Taking the family to Barcelona, Spain presents more family attractions packed with culture, recreation, shopping, and fine dining than most families dream of.
Surprising Barcelona is filled with so many unusual sights and attractions that families often find it to be the highlight of a Europe tour with the kids. Young ones delight in the city’s exotic array of architectural monuments, teens adore the shopping and street life, and all ages will appreciate the fine cuisine and laid back lifestyle.
Barcelona (or BCN) is the proud capital of Catalunya province. Barcelona family attractions feature the colorful Catalan language and culture that set it apart from any other city in Spain. A temperate Mediterranean climate makes it a pleasant destination year round, though a chilly, damp winter spell and some summer scorchers are not unknown.
Barcelona, however, may be Europe’s hottest destination in terms of popularity! Take advantage of being able to book Barcelona family attractions ahead and skip the lines. Your kids will be grateful. For more information about it and the city in general, visit the Barcelona Tourist Information website.
Great Fun For The Kids
(Toddler to Age 8)
Barceloneta and Port Olimpic
Capitanía Port Olimpic
08005 Barcelona
34/93 225 9220
Those who knew Barcelona in the pre-Olympics days (prior to 1992) will be interested in seeing the city’s extensive waterfront development known as Port Olímpic. It’s busiest from March to September, the best weather for beach-going and sitting at oceanfront cafes. The Olympic area includes some major hotels (Hotel Arts is one of the best) if you want to stay portside. Stroll the 700-berth marina, Forum shopping and entertainment complex, and the Diagonal Mar shopping center. Look for cushy nurseries for shopping moms. The attractive Parc Diagonal Mar is ideal with a stroller. Don’t forget pictures with some wonderful public sculpture. Pause at one of the many beach bars for a cool drink and some tapas before playing at the beach. (Cristoforo Colon departed from Barcelona on his voyage to the New World from a pier at the foot of Las Ramblas.)
Parc de la Ciutadella – Barcelona Zoo
Parc de la Ciutadella s/n
08003 Barcelona
34/93 225 67 80
This is a large, full service zoo with exotic animals such as lions, camels, elephants and reptiles. Alas, the legendary crowd favorite, Snowflake, an albino lowland gorilla, passed away. The mobility challenged can tour the zoo aboard a small train, and pony rides and dolphin shows give everyone brief opportunities to sit down. Hours for this Barcelona family attractions vary according to season. Check their website for multilingual guided tours and Catalan language workshops for children.
Parc d’atraccions Tibidab – Tibidabo Amusement Park
Pl. del Tibidabo 3-4
08035 Barcelona
34/93 211 79 42
This is a classic amusement park built high on a hill in the northern part of the city. Founded in 1899, it offers panoramic views, puppet shows in Catalan, a variety of rides, a robot museum and more. The brave should check out Avio, a vintage 1927 propeller plane that’s really a flight simulator and soars above the crowd. Open daily with extended hours on weekends; check before going for their seasonal operating times.
Museu de la Xocolata
C/. Comerc, 36
08003 Barcelona
34/93 268 78 78
The Barcelona Confectionary Guild runs one of c. This small, modern museum devoted to the study of chocolate. In addition to its uses and history, visitors can learn how chocolate is made into candy, or stay for baking workshops devoted to local recipes. Said to be suitable for all ages.
Free Barcelona Attractions Fun For Older Children
(Up to Age 18)
If you only have a few days in the city, spend one of the them outdoors. Soaking up the city’s lavish architectural elements and hip vibe. Museums can wait for the next stop on your Eurotrip.
Plaça de Catalunya – Catalan Plaza
This huge traffic circle lined with shops is another favorite Barcelona attraction for families. The plaza separates the 19th century city that grew beyond the medieval city walls and old Barcelona is Barcelona family attractions, a Corte Ingles department store, and sidewalk cafes that define the city center. It’s the place for the main tourist office (underground), the beginning of Las Ramblas (a pedestrian walk leading to the port) and a cool place to hang out
Moll d’Espanya
Port Vell
08039 Barcelona
Families need to inject some of the familiar into a schedule packed with squiggly Gaudi architecture and Picasso paintings. (Especially true with teens.) This popular mall is a great place to do it, as the kids can check out a contemporary Euro food court, the Imax Port Vell theater and the interactive, well-designed L’Aquarium de Barcelona.
