Things to Do in Barcelona With Kids – Tips and Recommendations
- Barcelona is great fun for families with kids of all ages. There is lots to see and do within the city and its surroundings, like a day trip to Sitges.
- Barcelona is also a great hub for any beach holiday – either in the city itself, up north on the Costa Brava, or down south on the Costa Daurada. Next to the city beaches in Barceloneta and Port Olímpic, there is Sitges, Castelldefels, or Montgat and El Masnou within a 30 minutes drive or train ride from the city.
- Booking.com – the best website for booking hotels in Barcelona.
- Check out our updated Barcelona Travel Guide.
Top 8 Things to Do in Barcelona With Kids
High up over Barcelona is one of the oldest amusement parks of the world with spectacular views over Barcelona and the sea. Lots of fun for kids. Note: Children under six years will probably have enough fun with the rides of the Panoramic Area only (which is much cheaper). This still gives you access to the Talaia, Carrousel, Giradabo, Avió airplane ride and the Automaton Museum. You can also buy just a ticket for one attraction which is EUR 2.00. Older kids will have lots of fun with the full theme park entrance. There is lots to see. You can easily spend a full day here.
Great aquarium with sharks, a tropical coral reef, and the spectacular Oceanarium, located in the Port Vell. There is a special children’s area called Explora! which you shouldn’t miss. It’s open every day and an excellent choice for a rainy day. Skip the line and get your ticket here.
Barcelona has a wonderful zoo in Ciutadella Park with gorillas, dolphins, sea lions, tropical bird, reptiles and many other animals – over 400 species in total. There are also pony rides, miniature railways, electric cars, and many other fun things for kids. The zoo is open every day. Skip the line and get your ticket here.
An excellent science museum with lots of hands-on experiments for children. Includes an Amazonas rain forest. Free for children, however some special areas for children have a small fee – you should call in advance or book online for these as they’re often fully booked and not available at check-in. CosmoCaixa is good fun, kids learn a lot. Open every day.
Located in a neo-classical style building, you’ll find figures from history, culture, fantasy, cinema, music, sports, and others. Worth a visit – especially if you’re walking around the Ramblas. Don’t forget to visit the attached Bosc de les Fades Café (which doesn’t need an entrance ticket) which I think is just as good than the wax museum itself.
More for smaller children, but fun anyways – especially if you’re into chocolate. Starting with an entrance ticket out of chocolate, you’ll find e.g. comic figures out of chocolate. Of course, you can buy some chocolate at check out.
FC Barcelona Stadium Tour & Museum
A dream for every tween or teenager – if Barça fan or not. There are all kind of tours, up the VIP Match Day Tour (a private tour with an official guide). Skip the lines and get your ticket here. Alternatively, try to get a regular ticket for a game. It’s good fun! Depending who is playing it can be relatively easy (still availability), or nearly impossible for a non-member to get a ticket.
Built in 1929 for the International Exhibition, in the Poble Espanyol you can visit Spain in one day. It’s kind of an outdoor museum with buildings and culture from various regions of Spain. 117 real-life scale buildings and 20 different craft workshops. Check the website for special events, e.g. around Christmas, and during most of the year. Poble Espanyol is located on the foot of Montjuïc – so you can easily combine it with other sightseeing around the area. Skip the lines here.
