Barcelona with Kids: 18 Plans for the Whole Family

If you are thinking about visiting Barcelona with children, stop overthinking it and get to work because this national destination offers plenty of attractions for the whole family. Although I had already visited the City of Counts on many occasions, in April 2023 I did it for the first time with my children aged 6, 4, and 2. After this visit, I suggest many proposals of things to do with children in Barcelona so you can organize your visit.

Barcelona with children in 13 plans for all tastes

Here are all the plans with children in Barcelona that I did during my stay.

Tibidabo, fun for the whole family

Tibidabo is the highest peak in the Collserola mountain range, but it also gives its name to the oldest amusement park in Spain and the third oldest in Europe. Without a doubt, spending the day at Tibidabo is one of the most famous plans for those visiting Barcelona with children. Not only to get an adrenaline rush but also to enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the City of Counts from its viewpoint.

Is Tibidabo worth visiting? I also asked myself this question, as it is not exactly cheap. My answer is that it depends on your tastes and your children’s height. The barrier for being able to go on the Tibidabo attractions is marked by height. There are three different sections between 90 and 120 cm.

If you are going with very small children, who measure less than 110 cm, you must keep in mind that they will miss out on many things they would like. Tell them before entering to avoid disappointments, I say this from experience. Even so, there are many options for the little ones such as the carousel, the little trains, the spinning cups, the balloons, or the fairy tale castle, among others.

In addition to the attractions, there are other proposals they will love such as the mirror maze, the puppet theater (a must), the creativity rooms called Creatibi—one with Lego pieces and others with robots—the 4D cinema, the automaton museum, or the shows.

If you don’t want to pay the entrance fee, but you do want to take a look, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy the views, there is a free option. You can enter the Tibidabo Panoramic Area which is free to access. There you will find the viewpoint overlooking Barcelona, but also the so-called emblematic attractions such as the Ferris wheel, the carousel, the airplane, and the Talaia, an arm with two baskets that rise up to 50 meters high. If you feel like riding one, you can do so by buying an individual ticket for 3 euros, an option that is also viable for entering the automaton museum. To ride the rest of the attractions, you do need to have purchased the general admission ticket for the park.

• Hours: I recommend checking the website for the schedule for the specific day you want to go. In summer, it is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm; the rest of the months, with some exceptions, it is only open on weekends and holidays, and from January to March, it remains closed for maintenance.
• Prices: 35 euros for adults and children from 120 cm, 14 euros for children between 90 and 120 cm. This ticket includes the ride on the Cuca de Llum, the funicular that takes you to the park entrance, and the two Tibi Bus lines that drop you at the funicular station. Children measuring less than 90 cm enter for free, and there are significant discounts for large families (check here).

Excursion to Montserrat

One of the excursions to do in Barcelona with children is visiting the Montserrat Natural Park, one of the symbols of Catalonia, where there is a Benedictine monastery (entry is not allowed) and the Basilica which houses the 12th-century carving of the Virgin of Montserrat, known as the Moreneta, patron saint of Catalonia.

To start with, children will already enjoy the ascent to Montserrat, whether it’s done by rack railway from Monistroll or by Aeri, the yellow cable car that starts from the base of the mountain.

Once at the top, it’s almost mandatory to enter the basilica and visit the Moreneta. Both things are free and are accessed through two different doors. To access the alcove where the virgin is located, you must reserve a slot. You can do this upon arrival by going directly to the right door of the basilica where they will give you a ticket with the time you should go, or in advance from this link on the official website.

In addition, there are several hiking routes around Montserrat that you can do with children in the surrounding area. A very simple one, with a bit of a slope, mind you, which you can even do with a stroller (watch out for the bumps) is the climb to the Sant Miquel Cross where a spectacular viewpoint awaits you overlooking both the monumental complex of Montserrat and the valley with the Llobregat River below; you can even see Tibidabo and the Collserola tower in the distance. It takes about twenty minutes to climb, and then you can continue if you wish to the chapel.

Another plan in Montserrat with children is to take the Sant Joan funicular to access the highest area from where you can have a different panorama, visit the Geopark interpretation center, take other trails, or look for climbers among the vertical walls of Montserrat’s characteristic geological formations.

If instead of going up, you prefer to go down, you can take the Santa Cova funicular to reach the cave where, according to legend, the virgin appeared in the year 880 and later some shepherds found the carving of the Moreneta.

• A good option to visit this place and not worry about how to get there from the center of Barcelona, besides being accompanied by a guide, is to book this excursion to Montserrat.
• If you want more detailed info, read this article on how to visit Montserrat.

