Tips for Visiting Barcelona with Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children

Barcelona, a cosmopolitan city facing the Mediterranean, is considered a great destination for traveling with babies and toddlers. With mild temperatures all year long and 4.5 km of sandy beaches, this family-friendly city is perfect for a getaway with children. We can’t promise you won’t face the occasional meltdown or tantrum when visiting Barcelona with a toddler or a baby, but with a few expert tips, you will make plenty of memories during a trip to Spain to make up for it!

Introduction to Barcelona with kids

Barcelona offers many activities for all interests and ages. Walking around its famous promenade Las Ramblas and its living statues, relaxing at Parc Güell, watching the Magic Fountain, visiting the top football team’s stadium, exploring Picasso’s museum or Cosmocaixa, the Natural Sciences museum, are just a few of our favorite activities with babies and toddlers.

Barcelona also has many festivitals all year round that young children enjoy. Catalan traditions include La Mercé, Carnaval, Santa Eulàlia, Sant Jordi, Christmas Celebrations and many more. At some, you can enjoy the exhibition of “gegants” or the beautiful “sardana” dancing.

You can also discover Barcelona’s many delicious and family-friendly restaurants. Or go for tapas around the old part of town, Ciutat Vella, full of historical buildings and charming places, and where you can try some of the dishes that have made catalan cuisine known worldwide.

Once you’ve visited Barcelona for a few days and explored its delights, we highly recommend day trips to places like Sitges (a lovely fishing village) or Montserrat (a unique mountain range). Or consider tacking on a week to travel around Costa Brava more thoroughly.

Top Attractions in Barcelona with Toddlers and Babies

Some of the main attractions to visit with kids are:

The Amusement Park of Tibidabo

At the highest point of the city for more than a century is the Tibidabo Theme Park. This amusement park is a must. Kids love that they can have fun all day long and parents enjoy admiring the magnificent landscape of the city centre below. For children of all ages.

The Barcelona Zoo

The Barcelona Zoo is one of the most beautiful and ancient zoos in Spain. There are more than 4,300 animals to see in this zoo located in the Parc of Ciutadella. Do not miss the dolphin show! Also with picnic areas and playgrounds for kids. For children of all ages.

The Aquarium

Unique in Europe, the Aquarium of Barcelona is located in the Port Vell where you can observe more than 11,000 species. For children of all ages.

COSMOCAIXA: The Science Museum

The Astronomy, Science, Nature and many different topics explained in a kid-friendly and interactive way. It’s easy to spend all day long here! Recommended age: 3 and up.

Montjuïc Magical Fountain

Witness the magical mix of colors, lights, music and water. Enjoy the show at the end of the day for a perfect Barcelona experience. For children of all ages.

Barcelona Family-Friendly Accommodations

Accommodation options for your stay in Barcelona are plentiful. Choose from one of the many Barcelona’s family-friendly hotels or rent an apartment for more space. Whatever you choose, consider the walking distance to main attractions like the Sagrada Familia or las Ramblas. Eixample and Ciutat Vella are the most central and in popular areas.

Traveling with babies and toddlers in Barcelona

Traveling with babies and toddlers is convenient. Consider renting baby gear from Backpack Baby and duck into one of the many shops to buy clothes, toys and food; there are also lots of parks and playgrounds outdoors and indoors. We love capping off a day in Barcelona with a stop for ice cream or the local speciality, churros con chocolate.

Public transport  in Barcelona is easy-to-use and accessible almost everywhere. The bus, metro, and even taxis are affordable compared to other European cities; there are several travelcard options, and note that kids under 4 travel for free. Young kids often enjoy a ride on the hop on hop off buses to get familiar with the city at the start of the trip, and it makes sightseeing less taxing on little legs.

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Laura Iglesias, founder of Backpack Baby, a baby equipment rental and supply company in Barcelona, Spain, and a mom of two young children. At Backpack Baby, families can rent baby equipment for days, weeks or even months at a time.

Photos by Laura Iglesias

Relevant Links:

Spain Family Vacations

A Fabulous Kid-Friendly Gothic Quarter Tour in Barcelona (with Chocolate!)

Introduction to Barcelona with kids

5 things to do in Seville with kids

Things to do in Madrid with kids