travel to spain 17 year old

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• New Law For Under 18s Travelling Alone – Spain

A new law was brought out in September 2019 regarding under 18s travelling alone, with a friend, family member or even on a school trip.

It´s still not 100% clear and neither the British Consulte or the Police seem sure about this new law. But for those of you who live here with kids under 18 who may travel alone, it´s worth being aware of this new law, especially if your child holds a Spanish Passport although according to the Spanish Airport Authorities, this affects other passport holders too.

What The British Consulate Says

On 1 September 2019, the Spanish authorities implemented a new regulation. Children (under 18 years old) resident in Spain, who travel out of Spain without a person who has parental responsibility, may need a certified authorisation by that person. This is required in addition to a valid travel document.

The Spanish authorities have confirmed that the regulation does not apply to foreign children resident in Spain who are subject to the law of their country of nationality, or to non-resident foreign children visiting Spain.

We have notified the Spanish immigration authorities that there is no similar standard regulation in the  UK , so British consulates do not provide travel authorisation documents. British children do not need written permission to travel unless they are subject to a court order which states that written permission is required from those holding parental responsibility. If the child is subject to such a court order, or to ensure that an unaccompanied child will be able to leave Spain without delay, you must obtain a certified authorisation from a  public notary  in Spain.

If you have parental responsibility for Spanish children in Spain, you can obtain a certified authorisation at a notary,  national police station (in Spanish) , or at the  Guardia Civil (in Spanish) . See full page here

What AENA, Spanish Airports Authorities Say

Spanish children under 18 travelling abroad not accompanied by their parents or legal guardian, must carry, besides the current valid ID card or passport, an authorisation for travel of minors abroad. In the case of foreign minors living in Spain, their legal guardian must contact their consulate to complete the documentation in accordance with the regulations of their country. Continue reading

Our Case – Under 18 British Passport Holder with Spanish Residency – School Trip

Our daughter was born in Spain, is a resident of Spain but holds a British Passport. She´s going on a school trip from Spain to France. The school sent through a form with all the details of the teacher who will be in charge.

We went along to the National Police Station with the following documents;

• All Passports (mum, dad & daughter)
• Resident Cards (mum, dad & daughter)
• Letter from the school with all the information
• Dates of the trip

The police entered all the details and gave us a form with the authorization for our daughter to travel. However , they were a little confused about her being a British Passport Holder. They said they think it´s ok, but we should check with the British Consulate. I called the British Consulate who said… If the police have issued the authorization then that should be ok. They have had issues where the police have refused to do this for British Passport Holders and in the event of anyone being refused, you would need to go to a Public Notary with all the details.

Forms for under 18s travelling alone

Guardia Civil – Form for under 18s travelling alone

National Police Form for under 18s travelling alone

Better To Be Safe Than Sorry

Many people say their kids have travelled alone or with friends and family and never been questioned. But you never know! It´s better to be safe than sorry and check whether or not you need some form of authorisation. The last thing you want is to have your child stopped at an airport and have the stress of dealing with airport security, police and consulates.

If anyone does have first-hand experience with this new law, please do let us know.

Find more Malaga Airport information here and feel free to come and join The Costa Del Sol Travel Forum on Facebook.

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Traveling to Europe with kids? What to know about vaccination and entry rules

Mar 31, 2022 • 9 min read

The EU has introduced flexible vaccination rules for children traveling under the EU Digital COVID Certificate © Getty Images

Do children need a booster for travel in Europe this summer? Can unvaccinated children travel? Here's what you need to know as the European Union (EU) introduces flexible travel rules for people under the age of 18.

Across the EU, tourists who completed their primary jabs more than 270 days ago need a booster to enter countries such as France , Spain and Italy  — or be considered unvaccinated and therefore subject to additional rules such as testing.

This recommendation was introduced by the European Commission (the legal arm of the EU) on February 1 under the EU Digital COVID Certificate regulation . Most EU member states adopted it, though some, such as Ireland , Denmark and Sweden , have since scrapped all COVID-19 entry requirements at their borders.

What it's like for Americans proving they are vaccinated in Europe

This week, the Commission introduced new rules on the EU digital COVID certificate that exempt children under the age of 18 from the 270 days acceptance period following the primary vaccination series. This means that children are considered fully vaccinated after having received their primary dose; whether that's a two-shot vaccine series or a one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

By April 6, this new feature will be included in the mobile app used to verify EU Digital COVID Certificates so that children's certificates remain active without the booster.

In a statement, Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, said: "One of the biggest benefits of the EU Digital COVID Certificate is its flexibility to adapt to new circumstances. Following discussions with member states' public health experts, we have decided that the vaccination certificates of minors should not expire. When travelling, they will be able to continue using the certificate received after the primary series of vaccination."

This exemption applies to EU and Schengen Zone citizens and residents traveling within Europe, though some countries can adopt their own entry restrictions regardless of the Commission's ruling.

If you plan to travel to Europe with kids this summer, here's what you need to know about the latest entry rules and how they apply to you, even if you're traveling from countries outside of the EU like the UK and the US.

Can unvaccinated children travel to Europe?

Generally speaking, yes. Children under 12 are typically exempt from vaccination requirements in most countries but many require that children between the age of 12 and 18 have received the primary vaccine course to avoid testing rules.

What countries in Europe have scrapped COVID-19 entry restrictions?

Andorra , Denmark, Hungary , Lithuania , Iceland , Ireland, Montenegro , Norway , Poland , Romania , Slovenia , Sweden, and the United Kingdom have recently dropped all pandemic restrictions at their borders, meaning people no longer have to show vaccination certificates or negative tests to enter these countries, regardless of where they are coming from.

Countries in Europe with travel restrictions

Here are some of the destinations in Europe that still require proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test from travelers.

People over the age of 12 need one of the following: proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory 270 days after primary vaccine course); a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days); or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (24 hours) test.

Boosters are not required for those under 18 to be considered fully vaccinated.

See more: Austria Entry Requirements

Generally, people traveling from the EU/Schengen area can present proof of vaccination (booster mandatory 270 days after primary vaccine course); a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days) or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (36 hours) test.

People from outside the EU or an area categorized as high-risk must present proof of vaccination. Children under 18 can present proof of recovery or a negative test. Children under 12 are exempt.

Belgium's rules vary depending on the COVID-19 risk associated with your departing country.

See more: Belgium Color Codes by Country

People need one of the following: proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory 270 days after primary vaccine course); a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days); or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (24 hours) test.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from testing. Boosters are not required for those under 18 to be considered fully vaccinated.

See more: Visit Croatia

People over the age of 12 need one of the following: proof of vaccination (booster mandatory seven months after primary vaccine course) or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (24 hours) test. People also have to take a PCR on arrival and isolate while awaiting results.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from testing. Boosters are not required for those under 18 to be considered fully vaccinated.

See more: Visit Cyprus

People must present proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory nine months after primary vaccine course) or recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days) to bypass additional restrictions. Unvaccinated travelers from the EU and approved countries including the UK and US must isolate for seven days upon arrival.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from entry rules.

See more: Estonia Ministry of Foreign Affairs

People traveling from the EU, Schengen Zone or approved countries including Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Korea can present one of the following: proof of vaccination; recovery certificate (older than 28 days, but no less than three months old) or a PCR (48 hours) or antigen (48 hours) test. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from testing.

People traveling from outside the EU, including the UK and the US, must be vaccinated to enter Germany. Unvaccinated 6-11 year olds can enter with a vaccinated parent; unvaccinated accompanying over-12s can provide a negative PCR or antigen test.

See more: Government of Germany

People traveling from the EU, US, UK, Canada, Australia, and other approved countries need to present one of the following: proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory seven months after primary vaccine course); a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days); or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (24 hours) test.

Children under five are exempt from all entry requirements. Boosters are not required for those under 18 to be considered fully vaccinated.

See more: Greece Ministry of Tourism

There are no entry rules for those traveling from the EU and Schengen Zone countries. However, people coming from third countries such as the UK and the US must provide proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory nine months after primary vaccine course) or recovery certificate (issued within the past six months).

Children born in 2007 or later are exempt if accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.

See more:  Finland Border Guard

People must present one of the following: proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory nine months after a primary vaccine course) or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (48 hours) test.

Children under 12 are exempt. Boosters are not required for those under 18 to be considered fully vaccinated.

See more:  French Ministry of Foreign Affairs  

People need to present one of the following: proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory seven months after primary vaccine course); a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days); or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (48 hours) test.

Children under the age of six are exempt from testing. Boosters are not required for those under 18 to be considered fully vaccinated.

See more:  Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

People over the age of 12 need one of the following: proof of vaccination (second dose administered at least 14 days prior to travel); recovery certificate; or negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (48 hours) test.

See more: Discover Latvia

People need one of the following: proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory nine months after primary vaccine course); a recovery certificate (issued within the past six months); or a negative PCR (48 hours) or antigen (24 hours) test.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt.

See more:  Visit Luxembourg

People must present proof of vaccination with a booster to travel to Malta. 

Children between the ages of five and 11 must present a negative PCR test (72 hours). Children under five are exempt.

See more:  Visit Malta  

Netherlands

There are no entry rules for people traveling from the EU/Schengen area or countries participating in the EU travel rules scheme. People from elsewhere, including the US and UK, must present proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory 270 days after primary vaccine course) or a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days but no earlier than 11 days).

Children under 12 traveling to the Netherlands from outside the EU/Schengen area must show a negative PCR (48 hours) or antigen (24 hours) test.

See more: Government of Netherlands

See more: Visit Portugal

People traveling to Slovakia must show proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory nine months after primary vaccine course).

See more: Slovakia Information Centre

People traveling from the EU can show proof of vaccination (boosters mandatory nine months after primary vaccine course); a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days) or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (24 hours) test.

People traveling from outside the EU must show proof of vaccination or recovery only (unless traveling to Balearic Islands where proof of vaccination is mandatory).

Children under 12 are exempt from vaccination requirements. Unvaccinated 12 to 17-year-olds can present a negative PCR (72 hours) test.

See more: Spain Ministry of Health

Switzerland

People traveling to Switzerland must show proof of vaccination ( booster mandatory 270 days after primary vaccine course) or a recovery certificate (issued within the past 180 days). 

Children under 18 are exempt.

See more: Switzerland Travel Check

Most people need to present one of the following: proof of vaccination; a recovery certificate (issued within the past six months but no less than 28 days); or a negative PCR (72 hours) or antigen (48 hours) test.

Children under the age of 12 are exempting from testing.

People from high-risk countries are subject to stricter rules including quarantine if they're unvaccinated.

See more: Visit Turkey

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International travel with unvaccinated children; Spain drops the vaccine requirement for teens

Traveling with children and teens always comes with challenges, but the pandemic has added complexity because of the restrictions that are in place for international travel. With the long holiday weekend for Presidents' Day coming later this month and spring break around the corner, you may be looking to get away with your family.

While domestic travel is easiest for U.S. travelers as you don't have to worry about entry requirements, now that many countries are opening their borders and removing restrictions, you may want to take the family further afield.

But where can you go, especially if your children are not vaccinated yet? One choice is Spain , which announced on Friday that starting Feb. 14 it will allow unvaccinated U.S. travelers between the ages of 12-17 to visit the country. They only need to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Unvaccinated children under 12 were already able to visit the country with fully vaccinated adults.

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Parents still need to comply with Spain's COVID-19 regulations that require proof of vaccination for U.S. tourists. Adult visitors must be fully vaccinated with their last dose at least 14 days before travel and not more than 270 days prior to arrival. If the second vaccine shot was administered more than nine months before planned travel, a booster shot is needed at least 14 days before entry.

Travel planners might want to think twice before booking a trip to the country with children who are not vaccinated though, as Spain is currently on the CDCs "Level 4: Very High" risk for COVID-19. But many countries are at that level due to the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant. If you decide to travel, here are the CDC guidelines on traveling with children.

Related: Countries reopening after COVID-19

Some Vacation spots that don't require vaccines for children

If you are comfortable taking an international trip with your family and your kids are not vaccinated, there are more destinations you can consider. Below is a small sample of other places that do not require young children to be vaccinated, though many do require adults and children over 12 to be vaccinated and most still require a negative COVID-19 test for anyone over 2 before arrival. Some also require testing after you get to your destination as well. Vaccines for children under 5 have not been approved, so there are no vaccine requirements for them.

If you are looking for a European destination other than Spain that allows unvaccinated children, Bulgaria allows unvaccinated children age 12-18 to visit, although they do need to present a negative PCR test to enter.

If North America is on your radar for an upcoming trip with the family, you can visit Canada with children under 12 if they are not vaccinated. They still need to meet testing requirements and submit information electronically through ArriveCan.

Island GetAways that allow unvaccinated children

If you're looking to get away from the winter weather to a sunny destination in the Caribbean and your kids are not vaccinated, consider Anguilla, which does not require vaccines for children under 18. They will still need authorization, proof of a negative PCR test taken 48-120 hours before arrival or a negative antigen test no more than 48 hours before landing. They will also have to test again on arrival.

Another warm destination is the Bahamas, where unvaccinated travelers 12 and older need to take a PCR test within 72 hours of arrival. Children aged 2-11 can show results of either a negative PCR or a rapid antigen test on arrival.

Bermuda requires all travelers over 18 to be vaccinated, but unvaccinated minors may enter with vaccinated adults who need to provide a negative test taken within three days of departure.

Children under 12 with parents who received their second vaccine dose more than two weeks before travel are allowed to enter St. Kitts and Nevis without additional testing.

Some islands like St. Lucia allow unvaccinated children 5-17 years of age, but they need to be tested before and after they arrive, and they must stay in quarantine until the test result comes back negative.

Other rules to consider

These destinations are just a sampling of those that allow minors in without vaccines, but you should be aware that many places still have restrictions on what you can do once you're there, so be sure to do more research before deciding to take a trip with the kids.

Many destinations have opened their borders and rules are changing daily so be sure to check the country's embassy site for up-to-date information before booking.

Related: U.S. rules for international travel

Keep in mind that the CDC recommends vaccinations for all travelers over 5 to most foreign destinations. If you do decide to travel internationally, current regulations require you to take a negative test when returning to the U.S. To keep up to date on the ever-changing rules for traveling to international destinations, check TPG's comprehensive guide to COVID-19 regulations by country .

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Travel Authorisation For Minors - Update 2019

Edit December 2019. According to the latest Instrucción, this travel authorisation is NOT needed for foreign minors, residing in Spain. Valid as of 1.9.2019.

Quote, translated, from the FAQs on the Ministry’s website, re the travel authorisation for minors:

Q4.- Is it applicable to foreign minors residing in Spain when they leave the national territory?