Read about more fun Barcelona attractions with older kids in this family’s report!
Worth Every Euro Barcelona Attractions with Teens
Shell out those Euros to engage with three key Barcelona family activities. Two focus on the region’s incredibly rich artistic heritage and one on its famous futbol team. All are worth a closer look.
Museu Picasso
Carrer Montcada 15-23
08003 Barcelona
34/93 256 30 00
The city’s Picasso Museum, housed in five connected palaces dating from the 13th to 15th centuries, is a wonderful stop for those interested in the famed Spanish artist Pablo Ruiz Picasso. Soon after moving to Barcelona in 1895, the Picasso family enrolled their artistic son in a local arts academy. More than 3,800 of his early works, largely completed before the artist settled in Paris, make up the permanent collection. The family’s houses, Picasso’s studios, the Llotja Painting Academy where he studied, the Quatre Gats bar, his friends’ studios and other sites related to his life are found in the area around the present Ciutat Vella or Old City of the Gothic Quarter.
Fundacio Joan Miro
Parque de Montjuic s/n
08038 Barcelona
34/93 443 9470
The Miro Foundation and Centre for Contemporary Art Studies are a popular attraction for artists and cultural visitors. In addition to showcasing the famed Catalan artist, the contemporary white museum is considered a masterwork of the architect Josep Lluis Sert. Kids enjoy seeing Joan Miro’s colorful large paintings and playful sculpture. Be sure to catch the pieces out on terraces — together.
Combine a visit with a walk through Montjuic, Barcelona’s most prominent park. This hilltop park hosts the National Palace built for the 1929 World’s Fair and remodeled into an art museum for the 1992 Olympics. The large Magic Fountain in front of the palace is a popular evening attraction in summer, and has light shows weekend evenings year round. Local families enjoy the Piscines Picornell, public swimming pools, where outdoor films are shown in summer. Getting there is fun, too. The Montjuic Funicular runs from the metro stop at Paral-lel in the city up to the park in less than 2 minutes. Your Barcelona Hola! BCN travel cards can be used as tickets.
Futbol Club Barcelona
Avinguda Aristides Maillol, s/n
08028 Barcelona
34/97 236 65 36
Sports fans and soccer moms will want to visit Camp Nou, the famous soccer arena of the “Barca” team that sports blue and red stripes. The admission fee is pricey (kids under 6 years enter free) but worthwhile. Visitors are welcome to explore the indoor arena and walk on the pitch; see the president’s box, press area and locker rooms; shop in the huge and well stocked official merchandise store, and tour a small memorabilia museum. Those who don’t realize the importance of futbol in Europe are in for a real treat, as everything related to Barcelona Kappa is enshrined in a manner befitting the Crown Jewels. Open daily.
Fun For The Whole Family
Barri Gotic (Barrio Gothico)
This enclave of narrow, winding cobblestone alleys that captures the mystique of Barcelona should be the family’s first stop. The immaculately preserved heart of old Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter shelters many major landmarks. Our first pick is the Picasso Museum. History buffs should see Museu d’Història de la Ciutat (see remnants of ancient Roman era walls at the city history museum.) If you have time, take in the beautiful Cathedral Sant Jaume in the Plaça de Sant Jaume; Palau de la Generalitat (seat of the Catalan government); and City Hall. Book Barcelona walking tours and other attractions in advance to appreciate the Gothic Quarter. No one gets lost, kids can easily follow along with the fascinating stories of bohemian life in the district, and elements of stunning architecture are brought to your attention.
Las Ramblas – La Rambla
This colorful pedestrian passage from the heart of the contemporary commercial city to the old port bisects several interesting neighborhoods. It’s more than an attraction, it’s a good place to get to know the heart of Barcelona. Las Ramblas is always busy, especially around the Boqueria produce market and flower stalls. Explore in the cool and dusky light of late afternoon, when crowd strolls with more purpose. Pause to admire the architecture of the classic Teatre del Liceu, a man selling songbirds, or the mimes and jugglers who ply their entertaining trade.
Gaudi Masterpieces are Barcelona’s Unique Attractions
The works of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi are all designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. They are Barcelona must-sees because they are so famous as remarkable examples of modernism. Born in 1852 in the province of Tarragona, Gaudi was a creative visionary who took the naturalistic elements of Art Nouveau far beyond his contemporaries. He experimented with structures and building materials. His fertile imagination turned wrought iron into dragons, skylights into flower petals, chimneys into molten candles and cement benches into fallen logs. The Barcelona Tourist Office can provide a complete list of Gaudi monuments in the city. Read on for a few of the better known structures open for public view.
