Hello! My husband and I will be visiting Spain with our two daughters (ages 5 and 9) in mid-May 2008. I've been to northern Spain, but never to the South. Is this a good choice with kids? (I've read a couple posts about crime in the south due to the high number of tourists.) (Our other "trip concept" was southwest France and northern Spain. Anyone care to weigh in on that idea versus Southern Spain?)

At this point our plan is to spend 2 weeks there, probably using two different towns as our "base" cities for exploring the area. (We always rent apartments or villas.) Any suggestions about good cities or towns to base ourselves in? We like to base ourselves in a quaint or scenic city or town where we can just hang out and walk around on some days instead of feeling we need to take a day trip every single day. It seems like "the" places to visit in the area are Marbella, Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, and Nerja. Am I missing any (I'm sure I am) on my list?

I've heard mixed reviews on the Morocco daytrip; sounds sill, but would like to do it so my girls can say they've visited Morocco and stepped on the continent of Africa -- even if just for a day. They love getting their passports stamped!! Again, my major concern is safety. Is this a safe trip given that it's such a tourist trap?

Any other suggestions, particularly regarding things to do with our girls, would be appreciated. We've taken them to France and Italy and have always found playgrounds and other "kid friendly" things to do in those countries. I'm assuming we will find the same in Spain, but I'm much less familiar with Spain than I am with France and Italy so am feeling more apprehensive.

Thanks for any advice. Barbara

I would suggest Nerja as a base, and if you really want 2 places, Marbella as a second. An apartment complex with a pool would be ideal so that there is somewhere for the children to relax.
Granada is a nice trip and the gardens are good for the children to enjoy. You may possibly be best staying there overnight as it is quite a long drive.
The village of Mijas, just a few miles from Fuengirola is an easy trip and very pretty to walk round.
I have stayed in Fuengirola and enjoyed it but it probably isn't what you are looking for. It is a very popular tourist town with a long, good beach and lots of hotels, restaurants etc. but lacks the quaint charm of Nerja. Fuengirola, however, could be worth considering as there are plenty of good quality apartments. I would avoid Torremolinos and Benalmedina as these are more party places.

I agree with Nerja but I would suggest Seville as a second base.

I would suggest getting the 2008 Fodors Spain book--it really is packed with great information.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to look into villas/apartments in each of those places; sometimes the perfect accommodation can help make a tough decision easier!! We have a National Geographic travel guide on Spain, but I'm wondering if we should get one geared to Southern Spain. And my husband is wondering if we should just do a week in the south and week elsewhere, either in the north or in Portugal. Any thoughts on this idea?

Hi Barbara,

I'll bring my two kids (8 & 11 by the time we travel) to Costa del Sol this Christmas. I booked my hotel in Malaga for 7 days, but I definitely like to see a bit everything (major city, little towns, beaches...) For the same reason like you, my kids and I definitely all want to go to Marocco, even for a day or two, just to step onto the land of Africa I have never been to Spain and know little about the ways of getting around, and safety is my main concern just like you. So when you come back, can you please give me some suggestions such as the places suitable for kids, how safe the places are, what are the best/cheapest ways to get around...
Have a wonderful trip!