Seville and Granada with Kids: Andalusia for Families

Andalusia is the part of Spain that feels like another century. Donkey-led carriages clatter past 13th-century mosques, kids eat ice cream in Moorish gardens, and somewhere in the distance someone is always playing a guitar. Seville and Granada with kids is one of the warmest, friendliest, easiest European trips you can take - if you book the Alhambra months in advance, eat dinner at 8 (not 6), and pace the heat correctly.

This is the trip my friends ask me about every February. Here is the full plan.

Best Time to Visit Andalusia with Kids

March, April, October, and November. Andalusia is HOT in summer - July and August regularly hit 105 degrees, and Seville bakes. Spring and fall are 65 to 80 degrees, comfortable, and the orange trees bloom in March/April. December and January are cool but pleasant.

If you must go in summer, pick July over August (more open, fewer locals on holiday), stay somewhere with a pool, and plan all sightseeing for 9 am to 12:30 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm. Siesta exists for a reason.

Seville or Granada First?

Most families pick Seville first because it is bigger, the airport is well-connected (direct flights from major US hubs), and it eases you in. Then take the 2.5-hour train or bus to Granada. We always recommend 3 to 4 nights Seville and 2 nights Granada minimum.

Sample 5-Day Andalusia Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive Seville, walk the Plaza de Espana, ice cream
• Day 2: Real Alcazar in the morning, Cathedral and Giralda climb in the afternoon
• Day 3: Triana neighborhood, river boat ride, family flamenco show in the evening
• Day 4: Train to Granada, Albaicin walk at sunset, dinner with Alhambra view
• Day 5: Alhambra (book the Nasrid Palaces ticket weeks ahead), tapas crawl in the evening

If you have 7 days, add a day in Cordoba (between Seville and Granada) to see the Mezquita - the famous mosque-cathedral with red and white striped arches. Kids love it.

Where to Stay

Seville

Stay in Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter. Walking distance to everything. Narrow alleys are stroller-passable. Family pick: Las Casas de la Juderia (a hotel made of 27 connected courtyard houses). For apartments: anything within walking distance of Plaza Nueva.

Granada

Stay in the Realejo or Centro neighborhoods. Albaicin (the steep old quarter facing the Alhambra) is dreamy but exhausting with strollers. Family hotel pick: Hotel Casa Morisca (16th-century Moorish house) or Hospes Palacio de los Patos.

The Alhambra: The One Thing You Must Pre-Book

This is non-negotiable. The Alhambra sells out 6+ weeks in advance for high season. Tickets are 19 euros adult, free for kids under 12 with adult, and they include timed entry to the Nasrid Palaces (the famous one with the carved plaster).

Book on the official site (tickets.alhambra-patronato.es). Choose a morning slot if possible - the Nasrid Palaces are stunning and the heat is bearable. Bring printed tickets and passports - they check ID.

For a full visit, allow 4 hours: Alcazaba fortress + Nasrid Palaces + Generalife gardens. Bring a travel stroller or carrier - the complex is huge and on a hill. Skip the audioguide for kids; bring a children's guidebook ("Alhambra for Kids" sold at the gift shop) instead.

Top Family Activities

Seville

1. Plaza de Espana

The most photographed square in Spain. Tile murals for every Spanish province (kids find their favorite), a moat with rowboats (rent for 6 euros, 35 minutes), and horse carriages circling. Shaded by orange trees. Bring snacks and let kids run.

2. Real Alcazar

The royal palace, parts of which were used to film Game of Thrones (Dorne). Moorish architecture, peacocks in the gardens, secret passageways. 14.50 euros adult, free for kids 16 and under. Book online to skip the line.

3. Cathedral and Giralda Tower

The cathedral is the largest gothic cathedral in the world and houses Christopher Columbus's tomb (kids find this fascinating or creepy depending on temperament). The Giralda tower has no steps - it is a series of ramps so the muezzin could ride a horse to the top. Even toddlers can climb.

4. River Boat Ride on the Guadalquivir

1-hour boat tour, 18 euros adult, 9 euros child. Slow, scenic, with shade. Great between Alcazar and Cathedral days.

5. Setas de Sevilla (Metropol Parasol)

The giant wooden mushroom structure with a walkway on top. Kids love the alien shape, the elevator ride, and the views over the city. 5 to 10 euros, takes an hour.

