Barcelona with a Baby: Complete Guide

Barcelona is our favorite city in Europe. We have been there hundreds of times, and still, we are going back there every year. This time, we decided to take our 6-month-old son with us. If you are looking for information about what to see in Barcelona with a baby, we invite you to read further.

It was the 5th flight and 3rd foreign trip for our 6-month-old son. Two months earlier we visited Rome together and one month before the Barcelona trip we went to Malta.

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How many days in Barcelona with a baby?

If you are wondering how long to spend in Barcelona with a baby, use our tip. We spent 3 days in Barcelona, but we’ve found that it would be good to have one more day available, as there are so many cool things to do in Barcelona with a baby!

Best time to visit Barcelona with a baby

In our opinion, the best time to visit Barcelona with a baby is mid and late spring, early summer, and early autumn. In the winter, Barcelona is quite a chilly city. Of course, it’s not snowing there, but sometimes unpleasantly cold wind from the sea can make your stroll less enjoyable. On the other hand, in the middle of summer, it can be very hot, and our baby may not be happy about it.

When the weather is not too hot and not too cold, you can afford longer walks, outdoor feeding, or even you can change of diaper in a stroller instead of looking for a changing table. We’ve been to Barcelona in May, and the weather was perfect!

The most comfortable way to get to Barcelona from Girona airport

For us, this was the worst part. The flight from Poland to Barcelona – Girona (low-cost airlines) took us almost 3 hours. Luckily, our son had a very long nap during the entire flight. Yes!

We had to transfer from Girona airport to Barcelona. We had few options:

• taxi: minimum 90€
• direct bus to Barcelona Nord station: 16€
• bus to Girona train station and then train to Barcelona Sants station: 2.75€ bus + 6€/15€ train

We didn’t want to pay for a taxi more than for a flight, and also we were a bit scared to spend another 1.5 hours on a bus with a baby. We chose the third option, and we can definitely recommend it. The first part of the journey – so bus from the airport to Girona train station, takes around 20 minutes. Then you need to change for a train (AVE high-speed train or regional train). The journey takes 40 minutes and 1 hour, respectively.

Moving around Barcelona with a baby

Pavements

We love walking, and certainly, it is the best way to see Barcelona with a baby. All the pedestrian areas are paved, so it is very comfortable walking with a baby stroller. Only from time to time, we had to lift the stroller and move it over the curb or stairs. There are convenient descents at the pedestrian crossings but be careful, and make sure that you keep your eyes around your head, as sometimes the taxi drivers do not care about green light!

Changing tables

We found a proper changing table in the bigger shopping malls. Unfortunately, most toilets in restaurants are not suitable for nappy changing.

Metro

We rarely use public transport while traveling with a baby, but this time we were looking for some time-savers. At every metro station we used, we found elevators to move between the platforms.

Hop-On Hop-Off

Choose this option if you want to visit the city at your own pace, but also you want to make sure that you don’t miss the best tourist attractions in Barcelona. You can buy either 1 or 2-day tickets. Buses cover 3 different routes. Click here to book your ticket online.

Top 10 things to do in Barcelona with a baby

There are so many places to visit in Barcelona, and luckily, many of them are available for babies. Fortunately, you can spend a lot of time outside and walk through this vivid city and have a great time on the beach. In short, let’s see what to do in Barcelona, and what are the best things to do in Barcelona with a baby:

La Rambla

La Rambla is one of the most touristic places in Barcelona and one of the most famous walkways in the world. Crowded, loud, colorful, and vibrant during the day, at night it turns into an empty and rather a dangerous place.
La Rambla starts at Plaza Catalunya and goes over 1.5 kilometers to the monument of Christopher Columbus. Along the way, you pass through colorful flower stalls and street artists performing for all the visitors. Being there, don’t miss the local market places called La Boqueria (close to the Liceu metro station). For only 1 euro, you can buy fresh juices and a cup full of sliced fruits, as well as try some original Catalan and Spanish delicacies. The last section of La Rambla street is Rambla de Santa Monica with the famous statue of Christopher Columbus.

If you travel with a baby, we recommend visiting La Rambla early morning, where there is almost no crowd, and you can easily walk with the stroller. If you get tired you can have a break at one of the cafés and restaurants and try local tapas or drink sangria.

