Hitchin' a Ride in Barcelona

Casa Milà, or La Pedrera, by Antoni Gaudí

Barcelona can be a fun destination for school-aged and older children, certainly if they’re old enough to appreciate art and design and Gaudí’s architecture, but also if they just like the beach or a somewhat lively bigger city.  With not as many tourists or as much chaos as Rome or Paris, Barcelona’s leafy boulevards and sandy beaches make it a pleasant family destination.

Barceloneta beach, one of Barcelona’s seven golden sand beaches, was listed as one of the “World’s Best Beaches” by Discovery Channel in 2005 and is over a half mile long.  In total, Barcelona has over 3 miles of Mediterranean coast to enjoy (preferably with a glass of sangria!)  The city also has 68 municipal parks.  Montjuïc is the largest park, located on Montjuïc mountain, and beautiful Labyrinth Park contains a very cool garden maze.  (Important tip:  the Labyrinth Park of Horta, or Parc del Laberint d’Horta, is not near the Horta metro station.  It’s off of Mundet metro station.)

Something very unique to do in Barcelona, which will probably thrill your kids (and you, unless you suffer from vertigo or acrophobia), is to ride the cable car from the harbor all the way to Montjuïc mountain.  Officially called the Transbordador Aeri del Port, it departs every 15 minutes and soars 23 stories over the city.  A one-way trip is 9 euros per person, a little pricey but definitely worth it for the thrill and the stunning aerial views of the city below.

If you still need a little excitement after that, there’s another ride awaiting you when you reach Montjuïc mountain.  Albeit much shorter and less white-knuckle, a four person car takes passengers up to the Montjuïc Castle, an 18th century fortress with fantastic views of the Mediterranean and a museum which houses the largest collection of Catalán art in Spain.  Museum is open 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Tuesdays through Saturdays) and 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.  Closed Mondays.  Admission is 8.50€.

Family Vacation