Kids' stuff

Overview

Madrid has plenty on offer for children and teenagers. Depending on the time of year the options range from water parks in the summer to skiing in Navecerrada or Valdesquí in winter. As well as these tried and tested attractions, Madrid has some more unusual ones too – try the puppet theatre in the Retiro Park or get a panoramic view of the city from the cable railway (Teleférico).

Theme Park Directory

Note the prices quoted below are for a whole day and in high season. They have been taken from the websites (or local tourism websites) and should be checked.

Warner Bros. Park
5 topic areas, 25 rides, 5 big wheels, 3 water rides, scenes from the films, cartoon characters and live shows. The world of Hollywood, the Wild West, Cartoon Village, Movie World and Super Heroes, such as Superman, Batman y Robin – all come to life
Address: Carretera N-IV, turn off Km.22 on to the M-606, San Martín de la Vega.
Tel: 918211234 (information) 902488488 /902400222 (to buy season tickets)
Prices: Adults €32; Children (5 upwards) €24
Note there is a special price for the second day of a 2-day visit
Check the website for opening times during the year. It’s open every day in high season, but varies the rest of the year – opening weekends only at some times and closed at others.
www.warnerbrospark.com

Fairground (Parque de atracciones, Casa de Campo)
More than 40 rides such as the Shuttle, Rollercoasters etc. In the summer there are live concerts and shows
Address: Calle Casa de Campo s/n (no number), Madrid.
Tel: 914 632 900
Prices: Adults €20.90; Children (over 3) €11.80
Check the website for opening times as it’s weekend only in the winter months. It also stays open very late (until xx in the summer) and it’s probably best to go early evening rather than in the heat of the afternoon sun.
http://www.parquedeatracciones.es (Spanish only)

A trip to the Casa de campo makes a great full day out (if not two or three!). The easiest way to get there is to take the metro to the Lago stop. Kids can row on the lake or take a boat trip while parents have a relaxing aperitif in the lakeside bars. There’s also an open air swimming pool (La piscina de El Lago) and a canoeing school next to the lake.

Museums

Wax Museum (Museo de Cera)
More than 450 waxwork figures of famous people – actors, sports stars, politicians from all over the world
Address: Paseo de Recoletos 41, Madrid.
Tel: 913 080 825
Prices: Adults €9; Children (4 -10) €6

The Real Madrid Museum (Museo del Real Madrid)
De rigueur visit for all Real Madrid fans and where you can see some of the most famous shirts in the history of football
Address: Avda. Concha Espina 2. Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, puerta 3
Tel: 913 984 382

Museo Reina Sofia
Contemporary art gallery, sometimes offering special exhibitions for children with activities and worksheets.
Address: Santa Isabel, 52, Madrid
Tel: (+34) 91 467 50 62 +34 91 468 30 02
Price: 3€; Free on Saturday afternoon (2.30pm - 9pm) and Sunday morning (10am - 2.30pm)
http://museoreinasofia.mcu.es/portada/portada_ING.php

Planetario (Planetarium)
Everything you ever wanted to know about astronomy – multimedia shows simulating the solar system, star collisions, black holes, galaxies etc
Address: Calle Enrique Tierno Galván s/n, Madrid.
Tel: 914 673 898
Closed Mondays
Prices: Adults €3; Children (2 – 14) €1.20
Check the website for seasonal opening times
http://www.planetmad.es (Spanish only)

Science Museum Cosmocaixa (Museo de la Ciencia Cosmocaixa)
Informative exhibitions from the world of science. Informal workshops for all ages: plaster, clay, plastercine
Address: Pintor Velásquez 2/n, Alcobendas
Tel: 914 845 200
Prices: Adults €3; Children (3 - 7) free

Animales

Zoológico
One of the biggest zoos in Europe, this zoo has an acquarium (more than 200 species of fish and invertebrae housed in 35 acquariums), a terrarium (where living plants are kept and observed), an exhibition and a dolphin show.
Address: Casa de Campo s/n, Madrid.
Tel: 915 123 770
Opening times: In summer until 9.30pm and in winter until 6pm
Prices: Adults €12.75; Children (3 - 7) €10.30
http://www.zoomadrid.com

Aquarium de Madrid
Home to sharks, piranhas, crocodiles, alligators, turtles, sea fish, tropical fish, iguanas, lizards, tarantulas, pythons, rattlesnakes etc
Address: Maestro Vitoria 3
Tel: 902 091 091

Safari
Visit by car and see the animals roaming free
Address: Carretera Extremadura km 32, Aldea del Fresno
Tel: 918 622 314
Opening times: In winter open until 6.30pm and in summer until 9.30pm
Prices: Adults €10; Children (3 – 10) €6
http://www.navegaplus.com/sites/safari/safari.htm (Spanish only)

Faunia
Here you can see, among other things, a nature and biodiversity theme park; the penguins having lunch from the only underwater vantage point; a beehive where you can see the daily activity of 20,000 bees.
Address: Avenida de las Comunidades, 28 (Valdebernardo)
Tel: 913 016 210
Prices: Adults €17.50; Children (3 - 11) €12

Water Park and Swimming Pool Directory

Aquasur
Address: Carretera N-IV Km 44
Tel: 918 976 034

Aquamadrid
Address: Carretera N-II, Km 15.5, San Fernando de Henares
Tel: 916 731 013

Aquapolis
Address: Avenida Dehesa s/n, Villanueva de la Cañada
Tel: 918 156 911
Opening times: from 15th June until 15th September, 11am – 10pm
http://www.aquapolis.es

Other ideas

Cable car (Teleférico)
The cable car that gives you first class views over Madrid, such as the Egyptian Temple of Debod, the skyscrapers in the Plaza de España, the Royal Palace, the Almudena cathedral, San Francisco el Grande with its enormous dome, the Casa de Campo, another big park, El Parque del Oeste and the River Manzanares.
Address: Paseo del Pintor Rosales s/n, Madrid
Opening times: On week days from 12 until 8.30pm; bank holidays from 11am until 9pm
Prices: One way €2.85; Return €4.10; Children (3 - 7) €2.50

Skiing
Xanadú is the first indoor ski slope in Spain where you can ski all year round over 18,000 square metres. It’s divided into a beginners’ area and another for more experienced skiers. It can take 3,000 people. As well as the skiing, there’s a shopping area, more than 30 restaurants and 15 cinema screens.
Address: Carretera N-V. Km. 23, Arroyomolinos
Opening times: Shopping area from 10am to 10pm; Recreation area, Thursdays to Sundays, from 10am to 2am, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4am
http://www.madridxanadu.com

Cinema
Imax Madrid with its amazing 3D screens that surround the audience and make them feel as if they are at the centre of the action!
Parque Tierno Galván. Meneses, S/n
Tel: 914 674 800
Prices: single ticket €7 euros; Ticket for 2 films €10; Free for under 3s

Retiro Park
On Sunday morning in the Retiro there are puppet shows, mime acts and jugglers. In the Crystal Palace and Velazquez Palace there are art exhibitions. You can also go rowing on the lake here. At the end of May and beginning of June lots of madrileños go to the Retiro to visit the Book Fair, where there are book presentations, talks, panel discussions and presentations.

We would like to thank bizilagun.design for permission to use the photo of the Temple of Debod.