Madrid is the Spanish capital that quietly turns out to be brilliant with kids, a sunny, walkable city where children are welcome everywhere, often well past their bedtime. The green heart is Retiro Park, where families row boats on the lake, turn loose on shaded playgrounds, and watch street performers around the glass Crystal Palace, an easy reset between sights. The culture is unexpectedly child-accessible too: the Natural Science and Railway museums are made for young hands, and even the great Prado runs family tours. And then there is churros con chocolate at San Ginés, a sugary ritual that buys a lot of goodwill.

When the kids need rides rather than culture, Madrid delivers. The zoo and aquarium and the classic Parque de Atracciones sit in the green expanse of Casa de Campo, and the Warner Bros. theme park is a short trip out. The city is also a launchpad for unforgettable day trips, the medieval streets of Toledo and the Roman aqueduct and fairy-tale castle of Segovia. Tapas terraces make eating with children relaxed rather than fraught, and the metro and stroller-friendly streets keep getting around simple. The accommodation ranges from grand family hotels to roomy apartments handy for the parks and plazas. Madrid is the underrated Spanish city break, all culture, parks, and warmth, with theme parks and storybook towns within easy reach.