Casa Batlló, a great plan in Barcelona with children!

One of the plans I liked most during my stay in Barcelona with children was entering Casa Batlló, in the heart of Passeig de Gracia. I hesitated a lot about whether it was worth visiting this historic 19th-century building completely remodeled by Antoni Gaudí, inspired by nature, until it became a symbol of modernism and is today a UNESCO World Heritage site. After the visit, I highly recommend that you go because I think it is one of the best things to do with children in Barcelona.

However, for it to be a success, tell them the legend of the dragon and Saint George before you go, which will pique their curiosity about visiting the building. Also, here are some tips:

-If you are going with a baby, I recommend bringing a baby carrier. Although it is possible to visit Casa Batlló with a stroller (I did it because he was asleep), it is not practical at all because the building has 6 floors. To start with, there is a part of the visit that you will miss, such as the light well; there are sections of very narrow stairs that you will have to overcome by carrying the stroller, and when you can use the elevators you will have to wait.

If you don’t have a carrier, ask because they have a baby carrier loan service that includes storing your stroller.

-Even if it is more expensive, get the Silver ticket which includes an interactive tablet that will make the visit to Casa Batlló with children much more enjoyable and fun. In addition, with this type of ticket you access Gaudí Dome, a circular room with 360 projections that will leave your children, and you, with your mouth wide open.

–Try to avoid weekends and peak hours. I was there during Easter and honestly the experience suffered a bit because the number of people was excessive, especially in the narrow areas and corridors.

-Calculate approximately at least an hour and a quarter for the visit. But keep in mind that the visit ends at Gaudí Cube, an immersive projection created by the new media artist Refik Anadol that will drive children crazy, so they will want to repeat at least two rounds. Go with enough time to enjoy it!

• Hours: Every day from 9 am to 8 pm.
• Prices: Children under 12 enter for free. There are three types of tickets for Casa Batlló: Blue, Silver, and Gold, ranging from the basic visit to the most complete one with exclusive areas and fast pass to avoid queues.

Another alternative visit, or not, is to enter La Pedrera, or Casa Mila, another building from the Gaudí universe, located two steps from Batlló, with an impressive rooftop. And if you are interested in knowing more about this famous Catalan architect, I recommend this Gaudí and Modernist Barcelona free tour.

Touching and experimenting at CosmoCaixa

CosmoCaixa is a science museum that features interactive exhibits that allow children, and adults, to touch and experiment with different objects and scientific phenomena. Children will enjoy learning about nature, the universe, technology, and much more.

In addition, CosmoCaixa has a planetarium that offers projections on different topics according to the program. Without a doubt, this is a plan with children in Barcelona that you cannot miss. Of course, take note of some tips and practical info that will help make your visit a success.

–Buy tickets in advance to avoid queues, especially on weekends and high season.

-Remember to get tickets for children as well even if they don’t pay because they need them to access through the turnstiles.

-The general ticket only grants access to the museum and temporary exhibitions.

-The projections of the planetarium, workshops, and guided tours have an extra cost and, in this case, children do pay. Even if you buy a ticket for one of these activities, this does not grant you entry to the museum; you must also get the general admission ticket.

-The offer of activities at CosmoCaixa is very complete; they even have an escape room for children now. It is constantly changing, so I recommend checking the schedule before going to organize your visit and not run out of spots for what interests you most. Pay close attention to the recommended age and the language in which they are held because depending on the time it will be in Catalan or Spanish, especially in the case of workshops, because for the planetarium they will give you headphones with the translator.

-To eat without leaving the museum, you have two options: a restaurant with a buffet and a cafeteria with prepared dishes like pasta, croquettes, omelet… which you can eat at the indoor tables or in the outdoor patio.

-The CosmoCaixa in Barcelona is quite large and they have many proposals worth trying, so I recommend reserving plenty of time to visit it. If you are also going to see a projection in the planetarium or do a workshop, you will easily be there almost all day.

–What I liked most: That there are educators delighted to explain to the children, and to you, how some scientific experiments work or how human evolution has been since prehistory. They wear orange vests and you can ask them a lot of things. They are very friendly!

–What I liked least: Finding live animals locked up in the area that recreates a tropical forest. My idea was to see a museum, not a zoo. In our case, we prefer to spot animals in the wild and thus instill in children a respect for wildlife.

• Hours: Monday to Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm.
• Prices: General admission 6 euros. It is free for children under 16 and CaixaBank customers. Discount for large families (at the box office only). Workshops and the planetarium cost €6; in this case, children do pay.

