Barcelona with children
Our excursions
Barcelona with children
Our excursions
My recommendations for you
Things to do in Barcelona with kids
I have put off writing this article for far too long or have not had it in my head in places. Yet, it is so obvious. Why should others who don’t have children or don’t live in Barcelona should know better what to do than me, who regularly takes her twins to the city’s museums? But sometimes you just have a plank in front of your head 🙂
That’s why I’m sharing my years of experience and tips that I’ve gathered with my two girls in Barcelona’s museums and sights!
Have fun with it!
Yours, Céline
What we already
have visited!
It’s a long list… That’s why I really wonder why I didn’t do something with it earlier 😀
I’ll give you a little age recommendation, but it can be slightly different for different children. The ages given don’t always correspond to the age of my children at the time of the visit.
- Zoo of Barcelona (from 2)
- Aquarium of Barcelona (from 2)
- Park Güell (from 2)
- Chocolate Museum (from 3/4)
- Museum Blau (from 4)
- IDEAL (from 5)
- Cosmo Caixa (from 5)
- Sagrada Familia (from 5)
- Balloon Museum & Bubble Planet (from 5)
- Boat trip (from 5)
- Museum of Illusionen (from 5)
- Hop Bus Tour (from 5)
- Hospital de Sant Pau (from 6)
- Museum of City History (from 6)
- Poble Espanyol (from 6)
- MNAC (from 6)
- Picasso Museum (from 6)
- Flamenco Show (from 6)
- Sailing boat trip (from 6)
- Casa Vicens (from 7/8)
From 2
Barcelona Zoo
For very young visitors to Barcelona, a visit to the zoo is an obvious choice. It offers a break from regular sightseeing. The little ones can move around freely, discover animals, play in the (very cool) playground and you don’t have to worry about anything breaking (like in a museum). They can run, scream and be themselves.
I went there a lot with my children at that age (up to about 4).
We only ever visited one part of the zoo, had picnics or ate at the snack bars and always spent a lot of time in the playground. It’s really nice and the older they got, the more they could do here!
The price is admittedly a bit steep… We had an annual pass, so it was a bit cheaper.
Prices:
EUR 21.40 for children aged 13 and over and adults
EUR 12.95 for children from 3 to 12 years
Free admission for infants (0-2 years)
Currently cheaper with us!
Opening hours:
1 January to 26 March:
Monday – Friday: 10.00 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 10.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
27 March to 6 April:
Daily, 10.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
7 April to 30 April:
daily, 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
2 May to 15 September:
10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m.
16 September to 26 October:
10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
27 October to 31 December:
10.00 a.m. – 5.00* p.m.
(*25 December, only until 2 p.m.)
From 2
The Barcelona Aquarium
Even pricier than the zoo, but also an experience. However, we were only there when my twos were 4. They had their children’s cameras with them and off we went! Colourful fish, sharks, and even the divers in the tanks – nothing was safe from the camera 😉
On my first visit to the aquarium (still childless), I didn’t think much about the kids’ area, I thought it was good that there was something like that, but nothing more. But now I KNOW that it’s great! They had a loooooong time having fun here. In the submarine there are countless colourful buttons and lights, there are slides, and you can also get very close to fish. An almost true-to-size whale can be visited inside, and there is a world of jellyfish that glow in the dark. The children were happy 🙂
Prices:
EUR 26 for children aged 11 and over and adults
EUR 19 for children between 5 and 10 years
EUR 11 for children aged 3 and 4
Free admission for children aged 0 – 2 years
Same price with us!
Opening hours:
1 November – 24 March:
Monday to Friday, 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m.
Weekends and public holidays, 10.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
25 March – 30 June: daily, 10.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
1 July – 10 September: daily, 10.00 a.m. – 9.00 p.m.
11 September – 31 October: daily, 10.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
1 minute with us in the aquarium!
From 2
Park Güell
We visited Park Güell when the two of them were 2 years old. It’s a park, so it’s actually suitable for all ages. It just depends on what you want to achieve with the visit. Do you just want them to run around and explore, or do you also want them to learn something ;).
The park is perfect for the former at this age! Paths that lead past lots of greenery, a playground, a lookout for older children that you have to climb, the Gaudi area with the colourful mosaic benches, the lizard and so on. There are picnic areas where you can actually have a relaxed picnic. Great for all little ones who want to move around, where you don’t have to be quiet and still discover a great sight.
The green area is free to visit. However, the Gaudi area costs an entrance fee.
