Andalusia with children is great. You will find beautiful cities, wonderful natural areas and the sea is always close by. Even though the sun shines 300 days a year in Andalusia, it can sometimes rain. Don’t worry, there are plenty of activities to do with kids in bad weather. What is there to do in Andalusia with children?
A common phrase is ‘If the kids are having fun, we’ll have fun too’. Sure that’s true, you don’t want to walk through the cosy streets of a pretty white mountain village with a whiny rascal, but do you as a parent always get happy sitting on a bench at the playground for the umpteenth time or strolling around an amusement park all day? We don’t. That’s why we always looked for good combinations so that we all had fun.
We think Andalusia with children is a perfect place for such a combination. The weather often cooperates nicely and there are many different activities to choose from, so it never gets boring.
Activities with children in Andalusia’s nature
Andalusia is known to many for its beautiful cities and many beaches. But a little further inland from the Costa del Sol are unique natural areas, which need not be boring for children.
Extraordinary karst stone mountains El Torcal National Park is a unique area that makes hiking fun for children. The area is characterised by unique rock formations. The rocks here appear to be stacked on top of each other like a stack of pancakes. Each ‘pancake’ is a million years old and was formed when this area was below sea level. A fun pole walk takes you through this area with occasional scrambling and climbing, walking through a crevice in the rocks and past lovely picnic spots. Along the way, if you look carefully, you might even come across a mountain goat.
River walks in Andalusia
In summer, walks where you can paddle or swim are highly recommended. Near Finca Las Nuevas, you can take an adventurous walk through a river and there is also a walk to a waterfall where you have to jump over a small stream several times. Success is guaranteed for a fun day out with kids! T
he King’s Trail; Caminito del Rey Our Álora municipality is also home to the world-famous Caminito del Rey. This spectacular plank path along cliffs is a special experience for children over eight years old (younger children are not allowed). The route is about seven kilometres and you walk it in one direction. Back you go by bus. There are plans to make it a circular walk, but it is not yet that far. Remember to book your tickets in time, as this is a much sought-after experience.
Swimming in beautiful lakes
Near the Caminito del Rey are the lakes of Ardales. These turquoise-coloured lakes in the forests are an idyllic place to relax and swim. You can also rent a pedal with a slide, some extra exercise for the parents and lots of fun for the kids! Teenagers may find it more fun to take to the lake in a kayak or paddleboard.
Cultural and entertaining Andalusia with children
You can also alternate the nature activities well with fun days out to the typical white Andalusian mountain villages, the beautiful cities or to amusement parks and other entertainment activities. As I mentioned earlier, we liked combinations. Something fun for us and something fun for the kids.
Mijas Pueblo
We found the white mountain village of Mijas very suitable for this purpose. OK, it is a very touristy village, but it is also a beautiful village. You can have a nice stroll through the narrow streets with white houses and blue flower pots on the walls. There are beautiful views of the sea and maybe you can even see Africa. If it does get a bit hot in summer, the children can cool down in the village square. Here they can run through the water fountains.
If you are looking for a tasty activity, there is a nice place where you can make your chocolate bars. Fun and tasty for young and old alike. You can read more about it on our website.
Málaga
Of course, a visit to the port city of Málaga is not to be missed on a holiday in Andalusia. You might be a little apprehensive about visiting a city with children. But if you have the time, there are many opportunities to have a relaxing day in Málaga. The port area near Muelle uno has a nice promenade where there is some playground equipment, and you can also hire go-karts so the kids can have a great time touring around the pedestrianised area.
Walk a little further and you’ll get to the beautiful sandy beach of Malagueta. The city is largely car-free and pedestrianised, giving the city centre a relaxed atmosphere. In the Soho district, there are more and more murals, which are fun to look for. By extension, this district also has a museum with 3D murals where you are guaranteed to have fun for an hour or more. Perfect for a hot day when you want to take a break from the coolness of an air conditioner, but also ideal on a rainy day.
A fun outing in the city for older children is a visit to the hammam. In a Moorish atmosphere, you can spend two hours bathing here in candlelight. Just put your swimwear in your bag, towels are provided. Afterwards, you can continue exploring the city fresh and refreshed.
Did you know that Málaga is fun to visit all day long, so plenty of time? If you are with small children, west of Málaga at the beach there is a park where children can play with water, here there is a small pool, buckets of water that tip over, fountains and other entertainment.
And then, of course, you have the cultural attractions such as the Alcazaba, a Moorish fortress on top of the mountain, and the open-air theatre.
Entertainment
Even if you have a day to spare or need to find something to do, there is plenty of entertainment on the Costa del Sol, including a dolphinarium, a butterfly garden, a zoo and several water parks with spectacular slides. Inland, you can go to a fun wolf park.
Bad weather activities with children in Andalusia
You’ll always see that you come for the glorious Andalusian sun, which shines here 300 days a year, and then it rains. What then? No problem even if the weather is bad, you can find fun things to do with children here. As I wrote before, in Mijas you can take a workshop to make chocolate bars. Delicious and a fun activity for young and old alike. In Málaga, both young and older children can expend their energy in the trampoline park.
If you are looking for something more cultural, there are great museums with children in Málaga. For example, the car museum or the music museum where children are allowed to touch musical instruments undisturbed. Or the aforementioned museum with 3D murals. You can also go underground, where the weather is always good.
In Nerja, there are beautiful stalactite caves. A little closer to our house, you have the extraordinary cave of Ardales, here you can see more than 5,000-year-old petroglyphs.
Want to get more ideas for a holiday in Andalusia with kids? Then request the free ebook here.
Child-friendly accommodation in Andalusia
By now you have become enthusiastic about a holiday with children in Andalusia. Then we would be delighted to welcome you as guests at our holiday homes at Finca Las Nuevas. Our holiday homes are housed in a hundred-year-old farmhouse located in the mountains, forty minutes outside Málaga near the white village of Álora.
The houses are characterised by their space with lots of privacy, no sofa beds, but fine beds and unique decoration. An advantage of staying in a holiday home instead of a hotel or Bed and Breakfast is that you have complete freedom. Some children are early birds and want to have breakfast well before breakfast time. This is possible in a holiday home.
Our holiday homes have an extensive kitchen with a large fridge with freezer compartment, so you can easily make your meals. For your convenience, we can also serve your breakfast without you having to wait ;), or you can order fresh rolls from us.
We also provide regular dinners. By the way, did you know that in Spain, the main meal is eaten in the afternoon? This is ideal if you go on holiday with small children. This makes it easy to eat out with your offspring. Don’t worry, Spaniards love children, so if they are a bit lively, no one will look at you strangely. An additional advantage is that you can then enjoy the sunset in the evening on one of our terraces.
Some people wonder whether staying in a holiday home on a mountain is fun for their children or whether it is boring. Children are used to having lots of entertainment, but do you know that children always have fun with us? That’s because, with us, they can have a great time wandering around the land. They can explore and collect beautiful treasures from nature. You can also take a dip in our pool at night, which is lit up. How special to be the only one in the pool watching the sunset! How unique it is to be surrounded by nature, where you can hear birds singing, where you can see shooting stars because it still gets dark here.
And what is perhaps also nice to tell… children sleep like roses here (and so do the parents). There have been many instances of babies sleeping through for the first time here!
I hope you have now become enthusiastic about a holiday with children in Andalusia! If you come with us, we will do everything we can to make sure you have a great holiday! Will we see you soon? If you have any questions, feel free to let us know.
Hasta pronto!
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