Fun Family Activities in Barcelona

The city of Barcelona offers so many leisure options, that there is something fun to do for every type of visitor, whether you are a student living in the city for a while or are a bit older and staying here for your holiday.

If you have decided to visit Barcelona with your family, you will find a great number of activities to have fun and make your stay in Barcelona an unforgettable one. Are you travelling to the city with your family? Then keep on reading today’s blog article, because ShBarcelona will share some fun activities for you and your family.

Related article: Parks to go with children in Barcelona

Table of Contents

What to do in and around Barcelona as a family

Photo via Pixabay

Have a picnic in Parque de la Ciutadella

Could there be any better way to enjoy the splendid weather and great atmosphere in Barcelona, then by organising a family picnic? Exploring Barcelona’s parks and gardens is an excellent idea to make the most of your holiday, and Parque de la Ciutadella is perfect for its relaxed and peaceful setting.

This is not only a favourite park for couples and groups of friends, because entire families come to the park for a picnic or family events. It is an ideal location for your children to play outside, because they have all the space they could possibly need here. Travel to Parque de la Ciutadella with the metro (line 4/yellow line) and get off at the stop Ciutadella Vila Olímpica.

Tour the city by Segway

A Segway is a two-wheeled electronic, light transport vehicle with an auto-balancing system. The engine and computer in the vehicle keep it in a horizontal position at all times, making it a very easy to operate transport vehicle. If you want to move forward, all you have to do is tilt your body slightly towards the direction you want to go, and that’s all. Easy-peasy!

Barcelona Segway Tour offers six different packages to tour the city by Segway. Its Olympic Segway Tour will take you through Parque de la Ciutadella Park, Port Olimpic and Barceloneta beach, and you will be accompanied by a local guide providing you with information about every place you visit. This 90 minutes tour costs 45 euros.

The Montjuic Segway Tour will take you through the most important neighbourhoods of the city. This 3 hour tour costs 75 euros, and the 2 hour Barcelona Tour is 55 euros. You can find Barcelona Segway Tour at Passeig de Lluís Companys, 10, near Parc de la Ciutadella, and you can easily get there by metro (line 1/red line) and get off at the stop Arc de Triomf.

Watch the spectacle of Font Màgica de Montjuïc

The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc is located at the foot of the Museu Nacional d’ Art de Catalunya. The show consists of water jets, lights and music, and it is visited by thousands of people every day. Children especially like it, because of the colours, music and water. It is one of the most visited places in all of Barcelona.

You can get to the Magic Fountain by travelling with the metro (line 1/red line or line 3/green line) to the stop of Plaza España. Show times are:

Between April 1 and May 31: Thursday – Saturday between 21 and 22h
Between June 1 and Sepetember 30: Wednesday – Sunday between 21.30 and 22.30h
The entire month of October: Thursday – Saturday between 21 and 22h
From November 1 and March 31: Thursday – Saturday between 20 and 2h

Related article: Water Parks in Catalonia

Photo via Pixabay

Spend a day at the beach on the Costa Brava

If you are willing to travel a bit further from Barcelona’s city centre, you will be able to find some of the best beaches in Catalonia, maybe even in the entire country. The Costa Brava is known for its many beautiful beaches on its coastline, so it’s definitely worth spending the day here.

Tossa de Mar is one of the most gorgeous towns on the Costa Brava, and its magnificent beach even has a medieval castle which lights up beautifully at night. Cadaqués will show you perfect contrasts of clear blue seas and white painted village houses. This picture will surely remind you of Greece…

Then there is Blanes with its extensive beach and La Palomera, a large rock that divides the bay and its seaside restaurants. Of course, you have many more options to discover the beaches and villages on the Costa Brava with your family.

Explore other towns and cities

Barcelona is an incredible place with lots of interesting sights to see, but Catalonia has so much more to offer. Discover some of the cities in its surroundings, like Castelldefels. This is a very popular place for its beach and spectacular sunsets. It’s under an hour (by train) from Barcelona.

Tarragona is a city with a large number of structures and ruins of the ancient Roman city of Tarraco, and especially the Roman amphitheatre – right next to the sea – stands out. Then there is Sitges, a place well-known by the LGTB community for its openness, friendliness and beautiful beach.

Our last recommendation is Cambrils. This is an old fishing village with lovely beaches. It’s about a 1,5 hour drive from Barcelona.

What is your favourite family activity in (or close to) the city of Barcelona?