Official site:
EUR 10 for adults and children aged 13 and over
EUR 7 for children aged between 7 and 12
Free admission up to 6 years
Price on my site:
EUR 13.40 for adults and children aged 13 and over*
EUR 9.50 for children between 7 and 12 years*
free admission up to 6 years
Unfortunately, the prices at the agencies are pricier, but you would be supporting the work on this website. Thank you very much for that! 🙏
From 3/4
Chocolate museum
Yes, as an adult I’m of two minds about the Chocolate Museum… The first time I visited it for the site, I didn’t think it was that great (I still don’t 😉 ). But the children liked it… Was it perhaps because of the ticket? It’s made of chocolate… They ran from figure to figure and had a great time. Well, chocolate fans…
I still think that the figurines should be updated, or more current figurines should be exhibited: we still know Lucky Luck, but the next generation can’t do much with it any more. Right?
Prices:
EUR 7 for children aged 6 and over and adults
EUR 5.60 for senior citizens aged 65 and over, single parents
Free admission for children under 6
Same price with us!
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays, 10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.
From 4
Museum Blau
When we were there, the children were just 3 years old… That was perhaps a year too early. It was fun for them, but of course they didn’t ‘understand’ what was on display. They found the stuffed animals ‘beautiful’ and the dinosaur bones exciting. But yes, explanations went in and out of there ;).
Personally, I think Cosmo Caixa is also nicer and more interactive for children – so if you have the choice: go to Cosmo Caixa!
Prices:
Combi ticket with permanent exhibition ‘Planet Life’: This makes the most sense
EUR 7 for adults aged 30 and over
EUR 6.50 for people aged between 16 and 29 and senior citizens aged 65 and over
Free admission for children under 16
Museum only (I thought Planet Life was standard)
EUR 6 for adults aged 30 and over
EUR 2.70 for people aged between 16 and 29 and seniors aged 65 and over
Free admission for children under 16
Opening hours:
October to February
Tuesday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
March to September
Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 7pm
Sundays and public holidays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
From 5
IDEAL
At the IDEAL, it’s all about the exhibition. We warned there when there was the immersive show about Frida Kahlo. Since then, my girls have loved Frida and whenever they see her portrait anywhere, I’m reminded of it 🙂
Most of the great artists such as Monet, Klimt, Dali and Van Gogh would certainly have been suitable for children (but they were still too young at the time). One of my girls has always been a bit scared of mummies and Egypt – that’s why I didn’t go there with the girls. But there is always something to see at IDEAL.
In addition to the reappraisal of artists’ lives, there is always a colouring area – great for children! Then there’s the big room with the main show. And at the end, there’s always the opportunity to immerse yourself in the worlds again with VR glasses. Mine liked that too!
Prices vary depending on the show:
EUR 14.50 for children aged 13 and over and adults
EUR 9.50 for children aged between 4 and 12, for senior citizens aged 65 and over
Free admission for children up to 3 years
Opening hours (only if there is also an exhibition):
Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., or 9.00 p.m. You have to book a time slot!
From 5
Cosmo Caixa
This was a really successful excursion. The children were almost 6 years old and they really enjoyed exploring and asking lots of questions!
Cosmo Caixa is the perfect place to let the little explorers loose on everything. From the Big Bang and the development of Homo sapiens to various technical experiments. And the good thing is that you can touch and try out everything! There is even a small rainforest where it actually rains occasionally!
You can easily spend several hours here, the price is reasonable… But: it’s a bit ‘off the beaten track’.
Prices:
EUR 8 for people aged 16 and over
free admission for children under 16
Opening hours:
Daily, 10.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
Join us for 1 minute at Cosmo Caixa!
From 5
Sagrada Familia
That was also a successful visit! So good that they want to go again soon and also want to go up the towers! But this is only possible from the age of 6, for your information.
They had fun looking for the animals in the façade, seeing the story of Jesus and were amazed by the play of light inside the church. What also surprised me – they also found the museum super exciting – including a film about the construction of the Sagrada Família.
The Sagrada Família was also painted during the meal afterwards 🙂
Prices:
Official site – without tower:
EUR 26 for adults over 30 years old
EUR 25 for adults under 30 years of age
EUR 21 for seniors over 65 years old
Free admission for children under 11
With me, unfortunately, pricier:
EUR 33,80 for adults over 30 years*
EUR 31.20 for adults under 30*
free admission for children under 11
*By purchasing through us you can support the work on the site. 😘
Opening hours:
March and October: Monday to Friday: 9.00 am to 7.00 pm. Saturdays: 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. Sundays: 10.30 am to 7.00 pm.
April to September: Monday to Friday: 9.00 am to 8.00 pm. Saturdays: 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. Sundays: 10.30 to 20.00.
