Barcelona with Kids: What We Did in 5 Rainy Days

We took the train from Nîmes and arrived in Barcelona on a Tuesday, ready for a slower week. We had five days with a 7- and 2-year-old, a friend's apartment, and a forecast that did not cooperate. Here's what we did, what worked, and what I'd change.

Arriving (and the taxi line)

The taxi line at the station was long. If you're on a big train like ours, get off quickly and head straight there, or plan on waiting 30+ minutes. When we left, the line was just as long.

We stayed in Barceloneta at the apartment of friends we met up with in Cinque Terre (here's that trip). It was a short walk to Plaça del Poeta Boscà, a local square with a playground, which became our home base. If you're booking your own place, you can search stays in Barceloneta. Our first night was a low-key date night, just Remi and me.

Remi holding up a glass bottle and Alissa holding a pint of beer, clinking them together at a sidewalk cafe table at dusk, both grinning — Cheers! Date night, just Remi and me.

Barceloneta beach at sunset, with a cable car tower and city buildings along the shore and a few people on the sand — Our first evening on Barceloneta beach.

Remi and Arlo peeking out of the window of a wooden cabin on a neighborhood playground — The neighborhood playground, wooden cabin included.

Barceloneta beach (and a rainy grocery run)

Wednesday started slow with beach time. Barceloneta is a city beach, so don't expect pristine. Cleaning crews were out constantly, but some unlucky currents had also piled up sticks and logs along the shore. The kids didn't care in the slightest.

A boy standing on Barceloneta beach lifting a huge washed-up bamboo pole over his head, the sea behind him — Not everything washed up on the beach was trash. This one made a great pole.

The afternoon turned into groceries and rain. That evening we walked to El Born to meet Dani's friend Desi, an amazing person she used to work with, who now owns the yoga studio Shanti Vida. She gave us a tour of the shala, and then we wandered through El Born at happy hour, with tourist shops and everyone out for a drink and Arlo asleep in the stroller. We found a delicious tapas bar, Bar del Pla, and spent time catching up. The kids did well tasting the different dishes, though we still stopped for a slice of pizza afterward. Tapas are easy with kids because you can order a few things at a time and see what sticks.

Yoga, dogs, and a storm on the patio

Desi booked me into a power vinyasa class with Sarah, one of the studio's many great instructors, so we walked over again. Dani, Desi, and the kids had breakfast while I got a wonderful hour on the mat. Afterwards it was back to Barceloneta, where Remi ran straight into the water with Desi's little dogs while ominous clouds rolled in.

Remi, Arlo and two adults laughing on Barceloneta beach with a little fluffy dog and a stroller behind them — Back at Barceloneta, with Desi's little dogs and some ominous clouds on the way.

We retreated to the square near our apartment and ate on the covered patio of a market bar, watching people while the storm passed.

Arlo and Remi grinning and hugging a fluffy dog in the seat of a stroller — Remi, Arlo and one of Desi's dogs.

Barceloneta's neighborhood festival (and too many bumper cars)

We didn't plan it, but we stayed in Barceloneta during its annual Festa Major, the neighborhood's big festival for its patron saint, Sant Miquel. This year it also marked the neighborhood's 275th anniversary. All week there were markets along Passeig de Joan de Borbó, the main street, and stages set up around the neighborhood for a block party.

On Friday evening, back from Montserrat, we wandered over to a little carnival and ended up paying for three rounds of bumper cars, plus a few toddler rides for Arlo. Remi would have gone for a fourth.

Remi and Dani grinning in a selfie at a bumper car ride lit with blue lights — One of our three rounds of bumper cars.

Remi and Dani laughing together in a bumper car under the colorful lights of the Autopista ride, other riders around them — Remi and Dani, laughing their way around the bumper cars.

Two kids riding in a little cart on a toddler ride at night, with a colorful Wild West style facade behind them — A toddler ride at the Festa Major carnival.

If you're in Barceloneta in late September or early October, check whether the Festa Major is on. It's a great way to see the neighborhood, but the last night was loud, so if you have little ones, look for a room away from the main squares (we were three blocks from the square and could still hear it clearly, though it wrapped up around 11pm). Carnival rides are priced per ride and add up fast, so set a budget with your kids before you walk in.

Friday: Montserrat

Friday was our Montserrat day, and I gave it its own post.

Saturday: Montjuïc, Parc Güell, and a lot of rain

Saturday morning had a break in the weather, so we squeezed in a big sightseeing day. We started with a city bus, which is always a cheap and interesting way to see a city, with a mix of locals and tourists. We got to our first stop without any trouble.

Alissa in a cap and lime-green rain jacket smiling at the camera on a crowded city bus, Arlo curled in her lap and Remi beside her, with a screen above showing Barceloneta as the destination — The crowded city bus, with kids on our laps.

Montjuïc cable car and castle

We pre-booked round-trip tickets on the official Montjuïc cable car website, and still waited about 20 minutes for our turn on the cable car up to Montjuïc Castle. The hilltop has been a lookout point since at least the 11th century, when a sailor watched for enemy ships. The fortress itself dates to 1640, and its current shape comes from an 18th-century rebuild. It later served as a military prison, and it became city property in 2007. Today it's a cultural space with exhibits and family workshops. Our visit was free, either because Saturdays always are or because we got lucky, so check current admission before you go.

