AIBU to think stepmum may be sabotaging holiday?

[VirginHoliday]

Apologies in advance for the lengthy post, I want to give a full picture.

DSM and DF organised a family holiday a few years back for DSis, DBil and their two DC. It turned out not to be very child suitable and the DC weren't on their best behaviour as a result (often bored and couldn't walk miles in the hot sun like DSM had organised). Huge waste of money and a lot of resentment from both sides after the holiday. DSM has never really liked children so DSis feels she booked that holiday knowing it would be shit for kids.

So now it's DH and my turn for the family holiday with DF and DSM. DF wanted to go to Barcelona as it's a landmark birthday for him and his choice. DSM hates Spain but agreed to go.
DH and I have never been out of the country, especially not with our 3 DC so agreed for them to sort it and we would pay providing of course that it would be family suitable (should go without saying!) We got a loan and transferred our money.

DSM asked when my DH's holiday time was (he works teacher hours so has set holidays) and we gave them a decent 4 week period to choose from within their dates.

They picked the week DH was back at work instead. And booked it before telling us. DH has had to use his only free days of the year. Fucking great.

Now I've found out exactly where we are booked. I really can't see it working at all. It's a lavish, upscale apartment smack bang in the city centre, nowhere near a beach, surrounded by a 4 lane road, nothing but very fancy restaurants and even a Louis Vuitton store. It is self catering and not a swimming pool in sight. We, unlike DF these days, are poor working class Northerners making do shopping in Lidl and Aldi and I can't see us enjoying this at all. It's a really upmarket area!

My kids are pretty great behaviour wise but I can't imagine their wont be bored to tears.

Please, please, someone, tell me Barcelona is actually a hidden gem for Primary aged children holidaying and despite what it looks like, we're going to have affordable fun.
If not DSM will get to bitch about how terrible my kids are along with DSis's. I just want to cancel the whole damn thing and book a proper family holiday but our money is gone now.

Okay, I know I made a small "less D more W" jibe about DSM but I like her just fine. She doesn't get a hard time off stepkids etc and never has done. She doesn't need to try to get on with us or look for some kindness from us. She met my dad when I was an adult and living at the other side of the country from him. We get on perfectly fine every time we meet up. She even had a place at the top table at my wedding.

My kids like her well enough but as I said, she just doesn't seem to like children. Fact. (Particularly my niece and nephew). She's very short with them and is stand offish. Not nasty just as if she has no patience or experience with children despite her having three of her own. That doesn't bother me. Plenty of people are like that.

I just thought that perhaps that her not wanting to go to Spain at all combined with her not being that keen on kids, had perhaps pushed her to book something SEEMINGLY - though this is apparently not the case - not very child orientated despite DF wanting a family holiday.

Now, back to my OP Please, please, someone, tell me Barcelona is actually a hidden gem for Primary aged children holidaying and despite what it looks like, we're going to have affordable fun.

Thank you all those who put my mind at ease. It does sound like we can make it fun.

I will make an itinerary and DH, DC and I will try to get what we fancy done whether DSM and DF want to come or not. I don't about DSM but I assume DF will want to most of the time.

I’m pretty sure you’ll have a great time in Barcelona with your kids. It really is a lovely destination.

I agree it’s annoying that she’s booked dates outside the ones you gave. But your DH is still going to be using his spare days for spending time with your DCs. He just wont be using them at their performances this year.

Like many SMs she is probably feeling anxious around you and your siblings and this is affecting her natural behaviour when in your company. This holiday is a chance to get to know her better and perhaps see her they way your DF does. You never know you may find you get on really well.

Re her disliking children, she may just feel she’ll be criticised if she tries to be motherly towards them as SMs often are. They really are on a hiding to nothing in the eyes of many step-children, and SMs often feel they can’t do right for doing wrong.

Just wanted to add that I have been to Barcelona twice and not been pickpocketed (although didn't go in peak season). I think the advice to try not to look too much like a tourist and stay away from the Leicester Square equivalents is good.

I have also been on quite a few multigenerational holidays and they can be a minefield although it is nice to have the extra adults around. Booking something that suits everyone is very difficult. It's good to do separate things some days. You will all see each other in the evening. I think this thread has shown how important it is to discuss expectations before hand and for all parties to show some flexibility.

Anyway, have a great time OP.

Oh I remembered the thing I actually wanted to say - the area is Catalan speaking so if you are wondering why your Spanish isn't working, it's probably because the person/the sign is in Catalan!

Lots of great comments already but to reassure, we had a day there during a camping holiday with 2 & 4 year old and they loved it loads. Street performers, cable car, aquarium. As others have said, get yourselves a good public transport map, Metro is excellent and buses fill the gaps. Plenty of corners in the city with fountains and parks for kids to cool off without having to hit the beach. Maritime museum is interesting and in a cool old stone building at bottom of Las Ramblas. Zoo is supposed to be great. Bakeries probably best bet for cheaper eats as you travel around, or pack up your sandwiches for the day in backpack. Ice cream shop after dinner for a treat out is an easy win/place to meet the parents after they go somewhere swanky and expensive. Slightly further out of the city on top of the big hill with the radio mast is a massive amusement park. Not been but I'm sure trip advisor can comment on how good & how to get there. Put a lot of effort in now so you have a comeback for every suggestion DSM makes, you may even end up with 3 or 4 places you all want to see together. Several fancy hotels have rooftop pools and will welcome you if you buy drinks for everyone-allow yourself a €40 or so budget for that though...the beach or olympic park (of getting DF to commit to picking up the tab for an afternoon trip together) is definitely cheaper. A small Spanish phrase book might help-pretty much everywhere they will speak English but you will get a much warmer reception if you try a few words in Spanish first, no matter how badly! Enjoy your family holiday, it's an amazing city

the area is Catalan speaking so if you are wondering why your Spanish isn't working, it's probably because the person/the sign is in Catalan!

