10 Things to do in Malaga with Kids

Visiting Malaga with children can be a challenge, but I assure you that the city offers a lot of family plans that you will love.

Andressa García

Andressa García

11 min read

10 Things to do in Malaga with Kids

Malaga Cathedral | ©Emilio

From cycling tours, to finding and discovering the interior of the most beautiful palaces and monuments of Malaga Al Andalus, this city offers endless plans that children will love.

I leave you some ideas so you can choose and realize that going with children is definitely one of the best things you can see and do in Malaga, especially if you want to provide fun and safeguard family moments.

1. Climbing up to the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castle

View of the Alcazaba and the Roman Theater| ©Johannes Schwanbeck
View of the Alcazaba and the Roman Theater| ©Johannes Schwanbeck

The Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro Castle are interesting monuments to visit in the city of Malaga, and especially if you are visiting with children, they are incredible places that they will love. Something you can take advantage of in your visit to these monuments Al Andalus, is the staged tour for children.

You can enter and tour the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro Castle on your own, or you can do it on a guided tour that will take you through each of the monuments, to learn about the history and culture that is kept inside.

To visit this magical place in the company of children, I recommend you to do it during the days when the elevator to the Alcazaba is working, otherwise you will have to walk up to the Gibralfaro Castle.

Interesting details

  • Price: Tickets can cost between 3 and 8 euros per person, according to the type of ticket you want to buy. I recommend you to check beforehand the details about the prices to enter the place.
  • How to get there: To get there you can use public transportation or your own or rented car. Then you can take the elevator or a bus route that takes you very close to the Alcazaba. You can also walk up to the top of Mount Gibralfaro.
  • Hours: From 9:00 to 18:00 or until 20:00, depending on the time of the year. For more information, I recommend you to read more about the opening hours of the Alcazaba.

Book your visit to the Alcazaba

2. Visit the Treasure Cave

Beach in El Rincon de La Victoria| ©Cayetano
Beach in El Rincon de La Victoria| ©Cayetano

About 15 kilometers from the city of Malaga is a picturesque village called El Rincon de la Victoria. Within this place is one of the three sea caves known worldwide. The other two caves are located in Asia and Central America.

This one located in El Rincón de la Victoria is definitely a must visit for anyone who is visiting Malaga. One of the things I like to mention most about this place is its interesting contrast between history, culture and popular legends, since it is said that a hidden treasure is kept inside.

It is undoubtedly one of the best activities in Malaga to do with children, not only because they will have the opportunity to know an interesting archaeological site but also because they will live an incredible adventure walking through the narrowness of the cave and seeing the shapes that water has made through the millennia.

Inside the cave there are different paths, lakes and corridors that will take you from the largest to the smallest spaces of the cavern. Definitely an experience for the whole family.

Details of interest

  • Price: Up to 3 years old, children enter for free. From 4 to 14 years old pay approximately 2.75 euros, as well as retirees and people over 65 years old. Adults from 15 to 64 years pay about 4.65 euros for admission.
  • How to get there: It is located on Avenida Picasso in Rincón de la Victoria.
  • Hours: In winter it is open in the mornings from 10:00 to 13:00 and in the afternoons from 15:00 to 17:00. In summer, the opening hours are from 10:30 to 13:00 and then in the afternoon from 16:30 to 19:00.

3. Boarding the Tourist Bus throughout the city

Tourist Bus| ©City Sightseeing
Tourist Bus| ©City Sightseeing

The tourist bus of Malaga is one of those activities that you can not miss if you go with children. It is a very fun and also very economical way to enjoy the different interesting places that you have to know the city of Malaga. In this tour you will have the opportunity to know each place for a really low price.

You have to keep in mind that the tour does not include tickets to any of the attractions, but what is advantageous is that it gives you the possibility to get on and off the route as many times as you want, but paying only one ticket. Kids love this ride because they can see all the sights from the top of the bus.

Interesting details

  • Price: It can cost between 25 and 49 euros, depending on the type of ticket you want to buy, with attractions, without attractions, or the duration of the ticket, either 24 or 48 hours.
  • How to get there: You can get on the bus at any of the stations to make the entire route.
  • Schedule: Generally it usually has a route that runs from 11:00 to 18:00, although it depends largely on the line. Frequency may also change.

