After our daughter Luna was born, I started doing research on what it’s like to travel with babies and discovered that (surprisingly) the newborn phase is actually considered one of the easier times to travel with little ones. Excited to see what this new version of travel might look like for us, I immediately got to researching and brainstorming ideas of places we could go.
I settled on Spain as the destination pretty quickly. I knew we wanted to travel toward the end of my maternity leave when Luna was around four months old, which meant we were looking at late April / early May, and spring is the perfect time to travel to Spain — it’s not too terribly hot that time of year and certainly sunnier than cold and rainy Amsterdam.
This trip had been on my bucket list for a very long time. I’ve been to Spain a couple of times and even spent some of that time in Andalusia, but somehow I never managed to make it to some of the region’s most famous sights.
We really made the most of our two weeks in Spain. We explored the lively streets of Madrid, checked out the stunning architecture in Córdoba, experienced the flamenco scene in Seville, basked in the beauty of Granada, and took in the breathtaking views of Ronda and some of the surrounding white hillside towns.
As new parents traveling internationally with a baby, we were a bit nervous at first, but I’m so glad we took the plunge. We ate delicious food, met lots friendly locals (Spain is a very baby-friendly country!), and soaked up all the sun and Spanish culture we could.
All in all, it was a memorable adventure for our family, and I’m excited to share our journey with you!
Overview of our trip
We started the trip with a quick flight from Amsterdam to Madrid. After a few days getting to know the city and its plethora of tapas bars, we eventually made our way south to Andalusia.
We traveled most of the way by train to keep things easy, given it was our first time traveling with baby in tow. Spain has a wonderful rail system, which makes it super fast and convenient to connect from one town to the next. We rented a car for just a few days toward the end of the trip to make it easier to reach Ronda and explore the region’s famous white hill towns.
We flew back to Amsterdam from Malaga, a city on Spain’s southern coast. From start to finish, we spent just a little over two weeks in the country.
Itinerary
Below is an overview of the itinerary with highlights from each leg of the trip.
PART 1 | Madrid
Days 1-4
Palacio de Cristal and Rose Garden at El Retiro Park, the Royal Palace, Reina Sofia museum, and tapas galore
PART 2 | Córdoba
Days 5-6
The grand Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, a stroll down flower-lined alleyways, and a taste of flamenco culture at La Feria
PART 3 | Seville
Days 7-10
Cyclotour of Parque Maria Luisa and visits to the Royal Alcazar and Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world
PART 4 | Granada
Days 10-11
Visit to Spain’s most visited attraction and architectural wonder, the Alhambra
PART 5 | Ronda
Days 12-15
Ronda and its spectacular Puente Nuevo brige and historic bullfighting ring and a driving tour of two of the region’s white hillside towns
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