Barcelona with Kids: The 5 Best with Kids Under 5
Visiting Barcelona with kids 5 years or younger? This guest post has you covered with recommendations from Tamara Cosano, a resident mom and CEO of Easy Travel Kids, a baby gear rental agency in Barcelona. She not only knows all about enjoying Barcelona with kids, but she also knows all about helping visitors enjoy Barcelona with kids in strollers! Here are her top 5 recommended activities to do while your family visits Barcelona.
Many travelers are surprised to discover Barcelona is such a child-friendly city. Kids are welcome in most places and you can easily walk through it with your stroller as elevators and ramps are available and the pavement is fantastic–not such as in Rome!
I was born in Madrid and I have lived in Barcelona for about 20 years. I love the city and I want to share it with my daughter Cloe. She is 7 now and together we have already visited all the main and best places to enjoy Barcelona with kids.
It was very difficult to choose only 5 places to recommend, but here they are–I hope you enjoy the city as much as we do!
1. L’Aquarium Barcelona
Considered the largest of its kind in Europe and offering an impressive range of marine life, the Barcelona Aquarium is a great choice for a family day out–especially in poor weather. Best of all, a transparent tunnel in excess of 80 meters in length (262 feet) enables you to enjoy a spectacular walk underwater. The Explora! Children’s area is an interactive space within L’Aquàrium Barcelona that’s designed to raise children’s awareness of the marine world. It features over 50 interactive exhibits in which children can touch, see, listen to, investigate and discover nature. If its lunch time during your visit, you could be in for a pleasant surprise… If you’d like to see how the sharks are fed by our scuba divers, check out the feeding times here. Transportation: Moll d’Espanya, Port Vell (access from Maremagnum). www.aquariumbcn.com
2. Park Güell
Antoni Gaudí built the Park Güell as a tribute to nature. Gaudi was tasked with the project in 1890, with the park opening to the public in 1922. Along with the Sagrada Familia, this is the largest of Gaudi’s projects. In 1984, the park was included in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage. Park Güell is a large park split into two different areas: the Monumental Zone, which requires the purchase of a ticket, and the free access area which is open to all visitors at no charge. The park is a challenge for wheelchairs and stroller, so I suggest taking a light umbrella stroller. (If you don’t have yours with you, you can rent it from my website www.easytravelkids.com.) Transportation: The main entrance is accessible after a 20-minute uphill walk from the Lesseps metro stop. Consider taking the public bus (24) from Placa Catalunya to arrive, which is located on a higher level on the side of the park. I strongly recommend you to bring sunblock and water! Visit the website for opening times and rates
3. Tibidabo Amusement Park
The Tibidabo Amusement Park is one of the symbols of Barcelona and one of the best sites to visit while in Barcelona with kids. This 100-year-old amusement park is one of the oldest in the world. It sits atop Tibidabo Mountain looking down on the urban landscape. There are a multitude of rides for little ones, including a small train, a flying airplane or a mini roller coaster. There is also a cooling water ride for those hot and humid summer days. Transportation: The quickest way to get to the park is to take the T2 “Tibibus” from the bus stop at the east side of Plaça de Catalunya. Or from Pl. de Catalunya, take the train Line 7 to Av. Tibidabo. Then take the electric blue tram (Tramvia Blau), and transfer to the funicular that takes you up the mountain to Tibidabo. (If the Tramvia Blau isn’t running, there’s a regular bus to goes from the train to the funicular.) Find info about opening times and prices by clicking here.
4. Poble Espanyol
If you want to know more about Spain, you should visit The Poble Espanyol, or Spanish Village. It’s an open-air museum comprising full-scale replicas of 117 buildings from different parts of Spain. The village focuses on traditional craft- making, with artisans at work creating glass, paintings, ceramics, embroidery and other handmade items in dozens of workshops onsite. For kids there is plenty of car-free space to explore, with children’s activities and shows. If you make a reservation ahead of time at one of the restaurants inside Poble Espanyol, and arrive within one hour of your booking time, you will have free entry to the village. Tip: Avoid visiting on Sundays when many of the shops and cafes are closed. Transportation: Metro: Pl. Espanya L1 or L3 then bus (13, 50, 61 or Bus Montjuic or 10 min. uphill walk). Info about opening times and prices by clicking here.
5. Font Màgica
The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc was created for the 1929 Great Universal Exhibition and remains one of Barcelona’s must-see attractions to this day. The fountain combines water, music, and lights in an ever-changing display that is a delight to the senses. The fountain cycles every half hour, with 15 minute breaks in between; the schedule changes a bit depending on the time of year (Thursday through Sunday in summer, and Friday and Saturday in the winter). The Magic Fountain can be viewed from various spots nearby, such as the steps of the MNAC gallery. Although, those standing nearby should be forewarned – they will get wet! The Magic Fountain is a pleasant way to take an evening break after a day of sightseeing and is especially fun for children. It’s also FREE! Transportation: Metro (L1 and L3, stop Espanya), or bus (55 and tourist, stop Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya). For opening times and prices by clicking here
—
Thanks so much for sharing your tips with us, Tamara! And remember if you’ll need a stroller, car seat, crib or other equipment you can rent baby gear for your through her company Easy Travel Kids.
Other 5 Best with Kids Under 5 features you might enjoy:
Amsterdam: 5 Best with Kids Under 5
Paris: 5 Best with Kids Under 5
Puerto Rico: 5 Best with Kids Under 5
Oahu: 5 Best Beaches for Kids Under 5
Costa Rica: The Nicoya Peninsula’s 5 Best with Kids Under 5
And to get the 411 on family travel destinations around the world, see our sister site: Family Travel 411
Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks
Twitter Facebook Travels with Baby on Facebook Pinterest
What?! Your kids aren’t babies anymore? Head over to Family Travel 411
Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.