Can you recommend any sights in Madrid for two young children

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Retiro Park

A. Madrid is well-known for its alfresco dining (always a good option when children are noisy) so it is a child friendly place to visit. It depends on the age of your children, but it does have some places to visit that are specifically geared towards younger tourists.

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Acconia - is Madrid's first interactive science museum, with thousands of hands-on exhibits that teach children the fun of science. It is quite far from the city centre, but well worth a visit. Situated in the Parque de Andalucia, Alcobendas, Madrid.

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Faro de Moncloa - is a stainless steel tower opposite the Museo de America that offers fantastic panoramic views of Madrid, children love the climb and the end result. Situated on the Avenida de la Victoria.

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Aquopolis - is Madrid's huge water park, considered to be one of the biggest in Europe. It has massive slides and great wave machines. Situated in the Villaneuva de la Canada, Carretara de El Escorial - 25km from Madrid.

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Zoo - One of the best Zoo's in Europe is found in the Casa de Campo. It houses over 2000 animals, including a giant panda. It also has a great dolphinarium. There is also a huge fun fair in the Casa de Campo, so it is a great day out for children.

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Q. Are there any good parks

A. Madrid is the greenest capital city in Europe, and has an abundance of parks.

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Casa de Campo (with houses the zoo and fun-fair mentioned above) comprises 1,723 hectares of green space and it is actually possible to walk for two hours in the park without having to stop or turn round - you can't say that about any other European city. Only visit during daylight, as lots of the park is unlit and not entirely safe.

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Jardines de las Vistillas, these beautiful gardens above the Caso de Campo are a good place to visit in the evening, as there are a lot of bars, and is a great place to watch the sunset.

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Botanical Gardens (situated on Plaza de Murillo 2) - these gardens are laid out in geometrical walkways and pay tribute to expeditions made in the 18th century. A great place to go to experience complete peace and quiet in a bustling city.

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Parque del Oeste - this park was totally destroyed during the Civil War and has been completely rebuilt since. Despite being relatively new, it is one of the best places to visit in Madrid, and a great place for children to roam around in, or for a romantic walk in the early evening. It contains birch, fir, cypress and cedar trees and has a great ambience. It has a fantastic, if somewhat scary, cable car or teleferico that provides stunning views of the Casa de Campo and parts of Madrid. If you visit in the summer, tables are set up all along the Paseo de Pintor Rosales (Ernest Hemingway's favourite street) serving food and drink.

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Parque del Retiro - a huge lake forms a centrepiece in this park and its possible to take boats out on it at certain times of the day. It is home to the Palacio de Cristal (Glass Palace) constructed entirely of iron and glass and the Velazquez Palace (a great venue for art exhibitions).

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Q. Can you recommend any other sights that it is possible to take children to

A. Again, it depends on the age of your children, but it would be a real shame to visit Madrid and not visit the Mueso del Prado, one of the finest galleries in the world and home to great works by the Spanish artists Goya, El Greco and Velazquez. It's Reina Sofia rooms house Guernica, Picasso's famous painting depicting the Spanish Civil War.

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Other places of interest include the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) - this massive palace houses over 3000 rooms, 50 of which are open to visitors. Just outside the palace is the city's Moorish quarter, and home to some of the oldest streets in Madrid. You can also see a short stretch of the old city wall here, built by the early-medieval Muslim rulers in the 9th century. In summer the area is a venue for open-air theatre and music performances.

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A brief look at the Catedral la Almudena is also worth your time as it took so long to build - this cathedral was started in 1879 and not completed until 1993, the crypt alone took 30 years to build.

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Q. Is it easy to get around the city

A. It is the highest city in Europe, so expect a lot of climbing and great exercise. Alternatively it has a brilliantly efficient and clean metro that is really easy to navigate and takes you to most places of interest. There is no need to hire a car here as the city can be covered on foot or using public transport.

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Q. When is the best time to visit

A. March-May are the most pleasant in terms of weather as the spring breeze is good for sight seeing. Madrid celebrates its biggest fiesta in May too, so it's a great time to visit to see the locals party. The summer months (June-September) can be unbearably hot and sticky and definitely not the time to go with children as they become ill tempered in the stifling heat.

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By Karen Anderson