the Picos de Europa in northern Spain. You can get the ferry to Santander which works well, and you’ve got good accommodation, great cities like Bilbao, wonderful museums... On that coastline there is lots of family-run, small accommodation, all locally owned. So the Picos is absolutely fantastic for families, but also accessible – you can take the car on the ferry so the packing is one less thing to worry about! So that’s one of my top picks.”
More about Spain
Spain holds a rich variety of landscapes which will no doubt have an effect on the best time to visit Spain where personal interests are concerned.
Our Spain travel guide includes everything from a brief history of Spain to food, shopping & people to help you travel like a local on your Spain vacation.
Check out our interactive highlights map detailing our favourite places to visit in Spain as well as information on travel times between larger cities such as Barcelona and Madrid.
Our top activities in Spain take you off, or on, the beaten track and range from cycling and languages to a trek on the Camino de Santiago.
Areas like the Altiplano de Granada and Sierra de Castril mountains will make you forget days by the pool, offering everything from hiking and biking to canyoning.
Unlock the secrets of Spain as you walk the country’s mountainous interior and wonderfully wild coastlines, discovering an authentic slice of Spanish life, with not a parasol in sight.
Catalonia packs a world of landscapes into one region, from 3,000m snow-capped Pyrenean peaks, to the warm turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.
Rich with influences from Moorish, Roman, Greek, Phoenician and Byzantine civilisations, Andalucía is one of the most diverse and fascinating regions of Spain.
You’ll have a wild and wonderful walking vacation in the Picos de Europa, where small group and tailor made trips get your adrenalin pumping against the most bucolic of backdrops.
Yoga vacations in Spain rejuvenate the senses with a combination of Pilates, language lessons and guided meditation adding to the joys of year round warmth and sensational Spanish cuisine.
Leave the tourist trails on two wheels and see a side of the country far removed from the costas and the big smoke.
We value tips from our friends in Spain really highly so read on for recommendations from the experts and from travelers who have been there.
Travel right in Spain and you’ll quickly discover why the brain drain, dolphinaria, bull fighting and corruption in the construction industry are all worth researching.
Find all of our Spain guides in one place, from guides to Andalucia, Valencia or the Canary Islands to advice on activity vacations including walking and cycling.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Mathew MacQuarrie] [Top box: fotologic]
[Cabo de Gata: Gabriel Villena]
[Andrew Appleyard quote: JOSE LUIS HEREDIA]
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