Barceloneta Beach

Barceloneta is currently one of the most popular districts in Barcelona. On the one hand, it is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, on the other, by the port of Port Vell. Although this may not be the most beautiful beach in Barcelona, ​​it is easily accessible when exploring the city. Keep in mind that the beach is very crowded, especially at the weekends.

The wide and long promenade is convenient for walking with a stroller. There are plenty of benches where you can sit down as well as cafes and chiringuitos – little bars where you can buy a cold drink or grab a snack. Barceloneta is over a kilometer long and has many amenities. You can play volleyball in one of the three different fields, and there are also a ping-pong table and table football. Our favorite place is an open-air library called “Biblioplaya.” If you like to spend some time on the beach, you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas. Toilets and showers are widely available.

Basilica of the Sagrada Familia

Even though we have never visited the interior of the basilica, we believe that it is worth including Sagrada Familia on our list.
If you failed to buy the entrance to the basilica, you can admire amazing sculptures on the external facades and see why Sagrada Familia is a must for every tourist in Barcelona. Around the basilica, there are always plenty of tourists, but you can go around it, and if you are lucky, you can even sit down on the bench in the nearby park and enjoy the view. Currently, the building is completed in over 70%, and it is expected that the works will be finished in 2026.
Sagrada Familia is a building that enchants – the fantastic facade, fairy-tale interior and views from the tower remain in memory for a long time.

If you are interested in visiting the basilica, remember that tickets to Sagrada need to be bought well in advance using the online store. Your admission is booked for specific hours – if you do not make it on time, your ticket will be forfeited. Also, remember to buy a free ticket for a child.

Gothic Quarter

Barri Gótic district is located right of the famous La Rambla. Gótico is a real maze of picturesque narrow streets that allow you to discover the history of Barcelona. When going here for a walk, it is worth keeping your eyes wide open, because the surrounding buildings are full of beautiful architectural details. The best way of sightseeing the Barri Gótic is to enter a street and get lost for a moment. There is a treasure everywhere, lovely shops, small chapels or hidden restaurants and bars. The Gothic Quarter can surprise you.

If you are planning to do some shopping, don’t miss Portal de l’Angel. It is a pedestrian street and one of the most popular shopping avenues in Barcelona. It leads to the spacious square in front of the Cathedral. The Cathedral is the most prominent tourist attraction of the district, famous for a beautiful patio where live 13 geese. Thirteen birds are kept at the Cathedral, because of Saint Eulalia, the patron of the Cathedral and Barcelona, was just thirteen when she died a martyr’s death.

If you are walking with a stroller, you must be patient as thee are cobblestones, narrow corridors, and crowds. As always, we recommend being there early morning.

Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar

Santa Maria del Mar is a jewel of Catalan Gothic. We read about this church for the first time in the book Ildefonso Falcones “Cathedral of the Sea.” The church was built for exactly 55 years. Bastaixos, who worked in the nearby port, brought the necessary building material on their own back from Montjuic. Their merits are commemorated by reliefs placed near the altar and on the entrance door to the church.

We stop at Santa Maria del Mar every time we are in Barcelona. It is very crowded and withing the enormous walls of the basilica you can slow down, pray, and admire the beautiful architecture. The church can be visited for free between 9 am and 1 pm and between 5 pm and 8:30 pm. Between these hours, admission is also possible but paid. The ticket price is €5.

Parc de Montjuïc

Montjuïc Hill, also known as the Jewish Hill, is a point on the map of Barcelona that guarantees impressive views and amazing attractions. On its slopes, there are lots of green areas perfect for rest and relaxation. There is also a castle, a museum, and sports facilities. For those who just want to relax and breathe fresh air, there are several parks, green alleys, water cascades, as well as a botanical garden and Greek theater.

To get to the hill from Plaza Espana, you can use the moving stairs. They are narrow, and theoretically, you can not enter them with a stroller. It’s worth carrying a baby carrier, just in case.

Be there in the evening and enjoy the Magic Fountain show, which attracts hundreds of tourists every day. One performance usually lasts 30 minutes and is a combination of spectacular water ornaments, beautiful play of lights, and music. The show is free of charge.

