Best Places to Visit in Barcelona With Kids in 7 Days: Your Itinerary

Have you ever seen a child overwhelmed by the brightly coloured windows of a toy shop? Barcelona makes a similar impression on children. Magic, fairy tales, fantasy — these associations that Catalonia's capital evokes. Kidpassage has prepared a unique itinerary for families with children: following it, you will discover the main wonders of the city one by one. The itinerary includes recommendations on what to see in Barcelona in 7 days, and you can adjust it according to your plans.

Leave the city's main tourist routes aside for now — Barcelona invites children to a cosy green park, where it is pleasantly cool even in the hottest weather. Take a walk, go boating or have a picnic on the grass. Let the kids explore every corner of Ciutadella Park and head to Barcelona Zoo, one of the entrances is just off the park. Three hundred species of animals, birds, reptiles and fish live here. Children can watch the animal nursery in the youngsters' area and pet the pets in the mini-farm.

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Passeig Maritim's palm-lined promenade and landscaped beach are a 15-minute walk from the park, so you can bring your swimwear and relax by the sea. On the way, stop off at one of the gelaterias.

Tip: On the day of arrival (or even better, make sure you do it in advance), remember to buy one of the discount Barcelona Cards. Tourist cards (there are several types of them in Barcelona) include free admission to museums, exhibitions and galleries, sometimes free public transport, shuttle service, and other pleasant bonuses for tourists.

Even the most brief story about Barcelona cannot be done without mentioning the name of Antoni Gaudi. And what's interesting: the emotional works of this architect are well received by children. The first place you will encounter Gaudi's work is the Park Güell. Here, you can see the famous mosaic created from different shards and the symbol of Barcelona — the salamander and the bench with waves.

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Casa Batlló is another of Gaudi's famous works. If you visit it with your little ones, don't rush to tell them anything about the building. Let the kids tell you what the house looks like. Maybe you'll hear a story about a dragon that lays down by the seashore waiting for careless travellers. And if you carelessly comment on the smooth lines of the building ("You can't even put it in a corner here"), the child will remember this building feature.

Gaudi's most famous masterpiece is the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Of course, visiting it with teenagers who can appreciate the idea's greatness is better. But young children can see something of their own in the facades of the cathedral and its interior: a sand castle or a fairy-tale forest. Besides, for children 6-12 years old, there is a special audio guide that explains the history of construction and the symbolism of the temple's decoration. After the tour, you can relax in the neighbouring park with a good children's playground.

Tip: next to the Sagrada Familia is La Jijonenca, a gelateria that sells dozens of unusual ice creams. See what they have to offer, even if you don't consider yourself to have a sweet tooth.

If you haven't been to the sea in Barcelona yet, it's time to go there. And not by metro but by foot along the Rambla, the city's main pedestrian street. It has everything — street performers and souvenir shops, small cafes and the huge Boqueria market, Joan Miró's mosaics and the tiles on the Rambla section leading to the Columbus Monument, reminiscent of the shadows of waves on a sandy bottom.

Next to the monument, in the buildings of the XIII century shipyards, is the Maritime Museum. In its halls, you will see an atlas of Amerigo Vespucci, a model of Magellan's ship, an ancient galley, and one of the first submarines. You can also examine the ship's sailor's cabin and study the sail control system.

And if you walk across the footbridge towards the harbour, you'll reach the Barcelona Aquarium, one of the largest in Europe. As well as looking at the large and small fish swimming behind the glass, children can immerse themselves in the oceans' mysteries in the interactive Explora zone.

Tip: The Rambla leads out to the port of Barcelona, where boat trips are organised.

Montjuïc Hill is not Everest; it is only 173 metres high. But climbing to such a height is already an achievement for a child. Besides, you will be comfortably taken to the top by a funicular and then by a cable car, and you will be left to descend from the hill, seeing its numerous sights on the way.

At the top of Montjuïc stands an ancient fortress, the history of which began in the XVII century. Today, it is one of the best vantage points in Barcelona and the location of the Military Museum, where a regiment of tin soldiers is stationed. And a playful costume race with obstacles is held in the fortress before Christmas.

Down the slope is the Botanical Garden, which contains plants native to the Mediterranean climate. The garden often hosts games and educational activities for children.

Go even lower, and all of Spain is at your feet. Buildings typical of different parts of the country are gathered in the Spanish Village. It looks less like a museum than a museum: artisans work here, chefs prepare traditional delicacies, and souvenir vendors lure shoppers. And in the evening, the flamenco theatre opens its doors. Also, the Spanish Village has a gallery with works of famous painters of the twentieth century, including Picasso, Dalí and Miró.

