One of the things I love about traveling is discovering new things. When planning a trip, there’s always a strong urge to jam in as much vacation fun as possible. But packing your days too tight can be a recipe for disaster. When kids get tired, they get cranky and cranky kids take all of the fun out of even the best family adventures. I always plan trips with the thinking someday I’ll be back. It sets the tone for more relaxed, better vacations.

At Ciao Bambino, we all have long “must go back to” lists. The destinations that top our lists …

So many places, so little time. Choosing where to go on vacation with your family is never an easy choice. The competition is fierce. France has Paris. Switzerland has the Matterhorn. Italy has the Coliseum. London has Big Ben … and the list goes on and on.

What comes to mind when you think of Spain? Still thinking? It may take awhile.

Barcelona is kid-friendly. After living here for the last nine years, I can tell you that children are loved and tolerated well in Spain. This fact alone makes for an exciting trip where new sites, new sounds and cultural differences make for a wonderful family adventure.

One of the major differences that Spain has with the United States is its culinary culture. Spain’s food traditions are rooted in history.

When my family of four pulled into Sevilla, our 2 week-plus trip through Spain was winding down, and so were we. We had ideas of how we’d spend our couple of days there, but nothing set in stone.We were tired, and looking forward to a couple of days to just lay low.

Sevilla is the perfect place to slow down. It’s not a city loaded with must-see landmarks …

Eating in a foreign country can be the highlight of your trip, or it can be the downfall. Picky eaters are what they are, but don’t let them stop you from dabbling in a little culinary adventure. It might just be the best thing that happens to your kid’s diet since peanut butter.

We were lucky enough to spend two weeks in Spain this fall. One of the top things on the list for my husband and I was paella. Emphasis on for my husband and I – it was all about churros for the girls.

We were supposed to go to Disneyland. Just a quick flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles. No real planning or creative packing required. But when a ticket search in the wee hours of the morning turned up an incredible deal to Europe, L.A. went out the window. In one hour and the click of a mouse, my family of four was headed to Madrid, Spain.

When most people think of Madrid, they don’t think of kids. It’s one of those grown-up cities.