A4.- Foreign minors shall be governed by the provisions of their national legislation. Therefore, authorization to exit will NOT be necessary of Spain, unless the specific legislation of a State so provides. Nor will this authorization be necessary for minors foreigners who are visiting or in transit in Spain.

For information, the Embassies of Romania, United Kingdom, The United States, Germany, Argentina, Ireland, Switzerland and Uruguay have informed this Ministry that its national laws do not provide for the need to issue this type of authorization.

At CAB Spain, we do not feel that this new Instrucción is a step forward with regards to the protection of foreign minors residing here, but rather a step backwards. We are aware that regulation is up to the country that is responsible for the issuing of the travel documents, but in situations of abduction by the parent without legal custody, a travel authorisation, to be presented at the border control when leaving Spanish territory, could have been an effective protective measure.

CAB Spain advises that to prevent delay or any problems at the Spanish borders, that parents should consider using the travel authorisation.

For Spanish minors, the following is still valid. In addition to their own valid passport or ID card, all children travelling: alone; or with adults who are not their legal guardian; or with only one parent may need an extra (official) document signed by their parents, second parent or legal guardian(s) authorising them to travel.

There are no EU rules on this matter, each EU country decides whether or not it requires such documents. Check, before the child travels, the requirements of the country you are travelling both from and to.

For Spanish nationals leaving other countries that are not Spain, could contact their consulates in those countries.  They may also just wish to use the information below.

Info from the Spanish Government for Spanish minors, new Instruction in force as of 1.9.2019.

An example of a Travel Authorisation form. Nowadays most offices will fill out the required fields on their computers, to be included in a letter-type of document. The form can be downloaded or printed out.

Travel Authorisation

Info from the Police in Spain: (this info was valid for all minors residing in and leaving Spanish territory in the situation described below, until 1.9.2019) When a minor travels abroad on his/her own or with just one of the parents, you need to arrange for a Travel Authorisation for Minors, to obtain from the Policia Nacional or Guardia Civil. Documents to bring when you have the Authorisation drawn up: his/her passport and the passport of the parent authorising the journey abroad (the non travelling parent).  If you have a Libro de Familia, bring that as well, if not, some other document that proves you are actually his/her parent, like a birth certificate. Need to bring Residency certificates too. On the trip itself, advisable to bring copy of the passport of the parent giving authorisation (the one that is not coming on the trip).

And if you are divorced, bring the divorce settlement so they can check who has legal custody of the minor.

For travels within Schengen area, signature of just one parent is enough…. outside Schengen however, they need signatures from both parents to be able to draw up the travel authorisation for a minor – just came into force yesterday, 14th of July 2014.

Also for information on countries where entrance with just a Spanish DNI is allowed Please note that the ´port of entry´ has the final say as to what documents need to be presented, so best check with your airline as well.

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Travel Advisory July 26, 2023

Spain - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Exercise increased caution in Spain due to  terrorism  and  civil unrest .

Country Summary:  Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Spain. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

Demonstrations are common. They may take place in response to political or economic issues, on politically significant holidays, and during international events.

Read the  country information page for additional information on travel in Spain.

If you decide to travel to Spain:

• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.
• Follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Spain.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Embassy Messages

View Alerts and Messages Archive

Quick Facts

6 months recommended, 3 months beyond your date of departure is required

1 page per stamp

None required for less than 90 days

Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy Madrid Calle Serrano, 75 28006 Madrid, Spain Telephone: (34) 91-587-2200 Emergency after-hours telephone: (34) 91-587-2200  Fax: (34) 91-587-2303 E-mail: [email protected]

U.S. Consulate General Barcelona Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23 08034 Barcelona, Spain Telephone: (34) 93-280-2227 Emergency after-hours telephone: (34) 91-587-2200  Fax: (34) 93-280-6175 E-mail: [email protected]

U.S. Consular Agency Fuengirola (Málaga) Avenida Juan Gómez "Juanito", 8 Edificio Lucía 1º-C 29640 Fuengirola (Málaga), Spain Telephone: (34) 95-247-4891 Fax: (34) 95-246-5189 E-mail: [email protected]

U.S. Consular Agency Las Palmas Edificio Arca Calle Los Martinez de Escobar 3, Oficina 7 35007 Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain Telephone: (34) 92-827-1259 Fax: (34) 92-822-5863 E-mail:   [email protected]

U.S. Consular Agency Palma de Mallorca Edificio Reina Constanza Porto Pi, 8, 9-D 07015 Palma, Islas Baleares, Spain Telephone: (34) 97-140-3707  Fax: (34) 97-140-3971 E-mail: [email protected]

U.S. Consular Agency Seville Plaza Nueva 8-8 duplicado 2nd Floor, Office E-2 No.4 41101 Sevilla, Spain Telephone: (34) 95-421-8751 Fax: (34) 95-422-0791 E-mail:   [email protected]

U.S. Consular Agency Valencia Doctor Romagosa 1, 2-J 46002 Valencia, Spain Telephone: (34) 96-351-6973 Fax: (34) 96-352-9565 E-mail:   [email protected]

Destination Description

See the Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Spain for information on U.S.-Spain relations.  

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

U.S. citizens traveling to Spain are not subject to any COVID-19 entry restrictions.

Spain is a party to the  Schengen Agreement . This means that U.S. citizens may enter Spain for up to 90 days for tourism or business without a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. You must have sufficient funds and a return airline ticket. Visit the  Embassy of Spain  website for the most current visa information.

Traveling Through Europe : If you are planning to visit, transit and/or travel through European countries, you should be familiar with the requirements of the Schengen Agreement. 

• Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay. If you plan on transiting a Schengen country, review our U.S. Travelers in Europe page .    
• You will need sufficient proof of funds and a return plane ticket .  
• For additional information about visas for the Schengen area, see the Schengen Visa page.

Students and athletes:  Students, prospective students, and athletes should visit the  Embassy of Spain  website for additional information on entry requirements. You should not travel to Spain as a student or for an athletic/study program without the appropriate Spanish visa. U.S. citizen students and athletes have been denied entry and held in immigration detention at Spanish airports awaiting return flights to the United States because they lacked the appropriate visa. If your coach or sponsoring program says that you do not require a visa to study, play for a sports team, or participate in a sports training program in Spain, you should confirm this information with the nearest Spanish consulate in the United States before you travel.

U.S. citizen minors living in Spain:  Spanish law mandates that all Spanish minors traveling internationally without their parents or legal guardians must have written notarized permission from a parent or guardian. The law also applies to foreign, minor residents if their country of nationality also requires parental permission. While U.S. law does not require minors traveling without a parent/guardian to have the parents’/guardians’ written permission, Spanish authorities and airlines have occasionally misinterpreted the law and stopped U.S. citizens minors from departing the country. Therefore, parents/legal guardians should consider preparing a notarized, written permission for their U.S. citizen minor children to travel abroad unaccompanied or with a third party.

HIV/AIDS restrictions: The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Spain.  

Find information on dual nationality , prevention of international child abduction , and customs regulations on our websites.

Safety and Security

Terrorism:  Terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on encouraging or conducting attacks worldwide, including within Europe. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack – including knives, firearms, and vehicles – to target crowds more effectively. Frequently, their aim is unprotected or vulnerable targets, such as: 

• High-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.)
• Hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists 
• Places of worship 
• Schools 
• Parks 
• Shopping malls and markets 
• Public transportation systems (including subways, buses, trains, and scheduled commercial flights)  

Spain’s open borders with its Western European neighbors allow the possibility for terrorists to enter and exit the country anonymously. Additionally, Spain’s enclaves in Melilla and Ceuta on the North African coast allow for entry into Spain from the African continent. Spain has taken robust actions to guard against terrorist attacks, including arrests of suspected extremists allegedly involved in terrorist plots. Credible information indicates terrorist groups continue to plot potential attacks in Europe, including Spain.

For more information, see our Terrorism page.  

Crime:  Pickpocketing and other minor crimes, such as theft, are very common in Spain including instances where the victim is purposefully distracted to facilitate the theft. Street crimes against U.S. citizens usually occur in  tourist areas, including airports, train stations, and both urban and beach destinations .

Violent crimes, including robberies, have also been reported. Some instances have required the victim to seek medical attention. Car break-ins are also frequent in Spain.

Use common sense, awareness and the same personal security measures you would normally use in any large city or tourist destination.

Keep track of your passport at all times, including on flights and other modes of transportation. There have been reports of passports being stolen on planes en route to Spain. Do not leave bags unattended. Keep them in sight and avoid placing passports, cash, cell phones, or other valuables in the outer pockets of backpacks or purses on tables or floors, grounds in public places. Do not leave bags slung over the backs of chairs, on hotel or store counters, on top of your suitcase or travel bag, or out of your physical control in hotel lobbies, car rental locations, train stations, restaurants, and other public places. Avoid carrying your passport unless needed for travel, especially in tourist areas. Instead, carry a photocopy or photo of your passport’s biographical information page and consider leaving your passport in a secure location, such as a hotel safe. Your passport will be required to check in into any hotel in Spain and may be required for trains or tourist sites.

Sexual Assault:  The U.S. Mission in Spain has received numerous reports of sexual assaults affecting U.S. citizens, especially younger travelers, students, and exchange teachers.

Navigating the Spanish criminal justice system after surviving a sexual assault has been difficult for many U.S. citizen victims, who report feeling judged and re-victimized throughout the very lengthy process.

Although it is not required, many U.S. citizen victims of sexual assault in Spain have found it helpful to hire a local attorney to be their advocate and defend their rights during any judicial process or use the help of the local Office of Victim’s Assistance. Information about the local victim’s assistance program is given out at the police station when the report is filed.

There have been numerous reports alleging sexual assaults against U.S. citizen students by Manuel Blanco Vela, a representative of a tour operator based in Seville, Spain. Conduct research online to determine who owns and operates tour companies to make informed choices.

Many sexual assaults occur at night or during the early morning hours. In most cases, assailants take advantage of alcohol or drugs to make victims more vulnerable.

Domestic Violence:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence should call the toll-free emergency number in Spain, 016, for assistance, and the U.S. Embassy in Madrid at (34) 91-587-2200 or U.S. Consulate General Barcelona at (+34) 93-280-2227. Note that the local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes.

Victims of Crime:  U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or other violent crimes are encouraged to report crimes to the local emergency services at 112 and contact the U.S. Embassy, Consulate, or consular agency for assistance . Note that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime.

See our webpage on  help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

• Help you find appropriate medical care  
• Assist you in reporting a crime to the police 
• Contact relatives or friends with your written consent 
• Provide general information regarding the victim’s role during the local investigation and following its conclusion 
• Provide a list of local attorneys  
• Provide information on  victim’s compensation programs in the United States
• Provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution 
• Help you find accommodation and arrange flights home 
• Replace a stolen or lost passport 

Demonstrations  occur frequently. They may take place in response to political or economic issues, on politically significant holidays, and during international events. 

• Demonstrations can be unpredictable, avoid areas around protests  and demonstrations .  
• Past demonstrations have turned violent.   
• Check local media for updates and traffic advisories. 

International Financial Scams:  See the  Department of State  and the  FBI  pages for information.

Financial scams are prevalent in Spain. Beware of anyone asking for money, particularly people who establish a “romantic” relationship online or anyone who claims the Spanish authorities are asking them for money. Scams are often initiated through Internet postings/profiles or by unsolicited emails and letters. Scammers almost always pose as U.S. citizens who have no one else to turn to for help. Common scams include:   

• People claiming to be U.S. military personnel
• Romance/Online dating 
• Money transfers 
• Grandparent/Relative targeting 
• Free Trip/Luggage 
• Lotteries 
• Inheritance notices 
• Work permits/Job offers 

Tourism: The tourism industry is generally regulated, and rules [with regards to best practices and safety inspections] are regularly enforced. Hazardous areas/activities are identified with appropriate signage, and professional staff is typically on hand in support of organized activities. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is widely available throughout the country. Outside of a major metropolitan center, it may take more time for first responders and medical professionals to stabilize a patient and provide life-saving assistance. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance . 

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties:  You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Individuals establishing a business or practicing a profession that requires additional permits or licensing should seek information from the competent local authorities prior to practicing or operating a business. 

Furthermore, some violations of laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on  crimes against minors abroad  and the  Department of Justice  website.

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Spain are severe and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Most cities in Spain have banned the consumption of alcohol in the street, other than in registered street cafes and bars. You could be arrested or fined if you break the law.

Local police, sometimes dressed in plain clothes, can require you to produce identification to establish your identity upon request and detain you for further questioning. Carry a photocopy of your passport with you as proof of your identity. If you are stopped by someone who claims to be a plainclothes police officer, ask to see their law enforcement identification.

Arrest Notification:  If you are arrested or detained, ask police to notify the U.S. Embassy Madrid or U.S. Consulate General Barcelona immediately. See our webpage for further information.

Counterfeit and Pirated Goods: Although counterfeit and pirated goods are prevalent in many countries, they may still be illegal according to local laws. You may also have to pay fines or have to give them up if you bring them back to the United States. See the U.S. Department of Justice website for more information. 

Faith-Based Travelers:  See the following webpages for details:

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Report – see country reports
• Human Rights Report – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTQI+ Travelers:  There are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of LGBTQI+ events in Spain. 

See our LGBTQI+ Travel Information page and section 6 of our Human Rights report for further details.  

Travelers with Disabilities: The law in Spain prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual or mental disabilities, and the law is enforced. Social acceptance of persons with disabilities in public is as prevalent as in the United States. In general, public transportation, lodging, communication/information, and general infrastructure are accessible. Taxis that can accommodate wheelchairs are available, but usually must be booked in advance.

In historic areas and older areas, sidewalks can be narrow and have uneven surfaces. Take this into account when planning your visit.  There may be differences in small towns and villages, where accessibility may be more limited.

Rental, repair, replacement parts for aids/equipment/devices, or service providers, such as sign language interpreters or personal assistants are widely available in Spain.

Students:  Follow the tips below and exercise caution and good judgment to make your study-abroad experience a positive and safe one. If you are coming to Spain to participate in a sports program, please check with the  Embassy of Spain  that you have the correct visa.

Do your research before contracting a tour operator or other service provider, including coaches and organizers of sports camps, schools, and training centers.

Exercise caution when agreeing to an internship or to serve as a recruiter for a specific organization or company. Most arrests, accidents, and violent crimes U.S. citizens suffer in Spain involve excessive alcohol. Drink in moderation and stay in a group of friends when in clubs, bars, or traveling.

See our  Students Abroad  page and  FBI travel tips .

Women Travelers : The U.S. Mission in Spain has received numerous reports of sexual assaults affecting U.S. citizens, especially younger travelers, students, and exchange teachers. Please see more information under Safety and Security.  See our travel tips for  Women Travelers .

