Family-friendly holidays in the Costa del Sol

by Natalie Laurence
(Brighton)

The stretching buttercup sands, warm sea, hoards of attractions and accommodating, delicious restaurants make the Costa del Sol ideal for families. You and your little ones will have a sunny and adventurous time in any of these easygoing, amiable towns. So here are our top attractions to keep kids entertained over the holidays.

Water parks

During the baking summer months in the Costa del Sol there are two water parks that become extremely popular when the heat begins to sizzle. Both the parks are massive and contain a variety of aqua rides, so boredom is not an option.

Aqualand Torremolinos is the larger of the two and in fact the biggest in Europe. The heart racing slides, twisting rides, relaxing Jacuzzis and pools are ideal for young and older members of the family; your entire brood is sure to have a splashing day out.


Parque Acuatico Mijas is located next to Fuengirola and though compact is beautifully dotted with bright green trees. It has a winding layout with a wide variety of slides, shoots and rides.

Zoos, wildlife, and marine life

The warm year-round weather makes the south of Spain a model climate for animals, which is why it comes as no surprise that there is a myriad of zoos here to choose from. The scorching heat at midday makes both kids and animals lethargic and dozy, so opt for mornings or cooler afternoons for a visit everyone will relish.


Bioparc Fuengirola is a maze-like zoo full of exotic animals including tigers, leopards, orangutans and the incredible lemur island.


Selwo Aventura is an awesome safari park near Estepona offering up beautiful, spacious grounds where you can take heart-pumping treks and come up close to beasts of the wild.


Selwo Marina is the baby brother of Aventura but deals with the more aquatic animals on our planet. Snuggled in the centre of Benalmadena it boasts an impressive sea life museum with plenty of live dolphin and penguin shows.


Crocodile Park is for those with a brave head who don’t mind handling some snappy friends. Home to more than 300 species of crocodiles and reptiles it is a unique spot to visit where wallowing crocs watch you with their beady eyes: heart-racing!

Safe Family Fun

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Theme parks and fairs

In the summertime travelling
ferias bring vibrancy and excitement to the Spanish coast, and are events not to be missed.


Tivoli World is a permanent theme park in the South and the colourful carriages; stalls of fluffy candy floss and go karting are perfect for inquisitive kids.

Beaches

The mile long swathes of silky sand and inviting powder blue sea are enough to keep any barefoot beach lover happy. On the vast beaches you can spend days chilling, dipping into the bath warm ocean, or playing sandcastles with the kids. There are various restaurants lining the seafronts, so with ample choice of yummy menus you will be able to please the whole family.