My wife and I will be Barcelona in a few weeks and we have decided on a basic intinerary though we will be traveling our kids for the first time (both 4 years old) and I wanted to ask about anything specifically y’all would recommend to do with kids.
Also, in terms of dining (outside the fact that my understanding dinner is often at 9 pm) how are kids treated in cafes/restaurants? Thanks in advance.
Kids are cherished inSpain and are very much welcomed in cafes and restaurants. We've never had any problems finding places to eat earlier when we've travelled with our children. Barcelona was a bit more difficult but we found several restaurants nontheless and we dined with a number of Spanish families with young children so don't feel that all Spaniards are eating late.
hi there are number of hotels like
Casa Camper Hotel Barcelona
This isn’t a budget hotel but the Casa Camper gets fantastic reviews from families. The location (near La Catalunya station and Las Ramblas), the staff, and the breakfast are among its many attractions. Kids will love the tasty fruits and snacks that are help-yourself all day in the lobby. Print out a map to help your taxi driver, as it’s somewhat hard to find down a quiet street.
Hotel Montecarlo Barcelona
The Montecarlo is a stunner. Parents are wowed by the hotel’s easy efficiency, fantastic service and simple but elegant layout. Located right on Las Ramblas it’s walking distance from Plaça de Catalunya, The Gothic Quarter and the cruise terminals. The only complaint: no swimming pool.
Hotel Jazz
Let’s see: Great service, beautiful rooftop pool, excellent location, close to the subway, simple but adequate breakfast. Stay above the 7th floor to avoid any rumble from the nearby train. The breakfast is probably not worth the 15 Euros.
Hotel Regina Barcelona
A central location, spacious rooms and friendly staff put Hotel Regina among the family favorites in Barcelona. Starbucks (if you must) next door and Bus Turistic just around the corner. Good size rooms will be appealing to both parents and children.
EuroPark Hotel
The Europark earns high marks for its location (central but in a quiet area), proximity to 2 metro stops (Girona and Passeig de Gracia), and rooftop swimming pool. It’s a great deal for traveling families (but with so many great eateries nearby don’t bother with the hotel restaurant).
1.) Dinner is "not at 9pm".... locals have dinner at that hour or later -mainly because shops and malls close between 8 and 9:30 so people 'go' to the restaurant later- but this doesn't mean you can't eat at any hour of the day. While many restaurants won't open their kitchens (in the evening) until 8 or later, there are literally hundreds of eateries where you can have dinner earlier, should you want to.
2.) Do remember that kids under 6 y.o. CANNOT go up the towers at Sagrada Família -for safety reasons. So if you're visiting this monument, and you should, don't get a ticket including a visit to the towers.
3.) For kids.... https://www.timeout.com/barcelona/barcelona-for-kids
4.) Some off-the-beaten-path places that come to mind, especially for your kids:
5.) "... will be Barcelona in a few weeks", when exactly?
Enjoy!
Kids are treated very well in Spain and you will likely see little ones eating in restaurants after 10pm.
Depends on how your kids do staying up that late. Could be a problem? Sorry to say that there are American fast food options where you can eat where you want.
We have always traveled with our twins (now 7), but it started getting fun for everyone when they were about four!
for our family, the most important thing to remember is that kids need lots of opportunities to run and play, and more down time than grown ups.
we have been happiest when we end up with accommodations that are very close to public parks or playgrounds, so we can make sure that we start the day doing something that the kids are happy doing. I also always mark my maps with all the play spaces around the tourist attractions that we want to go to.
Traveling to Spain, especially with kids, I suggest you do not adjust to the time difference and let this kids stay up late and wake up late.
Thanks everyone for the responses! It has been helpful perspective. We leave this weekend and are looking forward to our adventure.
Hi George, It's easy to travel with kids through Spain. It's a very safe country with good infrastructure. It's true that dinner times are late - and often too late for kids. There are some exceptions though - some restaurants open earlier or don't even close during the day. Just use those (or slowly adapt them to Spanish meal times...). Regarding activities in Barcelona, here is a good guide which focuses on activities with children: https://bestfamilyescapes.com/destinations/barcelona-travel-guide/family-activities/
