A family holiday in Barcelona is a fabulous way to learn together as you explore its beautiful Gothic Quarter, wander the rambla, gaze at incredible architecture, sail on the harbour and enjoy the delicious food and wine of the Catalonia region.
Barcelona exposed nine-year-old Emmie to not only a new language and a new city, but to art and architecture, cuisine and culture. Barcelona is rich with sensory experiences that will delight the whole family and truly, really inspire your children’s interests in art and architecture.
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Where to stay in Barcelona:
We stayed at the Hotel ABBA Sants which was super close to the hop on hop off bus and the Barcelona Sants Metro making it easy for us to get around and also close to hire car pick up and drop off. Our room was lovely with lots of space and a huge terrace. Breakfast was excellent – it was our first introduction to the cold meat and cheese style of breakfast here in Catalonia and we loved it. The staff were helpful and caring towards Emmie and we really enjoyed our stay.
We also stayed at Hotel Barcelona 1882 – named after the year construction began on the Sagrada Familia. This eco-conscious hotel is walking distance to many of Barcelona’s tourist attractions and has fabulous views of the Sagrada Familia from some rooms and its beautiful rooftop. Our room was huge and comfortable, and breakfast was fabulous with a variety of delicious dishes and great barista coffee. There’s a rooftop pool, a gym, yoga classes, bikes, a restaurant and bar, and importantly – a taxi stand just outside the door.
Where to eat:
Chipiron Restaurant (CC Maremagnum, Muelle de España, 5, Barcelona) was right on the harbour and where I tried my first patatas bravas, and delicious prawns and seafood, along with a yummy wine. It’s in a really great spot for people watching and is right on the water nearby to the Rambla and the Columbus Monument.
In the Gothic Quarter we ate at Agüelo013 Restaurant (Carrer Avinyó, 37, Barcelona) and again it was divine – it’s no wonder the Catalan people are well known for their gastronomic talents.
We also had tapas in the evening at the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau. It was excellent and it’s such a lovely spot under the gorgeous Sant Pau entrance.
Getting around:
Barcelona is definitely a walking city. Its streets are wide and easy to navigate and attractions are walking distance or easily accessed by the metro or the Barcelona Bus Turístic hop on hop off bus. Taxis are affordable and drivers are friendly and, in our case, always took the quickest route to our destination.
What to do in Barcelona:
We threw ourselves into so many activities in Barcelona in the few days we were there. We could have stayed many more, just wandering and exploring and finding more of Gaudi’s architecture to stare at. These are our favourite family activities in Barcelona:
Barcelona Bus Turístic Hop on hop off bus
We used the Barcelona Bus Turístic hop on hop off bus to make our way around the city and up to the sights on the outskirts of town. There’s multi language audio and buses come every 10 minutes at very frequently located stops. Look for the pink buses and try to sit up the top in the open air section.
Kids and family walking tour around the Gothic Quarter
This three hour Gothic Quarter Family Walking Tour with Runner Bean Tours was one of the highlights of our trip. Our guide kept the kids enthralled with stories of legends, battles and culture in a way that worked for children and for the adults.
The kids had little workbooks to complete and were entertained for the entire walk, and we all learnt a lot about Catalan history. It includes stops at a sweet shop, the toy workshop and all the best spots in the Gothic Quarter. It’s such an excellent tour, I can’t recommend it highly enough. The family tours run on Saturdays.
You can also book one of these daily Barcelona walking tours.
Visit Park Guell
Park Guell was the creation of Eusebi Güell, some say to mimic the estates that were popping up in London for the wealthy. Gaudi was employed to design the park and the result is a stunning collection of buildings, walkways and alcoves framed by palm trees and flowers, with beautiful gardens and a mosaic tiled lookout. It’s a peek into Gaudi’s imagination, with colour, texture, shapes and buildings that are equally beautiful and entertaining.
It turned out that the location was too far away for people to be interested in and so the park was donated to the city in 1923 and is a favourite picnic sport and tourist destination. You have to book your tickets to Park Guell in advance, and it includes the shuttle from the metro station up to the park entrance.
Visit Casa Mila– Gaudi’s most beautiful design
Don’t miss the incredible Casa Mila, designed by Gaudi and built between 1906 and 1912. It’s the most amazing building – where nature comes to life and the ergonomic elements of its design show how ahead of his time Gaudi was in so many ways. Everything about this home is inspiring from the entry staircase to the rooftops.
Plan at least an hour inside. The audio headsets are fab as are the videos that show how Gaudi’s structure and design is aligned with nature.Emmie was enthralled and we spent ours here. I would return in a heartbeat. Casa Mila was the last private residence designed by Gaudi and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Don’t miss it. You can buy your Casa Mila tickets here.
Columbus Monument
Columbus Tower is right on the waterfront and was built in 1888 to commemorate Columbus landing in Barcelona on the return of his voyage to America. You can go right to the top of this 60-metre-tall monument and it’s an incredible experience as the elevator is so tiny – it fits four people only – and the viewing area at the top is too! Once you’re there you can enjoy excellent views across the city and picture Columbus arriving home after his voyage. It really feels like you are standing on a little piece of history. Grab your Colomus Monument tickets here for 10% off.
Bar underneath the Columbus Monument
A complimentary drink at the underground cellar and bar, Espai de Vins Mirador de Colom, is included in your ticket to the Columbus Monument. It’s very cool and I could understand people staying here for hours. I tried my first Cava here and Emmie sipped on a grape juice, feeling very grown up. We then walked across the road to the harbour and jumped on a catamaran for a tour of the harbour. Grab your ticket here for 10% off.
Catamaran on the harbour
You can take a 40 minute boat trip out around Barcelona Harbour with Eco Catamaran. It’s a great way to see the city skyline from a different perspective and it’s close to the Columbus Monument, the Rambla and Chipiron Restaurant for lunch, so it’s very easy to navigate with kids. Find more info and book your trip here.
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site
Another highlight of our time in Barcelona, Sant Pau is just a short walk from the Sagrada Familia. It’s a complex of stunning Catalonian modernist hospital buildings constructed in the 1900s – on the site of the first free hospital for the poor in Barcelona, built in the 1400s. It’s not only gorgeous, it was designed to help patients heal through beauty, peace and nature.
The audio here is really excellent, Emmie loved listening to it and tracing her steps around the buildings, learning about the history and architecture. This is a must for your list of things to do, and is on the hop on hop off bus route or just a short walk from the Sagrada Familia.
You can buy your Sant Pau tickets here at a 7% discount, and book a guided Sagrada Familia and Sant Pau combo here.
If you’re planning on exploring more of Catalonia read our post: The best things to do in Catalonia with kids.
Check out other Barcelona activities here.
Staying safe:
Bear in mind that like most cities you need to be careful of your belongings when exploring. Here are some tips:
- Leave passport and wallet in your hotel room safe
- Always carry your bag across your chest and shoulder or your backpack on your front
- Don’t keep anything in your pockets
- Trust your gut – if something seems dodgy it probably is
- Don’t leave any valuables in your car, even locked in your boot/trunk. Make sure to check your insurers PDS to check what you are covered for.
Thank you to Catalunya Tourism and Barcelona Tourism for hosting us.
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