~ This post was written by Ricardo Ramirez. A passionate traveler and resident of Barcelona for more than 20 years, he is the co-founder of barcelonando.com and part of the Guiajando team.
barcelonando.com is an online guide to discover the secrets and most authentic corners of Barcelona, from the most emblematic places, where he shares practical tips to visit them, to the best information on what to do, how to get around and where to stay in Barcelona.
Barcelona is a perfect destination to enjoy with the family, with a wide variety of activities designed for the little ones. From theme parks to beaches, interactive museums to large green spaces, the city offers endless options to have fun together.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the 25 best things to do in Barcelona with kids, so you can create lasting memories on your next trip to the Catalan capital. Get ready to explore, learn, and make the most of Barcelona with your little adventurers!
1. Visit the Barcelona Aquarium
The Barcelona Aquarium is the largest Mediterranean aquarium in Europe. Kids will love going through its huge glass tunnel with sharks, manta rays and other marine animals swimming around. Throughout the day, there are also engaging shows and feeding sessions..
There’s no shortage of interactive exhibits where kids can push buttons, climb through tubes, go down slides and release their energy with educational stimuli. On the second floor, you’ll find an outdoor playground where you can have a snack and a drink while keeping an eye on your little ones.
2. See the Sagrada Familia
A visit to the Sagrada Familia is a must on the list of things to do in Barcelona with kids. Its architecture and history are so fascinating that it will keep them on their toes. If you go on a sunny day the colors reflected through the stained glass windows steal the show and their attention.
While the audio guide is not suitable for children, you can share the most fascinating facts, such as that Gaudí is buried there, and the church has been under construction for more than 140 years. Just opposite there’s also a children’s playground, ideal for children to play in before or after your visit.
3. Explore Park Güell
Continuing with the Gaudí theme, Park Güell is a huge park overlooking the city. The architecture is truly eye-catching for kids, with houses that look like they’re made of gingerbread, colorful tile mosaics, fun curved lines and funky walkways to walk under and over.
The most spectacular part of the park is the Monumental Zone, which covers 12 hectares. Here you can see the famous Dragon Staircase, the incredible Hypostyle Hall, the open-air Greek Theater and the famous Portico of the Laundress. There are also playgrounds and a large picnic area.
4. Have a sweet time at the Chocolate Museum
A chocolate-stained mouth is a classic image of childhood. What child could resist an entire museum dedicated to this sweet temptation? Barcelona has its own, which tells the story of chocolate from its origins and displays incredible works of art made from chocolate. Of course, a visit to the Chocolate Museum wouldn’t be complete without the opportunity to hold it in your hands and taste it. Plus, on weekends, the museum organizes workshops and game sessions for children up to 12 years old, creating different and entertaining experiences for them.
5. Discover Spain’s treasures at Poble Espanyol
The Poble Espanyol (Catalan for “Spanish Village”), recreates life-sized streets, squares and buildings from all over the country. Many stores display traditional Spanish crafts and the restaurants also have various regional themes. Within the village you will even find a gallery with works by Dalí and Picasso.
You can sign up for one of their many workshops – from gardening to pottery — ideal for older children. You can also take part in their pirate-themed family gymkhana: a treasure hunt with clues that will lead you to discover all the secret corners of the town.
6. Feel the excitement at Tibidabo Amusement Park
The Tibidabo Amusement Park stands out among the places to go with children in Barcelona. With Barcelona at your feet, you have access to attractions for all ages, including a carousel, roller coasters and a Ferris wheel. The park has an old-fashioned feel thanks to its vintage-style rides, which gives it a distinctive charm.
Don’t miss the fun distortion mirror maze at Miramiralls, and the puppet shows at the Marionetarium. The Panoramic Area on level 6 is a must-see. Here, you can hop aboard the Avió, a 1928 plane with tons of history, grab a bite to eat and take in the beautiful views.
7. Be near nature at Parc de la Ciutadella
Parc de la Ciutadella is an oasis for all ages. You’ll always find groups of friends and families hanging out, often having picnics, playing music or ping-pong.
