Babies & toddlers

Best areas: Costa del Sol (especially Marbella, Estepona and Nerja), Costa Blanca and Mallorca’s mainland alternatives such as the quieter areas around Valencia

Why it works: Mainland Spain is one of the easiest first family holidays from the UK. Short flights, reliable sunshine, calm beaches, excellent food and family-friendly hotels make travelling with little ones much simpler. Look for destinations with flat promenades, sandy beaches, gentle swimming spots and hotels with pools, spacious rooms and thoughtful baby facilities

Our favourites for babies & toddlers:

Ikos Andalusia

Caserío del Mirador

Casa La Siesta

School-age children

Best areas: Costa del Sol, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Valencia and Andalusia

Why it works: This is Spain’s sweet spot for family adventures. There’s plenty to keep children entertained – from waterparks and boat trips to wildlife parks, cycling, historic towns and beach days – while still keeping things easy for parents. Spain’s brilliant food culture, relaxed pace and huge choice of family-friendly hotels mean you can mix adventure with plenty of downtime

Our favourites for kids:

OKU Andalusia

Marbella Club

Tweens & teenagers

Best areas: Barcelona, Costa Brava, Marbella, Basque Country and Valencia

Why it works: Mainland Spain comes into its own for older children, with a brilliant mix of adventure, culture and independence. Surfing, paddleboarding, hiking, cycling, beach clubs, incredible food scenes and cities packed with things to explore mean there’s plenty to keep tweens and teens entertained (and far fewer “there’s nothing to do” complaints)

Our favourites for teens:

La Zambra Resort, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt

Club Med, Marbella

Still not sure where would work best for your family? We’ve rounded up our favourite family hotels in Spain, matched by age and stage, here

A flight from the UK to Spain usually takes around 2 to 3 hours, depending on where you’re flying from and which part of Spain you’re heading to

Mainland Spain is one of the easiest European destinations for families, with direct flights from a wide range of UK airports to popular family-friendly gateways including Málaga, Alicante, Barcelona and Valencia. Whether you’re heading for the beaches of the Costa del Sol, the family-friendly resorts of the Costa Blanca, the culture and coastline of Catalonia or the food-filled streets of Valencia, Spain offers that feeling of a proper escape without the long-haul journey

Spain is one of Europe’s most versatile family holiday destinations, but the best time to visit depends on where you’re heading and what kind of holiday you want

For classic Spanish beach holidays, June to September is the sweet spot. The Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Costa Brava offer long sunny days, warm seas and plenty of family-friendly beaches, pools and outdoor activities. July and August bring the hottest weather but also peak prices and crowds, so if you have flexibility, June and September are our favourite months for families

Spain is also a brilliant autumn half term destination, particularly for families looking for a warm European break without using a full week of annual leave. Marbella, Estepona and the wider Costa del Sol are some of our top picks for late September, October and even early November, when temperatures are often still warm enough for outdoor lunches, beach walks and pool time. Ideal for making use of any inset days

For city breaks and exploring, spring and autumn are ideal, with comfortable temperatures for sightseeing, cycling, walking and family adventures. Andalusia, Valencia and Barcelona are especially good choices outside the peak summer heat – because nobody enjoys a family sightseeing day where the main attraction is finding shade

Good news for families: Spain is only one hour ahead of the UK, so the time difference is minimal and easy for little ones to adjust to. Spain runs on Central European Time, meaning there’s usually no major disruption to routines (although we can’t promise your toddler won’t still decide that 5am is the perfect time to start the holiday)