31 things to do in Barcelona with kids: Barcelona family travel guide

Last updated on January 4, 2024

Barcelona is a supremely family-friendly destination. The locals love kids, and families are made to feel welcome everywhere, from galleries to tiny tapas bars.

There are lots of specific Barcelona attractions for kids, but it’s also a place where many of the classic tourist attractions will appeal to children too – from the fantastical architecture of Gaudi to the city’s many beaches.

We lived in Barcelona before we had kids, and have been back as a family four times so far. This is our Barcelona family vacation guide, packed with all the best things to do in Barcelona with kids, plus tips on where to stay, how to get around and what to pack. It’s the ultimate guide to Barcelona for families.

Also see our guide to Barcelona with a baby and our other family travel guides. And for more inspiration worldwide, don’t miss our epic guide to bucket list family vacations – Barcelona is definitely one of them.

Where to stay in Barcelona with kids

We’ve tried all types of accommodation in Barcelona: apartment rentals, hostels, hotels, home exchanges and staying with friends.

For families, if you don’t have people to stay with, we recommend an apartment rental, family-friendly hotel or home exchange (read our guide to Home Exchange).

For apartment rentals, bear in mind that private rentals are heavily regularised. Short term private room rentals are forbidden, and you have to have the correct license to rent out a full apartment. The city has been described as being at war with Airbnb. It’s a good thing as it means that the rentals that are available are (hopefully) not having a negative effect on local people’s lives.

Family-friendly hotels in Barcelona

We have stayed in Hotel Barcelona Catedral twice as a family – once when Otis was three months old, and again with both Otis (3) and Arlo (1). It’s such a treat to stay in a hotel, waking up to breakfast every morning and returning to a clean room in the afternoon.

Reasons we love Hotel Barcelona Catedral

• It’s location is perfect – right next to the Cathedral and round the corner from Plaza Catalunya in the heart of Barcelona – you can walk most places from there, including the beach, El Born, Gotic and the Rambla. Plus it’s also close to multiple metro lines and bus stops for getting elsewhere in the city.
• It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the airport bus (Aerobus), which makes getting to and from the airport a breeze.
• The first time we stayed in a double room with a cot, and the second time, we had interconnecting rooms, each of us staying with one of the children – this was handy because it meant that Arlo (who wakes often) didn’t wake Otis up too.
• While it’s wonderfully welcoming to families, it’s not an obvious family hotel, which is sometimes nice for enjoying something a bit more grown-up.
• The common areas and restaurant/bar are beautifully designed and full of Instagram opportunities.
• The staff are all super friendly and welcoming to families.
• The breakfast is excellent. Instead of a help-yourself buffet, they bring a set selection of items to every table, and then you can order more from the menu. All the classic buffet items are covered, including omelettes, pastries, fruit, cereals, yoghurt and cheeses.
• There’s a pool on the roof, which is a perfect place to hang out and cool off on sunny days.
• You’re completely spoilt for choice with local restaurants, bars and cafes – there are options in every direction, many within a stone’s throw of the hotel. Plus the on-site bar is great too.

And reasons it might not be for you:

• The rooms themselves are less characterful than the common areas and decorated in more neutral tones. That said, they are very comfy and the lighting is very cosy at night.
• It’s not a specifically family-orientated hotel, so don’t expect a heated children’s pool, kid’s club or specialist baby equipment beyond cots and high chairs. For us, this was fine as we didn’t want to stay in a family-focussed hotel, but if this is important to you then I’d recommend staying elsewhere (although I haven’t come across any hotels in the city centre that have a heated children’s pool).