Book your sightseeing bus tour of the city

4. Go for a walk to the village of Nerja

Nerja, Malaga| ©lhourahane
Nerja, Malaga| ©lhourahane

The town of Nerja is ideal if you go with children, in fact, it is one of the best towns in Malaga where you can go with your family. Nerja is a coastal town that is full of beaches and interesting places to visit such as the Balcon de Europa or the caves of Nerja.

Another thing you can do on this trip to Nerja is to go up to the Chillar river, although I recommend you to do this activity if you go with children over 6 years old to enjoy the ride and the panoramic views. Nerja is located about 55 kilometers east of Malaga, so by rental car it can take you about 30 minutes to get there on the highway.

If you don't want or can't make the trip to the Chillar river, you can do many other activities in this nearby town of Malaga, from visiting beaches to kayaking from Malaga to Nerja, in one of the best kayak tours you can do from the city.

Interesting details

  • Price: The price to visit this area depends on whether you do it on your own or if you travel on a guided tour. In the second case, it may cost between 40 and 50 euros per person.
  • How to get there: You can travel by bus, train or rental car.
  • Schedule: If you go on your own, I recommend leaving for Nerja early in the morning. If you go on a guided tour, the schedule depends on the agreed planning.

Book your excursion to Nerja and Frigiliana

5. Take an excursion through the village Acebuchal

Excursion in Acebuchal| ©El Coleccionista de Instantes
Excursion in Acebuchal| ©El Coleccionista de Instantes

I like to include this place among the activities to do with children, but it is also one of the best excursions from Malaga because it is a tour where you will know a village that was abandoned for about 50 years approximately. Today it has been restored and is functioning as an incredible tourist place.

It is a kind of ghost town ideal to visit with children because although it is a secluded place with few houses, most of them are intended for rent during the vacation seasons. But no matter when you go, it is always an interesting place to visit.

The children like to know the legends that surround the village and above all they love to see how the different houses are so close to each other, as it happens in other villages of white houses in Europe.

Interesting details

  • Price: The entrance to the place is free, but if you want to stay in some of the rental houses, you will have to contact directly with the owners of the property to know the rental price.
  • How to get there: This village is located in the town of Competa and actually it is not very easy to get there. In fact, since it is located between mountains, it can be a bit difficult to find it at first sight. The best way to get there is by rental car.
  • Hours: The village is open at all hours, but I recommend you to make the tour to this area during the day, and if you can go in the morning, all the better.

6. Touring the Caminito del Rey

Caminito del Rey, Malaga| ©Frayle
Caminito del Rey, Malaga| ©Frayle

It used to be considered the most dangerous hiking route in the world, but nowadays it is one of the most visited by tourists from all over Europe. It is reinforced with security measures and there are multiple excursions that take you to this place.

It is undoubtedly one of the best options to have fun with children who love extreme adventures. Although it is a fairly safe route, children like to feel the adrenaline of completing the trail to the end. I recommend this hike if you are traveling with children over 6 years old.

Once you start the Caminito del Rey you must finish it, you cannot go back. I recommend you to bring some things to eat on the way because completing this trail route can take you between 3 and 4 hours, so it is important to bring enough water and things to eat on the way.

Details of interest

  • Price: You can enter as a tourist and pay a general entrance fee of approximately 10 euros. You can also choose an official guided tour which can cost around 18 euros per person. If you want to do a complete tour from Malaga to the Caminito del Rey, you can pay approximately 60 euros per person.
  • How to get there: One of the best ways to get to the Caminito del Rey is by train from Malaga, which takes you to the Chorro station, very close to the entrance to the Caminito del Rey.
  • Opening hours: It usually opens at 9:00 and closes at 15:30 or 17:20, depending on the season of the year.

Book your excursion to the Caminito del Rey from Málaga

7. Enter to the Aeronautical Museum

Aeronautical Museum| ©Rafa Sanchez
Aeronautical Museum| ©Rafa Sanchez

If you are looking for an interactive and participatory activity for the kids to have fun from the moment they arrive until they leave, then the place to visit is the Aeronautical Museum. One of the best features this museum has is that it is located right next to the Airport.