November to February: Monday to Saturday: 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. Sundays: 10.30 to 18.00.
From 5
Balloon Museum & Bubble Planet
I visited both pop-up museums with my girls in summer 2024. Suddenly, there were 2x this offer – so we had to compare them somehow ;).
Balloon Museum
Our favourite of the two. So big, so high quality and really well designed for children.
We were there on the first day, on 1 May, and it was so, so full! I could have guessed that beforehand 😉
The only problem: there is only one toilet at the BEGINNING of the tour…. And with children, you never know when it’s going to be urgent. So we had to work our way to the front or back somewhere in the centre. Walking back was not an option for me. So we cheated our way past all kinds of queues in front of the individual rooms towards the end and told several employees that we’d be back! 😉
The first tree at the exit had to be used… But then we continued in a relaxed manner 😉
First row of the photo gallery.
Prices: Everything included in the price!
Thursdays + Fridays:
EUR 18 for children aged 13 and over and adults
EUR 16 for seniors over 65
EUR 14 for children between 4 and 12 years
Saturday + Sunday:
EUR 20 for children aged 13 and over and adults
EUR 18 for seniors over 65 years
EUR 16 for children between 4 and 12 years
Opening hours
Only until 24 November 2024
Thursdays + Fridays: 12.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
Saturday + Sunday: 11.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
(6 p.m. is the last admission time)
Bubble Planet
The location was a little smaller, also nice – fortunately not so crowded, but somehow I wasn’t so cached. Maybe because they charged an extra 3 euros for the cloakroom and the VR experience, which we were looking forward to, also cost an extra 3 euros. After that, my mood was a little sad.
But one thing was better here: the children could spend unlimited time in the ball pool. (The one at the Balloon was much nicer but only accessible for 10 minutes).
Second row of the photo gallery.
Prices: EXTRAS charged on site!
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday:
EUR 17.90 for children aged 13 and over and adults
EUR 15.90 for senior citizens aged 65 and over
EUR 13,90 for children between 3 and 12 years
Saturday + Sunday:
EUR 19.90 for children aged 13 and over and adults
EUR 16.90 for seniors aged 65 and over
EUR 14,90 for children between 3 and 12 years
Opening hours
Only until 30 November 2024
Wednesday + Thursdays: 10.30 – 19.00 (=last admission)
Friday: 10.30 – 20.00 (=last admission)
Saturday: 10.00 – 20.00 (=last admission)
Sunday: 10.00 – 19.00 (=last admission)
From 5
Boat trip
In the summer of 2023, we took a boat trip with the Barcelona Golondrinas for the first time. On that day, we first did something cultural (Sagrada Familia) and then something completely different! It was a great mix for the kids. A bit of adventure and you could see Barcelona from an entirely different perspective.
What’s more, the boats are relatively cheap, perhaps not ideal from an environmental perspective, but well. If you’d like to try a different way – we’ll be out on a sailing boat in summer 2024 – more on that below.
Another alternative would be a trip on a catamaran…
Golondirnas tour 1 hour
EUR 11.50 for adults and children aged 11 and over
EUR 9 for students & senior citizens
EUR 4,50 for children between 5 and 10 years
Golondirnas tour 40 minutes
EUR 8 for adults and children aged 11 and over
EUR 7 for students & senior citizens
EUR 4 for children between 4 and 10 years
Alternative: Sunset Catamaran
Prices:
EUR 25,50 for adults
EUR 21,50 for children between 13 and 17 years
EUR 16.50 for children between 2 and 12 years old
1 minute with us on the Golondrinas boat!
From 5
Museum of Illusionen
We went to the Museum of Illusions on a chilly, rainy February day… And it was exactly the right decision. The children were only 4 years old (so it works with younger children too). Masks were still compulsory for adults, which unfortunately spoilt the photos a bit, but fortunately that’s a thing of the past.
The walls of the museum are painted with pictures which, depending on where you stand, invite you to create optical illusions. The children really enjoyed it! Especially when they realised what the photos would look like in the end ;).
Prices:
Museum of Illusions: EUR 15
Children under 5 years have free admission
Big Fun Museum (another Location): EUR 25
The combined ticket for both: EUR 30
From 5
Hop Bus Ride
We’ve only tried the Christmas tour, and this we’ve done twice ;).
Mine love sitting on the bus and seeing the city – and, in our case, the Christmas lights. They really want to do a trip during the day.
On the Christmas lights tour, you sit for 1.5 hours and look at everything. On the regular tour you can stay seated, but you can also stop at any time (wee-wee, food, sightseeing) – there are some pros and cons for both!
