We love Barcelona it’s one of my favourite cities in Europe. We have been lucky enough to visit Barcelona twice now and it is a city that does not stop surprising you. It is always bustling with locals and tourists alike. Everywhere you look there is something amazing and unique.

I read somewhere that the biggest mistake you can make when you visit Barcelona is not to look upwards and unfortunately I read this after we had already visited the first time. The second time I made sure I remembered this and I was stunned at what I had missed. From ground level all the way to the sky, there is always something to look at in Barcelona with kids. After booking our air ticket we set about finding things to do in Barcelona with kids. Is Barcelona the best place to go in Spain with kids?

The best place in Barcelona to stay with a family

When in Barcelona we choose to stay at Casa Consell Guesthouse. It was close to the city centre, had great public transport links, was fully self-contained. You could cook, do your washing and relax with TV and Wifi. Why look any further for great affordable family accommodation in Barcelona.

Check the latest prices at Casa Consell

For more great Barcelona accommodation options look at Hotels.com

 

Let’s begin the Barcelona with kids activities

 Bike tour

We went on a bike tour through the streets of Barcelona and it was a fantastic way to see Barcelona with kids. On a bike tour in Barcelona, we were showed the Gothic and El Born quarters of the city (They are two of the most interesting places to stay in Barcelona).

While biking in Barcelona our tour headed down to Barcelonetta to cruise along the wide bike and pedestrian paths that line the coast. Barcelona is extremely bike friendly with bike lanes on even the busiest of the streets that criss-cross the city. This is a great family-friendly tour for kids in Barcelona. Another option is bike rental Barcelona and does it at your own pace.

Barcelona for kids – Cable car

The Barcelona Port cable car cable car runs from Barceloneta to the Montjuic station. You can get on the cable car at either end. The trip across takes 8 minutes. The cable car dates back to 1929. The red and white cabins can accommodate 20 people and crosses the port at a height of between 70 and 90 metres. The cable car provides amazing views of the Mediterranean coastline and it is a great thing to do in Barcelona for kids!

What to do in Barcelona – visit the Beach

The beaches at Barcelona were transformed for the 1992 Olympic games. Nowadays there are many sandy beaches that are great for swimming. The calm waters of the Mediterranean are perfect for kids and parents alike. A great family day out in Barcelona. You will usually find showers along the beach to wash off the salt water at the end of your day. There are so many families that make their way down to the beach on a warm day in Barcelona that your kids will find a friend or two!

How to get to the beach in Barcelona: 

• Which Barcelona Metro lines stop near Barcelona Beach?

  • These Metro lines stop near Barcelona Beach: Metro – L4

  Which Barcelona Train lines stop near Barcelona Beach?

  • These Train lines stop near Barcelona Beach: Train – R1, Train – R3, Train – R4

  Which do Barcelona Bus lines stop near Barcelona Beach?

  • These Bus lines stop near Barcelona Beach: Bus – 59, Bus – 92, Bus – H16

  What are the closest stations to Barcelona Beach?

  • The closest stations to Barcelona Beach are:
    • Platja Nova Icària is 207 meters away, 3 min walk
    • Pl. Dels Campions is 348 meters away, 5 min walk
    • Salvador Espriu-Jaume Vicens Vives is 372 meters away, 5 min walk
    • Cementiri De L’Est – Carmen Amaya is 592 meters away, 9 min walk
    • Cementiri De L’Est is 598 meters away, 9 min walk

Family friendly tours of Barcelona – Hop on hop off bus

Barcelona is a large city with many sites spread out all around the city. To use public transport to reach all the sites from the beach to Mount Juric from Park Güell to the famous La Rambla market requires lots of planning. Take the worry out of that especially if you’re in Barcelona with toddlers.

