Top Excursions for Kids on the Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol claims many attractions beyond the beach and from hill villages to ancient family-friendly cities, a day in the Sierra is full of rewards. Combining a beach holiday with day trips in the southern Sierra is easy since many top attractions are found within an hour or so from the coast. Local companies run a number of top excursions on the Costa del Sol, with hotel pickup and optional lunch. Alternatively, you can drive or travel on local buses, which are comfortable, cheap and offer express services on some routes.

Drives are spectacular, past orchards and olive groves in the east, or hidden valleys and rugged hills in the west. Foxgloves and gorse splash colour at the roadside and there are fabulous views from Andalusian white villages sprinkled in the hills to the glistening Mediterranean, sometimes all the way to the Rock of Gibraltar and the African coast.

Andalusian White Villages, Mijas, Frigiliana

White villages are traditional in Andalusia, dating back to the times when houses were protected with anti-bacterial lime wash. Today the walls are still white, the only colour allowed in some villages. They glisten in the distance like virgin snow but their stepped alleyways and winding lanes are full of colour, draped in bougainvillea, geraniums or roses. There are cool passages and archways, old fountains and cobbles laid out in artistic patterns. Favourite white villages include Mijas near Malaga, popular with artists, and in the east, Frigiliana, an idyllic Andalusian pueblo famous for quality craft.

Attractions in Ronda and a Day Trip in the Southern Sierra

Nestling in the Sierra at 700 metres, the ancient city of Ronda is breathtaking, split in two by the spectacular gorge of the Guadalevin river. Houses cling to the edge of the rocky platform while the 18th century bridge spans the chasm, stunning from every direction. The cleft boulevard leads to the most scenic vantage point, looking beyond the gorge to hills and mountains.

Among the top monuments are the imposing church of Santa Maria la Mayor, Mondragon Palace housing the Ronda Museum and the House of San Juan Bosco with its beautiful mosaics and hanging garden. There are Moorish Baths and ramparts, a bullring where top events are held and a fine choice of restaurants near the town square.

Granada and the Alhambra

Granada is roughly an hour from Malaga on the motorway, depending on traffic. For those who make the effort, it’s the highlight of any holiday on the Costa del Sol. Most organised tours will allow time to explore the city with its leafy squares and fountains, its medieval hostel, sumptuous cathedral and Moroccan-style souk full of embroidered clothes, jewellery, ceramics and rugs.

The famous Alhambra sits high above it all on the hillside, vast, magnificent, heavily fortified, once protecting a whole city and palace within its walls. Courtyards, fountains, archways and stucco work as delicate as lace, it’s a wonderful sight enhanced by surprising views through latticed windows. Lovely extensive gardens complete the picture with orange trees, roses and fragrant hedges of myrrh and box.

Read also about family vacations in Pasadena, CA and Broadmoor Hotel for Vacations with Kids .

		Kids Friendly Cities and Towns Kid friendly cities can be found all over the world. They usually provide a wide range of family activities, some of them educational and others just plain fun. They are easy to get navigate, either on public transport or your own vehicle. And practically the majority of kid friendly cities and family are fairly affordable. If
		Family Vacations in Arkansas Arkansas is one of the best family vacation destinations in the South of the USA. Arkansas has a variety of activities for kids and adults. Arkansas festivals, family fun activities and Arkansas events make it the perfect place for fun and affordable family vacations. Whether you prefer toy shopping or antique store hopping, white-water rafting
		Family Holidays in the Transkei As you cross the Kei River, at what was once the border post, a road sign warns: ‘Potholes – 20km’. As the odometer ticks over, and this 20km danger zone nears its end, behold – another sign warns of the impending potholes that threaten your car’s&…
		Beaches Turks and Caicos for Families rystal-clear turquoise sea. Next to Beaches Turks and Caicos is a marine park with excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. The Grace Bay Beach is a 12-mile stretch of splendid curving beach located at the east end of Providenciales north shore that is rated as one of the best beaches in the entire world.
		California Theme Parks and Beach Resorts Nobody can deny that California theme parks and beach vacations are the type of vacations in which parents and children can spend time together. California beach vacations can consist of a single afternoon at the beach, soaking up some sunshine and breathing the fresh Pacific Ocean salt mist air. Or in places such