10 Family-Friendly Plans in Granada

Granada's Science Park has become the most visited museum in Andalusia since its opening in 1995. This large space, covering 7 hectares, is just a few minutes' walk from Granada's old centre and is the perfect place to spend hours and hours with your family. Why? Because it's a museum in which you can touch practically everything (it was Andalusia's first interactive science museum) and because there are activities and exhibitions for all ages. Among the permanent exhibitions, special mention should go to those dedicated to the Earth's biodiversity and the human body. Don't miss the butterfly farm and the planetarium. Your children will never want to leave!

Andalusia's Museum of Memory makes it very clear that there is not just 1, but many Andalusias. Its 4 rooms explain the region's natural, social and cultural diversity, from Roman times to today, without overlooking Moorish Al-Ándalus, of course. The museum is ideal for families, as it offers numerous activities involving textures, smells, sounds, music, etc. for babies aged from 6 to 36 months, with a wealth of other activities for older children. Among their favourites are the guided visits, the workshops, the storytellers and the treasure hunts. Spend an unforgettable day with your family!

Flamenco's origins are not at all clear, with a number of different theories put forward, but what is beyond question is that few things are so truly Andalusian. The flamenco we know today dates back to the 18th century. No visit to Granada is complete without taking in a tablao or flamenco show. If you're travelling with children – even better! They're bound to end up loving this style of music and dance that is so typical of Spain. In the caves in the Albaicín and Sacromonte neighbourhoods, you will find numerous places where you can enjoy a flamenco show over drinks or dinner. These establishments also tend to offer discounts for the youngest and children's menus.

The Federico García Lorca park, just 10 minutes from the city centre in the Camino de Ronda neighbourhood, is a green space dedicated to the famous local poet. One of the curious details of this park, with its contemporary design, is that it is next to García Lorca's family's summer house. In its more than 7 hectares, you will find a lake, fountains, a petanque area and a children's play area where your kids will have a great time. This is unquestionably the perfect place to go for a stroll, do some sport, walk your dog or have a drink and a bite to eat. If you come in the spring, you will be rewarded with the countless rose bushes in flower!

Granada has a tourist train service that allows you to get on and off as often as you want. There are few easier, more fun options when on holiday with your family. This is especially true if you have small children, as we all know how quickly they can get tired or bored. Thanks to Granada's tourist train with its panoramic roof, they will be kept entertained throughout the journey. There are 2 train lines, one during the day, the other during the evening. The former runs through the Albaicín, Sacromonte and Realejo neighbourhoods. The latter allows you to enjoy Granada as the sun sets and evening falls, with the stunning play of light and shadow on the city's illuminated monuments.

The Alhambra is Granada's most visited monument. No visitor to the city ever wants to miss out on the world's best-conserved medieval Muslim citadel. Reserve a guided tour for all the family and discover this monumental palace-fortress complex from the time of Al-Andalus together. You can visit its palaces (which totalled 6 in the complex's heyday), its patios and gardens. Guided tours tend to last approximately 3 hours and include a sophisticated audiophone system that ensures that you don't miss any details. We recommend that you reserve your guided tour as soon as you know when you will be visiting Granada to make sure that you are not disappointed.

A bicycle tour of Granada is a plan the whole family will love, as you can explore at your own pace. Granada has only about 50 days of rain each year, so it's a perfect place to hire bikes and enjoy the open air. If you prefer a guided tour, there are also 3-hour monitored routes that will take you to some of the most popular sites: the Royal Monastery of St Jerome, Granada cathedral (one of the pinnacles of the Spanish Renaissance), the Campo del Príncipe (a delightful plaza in the old Jewish quarter), the Puerta de la Justicia (the grandest of the 4 gates to the walled Alhambra site), the Paseo de los Tristes (a thoroughfare that winds between the Alhambra and the Albaicín alongside the River Darro) and the San Nicolás lookout point, which offers a complete panorama of the city.

The Los Italianos ice cream parlour is considered the city's best by many locals. This busy shop right in the centre of Granada serves all manner of traditionally made ice cream in cones or tubs. It offers a seemingly endless list of flavours at great prices , and even though it might be packed, you will always be served swiftly and with a smile. Speaking of the shop's other customers, did you know that Michelle Obama once tried the ice creams at Los Italianos? Although the flavour you choose is obviously up to you, one of the most popular here is La Casata – vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and cream flavours with candied fruit and almonds, served in an ice cream cone. What better than to treat your children after a tiring day spent sightseeing?

Going for a walk in the Granada city centre, at the foot of the Alhambra Palace, is a great family-friendly outing. Make sure everyone in the family is wearing comfortable footwear and stroll through the narrow medieval streets that will take you back to the 13th century. Here, you will find Granada Cathedral and its Royal Chapel, one of the city's main sites. Near here is La Alcaicería, an Arab-style market that specialises in the sale of arts and crafts – a great place to buy a souvenir of your holiday! If you haven't maxed out your credit card, go to Calle Zacatín and check out the luxury fashion outlets. When it's time for a rest, head for Plaza Nueva and have a coffee or grab a table at any city centre bar and order some local tapas.

The Huerta de San Vicente is a must-visit site for literature lovers. This was the popular name given to the García Lorca family's summer house, which they used from 1926 to 1936, a short while after the poet was assassinated during the first weeks of the Spanish Civil War. In fact, it was here that García Lorca wrote his most famous works, such as Blood Wedding' in 1932. Today, it is a house-museum with guided tours and various concerts and cultural events. This is a great chance to introduce your children to such an important figure in Spanish literature. Next door is Federico García Lorca park, so you can promise them swings and slides after the museum!