I love Barcelona, it’s a fantastic city, with lots of stunning architecture and delicious food. And if you’re wondering whether Barcelona is a good destination with kids, the answer is absolutely yes. Maybe you wouldn’t expect it, but the city has so much to offer for families. Since we live nearby, we visit Barcelona regularly with our kids and over the years we’ve found some amazing places to go to. In this article, I’m sharing our favorite things to do in Barcelona with kids to help you plan a fun and stress-free family trip.
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CosmoCaixa and other museums
CosmoCaixa is a must-visit for families when you’re in Barcelona. For us, this is without doubt our favorite museum to go to with kids in the city. Children of all ages can experiment, play, and discover scientific concepts in a fun and engaging environment. There’s a recreated rainforest area combined with a big aquarium, interactive experiments and lots of space to explore. Our children are always amazed by everything they see and get to do here and they keep asking us to go there again and again. Kids enter for free and the price for adults is very reasonable, especially since you can easily spend half a day here. It’s nice and cool inside during the summer months and it’s a good place to enjoy a rainy day if you happen to be here with bad weather. The museum is located a bit outside of the center, but you can take a bus or the train L7 to get there.
Other fun museums when visiting Barcelona with children include: Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona (Museu Blau) which is the natural science museum, House of Candy, where it feels like you are in the land of candies, and both the Paradox Museum and Big Fun Museum. These last two are especially fun for kids 8+ who enjoy optical illusions and taking funny photos.
Barcelona Zoo
A couple of years ago we had a family zoo subscription, so we visited the Barcelona Zoo often. It is ideal for animal-loving kids and if you’re visiting Barcelona with toddlers or younger kids, this is an easy and relaxed day out for everyone. You can easily spend a couple of hours here and feel like you are far away from the big bustling city.
At the Barcelona Zoo you’ll find a variety of animals, including lions, elephants, alligators, monkeys, sea lions and penguins. Not only is it fun to see all of the animals, but our kids also love going to the big playground here. They have been renovating parts of the zoo in recent years, but not all of it has been renovated yet.
The zoo is located in the heart of the city, inside Parc de la Ciutadella, which makes it very convenient to add to your list of must-sees in the city. During the summertime it’s also somewhat cooler here, since there is lots of shade around. We always like to bring our own snacks and sometimes we even take sandwiches for lunch, but you have the possibility to buy food and drinks at the zoo as well. Outside of the summer months the opening hours of these establishments are somewhat limited though. The zoo itself opens at 10 AM every day, and closing times vary depending on the season.
Parc de la Ciutadella
The zoo is easy to combine with a visit to the park it’s located in, Ciutadella Park. But even without visiting the zoo, this park is a must when you’re in Barcelona with children. Kids can have a wonderful time here, running around, watching the ducks and rowing boats in the small lake, seeing the big mammoth statue, enjoying the bubble blowers, and exploring several fun playgrounds. This park feels like a little escape from the busy city and we love spending time here. The park is nice and green and it offers a lot of shade for the hot summer days. It’s also a good place for a picnic if you want to take a break from going out to a restaurant.
Barcelona Playgrounds
Families in Barcelona spend a lot of time outdoors, which is why you can find playgrounds all around the city. As mentioned above there are several playgrounds in Ciutadella Park, but there are a lot more spread around the city. When sightseeing you often stumble upon one, which is perfect when your kids need a break. My kids are a big fan of the 2 playgrounds near Glòries shopping center, with large slides and lots of climbing options. So if you have the time, definitely check out Glòries playground and Parc infantil El Rosc de Glòries. They’re also great to combine with lunch at the Glòries shopping center.
Barcelona Aquarium
The underwater world is always incredibly impressive for children. When visiting Barcelona with kids I’d therefore recommend you to head to the Barcelona Aquarium. The aquarium is located near the harbor and is easy to combine with a nice stroll along the waterfront at Port Vell. It’s home to thousands of marine animals, including sharks, rays, and tropical fish. The aquarium is a great experience for both kids and adults and you can easily spend a couple of hours here. One of the highlights is the walk through the underwater tunnel, where you are surrounded by sea life. At the end of the aquarium visit, there’s also a really fun interactive play area. I could hardly get my kids to leave the last time we went!
