Madrid is even more fun and cool when you go holidaying with your family! The weekends are especially a top favorite as parents and children spend quality time together, while doing so, don’t miss these top tourist spots, attractions, and things to do in Madrid for families.

You can double the fun and have an ultimate authentic experience while going on tours. Discover offbeat spots, learn interesting titbits and insider tips about the city, and try scrumptious local cuisine from places that are usually off the tourist map.

Traveling to Madrid Spain with kids is a fantastic experience for the entire family. However, With plenty of history and culture, Madrid is indeed an incredibly amazing place and is loaded with kid-friendly sights, you do need to adjust your travel plans to keep them entertained to ensure all of you get maximum fun out of the experience.

Things to Do in Madrid for Families

When our family explored Madrid, we visited quite a few places, and the Real Madrid Stadium Tour was a definite highlight for my sons. All of us also enjoyed the Telefico de Madrid – Madrid’s Cableway adventure, enormously. Though that one is more on the expensive side.

So, these are two attractions I think everyone should try when traveling with kids to Madrid. However, if you have the time, or if your children are more fond of other activities, unlike my little football fans, I also suggest these amazing places:

Visit Parque de Atracciones for Amusement

Start with the city’s amusement Park, it’s called Parque de Atractiones, which is a popular weekend destination among families. The park boasts more than 30 attractions for adults and kids. Children can enjoy a leisurely boat ride, a mini roller coaster, and other child-size thrills. For the adults, they can go for the Lanzadera shuttle with the famous vacuum drop or the Tornado ride, or the dizzying Máquina.

Another great park to visit is the Parque Warner, which is a Warner Bros park with interesting attractions and amenities.

Prado Museum with Beautiful Masterworks

Explore the Prado museum with your family and get them educated about the centuries-old masterpieces. The trip is indeed an interesting one for kids. And it helps if one takes a guided tour to understand the artwork.

It’s a fascinating and educational choice with more than 2000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints. You will be able to check out some masterpieces made by Francisco Goya or Hieronymus Bosch and many hidden gems.

Zoo Aquarium with Spectacular Species

Children love zoos and aquariums and what is unique about this amusement park is that it is not barbs and wires but moats that separate the animals. There are more than 6000 animals here in Zoo Aquarium with 500 different species. You will spot unique species like the anteater, the koala, and the panda. The aquarium is even more spectacular with lions and dolphins shows.

Another excellent choice is Faunia Madrid, this one may not be as famous as Zoo Aquarium, but it’s an incredible spot for those who want to take a deeper look into wildlife and nature. Faunia is not only a zoo, but it’s also a botanical garden.

There’s a third option, Atlantis Aquarium, an interactive and modern adventure suitable for every kind of family that visit Madrid. On this spot you’ll only find aquariums, with more than 20 unique and different ecosystems scattered over 6000 square meters, you’ll be able to spot sharks and turtles, and penguins.

You’ll be able to see:

• Seeing real koalas in an emulation of their natural habitat.
• Admiring majestic pandas. I also learned that the first panda cub born in captivity from artificial insemination came from a couple of pandas gifted to the Spanish King in 1978.
• Being thoroughly impressed with the collection of primates that range from gorillas to lemurs. These creatures are truly incredible, and words fail me when I try to describe what a privilege it was to be near them.

Originally Crafted Toys

You are about to enter a world away from toy racetracks and Barbie dolls. Madrid is well famous for its unique and original toy shops. El Lobo Feliz and Kamchatka are some of the toy shops that you must check out. You will remain spoiled for choices as you come across puzzles, musical instruments, soft toys, wooden planes, and much more.

It’s a must-visit even for adults, the toys and the places are so unique that it makes a good addition to any bucket list.

Royal Palace & Armory With Armors and Swords

Another site of interest for the whole family is the Royal Palace & Armory. Watch your kids get awestruck by the majestic entrance of the palace and its luxurious splendor inside. This is your chance to see real-life suits of armor and gilded swords and a lot more.

A mesmerizing experience for adults and kids, you’ll be able to learn while enjoying a visit to a real palace filled with incredible ornaments, unique structures, and a medieval feeling that you won’t find anywhere.

Natural Science Museum for Specimens of Extinct Animals

The Natural Science Museum treasures specimens of stuffed African elephants, dinosaur fossils, and extinct animals. The museum is divided into the natural history and the Mediterranean Sea. It’s a lot of fun for both parents and kids as they take a tour of the museum and enjoy those fun activities specially prepared for them while learning a lot.

Information about the museum:

• It was opened in 1772 and its original collection (donated by a Spanish merchant) was so extensive, it was split to open several other museums. It has been growing since that day incorporating modern tech into the museum’s tours.
• The museum building is actually part Engineering School of the Madrid Technical University.
• The museum has several departments, including volcanology, which was most interesting to learn about for us.
• The tickets cost €6 or €3 for students, the unemployed, and kids 6-14.

Another great option is the National Archaeological Museum, it’s packed with an immense collection of ornaments art, and pieces that were once owned by the royal family. You’ll find pieces of collections that were located on the Iberia peninsula and archeological finds related to the ancient Roman and Greek empires.

El Retiro for Outdoor Fun

Children love playing outdoors with their parents, and El Retiro seems to be the best choice for the family looking for outdoor fun. The whole family can have a great time on the bicycles and rollerblades, or enjoy a boat ride on the pond. There is even a puppet theater at weekends.

Another popular park to enjoy the outdoors with your kids is Countryside House Park (Casa de Campo), the largest park in Madrid. It’s a great green area with streams, hills, a boating lake, and a lot of trees, you’ll also find bars and restaurants outside the park.

Some other popular parks are Western Park (Parque del Oeste) and Jardín El Capricho de la Alameda de Osuna, you may want to check out those too.

Child-friendly Cafés for Food

After all, that exploring and walking, children are sure to get hungry. So keep them well-fed, and when it comes to child-friendly cafes, Madrid will not disappoint you.

You can enjoy your coffee while the kids can eat, play and have fun in a safe space. Some good options are Cups & Kids, or Baby Deli. Many of these cafes even have a bookshop, a toy shop, and an organic food store.

Also, you can try heading to Tablao Flamenco Villa Rosa, it’s not only a restaurant but a whole experience. It may be difficult to try it with kids since most shows start late but it’s a great option to try the local cuisine and enjoy true flamenco.

Take a Tapas Foodie Tour

Madrid is an epicenter of Spanish cuisine, with ancient little cafés and restaurants hidden across the Centro district, which are arguably some of the best places in the world to savor the greatest hits of that quintessentially Spanish tapas experience.

From untouched classics such as dense, buttery tortillas, sweet and succulent jamon iberico, or some sizzling patatas bravas, the best way to experience is with a local tour guide who knows all the best spots in town, and of course a few glasses of full-bodied Rioja along the way. Most of these tours take place after dark and can often go on for hours, meaning you’ll be feeling full and satisfied by the end of it.

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