People go on holidays to have a good time and disconnect from their daily routine. A prospect that looks good on paper but can become somewhat complicated if you’re planning on travelling with children.

Children require a range of leisure options and a suitable environment, so that they and their parents can make the most of their time.

One destination that never goes out of fashion – and which perfectly meets these requirements – is Madrid. The Spanish capital boasts some of the country’s best theme parks, with Parque Warner being the best known, comprising various themed areas including Superheroes World, Hollywood Boulevard, Old West Territory, Movie World Studios and Cartoon Village.

With a series of roller coasters, free-falls (only for adults), swinging chairs and adventures with Scooby Doo, the Parque Warner is sure to test the nerves of the whole family.

Another plan that may be appealing to the whole family is a tour of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Tours are given daily, with visitors given access to all areas of this legendary stadium. If you’ve got football lovers at home, we recommend trying to find space in your schedule for this tour.

While Madrid is home to a vast array of museums, many of them might be a tad boring for children. However, there are several museums which may arouse their interest. One such example is the Wax Museum, which is home to 450 models representing stars from the worlds of art, history, children’s entertainment, horror and the big screen.

Another child-friendly museum is the Natural Science Museum, which holds summer camps for children aged 5 to 12. This year, the camps will be held between June 24 and September 6.

If your family prefers spending time outdoors, perhaps a cable car ride might be more appealing to all. This 2.5-kilometre stretch, reaching a maximum height of 40 metres, offers unbeatable panoramic views over the city, and is also the best way to reach the Casa de Campo park: here, you can spend a few enjoyable hours having a picnic or going on a leisurely stroll.

We can’t forget animal lovers in this article! Children are sure to love looking around the Zoo-Aquarium, found within the Casa de Campo itself. It is home to over 2,000 animals from over 500 different species, and also holds various birds, dolphins and sea lions shows, amongst others.

Staying on the theme of animals, the Faunia theme park allows visitors to interact with its inhabitants (e.g. swimming with sea lions or sleeping with penguins), with children also welcome to attend a series of summer camps.

And let’s not forget about parks! Madrid has an endless selection of parks, with Madrid Río standing out from the rest. This park has 17 leisure areas including an artificial beach, a ‘jungle’ and a series of brilliantly fun swings conceived for children of all ages.

 

Mealtime

It goes without saying that almost all restaurants will have a kids’ menu or scaled-down dishes. Nonetheless, Madrid is also home to several very special proposals that focus primarily on their youngest diners.

One such example is Restaulandia, where all the focus is on the children.  This restaurant offers a healthy menu that is entirely free of fast foods, and also puts on live shows, kids’ entertainers, dances in the ‘mini-disco’ and other fun workshops, etc.

Another option is La Excéntrica: a tavern especially conceived for families, which has a kids’ ballpark and painting area. On weekends, this restaurant also employs a monitor to keep an eye on the little ones as they’re having fun.

Enigmatium might be a good idea for slightly older children, as it puts on comedy shows, magic performances and other spectacles that are sure to keep the whole family entertained.

Where to sleep

After a long day keeping the kids entertained, a good night’s rest is essential. For a luxurious sleep, we recommend the Hotel Miguel Angel by BlueBay*****. Located in the exclusive Salamanca neighbourhood, and with magnificent views over the Paseo de la Castellana, this hotel has a spa and fitness centre that is perfect for disconnecting after a long day…a well-deserved treat for the parents!