There’s plenty to see and do all across the region of Andalucía, but with kids in tow more thought needs to be given about the surrounding area and attractions on offer before you decide on which area to base your holiday. We’ve highlighted some of the favourites from different provinces in the region.
Five great places to visit with or without children in Southern Spain include:
Mini Hollywood in Almeria – This includes three independent sites the Oasys Theme Park, Fort Bravo and Western Leone. All of them are located in Tabernas, Europe´s only desert. Many of the famous spaghetti western films were shot here in the 1960s, such as A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Quick Tip: Take a look at this article for the best theme parks in the UK.
Oasys Theme Park is the largest of all three and worthy of a whole day, it’s open from 10am to 9pm. Covering an area of around 30 hectares its comprised of the Western Village, a zoo and a pool which is open in summer months. More than 4.000 trees and 20.000 plants are home to around 800 animals, 175 different species of which are protected. The Western Village hosts daily “Western Shows” , live action-packed shoot-outs with a real cowboy feel.
Fort Bravo is comprised of a saloon, jail, shops, bank and stables. It has a Mexican “stage scene” with a square, church, peasant homes and homesteads. If horse riding on your agenda they can be hired here for a trek through the desert.
Western town is the smallest complex and is still used for film shoots today. Budding cowboys will love this film set and the regular “cowboy shows” that take place, so hold onto your hats and prepare for battle.
Parque de las Ciencias in Granada – This is a fantastic hands-on science exhibition for kids and a favourite for school trippers. My boys absolutely loved it and didn´t stop recalling bits for days. It´s also a great base to keep parent and kids happy, with The Alhambra Palace and city for parents followed by a real kids fun destination which will be enjoyed by all generations.
Isla Magica in Seville – As one of Andalucía’s largest amusement park it may need more than one visit! There are plenty of rides for all age groups, yes parents too. The water rides in particular are fantastic fun on hot summer days. Plenty of entertainment is on offer including flamenco shows and pirate re-enactments. Like Granada, Seville makes a good base to get in some culture and keep the kids happy as well.
Jerez Zoo in Cádiz – This is the biggest of Andalucía’s zoos and is home to over 1,300 animals, 200 different species from all five continents. Spain´s only white tiger that has bred cubs in captivity is here. This combined with great beaches and plenty of wine cellars to visit makes Cádiz a good choice.
Nerja Caves in Malaga– These incredible caverns, reported to be more than 5 million years old, are the most important Prehistoric sites on the Mediterranean just 3km from the coastal town of Nerja. The caves, more than 4,000 meters in length, contain stalagmites, stalactites & the world´s widest column which reaches 32metres high. There´s also Palaeolithic wall paintings and a museum, every July a festival of flamenco music and dance is held inside one of the cave sections which has formed a natural amphitheatre.