Jump on the Barcelona hop on hop off bus and see the sites while stopping and visiting the ones that suit you. This is hands down one of the best things to do in Barcelona with kids. The kids get to ride the doubledecker bus, there is little walking involved and the whole family get to see the sights of Barcelona. It is such a smart way for your family to see Barcelona easily without navigating the metro system. This might just be the best way for a family day out in Barcelona.It is definitely one of the easiest family-friendly tours of Barcelona to do.

Cafe at EL Court Englis

On the top floor of the EL Court Engles shop located on Plaza Espanya is a cafeteria. The cafeteria serves all sorts of yummy cakes and foods for lunch or just a snack. The real bonus of the Cafeteria is the all-encompassing view of Barcelona and if you don’t buy food the view is free! (But I dare you to walk past the food stalls in the cafeteria and not buy something!) Having windows all round means you get a view of the Catalan capital. Window seats may be at a premium so if you spot one get it while you can! Just keep an eye out for people leaving. We loved sitting down and having a little snack while taking in the views. A visit is one of the great ideas for families in Barcelona

Things to do with kids in Barcelona – Cruise on Barcelona Harbour

We went for a short 1.5-hour cruise on Barcelona Harbour with Las Golondrinas. The cruise showed you around the harbour from places where cruise ships dock to where container ships unload. We made our way out of the harbour briefly into the calm waters of the Mediterranean sea. Both the girls loved the boat, we enjoyed the sun, the calm waters and cold drink onboard. This was one of our favourite things to do with for kids in Barcelona.

Food in Barcelona

Being by the sea fresh seafood is on the menu at many places throughout Barcelona. One of the favourite dishes is seafood Paella. To find one of the best Paella’s in Barcelona head to O’Toxo Tres Hermanos. It is located a few hundred meters off La Rambla. O’Toxo is a traditional Barcelona restaurant and it is where you will find, without a doubt, some of the best Tapas and Paella in the city. We can recommend this restaurant as we ate here 4 times during when visiting Barcelona. The seafood and chicken/seafood paella is a must. Do not buy the Paella on La Rambla you will only get the mass-produced version that comes frozen in a box. O’Toxo offers the real deal cooked from scratch while you wait. Nothing better than some cod cake tapas and paella washed down by some Sangria!

Things to do in Barcelona for kids – Barcelona Maritime Museum

Museums are great family attractions and the Maritime Museum is one of the best Barcelona family activities. The Maritime Museum is located just off the bottom of La Rambla near the Marina. The museum has plenty of displays from toy boats through the ages to a full-sized Gallion which absolutely amazed us all. Talk about a kid-friendly museum in Barcelona this is it. Displays include a wooden submarine through to model cruise liners that sailed the Atlantic out of Barcelona.

There are also video presentations that are displayed on the sides of the shipping containers that are located in one section of the display. Multimedia displays such as this are a great attraction for kids in Barcelona. They are spoken in Spanish but there are English subtitles. Just to be able to see the full-size replica of a Spanish Gallion makes this a must do in Barcelona.

Barcelona for kids – Gaudi Park

Gaudi Park is one of the kid-friendly museums in Barcelona. Its outdoors with plenty of room for kids. The girls loved all the different colours of Gaudi Park. They loved the red cliffs that all had a gorgeous purple bougainvillaea growing up the top. All of the mosaics that seemed to be everywhere and all the little houses. They loved walking and looking down over the park. We accessed Park Guell via the Hop on hop off bus tour with kids in Barcelona.

Barcelona with kids – La Barquera Market

Now, this can be a kids dream and a parent’s worst nightmare. The lolly stalls in here are some of the most colourful you will ever see and they have everything a kid could ever want! (And just quietly a sugar lover too!) If lollies are not your thing then you can’t go past a juice or the fruit stands.

They are just as magnificent and as colourful as the lolly stands. If you need it you will find it there. It is a market aimed at tourists so you must be very careful of pickpockets while you are there but it is worth a look. If you are staying for a little while in Barcelona with a family try and find a local market right near you. You will find it much cheaper and just as beautiful.