Works by other master painters are on display at the Museu Nacional de Arte de Catalunya. If you have long wanted to show your child the original paintings of Velázquez, El Greco and Rubens, take advantage of the museum's rich collection and the fact that children under 16 are entitled to free admission.

In the evening, take the best seats in front of the National Museum to see the Magic Fountain show. As the magnificent music of the water jets dances in the darkness, you'll want to hold your breath so you don't miss a second of this mesmerising experience.

Tip: Walking around Montjuïc will take all day, so wear comfortable shoes and bring sandwiches, drinks and a picnic blanket. Toddlers will need a pram.

Barcelona's highest mountain and the city's oldest amusement park are in the same place. The rides installed in 1928 are still in operation on Mount Tibidabo. Rare merry-go-rounds keep the kids busy, and in a Ferris wheel, you can soar under the clouds and see the neat cubes of the Eixample neighbourhood, the lace towers of the Sagrada Familia and ocean liners in Barcelona harbour.

At the top of Tibidabo are about 30 dozen rides and a small Sky Walk moon park. There are also theatrical performances, and in July, Castellers — masters of building "human towers" — come here to participate in a competition.

Are you looking for other things to do in Barcelona for the kids? The CosmoCaixa Museum opens its doors to the young curious. Travelling to the Earth's centre, flying into space, getting in touch with wildlife, studying natural phenomena — all this is possible in the museum halls. For children aged 3-9, there is a separate territory of knowledge where even pranks with water become a part of a scientific experiment.

Another informative museum in Barcelona is the Blau Museum of Natural Sciences. Here, the main object of attention is our planet, its appearance and development history, and the variety of living organisms inhabiting it. Original interactive exhibits help to get information.

Tip: Even on a hot day, Mount Tibidabo can be chilly. Take care of warm clothes for the whole family.

The list of things to see in Barcelona with kids goes on and on. But it would be wrong to ignore the neighbourhoods of the Catalan capital, which are full of exciting places.

PortAventura, Spain's most famous amusement park, is just an hour's drive from Barcelona. Breathtaking rides, large-scale shows with indescribable special effects, a corner of the Caribbean Sea in the water park and hotels for those who do not want to leave the park without trying all its pleasures — that is what "PortAventura" is. The park's youngest guests can enjoy the attractions of the Sesamoaventura-themed area and the Area Infantil playground. Extreme seekers will find it on the Shambhala ride, Europe's highest and fastest roller coaster with the most prolonged free fall.

Much closer to Barcelona is the Catalonia in Miniature Park. Here, you can see 150 mini-copies of the main sights of this part of Spain in a couple of hours. If you've visited Barcelona's outstanding buildings before, your child will easily recognise Gaudi's creations. As a bonus, the park offers four rope courses, the simplest of which is accessible to children from the age of 3.

And if the heat is so hot that you don't want to go sightseeing, take a bus labelled Illa Fantasia and it will take you to the water park. At the "Fantasy Island" (that's how the name translates), children will find a water "Pirate's Maze" and several safe slides, while teenagers and adults will discover 20 slides of varying difficulty.

Tip: Almost everywhere in Catalonia has picnic areas. Take the children's favourite food and feast in the open air.

Leaving a sightseeing tour for the last day is an atypical decision, isn't it? But when travelling with a child, it's best to consider Barcelona piece by piece so that a colourful puzzle comes together at the end. It's so lovely to sit on the first floor of a "Bus Touristik" and enjoy recognition — here are the gingerbread houses in Güell Park, the Ferris wheel on Mount Tibidabo, the Sagrada Familia, the Citadel Park, Mount Montjuïc... A bus trip around Barcelona will help to consolidate in your child's memory everything he or she has seen before.

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And when it's time to think about what to bring from Barcelona as a gift for family and friends, check out our list of tips. And, of course, let your child buy something that will be a personal reminder of Barcelona.

So, traditional souvenirs from Barcelona: figures of a Catalan donkey or a mosaic lizard from the Güell Park, cups or other items decorated with characteristic mosaics, FC Barcelona jerseys and other merchandise with the club's symbols.

Tip: You'll find unique handmade items in the Spanish Village.

It's time to leave, and you don't want to go? Drink water from the drinking fountain on the Rambla — they say it's the key to returning to Barcelona.