A different kind of science at the Museu Blau

A perfect alternative or complement to the previous plan is to visit the Museu Blau, the Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona, located in the Forum area. It is dedicated to reviewing the history of life on Earth from the Big Bang to the present day. Children will be able to see taxidermy animals up close, discover fossils, contemplate a mineral collection, learn how living beings have evolved, discover fungi and botany, and much more.

Additionally, the museum features temporary exhibitions on various topics. Currently and until January 7, 2024, it has a very fun one called ‘Once upon a time’ where science and fairy tales go hand in hand in a host of experiments and challenges based on children’s literature classics such as Pinocchio, Cinderella, or Little Red Riding Hood. We loved it!

From my point of view, one of the best things to do in Barcelona with children, especially with the little ones, is to visit the El Nido media library at the Museu Blau. This space designed for ages 0 to 6 is a room with plenty of natural materials of all kinds and many educational resources. It is intended for them to learn through observation, manipulation, and free play, while they explore accompanied by their parents and a monitor who encourages them to ask questions.

This activity is included with the general admission, but you have to book a spot directly at the ticket office, where they will tell you the time of the next session and give you a sticker that allows access. Babies have an area appropriate for their age with very suitable activities. The sessions last half an hour.

El Nido at the Museu Blau is open on Saturday mornings with sessions at 11:00, 11:45, 12:30, and 1:15 p.m., and on Sundays and holidays at those same times, plus afternoon sessions at 4:00, 4:45, 5:30, and 6:15 p.m.

• Opening hours: Closed on Mondays. Open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (until 7 p.m. between March and September), Saturdays until 7 p.m. and Sundays and holidays until 8 p.m.
• Prices: General admission 6 euros and 7 euros combined with the Botanical Garden (in Montjuic Park). Entry to temporary exhibitions costs 6.50 euros. Children under 16 do not pay and large families have a discount.

Guaranteed fun at Aventurico Barcelona

Another great plan to do in Barcelona with children is to treat yourselves to a family escape room session at Aventurico. If you are looking for something different to entertain and reward your children after so much 100% touristy sightseeing, taking them here is a guaranteed success because both they and you will have a great time trying to get out safe and sound by completing the mission you have chosen. Can you imagine immersing yourself in the world of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ or becoming wizards to save the world from darkness? The setting they create according to the theme is total, they will be amazed! I’m not putting any photos of the interior of the room where I was so as not to spoil the surprise.

What I like most about this plan is that besides having fun, you test your family connection because you have to work as a team to find the solution to the riddles and solve the tests that arise as you progress through the space. But if you feel lazy about participating (don’t, because it’s truly fun to do this with your little ones), another option offered by Aventurico Barcelona are the gymkhanas and virtual reality sessions. Additionally, they have a one-hour monitor service in case you want to take the opportunity to do something else in the meantime or simply rest for a little while without the little creatures.

Before choosing, take into account the age ranges that appear on the website and the number of players allowed. The venue is located at Carrer de Roger de Flor, 89, next to the Tetuan metro stop on line 2.

• Prices: From €18 per person, but it depends on the escape or game chosen and the number of players. If you book from this link, you get a €12 discount (watch the timer, as the discount lasts for one hour from the moment you enter the website).
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. as well, they couldn’t be broader. However, it is closed on Tuesdays.

*Oh, if it happens that you are visiting Barcelona during one of your children’s birthdays, ask me below in the comments because they have a special promotion to celebrate their party there with the code ESMICUMPLE.

The challenge of the Horta Labyrinth

If you want to do something different in Barcelona with children, the Horta Labyrinth, at the foot of the Collserola mountain range, is a good option. It is a hedge maze that was built in the 18th century and meticulously protects the sculpture of Eros located in the center. Children will enjoy exploring the maze to reach Eros and then looking for the exit.

Once you manage to get out, take a stroll through this place considered the oldest garden in the entire city, halfway between neoclassicism and romanticism. Fountains, pavilions, ponds, and sculptures add elegance to the labyrinth and its surroundings, designed by the Italian Domenico Bagutti.

If after overcoming the challenge of the Horta Labyrinth your children still feel like playing, there is also a very cool wooden park right outside.

• Opening hours: From April to October from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from November to March from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Prices: Adults pay 2.23 euros, children between 5 and 14 years old pay 1.42 euros, and children under 5 enter for free. On Wednesdays and Sundays, it is free.