How to get around Barcelona with kids

• Barcelona is a very easy city to get around – a lot of it can be done on foot, plus the metro, bus and train system is excellent and easy to navigate.
• You can buy single tickets for the metro/bus, but if you’re doing multiple journeys, buy a 10-journey ticket (which you can use for single journeys over multiple days on both the bus or metro) or an Hola BCN Travel Card, which allows you unlimited journeys over 2-5 days.
• If you’re staying in the centre, we recommend getting the Aerobus from the airport. It takes about 30 minutes, stops at Plaza Espanya and Plaza Catalunya and goes every 5-10 minutes. It’s really convenient and there is space for pushchairs. Tickets cost around 6 euro for a single trip and 10 euro for a return. Children under 4 travel free.
• An alternative option from the airport is to get a taxi. We did this when we arrived as we were staying with a friend in Gracia. We booked a taxi with two car seats from this company – the journey from the airport to Gracia, including car seat hire, cost 45 euros.
• I’ve heard people say Barcelona is a nightmare with a pushchair, but we haven’t found that to be the case. There tend to be paved sidewalks alongside the cobbled roads, plus sometimes the cobbles help rock a baby/child to sleep!
• If travelling with a pushchair, check which metro stations have elevators, otherwise you’ll be faced with stairs. This page has a link to maps of the different metro lines with a wheelchair symbol marking accessible stations.
• We recommend walking as much as you can as Barcelona is a joy to discover on foot with impressive and atmospheric architecture at every turn.
• A pushchair has the benefit of shielding the little ones from the sun (which can be trickier with a carrier). Plus in the evenings, babies can sleep in the pushchair while you enjoy a meal. That said, a carrier would be preferable in some situations, such as the smaller tapas bars.
• One issue with Barcelona and kids is that the road and sidewalks are often on the same level, so kids may unwittingly walk out onto the road. Plus the sidewalks are narrow, so cars pass very close to the edge of the sidewalk. It’s something worth being aware of, so you can point it out to your kids and make sure they (and you) don’t casually step out onto the road! We found this tricky at times with our raucous three-year-old as he ran wild around Gracia!

Where to eat in Barcelona with kids

• Barcelona is incredibly kid-friendly and you’ll be greeted warmly at most restaurants and cafes, even late in the evening.
• It’s normal in Spain to eat late, so it’s not unusual to see kids out in the evening. In fact, it’s sometimes difficult to eat early because the earliest sitting for dinner at restaurants tends to be 7pm. However, that’s more of an issue in rural parts of Spain, and Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city so you’ll find food options at any time of day.
• I recommend eating in some of the plazas as they often have playgrounds, so the kids can be occupied while you wait for food. Even better if the kids are old enough to play independently as then you can just watch them from your table. Plaza del Sol in Gracia is a good place for this as it has a climbing frame in the middle and lots of bars/restaurants around the edge.
• We ate a lot of tapas as the kids enjoyed this (particular favourites were Spanish tortilla, patatas bravas and pan con tomate).
• There are quite a few places selling pizza by the slice in Barcelona, which is a quick and easy kid-pleaser. We love Gusto del Born, and the Les Dues Sicilies has several branches across the city.
• Another quick and easy kid-friendly meal/snack is empanadas. La Fábrica has a few shops around the city.
• When Otis was a baby, we ate in lots of our favourite restaurants at night while he slept, but once past the age of 1, it was harder because both he and Arlo aren’t great at staying up/eating late.
• Barcelona is well served by Uber Eats, so we used this a number of times as a way of being able to try food from restaurants on the nights we couldn’t go out.
• Some of the more modern brunch places, serving American and British classics, can also be good for kids, serving easy wins like pancakes! We like Federal, Billy Brunch and Brunch and Cake. Billy Brunch in particular is great for kids – they have colouring stuff and are all super friendly.

What to pack for Barcelona with kids

Here are a few tips for what to pack for Barcelona with kids.

• Remember that Barcelona is a big city filled with families, so you’ll be able to buy essentials there. For example, just bring enough nappies for the journey and the first day or two, and then buy the rest there.
• Try to stay somewhere that provides a travel cot, so you have one less thing to travel with. But if you do need to bring your own, we recommend the BabyBjorn travel cot.
• For Otis, we first brought a little inflatable bed with us, which he slept on in our hotel rooms. It’s pretty lightweight and because he uses it a lot, it’s a familiar space for him to sleep. Plus it saves needing an extra bed in the hotel room or having him in the bed with us. More recently, we use the Jet Kids Cloud Sleeper, which is even more lightweight and easy to inflate/deflate – plus it’s bigger so good for kids up to around 150cm.
• If you’re staying somewhere that has a spare single bed for your toddler, but you’re worried about them falling out, these inflatable bed guards and sheet are really useful.
• As you know, we’re big fans of packing cubes, and the Storksak Cabin Carry-On is our favourite kids’ suitcase. The built in organiser is super useful, and the wheels are usueful for traveling with.
• The Babymel Robyn Convertible Nappy Changing Backpack is an excellent nappy changing bag that doubles as a backpack.
• We love the Phil and Ted pushchair bag, which is useful for protecting your pushchair in transit.
• Barcelona gets super hot in the summer, so pack lightweight clothes and sun protection. These babiators sunglasses are excellent for kids and they’re pretty indestructible. It can also be hot in the autumn and spring, but gets cooler at night, so pack layers.
• We love the Ergobaby Omni 360 carrier, which is a soft but sturdy option for long days walking around cities.

