Travelling with children to Malaga and the Costa del Sol

• Posted on March 25, 2024
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• Posted in Travel Tips
• Reading time: 9 minutes

Having a baby or a small child is no reason to miss out on a nice holiday, quite the opposite! Everything you need to know for travelling with children to Malaga and the Costa del Sol.

Getting away from it all in Malaga’s mild climate under almost always blue skies and recharging the batteries will not only please the parents. Discovering the world, playing on the beach and enjoying the waves of the sea will be a lifelong memory for the children.

The Costa del Sol is one of the most popular destinations in the world for families and is perfect for parents with young children and babies.

It has an excellent infrastructure of hotels and holiday apartments just about 2.5 hours from the major Central European cities, which is also a huge plus considering you don’t want to be travelling long hours with a toddler.

But if you’re feeling a little daunted by the prospect of travelling with a baby for the first time, then our guide to travelling with children will give you some encouragement that an enjoyable family holiday is not only possible, but can in fact be a beautiful and memorable experience.

Travelling with children to Malaga

In the first part of this guide, we will be covering what you need to consider travelling with children to the Costa del Sol.

Check the weight of your luggage

Most airlines allow you to take one item of baby equipment in addition to your luggage (such as a travel chair or cot), however, few offer a dedicated space for your baby.

This means that all the essentials such as milk and bulky nappies end up crammed into your suitcase. With most airlines enforcing strict weight restrictions on checked baggage, you should pay attention to this aspect first, as excess baggage charges can be astronomical.

Use your hand luggage wisely and think carefully about what you will need for your baby during the flight. Milk (in sealed cartons or are you willing to open and taste it in front of security), food and feeding equipment, wipes, nappies, changing clothes for you and the baby, and some small toys are essential. If your little one uses a dummy, don’t forget to bring an extra one.

Please note: If your baby is travelling on an adult’s lap, hand luggage is not included.

Children and infants occupying their own seat can carry the same hand luggage as adults.

Regarding checked baggage, also consider carefully before you travel what you will need, whether you have to bring it from home, or whether you can buy (or hire) it at the destination.

This saves you from having to carry a lot of heavy luggage, which is also an additional stress factor (especially in summer).

Documents

To be able to travel you need:

• Domestic flights: Children under 14 years of age are not required to present documentation as long as they are on the same reservation as the adult.
• International flights: Children under 14 years of age are required to present their own documentation (ID card or passport), a family record book is not valid.

At the Airport

Breastfeeding room

Malaga-Costa del Sol airport has a breastfeeding room located in the boarding area, between docks B and C.

The facilities are free of charge and for the exclusive use of families with babies and children, with a dining rea, toilets, crawling area and breastfeeding room.

Security check

Although liquids are not allowed in hand luggage, there are exceptions for medical needs and babies. So, you don’t have to worry and you can bring all the liquids, baby food and other food that your baby or toddler will need for the trip.

Can I take the baby pram on the plane?

You can take the baby pram on the plane free of charge. On arrival, a person in charge will take care of putting it in the hold and on arrival it will either be handed to you when you leave the plane or you can pick it up at the baggage carousel, depending on the airline.

What about the car seat?

Airlines allow a car seat for infants or children permitted for use on aircraft to be taken on board the aircraft. Please note that if you use a car seat for children under 2 years of age, a separate airline seat must be purchased.

Bear in mind that you would have to carry an additional piece of luggage and have to buy another ticket (usually billed as a child occupying a seat)

We recommend you eliminate this headache and simply add your baby seat, Maxicosi or booster seat comfortably when booking your car hire at Malaga airport with us, Malagacar.com.

Travelling with children on the Costa del Sol

Soon we will prepare other articles dedicated exclusively to all the fun activities on the Costa del Sol you can enjoy with your family, as well as the best hotels to stay in Malaga with children, stay tuned!

In this article we focus on helping you prepare for this fabulous trip, with all the essentials to take into account.

Shopping

First of all, Malaga is not the third world. Especially on the Costa del Sol there is a large number of international brands that you can find in some of the large supermarkets. So don’t over-pack your suitcases with things you can also buy here.

Baby essentials such as nappies, formula milk and weaning food you can easily find in one of the many supermarkets and pharmacies in Malaga.

Most brands of water have a baby or bottle symbol, but if you don’t see it, check the mineral analysis for ‘Na’ or ‘sodium’ – this should be as low as possible and less than 19.

In general, Malaga water is safe to drink, however, as the mineral mix is different, this can cause minor stomach problems in children.

The bulky nappies you can purchase in basically all supermarkets. Swimming nappies are readily available as many resorts (and the many water parks in the area) do not allow children in the pool without adequate protection.

Well protected

Photoprotection

It’s lovely to see little ones enjoying the sun or playing on one of the many beaches on the coast, but as we all know, children’s skin is much more sensitive and we must take great care with sun protection.

Babies under 6 months should be completely out of direct sunlight, and older children should wear light, cool clothing, a high sun protection factor and a suitable wide-brimmed hat.

In fact, if you’re travelling to Malaga, we recommend that children wear a hat and sun lotion also outside the high season to protect them from UV exposure.

Make sure you apply sunscreen regularly (especially after swimming and towel drying) and if your little one is a water baby, pay special attention to the face, neck and shoulders – areas that are more likely burn while in the water.

Sunglasses are a must for older children, and make sure they are out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day (12 – 4 pm). Just in time for a nap!

We have already looked briefly at how you can protect the skin of children and babies from sunburn. However, many people still underestimate how strong the sun can be, even if you avoid the hottest hours of the day.

If you are travelling around Malaga province in one of our hire cars, make sure you carry an extra bottle of sunscreen and water in case of emergency stops. The heat affects young children very quickly, so make sure you keep them cool at all times, and that the baby seat has an umbrella or UV protection cover.

Safety

Before travelling with your children to Malaga, check with the agent or landlord whether the accommodation is suitable for young children and whether there is any safety equipment.

For example, stair gates are very useful in preventing little explorers from venturing out on their own. And a night light not only reassures a child who is afraid of an unfamiliar bedroom, but also prevents tripping. A baby monitor can also give parents an extra sense of reassurance, even if you don’t use one at home.

Holiday accommodation is rarely designed with children in mind and may have furniture that looks fantastic but also has sharp edges or corners. In this case, a cheap pack of corner protectors can mean the difference between a happy child and a trip to the local hospital.

On-call pharmacies

If you are travelling with children you should be ready in case you need any kind of medical treatment. You can locate your nearest pharmacy (even if you don’t plan to use it) and its opening hours, as this could be your first port of call for many minor ailments.

Travelling by car with children in Malaga

In Spain we have very strict laws regarding the transport of children and babies in vehicles.

Until the child reaches the age of 12 or is over 135 centimetres tall, they require a Child Restraint System in the back of the car.

The fine for not complying with this regulation is up to 200 euros and the withdrawal of 3 points from the driving licence.

So, if you are hiring a car at Malaga airport and you are travelling with children, this applies from the moment you collect your car from our office.

If you don’t want to bring your own baby seat, you can hire Maxi Cosi car seats, baby seats and booster seats with your vehicle from Malagacar.com to ensure the safety of your little one.

This was a brief guide to Travelling with Children to Malaga and the Costa del Sol to help you make the most of your family holiday. We hope you found it useful!

Check out as well our related article with the best family hotels on the Cost del Sol!