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Parc d’Atraccions del Tibidabo With
its old-fashioned rides, the only surviving funfair in the city is a
delight for children of all ages. The attractions include a House of
Horrors, bumper cars, a ferris wheel and the Museu dels Autòmates,
with animatronics of all shapes and sizes. There’s also a puppet show,
picnic areas, playgrounds and plenty of bars and restaurants. Parc Zoològic The
zoo has an enormous adventure playground where children can run wild.
There are also dolphin and whale shows in one of the aquariums. Other
activities for children include guided tours and workshops. The “farm”
area has goats and rabbits that younger children can stroke.
Penguins, Parc Zoològic
Museu Marítim Ancient
maps showing monster-filled seas, restored fishing boats and a
collection of ships’ figureheads give a taste of Barcelona’s martime
history. Well worth a look is the full-size Spanish galleon complete
with sound and light effects. Set in the vast former medieval shipyards,
the Drassanes, this is an absolute must for any budding sea captain.
L’Aquàrium One
of Europe’s biggest aquariums, this underwater kingdom is made up of 21
enormous tanks brimming with nearly 400 marine species. The highlight
of a visit is the Oceanari, where a walk-through glass tunnel will bring
you face to face with three huge grey sharks – named Drake, Morgan and
Maverick – lurking in 4.5 million litres (990,000 gallons) of water.
Jardins del Laberint d’Horta The main feature of this exceptional park is the huge, hedged maze where children can live out their Alice in Wonderland
fantasies. Unfulfilled expectations of mad hatters are made up for by
an enormous play area with a bar and terrace. The park is particularly
busy on Sundays.
Unlike
the nerve-jangling cable-car ride across the port, these smaller,
lower-altitude cable car trips are a better option if you have children
with you. The ride to the Montjuïc summit also has the added appeal of
the castle at the top, with cannons for the kids to clamber on.
La Rambla Your
shoulders will be aching from carrying the kids high above the crowds
by the time you reach the end of Barcelona’s main boulevard. Fire
eaters, buskers, human statues decked out as Greek goddesses – you name
it and it’s likely to be keeping the hordes entertained on La Rambla.
Put a coin in the human statue’s hat and be rewarded with a sudden move,
or, if you’re a child, the gift of a tiny lollipop.
City Beaches For
kids, there’s more to going to the beach in Barcelona than just
splashing in warm waters and frolicking in the sand. The Port Vell and
Port Olímpic platges
(beaches) offer a good choice of well-equipped play areas to keep the
little ones entertained. Numerous bars and restaurants make finding
refreshment easy, too.
Children at play, Port Olímpic beach
Boat Trips Barcelona’s golondrines make regular trips out of the port, providing a fun excursion for older
children. Younger kids, however, will probably prefer paddling around
in a rowing boat on the lake at the Parc de la Ciutadella).
Museu d’Història de Catalunya This
child-friendly museum traces Catalonia’s history through a range of
dynamic, interactive exhibits. The best of these allows visitors to get
dressed up as medieval knights and gallop around on wooden horses. Very
popular with Catalan school groups, it’s equally enjoyable for visitors.
Every Saturday, the museum hosts a story hour when Catalan legends are
re-enacted for children as well as other children’s activities.
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