Your Spanish will be fine. All Catalans speak Spanish and signs are in both Catalan and Spanish.

I've been to Barca about 5 times, twice with children. It's great for kids as it has a great beach. I would highly recommend using the Club Natació Atlètic Barceloneta - it's a municipal pool complex and is inexpensive. It is outdoor and indoor, fresh water and chlorinated - lots of choice! It overlooks the beach and is fab. Get there early though to get your spot and you can stay all day. It says no food but we've always taken a packed lunch, and so do all the locals, no one ever complains. Barcelona has tons to do with kids. I suspect you are staying in Gracia, the upmarket part - which is the best to be honest in my opinion as it's very easy to walk everywhere from there. Just do sightseeing in the morning, lunch at home if you are skint (we always do) and then a nap before heading to the beach or more sight seeing. In the evening find a nice bar in a square and relax while the kids play - its the Spanish way to do this till late with their kids. There are cheap stores to buy food close - It's not a rip-off city and food prices don't vary in supermarkets in regard to areas much. It's one of the only cities I have visited which is very child friendly! Have a great time, I am very envious!

We've not long since returned from a few days in Barcelona with our 5 and 10 year olds. They both had a brilliant time. It doesn't have to be expensive if you steer clear of the tourist traps of Las Rambalas. Las Rambalas de Poblenou has so many good value and fantastic restaurants. I was working during our stay but DH took the kids to the beach each day (and we were about a 25 min walk from it) on their scooters (we packed the scooters so that the kids would enjoy the journies), they went to the Olympic Park, to the cable cars etc. There really is plenty to do, it's a lovely family- friendly city. The only minor issue you might encounter is that many restaurants don't open until 8/8:30pm, so make sure that you have a good lunch (lots of places do three course lunches of delicious, healthy food for about €10.

Look up the visitbarcelona card. You can buy them in advance and it gives you access to all transport for the number of days that you pay for, along with entry into lots of the museums and reduced entrance into others.
There are plenty of cheaper places to eat, just remember if you go out that not all take bookings, that many will just expect you to queue and that the Spanish generally eat later than we do.
I can recommend Les Quinze Nuits (spelling atrocious)...

Don't worry too much about language when getting around. Virtually everything is in three languages - Catalan, Spanish, and English!

Barcelona is great with or without DC. It's one of my favourite cities...as a PP has said, the Spanish love children and they will be welcomed everywhere you go. Just relax and enjoy the pace x

Oo make sure you go here www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187497-d782944-Reviews-Cerveceria_Catalana-Barcelona_Catalonia.html

Best tapas here. Not too expensive and kids are welcome. If you go in the evening then it will be busy, put your name down (usually 30-45 minute wait) and pop round the corner for a quick drink.
All the staff speak English and they have the menus in English.
We take everyone that visits there, it really is good. Loved by locals and tourists.

When we went with the kids (wide age gaps) we took an open air bus tour of the city, cheap and you can get on and off, so we didn't get complaints about tired legs. They enjoyed it. Have fun. I like your positive attitude.

We went to Barcelona during the Easter holidays with our 11 year old. We did a asking tour which was brilliant and free, we also did the tourist bus for two days and Sagrada Familia.

One of our favourite and cheap places in Spain is 100 montaditos. They do tiny sandwiches in 100 different varieties and on Sunday and Wednesday they are only €1 each. We had a massive lunch for the three of us for €20 and that included two large beers.

How was your holiday OP?

Holiday is coming up soon. Thanks to the replies I received here on mumsnet I'm actually looking forward to it now. I've decided to buy ¡Hola! Travel cards and have planned out where to go, how much it should cost and when to go. I've wandered round Barcelona so much via google streetview that I reckon I could find my way round as well as at home

Can't say I'm not nervous as hell about pickpockets though. Anti theft bags and backpacks it is then.

Hello OP did you enjoy Barcelona?

Really enjoyed it. The graffiti everywhere and closed businesses all over is a let down though. Sad to see. And the dining was difficult as none of us like seafood so tapas was pretty much out .
What we did find though was nice.

We shopped in Lidl easy enough.

The apartment was amazing and worth every penny and the huge 4 lane roundabout outside the apartment wasn't an issue at all as the crossings are fantastic. Very safe and easy getting across the busy road.

Metro is brilliant for getting around. Cheap too. We bought a T-10 pass for us all. €1.02 per trip. Cheap as chips. My 11yo was leading the way by day 3. She could figure the maps out as easy as we adults could.

Las Ramblas however is dire. I wouldn't bother with that again. Same with the waxwork museum. It was almost worth the €90 just to laugh at how bloody awful the waxworks were. Almost.

Barcelona Zoo is sad. Really sad. Tiny enclosures with sorry looking miserable animals. Then there was the reusable cups you get €2 back for returning that are barely rinsed quickly in water for the next person. Yuck.

Oh and dad got pickpocketed on the way to the airport. Lost hundreds. His own fault though. I had absolutely fucking hounded mentioned it to everyone a few times about it thanks to this post warning me about them.

All in all, a great holiday.

Well, I say great, the good bits were very good. Only little let downs (as long as I don't think about dad's wallet 😂)

Apologies for the name change by the way. Couldn't change back to it for some reason.