Botanical Garden

The botanical garden is located on the Montjuic hill, right next to a Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. Jardí Botànic de Barcelona has five zones: Mediterranean, California, Chilean, South African, and Australian. In total, there are around 2,000 different plant species, and the number is continuously increasing. You can buy entrance tickets (€3.50) to the Botanical Garden of Barcelona at the ticket office in front of the entrance. The entrance to the garden is free on the first Sunday of the month.

It is a perfect place to visit with a baby. The alleys are wide, so it is easy to walk with the stroller. There are a lot of benches, huge palm trees where you can find some shadow, and this is one of the areas in Barcelona where there are more locals than tourists.

Parc de la Ciutadella

Parc de la Ciutadella is one of the largest, most beautiful and oldest parks you can see in Barcelona. It is located in Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella district, northeast of the Old Town and it is a popular place among tourists and residents (you can go jogging or rent a boat here!). One of the main tourist attractions here is the Cascada fountain, which consists of a waterfall, an artificial lake, and stairs on both sides of the fountain.

You probably won’t miss the Arc de Triomf, which is a main gate to the Ciutadella Park. It is 30 meters high and was built for aesthetic reasons (not for military parades).
Another big attraction of the park is the Zoo, famous for the gorilla albino (called Snowflake), who lived there from 1966 to 2003.

Passeig de Gracia

Passeig de Gràcia is one of the most luxurious, elegant, but also the longest streets of Barcelona. You will love this place is you are fans of expensive purchases, fashionable boutiques, sophisticated restaurants, and prestigious hotels. Passeig de Gràcia is the second most expensive street in Spain, considering the prices of renting and buying apartments. It is also an excellent treat for art enthusiasts, especially modernist ones. Along with the street lamps, you will see Art Nouveau decorations, made of wrought iron. There are also famous buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi – La Pedrera – Casa Milà (located at Passeig de Gracia 92) as well as Casa Batlló, rebuilt by Gaudi (Passeig de Gràcia 43).

Why is it worth having a stroll at Passeig de Gracia while visiting Barcelona with a baby? First of all, the sidewalks are quite broad and comfortable for walking. Also, many shops can easily be entered with a stroller. If the weather is too hot, you can rest on one of the many benches in the shade of trees.

Barcelona Aquarium

The Barcelona Oceanarium (L’Aquarium de Barcelona) was opened in 1995 and is still one of the largest places of this type in Europe. There are 450 species of various animals living in 35 aquariums. The Aquarium is largely dedicated to the Mediterranean area. The underwater tunnel has a movable walkway, which in theory, should reduce the crowd and make sightseeing smoother.

Our baby may not remember much of this visit, but parents will definitely enjoy it. We recommend taking a carrier with you. Buying tickets in advance is recommended. Click here to check the prices.

Where to stay in Barcelona with a baby

Accommodation in Barcelona is an endless topic, so be prepared for long research. When choosing a place to stay with a baby, we always look for family-friendly hotels, and make sure that our room meets the following conditions:

• above all, the presence of children must be accepted, great if the stay is free for a baby
• center location, close to tourist attractions, or subway station, so that you can quickly return to the room for changing or feeding
• access to the elevator
• baby cot available
• private bathroom

During our trip we stayed at Ayre Hotel Gran Via which is located near the Plaza Espana. We were happy with our stay, so we can recommend further. If you travel with a baby, don’t forget to ask for a baby cob in advance. The stay of your little one is completely free of charge.

or find your own accommodation:

Barcelona with a baby – packing list

• Stroller – make sure it is lightweight, durable, and most importantly, compact fold. For 6-month and more we recommend Summer 3Dlite+ Convenience Stroller
• Baby carrier – our must-have for travel.
• Portable changing pad – to make sure you are always prepared to change a diaper.
• Baby cap for sunny days and thin blanket for cooler evenings
• First aid kit and mosquito repellent

We are backpackers from Lower Silesia region in Poland. After 10 years of traveling as a couple, we are now discovering the world with our baby. BackpackersWro is a place where we share our itineraries and tips for well-organized, affordable, and sustainable travels.