Getting around with kids in Barcelona
Barcelona is popular with families for many reasons. It is packed with great attractions for children ranging from Poble Espanyol to Tibidabo Amusement Park. There is a lot to see and do in Barcelona the challenge for parents is how to fit in everything and in particular how to travel around the city. Older children may be happy to walk for a while but even they will tire before too long. Fortunately there is a solution Barcelona has a good public transport system It is easy to understand and use and children under the age of four can travel free.
For most people public transport conjures up images of buses and trains. You will find these in Barcelona but there are also many other options for travelling around the city including a cable car tramway and funicular railway.
By taking advantage of some of these more unusual transport methods you can build some extra adventure into your holiday. For children half of the fun of a holiday is travelling around different places and having new experiences. They may not be particularly bothered about visiting an art gallery or museum but if the journey to get there involves a cable car or tram then they will have fun.
You could even turn it into a game and try to see how many different forms of transport you can take during your time in Barcelona.
Tourist bus
You could start with the Bus Turístic or Tourist bus and enjoy an open-top sightseeing tour of the city. Barcelona’s Bus Turístic is an easy way to visit most of the city’s major sights without exhausting the kids in Barcelona. You can buy tickets which will let you jump on and off all day so make sure you start early to get full value from your ticket. If you do decide to take things at a slower pace than a two day ticket option is available. An added benefit of taking the bus is that your ticket comes with a discount voucher booklet which you can use to gain reduced admission prices to many of Barcelona’s main attractions.
Take a Horse drawn carriage tour
For an alternative tour of the city why not relax for an hour and dream of being one of Barcelonas aristocratic residents from the past. Climb aboard your very own horse and carraige and be given a very special tour of the city.
Explore the Parc de Montjuïc
When you feel it is time for a break from the city for a while head to the Parc de Montjuïc.
The hill of Montjuic is a superb place to relax and get some fresh air. There are also some great views of Barcelona to get from the hill. You could reach the park by taking the Montjuic bus but kids in Barcelona will love the chance to try out the Montjuic funicular. The train leaves from parallel Metro station and runs directly up the hill. Near to the terminus of the funicular railway you will find the Jardins de Mossen Cinto Verdaguer that overlook the city. There is plenty of grass and shady areas to relax in. Don’t miss the large pond nearby which provides a good place for children to play and even picnic.
If you want to continue your transport adventure you are now very close to the cable car entrance. The cable car will take you all the way to Montjuïc Castle.
There are lots of other fun ways of getting around Barcelona and making the journey part of your holiday experience.