Good medical care is available in Spain. However, regulations regarding medications vary from those in the United States. Spanish regulations do not permit the international shipment of medication . Do not ship medication from the United States to Spain . Spanish customs authorities will reject and return to the shipper medication mailed from the United States. This may cause a significant delay in receiving your medications. The U.S. Embassy cannot help you retrieve medications stopped by Spanish customs.

Medications requiring prescriptions in the United States also require a local doctor’s prescription in Spain. In some instances, a medicine prescribed in the United States will not have a local equivalent. It is important that travelers research this on the  European Agency for Medication  website prior to travel.

For emergency services in Spain, dial 112. You may ask for an English-speaking attendant.

Ambulance services are widely available. 

We do not pay medical bills . Be aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas. Most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance. Medical care is not free in Spain. If you require medical attention, you will incur expenses, even if you are treated in a public healthcare facility. Lack of payment may bar future travel to Spain.

Medical Insurance:  Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See  our webpage  for more information on insurance overseas. Visit the  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  for more information on type of insurance you should consider before you travel overseas. We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation. 

Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. Check with the embassy to ensure the medication is legal in Spain. 

Vaccinations:  Be up-to-date on all  vaccinations  recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC)  

Air Quality:  Visit  AirNow Department of State  for information on air quality at U.S. Embassies and Consulates.

The U.S. Embassy maintains  a list of doctors and hospitals . We do not endorse or recommend any specific medical provider or clinic. 

Health facilities in general:

• Adequate health facilities are available throughout the country. Private hospitals usually require advance payment or proof of adequate insurance or funds before admitting a patient.  Medical staff may speak little or no English. Patients may be asked to bear costs for transfer to or between hospitals. 
• Patients have to pay their medical treatment in public hospitals.

Medical Tourism and Elective Surgery:

• U.S. citizens have suffered serious complications or died during or after having cosmetic or other elective surgery.
• Medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry. People seeking health care overseas should understand that medical systems operate differently from those in the United States and are not subject to the same rules and regulations. Anyone interested in traveling for medical purposes should consult with their local physician before traveling and visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for more information on Medical Tourism.

Pharmaceuticals: U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Food and Drug Administration are responsible for rules governing the transport of medication back to the United States. Medication purchased abroad must meet their requirements to be legally brought back into the United States. Medication should be for personal use and must be approved for usage in the United States. Please visit the  U.S. Customs and Border Protection  and the  Food and Drug Administration  websites for more information.

Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy: If you are considering traveling to Spain to have a child through use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) or surrogacy, please see our  ART and Surrogacy Abroad page . 

Surrogacy is illegal in Spain and subject to complex local regulation. 

Adventure Travel: Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for more information about  Adventure Travel .

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety : Road conditions in Spain can differ significantly from those in the United States. Drivers and pedestrians should exercise increased caution as traffic in Madrid and Barcelona is often faster-paced than in the United States and can be unnerving because of unfamiliar signs and traffic lights and different driving habits, including motorbikes weaving between traffic lanes.

Obey the traffic light located at your stop line, as there are separate traffic lights for each side of the intersection. Be alert when driving at night in urban areas; you may encounter drivers or pedestrians under the influence of alcohol.

Night driving in isolated rural areas can be dangerous because of farm animals and poorly marked roads.

Rural traffic is generally heavier in July and August as well as during the Christmas and Easter seasons.

Emergency services, including roadside assistance, are plentiful, competent, and can be easily accessed by dialing 112 from any phone.

Traffic Laws: You must obtain an International Driving Permit prior to your arrival if you plan to drive in Spain. The permits are only valid for one year.

It is illegal to rent a vehicle if you don’t have an International Driving Permit. Your rental car may be impounded, and you will be required to pay a fine if stopped by the police.

It is against the law to use a mobile phone without a hands-free device while driving. There is a €300 fine for violating this regulation, and you may also lose your license.

All drivers and passengers are required to buckle up (even in taxis and in the backseat) and wear a reflective vest if they need to stop on the roadside. A reflective triangle warning sign is also mandatory if you stop on the roadside.

You must have liability insurance to operate any car or motorcycle.

If you are stopped by the Spanish National Police or the Guardia Civil, they may levy fines on the spot and issue a receipt for payment. This ensures that foreigners pay their fines while still in Spain.

Public Transportation:  Public transportation in large Spanish cities is generally excellent.

Only use clearly identified cabs, ensure that taxi drivers always switch on the meter (except for fixed-fare trips originating to and from the Madrid airport), and ask for a receipt.

Private transportation companies (such as Uberor Cabify) are often used in Madrid and Barcelona but check private transportation websites for operating status before arrival.

Official taxis to and from the Madrid airport to the city center charge a €30 flat rate.  Official taxis to and from the Barcelona airport to the cruise ship terminal charge a €39 flat rate.

Rail service is comfortable and reliable but varies in quality and speed. Intercity buses are usually comfortable and inexpensive.

See our  Road Safety page  for more information. 

Aviation Safety Oversight:  The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Spain’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Spain’s air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the  FAA’s safety assessment page . 

Maritime Travel:  Mariners planning travel to Spain should also check for  U.S. maritime advisories and alerts . Information may also be posted to the   U.S. Coast Guard homeport website  and the  NGA broadcast warnings .

For additional travel information

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in Spain . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA ) report.

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Entry requirements

This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Spain set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact Spain’s embassy or consulates in the UK .

If you are planning to travel to Spain through France, check the latest FCDO travel advice for France before you start your journey.

If you are planning to travel to Spain through Gibraltar, check the latest FCDO travel advice for Gibraltar before you start your journey.

COVID-19 rules

There are no COVID-19 testing or vaccination requirements for travellers entering Spain.

Passport validity requirements

If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements .

Your passport must be:

• issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
• valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

Check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.

Contact Spain’s embassy or consulates in the UK if you think that your passport does not meet both these requirements. Renew your passport if you need to .

Visa requirements

You can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training.

If travelling to Spain and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day limit. Visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.

To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, you need to meet the Spanish government’s entry requirements. Check with Spain’s embassy or consulates in the UK before you travel about what type of visa or work permit you may need.

If travelling to Spain for work , read the guidance on visas and permits.

If you cannot return to the UK before the expiry of your visa, permit or visa-free limit, contact the Spanish government’s national information service (In Spanish, English speaking operators are available). You can dial 060 from a Spanish phoneline.

If you are visiting Spain and need to extend your visa-free stay for exceptional reasons, such as a medical emergency, you must apply to the immigration authorities (‘Extranjería’) (in Spanish).

If you stay in Spain with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.

Passport stamping

Check your passport is stamped as you enter or exit the Schengen area through Spain as a visitor.

Border guards check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If you do not have relevant entry or exit stamps in your passport, they will assume you have overstayed.

You can show evidence of when and where you entered or exited the Schengen area, and ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport. Examples of acceptable evidence includes boarding passes and tickets.

Use the desks staffed by border officers. If you are aged 18 or over, and airport staff instruct you to, you may be able to use e-gates where they are in operation.

If you use an e-gate, make sure you get your passport stamped by a border officer.

Additional documents required by tourists

If you enter the Schengen area as a tourist, you may need to provide additional documents at the border. As well as a valid return or onward ticket, when travelling to Spain you could be asked to show:

• you have enough money for your stay
• a hotel booking confirmation
• proof of address if visiting your own property (such as second home)
• an invitation or proof of address if staying with a third party, friends or family, such as a ‘carta de invitation’ completed by your hosts.

You can visit the Spanish Ministry of Interior website for more information (only available in Spanish).

Residents of Spain

If you are resident in Spain your passport should not be stamped when entering or leaving Spain.

Actively show your proof of residence, such as the foreigner’s identity card (‘la tarjeta de identidad de extranjero’ or ‘TIE’), when presenting your passport at Spanish border control. For further information, read about living in Spain .

Travel between Spain and Gibraltar

Spanish border checks can cause delays when crossing between Spain and Gibraltar. If you are travelling to Spain through Gibraltar, check the travel advice for entry requirements for Gibraltar .

There is no charge to enter or leave Gibraltar. You should not hand over money to anybody claiming there is a charge.

Unaccompanied minors

Spanish law considers anyone under 18 to be a minor. If an unaccompanied minor comes to the attention of the Spanish authorities (particularly in connection with criminal incidents or when in hospital) they will be considered vulnerable and may be taken to a minors centre until a parent or guardian is found.

Vaccination requirements (other than COVID-19)

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the vaccinations and certificates you need on TravelHealthPro .

Customs rules

There are strict rules about what goods can be taken into and out of Spain. You can find details on the National Tax Agency leaflet (in Spanish and English). Declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

Taking food and drink into Spain

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions for medical reasons, for example certain amounts of powdered infant milk, infant food, or pet food required for medical reasons. Check the rules about taking food and drink into the EU on the European Commission website.

Taking money and goods into Spain

Check the National Airport Association website for guidance on taking money and goods into and out of Spain.

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Spain entry requirements: New travel rules lift ban on unvaccinated teens, but many already cancelled holidays

Last-minute u-turn on strict entry rules comes too late for thousands families who have already scrapped their half-term breaks.

Spain has dropped its Covid-19 rule banning unvaccinated teenagers from entering the country just in time for the February half-term holiday.

From midnight on Monday 14 February, children 12 to 17 will no longer need to be fully vaccinated to enter the country.

Instead of proof of vaccination, children under the age of 18 will be allowed to show a negative PCR test result taken 72 hours before arrival. Under-12s remain exempt from all testing or vaccination requirements.

Spain’s minister of the interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska said: “In many countries there are difficulties or even the impossibility of obtaining the vaccine for use in the population under 18 years of age.

“Consequently, it is considered convenient to establish specific conditions for these people.”

The last-minute rule change is a boost for British families but will have come too late for thousands of families who have already cancelled their half-term getaways.

Spain’s strict travel rules, which had mandated proof of vaccination for all aged 12 and over, had been a particular problem for British travellers given the UK’s slow rollout of vaccinations for children aged 12 to 15.

Parents have struggled to get their children vaccinated with both jabs in time for the half-term break.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel , said that the easing of travel regulations was “good news” for people planning a half-term getaway, but reminded tourists to check the specific Covid-19 entry requirements for their destination country.

Last-minute rule change comes too late for most families The dropping of strict Covid-19 vaccine rules in Spain will be welcome news to parents across the UK – but it comes as little comfort to families who have already cancelled trips as their children would not be fully vaccinated in time. Raj Pancholi, a 50-year-old chartered surveyor from Leicester, told i he was forced to cancel a family holiday to Spain because his 13-year-old daughter would not be fully vaccinated in time. Last October the father-of-two booked a week-long family holiday to Valencia for the school Easter holidays in April. But his 13-year-old daughter, Diya, caught Covid-19 in late October, meaning she had to wait three months until she could have her first jab. She had the first dose of the vaccine at the beginning of February but now has to wait another three months for the second jab, in May. Though the rules would now allow the family to enter Spain, Mr Pancholi said the late notice is “disappointing”. “I think we might just stick to the UK this year,” he said, adding that he will consider booking another international holiday when “things hopefully stabilise in the travel industry”. He called for international travel rules to be “standardised” in the future, with “the same rules across the board” to make tourism clearer and easier for people with families. His other daughter, Anika, is four years old, and Mr Pancholi expressed fears that more and more countries will start vaccinating children aged five to 11, which would “throw another spanner in the works down the road”. Mother-of-two Tracey Bryant, 48, purchased new flight tickets so that her 13-year-old daughter could fly two days later in order to meet the original Spanish entry requirements. Ms Bryant owns a flat in northern Costa Blanca and booked a February half-term getaway to catch some sun and do maintenance on the property. But her 14-year-old daughter’s vaccination was delayed because she caught Covid-19 and by the day the family was supposed to fly it had only been 12 days since her jab. Prior to the rule change, Spain had required proof of double vaccination at least 14 days before arrival. In the end, she purchased two new tickets and her and her daughter will now fly out on Monday 14 February. “What used to be a simple trip is now costly and fraught with bureaucracy,” she said.

He said: “Some popular European holiday destinations require tests or have bans on the entry of children in some age groups who have not been vaccinated so it’s especially important that families check the rules with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office but also their airline who will ultimately decide who can travel.”

He added that there was “still a risk” of Covid-19 disrupting travel, so urged people to book using a flexible booking policy to avoid financial loss. Organising good travel insurance and booking using a credit card is also advisable.

Spain’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, said: “As one of the world’s favourite tourism destinations, we are committed to making travel to Spain a safe and easy experience for our visitors, especially for families travelling with children. We hope that with these changes, many families will choose Spain to enjoy safe and memorable holidays together.”

More on Travel News

Hundreds of thousands of passengers are set to jet off for half-term holidays over the next week as British tourists take advantage of testing rules easing both at home and abroad.

The changes mean airports are braced for some of their busiest days since the pandemic began.

Around 200,000 passengers are expected to depart from Stansted in the week to 18 February, with another 186,000 from Gatwick, 160,000 from Manchester, and 90,000 from Luton, according to travel association ABTA.

However, the rush to get away comes in the same week that a cross-party Parliamentary watchdog warned the Government about Brexit border queues that are expected to grow when travel rebounds.

Do you have a question about travel? Email us: [email protected]

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Packing List for Traveling with a Child

Traveling is the best way to make beautiful memories, especially with your children. It’s a fun and exciting way to educate your kids about different cultures and the fascinating history of some of the best destinations in Spain and around the world.

But let’s face it. Taking your kids to a trip locally or abroad can be stressful too. Just as some days at home can be tough, some days on a family holiday can be full of challenges too. Kids, especially toddlers, can be fussy at times. They can get easily bored too. More than anything, they are needy angels who need you by their side every step of the way. They also get stressed easily during their travels because of the new environment.

The key is to plan ahead. Make sure to check this packing list to make traveling with your toddler more fun, less stressful, and a lot more enjoyable!

Packing List for Traveling with a Toddler

If you think you need more. You actually need way more! Here is the list of items you should never forget to include in your luggage:

• Nappy bag. Bring extra nappies in case of emergencies and delayed flights. Have plenty of baby wipes and pack the right toiletries.
• Plastic bag. Have plenty for storing soiled nappies, clothes and shoes. Bring resealable plastic bags too. You will need them to prevent food, medicine, and toiletries from leaking.
• Disinfecting wipes . Your plane seat probably has not been cleaned for a long time. It could be harbouring bacteria that can cause indigestion, cold and flu, and other health problems to your poor baby. The last thing you want to experience is traveling with a sick baby. Wipe off the seat clean before resting in. Disinfecting wipes also come in handy when having to clean door handles, gadgets and all sorts of surfaces.
• Blankets . Pack a few to ensure that your baby stays warm and comfortable throughout the flight or long road trip.
• Clothes . The rule is to pack at least two outfits for each day. Depending on where you are going, choose the right types of clothing. Your goal is to keep your baby feeling comfortable throughout your family travel. Don’t forget her jammies! She needs to have a good night sleep each time.
• Portable highchair . You want to make feeding easier especially when you’re not at home. Plus, not all restaurants have high chairs. Bringing one saves the day.
• His/Her favourite toys . Pack one or two of your child’s favourite toys. She needs them to feel more comfortable even if she’s in a strange place.
• Portable play area or play yard . Your toddler needs some playtime. Give him/her a safe place to do so.
• Collapsible stroller. Bring a lightweight umbrella stroller. When you’re exploring a new place or city, you could be walking several hours. And even if your child is a strong walker, they will surely get tired too. A stroller is a life-saver!
• Snacks . Especially if your baby has a special diet, it pays to pack her own food.
• Medicines, vitamins and first aid kit . Never forget these. You should prioritize your baby’s health at all times.

