Andalucia, Easter week, 2 small children - what should we do?

[skaen]

My mum has organised an epic family trip to Andalucia the week before Easter. We've now discovered that the swimming pool in villa is closed for renovation and the Alhambra is sold out. The DCs are nearly 4 and 18months so I am very not keen to get caught up in the Semana santa processions etc.

I'm rapidly losing any desire to go on this holiday so any cheering up by telling me really good stuff to do would be much appreciated. Please.

The weather should be nice. Not warm enough for swimmimg maybe so pool thing might not be an issue. Where are you staying? In Granada? I would chill. do tapas, the processions are worth a look. Can you go to the coast one day? Or to Ronda or Seville?

Thanks. We're staying just outside Malaga but are hiring a car. I'd like to go to Ronda but just feel a bit daunted about busy cities and small children!

Ronda is lovely - and not that large. Granada has a lot of pedestrian areas - we took dd for Easter when she was just 1. Marbella's old town is very nice too - not all how I imagined it to be. Or you could do a trip to Puerto Banus to look at the boats. The towns in the hills like Gaucin and Frigiliana are also worth a visit - and Nerja looks quite nice.

My Mums lives near Malaga. We usually take the kids to Tivoli at Benalmadena and we have gone up in the cable car with them too. There is a zoo and sealife centre there as well. In Malaga you can walk around the old town, visit the castle and the Picasso museum (we did that with two young children and were followed by security, this is normal in case the children cross the roped off area in front of the paintings).

In Nerja there is a nice sandy beach (Burriana) and there are some cool caves with impressive rock formations). There is also a little land train that drives around the town. There is also a donkey sanctuary there.

Puerto Banus and Marbella are places to visit but they are expensive! Oh, and you might be able to get tickets to the Alhambra when you are in Spain if you go to an official ticket seller.

Hi Saggyhairyarse what is the weather like there at the moment please? and can you suggest hotels :-)

I have only ever stayed at the Molino de Santillan near Rincon de la Victoria when my brother got married. It is a lovely hotel with gorgeous views and they were lovely with my kids but it is not all singing/all dancing child friendly (it does have a pool).

It's 23-24Cand sunny at the mo :-)

My toddler loves the seafront.....all along the costa del sol the towns have a 'paseo maritimo' (sea front walk) and they cater well for toddlers, swings, slides etc etc. I find the simple and often free stuff keeps my little one entertained! Andalucia is also very child friendly - eating out is a breeze, you see families in the summer at midnight at restaurants wit toddlers in pushchairs snoozing.
If the weather isn't brilliant head to Kids Kingdom (I think its called that) its a large indoor play area attached to a supermarket along the coastal road near Marbella. I'm with 'saggyhairyarse on the tivoli and cable car (was there in Feb half term and it as 27 degrees!!)

Sorry not to have replied before but thank you so much for the suggestions! Am feeling much more positive now. I love the cable car idea