Is Madrid kid-friendly?

Madrid is as kid-friendly as any other European city, but as a metropolis and a commercial centre, one thing you'll probably have to get used to is the difference in space. If you're coming from the suburbs you're most likely uses to lots of green grass, big cul-de-sacs and houses where the kids can spend the day playing upstairs while you do your thing in a whole other area. In Madrid, unless you live on the periphery of the city you'll most likely be in a small apartment surrounded by tight little alleyways.

That said, there's plenty to see and do with kids in Madrid - my favourite being a day in El Retiro - the central park where you can even find puppet shows. Otherwise, Madrid is full of museums - the Cosmo Caixa even has a 3D planetarium. Kids are a great way to meet other expat parents so make sure to see how you can become involved in their international school and start arranging playdates as soon as possible!

Stephanie answered well, so I just wanted to add a specific post and interactive map I did about how to choose your kid-friendly neighbourhood in Madrid:

- The Best Family-Friendly Neighbourhoods in Madrid: http://moving2madrid.com/2011/11/neighbourhoods-live-kids-madrid/

- Interactive map of the best Family-Friendly neighbourhoods in Madrid: http://g.co/maps/b7g8e

- Interactive map of the best schools for expat kids: http://g.co/maps/7tchy

With the post, you will get practical advice to choose the best neighbourhood for your and your family, and the maps will help to get a better idea of the scheme of things.

If you need any other advice, do not hesitate to contact me through my site : http://moving2madrid.com.

Madridly yours,
Pierre Waters - Moving2Madrid blogger