Important Packing Tips

While the idea is to pack everything your baby needs, you still don’t want to overpack. No one knows your baby more than you.

You should be able to determine how much of these and that your toddler needs to make it through a day comfortably.

Overpacking can be as stressful as insufficient packing is. You don’t want to be carrying lots of stuff when you travel, which could cost you more time, energy and money.

Start packing a few days in advance. This way, you have enough time to double check everything and make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Learn how to pack neatly and wisely. If you have two or more kids, make a separate packing list for each one. Put a mark on items that need to be packed last minute (such as your baby’s favorite toy or blanket).

Packing can be an overwhelming process especially when you have very young children. But if you plan ahead and take note of this packing list, things will get easier.

Have a great trip!

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Hey there! I'm Matt, your friendly neighbourhood explorer extraordinaire! For the past 15 years, I've been gallivanting around Spain, soaking up all its wonders and uncovering hidden gems like a modern-day Indiana Jones (minus the hat and whip, unfortunately). So, buckle up, amigos! It's time to dive straight into the heart and soul of Spain. Welcome to my world of Spanish wonders!

Latest posts from Matt

• 4 Days in Valencia – The Ultimate Bucket List Itinerary - March 17, 2024
• Luxury Spain Holidays – The Ultimate Bucket List Travel Guide - March 9, 2024
• Easter in Spain – Semana Santa Holy Week Traditions - March 7, 2024

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Spain with kids: best family destinations in Spain

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Should you plan a family vacation to Spain? It’s never easy to decide whether to visit a new place or re-visit an old favorite. There’s the debate between the comforts of the familiar and the excitement of novelty, but also the pull between seeing all the “best things to do” in as many places as possible versus the desire to slow down and dig deeper.

For us, Spain is one of those countries that keeps begging us to return. We’ve traveled to Spain as a family with kids twice, including just last year, and I’ll admit that I’ve been scoping plane tickets to go back for months.

What’s the deal?

Here are just a few reasons why a family vacation to Spain is always a good idea:

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-With so many amazing things to do with kids in Spain, you’ll never be able to see it all. You could spend a lifetime in Spain and still encounter surprises!

-There are things to do in Spain with kids that appeal to all types of traveling families. City exploration, mountain hiking, food touring, beach lounging… The diversity of experiences in Spain is incredible!

-The Spanish culture is so much more relaxed than just about anywhere else in Europe, and kids are expected to be a part of that. I’ll never forget strolling with our sleeping baby through one of the more local plazas in Seville and watching dozens of families relaxing and socializing even though it was 11pm. Or the time that our waitress took our son on a tour of the restaurant so that we could enjoy some quiet moments.

-It’s an extremely easy place to travel with kids. You can buy anything you need at El Corte Ingles. English is widely spoken, though it’s also a great opportunity to dust off that high school Spanish. The transportation infrastructure is efficient and easy to navigate. You can generally find food to satisfy picky eaters.

• Book a photoshoot

We always love to book a photoshoot when we’re traveling. As a mom, it’s tough to get in the photos since I’m always behind the camera. We use Flytographer to capture our memories. You can get $25 off your shoot by booking with this link or using code FAMILYVOYAGE.

• Best Place to Holiday in Spain for Families

Hopefully you’re as excited as I am about planning a trip to Spain! It truly is the best place for a family vacation. We have lots of resources to help you get started: tips for arranging your Spain itinerary with kids, getting around Spain with kids, Spain books for kids, what to bring to Spain for a great trip, and (of course) the best family destinations in Spain. If you’re just after places to go in Spain with kids, feel free to jump ahead.

Get started planning your trip to Spain with kids

Books about spain for kids, essentials to pack for your family trip to spain, best family destinations in spain.

Read more Spain articles or get Europe travel inspiration

How long is your family trip to Spain?

When you’re planning your family vacation in Spain, you’ll first want to figure out how much time you’ll have to explore. If you’re visiting from elsewhere in Europe it might make sense to pop down for quick family holidays in Spain, but for Americans it’s a much bigger commitment.

Flights from the east coast are 7 hours, while from the west coast you’re looking at 11 hours minimum. You may not be able to find non-stop flights to some of the most family-friendly places in Spain, so you’ll have plan for additional travel time either in the air or via train. Couple that with jet-lagged kids and abundance of things to do when you get there… let’s just say that we recommend at least 10 days to visit Spain with kids, but more if you can swing it.

Unpacking and repacking your stuff is one of the worst parts of travling with kids. You can make your life easier by packing light of course, but we still aim for at least 3-4 nights in each city where we stay. Every now and then we might only stop for two nights (as we did in Girona) but usually we aim to stay even longer and use a centrally located city as a base for day trips. There are lots of places like Barcelona, Madrid and Seville where a family can happily stay for a week and still find themselves busy!

Takeaway: If you only have 10 days in Spain, try to limit yourself to two or three destinations. If you’ll be visiting for two weeks, you can stretch that to four.

What’s the best time for visiting Spain with kids?

If your kids are school age, you might feel constrained to traveling during their breaks. That’s ok! Spain has the most diverse climate of any country in Europe, so you can always find somewhere to go that will have nice weather.

What does nice weather mean? That’s in the eye of the beholder. Many parts of Spain are extremely hot in the summer, so if your family doesn’t like that you could opt for more mountainous areas (or lean into it with a Mediterranean beach destination).

July and August are the busiest times of year in Spain – and the most expensive. But if you want to visit a place like Bilbao in the Basque country or Costa Brava summer could be a wonderful time with just-warm-enough weather.

The shoulder seasons of spring and fall are perfect in terms of weather, but since Spain is the second most visited country in the world it won’t be a ghost town. When we visited Barcelona in spring during our family gap year we had to wait hours to get into Park Guell (since we didn’t know about the new ticketing requirements) and had a hard time getting train tickets to visit Girona for a day.

If you prefer low prices and thin crowds, consider visiting Spain in winter . While many visitors report long waits at places like the Alcazar palace in Seville, we had the entire place to ourselves when we visited in December!

It doesn’t have the balmy temperatures of the Caribbean or the snowy Christmas markets of central Europe, but it has charms all its own. If you’re coming from central Europe the winter in Madrid may seem mild. But if you’re afraid of the cold you’ll want to stay along the coast during Spain’s winter. As long as follow our advice for what to wear in Spain in winter , you’ll have an amazing time.

Getting around in Spain

Getting around in Spain these days couldn’t be easier!

Trains in Spain

The high-speed rail network in Spain uses Madrid as a hub, so many routes go through there. It can be very convenient for American tourists, as Madrid offers the most non-stop flights between the US and Spain. High-speed trains from Madrid can get you to most other cities in Spain in 3 hours or less!

Not only are trains fast, affordable and comfortable, but they also offer another major convenience for families: train stations are right in the city centers. You won’t have to worry about confusing public transit connections or long taxi rides to far-flung airports. You can often just walk or take easy connections from the train stations to your hotels. Check out Spain train routes here .

Flights in Spain

That said, in some cases it makes sense to leverage Spain’s network of discount airlines. When traveling to mountainous Bilbao or from Barcelona to some other coastal destinations, flying might be your best option. You can check prices and schedules for flights and compare them with prices and schedules for trains to see what makes sense for your itinerary.

Just be mindful of skimpy baggage limits on discount European airlines when you’re figuring out the cost differences! Read about my favorite strategy for minimizing my own luggage.

Also make sure to account for the cost of either public transportation or a taxi/car service to get from the city center to the airport. A bus may be cheap, but with a few kids and a few backpacks or suitcases, a taxi may be more appealing – and more expensive. You’ll also need a travel car seat to keep your kids secure in the taxi, or you can arrange for Welcome Pickups to transport your family with car seats included.

Read more: Must-Read Travel Tips for Spain

Before you visit Spain with kids, it’s a good idea to get them excited about the trip by grabbing a few books! Take a look at these options – there’s everything from picture books for toddlers to adventure stories and scavenger hunts for big kids!

You can find most things you’ll need anywhere in Spain, though maybe not the exact brand and price you were hoping for. Plan to pick up your consumables (baby food, diapers, wipes, snacks) at any El Corte Inlges; there are many of them throughout the country.

Funny note: baby food pouches in Spain are viewed more as a dessert and flavored accordingly. We normally served our 14 month old son pouches like squash and apple or quinoa and green beans… in Spain he ended up with orange cookie pudding! Whatever, it was his vacation too.

But you won’t want to buy everything abroad- that’ll get pricey. Make sure to bring these essentials from home to start your epic family vacation off on the right foot, especially if you are traveling to Spain with toddlers:

Stroller and baby carrier

If you’re visiting Spain with a toddler or younger, we recommend bringing both a travel stroller and a baby carrier (or toddler carrier if your kid is 3 or older). Why both? For long days trekking around the city you probably won’t want to carry your kid the whole time. However, there are some sites for which a stroller is either impractical (like Park Guell) or forbidden (like the Alhambra). Come prepared! The latest generation of travel strollers is so compact that you can fold it up and put it in a backpack when you don’t need it, which is pretty amazing to those of us whose kids were born even five years ago.

Portable high chair

One thing we were shocked not to find in Spain were high chairs in restaurants. It became a bit of a game for us, constantly walking in and asking “tienes trona?” , only to be rejected 9 times out of 10. The high chairs we did find were 50 year old wooden chairs without a bar between the legs… meaning there was nothing to prevent our kid from sliding right down if he felt like it. We did bring a fabric contraption that was supposed to attach to the chair and keep him upright, but it turned out to be such a safety hazard that it’s no longer for sale!

A better choice is to buy this folding booster seat , which we got after that trip. It works perfectly with almost any kind of chair and boosts kids nicely so that they can reach the table. The harness also keep older babies (9 months and up) and toddlers seated properly.

Read more: Choosing the best baby gear for travel

Travel car seat

If you plan to ride in cars in Spain, you’ll need a way to keep your kids safe. We’ve heard of so many issues from fellow travelers with renting seats – from older-than-dirt seats to boosters being given for babies to reserved seats just not being there – that we prefer to bring our own travel car seats. That also gives us the flexibility to take a taxi from the airport when we’re jet lagged and loaded with bags. Find out everything you need to know about traveling with car seats or get help choosing the best convertible car seat for travel .

Europe-ready SIM card

Unless your cell phone from home offers unlimited global roaming, you’ll be best served by picking up a local SIM card for Europe. Most US cell phone carriers offer a $10 per day roaming plan, but that obviously adds up very quickly! We’ve used this European SIM card in multiple countries and it works great – if you’ll be in Europe for more than two weeks, just register it online to extend its life. It includes 10GB of data, 1000 texts and 120 minutes of talk time. Once you have it in your phone you can even top it up. Just make sure your phone is unlocked before you go, which can take a few days depending on the carrier.

Great travel camera

You may not want to lug a huge DSLR on your relaxing vacation, but what if you want better photos than your cell phone can muster? The best solution these days is a so-called bridge camera . It has many of the features of high-end cameras like some manual controls (only if you want them!) and plenty of zoom, but comes in a compact package and doesn’t require swapping lenses.

Best places in Spain for Families

It’s really hard to narrow down the best places in Spain for kids when the country is so huge and offers so many completely different experiences! Figuring out your Spain itinerary with kids will be a fine balance between figuring out what sounds perfect for your family in the descriptions below, how much time you have and the logistics of moving around the country.

Things to do in Spain for Kids

It is impossible to narrow down the best places to visit in Spain with kids, but I’ll give it a whirl. There are so many ways to explore whether you are planning a full Spain family vacation or taking Spain family trips for a day or two. Let’s begin with the city of Barcelona.

Barcelona with kids

What’s great about visiting Barcelona with kids? What are the best things to do in Barcelona with kids?

If I had to pick one can’t-miss place to take kids in Spain, it would be Barcelona. The city is a true feast for the senses and will fill your entire family with wonder – from Gaudi’s fantastical architecture to the smells of tapas wafting out of bars to the sounds of Catalan music and language drifting through the air. Even just wandering the streets at night is one of the best things to do in Spain with kids – for ours, it inspired their own love of travel.

Read more: Must-eats on your trip Barcelona

There’s no shortage of things to do in Barcelona with kids . Our tops picks are visiting Park Guell (but get your tickets in advance! ), wandering the varied and charming neighborhoods, venturing to the top of Montjuic and relaxing on the beach in Barceloneta on a nice day.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Barcelona?

While we’ve never felt at risk of violent crime as tourists in Barcelona, petty crime like pick pocketing is prevalent (especially in busy, popular areas like Las Ramblas). When traveling to Spain with kids, make sure they understand how to play it cool and avoid distracting you (and attracting attention!) when you’re in those places.

The other challenge for families with young kids is that the schedule in Barcelona is late . Often restaurants don’t begin their dinner service until 8 or even 9pm. If you have a little one who is likely to sleep in the stroller, it’s ok to grab a slice of pizza from a little shop while you stroll around – often it costs just 1 or 2 euros!

Barcelona’s major tourist sites are fairly spread out, so if you don’t want to lug a car seat everywhere you’ll need to either figure out the public transportation system or consider buying tickets for the Hop-On Ho-Off bus . While this Barcelona tourist bus wasn’t on our radar during our family’s visits, I’ll definitely consider it next time as it would have made getting around much easier!

How long should you stay in Barcelona?

I’d recommend at least four days in Barcelona to see the major sites and soak up the city’s energy without constantly rushing around. On our second visit to Barcelona with kids we stayed for a week and still could have had more to explore, especially with plenty of great day trip options like Girona, Sitges and Montserrat.

What’s the best way to get to Barcelona?

There are plenty of direct flights from the US to Barcelona, and often they can be as cheap as a few hundred dollars roundtrip! If you can find a better deal on a flight to Madrid, the train trip takes about 3 hours and costs $65-130. Even better, for the same price you can usually get a cheap flight from Madrid to Barcelona. Just be mindful of baggage allowances and make sure to only take carry-ons if you plan to book two separate flight itineraries.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Barcelona?

