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  • Barcelona family trip – tips please
  • scaredypants
    Full Member

    taking the kids (11 and 13) to Barcelona for 3 days at half-term

    the little-un’s created an itinerary from a guide book (and won’t let me see it 😥 ) but would anyone like to suggest what we shouldn’t miss out ?

    Cheers

    paladin
    Full Member

    Portaventura……. Easy spend 3 days there

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    Eat at Passadis Del Pep…

    Assuming the little ‘uns aren’t squeamish about eating prawns, snails, pigs, etc. 🙂

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    Flash – its the big ‘uns I worry about (MrsPants doesn’t eat fish let alone yucky things)

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    Is that the tapas bar I know as Cal Pep?

    Although I still prefer Anca Curro in Tarifa. But a bit of a long bus ride for a young family.

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    I was over earlier in the year with the family but my kids are younger (1 & 4). We went to the city beach and the aquarium by the port – pretty good although it was mild weather when we were there so the beach was quiet. Also went up the funicular railway to the hill above the city where there is a fun fair and a large park. Great views. Fitted in a day trip to Siches down the coast (friend drove us).
    Found it to be quite a nice city to walk around with the pushchair, good subway, so you could easily plan a walking day to take it all in.

    Nobby
    Full Member

    La Sagrada is still fascinating albeit here’s a load off work going on at the minute as they finally got round to setting a completion date.

    The zoo’s decent enough if that’s your thing, the marina, cathedral, Gaudi museum, the parcs, La Rambla (the street entertainment is usually pretty good). The back streets are full of great little shops, cafes & galleries and if football is an interest then the Camp Nou is a fascinating trip.

    Plenty of other little museums & interesting buildings etc, opera, concert halls & so on.

    The Metro is great for getting around & you can get all-day tickets for around 7 euros.

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    John, not sure. It’s not a tapas place, though. Far from it.

    Here’s the link;
    Best meal in Barca, IMHO
    http://www.passadis.com/en/? (Website may be borked, I hope they’re still open…)

    Here’s the front door…

    Scaredy, if she doesn’t eat fish, you should just divorce her. Now. 😉

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Las Ramblas is fun for a tourist trawl, messing with the street artists and people watching.

    Cathedral/Old Town area great for the historical aspects.

    Gaudi highlights worth it, utterly fantastic.

    If you’ve done some of the bigger aquariums in UK like TheDeep or Blue Planet, then I wouldn’t spend time on the Barcelona one, it’s good, but no better.

    Joan Miro is an acquired taste, I loved it before I went, but the foundation is a really good exhibition. The whole Montjuic hill could be a day if you see all that’s there.

    We deliberately missed the Picasso museum seeing as it was rammed and we know we’re going back sometime.

    Sagrada Familia, utterly stupendous. Don’t miss it.

    Market OK, but not as good as it’s hyped.

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    Ah no. Cal Pep is in Placa de les Olles. Yours is in Placa del Palau.

    Mine’s (or to be more precise, mine are) better though. Probably.

    paul4stones
    Full Member

    I was there in Feb half term with my 11 and 13 yr old boys. We went into the aquarium – expensive but good, especially the moon fish; the Gaudi stuff generally but the Sagrada, both boys walked in and said “wow!” which was the reaction we’d hoped for; wandering about La Ramblas and the port area generally.

    Cycle. Seriously, it’s ace. You’d think cycling with children in a city would be mad but it’s brilliant. We went up the hill with the Olympic stadium on it, great views and a fun ride back down.

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Oh, if you’re going to eat on Las Ramblas, we found Amaya very decent. Good seating out on the Ramblas for people watching and very decent grub, and not too pricey.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    The Sagrada Família is a must, along with Park Güell, and anything else Gaudí, like Casa Batlló
    http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/gaudi/barcelona-gaudi.html
    Stunning Wide-Angle Photographs of the Interior Architecture of La Sagrada Família

    Stunning Wide-Angle Photographs of the Interior Architecture of La Sagrada Família

    CaptainFlashheart
    Free Member

    This is also a lovely spot for a meal;
    http://www.canrecasens.com/

    Sit outside, drink Rotllan Torra and eat the cheese and ham all night long!