Casa Batllo
Passeig de Gracia, 43
08007 Barcelona
If you follow the Passeig de Gracia from Plaça de Catalunya you’ll be in the old village of Gracia, a planned residential community that dates back to the beginnings of the Modernism movement. Casa Batllo, ca. 1906, was built by the Catalan visionary Antoni Gaudi (1852–1926) and is a remarkable architectural achievement. The mezzanine floor, staircase, attic and rooftop of this pastel blue and white building have been opened to the public. Kids of any age will be intrigued by the self-guided visit to the former Batllo apartment. Delight the eye with undulating walls, floral skylights, distinctive ceiling trim, imaginative windows and other curvilinear features.
La Pedrera or Casa Mila
Passeig de Gracia, 92
08007 Barcelona
34/93 484 59 00
La Pedrera, or Casa Mila as it’s properly called, is nearby. Don’t miss this unusually sculpted gray stone apartment building. Built between 1906 and 1910, it’s considered Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece. Undulating walls, waves of wrought iron outlining balconies and stairs, paving stones, playful benches and street lamps convey Gaudi’s completely fantastical vision. There is a fun shop packed with unusual toys and books. Be sure to seet he attic cut into 13 apartments, now fully restored to house a fascinating exhibition about Gaudi’s work. Go, even if the kids only see the maze-like roof where curvilinear walls and chimneys are interspersed with wonderful skyline views.
Temple de la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona’s Top Family Attraction
Mallorca 401
08013 Barcelona
34/93 207 30 31
Antoni Gaudi supervised this project from 1883 until his death in 1926 yet the monumental Sacred Family cathedral remains unfinished to this day. The sheer scale of Gaudi’s fluid, naturalistic elements has made it one of the city’s most famous landmarks. Inside, admire the 12 towers already built, or watch completion of the four belfries, transepts and nave. There is a small museum of drawings, plans and Gaudi memorabilia on site. Admission fees are donations that fund future work and include entry into the Gaudi Casa-Museu near Parc Guell (see below).
Gaudi fans should make the brief walk from here up the car-free Avinguda Gaudi to the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, another of Barcelona’s modernista buildings. Open daily with extended hours in summer and limited hours over the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Parc Guell
Carretera del Carmel
08024 Barcelona
34/93 219 38 11
Visitors of any age will delight in Parc Guell, a planned residential community commissioned by Gaudi’s top patron, the Count Eusebi Guell. What failed as a real estate venture in 1923 has since prospered as a public green space. Enjoy weaving walkways, overhanging stalactite forms and undulating benches. Marvel at Gaudi’s signature mosaics of broken tile forming abstract flowers and animal shapes. One of Barcelona’s top family attractions, Parc Guell is a must, even if no one in the family has to run off steam. The park’s central plaza attracts buskers and entertainers, as well as craftsmen selling their wares. At the eastern side of the park is the pink stucco home Gaudi occupied for many years, now the Gaudi Casa-Museu, a museum filled with memorabilia and architectural elements designed for various projects.
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Dr. Artinian, thank you so much for posting that memory. How exciting it must have been, to share the skies with Apollo 11. I agree that today it seems like a remarkable achievement but of course we have not worked together, so hard for so long, on other projects that really need to be addressed. Education is one place to start!
The Lunar Landings
As I was landing in the northern desert of Saudi Arabia in a DC3 plane on July 20, 1969, the Americans were landing on the moon. That evening, the staff of Badana Base Hospital, that belonged to the Trans Arabian Pipeline Company (Tapline), were listening to the news, (Television was not available in the desert). They welcomed me as the new Internist at the hospital.
Soon I learned that the Saudis found it hard to believe that human beings could defile the moon by landing on it, which could have initiated the moon landing conspiracy theories, that persist today.
Now, 50 years later, the lunar landings were, and remain, the greatest achievement of humanity since the birth of intelligence on earth!
Boghos L. Artinian MD
Great information while traveling with children. Children safety first.
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CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS, NEW YORK
The Corning Museum of Glass – the world’s largest collection of glass – is showing “Journey to the Moon: How Glass Got Us There” and actual glassy pieces of moon meteorites to touch and see. For scavenger buffs, visitors to the museum can test their super-sleuthing skills and see if they can find the glass-tronaut hidden amongst the galleries.
Awesome Article!
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DOUBLETREE BY HILTON TO TEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH IN SPACE OVEN
In a partnership with Zero G Kitchen which is supplying a prototype space oven, and NanoRacks, a commercial space station company, Hilton’s DoubleTree brand is aiding efforts to bring freshly cooked food to the International Space Station. Some time in late 2019, their cookie dough hopes to be the source of the first fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie in space. Here’s more info about this and a cool student competition sponsored by Scholastic.
ok, thanks for the reply!
Thanks for sharing this! you’ll be able to do good as well as have fun and make a difference in the world. Whereas volunteer is always appreciated by all people.
Indeed, a good list. Everyday. At home or on the road.
hi Heather,
Thanks for your comment. We checked on those images and you’re right, that one with the pirate ship in the pool is not from the Bahia Resort. We removed it and checked the others, and the Bahia still has their famous Moorish style pool and pretty beachfront. Hope you have a great trip there.
Thank you Lisa d. So glad that Laura’s review of both Fairmont resorts helped you to make a choice, especially since you can’t really go wrong in Bermuda.
thank you I have been deciding between the two properties and your post was very helpful in my decision.
One of the pictures with a slide doesn’t look like the pool I remember seeing at the bahia. Did they add a new pool?
Dubai is an amazing destination for tourists from across the world. The city tour, desert safari and dhow cruise are among the most famous things to do in Dubai.
Thank you for sharing a really useful and informative article. The way you have detailed and described is really helpful. Hope to see more amazing articles like this. Keep it up to the good work!
Spring Break in Dubai is more exciting with Adventure Plus Desert Safari Dubai tours in Dubai
Great suggestions! The only action item Id say “Oh Hayyllll Nawww” to would be horse-drawn carriage rides. Check out the internet and youll see whats going on with those poor horses. But your other ideas for educational and just-plain fun – really excited to try them out with the family! Thank again.
Hello Omar and Katie,
The Scholasrship Submission form is working again, please revisit the page: https://myfamilytravels.com/Teen_travel_writing to apply for the 2019 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship.
Thanks and good luck!
I would love to participate but I keep getting page not found
Hello Omar, thank you for your note. We have noted this error and our web development team is working to fix it right away. We will let you know when it’s working again. Good luck!
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I am very interested in participating in this scholarship opportunity. However, every time I click on the essay submission form, it takes me to a ‘Page not found’ link and says that there is an error with the link. Is there another link that I could possibly submit my essay and photos?
I had a travel blog in the past. But I was going through a rough phase so I shut it down. This article has inspired me to start once again.
SCHLITTERBAHN OPENS INFINITY RACERS, A MAJOR SPACE-THEMED WATERSLIDE
June 7, Colonel Terry Virts, a U.S. Air Force test/fighter pilot and NASA veteran of two spaceflights, will dedicate the newest, only one of its kind, 8-story-tall waterslide at Schlitterbahn Galveston. Infinity Racers is a pair of space-themed, racing head-first mat slides that race through enclosed colorful tubes as long as three space stations.
Nice Post. Thanks for Sharing with us……
Right?? It’s like a dream. I really didn’t believe them at all when I heard that, but looked it up, and sure enough, it’s really that sunny! I can’t wait to head back to the area.
I’m not sure as the rates tend to vary depending on the season. It’s probably best to contact them directly – (727) 363-5100. If you’re curious about their overall rates, I would ask if the rate changes depending on the season, and when their high and low season is. Hope that helps!
I remember visiting KSC during my school days with my friends where we got to learn a lot of interesting things related to space and comsos.
My husband and I are actually scheduled to stay at the Sirata Resort, in just a few days. I was wondering, if you happened to know the cost for the Private Cabana Rentals, you mentioned in your article?? Thank You!!
great useful info you have shared , being a traveler i need it most and it’s really helpful for the first time travelers. thanks for sharing.
I think curious teens would love this road trip. If you schedule enough time for Santa Cruz — which has a great amusement park and places to take surf lessons, that could be a 2-3 day stay for you. Going south, the Hearst Castle with all its tales of intrigue and the story of William Randolph Hearst’s life… it’s pretty fun as house tours go.
