Family tourism: the best urban destinations in Spain for travelling with children
Are you looking for an urban family destination for your next holiday? We have prepared a variety of different ideas for you, which you are going to love. As soon as you tell them all about the impressive water parks and attractions that these cities are home to, there will be no stopping them from packing their suitcases.
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Barcelona and Port Aventura
If you travel to Catalonia, you can opt for this combination that means guaranteed success with your little ones. We suggest you spend a few days in Barcelona and take the opportunity to make a getaway to PortAventura World, just over 100 kilometres away. From Barcelona, you can get there easily by car or by bus (bus + entrance packages are available with a 10% discount) or by train (free ticket with your park entrance ticket).During your time in Barcelona, you have a wide variety of options: touring Poble Espanyol (replicating some of Spain's most emblematic attractions), visiting the amusement park located on Tibidabo mountain, visiting fairytale-like buildings designed by Gaudí, including Park Güell and Casa Batlló.The trip to PortAventura will just be the icing on the cake. It is home to incredible attractions including the famous Furius Baco roller coaster, as well as the Ferrari Land theme park and the Caribe Aquatic Park water park. If you are planning on a longer stay in this area, keep in mind that the complex also has hotels and a beach club, with direct access to the beach. The perfect holiday for your little ones!
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Valencia and the City of Arts and Sciences
A city within another city? This renowned area of Valencia consists of a series of buildings with futuristic shapes designed by Santiago Calatrava that will really capture your imagination. The scientific and cultural leisure complex is perfect for family visits. What will you find here? The Hemisfèric 3D cinema, the Science Museum, the Palace of the Arts, the Umbracle garden or the “jewel in the crown”: The Oceanogràfic aquarium. This is the largest aquarium in Europe and we assure you that visiting it is quite an experience. Grab a bite to eat at its underwater restaurant, meet the only beluga whales in Europe or explore its very long underwater tunnel full of sharks.We recommend spending a full day getting to know this entire complex. The rest of your days in Valencia will be equally as fun, as potential plans include visiting to the Bioparc zoo or taking a boat ride at sunset through Albufera.
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Oasys Minihollywood, in Almería
Ready to buckle up for a western adventure? If you want to see for yourself what it was like for real cowboys from the Wild West, then head to the peaceful city of Almería, as less than half an hour away by car is the Oasys Minihollywood theme park. It is located in Tabernas, the only desert area in Europe. This is a very special place, as it served as the setting for films including “Lawrence of Arabia”, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, “For a Few Dollars More” or “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. At Oasys Minihollywood, they now perform shows such as cancan dances or western shows. You can also visit the cinema museum and a large zoological reserve that is home to more than 800 animals. Imagine your children dressed up as authentic Red Skin Indians!
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Dinópolis dinosaur park in Teruel
Travel back in time to when dinosaurs inhabited the Earth. This experience is awaiting you in the city of Teruel, home to the find Dinopolis, a large theme park dedicated to dinosaurs. And what awaits you at this special place? A Paleontological Museum containing bones of the largest dinosaur in Europe, the robotic recreation of an impressive Tyrannosaurus Rex, a trip in special vehicles to go back in time to the Big Bang, the Jurassic Sea themed tour, a 4D simulator and a small amusement park.Once back in the small and charming city of Teruel, hop on a tourist train (only runs at the weekends in winter) to explore all it has to offer or discover one of the most important love legends of the Middle Ages as a family, “the lovers of Teruel”, Diego and Isabel.
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Madrid and its countless leisure options
It’s impossible not to include the Spanish capital in this list. There are so many options available that you could organise several days in the city making only plans to suit children's tastes. If what you are looking for is the thrill of a roller coaster, then you can dedicate a whole day to visiting the theme park or the Warner Bros Theme Park (which can be reached easily by public transport). If you prefer to interact with animals, then head to the Zoo Aquarium or the Faunia. And if you're looking to cool down in summer, there are several water parks to choose from, such as Aquopolis Villanueva or Warner Beach.A fan of museums? Then, in addition to the classics, there is a host of “new generation” museums where new technologies are a guarantee of amazing interactivity: Nomad Immersive Museum, Museum of Illusions, Museum of Happiness, Sweet Space Museum, the list goes on.You can also head to any of the musicals on show in the city dedicated to little ones, enjoy the puppets in the beautiful El Retiro park and even visit a city made on a children's scale, the Micropolix.
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Donostia-San Sebastián and its “belle époque” atmosphere
This coastal city in the Basque Country will fascinate you with its beauty. As well as enjoying the city on foot, it has a variety of entertaining plans to offer. The first is a ride on the 1912 funicular train to Monte Igueldo Amusement Park. This very special place harks back to the belle epoque, with its attractions retaining the essence of the early 20th century and the views available over La Concha Bay are spectacular. Want more ideas? Visit the recently refurbished Aquarium, with its 360º acrylic tunnel suspended in the water and surrounded by sharks and manta rays. And experiment with science at Eureka! Zientzia Museoa, home to a digital planetarium, a room containing LEGO material or simulation areas such as a MAXFLIGHT flight cockpit.
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Santander and Cabárceno
You cannot imagine just how pleasant it is to take a stroll along the La Magdalena peninsula in this Cantabrian city. As well as admiring its palace and sea views, children will be delighted by the marine park and children's playground here. The city itself is home to the Cantabrian Maritime Museum and an impressive aquarium as well as typical boat rides to enjoy views of the most beautiful bays in the world.Just a 25-minute car ride away from Santander is Cabárceno Wildlife Park. This huge outdoor space is home to almost 150 species from all over the world in semi-freedom. An unforgettable experience.
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Seville or the planet Naboo?
That is the thought that will come to mind while you stroll through Plaza de España in Seville. Not only is it one of the most beautiful squares in the world, it also served as the setting for the Star Wars film “Episode II – Attack of the Clones.” In addition to playing at being Princess Amidala (Nathalie Portman), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) or R2D2, you take a ride on a little boat or tour the square and Parque María Luisa, located next to the square, in a horse-drawn carriage.The fun doesn't end there. Seville is also home to Isla Mágica: one of the most intriguing theme parks in the country, as it is set in the discovery of America. More ideas? Seville Aquarium does not disappoint and nor does a boat ride along the River Guadalquivir.
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Burgos and a full immersion in Prehistory
If you want to know all about the origins of mankind on Earth, you cannot miss the Museum of Human Evolution in this city. This modern building will teach you all about the findings made at the famous Atapuerca archaeological site, one of the most important in the world, home to human fossils dating back 1.2 million years. What's more, it is open to visitors. Round off the experience by taking a 4x4 safari through Paleolítico Vivo, where you will experience a full immersion in Prehistory and learn about some of the animals that inhabited Europe 10,000 years ago.Not far from Burgos is Mina Esperanza: a journey into the depths of the Earth at a former mine.
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Family Tourism Stamp
There are three locations in Spain that have received this certificate, applied to urban destinations. This means they offer a variety of services designed with families in mind. Firstly, Málaga, a city whose different leisure options includes the OXO Video Game Museum. Secondly, Segovia, which is home, for example, to the International Festival of Titirimundi Puppets in May. And last but not least, Palencia: not far from the city are a variety of interesting excursions, including a boat ride on the Canal de Castilla (an incredible work of civil engineering dating back to the 18th century), the Roman town of La Olmeda and Bison Bonasus: a reserve that offers visitors the opportunity to see European bison up close.
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