We’ve stayed in a few different neighborhoods, but next time we’ll stay in El Born. It’s a nice balance of walkability, charm and convenience. I have my eye on this wonderful apartment , which has laundry facilities, a balcony and a separate room for the kids. You can also read more details about where to stay in Barcelona with kids .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Barcelona, Spain

Read more: What to do in Barcelona with kids

Girona with kids

What’s great about visiting Girona with kids? What are the best things to do in Girona with kids?

Girona is a small city north of Barcelona, but feels so different! The old part of the city retains its ancient charms and isn’t nearly as crowded with tourists. Girona is on the sleepy side compared to many bigger cities in Spain, but that’s part of what makes it a great counterpoint as a daytrip.

Our main reason for visiting Girona was to see the Museum of Jewish History, which chronicles the centuries-long Jewish community of Girona. It showcases the traditions and physical space of Spain’s Jews through years of tolerance as well as the 700 years of the Spanish Inquisition (that’s not a typo). In recent decades there’s been amazing archeological excavation and strong preservation efforts and it was fascinating to see up close.

If you plan to visit the museum, I highly recommend reading “The Mezuzah in the Madonna’s Foot” before you go. It includes some amazing storytelling spanning almost a millennium of Spanish history and will give you a new perspective on your trip to Spain. But skip the last chapter – it’s not that interesting and feels disconnected from the rest.

Beyond the museum, Girona is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon strolling the windy cobbled streets, wondering at the beautiful Cathedral and its attached garden and soaking up some local Catalan culture. I’ll admit that we were surprised to meet an older gentleman who didn’t speak any Spanish, only Catalan! In that respect, Girona has retained the unique Catalan traditions even moreso than larger, more diverse Barcelona.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Girona?

The biggest challenge for families visiting Girona on a day trip is that it’s about a 1 mile walk from the train station (in the new section of the city) to the historic part of the city. But the old city isn’t ideal with a stroller, so young kids will either need to walk the entire distance (and back in the evening!) or ride in a carrier .

The train schedule can also be more limited than you might hope, depending on how long you want to visit. We went during Holy Week in the spring and some trains were completely booked because of a famous parade in Girona .

How long should you stay in Girona?

We visited on a day trip from Barcelona to Girona. If we’d been able to go on an earlier train as we had planned, the full day probably would have been enough time. For families who prefer a quieter pace or who have already visited Barcelona, staying a few nights in Girona in lieu of Barcelona might be a great option! That would also give you better access to the Dali Museum in Figueres, another 40 minutes north by train.

What’s the best way to get to Girona?

Girona is a quick train ride from Barcelona.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Girona?

Most families stay in Barcelona and take a day trip to Girona. If you want to stay in Girona, this hotel has been beautifully restored and offers an ideal balance of convenient location near the old city with traveler-friendly modern amenities.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Girona, Spain here

Valencia with kids

What’s great about visiting Valencia with kids? What are the best things to do in Valencia with kids?

Valencia is the best place in Spain for kids. It offers a variety of things to do for kids and the whole family. There’s a perfect mix of old and new here with plenty of things for families to do. You can check out the City of Sciences and Arts to experience a multi-block museum filled with hundreds of exhibits, bike the length of the inner city at Turia Park, or visit Valencia Bioparc to see the animals of Africa in one of the few zoo immersion sites in the world. If you visit in March, you can even experience the Las Fallas festival complete with larger than life puppets.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Valencia?

Valencia is a popular city with many seasonal festivals and events. Depending on the time of year you visit, the city (especially in the Old Town) can be very busy. However, we found everyone to be very accommodating to families with children – even in a crowd.

How long should you stay in Valencia?

Ideally, a week will allow you to truly explore everything that Valencia has to offer. But if you’re short on time, you can get a really good feel for the city in 3-4 days.

What’s the best way to get to Valencia?

The best way to get to Valencia is by car. Flights directly into Valencia from the United States can be pricey. Catch a deal to a nearby city and enjoy the scenic drive up the coast. If you happen to start in Barcelona and drive to Valencia, there are some “hidden” gems along the way like the town of Peniscola (with one of the castles featured in Game of Thrones). Check rental car prices here.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Valencia?

Valencia Flats Centro Cuidad is one of the best places for families to stay in Valencia. They feature apartments with family friendly amenities like a kitchen and multiple bedrooms – making it a perfect choice for families big and small. It’s also perfectly located in Old Town Valencia where many of the popular tourist attractions are. Click here to check prices and availability.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Valencia, Spain here

Plan your family trip to Valencia

Thanks to Montoya of The Spring Break Family. Find out more about visiting Valencia with kids .

Ibiza with kids

What’s great about visiting Ibiza with kids? What are the best things to do in Ibiza with kids?

Ibiza has a reputation as being a party island but there is so much more there for families to enjoy. The beaches are beautiful and there’s plenty of outdoor activities like hiking, cycling and water sports. Our favorite day out was to see the illuminated Can Marca caves in Puerto San Miguel. The original hippy market in San Carlos is also a must. Go there to buy handmade jewelry, art and textiles, or just to hang out.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Ibiza?

If you do choose to stay in one of the more built up and well connected resorts of Ibiza Town or San Antonio you have to expect them to get very busy with revelers in the peak summer season. If you have teens that might be just the type of atmosphere you’re looking for. But with younger children I’d recommend going off the beaten track to explore the north of the island.

How long should you stay in Ibiza?

We stayed for a week and I think this a good amount of time for families to make the most of the island.

What’s the best way to get to Ibiza?

Flying is the easiest option for families travelling from outside Spain. There is a ferry from the mainland which takes two hours, but with flight times from the UK about the same we’d only opt for the ferry if we were on a road trip to see more of the Spanish mainland. Once on the island I’d recommend you rent a car to make the most of the opportunity to explore.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Ibiza?

We stayed in the Santa Eulària region of Ibiza, which is in the North West of the Island. This is a sleepier part of the island, away from the main party zones of Ibiza Town and San Antonio. Here you’ll be much closer to the authentic Ibiza with cute towns like San Carlos which is where the hippy movement discovered the beauty of the island. We stayed in a luxury villa just outside San Carlos which was a wonderful retreat, but there are also hotels and campsites in the area.

Thanks to Claire of Tin Box Traveller. Find out more about visiting Ibiza with kids .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Ibiza here

Granada with kids

What’s great about visiting Granada with kids? What are the best things to do in Granada with kids?

Granada is a fantastic destination in Andalusia. For one thing, it’s got the amazing Alhambra (most people’s reason for visiting the city) but it also has an authentic Moorish vibe. Think narrow streets with Moorish-influenced architecture, cafes selling Moroccan tea, and Islamic style craft shops. It’s more than a little like walking around Marrakech in places. Granada is a hilly town and so there are several breathtaking viewpoints over the city.

The Alhambra palace complex is Granada’s biggest draw and there’s a lot to interest kids in this incredible palace. There are beautiful gardens, pools and ponds filled with frogs, and former castles and palaces in this enormous complex. You will probably end up spending a whole day here – just remember to book your tickets in advance . Also note that you are not allowed to bring a stroller into the Alhambra. Bring a baby carrier instead if you don’t think your child can walk the whole time.

The food is fantastic (well, it is Spain!) and you’ll often be given free tapas along with any drinks you order. There are several tapas trails that you can follow. For more kid-friendly things to do, don’t miss the science museum and the nearby water park – perfect on hot summer days.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Granada?

Granada is a safe city and it’s easily walkable although it’s quite hilly. Temperatures can get very high in the summer and small kids might not cope. Getting tickets for the Alhambra might pose a challenge as they sell out very quickly. Book several months in advance , and don’t expect to pick them up on the door.

Note from Melissa: Learn from our mistakes. Do not bring your stroller to wander the Albaicín! It’s all hills and steps and cobbles. Only bring your carrier in that part of the city. Also note that many restaurants in the Albaicín are closed in the winter, as the thin tourist crowds don’t cover their high heating bills!

How long should you stay in Granada?

We’d recommend a minimum of two days; one to see the Alhambra properly and at least one to explore the city (two is better). We went in May and the temperature was perfect.

What’s the best way to get to Granada?

Although Granada has its own airport, nearby Malaga has far more flights and it will be much cheaper to fly into Malaga. From here you can either rent a car or take a train to Granada.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Granada?

We stayed slightly out of town, right by the Alhambra. This meant that we had to walk about a mile downhill into town. It was fine for us but you might want to stay in Granada at the foot of the Alhambra so you’re not walking up and down the hill all day, especially in the summer!

Thanks to Emily of Kids and Compass.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Granada here

Costa Tropical with kids – Wagoners Abroad

What’s great about visiting Costa Tropical with kids? What are the best things to do in Costa Tropical with kids?

This area on the southern coast of Spain is ideal for nature lovers. You have the perfect combination of mountains, sun and the sea. It is perfect for those who love the outdoors to go hiking, biking, water sports, boating, kayaking, snorkeling and more. It is ideal to be in a smaller city and just absorb the culture and let the kids run around in a safe and welcoming environment.

The best part is Almuñécar is the 5th oldest city in Spain, with ruins dating back over 3000 years. There is a castle , Roman aqueducts, a Phoenicia fish salting factory and traditional Spanish charm. This area also has a Moorish influence with some of the architecture and names.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Costa Tropical?

The biggest challenge for a family would be finding a place to stay in the summer. July and August are high tourist season, but the fireworks every August 15th are an event to remember. If you have the time there are great 1-10 month rental deals from Sept – June. The best time to visit is in the Fall, after the tourists have gone and the weather is still sublime.

How long should you stay in Costa Tropical?

Ideally as long as you can, but a minimum of a week.

What’s the best way to get to Costa Tropical?

It is easiest to access Costa Tropical (Almuñécar, La Herradura, Motril, Salobreña) by car. It is located about 1 hour to the east of Málaga and 1 hour south of Granada city. There are also options via, bus, taxi, and shuttle from the Málaga Airport.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Costa Tropical?

Almuñécar & La Herradura are the locations with the traditional Spanish charm, with activities, sights to see, great places to eat and 19km of beautiful beaches.

Thanks to Heidi at Wagoners Abroad and Almunecar Info – they love the area so much that they now call it home! Find out more about Almunecar and the rest of Costa Tropical here .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Costa Tropical here

Gibraltar with kids

What’s great about visiting Gibraltar with kids? What are the best things to do in Gibraltar with kids?

Gibraltar is one of the most unique places to visit in Spain. This peninsula in the south of Spain is actually a British territory. It’s a fun place to explore with kids because almost everyone speaks English, and there are wild monkeys roaming near the top of “The Rock”, Gibraltar’s main attraction.

Most of what you want to visit can be reached by the Gibraltar Cable Car . Take ride from town to the Top of the Rock. This is where you will find the Barbary macaques (wild monkeys), St. Michael’s cave, the Great Siege and World War II tunnels, and The Rock of Gibraltar, which offers views of Gibraltar, Spain, and Morocco. In town, around the Main Street and Irish Town you will find plenty of shops and restaurants to explore when you need a rest.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Gibraltar?

The top of the mountain can be challenging. There is a lot of walking, but if you have a stroller, you should be ok. There are plenty of taxis waiting around to give tired families a ride if they need it. Make sure to bring a folding car seat in your day bag if your children are young.

How long should you stay in Gibraltar?

Gibraltar is the perfect day trip from elsewhere Southern Spain .

What’s the best way to get to Gibraltar?

We drove a rental car to the border. There is plenty of parking. We then walked across the border. You will need to bring your passports since it is a British territory.

What’s the best place for families to stay near Gibraltar?

We stayed in Estepona, Spain and made a day trip of it. We stayed in Marriott’s Playa Andaluza .

Thanks to Kirsten of Kids Are A Trip. Find out more about which beaches to visit in southern Spain on your trip.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Gibraltar here

Seville with kids

What’s great about visiting Seville with kids? What are the best things to do in Seville with kids?

I’ve never felt more safe in a ‘large’ city than I did in Seville. It was incredibly walkable, lots of pedestrian-only streets, kids everywhere, flamenco dancers on the streets, student bands playing in public squares and just overall a very happy friendly vibe. The architecture is incredible, such a cool mix of Moorish and Spanish buildings, lots of castles, churches – really a Photographer’s playground. It’s also incredibly affordable. Airbnbs were reasonable, food was cheaper compared to other areas of Spain.

You can also tack on a day trip to Ronda, since it’s only about 2 hours away and doesn’t really merit an overnight stay.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Seville?

Since it’s such a walkable city, I would find it a bit tough to navigate with a car due to all the one way and pedestrian-only streets. We didn’t have a car when we visited, so if accessibility is a concern, then it might be a bit difficult to get around.

Another thing to note is you need to book all sorts of tickets far in advance. The Alcazar can sell out or you might end up standing in line for hours. It’s best to buy tickets to the palace a few days to weeks in advance!

How long should you stay in Seville?

You can hit most of the city’s highlights in 3-5 days, though it also makes a great base for day trips.

What’s the best way to get to Seville?

I would highly recommend taking the high speed train here! A train from Madrid will take 2.5 hours vs 5 hours by car. There’s also a small airport, but I don’t see a need to fly in if it’s from another city within Spain.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Seville?

Anywhere within the city limits is a good choice. It’s so walkable that it doesn’t really matter too much. I would try and stay closer to the historic center just to minimize walking, but it’s most likely easier to find accommodation just outside of that area.

Thanks to Dalya from Sweet Little Journey. Find out more about visiting southern Spain with kids .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Seville here

Córdoba with kids

What’s great about visiting Cordoba with kids? What are the best things to do in Cordoba with kids?

Cordoba is a charming Spanish City and is a great place to visit with kids.

The highlights include flamenco dancing, where all the little ones were busting out their best moves, and spotting the lovely patios which Cordoba is so famous for.

The Mezquita Cathedral is a Cordoba essential as is the Roman Bridge. The bridge featured as the Long Bridge of Volantis in Game of Thrones. For more Game of Thrones, the nearby Castillo Almodovar del Rio was the setting for the Highgarden, the residence of the House of Tyrell, and Casterly Rock.

The Aquasierra Water Park is a fun family day trip and is easily accessible from Cordoba.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Cordoba?

If you visit in summer be sure to reserve accommodation with air conditioning. We visited in the midst of an August heat wave and air conditioning was essential to keep cool.

How long should you stay in Cordoba?

2 or 3 nights will allow time to see all the major sights. It also makes an easy day trip from Seville, with just 45 minutes on the train.

What’s the best way to get to Cordoba?

Cordoba is also easy to reach by rental car from the surrounding airports. Seville is the closest airport and is a 2 hour drive from the city or 45 minutes by train. Granada and Malaga are also good options.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Cordoba?

