Spain: is it good
for a family trip?
Yes, this is our highest-traffic guide for a reason. Iberia flies Boston to Madrid nonstop year-round, and the onward trip to Nerja, on the Costa del Sol, is a short flight or an easy high-speed train.
Nonstop to Madrid, then Malaga or the AVE.
Iberia's Boston to Madrid route runs nonstop, year-round. From Madrid, reach Nerja with a 1 hour 15 minute flight to Malaga, then a short drive, or the AVE high-speed train in about 2 hours 30 minutes. In February vacation week, Madrid is the only nonstop way into Spain from Boston, which is worth knowing before you plan around a different city.
$5,000 to $7,500 for a week.
That is the all-in range for a family of four, flights included, the second lowest of our published guides after Paris. Lower baseline lodging and food costs than most of Southern Europe keep it there.
What families ask us.
Is there a nonstop flight from Boston to Spain?
Yes, to Madrid. Iberia flies it nonstop year-round. From Madrid, reaching Nerja means a 1h15m flight to Malaga or a 2h30m high-speed AVE train, then a drive. In February, Madrid is the only nonstop way into Spain.
Is Nerja good for a family trip with kids?
Yes, and it is our highest-traffic guide on the whole site. Slow travel, the caves and the trolley, Frigiliana as a day trip, and a real tapas-with-kids tip are all in the full guide.
What does a week in Nerja, Spain cost a family of four?
Roughly $5,000 to $7,500 all-in from Boston, flights included, the second lowest of our published guides after Paris.
Is a connection through Madrid difficult with kids?
Not especially. The Malaga flight or the AVE train are both straightforward onward legs, and the AVE in particular is an easy, comfortable ride for kids compared to a second flight.