Need ideas for something to do with kids in Costa del Sol? With its great weather and mild climate, the province of Malaga is a great place to spend time outdoors all year long. Stroll through stunning gardens, have a picnic in the sun or go on a biking, boating or rollerblading excursion—in Costa del Sol, your options are endless.
Read below to find out more about some of the best parks and gardens in Costa del Sol.
La Concepción Botanical Garden (Malaga)
Head to Malaga capital and you’ll find the stunning La Concepción Botanical Garden—an English landscape-style garden with 150,000+ plants and 2,000+ tropical and subtropical foliage. It was declared a “jardín histórico artístico” in 1934 and is currently labeled a “Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC),” or a “Site of Cultural Interest.” La Concepción Botanical Garden is an oasis within the city limits and a perfect place for some family fun in the sun.
Source: Jardín Botánico de la Concepción website.
Bienquerido Oriental Garden (Alhaurín de la Torre)
Did you know you can travel to Asia without leaving the province of Malaga? Bienquerido Oriental Garden, in Alhaurín de la Torre, is a Japanese-style garden with Japanese decorations like pagodas and bridges; plants like bamboo, reeds, bonsai trees and Japanese cedars; and even a Zen garden and a river filled with fish and turtles. For kids, there’s a playground and swings made with a Japanese aesthetic.
Source: Ayuntamiento Alhaurín de la Torre
La Bateria Park (Torremolinos)
Overlooking the sea, beautiful La Bateria Park, located in the town of Torremolinos, has a huge, 9,000 square-metre lake where your family can take a nice boat ride. Throughout this history-themed park, you’ll find artillery cannons and a defense tower with a viewpoint (it offers an amazing panoramic view of Costa del Sol!). There is a dedicated children's play area with a merry-go-round and, of course, the park’s famous "pacifier tree." This tree is where children go to get rid of their pacifiers when they get older and don’t need them anymore.
Source: Turismo Torremolinos website, Málaga
Paloma Park (Benalmádena)
Paloma Park, which is located in Arroyo de la Miel (Benalmádena), is well known in Costa del Sol for its size and family-friendly amenities. There are plenty of wild animals here, like chickens, rabbits, turtles, ducks, geese, peacocks and even swans. As if that weren’t enough, the park has a small zoo with mountain goats and emus, and a huge lake where kids can feed the ducks. Want to have a picnic? Paloma Park has plenty of green spaces that are perfect for a family picnic and an excuse to spend a beautiful afternoon outdoors.
Poniente Park (Fuengirola)
If you love marine life, you’ll love Poniente Park, in Fuengirola. There is definitely a marine theme here—from a giant ship that presides over the park to the padded floor of the playground, which is designed to look like waves. There are plenty of activities to do here with children, from cycling down a beautiful bike path and skating on a skating rink to playing different sports and getting a bite to eat at the onsite restaurant. You’ll love it!
Source: Turismo Fuengirola website
Arroyo de la Represa Park (Marbella)
In the centre of Marbella, you’ll find the “green lung” of the city: the 18,000 square-metre Arroyo de la Represa Park. Perfect for kids, there’s a playground, sports tracks, a skating area, a bonsai museum and animals like turtles, fish and ducks. The bonsai museum is also home to specimens of other exotic and native species, like palm trees, Spanish firs and cork oaks, to name a few.
Source: Turismo Marbella website
These might be some of our favourite family parks and gardens, but they’re certainly not all of them! Head to Costa del Sol and you’ll find tons of stunning green spaces where you and your family can spend some time outdoors. Visit our website for these and other active tourism ideas in the province of Malaga.