Regular hop-on hop-off bus ride during the day:
24 hours:
EUR 30.50 for children aged 13 and over + adults
EUR 25.80 for senior citizens aged 65 and over
EUR 16.60 for children between 4 and 12 years old
48 hours:
EUR 40.60 for children aged 13 and over + adults
EUR 36 for seniors aged 65 and over
EUR 21.20 for children between 4 and 12 years of age
From 6
Hospital de Sant Pau
While we’re on the subject of Christmas…
I also went to see the light show at the Hospital de Sant Pau. But only with one twin, the other was ill in bed. We will make up for it again this year!
The hospital is a beautiful, modernist hospital. Perhaps not really intended for children – you have to imagine a lot…
But: these Christmas lights here are just great and definitely recommended for a visit with children… If you happen to be here over Christmas 😉
The artworks change every year, so we’re excited about this year!
The ‘Llums de Sant Pau’ will take place this year from 21 November 2024 to 12 January 2025.
Opening hours in the evening only:
From 6pm (Nov), or 5.30pm (Dec/Jan) until 9pm as last admission time.
Prices:
Official Website
always
EUR 15 for adults
EUR 13 for children up to 18 years, senior citizens
free admission for children up to 3 years
With my Agency:
Monday – Thursday:
EUR 15 15 for adults
EUR 13 for children up to 18 years, senior citizens
Weekends:
EUR 18.60 for adults
EUR 16.20 for children up to 18 years, senior citizens
More expensive on weekends with Tiqets. But this way, you support this site! 🙈
1 Minute at the Llums de Sant Pau 2023/2024
From 6
Museum of City History
This museum is all about Barcelona’s beginnings as a Roman settlement. And then you end up in the medieval hall where Columbus presented his first gifts from America. But first you take the lift down to Barcino – as Barcelona was called in Roman times – and then walk through real Roman ruins: Houses, thermal baths and shops.
You can see the same thing in Badalona – but of course the settlement was called something else. But the visitor concept is the same. And since we live in Badalona, I was here with the children. But I’ve also been to the Museum of City History in Barcelona on my own, so I know what it’s like there.
In any case, our visit was a complete success – at least the second time round. They were far too small the first time… :)!
History, architecture, culture and somehow also adventure are well combined here.
Prices:
EUR 7 for adults aged 29 and over
EUR 5 for adults under 29, senior citizens over 65
Free admission for children under 16, Barcelona Card holders
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 7 p.m.
Sundays from 10 am to 8 p.m.
From 6
Poble Espanyol
The Poble Espanyol is an open-air museum where you can see different styles of Spanish architecture. At first glance, it doesn’t sound too exciting for children, but that’s deceptive. There are small shops, small workshops, a museum, and restaurants. There is usually an exhibition, a festival, or a children’s show. You can walk through the small alleyways, let off steam in a large playground and then eat an ice cream.
We watched a soap bubble show and – due to a lack of time – took a packet of tesserae home with us. Funnily enough, the two of them went back with the school a few weeks later. And they keep asking me if we’re going there again.
Prices:
Online: EUR 13.50 for children aged 13 and over and adults / On site: EUR 15 euros
Online: EUR 9 for children aged between 4 and 12 / On site: EUR 10
Free admission for children up to 3 years
Opening hours:
Monday: 10.00 – 20.00 hrs
Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 – 24.00 hrs. (There are also flamenco shows in the evening)
Shops on the premises:
March to April: 10.00 – 19.00.
May to October: 10.00h – 20.00h
November to February: 10.00h – 18.00h
Museum Fran Daurel:
Monday: 10.00h – 18.30h
Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 am – 7.00 pm
From 6
MNAC
The MNAC, which sits so beautifully at the foot of Montjuic, was one of our first attempts at an art museum. Here you have to prepare the children a little and you should have a specific task. Otherwise it can quickly become overwhelming for the little ones and you might get stressed as an adult.
So I explained to them that you can’t run around and touch anything here, that art is very expensive and that you have to be careful. They also used to say that you shouldn’t be loud in the museum. Of course you shouldn’t shout, but you can and should be allowed to talk about the art.
It was also no problem at all to draw something at the MNAC. We had coloured pencils and paper with us and the museum was kind enough to provide us with clipboards. Our goal: to find a beautiful princess. Ok: that didn’t quite work out – haha! We didn’t find one for a long time, so we switched to animals.
In the end, they decided to paint a horse by Sorolla. And that worked very well.
We then had a very close look at the Picasso and at lunch afterwards we also painted a Picasso.
