10 Things to do in Marbella with Kids

If you travel with children to Marbella you will find the best things to have fun in the city. This city hides many fun plans for both you and the youngest members of the family to enjoy your holidays. Travelling with children doesn't have to be boring for adults and Marbella will prove it.

You can enjoy a day at the beach to swim and play with the sand. You can also go on city tours. Other fun activities can be done in the sea on board a boat. The city also has a variety of parks for a relaxing afternoon or an adrenaline-filled adventure. Marbella is waiting for you!

When talking about gastronomic tours in Marbella most people think of tapas tasting in the city. However, there are other options you can choose from. Many of them include delicious desserts that children will love. This is an activity that children can easily do if they have no dietary restrictions and love food.

In addition to tapas, on a gastronomic tour you can enjoy the typical food of Marbella. One of its traditional dishes is the fritura malagueña which is made up of different varieties of fried fish. This is floured and then fried and served with a slice of fresh lemon and a refreshing drink.

Other typical dishes that you will surely eat on a tour like this are gazpacho and porra, Malaga salad, boquerones (anchovies) and espeto de sardinas (sardines). For your children you can ask for a smaller portion, as some little ones tend to be more sensitive to new foods.

For dessert you can try delicious Malaga sweets which I am sure your children will love. Among them are the tortas locas, a dessert made with puff pastry, icing and egg. You can identify them because they are orange in colour. Other sweets you can try are mantecados, yemas del tajo, pestiños and giant palm trees.

• Price: around 80 ¤.
• Duration: approximately 4 hours.
• Means of transport: the tour is done on foot with a guide.

Almost every child is excited to go to the zoo to see the animals. Since you're in Marbella, why not take them to see the dolphins in their natural habitat? This dolphin watching adventure in Estepona Bay is only half an hour's drive from Marbella. In the bay of Estepona you can sail on a boat with your children and see these beautiful cetacean animals.

These boats have all the necessary safety measures to make you and your whole family feel comfortable. There are enough lifeguards and the speed is adequate so that no one trips or falls. So you can feel at ease and enjoy a comfortable ride where you can soak up the sun.

On this type of tour you can enjoy a drink which can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Snacks are not included but you can bring your own food. This is ideal if the children require a specific diet. You can eat some snacks while you wait for the dolphins to start jumping. Don't forget to take lots of pictures!

• Price: around €30.
• Duration: approximately 2 hours.
• Means of transport: boat.

The Paseo Marítimo is an ideal destination to spend the afternoon in Marbella when travelling with children. This promenade is pedestrianised and has more than 7 kilometres of routes. Near this promenade you will see different bars and souvenir shops. As you walk along the promenade you can enjoy the beaches of the coast.

You can rent a bike to ride along this promenade. If your children know how to ride a bike, you can spend a pleasant afternoon while enjoying the sea breeze. At the end of the tour you will also have the opportunity to have a refreshing ice cream in one of the shops.

If your children don't know how to ride a bike, you can take a skateboard with you so that they can ride with more peace of mind. This plan is ideal for you to enjoy after a day at the beach. Remember to always take sunscreen with you. If you wear a hat it will be much better to protect you from the sun.

A day trip to Marbella with children should not be complete without a tour of the city. This is one of the activities you can include to enjoy with your children in Marbella. Many times these tours are walking tours, so my recommendation is that you go with children of 8 or 10 years old.

In this type of excursions you will always go with a small group and a professional local guide. This way you can go to specific places without getting lost and making the children more tired than necessary. In addition, they usually include private transport to take you from your hotel to the area to be explored.

A common tour in Marbella is usually in the Old Town of the city. Here you can pass through the Plaza de los Naranjos, the Alcazaba and the city walls. This is an important historical part of Marbella as it is very well preserved and has a history that your guide will surely tell you about. You will also be able to see the Marbella Castle, the Casa del Corregidor and the Plaza Puente Ronda, among other interesting destinations.

• Price: around 40 €.
• Duration: approximately 3 or 4 hours.
• Means of transport: the tours are usually on foot.

Traveller tip
Even if you don't go to the beach that day, I always recommend taking sunscreen for you and your children. This way they will be protected at all times. A good idea is also to bring small snacks to make the journey more bearable for the little ones.

When you are in Marbella one of the best activities you can do is to spend a day at the beach. Be prepared with swimming costumes, snacks and sunscreen so your kids will have a great time. Although you can go to any beach, there are some that are more suitable for the youngest members of the family.

In Puerto Banús there are some beautiful beaches where you can relax with your children as they have shallow waters. Some of them are the Rio Verde and the Duque beaches. Near them you will find restaurants and hotels where you can stay.

There are also beaches with fun dunes for children to play on, such as Artola beach. Another ideal beach that is free of rocks and with fine, soft sand is Las Chapas beach. These are ideal destinations for you to build sandcastles and have a great time.

If your children are between 10 and 12 years old, you could go to Real de Zaragoza beach. This is one of the most beautiful and fun beaches, but its waves are stronger than the ones mentioned above. You also have the beaches El Alicate, Pinomar, Bellamar, among others. The truth is that Marbella has the best beaches in Andalusia.

