Granada is also for kids. Some parents struggle to keep their kids entertained on a trip, but this city has a wide variety of activities for children and adults to enjoy, and all while discovering its extensive cultural and historical legacy. The aim is to find ways to adapt outings to the lively, playful and imaginative spirit of kids. This article explains five ways to discover the gorgeous historic city of the Alhambra from the perspective of a child.
Explore Granada by train
Getting around the city on foot with kids can be a challenge, particularly if they are young. However, there is a great alternative: the Granada tourist train. Children love exploring the city aboard the carriages that fit through the narrow streets of some of Granada’s neighbourhoods. The train has a daily route with 11 stops that include Albaicín, the city centre and the Alhambra, along with a shorter evening route that does not reach the Nasrid fortress. It has a panoramic roof so passengers can catch every last detail, and there are also audio guides in 12 languages as well as hop-on, hop-off tickets. Also, catching the next train is simple because they pass every 20 minutes.
The Alhambra for kids
Walking through the Alhambra is like stepping into the tale of One Thousand and One Nights, and what could be better than a children’s book? A visit to this historic Nasrid fortress can help develop curiosity in children, foster their independent thinking and teach them about heritage. This is exactly the idea behind The Alhambra for Families, a programme created by the Board of Trustees of the Alhambra and the Generalife that offers guided tours led by experts in the site’s heritage. The tours, which are designed for kids and adults alike, reveal the monument’s history through storytelling or by focusing on specific themes, such as the water that flows through the irrigation canals, fountains and reservoirs, or the sounds, poems and music of the Nasrid Alhambra. The tours take place Saturday and Sunday mornings with a maximum of 30 attendees in each one.
If it is not possible to sign up for one of these family tours, there are educational smartphone audio guides for children (The Alhambra: The Red Castle) along with illustrated books (The Alhambra explained to children and Tales of the Alhambra for children), available in Spanish and/or English, that can make the experience much more entertaining for kids.
A picnic at Federico García Lorca Park
If your children are tired of visiting monuments, you can have a family picnic at Federico García Lorca Park, a peaceful place with water and gardens that offers an array of alternatives. This spot boasts the most popular swings for kids in the city as well as a lake with ducks and even a zip-line that young visitors can’t get enough of. Parents can set their mind at ease because there is a kiosk next to the swings from which to keep an eye on their kids while enjoying a beer and tapas. These gardens also offer the chance to visit Huerta de San Vicente, the summer home of the poet Federico García Lorca and the place where he spent many summers writing some of his best works. In fact, the existing park was built on a plot of land that formed part of the family property. The museum-home regularly holds children’s activities such as dance, poetry and theatre workshops.
If you come here in the summer, you can also visit the outdoor cinema that takes place in the park every Wednesday evening or the Verbena con Títeres children’s performance in early June.
Fun at the Science Park
This interactive museum, a benchmark of scientific disclosure in Europe, features countless experiences so everyone can have fun while learning, regardless of their age. The permanent and temporary exhibitions, in addition to the workshops, help stimulate the mind as to the origin of the universe, life on Earth, physical phenomena and robotics, among many other topics. Children between the ages of six and seven years will have a great time in the Explora room, an intriguing space where kids can move freely through the more than 20 activities that invite them to see, touch, experiment and play with an array of materials and objects. Adults, on the other hand, tend to enjoy the Planetarium, where visitors can travel from the depths of the universe in 360° to the microscopic kingdom of bacteria, fungi and insects viewed in 3D from the perspective of a nanocam.
Sierra Nevada: A rollercoaster for kids
The Sierra Nevada ski resort also has fun alternatives for non-skiers. If your kids are too young to ski, then the Mirlo Blanco amusement park at Pradollano is a great place for ice skating, tubing and skibobbing, in addition to toboggan and sleigh rides. The star attraction is the Russian Sleigh, a rollercoaster ride through the snowy mountain at up to 40 kilometres per hour in a sled mounted on rails.
There are also three areas for family fun at Borreguiles. The Pista del Mar slope is decorated with sea animals, a submarine and a lighthouse that kids can play with as they ski. A little further down, in the beginner area, there is Pista del Bosque, a stretch of slope decorated with figures of mountain animals and a path leading to a set of igloos where children’s activities are held. Lastly, young riders stepping into the world of snowboarding and freestyling can safely learn new tricks at the Kidspark in the Sulayr terrain park.
Finally, tiny tots can stay at the resort’s play area, where children between the ages of four months and eight years are supervised as they have fun with games, films, music and craft workshops. There is also a cafeteria service and even late-night hours until 2:00 AM on weekends.