The historic centre of Córdoba is our favorite place to stay. We stayed in Hotel Boutique Patio del Posadero and we loved it.

Thanks to Elaine of The Whole World is a Playground .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Córdoba here

Madrid with kids

What’s great about visiting Madrid with kids? What are the best things to do in Madrid with kids?

Madrid is certainly a more formal city than Barcelona and destinations in southern Spain, but has a lot to offer when it comes to Spanish history and culture – especially with older kids.

Even with just a few days in Madrid, you can see some sights that are truly unique. In nice weather, little kids will love running around in El Retiro park and even renting row boats to go our on the lake. The century-old Mercado San Miguel is the perfect place to wander and try some local snacks (while also picking up dinner ingredients). If your kids are interested in castles and knights, take them to see Spain’s royal palace in the center of the city, complete with a room full of suits of armor.

Of course, Madrid is also home of Spain’s most epic dessert: churros con chocolate . Let your kids indulge and maybe even line up a scavenger hunt to find the best ones in the city!

We also enjoyed a day trip from Madrid to Toledo. It has interesting churches and synagogues to visit amidst the well-maintained medieval city walls, plus it’s home to some of the world’s best marzipan.

If you’re visiting Madrid with kids who are interested in history and mature enough to understand, you can take them to Museo Reina Sofía to see Picasso’s evocative Guernica. It’s a good opportunity to discuss the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship with older kids, who may be shocked (along with their parents) at just how new Spanish liberties are.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Madrid?

In contrast to laid-back Barcelona, Madrid can come across as a bit more serious. It’s the country’s capital for both government and business, so there’s lots of hustle and bustle.

Because it’s the national capital, there are often protests in Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor. We inadvertently stumbled on one during our visit!

How long should you stay in Madrid?

We felt like 3 days was enough time to see the essentials, and there are also some great day trips like Toledo and Segovia if you want variety without moving around too much.

What’s the best way to get to Madrid?

There are abundant cheap flights from the US to Madrid , sometimes in the $200 range for a roundtrip! If you’re coming from elsewhere in Spain, the high speed rail network is incredibly fast. Madrid is in the center of the country and it takes about 2.5 hours to get anywhere on the coast by train (twice as fast as driving).

What’s the best place for families to stay in Madrid?

For a central location in Madrid, it’s hard to beat Salamanca! It’s just north of El Retiro and close to Puerta del Sol and is lovely for families. The downside is that the convenience and charm don’t come cheap. But if you plan to mostly spend your days out exploring, this studio apartment accommodates four people and is a real bargain.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Madrid here

Segovia with kids

What’s great about visiting Segovia with kids? What are the best things to do in Segovia with kids?

Segovia is a laid back, history filled town that has just enough attractions to fill up your day, while still being able to get lost in the winding streets. As you enter the city, you will pass under a Roman aqueduct and move up the main street towards the cathedral and the Alcazar, old fort. These three spots can fill up your day if you take it slow, and especially if you are traveling with young kids.

One thing you don’t want to miss, unless you are a vegetarian, is having lunch at one of the restaurants that serves cochinillo (roast suckling pig). Note that when you order this dish, the pig is all you will get. You need to order side dishes separately. Also don’t miss the chocolate and churros at the Alcazar café. We tried a lot of hot chocolate in Spain, and this was one of our favorites.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Segovia?

Getting to Segovia can be a bit of a pain, as it takes at least one train and a bus to get to Segovia from Madrid.

How long should you stay in Segovia?

1-2 days is fine, although we found one day to be more than enough time to explore the highlights.

What’s the best way to get to Segovia?

Rental car or a train plus bus is your best way to get to Segovia.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Segovia?

You can stay in Madrid and day trip to Segovia or you can stay at Hotel Real Segovia, which has family rooms and is centrally located in the old part of the city.

Thanks to Keryn of Walking on Travels. Find out more about taking a day trip from Madrid to Segovia .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Segovia here

Basque Country with kids

What’s great about visiting Basque Country with kids? What are the best things to do in Basque Country with kids?

Known to locals in Basque as Euskadi, The Basque country is the land of mountains, lakes and an abundance of lush greenery, nature and wildlife. A place that demands slow travel and family hikes. Rewards with spectacular unspoilt views and a quality of local food that is unlike anywhere else in the world. 

Families will be spoilt for choice from the rugged coastline and surf beaches to the mountain views or paddling in the river beaches. Cultural trips to the amazing Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao or eating out in the cosmopolitan coastal resorts of San Sebastian.

The Basque Country is all about getting off the beaten track, finding a quiet hideaway and exploring the charming nature of this region. Ullibarri-Gamboa Lake, near the North-west coast of Spain is our favourite stop for families. Pack a picnic and laze all day by the gently sloping gravel beach, perfect for little ones who want to take a dip. During summer months kayak and paddle board hire is available to entertain the older children.

Fans of Game of Thrones will love the day trip to the picturesque hermitage San Juan de Gatztelgutxe. Walk the winding path that connects this atmospheric island outcrop to the awe-inspiring landscape of the mainland. Scenes from Daenerys Targaryen’s home ‘Dragonstone’ were filmed here. It is roughly half an hour walk from the car park, so be sure to pack a carrier and snacks for little ones. Older children will love the sense of adventure if they pack up their own back pack with supplies, the views and sense of accomplishment on reaching the hermitage makes for a fun day out.

The Galleon Park will be high up on your children’s to-do list. Catch a metro and find this whimsical FREE children’s park in the Green Capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz. The park sprawls around a huge life-size wooden pirate ship, complete with crows nest and zip line. Shady benches and a separate area for under 5’s complete with water play stream, sand pit and bridges ensures there’s fun for all ages. Our children still talk about how much fun they had at this park, to this day!

What are potential challenges for families visiting Basque Country?

The Basque Country has a unique culture and climate compared to the rest of Spain. Do not expect flamenco dresses, endless sunshine or paella. This area is all about rugged landscapes, fairy tale villages and world class food and wine. Learn a couple of Basque greetings before you travel and pack rain jackets for Spring and Autumn visits, the weather is cooler and wetter here than other areas of Spain. 

How long should you stay in Basque Country?

A minimum of 1 week is necessary to really soak up the relaxed vibes and get lost in the stunning scenery of the Basque country. This family destination is all about disconnecting from the distractions of the modern world and reconnecting with each-other. The Basque region is not a whistle-stop tour to tick off a list of sites in a weekend. Time is needed to relax, unwind and discover.

What’s the best way to get to Basque Country?

Our favorite option (for travelers from the UK) is the overnight ferry to Santander, book a cabin and enjoy the on-board entertainment and food while the kids run around and have fun. The Basque Country can be reached in an hour from the port of Santander. Breath taking views will make you want to drive for longer though! The route to the Basque Country, from Santander is perfect for a family road trip .

For international travelers the main Basque region airport is Bilbao, flights can be purchased on Skyscanner . Car rental is available at the airport and highly recommended for taking that family road trip.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Basque Country?

Any of the rural local guesthouses that are available in the mountain villages make for a wonderful family stay. Locals are friendly and not at all tourist-weary, the area is still relatively undiscovered, so these rural boutique B&B’s are a great way to travel. 

We recommend this amazing guesthouse for rustic wooden beams & natural stone family rooms, indoor swimming pool. They offer fresh local breakfast options. You’ll love to cozy up and play family board games by the fire in the evening. Doubles from £80.00.

Thanks to Rachel of Undercover Hippy Bus.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Basque here

Costa Brava with kids

What’s great about visiting Costa Brava with kids? What are the best things to do in Costa Brava with kids?

Palafrugell carnival in early summer is a fantastic celebration with giant floats, live music and street parades. The beaches along the coast are a mix of sandy and rocky and the waters are calm: perfect for families.

What are potential challenges for families visiting Costa Brava?

The Costa Brava can be very hot and busy in July and August (but perfect in May and June).

How long should you stay in Costa Brava?

One to two weeks is perfect.

What’s the best way to get to Costa Brava?

Renting a car allows visitors flexibility to explore a different beach each day. Girona and Barcelona airports are both under two hours drive.

What’s the best place for families to stay in Costa Brava?

Hotel Aigua Blava is close to some of the best beaches. Otherwise, Vintage Travel features some great villas in the region.

Thanks to Annabel of Smudged Postcard. Find out more about visiting Costa Brava with kids .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Costa Brava here

Lanzarote with kids

What’s great about visiting Lanzarote with kids? What are the best things to do in Lanzarote with kids?

Often considered a great winter sun destination for package family holidays in Spain, the Canary Island of Lanzarote offers do much more. Hire a car and escape the resorts to explore a wild and barren island with secluded beaches, great surf, volcanic landscapes and whitewashed villages to stroll. It’s just a case of knowing where to go in Lanzarote with kids .

What are potential challenges for families visiting Lanzarote?

To escape the crowds, base yourself in the North of the island should you wish to experience a more authentic side of Lanzarote. Vegetarians and vegans will struggle to find something suitable at restaurants, so consider self catering accommodation.

How long should you stay in Lanzarote?

At least a week. Although I visited with just my three year old for almost two weeks, and that seemed perfect.

What’s the best way to get to Lanzarote?

There are lots of budget airlines that fly into Arrecife Airport. You can also catch a ferry from nearby Fuerteventura (though you’d need to fly there first).

What’s the best place for families to stay in Lanzarote?

We recommend staying at family-run Finca de Arrieta. This is an enclave of luxury yurts, just outside the sleepy village of Arietta, in the North of Lanzarote. This is an off-grid eco-resort running off wind and solar panel, with water fed from an underground well onsite. There are yurts for all budgets and there’s a playground, small pool and farm animals on site.

Thanks to Jenny of TraveLynn Family.

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Lanzarote here

Tenerife with kids

What’s great about visiting Tenerife with kids? What are the best things to do in Tenerife with kids?

Tenerife is a perfect destination for a family holiday. As a popular tourist location, there is fantastic infrastructure for visiting families such as a range of self-catering accommodation, good healthcare and public transportation. Most tourists choose to stay in the south or west of the sunny island but if you head to the cooler north coast you will find quieter villages and scenic landscapes with lush flora and fauna. 

Tenerife offers great beaches, dramatic landscapes, waterparks and theme parks but also excellent hiking and wildlife spotting. Families should make a trip to the interior of the island to visit the easily accessible active volcano, Mt Teide, the summit of which is the highest point in Spain. This area is a complete contrast to the built up busy coastline and has incredible hikes with spectacular views. You can take a cable car up the snowy slopes of Mt Teide; just go prepared for temperature and altitude changes!​

What are potential challenges for families visiting Tenerife?

If you choose to explore the island by car, some of the roads are steep, narrow and winding with sheer drops. ​

How long should you stay in Tenerife?

To fully explore all that Tenerife has to offer – with a bit of relaxing beach time thrown in – I would recommend a stay of one-two weeks.

What’s the best way to get to Tenerife?

Tenerife is an island so the only way to get there is by plane to one of the Canary Islands.​

What’s the best place for families to stay in Tenerife?

If you like beach culture, restaurants and tourist facilities on your doorstep stay in the sunny south west around Adeje. For a quieter family holiday, stay on the north coast around Puerto de la Cruz.

Thanks to Sinead of Map Made Memories .

Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Tenerife here

Best Places to Visit in Spain with Family FAQs

Valencia is the most family friendly city in Spain, but you can’t go wrong with a family vacation anywhere in the country. Barcelona is a must-see for all ages.

Yes! Spain is one of the best countries to travel to with children. There is much to see and a great deal of kid-friendly tours and activities.

Absolutely! Barcelona is full of wonder for the whole family and easy to navigate with children.

Traveling to Spain during July and August are the most expensive. Winter months, such as December and January, are more affordable and less crowded.

Yes, Spain is extremely kid-friendly. Children are welcome throughout the country and it’s a safe place to visit with efficient transportation.

Where to go in Spain with family: planning your trip

Travel to Spain with kids is safe and enjoyable. There is much to explore from the beach to the mountains and everything in between. The locals love children and embrace kid friendly tours of Spain. I hope this guide helped you decide where to go in Spain with kids, and your family has a wonderful experience in one of our favorite countries to vacation.

Be sure to read these additional articles as you plan your visit to Spain with children:

• Must-Read Travel Tips for Spain
• 5 can’t miss things to do in Barcelona with kids (+ important tips for your trip)
• Best Family Hotels in Barcelona: Where to Stay With Kids
• Barcelona: What To Eat For A Delicious Experience
• Why you should visit Spain in winter
• What to wear in Spain in winter

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What to read next

2 thoughts on “spain with kids: best family destinations in spain”.

One thing we love to do as a family is read about the place we are traveling to!

We love it too! Be sure to check out the childrens books about Spain I list above.

Safe travels,

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As a parent, it is important to be aware of the laws and regulations governing minors travelling alone in Spain. The Spanish Constitution places great emphasis on the protection and well-being of minors, and there are specific laws in place to ensure that their best interests are prioritised.

Organic Law 1/1996 on the Legal Protection of Minors and Instruction 10/2019 of the Secretary of State for Security regulate the procedures and requirements for minors travelling outside of Spain. This includes the necessary travel documentation and permits required for minors travelling alone or accompanied by adults who do not exercise parental responsibility.

The Spanish Constitution, in enumerating the guiding principles of social and economic policy, mentions in the first place the obligation of the Public Authorities to ensure the social, economic, and legal protection of the family and, within this, with a singular character, that of minors. Organic Law 1/1996 on the Legal Protection of Minors, partially amending the Civil Code and the Civil Procedure Act, provides that the actors who must adopt measures concerning minors must consider that their best interests will prevail over any other legitimate interest that may occur.

To guarantee that minors travelling outside the country have the authorisation of the persons who hold their parental authority, specific requirements have been established to raise the standards of their integral protection. Instruction 10/2019, of 9 July, of the Secretary of State for Security, which regulates the procedure for granting the travel permit outside the national territory for minors, establishes the way to carry out this action by the State Security Forces and Bodies. For minors travelling alone or accompanied by adults who do not exercise parental responsibility, border officers have the power to carry out a thorough inspection of travel documents and receipts. This measure aims to safeguard the safety and well-being of minors and ensure that their best interests are protected.

Spanish nationals

• All Spanish minors must carry valid ID to travel outside the national territory within the European Union, the European Economic Area, and the Swiss Confederation.
• If they travel outside these territories, they must carry a valid passport . Foreign minors in Spain who plan to leave the country must carry their passport or valid travel document.

For Spanish minors under 18 years of age who are travelling abroad without any of their legal representatives, they will require a signed declaration of travel permit outside the national territory, in addition to a valid DNI or passport .

Foreign nationals residing in Spain

The regulation regarding minors travelling outside of Spain does not extend to foreign children who are living in Spain and are governed by the laws of their country of origin, nor does it apply to non-resident foreign children who are visiting Spain.

