Relaxing family getaways in Spain off the beaten path.
What are some less-touristed family getaways in Spain, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer
Options include Zahara de la Sierra, a white-walled village above the Embalse de Zahara reservoir; Grazalema, a whitewashed village in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park; and Sagunto, a hillside town below a castle and Roman theatre. This page includes more than 20 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Seville, Valencia or Málaga.
Ontinyent
This walkable town on the banks of the Clarià River in Valencia's Vall d'Albaida comarca, Ontinyent has a centre with cafés and restaurants alongside baroque…
Grazalema
A particularly photogenic Andalusian village in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, known as one of the classic *pueblos blancos* — the whitewashed hill to…
Zahara de la Sierra
A white-walled Andalusian village in the Sierra de Grazalema natural park, Zahara de la Sierra sits above the Embalse de Zahara reservoir with panoramic view…
Quesada
This modest Andalusian town in Jaén where the Guadalquivir River has its source, set within mountain country on the edge of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y…
Blanes
A beach town on the Costa Brava marking the southern gateway to that stretch of Catalan coastline, Blanes sits where mountains meet the Mediterranean, with c…
Mondonedo
This modest Galician town in a sheltered valley among the northern outliers of the Cantabrian Mountains, Mondoñedo has an unusually high concentration of his…
Sagunto
The ruins of ancient Saguntum, the Iberian and Roman city whose siege in 219 BC triggered the Second Punic War, are the defining reason to visit this Mediter…
Arenas de San Pedro
This small town in Ávila's Sierra de Gredos foothills with a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size, Arenas de San Pedro sits beside water and…
Peníscola
This small Mediterranean coastal town in Castellón, Peníscola sits on a rocky promontory jutting into the sea, giving it strong photographic appeal and sceni…
Aracena
The largest town in the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche natural park, this tiny Andalusian town in Huelva province draws on the surrounding sierra for it…
Alcalá de Guadaíra
Once known as Alcalá de los Panaderos — the baker's town that supplied most of Seville's bread — this city on the Guadaíra River sits just southeast of Sevil…
Matalascañas
A coastal resort village on Spain's longest beach, Matalascañas sits at the edge of Doñana National Park in Huelva province, with fine golden sand, mobile du…
Ayamonte
Sitting at the mouth of the Guadiana River on the Portuguese border, Ayamonte is a walkable Andalusian town with a café-filled centre, waterfront views, and…
Oliva
This walkable Valencian town with a Mediterranean beach stretching along its eastern edge, Oliva sits in the Safor comarca of Valencia, close to mountains an…
Algodonales
Compact Andalusian town on the northern edge of the Sierra de Grazalema natural park, Algodonales sits on the slopes of the Sierra de Líjar between two river…
Cullera
A coastal town in Valencia where the Júcar river meets the Mediterranean, Cullera sits between the sea and a modest inland peak that shapes its natural setting.
Rincón de la Victoria
This Costa del Sol town on the Mediterranean coast east of Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria is known for its sea caves and beaches, with a food-and-drink scene…
Sepúlveda
A little village in Segovia province declared a historic-artistic ensemble, Sepúlveda sits alongside the Hoces del Río Duratón Natural Park and houses its in…
Lepe
Founded by Phoenicians on the Río Piedras and later settled by Romans and Arabs, Lepe is an Andalusian town near the Portuguese border with a compact centre…
Covarrubias
Known as "the cradle of Castile," this compact village on the Arlanza river in Burgos province was made a capital of the region by the 10th-century Count Fer…
Guadalajara
A walkable Castilian city on the Henares river, Guadalajara in Spain's Castilla–La Mancha region has a historic centre dense with churches and cafés, set on…
Jabugo
Jabugo, a small village in Andalusia's Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche natural park, gives its name to a Protected Designation of Origin for Jamón ibéric…
Punta Umbría
This little Andalusian fishing town on the banks of the Río Odiel, where it meets the Atlantic, Punta Umbría has a Blue Flag beach stretching along its shore…
Conil de la Frontera
A whitewashed Atlantic-coast town in Cádiz province, Conil de la Frontera sits on the Costa de la Luz with a walkable centre dense with food and drink option…
Cabra
This gateway town to the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park — a UNESCO-recognised geopark valued for its geology — Cabra sits on the route between Córdoba and M…
Daimiel
Wine-country town in the La Mancha region of Ciudad Real, Daimiel has a compact centre with a concentration of cafés and restaurants and sits close to the Ta…
Santa Pola
Mediterranean fishing port on the Alicante coast, Santa Pola pairs a walkable centre with a dense food-and-drink scene and direct access to Blue Flag beaches.
Gandia
This Mediterranean beach town on Spain's Costa de Valencia, Gandia splits into two distinct zones: a historic city centre dense with churches, cafés, and mon…
Coma-ruga
A pocket-sized seaside resort on the Costa Daurada in Tarragona province, Coma-ruga sits directly on a long sandy beach and carries a café and restaurant sce…
Family getaways in Spain: quick answers
Which family getaways in Spain can you visit on a day trip from Seville, Valencia or Málaga?
Grazalema, Aracena and Zahara de la Sierra are among 7 family getaways on our day trips from Seville. Gandia, Cullera and Ontinyent are among 4 family getaways on our day trips from Valencia. And Cabra and Algodonales are among 4 family getaways on our day trips from Málaga.
Where are Spain's less-touristed family getaways?
Wandering Well lists 29 family getaways across Spain. The most are in Huelva (6), Valencia/València (5) and Cádiz (4).
Which are the highest-rated?
12 are rated gold, including Guadalajara, Conil de la Frontera, Alcalá de Guadaíra and Santa Pola.
Which can you reach by train?
4 of the 29 have a railway station within a 10-minute drive, including Guadalajara, Coma-ruga, Ontinyent and Blanes.