Things to do in Barcelona with kids

1. Do a park crawl

One of the best things about visiting Barcelona with kids is that the city is filled with playgrounds. Most people live in apartment buildings, so it’s part of the culture to have neighbourhood play parks on nearly every block. This means you can take regular park stops while you wander the city. It’s one of the reasons that makes Barcelona for kids so appealing.

It’s perfect for the adults as they get to explore the city on foot while satisfying the kids with multiple parks. Most parks are also close to a café/restaurant, so you can combine them with refreshment stops. We billed it to Otis as a ‘park crawl’, which he loved.

Some of the parks, for example those along Passeig de Sant Joan, are split into different age groups, so some are ideal for toddlers and others for older kids.

2. Hit the beach

A big selling point for everyone visiting Barcelona is the beach – there’s a thrill that comes from being able to step from the city right onto the coast. Of course, being a city beach (and a manmade one at that), it’s not the cleanest, especially at Barceloneta, which is the busiest section, but it’s still a good place to stop and build a few sandcastles. It’s one of the main selling points for a Barcelona family holiday.

If you want to have a full day at the beach and go swimming too, I’d recommend heading a bit further away from Barceloneta up to one of the Blue Flag beaches, such as Bogatell, Mar Bella or Nova Icaria. Or even better, get a train/drive up the coast to one of the stunning Costa Brava beaches.

3. Hang out at Ciutadella

Parc de la Ciutadella has always been one of my favourite spots in Barcelona since before we even had kids. It’s an oasis for all ages and you’ll always find groups of friends and families hanging out, often picnicking, playing music or trying their hand at circus tricks.

There’s a life-size woolly mammoth sculpture that’s become a popular photo opportunity for adults and kids alike. And there’s a pond in the middle of the park where you can hire row boats. There are also two playgrounds, and you’ll often find someone blowing giant bubbles for the kids to run among on the main promenade.

The park is next to the zoo, which I’ve never visited, but is a popular kids attraction in Barcelona.

4. Take a trip on the open-top bus

Steve and I don’t tend to adopt a traditional tourist style, so we’ve rarely been on an open-top tourist bus, but it’s a great option when you have kids. Otis loved the novelty of being on the top deck. And I enjoyed listening to the audio guide and learning a little more about the city’s sights.

The Barcelona Bus Turístic follows three different routes and you can hop on or off wherever you like. As well as being a good way to see the main sights, it’s also a handy way to get around the city in a way that’s fun too.

5. Ride one of the cable cars

There are two cable cars in Barcelona – one that goes around the top on Montjuic (Telefèric de Montjuïc), and another that goes from Montjuic down to Barceloneta beach (Port Cable Car). The transbordador definitely isn’t for the feint of heart as it’s quite old so feels a bit rickety! Whereas the teleferic is very modern, so it feels very safe. That said, I’m sure the transbordador wouldn’t be running if it wasn’t safe and we’ve been on it several times – I’m just a nervous passenger.

They both have amazing views across the city and are a fun experience for kids – definitely one of the must-do Barcelona kids activities.

The telferic stops at the Montjuic Castle, which is also a fun place to visit with kids. If you don’t go in, you can still have a look from the outside, and there are few cannons to see too. If you have willing walkers, there’s a trail around the castle too.

6. Got to Tibidabo amusement park

Tibidabo Amusement Park is a big kid pleaser as it has a full amusement park with rides for all ages, including a carousel, roller coasters and ferris wheel. It feels pretty vintage, which adds to the charm (even the new rides have been built with a vintage style). And there’s also a cathedral to visit (the one that sits atop the hill and you can see from all over Barcelona). It’s one of the most fun things to do with kids in Barcelona.

7. Visit Cosmo Caixa

Otis is big into science museums and Barcelona’s CosmoCaixa was a huge hit. The entire basement floor is filled with interactive exhibits and experiments, including things like ferrofluid, a mini hot air balloon that floats to the ceiling, and an interactive journey through space and time.

There’s also an incredible flooded forest exhibit, which has recreated the Amazonian rainforest, and includes an aquarium plus Amazonian wildlife such as capybaras.

There’s also a planetarium, which opens at specific times throughout the day and costs extra. Cosmo Caixa is a kids Barcelona must.