There is a life-size woolly mammoth sculpture that’s a fun photo opportunity for children, and a pond in the middle of the park where you can rent paddle boats. You can also rent a bike and pedal around for a while, or feed the ducks and geese on the lake.
The park is also home to the Catalan Parliament, several botanical greenhouses (not usually open to the public) and, more excitingly for children, the Barcelona Zoo.
8. Visit the renown Zoo of Barcelona
Right in the center of the city, inside the Parc de la Ciutadella, is the Barcelona Zoo. It’s home to all kinds of animals, including hippos, prehistoric-looking rhinos, sea lions, elephants, giraffes, lions and tigers. You can also learn facts about their extinction and conservation efforts.
The little ones will have a guaranteed day of fun with pony rides, dragon land, the flying aviary and two excellent play areas. Be sure to take them to the farm, where they can have contact with goats, cows, sheep, pigs, donkeys and horses.
9. Be fascinated by the Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló is a beautiful house designed by Gaudí, with his characteristic colorful style that children love. It offers a fun augmented reality tour, as well as two rooms where impressive light projections bring Gaudí’s inspirations to life. It’s a great sensory experience.
The audio guide for kids uses interactive phones that show the rooms in an alternative way, which is super fun and engaging. You also have the option to take a dramatized tour. Overall, it’s a great activity for families. The venue even offers baby carriers and can store your stroller.
10. Have a complete day of fun at PortAventura
About 90 minutes by car, or 75 minutes by train, from Barcelona is PortAventura Park, a world-class theme park with attractions for all ages. It’s composed of six themed areas packed with fun for the whole family, along with stores, restaurants, and shows.
Children can ride bumper cars, a kiddie roller coaster, and the Far West carousel. In the Polynesia area, a fun canoe ride on lakes and rivers awaits them, and Sésamoaventura promises a fun experience with Elmo and his animal friends.
11. Take a Barcelona Bus Tour
One of the best things to do in Barcelona with kids is to take a nice sightseeing bus ride around the city. Go up to the second floor on a sunny day and enjoy the highlights from a different perspective, plus you can hop on and off whenever you want.
The audio guide is useful for learning more about these places, and the sightseeing bus, with its various routes, offers a practical way to get around the city in a fun way. Choose a 24 or 48-hour ticket and get ready to experience the vibrant rhythm of Barcelona on wheels.
12. Play by the Port Vell
Port Vell is the oldest part of the picturesque port of Barcelona, full of boats, including many surprisingly luxurious superyachts. It’s a great spot for a stroll while the kids will have fun looking at all the boats. It is also next to the aquarium and a park for jogging.
13. See Barcelona from the sea
If seeing the boats is not enough, you can also take a nice boat ride. Very close to Port Vell, in Moll Drassanes, the tourist cruise Las Golondrinas leaves. This will take you on a 15-kilometer ride along the coast full of fun and adventure for young and old alike.
There is nothing like seeing the city from the water, so this is an unmissable activity to do in Barcelona with children. Delight your eyes with the Port Olímpic, the beaches of Barcelona and the huge Diagonal Mar, a shopping mall with more than 200 fashion stores.
14. Visit the great Spotify Camp Nou and FC Barcelona Museum
You won’t have a hard time finding things to do in Barcelona with kids if your child is a soccer fan. FC Barcelona is one of the most famous teams in Spain and the world. In the Catalan capital, their home, you can visit the Spotify Camp Nou (temporarily closed for renovations) and the Barça museum.
The museum visit includes an audio guide, access to the immersive Spotify Camp Nou Live room and the building’s viewing platform. You can also opt for the total experience, which in addition to all of the above, includes the Robokeeper 3-shot challenge, Barça Virtual Dream and a digital photo of the visit.
15. Take in the sights from a Montjuïc Cable Car
Kids generally love heights, and no activity could be better for the whole family than a ride on the Montjuïc cable car to see the city from above.
The cable car runs for 750 meters and stops at Montjuïc Castle, another fun place to visit with kids. If you don’t go inside, you can explore the outside and see some canyons, but to go up there and not pay a visit would be sacrilege.