6. Family Flamenco Show

Skip the touristy flamenco dinners. Go to Casa de la Memoria for an hour-long, kid-friendly authentic show (no dinner, no fluff). Around 22 euros adult, 14 euros kids 6-15. Book ahead.

Granada

1. Alhambra (covered above)

2. Albaicin Walk to Mirador de San Nicolas

The historic Moorish quarter, all steep cobblestones and white houses. Walk up to Mirador San Nicolas for the absolute best sunset view of the Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada behind it. Bring a small picnic. The walk is steep - pack water and an ergonomic hiking baby carrier if you have a toddler. Older kids will whine but make it.

3. Tapas Crawl

In Granada, every drink at most bars comes with a free tapa. Order a Coke for your kid (free tapa). Order a wine (free tapa). 3 stops, 4 dishes, 25 euros for the family. Best tapas streets: Calle Navas, Calle Elvira.

4. Generalife Gardens

Part of the Alhambra ticket. The summer palace gardens with fountains, hedges, and views. Easier on kids than the Nasrid Palaces and a great spot for snacks.

5. Sacromonte Cave Houses

The Roma neighborhood where families historically lived in caves dug into the hills. Walk up for the views, or do a guided cave-house flamenco show in the evening.

6. Sierra Nevada Day Trip

If you have an extra day, drive 45 minutes up to the Sierra Nevada mountains for hiking, fresh air, and snow even in summer. Different climate from steamy Granada.

Where to Eat with Kids

Spanish food is so kid-friendly that even picky kids find a hit:

• Tortilla espanola (potato omelette) - on every menu, kid heaven
• Croquetas - fried bechamel balls with ham or chicken inside
• Jamon iberico - the famous cured ham, kids love it
• Patatas bravas - fried potatoes with spicy sauce on the side
• Gazpacho or salmorejo - cold tomato soup, perfect for hot days
• Churros con chocolate - breakfast or snack, every Spanish kid's favorite
• Paella - rice with seafood or chicken, often served family-style

Eating Spanish hours is the trick: lunch at 2 pm, dinner at 9 pm. Push your kids' schedule a bit during this trip - or eat dinner at home (apartments) at 6 pm and let them go to bed early. Many tapas bars open at 7 pm and welcome kids.

A casual tapas dinner for a family of 4 in Andalusia: 35 to 60 euros. Significantly cheaper than Northern Europe.

What to Pack for Andalusia

• Light, breathable clothes - linen, cotton, loose fits
• Mineral sunscreen for everyone, applied early and often
• Hats for everyone - the sun is direct and unforgiving
• Insulated water bottles - tap water is fine and you will refill 4 times a day
• A Europe travel adapter set
• A portable charger - long days outside
• A lightweight travel stroller for Seville's flat old town
• An ergonomic hiking baby carrier for Granada's Albaicin hills
• Comfortable walking shoes (broken in) - cobblestones are everywhere
• A small kids backpack for snacks, sunscreen, water
• Compression packing cubes for moving between Seville and Granada

Getting Around

You can do Seville and Granada without a car. Here is the move:

• Fly into Seville (SVQ) or Madrid + AVE high-speed train (2.5 hours to Seville)
• In Seville: walk everywhere. Cabs are cheap (5 to 8 euros across town).
• Seville to Granada: 2.5-hour direct ALSA bus (18 euros adult) or 3-hour train
• In Granada: walk + occasional cab. The Alhambra has a dedicated bus from city center for 1.40 euros.
• Fly home from Granada (small airport) or train back to Madrid for international connections

Budget Reality Check

For a family of 4, 5 days in Seville and Granada, shoulder season:

• Flights from US: 2400 to 4000 dollars total
• Hotels: 130 to 200 euros per night
• Food: 60 to 90 euros per day
• Activities (Alhambra, Alcazar, flamenco): 200 to 280 euros total
• Trains/local transit: 80 to 140 euros
• Total: 3500 to 5500 dollars per family

Andalusia is one of the best value-for-stunning trips in Western Europe.

One Last Thing

Andalusia teaches kids what "old" actually means. Seville's cathedral was finished in 1506, on top of a mosque from 1198, on top of a Roman temple. Granada's Alhambra is what an empire builds when it has 250 years and unlimited budget. Walk slowly. Eat at 9 pm. Let your kids splash in fountains. They will remember it forever, and so will you.