In case you don't have time to visit the museum during your vacation time, you can do so before boarding your flight back home. It is ranked as one of the top 10 museums in Malaga and that is because it is an open and interactive space where children can learn many things about airplanes and their history.

Inside the museum you will have the chance to see what it was like to board the airplanes of your grandparents' time. They will also be able to board a real airplane that is now part of the historical airplanes. You will be able to move the propellers and many other fun things. It is also a place where you can find different outdoor spaces to share a picnic.

Details of interest

  • Price: Tickets are free for all the public.
  • How to get there: To get there you can go by train and get off at the airport station, where you will have to walk for about 10 minutes until you reach the museum. You can also get there by bus, using line A of the EMT, in which case you will have to stay at the last stop.
  • Opening hours: The opening hours are from 10:00 to 20:00 on Tuesdays and from 10:00 to 14:00 from Wednesday to Saturday.

8. Playing instruments at the Music Museum

Music Museum in Malaga| ©IES Profesor Juan Bautista
Music Museum in Malaga| ©IES Profesor Juan Bautista

The Music Museum is one of those places that children will love to visit because it is an interactive place where you will have the opportunity to learn about each of the instruments and above all they can get involved with them, as they are given the opportunity to play each of those found in the museum.

It is above all an interactive place, where there are spaces for the whole family and where you can let your imagination fly and find out if you or the children have musical abilities. You can learn about the different musical notes and of course, you can't leave without learning some musical history inside the museum.

Details of interest

  • Price: Children can enter for free, while tickets for the rest of the people can have a cost ranging from 3 to 5 euros per person.
  • How to get there: In case you travel by rental car or your own, you can park in the vicinity of La Alcazaba. In case you travel by public transport, you have to get off at the station Paseo del Parque or Calle Victoria of the EMT. By train, the nearest stop is Malaga Centro Alameda. And finally you have the option of the tourist bus that offers you a stop a hundred meters from the Museum at the Plaza La Merced stop on the red line.
  • Hours: It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 18:30.

9. Go to La Concepción Botanical Garden

La Concepción Botanical Garden| ©Isa Ruiz
La Concepción Botanical Garden| ©Isa Ruiz

La Concepción Botanical Garden gathers a large number of species whose natural habitats are located in different parts of the world. This Botanical Garden is open to the public until late at night and offers different activities that you can enjoy during your visit, as one of the best things to do in Malaga at night.

In case you travel to Malaga in December season, I recommend you to go to the Botanical Garden and don't miss the light show every night. Inside the enclosure, the plants are arranged according to the climate they belong to, so it is a truly nourishing experience for children and adults.

Details of interest

  • Price: General admission tickets can be priced at €5.20, while reduced tickets can be priced at approximately €3.40.
  • How to get there: You can get there by public transport, using line 2 of the EMT. You can also get there by private car, or by the city's tourist bus that leaves you very close if you get on the green line.
  • Hours: From April to September it is open from 9:30 am to 8:30 pm. Then from October to March it is open to the public from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. On December 24 and 31 it is open from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm.

10. To visit the Battery Park in Torremolinos

Battery Park in Torremolinos| ©Santiago Abella
Battery Park in Torremolinos| ©Santiago Abella

This is a good park for children, and in fact it is also good for the whole family. One of the things I like most about this place is that it has different spaces for children of all ages, arranged outdoors and with the necessary safety measures to avoid accidents.

On the other hand, the Battery Park has different places within the park that are enabled for picnics and to enjoy family moments. It has other spaces for cycling and even an artificial lake, where you can rent boats on weekends to navigate.

It is a good place to visit with the family and take the children, especially in the summer season, when the temperature is much higher and the weather is more pleasant. It is centrally located in Torremolinos, so in case you decide to stay in town for a few days, this is a good option to visit whenever you can.

Details of interest

  • Price: Entrance to the park is free.
  • How to get there: One of the best ways to get there is by train, as there is a stop right next to the park, called Montemar Alto. If you go by car, either rental or your own, you can park in the places provided for this purpose.
  • Hours: It is open every day from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm.