We traveled to Barcelona, Spain, with kids in March 2019. We spent one of those days in Tossa de Mar, which you can read about in our Tossa de Mar post.
Barcelona was our destination simply because it had the cheapest flights for the days we wanted to travel (over the Carnival school holiday in Belgium). And thank god for that. It ended up being easily one of my favorite trips, full of sun, sea, city, unique sights, and kid-friendly activities.
Here’s an overview of our 4-day itinerary:
- Day 1 – Arc de Triomf, Parc de la Ciutadella, Somorrostro Beach, El Piex, Parc de l’Estació del Nord
- Day 2 – Day trip via bus to Tossa de Mar
- Day 3 – Parc Güell, Basilica de la Sagrada Familia
- Day 4 – Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, La Rambla, Port Vell, L’Aquarium
We stayed at an Airbnb in the Eixample district. A friend from Barcelona had recommended the district as a nice area near downtown but without the foot traffic and potential crime (eg. pick pocketing) you get in the more touristy sections of the city. We ended up loving the area. It felt very authentic to Barcelona, had everything we needed and allowed us to walk everywhere during our stay. I would definitely second my friend’s recommendation to stay in this area of Barcelona.
Day 1
We arrived in the morning and dropped off our bags at our Airbnb. We always like to walk around our neighborhood a bit to take in our surroundings. We also wanted our first day to be fairly laid back. So we simply walked in the direction of the sea (with some specific sights in mind).
We first stopped for lunch at L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (not Spanish cuisine but pizza is always an easy favorite with our kids!). The restaurant was near where we were staying so we picked it at random. Luckily it was quite good and worth a stop if you’re in the area. As we continued our walk, we stopped at Pudding, a cafe I had seen recommended by others. It has such unique and whimsical decor, we couldn’t help taking our kids there for a quick treat. We sat in the downstairs section at a table between two gigantic mushrooms. The service and food were standard, but the atmosphere made it a fun stop.
Arc de Triomf and Parc de la Ciutadella
As we neared Parc de la Ciutadella, the Arc de Triomf greeted us. The huge and ornate arch was built as the main gateway for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair. It now serves as the entrance to the tree-lined promenade that leads to the park.
Parc de la Ciutadella is beautiful with plenty to see and lots of green space. You can rent bikes, rent boats on the lake, or visit the Barcelona Zoo or Museums of Zoology and Geology. The Parliament of Catalonia, pictured above left, is also located in the park. We spent more than an hour just wondering around (the kids ran).
Somorrostro Beach
We left the park and walked to Somorrostro Beach. Note that because the zoo blocks off the entire southern end of the park, you have to walk out on the west side, and then circle around in order to get south of the park. The beach area was quite nice and not crowded (at 5:00 pm on a Sunday in March). The kids played in the sand and we relaxed watching the Mediterranean Sea. From the beach, you can see the Frank Gehry metal fish sculpture (El Peix) built for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
As we walked back to our Airbnb, we stopped at Parc de l’Estació del Nord, just northeast of the Arc de Triomf. It’s a good size park for some running around. Plus there is a playground and a very interesting blue wave-like structure that kids can run up and down.
Day 2
As we typically do when we travel, we spent one day of this trip in a different but nearby location. For Barcelona, we were deciding between two locations. First, Sitges. I was told it is a nice resort town only a 30-minute train ride away that is quite popular to visit for tourists and locals alike. And second, Tossa de Mar. It is further away and reached by bus. However, once you see a picture of Tossa, I don’t know how you can resist. Read about our day in our Tossa post.
Day 3
Back in Barcelona, our plans for days 3 and 4 were interchangeable, depending on the weather. Since it was sunny and warm on day 3, we took advantage. We opted for a day of outdoor activities and lots of walking to see two of Barcelona’s most well-known landmarks: Antoni Gaudí’s Parc Güell and Sagrada Familia.
Parc Güell
We started with a 30-minute walk up to the famous Parc Güell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You buy tickets online in advance for specific time slots; when we were there, adult tickets were 8.50 EUR and kids under 6 and under were free. We were also there in March, so it wasn’t too busy, but I understand it gets really crowded in the summer. That said, Parc Güell is definitely a must-see. It is maybe one of the most original and fascinating places I have visited. It felt like we had walked into Candy Land!
Architect Antoni Gaudí designed the park in 1900 for entrepreneur Eusebi Güell. It was originally meant to be an upscale housing development inside a natural park on a hill overlooking the town and sea. Both Güell and Gaudí lived there (the latter’s house is now the Gaudí House Museum), but it was otherwise unsuccessful. Now, it is a municipal park full of Gaudí’s beautiful designs and mosaics. Our kids loved all the cave-like paths, plants, brightly colored designs and the mosaic dragon.
You can also walk up the paths to the top of the hill for great panoramic views of Barcelona with the sea in the distance. The park is full of green space, with water fountains, picnic tables and toilets scattered throughout. There is also a really nice playground where our kids spent some time toward the end of our visit.
After a few hours at Parc Güell, we grabbed lunch and made a meandering walk down to the Sagrada Familia. On the way, we stopped at La Nena for coffee and a snack. The pastries were good, but the best part was the collection of children’s books and toys. Our kids had a blast looking through books and making friends with other kids in the cafe. If you stop at La Nena, just leave plenty of time – we had to tear our kids away!
Basilica de la Sagrada Familia
Designed by Gaudí, the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia has been under construction for 135 years. It continues today, with expectations that it will be finished in 2026. Gaudí worked on it for 30 years until his death, and his tomb is located there today. Despite still being under construction, it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Sagrada Familia towers over the surrounding area (which is unfortunately very commercialized with fast food chains everywhere) and is really impressive to see. As you near it, on the southwest corner, there is a great playground. We let the kids play here for awhile as a reward for all the walking.
We then spent easily 30-45 minutes just walking around the exterior of the basilica and admiring the intricacy of every inch. Many cathedrals are detailed in their design, but the colors used in the Sagrada Familia make it one-of-a-kind.
We ultimately decided not to go into the basilica. The cost is quite high – it was 32 EUR per person. This is because it has only been funded by private donations and through ticket sales from visitors. It was also getting late and the kids were tired, so they wouldn’t have been good tourists. It’s important to know your kids’ limits! However, if we could do it again, I would figure out a way to change our schedule so that we could view the interior. It looks stunning in photos with all the colors from the stained-glass windows.
Day 4
We always try to have at least one indoor activity identified in case the weather doesn’t cooperate one day. For Barcelona, this was the aquarium, and today was the overcast and chilly day when we wanted to be inside. However, not to waste a day in Barcelona, we also did some walking and sight-seeing on our way to the aquarium.
Casa Mila and Casa Batlló
First was a stop at Casa Mila (also known as La Pedrera, meaning stone quarry). It is another one-of-a-kind Barcelona structure and unique piece of art designed by Antoni Gaudí. The massive building looks like something out of the Flintstones. It also has an interesting history that is worth a read about the original owner (Pere Mila) and the construction of the building beginning in the early 1900s. It became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.
From there we walked three blocks to another home designed by Gaudí, Casa Batlló. This one also dates back to the early 1900s and is too a UNESCO World Heritage site. The family that bought the house in the 1990s restored it and opened it to the public. Unfortunately, it was being renovated when we were there, so the façade was covered. But from pictures, the modern and colorful building looks simply amazing. It will be on my list on a return trip to Barcelona!
La Rambla
As we continued toward the aquarium, we walked down La Rambla, a popular tree-lined pedestrian road. La Rambla begins at Placa de Catalunya, a large square with plenty of space for kids to run around, and runs down to the port. The street is full of vendors selling flowers, artwork and plenty of souvenirs. I particularly enjoyed the beautiful buildings lining either side of the road. You also pass by La Boqueria, a large public market with a gorgeous entrance that you can’t miss.
We turned off La Rambla and onto Carrer de Petritxol, a narrow and charming side street. Here we made an important stop at Petritxol Xocoa. This cafe was a recommendation of a friend from Barcelona for xocolata amb xurros (chocolate with churros). I cannot say enough good things. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was relaxing, even with kids. And of course the chocolate with churros were amazing.
After wandering around the side streets, we made our way back to La Rambla and down to the towering monument of Christopher Columbus. Just past there is the harbor, Port Vell, full of boats and a clock tower. It’s a really nice walk along the marina and out to L’Aquarium Barcelona.
L’Aquarium Barcelona
Our kids love aquariums and L’Aquarium Barcelona is quite nice. Not huge, but plenty to see and some fun features like a conveyor belt that takes you through a glass tunnel underneath a shark tank. There is also a small playground outside that the kids can visit at the end. A couple hours well spent and a nice final stop for our family in Barcelona!
Overall, we highly recommend a visit to Barcelona with kids!