Spain is one of our favorite countries that we have visited and holds a special place since it was the first one we visited as a couple. Not married, no kids, and freedom we didn’t truly appreciate. Since that trip, we’ve wanted to return, but life has changed, we are married, have a daughter and what’s important is a bit different, but that hasn’t stopped our love of travel and now we have a future traveler with us. Since we want to make it back to Spain, we thought it would be a good idea a look back at our first trip there and think what it would have been like to have Baby Fuller there with us. There are obviously some things we can still do, but some that might not be kid friendly. Follow along as we go city by city and give you some ideas of different activities that you can do with kids, with some tips sprinkled in.
Barcelona
First, Barcelona is a very walkable city. If you have littles that get tired easily or aren’t confident walkers, BRING A STROLLER. We were averaging 20k+ steps a day, you don’t want to be lugging around a tired toddler for that long. If they don’t want to go in the stroller, bribe them with snacks or an activity, but for the love of God bring the stroller. I’d suggest a canopy stroller, as it’s smaller and doesn’t take up as much space. Keep in mind, that if you stay in a rental or Airbnb chances are your apartment is a walk up or has a very tiny elevator. Try to pack as light as possible so you’re not killing yourself carting a huge stroller up and down couple flights of stairs.
One place that’s great for families is Parc de la Ciutadella. It’s a perfection location near the beach and about a 15-minute stroll to the La Rambla area. People of all ages enjoy the park, and it was easy to see why. They have a zoo, places to picnic and a little pond that you can rent a rowboat for.
If you’re there from May through September, then plan to head to one of Barcelona’s many beaches. Most have different activities going on throughout the day, play areas, public shower and bathrooms, and drink and ice cream kiosks. If you’re staying in the city, most beaches are quite easy to get to. Jack and I walked along many of them while out sightseeing and they were beautiful and expansive. Make sure to bring some spare change, as most of the public restrooms are not free.
Now, every child is different, but knowing our little girl, Mercat de La Boquería would be a fun place to take her. There are a lot of different treats to enjoy and there’s no shortage of food or people to look at. There’s multiple fruit and juice vendors by the entrance, so you’re able to get a sweet, healthy, and affordable treat right away for your little. Plus, if you take our advice and bring a canopy stroller, maneuvering around shouldn’t be too difficult.
Lastly, this is something you can’t really plan for, but almost all of the different public squares have some sort of show going on, could be dancing, musicians, singers, etc. When we ate dinner in Plaza Real, there were always different street artists preforming. It was fun to sit back and see several performances in one evening. These shows are something kids will enjoy that they might not get to experience at home.
Granada
Granada is a compact city that is very easy to navigate. It does get very hot in the summer, with no body of water around it for reprieve, so best to avoid the summer months June-August to not get caught in triple digit temperatures.
I think we both agree that Granada would best be enjoyed by older children, preferably teenagers. We think older kids would get a kick out of the Alcaiceria. The Alcaiceria is a street bazaar or street market filled with goods of all types, primarily Arab. Your kids will see and experience a robust culture of shopping and visuals they may not get at home. All the shops have such interesting and unique offerings it would be fun just to window shop, but even more fun to actually barter. Plus, when they’re a little older they know not to touch everything. Some items in the Alcaiceria, such as glass lanterns and light fixtures are extremely fragile and can be expensive. If something were to happen, best for the kid to be able to pay for it out of their allowance. 😉
The Alhambra fortress is the top tourist destination in Granada and it’s a large facility with plenty of room for kids to explore. There are endless and meticulous groomed gardens and untouched architecture is eye popping and it’s surreal that it is in such amazing shape. For families that do like history, there are plenty of tour options that are affordable. If you’re more like us and want to travel at your own pace, but don’t need to follow a guide, just purchase your entrance tickets ahead of time and stay for as long as you want or until your kids need a change of scenery.
There’s also the Sierra Nevada mountains about 30 minutes outside Granada. If you’re an outdoor family, there are a plenty of hiking and biking routes you can take during the warmer months. If you happen to be there in the winter, the Sierra Nevada mountains are some of the best skiing in Spain.
If you do have a baby, one that is not on the move and is content to just sit on your lap and look around, then, this is a great place to bring them along and they can watch you enjoy your wine and tapas. We have a very active toddler who has been on the move since 9 months so this would not fly with us.
Seville
This is another city that we’re not sure we would bring younger kids. Seville would probably best be enjoyed by preteens or teenagers.
There is Isla Mágica, which is an amusement park that would be perfect for preteens. It has roller coasters, different kinds of entertainment and a water park to help you cool off if you’re there in the warmer months. Seville, much like Granada, can get very hot in the summer. Plan accordingly.
Something that might pique the interest of older kids/teens would be the bullfighting museum. You don’t need to watch an actual bullfight if you chose not to, but the museum goes into the history of the tradition. There’s costumes, photos and paintings dedicated to the tradition. It’s also in Real Maestranza, the oldest bullring in the world.
Another Spanish tradition that might prove to be a winner is going to a Flamenco performance. Flamenco originated in southern Spain, in the Andalusian region, which is where Seville is located. After seeing a live Flamenco performance, we feel like it would be difficult to not enjoy yourself regardless of age. Even for those of you that have the teenage boy who is too cool to do anything, they may not admit it, but they’ll slowly get hooked.
Madrid
Looking back and knowing how baby Fuller is, I think Madrid is probably the city that would be the most enjoyable for her. She’s a girl on the move and constantly curious but loves to people watch and play. As I mentioned for Barcelona, and this truly is applicable for all the cities in this list, BRING THE DAMN STROLLER!
Retiro Park is the perfect place to go with family, doesn’t really matter the ages as there’s a little something for everyone. They have puppet shows, street performers, singers and bands, a man-made lake where you can rent boats, and then so many other things to do. We spent the day there bumming and brought a picnic lunch which would be fun and cost effective for a family, especially if you time it with one of the performances.
San Miguel Food Market, I think this is best for either younger kids, ones that will be content in the stroller or older kids. It’s all food stalls but makes for amazing people watching while you mow down on some delicious eats. Baby Fuller would enjoy looking at all the people and then all the colorful foods in the cases.
Lastly, Casa de Campo Park would be a great stop as it has so many different activities for kids, and again it’s all ages. They have an amusement park, zoo and aquarium and a public pool. This is another park where you could make a day of it, and everyone would enjoy.
Of course, we aren’t forgetting soccer, especially for families with kids who are older. If you’re a soccer loving family or even really just one who loves to experience life like a local, then seeing a soccer match with Real Madrid, Athletico de Madrid, FC Barcelona, Seville FC or any of the top soccer clubs in Spain, would be quite an experience. Everyone is soccer crazy there, and it would be an experience to remember.
Spain is such a great country, don’t let having a family get you discouraged about traveling there. You can still have your wine and tapas, just do a little research before going to ensure you have enough family friendly activities planned along the way. Know there are plenty of shows, museums, parks, food and wine (for the parents to help get through the tough days) to choose from and your kids will never forget this amazing country.