Foreign minors residing in Spain must follow the regulations of their respective national legislation and visit their consular authorities to complete the appropriate documentation.

What about UK nationals?

Unless they are bound by a court order which specifies that written permission is necessary from those with parental responsibility, British children are not required to carry written permission to travel. However, if such a court order applies or in order to ensure that an unaccompanied child can leave Spain without any delay, it is necessary to obtain a certified authorisation from a public notary in Spain .

On the other hand, if you are a parent with parental responsibility for Spanish children residing in Spain , you can obtain a certified authorisation from a notary, a national police station (in Spanish), or the Guardia Civil (in Spanish).

Q. What is the procedure for Spanish minors who reside in Spain and have a contractual or personal obligation to leave the country on a regular basis? For instance, in cases where minors are part of sports teams and need to travel outside the country to participate in competitions, study abroad and return to Spain during breaks, or live in border areas of Spain and need to cross the border to attend their enrolled educational centres or go on excursions.

The purpose of the form is to address specific factual situations. However, some circumstances require minors to travel frequently over an extended period of time. In such cases, it is acceptable to issue an authorisation that covers the duration of the situation. An Annex attached to the authorisation should provide details on the contractual relationship, sports competitions, activities, and dates or deadlines for completion. Any supporting documents that verify the situation may also be requested.

The authorisation will only remain valid during the duration of the occasional or periodic displacement, such as during the work, competition, or academic period. Once the tasks that support such movements are completed, the authorisation will expire.

Q. How are Spanish minors who travel alone to Spain and are not resident in the country treated?

If Spanish minors who do not reside in Spain travel to the country unaccompanied by their parents or legal guardians, they won't need the authorisation mentioned earlier, as the regulation does not apply to them. However, to prove their residence outside of Spain when leaving the country, they will need to provide documentation that verifies their current address. This can include identity and nationality documents, as well as other documents issued by the authorities of their country of residence, such as a residence card or certificate of registration in the foreigners registry. They may also need documents issued by Spanish consular authorities, such as a certificate of residence, which can be obtained electronically.

Q. Do travel authorisations have a validity period?

The travel authorisations granted in compliance with this Instruction shall remain valid for a period of 90 days starting from their issuance date. Therefore, individuals are required to visit the National Police or the Civil Guard offices within 90 days before their departure date.

In situations where Spanish minors who usually live in Spain travel frequently outside the country for work, sports, academic, or other similar reasons, this duration shall be reckoned from their first departure.

Q. Does the minor need to be present at the police station when completing authorisation?

No. It is not necessary for the minor to be present at the police station, but the presence of a parent, legal representative or foster parents is mandatory.

Q. Is there a minimum age for a minor to travel?

As a general rule, most airlines will not permit any child under the age of 5 to travel alone.

Most airlines provide an unaccompanied minors service to look after young children both at the airport and during the flight. This service is often a requirement for those between 5 and 11 years and optional for 12-17 year olds. As an example, please check out the service provided by Iberia Airlines .

Overall, Spain has taken significant steps to ensure that minors travelling outside the country are safe and their best interests are protected. The government's efforts demonstrate a strong commitment to upholding the rights of minors and promoting their well-being.

By understanding these laws and regulations, parents can take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and well-being of their children when they travel outside of Spain.

Please note that this legislation pertains exclusively to minors leaving Spain and does not apply to minors entering the country. Moreover, foreign nationals are subject to the laws of their respective countries and not to Spanish legislation.

Any minor under the age of 18 attempting to leave Spain who does not possess the correct travel documents and/or authorisation from a parent will not be permitted to travel.

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In summer, I intend on going to Spain alone to spend some time with friend I have over there, however, I have been told that since I will be 17, I may need my parents to sign a consent form to allow me to travel into Spain alone. Does anybody know if this is true, or if I could just arrive at the airport and go through in like normal?

Right now the only thing we know is your age. We don't know where you're coming from.

One thing they might consider is that you are travelling alone maybe without your parents consent. It's happened with people via social media where they have been groomed, also those travelling to join underground groups so right now they are likely to be inquisitive.

Where are you staying when you get there? The border will need to know where you will be in their country and that you have enough money to sustain yourself and when you will be returning to the Uk..

Also you are not of an age to authorise medical treatment if you should need it or be responsible for any debts or damage. Someone needs to be responsible for you and to be able to authorise such things

On a random website for travel to Spain "A minor under the age of 18 travelling to Spain must either:

be accompanied by a parent or guardian,

carry a letter of authorisation to travel from a parent or guardian. The letter should name the adult responsible for the minor during his/her stay."

Do you have a full valid passport for yourself ? This or an ID card must be presented when asked by police at any time during your stay.

Also make sure you have travel insurance and you know what you are entitled to and an EHIC card which is free entered online and posted to you and gives you entitlement to some treatment. Check it out.

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-ehic-european-health-insurance-card/

I'm staying with a friend of mine and her family. I flew over earlier this year, but on a school exchange trip, so I'm going back to visit everyone :)

Thank you for your help!

Why not just get a letter from your parents? Or are they against you taking this trip?

They're completely for it! I'm just not sure how to go about writing it up and the level of formality it'd need

It wouldn’t hurt to have a signed letter on you just in case, though I doubt you’ll need it.

“I'm just worried about security :)”

What do you mean by “security” please? Are you concerned about safety or about what some mistakenly refer to as “security” when they actually mean passport control or immigration?

As well as the very helpful list provided by Toopaz you need a credit card (possibly a pre loaded card, given your age) in case you need to pay for extra nights in a hotel or for medical treatment (many travel insurance companies don’t reimburse you until later and some hospitals require the bill to be settled before you leave rather than negotiate with insurance companies).

Don’t take a lot of cash, just use your debit card to get cash when neededcfrom an ATM as you would at home.

The letter from your parents should be fairly formal, something along the lines of: "I hereby give permission to my child xyz to travel to and within Spain to visit friends, abc (naming the adults in Spain)".

Your parents need to sign the letter, but then the letter should be signed and stamped by a solicitor or barrister (or some courts will do it) who has seen one or both of your parents (whoever signed the letter) and looked at their passports and yours (or your birth certificate) to confirm their identity and that they are your parents.

The chances are that you will not be asked for this but if you are and can't produce it, your holiday may be wrecked.

This may seem a bit elaborate but minors have been known to travel without parental permission and one parent taking a child internationally without permission of the other is worryingly common. You know you are fine, but the immigration authorities need to be sure.

Getting an EHIC card is a very good idea. It allows you to access the Spanish public health system on the same basis as local residents.

Any travel insurance for the trip (and you should have some) will ask you to have an EHIC card.

Also keep an eye on the Brexit news as your EHIC card may not be valid if we crash out before your trip.

I'm referring to immigration :)

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Spain With Kids Itinerary : Where To Go

Every city we visited had a playground every couple of blocks, ice cream shops at every corner and plenty to keep parents and kids busy. That said, I do understand that most families only have a week to ten days for a family vacation and will have to narrow in on a couple cities to visit, so here’s my advice based on some of the questions we’ve received.

Do We Visit the North or the South of Spain?

Oh this is such a hard one! We loved the relaxing vibes of the south, while the north was filled with so many amazing cultural and culinary finds. Whether you go North or South also depends on the time of year. We spent much of April in the South, exploring the cities of Málaga , Granada , and Seville , and even at that time of year, the temperatures were pretty hot on some days. The coast is never too far away, but I would not want to spend the summer months in Southern Spain.

My advice is this; If you’re looking for beach vibes (especially during the winter months), you want to head to the South. For those looking for culture and culinary delights, the north is a good area to explore (though we also found some amazing restaurants in the South). Fortunately, Spain has a great train network and so you can easily zip between major cities in just a few hours. I definitely recommend trying to make it to some of the spots in the middle, like Madrid, even if you can’t get to the opposite end of the country in one trip.

How Many Days Should We Spend in Spain?

We spent two months and still didn’t get around to seeing all of the major cities in Spain. So the answer is, spend as many days as you can. I had been saving our visit to Spain for years because I knew I wanted to explore the country in depth but you can visit for as long or as short as you’d like. We spent two days blissful in San Sebastián . Its vicinity to France makes it the idea weekend getaway for the French, since it is small enough to explore in just a weekend.

Most of the cities we visited we were able to cover in 3 or 4 days, but if you are visiting Madrid or Barcelona, you should set aside at least week. We spent 5 days in Barcelona and barely scratched the surface. For the smaller cities we visited, Zaragoza, Seville, Málaga, Grenada, San Sebastián, and Ronda, we spent between 2 and 5 days, giving us time to explore most of the items on our list.

Which Cities to Visit in Spain

Ah! Probably the most popular question we receive. Here’s a quick run down of how many days we recommend at each of the cities we visited (click the city names for more details)

Málaga : A lovely beach and cultural vibe. The birthplace of Pablo Picasso, this city is great for those looking for the best of both culinary and beach life. We recommend spending 3 to 7 days in Málaga. Click here to see some amazing pictures of Malaga.

Marbella and Mijas: Not much was open when we visited Mijas in April, so if you’re looking for a beach town to laze around in, be sure to have a car and ensure it’s “in season”.  We’re not beach bums but definitely found it very pretty and 3 days was plenty for us. Great area to make a day trip to visit the Rock of Gibraltar!

Ronda : Such a cute town, with views that totally took our breath away. You could do a day trip to Ronda, but I recommend an overnight stay so that you can enjot the city’s beautiful sunset and  visit El Quinqué to enjoy one of the best flamenco shows you’ll find in the country. 1 day. Click here to see some amazing pictures of Ronda.

Granada : Tapas culture reigns supreme in Gradana. There is much we missed during our visit but I can tell you that this city has plenty of Andalusian culture to share (especially if you haven’t visited Morocco). Plan ahead because everything books up early in the city and I know I’m biased but I did find it hard to navigate this city with a stroller. 2 days.

Seville : We loved the culture and food here and would choose Seville over Granada if we had to. Plenty to see and eat here and I highly recommend spending 3 days in Seville. Click here to see some amazing pictures of Seville.

Barcelona : However many days you have, they’re just never enough for this city. Barcelona is massive and teeming with people. I recommend booking your accommodations in two different parts of the city so you can get a good feel for this vibrant Spanish city, see it’s wondrous sights and sample its delicious food. 7 to 14 days.

Madrid : We took it easy in Madrid and didn’t visit many of the museums but there’s quite a bit to do here. If I had to choose between Madrid and Barcelona as a food and art lover, I’d opt for Barcelona, but Madrid contains mysteries that I am sure we missed. 5 to 10 days.

Zaragoza : A small city that is often forgotten about but it’s a great one for kids, as it is easily navigable and there’s a great food and craft beer scene as well. It’s downtown features two majestic cathedrals that need to be seen. 2 to 3 days.

La Rioja : You need a car to explore this wine region and things are a bit spread out but if you base yourself in Logrono, you will find a charming vibe that made this my favourite food spot in Spain. 2 to 3 days if you want to visit the wine region.

San Sebastian : Every food and craft beer lover needs to visit this Spanish city that borders France. It’s known for the rambunctious nightlife but we found it quite charming with kids as well. 2 days (perfect weekend getaway).

We didn’t visit Bilboa, Stiges and Valencia but people have great feedback and it’s easy from Barcelona as well.

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Check our our YouTube Playlist of Spanish Cities

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General Tips for Visiting Spain With Kids

Groceries were easy to find and we loved stocking up on Spanish snacks for our day trips – deli meat, cheese, fresh fruit and crackers are all easy to find but remember that some spots shutdown during the afternoon and on Sundays for siesta. You do need to plan ahead and we found ourselves grocery shopping in the night more often than not.

Fresh milk isn’t as easily available (though can be found in bigger supermarkets). We were happy with the shelf-stable UHT milk packs and opted for “Entera” which meant full cream/whole milk. We also couldn’t find any Pampers in Spain but did find that the local brand was good enough. We did spot Huggies at every pharmacy and in the big supermarkets. Most cities are quite walkable so we definitely needed our stroller and most attractions (and many restaurants) were easy to navigate with a stroller.

City passes were helpful once we got to the North of Spain as some allowed us to use the local buses at no additional cost, which meant we could leave the stroller at home since our kids were 3 and 5 years old and capable of walking for about an hour with one or two brief stops.

The Spanish love kids, so we were able to hang out on patios late into the night without anyone giving us the stink eye. The best part was that some cafes and bars even had a playground attached! Everyone spoke English in the bigger cities, but we did find Google Maps and Translate helpful for the smaller towns.

One thing that caught us off guard is the rampant smoking – we even saw grandparents puffing away sitting in front of infants. You may want to sit indoors to avoid the smoke or at least scan a patio before sitting down next to a table of smokers (hard to avoid as 3 out of 5 people on average were spotted smoking at any given time during our 2 months of travel).

Spain is an amazing country and I’m so glad I saved this one until we were able to spend a significant time exploring the country. Will we be back? Definitely. There is so much more for us to see and eat!

Related Posts:

Beautiful city, love all the open spaces

How did you travel with kids in cars? Bus? Train? Did you bring car seats from home or rent?

On buses and trains you can’t use car seats. In cars we’ve done a combination over the years depending on where we were going. We’ve rented them in some spots but mainly took them with us. I’m so glad the kids are now in the booster stage and we travelled with the mifolds in Spain.

Hi! We planning to travel Spain in June with our 3 yrs toddler but it will just be a 12 days trip. What is the best way to travel around? With rental car? Bus? Or train?

It really depends on your route – train and bus is a great way to travel as far as we’re concerned. Buy tickets early and they can be very cheap!

if we have 8 DAYS IN FIRST WEEK OF APRIL TO VISIT SPAIN WITH 13 AND 14 YEAR OLD (2 GIRLS AND 1 BOY), WHAT CITIES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AND HOW MANY DAYS IN EACH CITY? ALSO ANY HOTELS YOU RECOMMEND THAT ARE CENTRAL TO ATTRACTIONS?

Depends on if you want city vibe or smaller towns. I would focus on either the north or the south and explore. Andalusia around Easter was great timing for us!

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Spain to drop Covid vaccine requirement for UK teenagers

Border requirements loosened for non-EU 12 to 17-year-olds in time for UK half-term holidays

Spain has announced it will loosen its border requirements, with children over 12 from non-EU countries no longer needing to be fully vaccinated.

The Spanish government announced that it is relaxing its travel rules from Monday, which will be a boost for British holidaymakers planning to head abroad in February half-term.

Children aged 12 to 17 will now be able to visit by showing a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival in Spain, as an alternative to presenting a Covid certificate with proof of having been fully vaccinated.

Reyes Maroto, Spain’s minister for trade, industry and tourism, said: “As one of the world’s favourite tourism destinations, we are committed to making travel to Spain a safe and easy experience for our visitors, especially for families travelling with children.”

