Barcelona-1 month with kids

I really wasn't thrilled with Barceloneta when I walked through the area in 2016. It felt as if most of the housing had been turned into Airbnb units. However, I wasn't staying there, so it's possible that was a mistaken impression.

We stayed in an apartment in Gracia for a week in October and loved it. It's a very kid friendly neighbourhood. Lots of kids on scooters and kicking soccer balls around the local plazas. When we were there they closed the main street (Carrer gran de Garcia) at the weekend and it was pedestrian only.

We stayed in an apartment near the Hotel Casa Fuster. Very close to Diagonal metro.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/how-long-in-barcelona#bottom

Above is a recent post in which Enric, Barcelona resident and wonderful travel forum contributor, responds with information I suggest you review. Within his post is a recommendation on areas to stay which may meet your needs. Throughout Barcelona public transport is well connected, easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Keep an eye out for imminent playground opportunities where your family will have the opportunity to connect with fellow playmates, as well as parents being able to make connections.

What month are you seeking to visit?

Examine C/ de Sant Antoni Maria Claret on google maps to find an example of a quieter family neighborhood (just NW from Sagrada by a couple of blocks) offering what you defined.

I am also hoping Bill Sinclair sees your post for I believe he lives near the above neighborhood and could also provide excellent information.

You are making an excellent investment in your family by prioritizing these journeys!

I would not recommend El Born, it is the hub of bars and nightlife in Barcelona, maybe not the best for a young family trying to get some sleep lol.

For a more family-friendly neighborhood to stay in Barcelona, I would recommend the Gràcia area, specifically the Vila de Gràcia neighborhood. It is the "hip" place to be now, with its co-working spaces and artist studios, but also feels very cozy, welcoming, and family friendly. You see many young families living there, kids playing futbol in the neighborhood's various small squares, it has a small town feel. Vila de Gràcia is within walking distance to most of the Gaudí sites and has good access to public transportation.

@Steven - I think Bill has left the forum?

That's good to hear Bill! I was a bit worried when I saw all your posts had suddenly disappeared some time ago.

Thanks all for the helpful suggestions!

We are planning to do summer travel while avoiding peak tourist season while overlapping time with our European friends summer vacation schedule, which can be a challenge so likely mid-June-mid-July is the timing target. Bill had responded to an earlier post of mine when selecting cities earlier this year and remember his suggesting Gracia if we chose Barcelona so look forward to more information from him in the morning.

Seems to be the group is leading us to that neighborhood instead of closer to the city center…if Gracia is well connected with public transit to the historic sites and the beaches (we live in landlocked Midwest USA so some beach time and/or island hopping is expected), this might be a good option for us. A month is a long time in one location so hoping to nail it when we select the final rental.

We locals in Barcelona actually don't live close to the beach, those properties have now been taken up by foreign tourists staying in Airbnb's in recent years. If we want to go to the beach we take the metro or bus. My family would take the suburban train to the seaside village of Garraf for a beach day.

https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/maps/barcelona-metro-map.html
Above link is subway map for Barcelona depicting superb connections throughout the area.
Barcelona subway is also well connected to train stations helping to efficiently make day trips.
NOTE: Barcelona is among the most popular tourist destinations for the world and summer is high tide. Take long deep dives into learning from multiple resources how to maximize effective use of your time. TIP: Prioritize living the time schedules of the locales. Folks tend to believe this means eating late, reality is residents know WHEN to enjoy activities. Stay out of the heat and take a siesta. When the sun goes down families come out. Lots to learn in order to enable greater enjoyment.
As you seek accommodations consider priorities.........what level do you desire to stay? Is there a lift? is quieter to the rear of the buildings where street noise is less. Terrace? If so, front of building or rear (we prefer rear). Strongly recommend using google maps street view to "walk" the street of places you are considering. DO NOT be off put by graffiti! Is air conditioning a priority? Many places will have a clothes washer, but not a dryer. Google for nearby clothes cleaners.
Strongly recommend Gracia, a delight to walk. We stumbled upon it in 2005 and pure delight taking a late evening stroll among so many families.

Thank you all again for the suggestions. Based on the feedback we have received, we have found several accommodations near la sagrada familia and adjacent to Vila de Gracia a few minutes walk to the Mercat de l’Aberica. I think we have abandoned Barceloneta and likely will not stay in El Born or the Gothic Quarter as good options for us. Welcome any additional last minute feedback as we plan to book one of the handful of accommodations we have found in the next week or so!

And now you know why I love reading Bill's contributions!
FYI Bill, I am going to barge in on the invite to your football club.

I recommend Gracia , too! No surprise, right? We visited in 2010 when our daughter was studying in Barcelona. She took us to Gracia several times and we enjoyed it so much. Always saw children playing, riding bikes, kicking balls around. Gracia has a very friendly, laidback vibe. Our daughter lived in Barcelona for about 4 months and would visit Gracia for its calmness to get a break from the busier, touristy Barcelona.

Thank you all again for the suggestions. I put in for a place as close to Gracia as we could find available for a month that had the space and amenity requirements for my crew. It is close to La Sagrada Familia, but also within walking distance (4-5 blocks or so) to some of the markets Bill mentioned in his post--although a bit further from the heart of Gracia than we had hoped we could find to accommodate a larger group. Already sent Bill a PM warning him that we intend to take him up on his offer!