Barcelona is one of the most child friendly cities in Europe not least for its many attractions but because the Spanish love children; families are welcomed everywhere. There are the classic tourist sites, many of which appeal to children especially if they were designed by Gaudí. There are museums aimed at children, beaches and parks, go on safari at the zoo or walk through an underwater tunnel and see sharks at the aquarium. The Open top bus is a great way to see the city or if you want to go higher there is a cable car, Barcelona is breath-taking from above
We have compiled a list of some places the whole family will enjoy as well as some top tips if you are bringing the little ones:
Top tips for enjoying Barcelona with the Family:
Take a picnic – although most attractions have cafés and restaurants these are often overpriced. Do like the Spanish and take a packed lunch with you. Barcelona has plenty of parks and most attractions have green spaces nearby for you to stop and enjoy your lunch.
Don’t plan too much – you don’t want the kids getting tired and cranky. Plan on one attraction or museum a day in the morning leaving the afternoon for exploring parks and beaches with picnics and ice cream.
Take advantage of Public Transport – Nothing is worse than tired children and, in the summer, the air-conditioned coaches are a lifesaver.
Avoid the summer heat - Barcelona can get very hot in the summer - avoid bringing the family from late June to the end of august
Get a Barcelona Family card which includes entrance into 8 family friendly attractions, discounts for more and includes free travel on public transport for 72, 96 or 120 hours. https://bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com/shopv3/en/product/27675/barcelona-card-family.html

  • Start the day with Chocolate and Churros

    Kids will love the traditional Barcelona breakfast, thick hot chocolate with cream served with a light biscuit (melindros) or a Spanish style doughnut (churros). Nobody will get in trouble for making a mess, as it is almost impossible to dunk the churros into the chocolate without it oozing over the edge of the cup!
    Shop for your picnic at a market
    One of our top tips is to take picnics with you, so why not make shopping for your picnic into an experience. Visit one of the local markets or the largest and most famous in Barcelona, La Boqueria. The sights and smells of a Spanish market is a thing to behold and you will surely find plenty of fresh local produce the family has never seen. You can taste samples before you buy and you will find everything you need for your packed lunch from speciality Spanish ham, cheese and olives to wine for the adults and biscuits of all shapes and sizes for the kids.

  • Go to the Science Museum

    The top museum for kids has to be the Cosmocaixa, a science museum where people of all ages will be fascinated while learning something new with interactive exhibits and experiments. It is top of the list, not only for the exhibitions but the fact it is open every day from 10 am to 8 pm and children under 16 are free! There are themed rooms with exhibits natural and scientific. Start with the Big Bang, an interactive tour of how the universe was formed, then move to seeing the past through fossils of all shapes and sizes. You will learn how fossils are formed and can marvel at a dinosaur footprint! Nature lovers and ecowarriors can step into the flooded forest, a 1,000-metre recreation of the amazon rainforest teeming with over 100 species of wildlife. Europe’s first Micrarium explores the microscopic world. You will pass through a spatial distortion that makes you shrink and then you can explore a world normally invisible to the naked eye. You can view your body, your skin and hair through a microscope and look at minerals, bacteria and microscopic organisms.
    Go to the park
    Parc de la Ciutadella is central, it’s enormous and in the summer heat it’s an oasis for all ages. The park is hugely popular with the locals; groups of friends for hanging out, families for picnics, for playing music and dancing. There is sculpture everywhere, including a life-size woolly mammoth that is a great photo opportunity for kids and adults alike. In the middle of the park, you’ll find a lake where you can rent row boats, two playgrounds, and there are often street entertainers on the main promenade.

  • Magic Fountain

    The Magic fountain with its fantastic light and music show is a big hit with the kids. Whatever themed music is playing, kids of all ages will enjoy watching the spurting water dance in time to the music as the water changes colour amid the lights. The best time to see the performance is after dark when the fountain’s light effects are at their best. We recommend getting there early to get a good spot to sit and bring a picnic and have dinner while you wait for the sun to go down.

  • Gaudí for kids

    Kids love the colours and shapes of Gaudí work from the mosaics to the twisted curving architecture. Park Güell is a popular one with families because it has a host of different spaces to explore, as well as the signature fairy-tale buildings and secret grottos.
    Casa Batlló is a surprising hit with children for its bonelike façade, curves, shaped walls and colour and light play of the interior. There’s no better way to get the kids into architecture and the adults don’t have to miss out, plus there is an interactive mini-tablet to entertain the little ones, they can see the nature-based forms more clearly and learn about the Batlló family. It may be a little pricey if you have a large family, but under 13’s are free.
    G Experienca – Gaudí in 4G is a fun way to discover the life and work of Gaudí and a great way to round off everything you have seen in the city. There are interactive panels in nine languages, a model of Park Güell and of the Hotel Attraction a - project for New York that was never realised. The highlight is the Scope screen - an audio-visual experience with surround sound, moving seats and special effects that show how nature inspired Gaudí's creations from a new perspective.

  • Mosaic workshop

    If the family has enjoyed exploring Gaudí’s work in the city, why not try it out for yourselves? There are a number of mosaic workshops where you can learn how to make the trencadís style mosaics that you find everywhere in Barcelona. This is a fun way to learn a traditional craft and method used by Gaudí and you can take your mosaic home as a souvenir.
    Hop on Hop off Bus
    How better to get a feel for the city and get your bearings than to see it from an open top bus with the wind in your hair? This is a great option for the first day, or at any point in the holiday when the kids, or parents don’t feel like walking. You can hop on and hop off at major attractions, or stay on the bus for the full tour without stopping. The commentary on board gives an overview of the main attractions so the family can decide together what they want to go back to and visit. Tickets are available for 24 or 48 hours. Don’t forget to lather on the sun cream and take hats and sunglasses!

  • Ride in a cable car

    What better way to see Barcelona than from above? There are two cable cars in Barcelona which offer one of the most breathtaking ways to see the city, the Port cable car or the Montjuïc cable car. Both cars take you up to Montjuïc, where there are plenty of things to do: You can visit Montjuïc Castle, the Miró Foundation, the botanical gardens and during the summer months the outdoor Olympic diving pool.
    The port cable car (Transbordador Aeri del Port) may be a little outdated but it offers a longer ride at around 7 minutes which passes over the port, the Jeun The cars hold around 20 people and it is standing only. The journey ends at Torre de Miramar on Montjuïc mountain in the Costa i Llobera Gardens which are beautiful and have stunning views. If you want to visit the castle and other attractions, you will need to walk a little further up the hill.
    The Montjuïc cable car (Telefèric de Montjuïc) is a shorter ride in a four person car, taking passengers from the Estaciò Funicular on Avenida Miramar, half way up Montjuïc, and dropping them at Montjuïc Castle at the top.
    Neither option is particularly cheap, but there is nothing quite like dangling over the city to take in the panoramic views. Kids will also enjoy the novelty of the Estaciò Funicular which connects with the Paral-lel metro station.