Best Places For Family Vacation: Hidden Gems in Spain

Best Places For Family Vacation in Spain No. 1: Ibi

First on this list of hidden gems in Spain is Ibi, Spain! I wanted to start out with somewhere truly off the beaten path in Spain that your kids are SURE to love!

Just a short drive from Alicante (and 1.5 hours from Valencia), Ibi is probably one of the most family friendly places on this list. Be warned, however, visiting this small town most likely requires a car. 

This cute day trip destination has some fun and unique things to do in Spain for an authentic trip into the local culture without hardly a tourist in sight.

First of all, Ibi has two museums that look very fun for kids! One museum is for vintage arcade games, and the other is a really cool classic toy museum. (Ibi is also known as the ‘Valley of Games’.)

Nearby, there is the Finca Daroca farm that has both activities with animals and other things to do like rock climbing, archery, and ziplining. You can also stay in their family sized accomodations.

Ibi is also quite close to the famous Laberinto Casa Tapena, a large hedge maze that kids LOVE to get lost in. There’s plenty of hiking trails nearby as well.

Between the gaming, the animals, the zipline and the maze… This is truly one of the most fun places for family vacation in Spain! 

Ibli isn’t one of the main places tourists go to often. This not only makes Ibli one of the more unique places to visit in Spain. You’ll get to experience authentic Spanish culture while enjoying one of the best places to travel with kids!

It makes an excellent day trip from Valencia, Alicante, or even to get a break from the hectic, touristy Benidorm! (If you do happen to be visiting Valencia, check out our list of family travel movies to get your kids SUPER excited before your visit!)

No. 2 Best Place To Visit In Spain With Kids: Córdoba

Now, this wouldn’t be a very good list of best places for family vacation in Spain if we didn’t include the learners and history lovers, too, right?!

Córdoba isn’t quite considered one of the HIDDEN Spain gems, per say. But it’s certainly one of the more unique places to visit in Spain! Although it’s slightly better known, especially amongst Spanish tourists, it is ideal for architecture lovers and history buffs. 

But what many people don’t know until they visit is that it’s ALSO one of the more fun places for family vacation as well!

It has one of THE highlights of Spanish temples, the Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba. The Mezquita has been both an Islamic mosque and a Catholic Cathedral, and has a gorgeous blend of both architectural styles.

Córdoba also has its own collection of hidden gems, too! You can check out a stunning area filled with flowers and little points of interest called Los Patios de San Basilio. This area has great potential for family photos!

Another lovely spot is the Calleja de Las Flores, a street with white walls lined with cute flower pots! Duck into the little shops along the pathway for some unique treats and trinkets. (Your kids will be in heaven!)

But perhaps our favorite spot in Córdoba is the Viana Palace. This historic house has been lived in since 1425 and showcases the opulent lifestyle of Spanish aristocrats. There are tons of little patios with space to explore and most of the doors and windows are painted in turquoise/teal colors.

We had SO MUCH fun exploring this palace, and my mom took some of the most amazing photos of us here! 

As a quick side note, Córdoba is definitely one of those cities where staying hydrated is important! We have a whole thing about hydration in our list of 5 Must-Haves for Traveling With Kids that you should definitely read next!

Hidden Gems in Spain For Families No. 3: Torrevieja

Do your kids love outdoor adventures, beaches and water slides? Then Torrevieja, Spain should be high on your radar for fun places for family vacation! 

This is one of the hidden gems in Spain known more by locals than tourists. But surely that won’t last long! Prediction: once word spreads about this hidden Spain jewel, it’s going to get popular.

One of the coolest attractions in Torrevieja is the salt lagoon that turns pink from June to October. You’ll find plenty of exciting activities on GetYourGuide, like parasailing or jet-skiing. But it’s also good for photos and hiking. (Great for smaller kids who can’t jet ski!) 

Don’t let the serene pink lagoon fool you, however. Torrevieja is here for the thrills! There are TWO waterparks: Aquopolis and Aquapark Flamingo. There’s also a museum that’s INSIDE of a floating submarine! 

Torrevieja is one of those fun trips with kids that EVERYONE can enjoy, whether looking for excitement or relaxation. It’s also close to the beach, so don’t forget to grab your floaties and sand toys!

Adding it to the search for the best place to visit in Spain was a no-brainer! It truly has something for everyone here.

No. 4 of Spain’s Best Places for Family Vacation: Denia

There are so many hidden gems in Spain that I just can’t mention them all! But Denia is yet another great example of best places to travel with kids.

Denia is a very underrated Spanish city PERFECT for families to visit. There is a toy museum and a drive-in theater to check out, with English movies every Thursday. Most of the restaurants will not only speak English, but have plenty of food options that even kids will appreciate eating. 

For some high energy activities, there’s a lagoon cave, Cova Tollada. This is an absolute MUST-SEE, with gorgeous clear blue water!  There are amazing kayak tours that will give you a whole guided paddle through the cave, amongst other pretty sights in the city.