8. Visit the Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia is a must in my books for any visit to Barcelona, and luckily it’s one that kids will likely love too. Otis (3) and Arlo (1) were both excited about the architecture, and Otis cites it as his Barcelona highlight. Like us, he was completely wowed by the interior.

The only issue with visiting with kids is that, depending on their age, they’re unlikely to listen to the full audio tour or tolerate a visit as long as its duration. For us this wasn’t an issue as we’ve visited before so know the story of the cathedral, and could instead use this visit to simply soak it all in and enjoy seeing it through Otis and Arlo’s eyes.

There’s also an excellent playground just opposite the Sagrada Familia, which is ideal for a pre or post-visit play. Overall, La Sagrada Familia is one of the top picks for what to do with kids in Barcelona.

There are often long queues, so it’s worth buying a fast track ticket. And for older kids, you could get a ticket with access to the tower too.

9. Catch an exhibition at Caixa Forum

Caixa Forum often has amazing exhibitions, many of which are kid-friendly. For example, when we went there was an incredible interactive exhibition about nature and technology called TeamLab where you could interact with the projected lights to create special effects. They also have a full programme of family events.

10. See the boats at Port Vell

Port Vell is Barcelona’s picturesque harbour, filled with boats, including many superyachts, which beggar belief with their luxury. It’s a pretty place to go for a walk and the kids will be entertained by all the boats. It’s also next to the aquarium and there’s parkland to run around in.

11. Take a boat trip

If seeing the boats isn’t enough, you could also take a boat trip. There are lots of cruises to choose from, including catamaran and yacht trips, as well as sunset sailing tours. There are even even vermouth cruises, so the adults can have an additional treat too.

12. Get a picnic from La Boqueria

La Boqueria market is one of Barcelona’s top tourist attractions – everyone loves it for the hustle and bustle of market life, and that goes for the kids too. It’s a great sensory experience for any age, and children are sure to love the rainbow of fruit juices on offer. Pick up a picnic while you’re there and then tale it to one of the parks.

13. Visit the aquarium

L’Aquarium Barcelona is Europe’s biggest Mediterranean aquarium and a sure fire hit with kids. One of the highlights is a huge glass tunnel with  sharks, mantarays and other sealife swimming all around. There are also shows/feedings throughout the day, and you can even book to swim with the sharks! It’s one of the most popular Barcelona attractions for families. You can also get skip-the-line tickets.

14. Go to Poble Espanyol

Poble Espanyol is an open-air museum that showcases different architectural styles from around Spain. It has essentially recreated (in full size) different streets, plazas and buildings from around Spain. There are lots of shops showcasing traditional Spanish handicrafts and the restaurants have various regional themes too.

There’s a gallery with works from Spanish artists, including Dali and Picasso, and they also have revolving exhibitions and events. There’s also a playground, but I think this would be more suited to older children who could take part in some of the handicraft activities (although these come at an extra cost). You can get a skip-the-line ticket too.

15. Watch the fountain show at Plaza d’Espanya

The daily fountain show at the Magic Fountain of Montjuic is a big kid pleaser with an extravaganza of light and colour as the fountains dance to the music. It’s on quite late around 9pm, so not ideal for young kids unless you decide to adopt Spanish bedtimes on your trip. Check the show timings here.

16. Treat yourselves to some churros

Here’s a treat for kids and adults alike – stop for some morning churros at one of the city’s classic churrerias. The fried batons are served with a mug of thick chocolate sauce and traditionally eaten in the mornings. We went to Granja Dulcinea in Gotic, which is wonderfully old-school and charming.

17. Go to Park Güell

Park Güell is a fantastical park designed by Gaudi with his characteristically playful and undulating style adorned with colourful tiles. The giant salamander will delight kids, plus it’s the type of architecture that appeals to young minds. Do be aware that there’s a huge staircase at the entrance, which makes it pretty inaccessible for strollers. Buy tickets here.

18. Eat tapas

You’ll find tapas on every street in Barcelona and they tend to be quite a good options when eating with kids. At least you can order a few different dishes and see what they warm to. Otis and Arlo were big fans of Spanish tortilla, patatas bravas and pan con tomate

19. Do a family walking tour

There are tons of family-friendly tours you can do in Barcelona, including this family walking tour, which takes you around the gothic quarter, teaching some of the history and culture of the city in a fun and interactive way. Expect lots of songs plus a visit to a sweet shop. It’s perfect option for a Barcelona family tour.

