Family · 7 min read
Spain with Children: Cities, Pacing, Heat and Car Seats
How to plan a relaxed family trip to Spain: where to base yourselves, how to pace each day around heat and late dinners, and what Spanish rules say about child seats.
Spain guide
Read before you go
Written by people who plan these trips, checked against official sources, with the review date on every guide.
Destination guides
Places worth knowing
Landmark · Madrid
Royal Palace of Madrid
The official residence of the Spanish royal family and one of the largest royal palaces in Western Europe. The state rooms, the royal pharmacy and the armoury fill a morning.
Tip: Combine it with the Sabatini Gardens and the Almudena Cathedral next door.
Official website ↗
Park / garden · Madrid
Retiro Park
Madrid's green lung: the boating lake, the glass Crystal Palace and shady avenues made for an afternoon walk with children.
Tip: In summer, go after 5 pm when the heat eases.
Official website ↗
Landmark · Madrid
Plaza Mayor
A 17th-century arcaded square in the heart of old Madrid, ringed with cafés and turned into a Christmas market in December.
Tip: Have coffee in a side street — cafés on the square cost more.
Market · Madrid
Mercado de San Miguel
An early-20th-century iron-and-glass market by the Plaza Mayor, now a hall for tasting small Spanish plates.
Tip: It gets crowded in the evening; midday is calmer with children.
Official website ↗
Park / garden · Barcelona
Park Güell
Gaudí's hillside park above Barcelona, with its colourful mosaic benches and the famous dragon at the entrance.
Tip: The monumental zone needs a timed ticket — book it on the official website.
Official website ↗
Landmark · Barcelona
Casa Batlló and Passeig de Gràcia
Gaudí's rippling façade of 'bones and scales' on Barcelona's grandest shopping avenue.
Tip: Walk on to Casa Milà (La Pedrera) to see two Gaudí buildings in one stroll.
Official website ↗
Landmark · Barcelona
Sagrada Família
Gaudí's masterpiece, begun in 1882 and still under construction; the coloured light inside stays with you.
Tip: Tickets sell out in high season — book on the official website before you travel.
Official website ↗
Neighbourhood · Barcelona
Gothic Quarter
A maze of stone lanes around the cathedral, with Roman wall fragments, small squares and cafés.
Tip: Best early in the morning, before the lanes fill up.