Barcelona With Kids

Jun 26, 2019

Last April we ended up in Barcelona with kids.  We were there with our daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons aged 8 months, 5 and 10.  Pretty wide age gap I know and finding things for the kids to do can be challenging at times. Specially when the adults want to do things too!

But Barcelona is a pretty kid friendly city and there are quite a few things for kids to do and a lot of fun places for them to visit.

Ever since my kids were small I always liked to mix things up when we went on family vacations and I see no reason why the same wouldn’t  hold true with vacationing with grandkids.  What I mean is I feel that vacations are a fun way to learn about the world and the different people and cultures that live in the many places we visit.  That’s why as part of any vacation I include something educational, like museums, local cuisine, and architecture, and something fun, like a beach day or an amusement park, in our itinerary.

So here are 7 kid friendly places and activities that will make your Barcelona with kids vacation fun for everyone.  I’m sure you’ll find something to suit your family!

This article contains affiliate links too help you plan your Barcelona family vacay!

Exploring Gaudí’s Work

Let’s face it one of the main tourist attractions in Barcelona are the whimsical buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí.  And whether you’re in Barcelona with kids or without those buildings are a definite must see.

Kids may not be that impressed with the unfinished Sagrada Familia Basilica but they’ll probably find the fairy tale buildings and sculptures in Parc Guell fun and charming.  And they’ll probably love seeing the dragon like roof of Casa Batló and the wavy facade of La Pedrera aka Casa Mila.

Ok that’s a lot for some kids to take in, actually it’s a lot for some adults too!

So what’s the best way to see all this?  Well a private guided tour of La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell is a great start!

You can book a kid friendly tour of both the basilica and the park with a guide who will tailor the experience for your child.  The guide will make visiting these places both fun and educational.  Best of all the tour includes skip the line tickets to both attractions (who wants to stand in line for hours to buy tickets and gain entrance, specially when you’ve got antsy kids with you!) and a cab ride between the two sites.  And since it’s private you decide how long you want to spend in each place.

So you can fit in a time for some silly photos.  Like spelling out YMCA in front of the Basilica!  Or letting the kids do a bit of running and climbing at the playground located across the street from the church.  Hey while the kids let off some energy parents and grandparents can grab a sangria and a snack at the truck located in front of the playground entrance.  There are tables and chairs located in the same place where you can rest and have a snack or drink while admiring the front of La Sagrada Familia.  (Just beware of pick pockets, they love to work the crowded sites. Keep your belongings in front of you always and keep and eye on the kids in the playground!)

Click here to book a kid friendly private tour of Barcelona’s 2 great attractions!

After visiting 2 of Gaudí’s masterpieces take a stroll down Passeig de Gracia if you still have the energy!

Here you’ll find high end fashion boutiques including Gucci, Chanel, Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Hermes, and more.  Definitely the Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue of Barcelona!  Kids might enjoy the store window displays along the boulevard, or they can check out the Apple Store or the little fashionistas might like to pop in to Desigual, a clothing brand headquartered in Barcelona that features trendy and chic clothing for the whole family.  We love Desigual!  They have fun clothes!

Along this wide street you’ll also pass Casa Batló and La Pedrera.  You can if you want buy tickets and check out the interior of each building, they’re pretty cool and some kids might find it interesting.  Our kids did not.  They preferred window shopping, go figure!

 

Stroll down La Rambla

La Rambla is Barcelona’s main pedestrian street.  It’s a crowded bustling pedestrian zone that stretches from Placa Catalunya right off Passeig de Gracia down to the Columbus statue towards the waterfront.

It’s lined with souvenir shops, hotels, cafés, fast food joints, restaurants, street vendors, and street artists.  Kids like La Rambla because it’s lined with shops and vendors hawking things kids love like gelato, ice cream, and even toys.  Our 10 year old basketball fanatic loved the NBA store and café.

Also on La Rambla you’ll find La Boqueria Market.  Kids love markets!  They’re colorful, fun, and filled with good things to eat.  Specially these frozen fruit bars!

Drop in around lunchtime and gather some picnic fixinigs!  You’ll find everything you need for a family picnic including fresh bread, deli meats and cheeses, fresh fruits and veggies, locally made olives and pickles, and more.  Or you can find ready to eat tapas like fried shrimp and calamari.

If you don’t want to take your food to go you can sit down at one of the tapas bars inside the market.

barcelona with kidsMosaic Class

Kids love arts and crafts.  Take them to this hands on Mosaic Class and let their creativity run wild for a couple of hours.

Kid friendly artists will teach kids the art of mosaic making.  The kids will learn how to handle and set tiles to create a mosaic which they will take home at the end of the class.

Our kids loved this!  Click here to book a Mosaic Class for children.

Camp Nou Private Tour

Football (Soccer) fans old and young will enjoy  a private tour of Camp Nou, home of the FC Barcelona or Barça.  This is the current team of Messi and the former team of other great players like Neymar and Ronaldo.

The tour includes one way transportation from Barcelona city center, guided tour of the stadium and museum,  and a light meal.  Of course you get to shop in the megastore for logo items such as shorts, shirts, balls, and more.  Click here to book a private tour of Camp Nou!

Barcelona with kidsL’Aquarium

Spend a couple of hours at the Barcelona Aquarium.  It’s one of the largest aquariums in Europe and is home to the world’s largest collection of Mediterranean Sea Life.

We love aquariums and have been to some of the best around the world.  The one in Barcelona is a definite must if you find yourself in Barcelona with kids!

Click here to get your skip the like L’Aquarium tickets!

barcelona with kidsBarcelona Zoo

Located in the city’s Cuitadella Park the Barcelona Zoo is another kid friendly favorite.  Founded in 1892 it is one of the oldest and most modern zoos in the world.

This zoo prides itself on it’s humane treatment of its animals.  It’s modern facilities and habitats do seem to house happy and content residents.

You can ride the train around the zoo or rent an electric buggy to putter around in.  Then of course there’s a restaurant serving fresh meals as well as snack vendors.  You can easily spend a day here and the kids will love it!   Avoid the ticket ques and click here to purchase your zoo tickets!

PortAventura and Ferrari Land Theme Parks

Spend the day at 2 theme parks!

Thrill to the super speed rides in Ferrari Land then the breathtaking coasters in PortAventura.  Truly and adrenalin junkie’s dream parks!

For those of us not so interested in heart stopping rides and the younger kids find family friendly rides and venues in both parks.  PortAdventure features a Sesame Street section complete with Big Bird and his gang!

The parks are located outside the city center and the tour includes roundtrip transportation and admission to both parks.   Click here too book this awesome tour!

Ready to book your family vacation to Barcelona?  Let Savvy Nana Travel help you plan a family friendly custom itinerary!

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