Things to do with kids in Barcelona – Barcelona Aquarium

Barcelona Aquarium is located at Port Vell / Maremágnum area of the city by the Harbour. You will be able to see the Barcelona Cable Car travelling above you. The Aquarium Barcelona consists of 35 tanks, 11,000 animals and 450 different species. An amazing at the aquarium in Barcelona features is an underwater tunnel that stretches 80 metres long and holds six million litres of water. It is certainly a one of kind feature as you move slowly around the tank on a travelator allowing you to take in all the species on display.

Barrio Gótico Dragon Tour for Families

Go on a fun appealing adventure and discovery tour of Barcelona with your children. Mind you this is fun for the whole family. Search for hidden dragons and learn about their significance to Barcelona with a map and clues. The tour begins in the Born district and you will be asked to find the answers to questions like why half a house stands nearby or so many geese live by an abbey, as you play the game. The guides are very knowledgeable and multi-lingual. Take a walk through culture, history and heritage of the ‘old town’ Barcelona with kids in a fun way! This tour is amazing when in Barcelona with older kids.

Barcelona Packing List:

This list provides you with some essentials to pack for Barcelona. We have filled the list with live links to make shopping for some of these items much easier.  Barcelona in the summer is very hot while in the winter its mild by European standards.

• Passport and/or national ID card (EU citizens)
• Driving licence
• Phrasebook
• Money belt
• Mobile phone (and charger)
• Earplugs for noisy weekend nights
• Walking shoes
• Bathing suit
• Swim towel
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Reading material
• Rain jacket or umbrella
• Travel plug adaptor for Spain

We hope this article provides you with some great inspiration for things to do in Barcelona with kids If you have had enough of kids stuff you will find plenty to do inside and outside of Barcelona.  There are some amazing galleries and restaurants to try or make a day trip from Barcelona. We are sure you will enjoy your time in this amazing city.

How to get to Barcelona

• Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, Population 1.6 Million
• Barcelona airport is known as El-Prat Airport. It is located 12km from the city centre
• Barcelona El-Prat is a hub for Vueling and Level airlines.
• Barcelona is a  focus city for Air Europa, Iberia, EasyJet, Norwegian and Ryanair
• You can check the prices of international flights to Barcelona with CheapOair.
• Direct trains from Madrid run daily
•  Barcelona Nord Barcelona Sants are two main international/long-distance bus stations in Barcelona. Direct buses for over 11 countries and 20 domestic destinations arrive here. Book your bus today with GoEuro
•  The Aerobús offers direct transfers from T1 and T2 to the city centre at Plaça Catalunya.
• You can book an airport transfer with Suntransfers who we have personally used on many occasions.
• You can reserve a rental car and have it waiting for you at El-Prat Barcelona Airport

Getting around Barcelona

• Barcelona is served by a comprehensive local public transport network that includes a metro, tram and bus network
• The largely underground Barcelona Metro network comprises twelve lines
• Buses in Barcelona are a major form of public transport, with extensive local, interurban and night bus networks
• You can buy tickets for individual journeys or if you intend taking more than 5 journeys on the metro or buses it’s best to buy the T10 ticket
• The Barcelona Card offers free public transport and discounts to major attractions

Where to stay in Barcelona

• Barcelona has accommodation options for every budget from Hostels, to apartments and hotels rooms.
• Hostels in Barcelona can start from as little as 15€ Euro a night for a shared dorm room.
• You can search Airbnb for Krakow offerings. If you have never used Airbnb before get yourself $50 credit by signing and booking a stay right HERE
• Hotels in Barcelona generally start at around $220.00 night for a double room 3star and increase incrementally as the luxury rating rises towards the 5-star average price of $408.00
• You can compare and book your stay on Agoda, Hotels.com, Hotels Combined and Priceline

We hoped you enjoyed our Barcelona article, please find 2 more posts from Wyld Family Travel for your reading enjoyment from. Just click the image to be taken to the article