Prices: (2-day ticket, incl. exhibitions and access to the roof terrace)
EUR 12 for people aged 17 and over
free admission for children up to 16 years
Opening hours:
October to April:
Tuesday – Saturday, 10.00 – 18.00
Sundays and public holidays 10.00 – 15.00
May to September:
Tuesday – Saturday, 10.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays 10.00 – 15.00
From 6
Picasso Museum
Because Picasso scored so highly on the MNAC visit, we also went to the Picasso Museum. Again, I pointed out that you shouldn’t touch anything. We were also stocked up with pens and paper again!
This time we went searching for a princess again – but now I knew there was one 😉 Because Picasso’s famous Meninas studies for the original Velázquez work depict an infanta. And Picasso made many different portraits of this little princess.
While the people in the cloakroom gave a completely carefree ‘ok’ to painting, the security guards in the hall were a little more sceptical… But we sat down in a place where we couldn’t disturb anyone like that. So, note to you: ask the security in the hall nicely before you unpack all your pens.
And always better coloured pencils – NO felt-tip pens.
Prices: without exhibition
EUR 12 for adults aged 26 and over
EUR 7 for adults under 25 and seniors over 65
Free admission for children under 18
EUR 1 more expensive if purchased on site.
Opening hours:
2 May to 31 October:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday: 9.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 9.00 a.m. – 9.00 p.m.
1 November to 30 April:
Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m.
Articket: visit 6 museums for EUR 38, including exhibitions, and skip the line.
More about the Articket.
From 6
Flamenco Show
Now something entirely different! My children love to dance! So it was time to show them Spanish flamenco! Together with grandma, uncle, aunt, dad and mum, we went to a flamenco show!
I love the dancing, the singing, and the guitar sounds anyway! Let’s put it this way… it wasn’t my first or even my 5th or 10th show 😉 But I continually try to visit different ones and test them for you – but the report on it is still a long time coming. Sorry.
This time we went to see the City Hall Theatre show. We were very early, and so we had excellent seats! First row of our category. Ergo: better be ‘over-punctual’ here 🙂 The ticket price included a drink for us. The children were given raised seat cushions and then the show started!
Prices:
We had category B (incl. drink):
30 euros for adults, seniors and teenagers (13-20 years)
15 euros for children between 6 and 12 years
free entry for children under 6 years
Category A is more expensive and C is cheaper.
Duration: 1 hour
Play times: Daily, 5 p.m., 6.45 p.m., 8.30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
From 6
Sailing boat trip
We treated ourselves to this trip as part of my father’s 70th birthday celebrations. It wasn’t a private booking, but there was only one other woman on board with us (5). And poor one, she was so unwell that she hid in the corner, and we got her share of snacks too 😉 Not nice for her, but we enjoyed it in every way!
The skipper was very pleasant and explained a lot to us. The children were allowed at the helm, we were able to move around freely on the boat (subject to safety precautions), there was a toilet (lucky us) and our white wine, sangria and soft drinks were always topped up. The advertised tapas were not tapas, but rather snacks, so plan to eat before or after. But that didn’t bother us – we were there for the sailing! But with all the drinks, it wasn’t bad to have something in our stomachs in between ;).
We thought the trip was great all round!
Note: you can put life jackets on the children. I really wanted to at first. They can swim, but the sea is different to a pool. However, the skipper allayed my fears and the sea was really quite calm. However, I always made sure that they held on tight and didn’t sit too close to the edge.
Prices:
EUR 56.05 for adults and children aged 13 and over
EUR 39.24 for children between 4 and 12 years old
Free of charge for children under 4 years
Includes:
Olives, cheese, salami, crackers and drinks at lunchtime
3 drinks per person (beer, wine, cava or soft drinks)
Duration: 2 hours
From 7/8
Casa Vicens
I had picked out a visit to Casa Vicens for my parents and promised the children a visit to Bubble Planet afterwards. In hindsight, they liked Bubble Planet better (of course they did), but they weren’t completely averse to Casa Vicens either…
Nevertheless, I would say that at 6 years old, they were still a bit too small for it, or perhaps it didn’t quite hit their nerve. However, they loved the patterns, floral decorations and other individual elements, such as the film.
Prices:
EUR 20 for children aged 12 and over and adults
EUR 18 for senior citizens and students
Free admission for children up to 11 years
Audio guide for mobile phones included.
Opening hours:
Open daily.
April – October: 9.30 am – 8.00 pm
November – March: 9.30 am – 6.00 pm
From now on, every new visit will be entered here, I promise! 😀
Next one planed: IKONO Barcelona
And now I wish you lots of fun in Barcelona with your children!
Yours, Céline
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2024
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