But our favorite spot to visit is a cave just outside of Denia. One of the more unique places to visit in Spain, Cueva de las Calaveras is a cute but easily walkable cave with dinosaur fossils inside. The tickets are extremely affordable, too, making it one of the hidden Spain activities you just can’t miss.

When my family and I went to Denia, we also spent plenty of time at the marina, just walking around and enjoying the coastline, too!

Family Friendly Hidden Gems in Spain No. 5: Cazorla (Jaen Province)

This town is little known but still one of the best places to travel with kids in Spain! This cute mountain town is two hours from Granada or Cordoba, and is one of those Spain hidden gems you’ll never forget! 

Cazorla is considered a national park, so there’s plenty of hiking with pretty spots (like this little lake with a mini-waterfall). There are also rafting and hiking tours for more outdoorsy family friendly activities.

As for things to do that aren’t so active, there are also plenty of historical attractions like the Santa Maria ruins or the Castillo De La Iruela. There are a couple of museums, but the best one is the Castillo de la Yedra, a castle museum about medieval life. Reviews say it doesn’t take that long to do, only like half an hour and is free to enter and explore.

My favorite part about the city is that there’s a little hotel that has bicycles all over the walls of the building. (It has a small pool and billiards room too.) Even if you’re not staying there, it could make a unique background for family photos.

Cazorla is certainly one of the places least likely to show up on a list of where to visit in Spain with kids. But for unique things to do in Spain, it’s definitely worth checking out if you have time in your family travel itinerary!

And speaking of itineraries…. check out our post about planning your family travel on a budget. It’ll help you squeeze more fun into every trip- without stretching your wallet!

Fun Places For Family Vacation in Spain No. 6: Cuenca

When it comes to the best places to go for family vacation, Cuenca is a must-see! Cuenca has its own little charm, with plenty to do! 

We took a short trip to the city, and the kids absolutely loved the dinosaur museum, complete with life-sized statues all along the premises. (Fun fact: Cuenca has its own regional dinosaur. You’ll have to visit to learn more about it!)

The Science museum nearby is also great for kids, with interactive exhibits we had tons of fun at. 

On top of the museums, make sure to take advantage of all the cute photo ops, too! Especially one with the Ojos de la Mora eye sculpture in the cliffs surrounding Cuenca, the famous Hanging Houses, and the geological park with the coolest rock formations! 

We enjoyed hiking around these areas, but be sure to bring water with you! There are so many hidden Spain attractions here, and it’s easy to see why it’s a UNESCO heritage site! 

Perhaps our favorite part (and what made this list of the best places for kids vacation in Spain) was visiting the Cuenca Cathedral. When you’re there, be sure to ask about the secret entrance to the second floor. Not only will the kids get super excited, but the view down into the Cathedral is pretty cool, too!

Cuenca is one of those hidden gems in Spain that can be visited as a day trip from Madrid -or- as a standalone family vacation! 

Family Travel Tip: Cuenca is one of those underrated Spanish cities that makes experiencing local culture SUPER easy! Most places are very walkable and friendly. My youngest sibling was just a toddler when we visited so it’s great for all ages.

Kid-Approved Hidden Spain Destinations No. 7: Moraira

I told you this was going to have unique places to visit in Spain that weren’t on most of the other lists, right? Well, Moraira is exactly that! 

Nestled into a tiny little coastal oasis between Valencia and Alicante, Moraira is a cute, walkable village that offers a serene, relaxing family getaway. 

We might be biased, but our family voted this the best place to visit in Spain if you’re looking for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of touristy cities without sacrificing comfort. English was widely spoken there and we had no trouble finding anything we needed.

So what put Moraira on this list of best places to travel with kids? The beaches, the shops and the VIEWS!! 

First of all, there’s not a huge list of activities to visit here, but the two beaches are both cute, nestled little coves where you don’t have to worry about big waves or tons of people. There’s also a little area connected to the Playa de l’Ampolla where you can relax and enjoy smaller run-off creeks from the beach, too. This makes it perfect for babies and toddlers to play in the warm, shallow water!

You can hike around the coastline on some lovely paved pathways, as well as spend an afternoon eating delicious food and ice cream (helado) in their quaint little town center. There’s also kayaking and snorkeling on the bigger beach for those with older kiddos.

We rented a lovely duplex that had its own private pool and a patio with a sunset view that we will NEVER forget. The house alone made this trip amazing!!

If you haven’t visited Moraira yet, make sure to add this to your list of fun places for family vacation.

Concluding Our List of Best Places For Family Vacation

That’s our list of 7 hidden Spain destinations perfect for your next family trip! Some honorable mentions that didn’t make the cut include Peniscola, Castellón de la Plana, San Sebastian and Vigo. (Sorry, guys!)

There are TONS more cities and towns we haven’t included here! If you’ve visited somewhere that deserves a mention, comment below!

On that note, if you liked this article, please give me a shout out in the comments! I loved contributing to the family blog and hope you enjoyed reading it! (You can also see more of my posts here as I hope to write more.)