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.
The Fredette Family in Nerja, Spain
How Nerja scored with our kids.
Six things we rate every trip on, out of 10, from our own family travel, plus our overall score, which is simply the average of the six. Flight ease and value are calculated the same way for every destination.
From our trip. We visited a different beach in Nerja every day. It is known for some rough beaches, but there are calm ones too, and every tapas bar welcomed the girls.
Flight ease
6.3/10About 9.4 hours total with 1 connection, layover included from Boston. We score every flight the same way: start at 10, take off half a point for each hour beyond 4 (a quarter point per hour past 10), and a point for each connection. There is no nonstop to Malaga: Iberia, Delta and JetBlue fly nonstop to Madrid, then it is a short connection to Malaga or the AVE train south.
Kid friendly
9.5/10Incredible for kids. We could always get them food they wanted, every tapas bar was welcoming, and there is a beach for every day of the week, including calm ones like Burriana and Caletilla. The trolley out to the Caves of Nerja was a hit too.
Walkability
9/10Super walkable: a whitewashed town where the beaches, the Balcon de Europa and the supermarket are all on foot.
Value
6.8/10Spain's cost of living index is 51.4 (Numbeo, mid-2026, where New York is 100 and the US overall is 69.7), about 26% below home. We score value the same way for every destination: costing the same as home is a 5, and every 10 points cheaper or pricier moves it a point. It is a country-wide average, so big cities and tourist hot spots run higher and small towns and villages lower. Nerja is a resort town, so it runs a little above the Spain average, though tapas culture keeps meals cheap.
Food
9/10A free tapa with every drink, kids' soft drinks included: one of the cheapest, easiest and most kid-friendly ways to eat we have found anywhere.
Weather
9.5/10Unbeatable. May, June and September are ideal.
Overall
8.3/10A small, walkable beach town that makes family life easy, once you get there.
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.
Search Vrbo rentals, already set to Nerja. Look for two bedrooms and a full kitchen. Where we would stay. Affiliate link, our disclosure.
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.