BARCELONA FOR KIDS
People usually associate Barcelona with party, music, art and in general more adult-orientated activities, but the truth is that it is an extremely kid-friendly city and there are plenty of things you can do in Barcelona if you have kids.
BARCELONA FOR KIDS : MUSEUMS
We can highly recommend several museums that are very kid-friendly, and depending on the interest of your kids, you can choose from the following options.
One of the most interesting museums is Cosmo Caixa. A social initiative by La Caixa bank, here you can find a miniature Amazonian rain forest, a planetarium and many interesting activities and workshops for children. Almost everything is interactive, with the idea of making it fun to learn about science and the natural world. For more information on opening times, admission fees and special events, click on the picture.
The Chocolate museum is also another favorite (for obvious reasons) and they offer many activities for the young ones who are moving to Barcelona , for example: Making a chocolate figure or a drawing with melted chocolate” are among the activities they can do. Besides this wide range of activities on offer, the museum has teaching materials aimed at the infant, primary and secondary stages. Click on the picture for their website with information.
AMUSEMENT PARKS
You can choose among several parks in Barcelona and in Catalunya. Of course the most famous one is Port Aventura. There we commend you spend at least 2 days. Should you wish to do this, there are a variety of hotels to choose from that are part of the park. The park is accessible by Renfe train from Sants Station, where you can buy a combination return ticket which also includes entrance to the park. It takes about an hour by train. Click on the picture for info.
Of course if you have less time to travel you can visit Tibidabo Amusement park – it is much smaller but also offers various attractions for children of different ages, as well as for adults. It is located at the top of Tibidabo, and is accessible either by car, or by means of a cable car dedicated to Tibidabo. It is a must-see for anyone who is moving to Barcelona! Click on the picture for their website.
For the hot summer months, the second best alternative to going to the beach, is going to water park! In Catalunya, the most popular one is Illa Fantasia, which has over 20 different water slides and 3 massive swimming pools. To get there, take the Renfe from Sants or Plaza Catalunya and get off at Premia de Mar station. From there a free shuttle bus will get you to the park in about 5 minutes. Click the logo for their website with information ->
Golondrinas (double-decker tour boats) offer two different types of tours : A harbour tour, and a coastal tour. Located in front of the Columbus statue near the Portal de la Pau, the port tours are operated on a daily basis from 12.00 and 17.00, and takes about 35 minutes(great for smaller kids) and costs 6,00 Euros for adults, and 2,30 Euro for kids. The coastal tour takes about 90 minutes and costs 12 Euro for adults, 5 Euro for kids. Note that the coastal tour is weather dependent.
One of the most popular activities for kids is the Aquarium in Barcelona. Located in Port Vell next to the IMAX theater (now closed), this aquarium is the foremost when it comes to Mediterranean species, while at the same time offering no limits by any means on any of the other displays and tanks. One very special activity is Sleeping with Sharks! Priced at 80 Euros, children between 8 and 12 learn more about the fascinating animals. The price includes dinner and breakfast, and the children sleep in front of the shark tank. Click on the picture for the website and info.