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    notebook out – hoping to get a few that my daughter’s not already found

    (yeah, thinking of missing out the aquarium as they’ve been to a couple before)

    mattg73
    Free Member

    Tibidado was brilliant. Its like and old fashioned theme park set on a mountain just West of Barcelona with spectacular views across the city. Our daughter was 5 when we took her so maybe a bit tame for yours but great fun nontheless. Bus from Placa de Catalunya. The beach at Barcelonetta is ace with a very S.American vibe to it.

    Regret not trying to go see a game at the Nou Camp just for the atmosphere and I am not a footy fan..

    br
    Free Member

    Cathedral is a good call, especially when you climb high.

    And a proper Tapas bar, late on – just let them choose and eat – and don’t ask what it is.

    The old town off Las Ramblas is worthy of a visit, but just be careful after dark (pick-pockets and the like).

    But tbh whenever I’ve been there (work) I just like to sit, drink/eat and watch what’s going on – in fact we rarely got past Tapas onto a main meal.

    pymwymis
    Free Member

    Fantastic Xampaneria just down from Picasso museum. Just locals with large platters of cold cured meats and lots of local (cheap) cava. Sorry cant remember the name but with large Xampaneria sign you will see it.

    Keep your wallet safe especially on Las Ramblas. My old man got done with a distraction scam. Someone ran into him (not in a car !) while his mate dipped his pocket. Bastards. It’s pretty common I’m afraid, so be careful.

    Just wander and you’ll find all sorts but you absolutely should do the Gaudi building thing. Amazing. Astraea Filia probably still covered in scaffolding as it has been for years.

    Do go to the Nou Camp stadium. Woahhh it’s a long way up in the top tier.

    hora
    Free Member

    You honestly cant go wrong.

    We went there/stayed in a apartment for NYs eve, went out loved it just wandering day sober night tipsy.

    emanuel
    Free Member

    cosmocaixa is great for kids.tibidabo amusement park is ok,nice view.mnac has good stuff,bbut a bit heavy for kids.
    I like to go up to the castle,in mnjuic,the teleferic is overpriced tho.passeig de gracia,rambla de catalunya,a nice walk/shop up& down both.

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    Thanks, all good stuff

    sagrada familia – long queues to get tickets as the websites suggest, or is that just a way to sell us an unnecessary tour in advance ?

    stanfree
    Free Member

    Probably my favourite city in the world , I’ll probably repeat a lot that has been quoted. But here goes.

    Cable car from the beach to Montjuc and a walk round the old olympic stadium , Pool and up to the castle for a view over the port area.
    Nou Camp and tour
    Parc Guell for the views
    Tibidabo
    Zoo and City Park
    Beach
    Sagrada Familla and casa Batillo

    If you can grab a few hours to yourself go to My Beautiful Parking and hire a Fixie or old mtb for 5 Euros for 2 hours and go explore as Barca is way safer than cycling on Uk city roads.

    Enjoy.

    Also for your kids , Barcelona FC is one of the few clubs that tolerate selling of cheap football strips as they would rather poorer families can wear there colours that cant afford 90 euro nike strips . Even in the kiosks surrounding the stadium strips are available as well as in the souvenir shops and a fraction of the price.

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Its a great city but I can never get over the fact that my work colleague was mugged or robbed 4 times in a 4 day break. That’s undoubtably freaky, but it did sharpen the rest of us up to not looking too touristy / wealthy. Doubt that helps you too much, but still maybe turn the caution button one and have photocopies of all your passports just in case (that was the biggest ball ache – getting home).

    And I’m not saying that doesnt happen in London / Manchester etc, just that it happened in Barcelona. Maybe we’re mugs – who knows.

    stanfree
    Free Member

    ^^^^ CSW , hope your well my friend.

    I’ve been four times and never had any trouble but It does have a bad reputation for pick pockets. In my opinion Madrid is way worse for being taxed. Whenever I’ve walked up La Ramblas I’ve always walked directly behind my wife to watch for dubious characters and I look naturally grumpy and slightly cagey myself so maybe that helps. La Ramblas is actually fairly crap so head west to the old narrow streets for some quirky shops .

    couldashouldawoulda
    Free Member

    Hi Paul – I’m good.