Sport fishing in Spain can be a fun activity to enjoy with the kids. In Marbella you have the opportunity to do a four hour day trip for around 200 €. Your guide will indicate the meeting point for you to board the boat and start this trip. This professional person will navigate you to a specific spot where fishing is allowed.

On this tour you will be provided with a full set of personal fishing equipment. If you or your child has no experience in fishing, don't worry, in these activities you will always have professionals to guide you. You can ask them anything you need. If you don't manage to catch fish quickly, take it easy, because remember that fishing also requires patience.

This activity is ideal if you travel to Marbella during the summer, especially in the months of July and August, as you will be able to catch big tuna. While you wait to catch some fish, you can drink whatever you like and eat the snacks included in this activity.

• Price: around 200 ¤.
• Duration: approximately 4 hours.
• Means of transport: boat.

Aventura Amazonia is a network of adventure parks that has branches in different parts of Spain and one of them is located in Marbella. This is an ideal destination to have a great time during your holidays. Both adults and children can enjoy the giant zip lines and multi-adventure circuits that this park has.

In the park you will find an activity that is suitable for different age groups. Among them are the simple Kids, Explorer and the most difficult: the X-Tream circuits. In the latter you will be able to feel a lot of adrenaline. If you're too nervous or scared of heights or speed, you'd better choose another type of activity.

However, if you've already convinced yourself to visit this park, there's a lot to discover! In total the Marbella site has 103 rides, 24 zip lines and 6 circuits. Tickets for ages six and up cost an average of €20. For the youngest children between four and seven years of age, the entrance fee is €15.

These prices may vary depending on the size of the participants, as many attractions require a certain height or weight. If you would like to visit this park I recommend you book your ticket in advance. This park also hosts school and corporate activities, so it's best to know which day will be less crowded and have more spaces available.

• Price: tickets can be found from €15.
• Opening hours: from 9.30am to 7.30pm.
• Location: Elviria - Marbella - Málaga: Elviria - Marbella - Málaga 29604 C/ Valeriano Rodríguez, 2.

In Marbella you can also find beautiful parks and gardens where you can have a picnic with your children. One of these is the Arroyo de la Represa Park which has sports courts for exercising or skating. Besides having a restaurant, inside the park you can visit the Bonsai Museum. There you can appreciate a beautiful collection of tiny trees that will surely amaze your little ones.

Another place you can visit is the Parque de la Constitución, located very close to the Paseo Marítimo and for that reason it is a strategic place to hang out. Inside you will find a children's play area and spaces where you can have a little picnic or play with the kids.

The Paseo de la Alameda also offers a very quiet and relaxing atmosphere to hang out with the kids. They will be able to walk surrounded by beautiful gardens.

In Estepona, only half an hour away from Marbella, you can also find an ideal plan for the whole family. Selwo Aventura is a large zoo where your children can meet many animals. Here everyone can live a unique safari experience.

Tickets to this park can be found from 15 € to 40 €. The cheapest is a general admission ticket, while the most expensive ticket includes a visit to Selwo Marina, Selwo Aventura and the cable car. In this park you can also rent an inn to stay overnight. If you like the idea, bear in mind that this costs an average of 100 €.

The tour in this park can be done on foot or by bus. You can see up to 2,000 animals from all over the world. Among them are elephants, lions, snakes, leopards and much more. You can also find nice and comfortable restaurants where you can eat and spend an unforgettable day.

If your children love animals, this can be a nice surprise for them. You can also take them to special events inside the park and even to didactic classes. I recommend that you check the day's offer to find out what activities are available in the park.

• Price: tickets can be found from €15.
• Opening hours: from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Location: Avda. Parque Selwo, s/n Autovía A7 kilómetros 162.5 29680 Estepona, Málaga, Estepona, 29680.

If your children are particularly curious and adventurous, you could escape with them to Ronda to explore the surroundings of Marbella. Ronda in particular is a beautiful, historic and even romantic city that stands out among the other cities of Andalusia. I recommend booking a day trip from Marbella to Ronda with a private guide for an average price of €300. Please note that the trip is eight hours long.

Because of the length of the trip it is a plan best suited for children under 10 years old. However, don't worry about the transfer, as it is always done in a comfortable, air-conditioned private car. When you arrive in the city you will see that it is located on a mountain. Its origins date back to Islamic times and it has some fascinating architecture.

The first stop on this tour is usually the Plaza de Toros de Ronda, one of the oldest bullrings in the country. Another obligatory stop on this tour is the New Bridge, an emblematic monument that was built a few centuries ago. You will also get to know the old part of the city and the Plaza de España. The guide will also include other must-see destinations in Ronda.

The best thing about going with a professional guide is that he will always tell you details and interesting facts about the historic city of Ronda. You can always stop for lunch. I recommend that you ask if lunch is included or if it is on your own. At the end of the tour, you can return in the same vehicle and the guide will drop you off at your hotel.

Details of interest

• Price: around 300 €.
• Duration: approximately 8 hours.
• Means of transport: private vehicle and walking tour.