20. Visit Casa Batlló

Casa Batllo is a gorgeous home designed by Gaudi, with his signature colourful style that kids adore. It’s a perfect one to visit with children as it has a fun augmented reality tour, plus there are two rooms (the Gaudi Dome and Gaudi Cube) where stunning light projections bring to life his inspirations. It’s a great sensory experience.

It’s super family-friendly – they even provide baby carriers and store your pushchair for you. They also sometimes do family-friendly dramatized theatrical tours of the house. Check the website to see what’s on offer. You can buy three levels of tickets: general entrance including audio guide; upgraded (silver) entry to the Gaudi Dome and a VR guide; and gold entry with the same plus skip-the-line and entrance to Batllós’ Private Room.

21. See Gaudi architecture in 4D

The Gaudi Experiencia 4D is a fun way to immerse yourself in and learn about the works of Gaudi. It’s a virtual ride that flies you around Barcelona, exploring Gaudi’s architecture in 4D, plus there are interactive exhibits too. It’s for children aged 6 and over. Reserve your tickets now.

22. Visit the maritime museum

Housed in an old medieval shipping yard, the star of the show at the Maritime Museum is a life-size reconstruction of a 16th century Spanish Armada flagship. You can even go up on the deck. There are also lots of other scale models of ships.

23. Go to the Big Fun Museum and Museum of Illusions

Run by the same company, the Big Fun Museum on the Rambla, and the nearby Museum of Illusions in La Raval, are places to go for amusing photo opportunities. The Illusions museum has lots of paintings on the floors and walls that you can pose with, and the Big Fun one has more of the same plus 3D scenes/props. Both result in all sorts of funny photos. Book your tickets in advance for discounts.

24. Get lost in the maze at the Parc del Laberint d’Horta

The classic hedge maze at Parc del Laberint is a place to take children. It’s in one of Barcelona’s oldest gardens. It’s around 25 minutes from central Barcelona on the tube, so while not one of the most convenient attractions, it’s a nice green space to spend some time a little outside of the centre.

25. Tour Camp Nou

Football fans will love Camp Nou, home to Barcelona’s world-famous football team. The grounds and museum are open for tours all year round – or, if you time it right, you could even see a match. There are a few different tour options, including tours where you can take shots at the Robokeeper and others where you get access to the player’s dressing room. See the full list and book tickets here.

26. Have a day out at llafantasia Water Park

If you visit Barcelona in the warmer months, head to llafantasia Water Park, which is awonderland of waterslides, swimming pools and wave machines. You can reach it by train (30 minutes from city centre) and there’s a free shuttle bus from the station to the park. The park is open from mid June to early September. Other waterparks near the city are: AquaLeon, Marineland and the Caribe Water Park at Port Avnetura.

27. Go to a modern art gallery

We love taking the boys to galleries and seeing their reactions to different artworks. We’ve found that modern art is often a hit and Barcelona has some great options, including the Picasso Museum, Miro Museum and MACBA. There’s also the Caixa Forum, which is so family-freindly, I gave it its own category (see number 9).

28. Visit the Museu de la Xocolata

The Museu de la Xocolata gets mixed reviews, many saying it’s not worth the money, but if you can gat a good deal, kids are bound to enjoy the chocolate sculptures plus a yummy hot chocolate from the shop.

29. Tour the Palau de la Música Catalana

The Palau de la Música Catalana is often mistaken for a Gaudi creation because of its colourful tiles on the façade, but is actually vy modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. It’s stunning inside and out, and definitely worth a visit. For tiny ones, a self-guided tour might be the best option, but they also do guided tours that include fast entry. For older kids, there’s an escape room-style tour too! And they also do family performances throughout the year.

30. Take a trip to Port Aventura

Around a 90-minute drive or 75-minute train ride from Barcelona is Port Aventura, a world-class theme park with ride for all ages. Toddlers will like the infants area with slides, swings and gentle rides, and older children can brave the thrilling rollercoasters. It’s quite a journey, but worth it if you’re a fan of theme parks.  See the options and buy tickets here.

31. Go up the coast to Costa Brava

If you’re in Barcelona for long enough, consider combining it with a little beach getaway up or down the coast. The Costa Brava is filled with stunning beaches, including the charming villages of Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell. There are also some big super family-friendly resort towns, such as Lloret de Mar.

Is Barcelona good for families?

As you can see, Barcelona is a perfect choice for families. It’s a very family-friendly destination, partly because the locals are so welcoming to children and families, but also because there are so many family-friendly Barcelona attractions. Let us know if there’s anything we haven’t covered.