16. Explore Montjuïc Castle
While you make it to Montjuïc, make the most of being on the mountain by taking in the numerous parks and botanical gardens, the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, at the very top, the Montjuïc Castle. Built between 1640 and 1779, the castle is full of curiosities that will surely catch the attention of the little ones.
17. Experience the Paradox Museum
As fun as it is educational, the Paradox Museum is an innovative space designed to put logic and perception to the test. The museum has 70 interactive spaces to surprise yourself with optical effects and other deceptions of perception. Although it may seem like magic, it’s all science!
Besides being a great activity to do in Barcelona with children, it is also a unique opportunity to take fun photos and videos that will grow the family album.
18. See the Barcelona Wax Museum
The wax museum, located in a beautiful old building on La Rambla, is one of the best places for kids in Barcelona. It was completely renovated in 2020, and today you can find famous people such as Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Adele, Elton John, and Michael Jackson.
Of course, you’ll also find great masters of science, music and painting, such as Cervantes, Shakespeare, Dalí and Picasso. The most interesting part of the museum is the vault, where you can experience a simulation of how robbers try to escape with their loot.
19. Indulge in Churros
Here’s a treat for children and adults alike: a morning stop for some churros at one of the city’s classic churrerías. The crispy sticks of fried dough are sprinkled with sugar and served with a cup of thick chocolate, creating the perfect combination.
Satisfying that craving won’t be hard, as there is no shortage of churrerías in Barcelona. I recommend any of these 3 traditional churrerías – they won’t disappoint!
Churrería J: a Barcelona classic, open since 1968 (Carrer del Comte d’Urgell, 218, L’Eixample, 08036, Barcelona)
Granja La Pallaresa: another classic where they serve churros and chocolate a la taza, as well as ensaimadas, cocas and ice cream (C/ de Petritxol, 11, Ciutat Vella, 08002, Barcelona)
Churrería Laietana: they offer very good quality churros, and can accompany them with delicious hot chocolate. You can also order fritters, cakes, and ice cream (Via Laietana, 46, Ciutat Vella, 08003, Barcelona)
20. See the Palau de la Música Catalana
The Palau de la Música Catalana is often mistaken for a Gaudí creation due to the colorful tiles on its façade. However, it is the work of modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. The building is impressive both inside and out and is definitely worth a visit.
For the little ones, a self-guided tour may be the best option, but they also offer guided tours that include fast-track entry. For older kids, there is an escape room-style guided tour. Family performances are also offered throughout the year.
21. Get lost in el Laberint d’Horta
The classic hedge maze at Parc del Laberint is a great place to take the kids, located in one of the oldest gardens in Barcelona. It is about a 25 minute metro ride from the center of the city – making it a lovely green space further away from the city’s bustle to spend some time.
22. Take in the ocean breeze on the beaches of Barcelona
In many ways this is a no-brainer. Barcelona has a fairly long coastline and its urban beaches are certainly worth a family trip. Nova Icaria and Bogatell beaches are known for being quieter than the beaches near Barceloneta.
If you visit during the summer and want to take your kids to the beach, do not go on weekends if you want to avoid the crowds.
23. Go to Illa Fantasia Waterpark
The waterpark Illa Fantasia is a paradise of winding slides, huge pools and wave machines that no child can resist. You can get there by train (30 minutes from the city center) and there is a free shuttle bus from the station to the park.
The park is open from mid-June to early September, and the best part is that children under 0.90m tall don’t pay admission.
24. Live the full Gaudí Experience
In Barcelona, learning about Gaudí never ends, especially if you haven’t experienced the Gaudí Experience. It’s a fun way to immerse yourself in the works of this Catalan architect and learn a little more about them through a virtual tour of the city.
In addition, there are also interactive exhibits with touch screens and scale models, all of which are interesting ways to learn about Gaudí’s mentality and inspirations. Please note that this activity is for children from 6 years old.
With this list of 25 activities, finding fun things for kids to do in Barcelona is easy. From interactive museums to sandy beaches, there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained. Leverage your trip with the Barcelona Family Fun City Pass. Dive into the city’s fun and unique offerings and create lasting memories together. Use these suggestions to explore every corner of Barcelona and make the most of your visit.