The scenery along the Pacific Coast Highway is beautiful, too, if you think your son would enjoy that. At many points, he can look out and see surfers! Towns like San Luis Obispo (now hip enough that locals call it SLO) have become destinations for wine and craft beers, so there are lots of cafes with young people that are fun, even if you’re not drinking.
The whole California coast is special, so ask your son to do some research and pick out spots that interest him, then incorporate them into your itinerary. That way, he’ll have a vested interest in making sure the trip is fun.
Do you think a 13 yr old would like this trip?
MALDIVES AND THE MOON FOR OUR PACIFIC FRIENDS
This just in from the Maldives:
Anantara Kihavah Villas in the Maldives has the largest telescope and observatory in the Indian Ocean so it’s slated as one of the best places in the southern hemisphere to observe and study the stars, planets and the moon. And it’s the moon that is taking centre stage for festivities on July 20th as Anantara Kihavah commemorates the 50th anniversary of man’s landing on the moon. To celebrate, Anantara guests are invited to join Shameem, the islands’ resident Star Guru for a ‘Star Gazing’ breakfast. Lay back to gaze at the stars that glitter overhead, and be regaled by Shameem’s knowledge as he takes you on an intergalactic journey before taking a look through the powerful telescope at the craters on the moon that still amaze people 50 years after the first landing.
For guests who like a later start to the day the SKY Bartenders at Kihavah have created a complimentary cocktail for all guests to mark the occasion – The ‘Buzz’ Aldrin ……
Dubai is an awesome place to spend a great time with the loved one or alone be experiencing the local attractions. Thanks for the details, i have missed the dinner night which i will surely book this time and experience it. Keep posting!
I would definitely go for JURASSIC DINOSAUR DIG. Thanks for suggestions
So many good suggestions! It will be hard to choose but surely through these we will have the most beautiful memories in this summer vacation!
361 days of sunshine a year? Wow! It looks like it’s a perfect destination for families! I’ll be more interested in this place!
Glad that you have a great time and a better idea of Vietnam. If you came back, consider visiting Ninh Binh
We are a family who likes to travel and volunteer where possible. We give gifts of time and service. We find that finding small grass roots organisations when on the ground or at your destination creates the best win-win for all concerned. For example we taught English in a small village in Indonesia – https://sabretoothedchickenstour.wordpress.com/2016/01/09/it-takes-a-village/
In the end it is not the actual work you do as a volunteer that is of the greatest impact but the stereotypes you breakdown and the connections made 🙂
Camping holidays in France are extremely popular and you’ll find some fantastic family friendly campsites with a whole host of activities including some brilliant swimming pools.
NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE SUMMER MOON FESTIVAL
We’ve just heard that the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission with a summer filled with flight and space-themed exhibits, workshops, demonstrations, installations and a new film. The celebration kicks off on May 17 with Apollo 11: First Steps Edition, a film with never-before-seen footage and audio recordings of the historic mission. Other highlights include NYSCI’s summer exhibition, Above and Beyond – The Ultimate Flight Exhibition, and Apollo, A Party!, an evening event celebrating the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Check out their schedule for tons of workshops and special family events and go in to see a real Saturn V rocket like the one that took Apollo to the moon.
Man on the Moon in Zurich
The art exhibition “Fly Me to the Moon: The Moon Landing 50 Years On” will be featured at Kunsthaus Zurich in Switzerland, from May 4-June 30. The art show examines how the moon landing, and seeing images of the Earth from far away, changed man’s perception of his place in his environment and the universe. Look for moon works by artists John Russell, Rene Burri, Rene Magritte, Andy Warhol and many more.
Moon Walk Celebration in Ohio!
In southeast Ohio’s Hocking Hills region, the John Glenn Astronomy Park (JGAP) is celebrating its first birthday, while marking the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing. The observatory has 12 telescopes that offer dark sky views due to a lack of light pollution, allowing visitors to discover a distinct view of the moons, planets, stars and galaxies at each visit. The #Apollo50 events begin at 4 p.m. EDT July 20, 2019 and end at 1 a.m. July 21, 2019.
Nice post. I am traveler and I like adventure trips. Its really amazing. I wish to go there one by one. Thanks for sharing about these parks.
Thank you for useful information. It is very detailed.
Traveling with kids is fun but also very tired as we have to take care of them and don’t have much time for ourselves. Sometime I prefer traveling alone.