The Barcelona Aquarium is a bit on the pricier side, but for animal-loving kids it’s worth it. Especially when you’re visiting Barcelona on a rainy or very hot day, it’s a great place to go since it’s all indoors. It opens at 10 AM every day, closing times vary depending on the season.
Tibidabo
High above the city of Barcelona lies the small amusement park Tibidabo. The park offers classic carousels and kid-friendly rides and you also find roller coasters for older children. I would say Tibidabo is mostly for kids up to 12 years old though, since most rides are not that exciting for older teenagers. The haunted house gives you a good scare though.
From Tibidabo you’ll also enjoy an incredible view over the city, which I could look at for hours. When you are up here you can also check out the church ‘Iglesia del Sagrat Cor’ right next to the amusement park. It’s possible to visit inside the church and go up for even better 360 degree views.
Like any other amusement park, the entrance fees are quite high but it’s definitely a fun day out when you are visiting Barcelona with kids. To get to the park, you can take a funicular at Plaça Doctor Andreu, which is included in the ticket price.
Tip: check opening days and hours in advance, because it’s not open daily in low season and the closing hours vary. Normally Tibidabo Amusement Park opens at 11 AM and its best to get there early to avoid long lines. In the afternoons it gets more crowded and in the summertime it’s warm up there and there’s hardly any shade.
Parc del Laberint d’Horta
Parc del Laberint d’Horta is a super fun place to get lost in together with your kids. The historic park features an exciting labyrinth, a fun playground and beautiful gardens. The park is an exciting place where kids can test their sense of direction and enjoy a peaceful stroll away from the bustling city center. You come across a canal with big fish, which my kids always love to watch and when speaking for myself, I love the pavillion and the Ariadna temple. They are great for taking photos. The park is quite big so you can easily spend a couple of hours there when visiting with kids. Near the entrance there’s a picnic area and a kiosk to get a refreshment.
The park is open from 10 AM but closing hours vary depending on the season. You pay a small entrance fee for the park (except for Wednesdays and Sundays), but the prices are very reasonable. Kids under 5 years old enter for free.
Note that the Labyrinth is being renovated till the second quarter of 2026. The park itself is open and still nice to visit.
Beaches
My children can spend hours and hours at the beach. Building sandcastles, doing gymnastics tricks, rolling around in the sand, and, when the weather is warm enough they love swimming and playing in the water. Luckily you can find lots of beaches in Barcelona and around, and many of them also have playgrounds and family-friendly restaurants nearby, making it easy to spend a whole day by the sea.
If your children love the beach like mine do, visiting one of the beaches in Barcelona is perfect. Barceloneta Beach is probably the most famous one. It’s very central and lively, but in the summertime there isn’t much space for kids to play. Bogatell Beach and Mar Bella Beach are usually a bit quieter and cleaner. If you are here a bit longer and have some time to travel outside of Barcelona I can highly recommend staying in one of the family-friendly beach towns along the Costa Brava.
Local parent tips for visiting Barcelona with kids
As a mom who visits Barcelona quite often with her kids, I can give you a few practical tips to make your time here more comfortable:
I recommend combining sightseeing with playground stops to keep the day fun and interesting for the whole family. Like mentioned before, the city is filled with playgrounds so it’s not that hard to find one.
Public transport is an easy way to get around the city. And our kids also absolutely love riding the metro so we wouldn’t even have to plan something else. But that might not be how you want to spend your entire day in Barcelona haha.
Take the weather into account. In summer it gets very hot and you should probably avoid sightseeing in the middle of the day. If you want to do something at that time, you could consider planning indoor options, like CosmoCaixa, Museu Blau or the Aquarium. On rainy days I’d recommend doing the same.
If you’re traveling with an autistic child, planning your days around quieter times can make your visit even more enjoyable. For more practical advice, Natasha has put together this Barcelona With Autistic Children: A Family Travel Guide, with helpful tips for a smooth family trip.
Final thoughts on fun things to do with kids in Barcelona
Barcelona truly offers something for every family, whether your kids love animals, science, or just running around in beautiful outdoor spaces. With this mix of attractions, your kids are guaranteed to have the best time in this lively and colorful city.