    I will admit that as a gang of lads on a retiring party we may have attracted some unworthy attention. I’ve also been again with my missus and we had no issues at all. It may be random. But – yes – there may be a reputation.

    budgierider67
    Full Member

    Good suggestions so far but I would also add the Font Màgica which I reckon would keep your kids happy for an evening.
    Also if you continue across the Plaça de Catalunya at the top of La Ramblas you get onto the Rambla de Catalunya which is a similar long stretch to La Ramblas but without all the crowds and plenty of restaurants with outside seating.
    The Plaça Reial is a nice place for a drink and people watching too.

    tails
    Free Member

    Also for your kids , Barcelona FC is one of the few clubs that tolerate selling of cheap football strips as they would rather poorer families can wear there colours that cant afford 90 euro nike strips . Even in the kiosks surrounding the stadium strips are available as well as in the souvenir shops and a fraction of the price.

    😆 this is the funniest thing I’ve heard on here, I was in barca last week tickets for the Betis game were way more expensive than comparable man united tickets and that includes the “buy a season ticket holders seat cheap scheme” the kits also appear more expensive unless your talking fake kits??? Espanyol are based just out the city and are gaining a good following, anyway footy season is over soon.

    Anyway GAUDI entry can be pre booked online to avoid the huge queue, although for a family it’s not cheap, I’m not sure if they do a pass for the main 3 buildings. Parc Guell is free except the house museum. Sagrada Familia is something else, so so detailed 100+ years in the making they even have a 3D printing lab in there to knock up scale models

    Montjuic could be a day trip as said above lots of museums. Thursday to Saturday they do the Magic Fountain near the palace it’s free and good fun, double check the times i think it’s 9pm start in the summer.

    A bit further out is Monserrat mountain which is supposed to look like fingers of a hand, there is a funicular up there, tibidabo would give views of the city though.

    If you want a night out with locals perhaps go to Gracia with some estrellas have a drink in one of the many placa get some tapas in a cafe repeat until you get water thrown from an apartment above.

    Picasso is my favourite museum although museu catalunya is good.

    The beach is cool with lots of bars and cool architecture like frank gehry.

    There are pick pockets just dont leave your phone hanging out. I use a lanyard.

    Bike rental is plentiful although walking is also quick and the metro is as good as any western subway.

    stanfree
    Free Member

    this is the funniest thing I’ve heard on here, I was in barca last week tickets for the Betis game were way more expensive than comparable man united tickets and that includes the “buy a season ticket holders seat cheap scheme” the kits also appear more expensive unless your talking fake kits??? Espanyol are based just out the city and are gaining a good following, anyway footy season is over soon

    Tails , I may have explained that poorly. My point is at Barca games the kiosks in the perimeter of the ground are allowed to sell non official Barca kits without prosecution. As for the official Barca boutique they are horrendously expensive . Yes they may be fakes but for kids of the OP’s age who will outgrow a 70 euro top in probably 6 months they are fine. For the record I’ve been to the new Espanyol ground to see them play Athletico Madrid and It’s a decent stadium but you will pay the same price for kids to enter than you do adults around 40 euros each for the cheaper seats

    tails
    Free Member

    I did wonder why so many shops sell the kits, surprised Nike allow that. The centenary barca kit is nice if you play footy

    suffolk
    Free Member

    Have a great time, it’s a beautiful city and the guide books/posts above point out the main things to see. Have a plan, as you won’t have time to see everything in one visit, and you’ll probably want to go back anyway (although your other half’s refusal to eat strange things may affect your tapas consumption – use smartphone translator if the menus don’t have the English to avoid wasting money!).

    DO watch out for pickpocketson the metro, the Ramblas (don’t get involved in the ball & cup games) and anywhere else full of people. Old town dodgy down the wrong roads in the evenings (also the putas/ladies of the night are to be found there). Difficult but try to avoid looking too touristy (good advice wherever you travel).

    The only thing you need to know is Patatas Bravas though really.

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