Facing the Sagrada Familia

A stay in the Ciudad Condal would not be complete without visiting the city’s most famous monument and one of the most visited in the entire country: the Sagrada Familia Basilica. Gaud’s masterpiece, still unfinished, is a real magnet for tourists, and that includes children too.

Even from the outside, you can play with them, for example, by finding figures on the Nativity facade. Where are the Three Wise Men? And the Virgin Mary riding a donkey? Turn around and encourage them to recognize other figures and shapes on the Passion facade or to figure out what sum the numbers in the magic square add up to.

A good place to contemplate its curious silhouette with the children is the park, with a small lake and a playground, located in Plaza de Gaud. If you add an artisanal ice cream like the ones sold right on the corner at the Carambola ice cream parlor, it becomes a perfect plan to enjoy Barcelona with children. Happy kids, happy parents.

Although undoubtedly the ideal thing is to enter the temple and be amazed by the forest of stone columns designed by the architect that awaits you inside. Did you know that you can go up the towers of the Sagrada Familia? It is essential, however, to book your ticket in advance if you don’t want to be left out, as happened to me. Furthermore, so many people visit this basilica that the waiting times are huge, which is why if you are going to enter with children, a good idea is to get the skip-the-line visit to the Sagrada Familia to avoid the little ones getting tired even before entering.

• A good idea is to do the combined visit to the Sagrada Familia and Park Gell with this tour that includes both as well as transfers and the company of a guide.

The surprise of the Ciutadella Park

This green lung in the heart of the center is an ideal place to spend a few hours with children in Barcelona. You can ride the boats on the lake, greet the ducks, have a picnic in the shade, play with soap bubbles and, of course, contemplate the waterfall of the Ciudadela or Ciutadella Park. Inside are also the facilities of the Barcelona Zoo, but as I mentioned before I am not in favor of visiting this type of facility

Don’t forget to stop by and say hello to the life-size concrete mammoth that has been guarding the park since 1907. It was going to be the first of a series of extinct animals, but it never got to have any companions.

But if there is one plan to do with children in Barcelona for free and very fun, it is to visit the municipal toy library inside the Ciudadela. Laludo is a play space designed for children from 0 to 5 years old and it is a real gem that not everyone knows about. Here babies and toddlers can enjoy free play both outdoors and in an indoor space full of very interesting books and materials.

In addition to a wooden playhouse, there are also mats, balls, little pots to fill with sand, wheels, hoops, chalk, circuits… A lot of objects for the child’s imagination to bring to life and invent different proposals and games on their own. And in summer, I’ve been told that the fun multiplies because water joins the party. Bring a change of clothes and relax watching them enjoy themselves at their own pace with other children in Barcelona.

• Opening Hours: Ciutadella Park opens daily from 10:00 to 22:30. The Laludo schedule is different.
• Prices: Both the entrance to the park and the toy library are free. The only paid area is the Barcelona Zoo which costs €21 for adults and €12.95 for children aged 3 and up.

To the beach

Barcelona has several beaches that are very pleasant to visit with children. One of the most popular, due to its proximity to the city center, is Barceloneta beach which has a lot of services and is always lively (perhaps too much so).

If you prefer a quieter beach, Mar Bella is a good option. I also suggest going a bit further south and spending a day at the beaches of Castelldefels and Gava.

Eating in an enchanted forest

At the end of the Rambla, next to the Wax Museum, there is a place that I fell in love with the first time I was there twenty years ago and that, visiting Barcelona now with children, has made me fall in love again. It is El Bosc de les Fades, a very special place where you can have a drink, a soda or even eat as if you were in a real enchanted forest from a fairy tale.

Fairies, trees with a life of their own, small waterfalls and all kinds of corners that become even more magical when you hear the sounds of crickets, birds and even a storm setting the scene. You can choose between having a snack by the bridge, next to the well or in the room of magic mirrors. The kids were fascinated! Mind you, the darkness gave the youngest one a bit of pause when entering.

• Opening Hours: Daily from 10:30 to 01:00.

Up and down the Rambla

If there is one place to walk with your eyes wide open so you don’t miss anything, it is La Rambla in Barcelona, also called Las Ramblas. This lively avenue of just over a kilometer connects Plaza Cataluña with the Columbus monument right next to Port Vell, the old port.

You can start at the top at the Canaletas Fountain, pass in front of the Gran Teatre del Liceu and walk down looking for flower stalls and street performers. Halfway down, a good plan for things to do in Barcelona with children is to stop at the Boquería Market to show the little ones a taste of Catalan gastronomy. Without a doubt, what most catches the attention of the youngest are the human statues that are usually located down in the Drassanes area.