All other UK travellers, excluding children under 12, will still need to present a Covid certificate showing proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain. If more than 270 days have passed since the last dose was administered, proof of a booster jab is also required.

Prior to travelling to Spain, all passengers must also present a QR code which is obtained from filling in the Health Control Form (FCS in Spanish) available via Spain Travel Health (SpTH).

Tourism bodies welcomed the move, with a spokesperson for ABTA, the British Travel Association, saying the changes to the rules will mean more families will be able to enjoy a break in one of the UK’s most popular overseas holiday destinations.

“This, along with the UK also relaxing its travel requirements, means it is getting easier for people to set off on their long-awaited holidays abroad.

“With two-thirds of families saying their holidays are more important to them now than before the pandemic, the latest changes should give more people confidence to book their much-missed foreign holiday,” the spokesperson added.

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Devastation of Ukrainian town laid bare in drone footage - as Russia 'shifting battlefield focus'

Aerial images of the eastern town of Chasiv Yar have revealed the effects of Russian bombardment. A leading thinktank has suggested Moscow's battlefield focus may have shifted towards the town. Listen to a Daily podcast on whether the UK should send troops to Ukraine as you scroll.

Wednesday 1 May 2024 16:15, UK

• Drone footage reveals ghost town left after Russian bombardment  
• The signs Moscow's battlefield focus could be shifting
• Your questions answered: Why can't Ukraine destroy key Crimean bridge?
• Listen to the Sky News Daily above and  tap here  to follow wherever you get your podcasts
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell

Britain the US and the European Union are pressing the United Arab Emirates to show it is cracking down on firms evading sanctions imposed on Russia.

Three separate Western sources said they are particularly concerned about the UAE exporting computer chips, electronics, machinery and other sanctioned products to Russia that could be used to aid Moscow's military effort against Ukraine.

Some exports have increased since Russia was hit with Western sanctions, the sources claimed.

Western states implemented sanctions against Russia soon after the war began in February 2022 but other countries do not necessarily have to apply them too.

A UAE official said it remains in close dialogue with its international partners, including the US and EU, concerning the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its implications for the global economy.

Months of Russian artillery strikes have devastated the strategically important town of Chasiv Var in eastern Ukraine.

Drone footage - reminiscent of Bakhmut after its capture by Moscow's forces last year - lays bare the effects of strikes on the town, once home to 12,000 people.

Russia's focus may be shifting more towards Chasiv Yar, which is around 80km north of Avdiivka, as if captured it would make it easier for Moscow to advance further in the east.

Ukraine hopes to store 4bn cubic metres of gas from foreign companies and traders this winter despite an increase in Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. 

Oleksiy Chernyshov, chief executive of state energy company Naftogaz, said Russia had attacked company infrastructure five times since March.

The company is working on strengthening defences that can protect vulnerable above ground gas facilities, but stresses it has underground facilities big enough to store 31bn cubic metres.

That's enough for Ukraine's annual needs and surplus storage from Europe. 

Storing gas helps Ukraine to make a profit while providing Europe with additional supply flexibility after the continent cut Russian gas imports at the start of the war. 

Earlier, we reported that Russian guided bombs had struck the northeast Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, killing two people.

The number of injured has risen to six, including an 11-year-old boy, the regional governor said. 

Oleh Syniehubov said a 64-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman were killed while driving their car.

Also injured were a 50-year-old man and 41-year-old woman, who received medical treatment.

More than 20 cars were damaged and a house was destroyed. 

Each week we ask readers for their questions on the war for our military analysts and international correspondents.

This week, military analyst Sean Bell  answers:

Why are Ukraine finding it so hard to completely destroy the Kerch Bridge? DC

Thank you for this question.

Europe's longest bridge connects Russia to the city of Kerch in Crimea, which was illegally annexed from Ukraine by Moscow in 2014.

The bridge runs over the Kerch Strait and is the only direct road link between Russia and the annexed peninsula. 

It consists of a separate roadway and railway - fortified by concrete stilts - which give way to a wider span held by steel arches at the point where ships pass between the Black Sea and the smaller Azov Sea.

On 17 July 2023, the Ukrainians attacked the Crimean bridge with two suicide sea drones, damaging a span of the road bridge. 

The explosions killed two civilians and injured one . Ukraine later formally admitted to launching the attack.

Resilient bridge design

Although the road surface was damaged, the supports remained intact.

Despite the impressive capability of "smart" weapons, some bridges are very difficult to destroy due to their design.  

The opposite is also true: The cantilever design of the Baltimore bridge in the US that was struck by a container ship on 26 March led to its collapse.

In contrast, individual spans on the Kerch Bridge can be damaged or destroyed with limited impact on the structural integrity of the rest of the bridge, so the focus of any military strike would be the concrete stilts, which would take longer to repair or replace.

Although the Kerch Bridge provides a vital conduit for Russian military resupply lines, the Ukrainians have shown they have the capability to deny its use - at least temporarily - to Russia's military forces.  

Focus closer to home - for now

Although Ukraine is struggling to contain Russia's latest offensive efforts on the frontline in the Donbas, at some stage Ukraine might decide to focus its offensive efforts on Crimea.

Most analysts believe Ukraine would struggle to liberate Crimea completely, but the strategically important port of Sevastopol is a centre of gravity for Vladimir Putin - something he will not want to lose.

Ukraine does not have a navy, but has successfully targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet and pushed it further east.

That leaves Crimea relatively exposed, and if Ukraine were to mount a serious assault against the occupied enclave, that would be the time to exploit the lessons learned from previous attacks against the Kerch Bridge to deny its use for any Russian reinforcements.

For now, Ukraine is focusing its limited weapons on specific strategic targets, which might eventually include a more determined attack against the Kerch Bridge.

Starting tonight, Estonia will close a border crossing with Russia nightly after an influx of migrants and asylum seekers.

The Narva-1 crossing will close between 11pm and 7am local time each night, the Estonian public broadcaster, ERR, reported.

The crossing connects the two countries via a bridge over the Narva River. 

Marek Liiva, head of the border crossing, told ERR that anyone who is left on the bridge after 11pm will still be seen by border control and allowed to cross. 

Using a splintered piece of wood for stability and wearing a pair of slippers on her feet, a 98-year-old Ukrainian woman managed to escape Russian-occupied territory. 

Lidia Stepanivna Lomikovska and her family decided to leave the frontline town of Ocheretyne, in the eastern Donetsk region, last week after Russian troops entered and fighting intensified.

The elderly woman became separated from her son and two daughters-in-law while fleeing, but she kept going to reach Ukrainian lines. 

She walked along one of the main roads for six miles (10km) without food or water. 

"Once I lost balance and fell into weeds. I fell asleep… a little, and continued walking. And then, for the second time, again, I fell. But then I got up and thought to myself: 'I need to keep walking, bit by bit,'" Ms Lomikovska said.

She was reunited with her family after being taken to a shelter for evacuees.

A senior Russian defence official has reportedly been questioned by the Federal Security Service after the detention of one of his colleagues on bribery charges. 

Ruslan Tsalikov is the "number three" in Moscow's defence ministry after Sergei Shoigu, the minister, and chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov, the UK defence ministry says in its intelligence update today.

He was reportedly pulled in for questioning after the arrest of deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov, his close ally, on 21 April.

As first deputy defence minister, Mr Tsalikov ranks above Ivanov.

Ivanov is accused of accepting large bribes and will be kept in custody until 23 June after appearing at a Moscow district court last week.

He was in charge of property management, housing, construction and mortgages at the ministry - whose spending has spiralled since the Ukraine war began.

A number of defence ministers have already been questioned or detained after Ivanov's arrest. 

The Russian military claims it has attacked the headquarters of the Ukrainian army's southern grouping. 

The attack was carried out using Russian air force missiles and artillery, Moscow's defence ministry said. 

It gave no further details about the attack but said that Russian forces were improving their positions along the entire frontline. 

Ukrainian forces defending Chasiv Yar have said they are desperately waiting for more ammunition to arrive from the US. 

Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of Ukraine's 225th Separate Assault Battalion, which is fighting in the eastern city, called specifically for long-range weapons.

He said they would "cut [Russian forces] off from logistics and supplies".

Commander Shyriaiev also called for cluster munitions, which are banned by a number of countries over the danger they pose to civilians. 

Earlier, we reported that Russian troops appear to be concentrating advances in the direction of Chasiv Yar - which is 80km north of Avdiivka.

If captured, the city would give the Russians a better opportunity to target towns and cities further to the west.

The images below show the apocalyptic scenes in Chasiv Yar after bombardment by the Russians.

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Copenhagen fights the last pockets of a fire that destroyed a 400-year-old landmark

Emergency management work in the former Stock Exchange of Copenhagen, Boersen, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Emergency management work to secure the area after a fire in the former Stock Exchange of Copenhagen, Boersen, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Emergency management work to finish extinguishing the fire and to secure the area in the building of the former Stock Exchange of Copenhagen, Boersen, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Firefighters work on the building after a fire broke out at the Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. The fire was reported Tuesday morning in the historic building, which was undergoing renovation. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix)

Firefighters work on the building after a fire broke out at the Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. The fire was reported Tuesday morning in the historic building, which was undergoing renovation. (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix)

Fire rages from the dragon spire of the Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Former Danish Minister of Culture and current CEO of Danish Business, Brian Mikkelsen, left, assists with the evacuation of paintings from the Boersen burning in Copenhagen on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

People react to a fire as the Old Stock Exchange building burns in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

CEO of Danish Business, Brian Mikkelsen, and others carry paintings out of the burning building as the Stock Exchange burns in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

People ride bicycles as smoke rises from the Old Stock Exchange in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. A fire raged through one of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings on Tuesday, causing the collapse of the iconic spire of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange as passersby rushed to help emergency services save priceless paintings and other valuables. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Fire and smoke rise out of the Old Stock Exchange, Boersen, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. One of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings is on fire and its iconic spire has collapsed. The copper roof of the 17th-century Old Stock Exchange, or Boersen, that was once Denmark’s financial center, was engulfed in flames Tuesday. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

The spire collapses as fire and smoke rise out of the Old Stock Exchange, Boersen, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. One of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings is on fire and its iconic spire has collapsed. The building, which is situated next to the Christiansborg Palace where the parliament sits, is a popular tourist attraction. Its distinctive spire, in the shape of the tails of four dragons twined together, reached a height of 56 meters (184 feet). (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Firefighters work as smoke rise out of the Old Stock Exchange, Boersen, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. One of Copenhagen’s oldest buildings is on fire and its iconic spire has collapsed. The building, which is situated next to the Christiansborg Palace where the parliament sits, is a popular tourist attraction. Its distinctive spire, in the shape of the tails of four dragons twined together, reached a height of 56 meters (184 feet). (Emil Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish firefighters toiled Wednesday to extinguish the last pockets of a fire that gutted Copenhagen’s 400-year-old stock exchange building the previous day, as owners of the structure looked ahead to rebuilding the iconic landmark.

Tuesday’s blaze, which destroyed half of the building and toppled its dragon-tail spire, was believed to have started on the roof during renovations, but the cause remained unclear and police had yet to enter the burned part of the building to investigate.

No injuries were reported despite a hectic scramble in the first hour of the fire to remove valuables, with citizen volunteers helping officials and firefighters in an effort that managed to salvage much of the building’s priceless artwork.

“This is sad, so sad,” 44-year-old civil servant Mikkel Jensen said Wednesday as he looked up at twisted scaffolding still clinging to the ruins of the Old Stock Exchange.

The building, which dates from 1615 and is named the Boersen in Danish, is known for its green copper roof and distinctive 56-meter (184-foot) spire in the shape of four intertwined dragon tails.

Morten Langager, manager of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, which was headquartered in the Old Stock Exchange and owned the building, said it should “rise again.” His boss, chamber head Brian Mikkelsen, said the building will be rebuilt “no matter what” and that the board backed the idea.

The building was undergoing extensive renovations, and there are detailed records of the entire structure’s architecture, including photographs taken just last week of the dragon spire by the National Museum in Copenhagen.

However, no decision has yet been made about who will reconstruct the building, a project which would cost millions, if not billions of kroner (dollars). A cautious estimate said it could take up to 10 years.

Many in Denmark compared Tuesday’s fire to the April 2019 blaze at Notre Dame that destroyed the spire of the 800-year-old cathedral. Its restoration is slated for completion this year.

The extent of the damage, caused by flames and the tons of water poured to extinguish them, was still unknown.

“A lot has disappeared in the fire,” said Tim Ole Simonsen of the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department, which was working to secure remaining outer walls. Up to 40 shipping containers, filled with concrete, will be put around them to stabilize them, the fire department said.

That work will continue through the night. “The work is extensive and requires a large amount of equipment,” the fire department said in a statement.

Police hadn’t yet been able to enter the burned part of the building to begin investigating the cause of the fire, said Brian Belling, a Copenhagen police officer in charge of the investigation.

“It can take a long time to find the cause of a fire,” Belling said.

When the fire engulfed the building on Tuesday, passers-by, Chamber of Commerce staff, police officers and members of an army unit that had been sent to help raced inside the building to save its treasures.

Mikkelsen, who was one of the employees who ran in, told public broadcaster DR that the building had made a plan for what to save in a “worst case” scenario. When it became too dangerous for people to go up to the first floor, firefighters with breathing gear were sent in to retrieve priceless items, he said, adding that many of the building’s most valuable contents, which included irreplaceable paintings and other works of art, had been saved.

Among items saved was the huge 1895 painting “From Copenhagen Stock Exchange” by Danish artist P.S. Krøyer, the Chamber of Commerce said.

About an hour after the first reports of the fire on Tuesday, the blaze engulfed the spire and sent it crashing onto the building, which was shrouded by scaffolding, and onto the street behind.

The fire sent huge billows of smoke over downtown Copenhagen, and many government offices located nearby remained closed Wednesday because of a strong smell of smoke in the buildings. Employees were told to work from home.

The buildings must be cleaned and their ventilation checked before government ministry staff can return, said Rasmus Brandt Lassen, head of the Danish Building and Property Agency.

“We have told them that they should expect to work at home for the rest of the week,” Brandt Lassen said.

The exchange is considered a leading example of the Dutch Renaissance style in Denmark. The Chamber of Commerce moved into the building after Copenhagen’s stock exchange left in 1974.

Its dragon spire was one of the many of topping the city’s churches and castles, which have earned Copenhagen its nickname as “the city of spires.” Other copper-covered belfries include the serpentine spire of Our Savior’s Church, those of the Renaissance Rosenborg Castle downtown, and the tower of the Christiansborg Palace which houses the Danish parliament.

A main road running past the Old Stock Exchange remained closed Wednesday.