Family holidays without the hassle!
Deciding on the perfect city for your family holidays, or even the idea of travelling when your family starts to grow, can be daunting. There are so many different factors to take into account: the choice of suitable accommodation options and the range of leisure activities on offer. That’s why Lookout Pro, thanks to Holidu, the search engine for vacation rentals, has drawn up a classification system to show which cities in Spain take the best care of families by offering the highest ratios per inhabitant in terms of family apartments, amusement parks, zoos, aquariums and ice cream shops—because being a parent is not an easy task!
1. San Sebastian
First place on the ranking goes to San Sebastian. This beautiful, green coastal city in the Basque Country won top place from all the cities in Spain. Parents in San Sebastian have everything they need. The variety of entertainment options for children stand out in San Sebastian, and it is the city with the highest proportion of amusement parks and children’s play centres in Spain.
Options include the Monte Igueldo amusement park and the city’s beautiful aquarium, which puts San Sebastian in second place in terms of the highest ratio of zoos/aquariums per inhabitant.
2. Granada
The Nasrid city of Andalusia comes in second place. Granada is ideally located between the mountains and the sea, and it offers everything parents need when travelling with their children, especially accommodation—it is the Spanish city with the highest percentage of family-friendly apartments. Kids will have a great time in Granada discovering the wonders of nature, as the city also stands out for its high proportion of zoos and aquariums per inhabitant thanks to the Biodome in the local Science Park.
3. Santander
Our top three cities are rounded off with Santander for its family-friendly services. The Cantabrian capital on the Atlantic coast features a range of services to attract family tourism. The city’s main attraction is its selection of zoos and aquariums per inhabitant, which is the highest in Spain thanks to the Magdalena Marine Park, a beautiful place to go on a walk with the family.
4. Alicante
Alicante comes in fourth place. Alicante comes in 7 places ahead of Valencia, standing out as the city with the highest density of ice cream shops per person in Spain. It also makes life easy for families when it comes to choosing accommodation.
There is no shortage of entertainment either, as the city also boasts an impressive range of leisure options, with children’s play centres such as El Mundo de los Niños on Alicante’s seafront. The only drawback the city has is its lack of zoos and aquariums for children to have fun learning about nature.
5. Córdoba
Cordoba, located in the region of Andalusia, comes in fifth on the ranking with a score of 5.70/10, overtaking Seville by 7 places thanks to its wide range of leisure options and family-friendly services. Cordoba stands out for its selection of family-friendly holiday accommodation. It also has a great selection of ice cream shops, including parlours such as La Flor de Levante, which has several branches throughout the city offering a delicious array of homemade ice cream.
6. Cádiz:
In sixth place lies Cadiz. This beautiful coastal city in warm and sunny Andalusia falls just outside the top 5. Cádiz not only offers carnivals, dips in the sea and fried fish, but it also stands out for its family-friendly services.
The city’s strong point is family accommodation. It is also the third Spanish city in terms of ice cream shops per inhabitant, including parlous like La Cremería, which is just a stone’s throw from the seafront. So there’s no excuse not to give the little ones a treat!
7. Oviedo
The capital of the Principality of Asturias lies in seventh place. Oviedo has a lot for family holidays, especially when it comes to accommodation. The destination is also full of fun for the little ones without worrying about the queues, given the high density of zoos/aquariums in Oviedo. Highlights include El Bosque, a zoo located in the nearby town of San Esteban de las Cruces, just 5.4km away from Oviedo. However, if your kids have a sweet tooth, you will have to resort to classic Oviedo confectionery, such as moscovitas biscuits from Rialto or cakes from Carbayones. Ice cream parlours in the city are rather scarce, and it has the lowest ratio in Spain.
8. Málaga
Malaga comes in at eighth place, and the beautiful, warm port city on the Costa del Sol. Malaga has a lot to offer to young and old alike, starting with its high percentage of family apartments. It’s no trouble at all to find a refreshing ice cream in Malaga, as it comes second in terms of ice cream shops per inhabitant, falling just behind Alicante. One of the best options is Heladería Inma, a small, traditional parlour that has been serving homemade ice cream since 1972. On the other hand, the city lacks zoos and aquariums, and you will need to travel to Fuengirola or Benalmadena to find them, which are 32km and 18km away.
9. Tarragona
Tarragona, the Catalan port city on the Mediterranean coast, comes in at ninth place. The city has a multitude of ice cream shops that will delight young and old alike, including Gabri Olivier, where they serve delicious homemade ice creams as well as refreshing glasses of horchata. The range of children’s entertainment in the city still needs some improvement, as there is a shortage of amusement parks, children’s play centres, zoos and aquariums—which is where the city gets its lowest scores.
10. Almería
Our top 10 list comes to a close with Almería. Located between the sea and the desert, Almeria is surrounded by beautiful landscapes, and it has no shortage of services to make parents’ lives easier.
