Madrid
Spain's capital city offers everything from art museums to theme parks to outdoor recreation for kids of all ages to enjoy. For those future biologists and zoologists, there's the Zoo Aquarium in Casa de Campo. The facility can be accessed by metro and is an appealing daytime destination for families. At night, families can stop by the Madrid Planetarium, where kids can gaze at the stars and watch special effects through one of the facility's 50 special effects projectors, according to the Madrid Tourist Board. Families looking for more high-energy fun can visit one of Madrid's two major theme parks, the Faunia and Parque Warner Madrid.
Barcelona
Barcelona, home to the 1992 Olympic Games, has venues available for just about any recreational activity, including sailing and swimming. Kids also can get a close-up look at some aquatic life at Barcelona's zoo or spend the day learning about sea navigation at the city's Maritime Museum. The city also offers artistic activities at the Museum of Clothing and Textiles and the Museum of Decorative Arts and Ceramics Museum.
Seville
Seville, located off the river Guadalquivir, is home to Isla Magica, a theme park centered around a lake that is set during the time of the discovery of America. Children can enjoy more than 40 rides and attractions in the park, which is divided into seven areas that represent different periods in 16th-century Spanish history. In May, the Teatro Municipal Alameda hosts the Puppet and Marionette Festival, in addition to other children's theater programs, according to Spain's Tourism Institute.
Salamanca
Located a short drive from Madrid, Salamanca offers a tourist train that leaves every 30 minutes from Plaza de Anaya. The tour shows visitors the main points of interest in the city's center. The Casa Lis (the Museum of Art Nouveau and Art Deco) is a popular destination for families, especially with its exhibits of bright colors, porcelain dolls and glassware.
Valencia
Valencia is described by Spain's Tourism Institute as a city that thinks of children. In the Gulliver Park playground, children can glide down slides shaped like the famous giant, play mini-golf, skate, or compete on a giant chess board.
Families can also make an all-in-one trip to the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (the City of Arts and Sciences). The complex offers a 3-D cinema planetarium, a science museum and an aquarium.
