No polar bears gasping in the Spanish sun here - just an intimate, well - shaded collection including gorillas, leopards, hippos and crocodiles. Where Selwo Adventure Park involves a lot of walking, this is perfect for younger kids or families with buggies. Avda Camilo Jose Cela 6-8
At some point on a family holiday in Costa, you´re going to have to get wet. So why not do it on the Black Hole, the Boomerang or a 22m kamikaze drop? All are on the menue at Aqualand (€22.50/€16.50), the largest water park in the region. C/Cuba 10
Flex your shopping muscles on the Costa del Sol. Plaza Mayor is a destination centre next to the Airport, with Zara, H&M, Nike and countless other brands based around a thoughtfully air-conditioned car park. There´s bowling and cinema, as well. Alfonso Puce de Leon 3
Bodegas El Pimpi is great - you can grab a tomato salad in a courtyard stacked with barrels signed by famous visitors (Antonio Banderas, Paloma Picasso, et al). Get the kids in early - thumping traditional music features later on. Calel Grande 62, Tel: +34 952 22 89 90
There´s often a queue outside this pizza place on the marina - and after mouthfuls of a Neptuno or Siciliana, you´ll know why. There are pastas, salads and a Picasso special (ribs and wedges), too, and you can order a kid´s cocktail for a treat. Calle Muelle Ribera, Tel: +34 952 81 36 69
Set in a 17th - century convent overlooking Malaga, this tranche of self - catering apartments is a worth investigating if you wish to dip in and out of the Costa. It´s a 10 - minute drive from civilization with pools, toys and tennis courts on hand (the owners have three young girls). www.padre-aviles.com
This four - star complex outside Marbella offers babysitting services and a free club for kids aged five to 12, as well as the usual pools and restaurants - all within a short walk to the beach and Elviria´s shopping district. www.alandaclubmarbella.com
Strange as it seem, Malaga got its first five - star hotel just this March. The Posada del Patio lies in the heart of the city, and rooms are available from tempting €119. Ask nicely, and they'll even arrange private viewing of the Museo Picasso. Pasillo Santa Isabel, Tel: +34 914 902 650
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