As any long-suffering parent will tell you, there is an art to planning anything with kids. Preparations require large amounts of skill, patience and determination to make sure that everyone has a good time.
It is not always easy to find that perfect balance between cultural experience, education value and of course fun. The designated outing-planner also has to make sure that they pace things correctly, building in enough breaks to make sure that the kids enjoy themselves – while not making things too tedious for the grown-ups!
Barcelona has a lot to offer to families, and it’s a great city for mixing and matching different activities that everyone can enjoy together.
Here are a few suggestions.
Tibidabo
Set on the top of Barcelona’s highest point, Tibidabo is a theme park built across four floors, offering fun – and breathraking views! – for the whole family.
Once the kids tire of zipping around on the variety of rides that the place has to offer, you can take them to a beautifcul neo-Gothic church that stands close-by: The Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The building, completed in 1961, is one of Barcelona’s most distinctive landmarks.
It sports an impressive façade, adorned with neo-Romanesque motifs and Biblical sculptures. The interior is equally breathtaking, with beautiful stained glass windows and intricate mosaics.
You can read our in depth article about Tibidabo here, including information on how to get to the place.
Montjuic Cable Car
This is a spectacular way to catch a birds-eye view of Barcelona’s emblematic buildings, such as La Sagrada Familia.
The ride starts near the old port of Barcelona and ends at the top of Barcelona second-highest peak: Montjuic.
The cable car is also a great way to visit a part of Barcelona that is outside of the well-trodden streets of downtown, without the need to drag travel-weary children on a meandering exploration through the city centre.
Once at the top of Montjuic there are a few things that you can do. You can have a stroll, go for a walk, explore the nearby gardens, take the kids to the playground or visit the iconic Montjuic Castle. There are also a few art galleries and museums to see, such as the Joan Miró foundation, the National Museum of Art and the Poble Español (see below for an overview of this latter attraction).
This is also where the Olympic Stadium, built for the Olympic Games of 1992, is to be found
Poble Español
This part of Barcelona, at the top of Montjuic, is like walking around a small Spanish village. It contains dozens of full-size replicas of buildings and monuments from all around Spain. There are real shops and cafes here, too.
Poble Español was initially intended as a temporary exhibition to showcase different areas of Spain, but it has now become a permanent feature of Barcelona. There is an interesting exhibition that explains the project.
Note that Poble Español is mostly outside so it is best to come when the weather is fine.
The village partakes special celebrations, such as Halloween, with unique decorations, events and concerts. There is also a playground here.
L’Oreneta Train
This is a miniature stream train that adults and children can ride on. It’s located inside a national park near Sarria, about a 20-minute walk from Reina Elisenda station – or a short ride with the V3 bus.
This is a great place to escape the city and have some quality family time. The park has a number of playgrounds and picnic spots.
Unfortunately there is no cafe here, so make sure you bring your own food and drink!
The park opens on Sundays and bank holidays between 10.30am and 1.30 pm.
It isn’t possible to reserve a ride on the railway: just turn up!
Horta Labyrinth
This is a pleasant garden to come with friends and family, where children can run around on the grass, enjoy an ice-cream at the small kiosk there or explore the small hedge maze.
Don’t expect to be overawed by the maze, however. The purveyors of the garden may have festooned it with the grandiose label of ‘labyrinth’, but in reality it is a fairly small feature of the garden and relatively easy to solve. Still it provides an interesting diversion for the little ones!
The entrance fee to the garden is very reasonable: €2.23 (free on Sundays and Wednesdays. The park is a six-minute walk from the Mundet metro station. You can take the L3 from the centre of Barcelona to get there.
Casa Batlló
If you want your kids to get a taste of the ‘Gaudi vibe’ – and you can’t very well come all the way to Barcelona and ignore the influence that the architectural genius has had on the city – then Casa Batlló is a very good option.
If you’re visiting with a young family, then we would highly recommended opting for the Gold Package. It may cost €35 (as opposed to €25 for the general visit), but it really brings to life this most beautiful of Gaudi buildings for the little ones, with colourful virtual reality displays projected on to personal tablets that visitors carry around. And note that entrance is free for under-12s, even for the Gold Package. So providing at least one adult is paying the hefty entrance fee, the younger members of the family don’t have to!
There is a cafe on the roof of the building, where musical events are sometimes organised. These are not cheap but they are a good option for combing music and culture together.
You must book your tickets in advance if you want to visit.
Barcelona’s waterfront
No matter the time of year, the long stretch of waterfront that runs between Barceloneta and ends in Poblenou offers plenty of opportunities for family fun: a run on the beach, a dip in the ocean, a scramble up a string climbing-frame, a bicycle ride along the coastal path.
There are lots of places to stop for ice-creams, drinks or a bite to eat.
For tired children that are fed up with walking or running around, try a harbour tour on a boat known as a Golondrinas is a good option. Sitting out on the deck you will be able to catch glimpses of Barcelona’s iconic landmarks, such as Montjuic, Glories Tower, Tibidabo and
many more besides. There is no commentary on these boats, however, so if you want to be able to check what you are seeing come with your phone charged and internet data switched on.
Barcelona Aquarium
Barcelon’a Acquarium is relatively small, but it’s still a good place to spend a couple of hours with the kids. The place is located near the old port, in a modern area that includes a shopping precinct and restaurants where you can feed the kids.
Barcelona Zoo
You might also want to think about a trip to the zoo. Enclosures are reasonably big and animals seem in good health. Barcelona’s zoo is close to the beach. The closest metro station is Ciutadella Vila Olimpica.
La Carretera de les Aigües
This is a beautfiul route offering wonderful views of Barcelona. The route is completely flat and car-free, so it’s perfect for children. You can come here simply to take a stroll, or bring a bike / scooter.
There are no restaurants, bars or even toilets along the route. However you can take the funicular for one stop and get off at Vallvidraira Superior, where you can stop for an ice-cream and a bite to eat.
Big Fun Museum and Paradox Museum
In the centre of Barcelona, on las Ramblas, there are two museums that feature illusion-based exhibits, providing fun and some great photo opportunities for all the family to enjoy and laugh over.
You can read our full review of the Big Fun Museum here.
Wax Museum
Like so many major European cities, Barcelona also has its very own museum of waxwork models, where kids can spent a few enjoyable hours trying to spot models of stars that they recognise.
Giant Museum
This is a small museum in the centre of Barcelona, totally free to visit. The museum is dedicated to the iconic ‘giants’ that are so important to Catalan culture. At various times of years, these oversized creatures can be seen dancing and walking around the city – and children and parents alike will love exploring something of this fascinating tradition.
Parc Guell
This is one of Barcelona’s most famous parks, full of architectural masterpieces from one of the city’s most famous former residents, Antoni Gaudi. The park really is beautiful, and it is a nice spot that combines culture with interesting animals and colourful decorations to please the children.
The park used to be free for residents, but sadly everyone now has to pay. Make sure you book your ticket in advance!
Montserrat
Montserrat is a well-known retreat for monks that lies some distance outside of Barcelona. It is a great place to escape to for a day trip, combining nature walks, culture and architectural history. The fascinating building blends in harmoniously with the surrounding countryside, seeming to have been hewn from the very rocks itself.
You can also pay to see Montserrat’s famous Black Madonna.
There is a large cafeteria here, with tables both inside and out – and some great panoramic views.
It is fairly easy to reach Montserrat from Barcelona, either by train or with a private vehicle. There is ample parking.