Traveling back in time through the center

In my opinion, the Gothic Quarter is the most beautiful in the Catalan capital, so save some time to walk through its streets as a family, such as the essential Carrer del Bisbe with the beautiful Bishop’s Bridge, and its squares such as Pi, Reial, Sant Jaume, Sant Felip Neri and, of course, Rei.

Next to the Barcelona Cathedral and its surrounding area, there is always someone making giant soap bubbles that drive children crazy, and many musicians. Take the opportunity to explain the city’s Roman past to them by looking for the remains of the walls.

Step by step, you can change neighborhoods while maintaining the medieval style and also explore Born and Ribera to admire the one known as the Cathedral of the Sea. Suggest to your little ones to look for the plaques on the facades that, during the Middle Ages, indicated the entrance and exit of each narrow street so that the carriages and horses of the artisans installed here would not collide. To get to know this area more deeply, I suggest the tour of Medieval Barcelona where, in addition, children under 7 go for free.

• If you want to know more curiosities and history of the center, a good suggestion for things to do with children in Barcelona is to sign up for this free tour of the most emblematic places. I was left wanting to do this one

Other plans in Barcelona with children

So far, I’ve told you about all those things I did with my three children, but there are many more places to enjoy as a family in the Barcelona city. Here are some that I have in mind for the next getaway:

-Be amazed by the colorful universe of Park Güell. Mind you, book tickets in advance because I missed out on going.

-The Sant Pau Recinto Modernista looks spectacular and also has plenty of outdoor space for children to run and play. In addition, for families with children between 6 and 11 years old, they offer a special visit with an activity kit, binoculars, and colored pencils (request it at the ticket office)

-Take a quick tour of the peninsula in Poble Espanyol where there are full-scale reproductions of monuments, streets, and buildings from many corners of the country.

-See the city from a bird’s eye view, either from the Montjuïc cable car or from the one that flies over Port Vell.

-The Montjuïc Castle offers, on weekends and holidays, a scavenger hunt for families with children between 6 and 12 years old to explore the grounds in a very fun way and earn a diploma! As of late April 2023, the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc is stopped due to the drought alert.

Where to stay in Barcelona with children

On this occasion, I didn’t stay in a hotel but in an exchange house on the outskirts in Sant Just Desvern. It was a great alternative that allowed us to stay eight nights in the middle of Easter without paying anything extra in a villa with a garden where there was a trampoline that delighted my children.

Do you know how home exchange works?
If you've never heard of this cooperative accommodation model that lets you travel the world staying in other people's homes while someone else stays in yours, have a look at this in-depth article where I explain how home exchange works.

I always use the HomeExchange platform: for the price of a yearly subscription, which in many cases is what one night in a hotel would cost you, you can make as many reciprocal exchanges as you like, or as many as your guestpoints allow. Check the current terms and sign up here.

If you don’t dare yet with this form of collaborative accommodation, I’ve looked for some more traditional hotel options in Barcelona to go with children:

-Catalonia Atenas. Besides the pool, which will surely be a success in summer, this hotel has a playground that makes life much easier and is well located.

–Novotel Barcelona City They also tempt you here with the pool, but when the weather isn’t right for a dip, there’s an indoor children’s area with stories, blocks, and toys that comes in handy.

–Catedral Bas Apartments. If you prefer to have more space and your own kitchen, these apartments right in the center are a luxury, but you have to be able to afford them.

Resources for your trip to Barcelona with kids

I encourage you to involve your children in this trip to the Catalan capital even before you pack your bags. Waking their curiosity about everything to do with the city—from monuments to gastronomy, its culture and festivals, as well as illustrious Catalan figures—will make them more involved and look forward to the visit. Here are the books I used to prepare for the stay in Barcelona with children.

My children love the book Barcelona Seek and Find, a very fun proposal for identifying iconic places and personalities like Gaudí, chef Carme Ruscalleda, or writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón, through very original illustrations.

There is no text, so you can use it from a young age and adapt the story yourself or increase the search difficulty level according to your children’s age. Be aware that the format is large, so it’s better to leave it for reading at home before you go.

And to take with you on the trip, I suggest the children’s guide Let’s Explore Barcelona, which is intended for slightly older children. Mine turned 6 there and loved it, although at that age you might need to help them a bit.

This book proposes routes to discover the city during which you have to solve riddles and complete missions that award points to young explorers to eventually earn a diploma. It also shares many interesting facts for adults too and includes QR codes with videos to complete the visits.

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