Remi sitting on the bench of a cable car cabin looking out over the sprawl of Barcelona while Dani takes a photo with her phone — The cable car ride up, with Barcelona spread out below.

Two adults, Remi and Arlo standing at a railing in front of the stone walls of Montjuïc Castle, a Catalan flag flying behind them — At Montjuïc Castle, between rain showers.

The best part was a secret spy mission game set up for kids. You pick up a bag with a cryptic machine and solve clues, which kept Remi engaged. About 30 minutes in, after using a compass for the first two clues, a cold breeze rushed in to signal a storm. We'd ordered from the burger trailer in the courtyard, and a torrential downpour hit before our food was ready, with horizontal rain pelting the two people working there. They were amazing: they boarded up their window and still brought out our burgers and fries under a makeshift cover.

Remi reading a clue on a slip of paper beside Arlo in front of a big wooden door at Montjuïc Castle — Remi working on a clue in the spy mission game.

We ate and played in a little kids' area through the worst of it, feeling safe in a building that has withstood centuries of storms. Then we finished the last few clues exploring the tower in the drizzle. Remi cracked the cryptex and was thrilled.

A view from Montjuïc hill over Barcelona's container port, cranes and stacked shipping containers under a heavy gray sky — The view over Barcelona's port from the hill, just before the sky opened up.

Getting to Montjuïc Castle. Google's directions led us to the funicular, which connects to the metro. Take L2 or L3 to Paral·lel and follow signs to the funicular on the upper level. It's a 2–3 minute ride to Parc de Montjuïc, where the cable car is a short walk away. The cable car ticket doesn't include castle admission. Bus 150 from Plaça d'Espanya also goes right up to the castle, but the cable car is the way to go: you get to see the city, and otherwise the walk up from the funicular is 20–25 minutes uphill, which isn't great with a stroller.

The bus mix-up

After coming down by cable car and funicular, we caught a bus toward Parc Güell, but got on the 19 instead of the V19. We ended up far from the park, stuck with no easy way back on track, waiting a while in the rain for an Uber. It's an inevitable part of traveling, and still frustrating. Check the number before you board, because those two routes are different.

Parc Güell

We made it in time for our pre-booked tickets. It was enough of a break to enjoy the view from the lookout, peek into some of the garden areas, and find the soggy playground.

Remi smiling beside the mosaic dragon fountain in Parc Güell — Remi with Parc Güell's mosaic dragon.

Booking Parc Güell. The Monumental Zone needs a timed ticket. The official site and app are the safest places to buy, and slots do sell out. As of 2026, adults are about €18, and kids under 6 are free (they still need a free ticket). You can enter up to 30 minutes after your slot, but you can't leave and come back in. The forest area is free if you can't get a ticket. With a stroller, the Carretera del Carmel entrance is the easiest, because the Carrer d'Olot entrance is steeper.

The storm

As we were wrapping up, every phone in the park buzzed with an emergency alert telling people to avoid travel from 8pm. We found the right bus home and sheltered in the apartment for the night.

The storm turned out to be serious. A red alert was issued, non-essential travel was restricted across much of Catalonia, the metro stopped running at midnight, and hundreds of flights were cancelled at the airport. Another alert came Monday morning, which is what we were dealing with on our travel day to Seville.

Sunday: Sagrada Família (from the outside)

Sunday morning we headed to the Sagrada Família. We hadn't planned to go inside. We'd booked free tickets for Family Architecture Day, a kids' activity event on the plaza, but it was canceled. The basilica itself was also closed until 2 pm because of the previous night's storm, which was announced the day before.

The tall stone spires of the Sagrada Família rising above dark green trees, with a construction crane beside them and a cloudy sky behind — The Sagrada Família's spires, with its ever-present crane.

The plaza and surrounding streets were packed, uncomfortably so. We were constantly dodging people taking photos and selfies, and winding our way with the stroller and scooter. We didn't stay long. If you're planning around a kids' event near the Sagrada Família, check for cancellations that morning, especially in bad weather.

Arlo in a black Nike t-shirt taking a bite of a pink-frosted doughnut while Remi in a red jersey eats one behind him, the Sagrada Família and a crowded plaza in the background — Doughnuts on the plaza made the crowds a little easier.

Sunday evening: the match

After the Sagrada Família, we headed to one of the things we'd been looking forward to most, a Barça Femení vs Real Madrid match at the stadium. I wrote that one up in its own post, and then it was on to our travel day to Seville.

What I'd do differently

Pre-book Parc Güell, and pick a clearer day if you can.
Pack real rain gear for everyone.
Check bus numbers twice.
Leave buffer in your plans. The weather really did shape our week, and it carried over into our travel day to Seville.

Would we go back?

Yes. Even in the rain, we had beach time, great food, good friends, and a castle spy game Remi still talks about. If you've been to Barcelona with kids, I'd love to hear your favorites.

Barcelona with Kids: Beach Days, a Neighborhood Festival, and a Storm That Shut the City Down