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.

You lucked out as everyone says Barcelona is great for kids! Compact, friendly, great public transport - beach not too far off. Kids ( well behaved kids) very welcome and easy to find good cheap eats. You lot get on your schedule and met the parents at agreed times/ for agreed activities.

Wouldn’t worry about the pickpocket thing - just be sensible. You’re as likely to get pickpocketed in Leicester Square as Las Ramblas. Which, skip by the way, it’s shit. A bit like going to Times Square or Leicester Square - overcrowded, full of bloody human statues and crap food!

Sounds like it could actually be fun. Being honest I would be pretty bored sitting around a pool reading in the sun while the kids play but we've been told that pools are apparently a must have for keeping costs down and kids happy.

A detailed and full itinerary it is then. I'm not a traveller by nature (not even in the UK really if we can help it! 😂) and neither is DH but I'm willing to go and try and find my way round a foreign city. What's the worst that could happen? I speak some Spanish and can certainly ask for directions. If I have a good map I'll be fine.

::bites nails nervously::

Skipped to the end, so sorry if the following have been mentioned, but Barcelona has excellent rail links and you can travel to Universal's Fort Aventura (theme park) and also visit Sitges with its beautiful beaches on a day trip.

Centrally, Sagrada Familia (the Gaudi Cathedral) is a must, likewise, follow La Ramblas (think Covent Garden) to the sandy man-made beach at the end via the historic old town.

Barcelona is fabulous.

This threads genuinely made me want to take my three kids a break to Barcelona. I think it sounds fab and im sure you will have a lovely time op.

Barcelona is great for kids. We went a few years back with our kids (then 5&7). Lovely beaches, Segway/bus tours of the city, parks, etc. And it’s a relatively small city so not always miles of walking.

Barcelona is fabulous for kids and has great, easy underground system. Just make sure you research before you go the family friendly stuff, have your itinerary ready and most importantly DO WHAT YOU WANT!!! Don’t be bullied into doing what your step mum is interested in as it sounds like a recipe for disaster

Just wanted to say we are off the Barcelona this August and my 8 yr old can’t wait . He has picked loads of places he wants to go - he is not a museum boy either . We are also self catering as you get a bit more space and can cater as and when you want and eat out if you prefer .
My kids love a beach and an amusement park and they love a city break.

Don’t under estimate your kids . Have a fab time

What a wonderful experience for your DC! Barcelona is an amazing city - very family friendly and the culture is so inclusive of kids. The food is great and there is so much to do.

Get a good guide book or look up activities on Trip Advisor etc before you go, but there is lots that both you and your kids will love.

Stop worrying and have a great time!

You’re seeing only negatives, there are loads of positives. Stop being such a misery.

Barcelona is a beautiful city with lots to do for children lots in the region if you want to travel about an hour by train you have Port Aventura theme park which is just behind Salou and is really easy to get to from Barcelona.

We took our 2 ds age 11 and 7 to barcelona for 5 nights last year. They loved it. Loads to see and do in the city with some options for just out of the city as well. Beach at the city as well as the pool. Also the sagrida familia is a must do along with park guell. Despite not being massive footy fan s they both really enjoyed the nou camp tour (as did I suprisingly) it's really easy to get around and there are supermarkets all over the city to get things to eat and cook, or if you search them out a bit some great reasonable prices places to eat. Just steer clear of Las rambles.
We also took the train to Port adventure theme park , if that's an option money wise. Also took another train to a water park just out of the city that was reasonable in price and very good for all ages. They do a free shuttle to and from the nearest station.

Barcelona is great for kids, and lots to do just off las Ramblas you have lots of food markets where there is extremely fresh fruit and veg and fish ideal for kids to learn about. Avoid the zoo it is good but for a city zoo it feels cramped and I didn’t like the Cat enclosures. You have lots going on at the port and can watch the cruise liners coming in and there is some great places to eat and drink.
If you want to go kid friendly about an hour away is Salou which is a typical Family friendly beach resort

Re pool - we booked a hotel with a rooftop pool and then had so much fun doing other stuff that we never even found the time to use it! DS said it was his best holiday ever (although to be fair he says that at the end of every holiday)!

I have never been to Barcelona, and didnt even realise it was by the sea. OP, it looks fantastic, it has loads of attractions, that I bet are a lot cheaper than in London, I reckon you and the kids will have a fabulous time there. I have put it on my list of places to visit now I have had a look thanks to this thread.

We went travelling around Spain with three primary aged dc at Easter, spent 3 days in Barcelona and the children loved it. I think it could be trickier in warmer weather though, we did a lot of walking.

My three were mesmerised by La Sagrada Familia. Parque Guell was beautiful with great views. We didn't visit the zoo but the Parc de la Ciutadella in which the zoo is situated is worth a visit. We spent a day at the beach, walked there from centre. We got the cable car to Castell de Montjuïc then walked back through the gardens, more great views. We wanted to visit Tibidabo, an amusement Park on top of a hill with a church, we heard it has the best views, but ran out of time and the actual amusement park didn't get the best reviews. Finally just wandering around the city eating spanish food and ice cream was fab. I'm sure you'll have an amazing time.

We stayed in salou and did a day trip to Barcelona on the train so would be easy to do it other way around and take the children to port adventura really fab theme park- they'd love it.

If they've done exactly this before, maybe you should have been more involved in booking it, so you could have some choice in where you went, when you went etc.

Barcelona isn't the sort of place to have hotels with pools at the beach, it is a city break but there is an ok beach too, not worth spending a great deal of time there. If your kids like football then a visit to the stadium would be good, open air bus to get around, sagrada de familia, there's a gaudi park, there's a theme park just outside, there are cable cars, it's a great city for all ages.

I have been to Barcelona many times. It is not suitable for children it is a city. There is a man made beach and an aquarium at the end of Las Ramblas but you wouldnt want to stay there as its pick pocket heaven.

If you go please carry no handbags or wallets. Money belts only. Las Ramblas iìs great but the pick pockets are world famous

It is not suitable for children it is a city.

Yes, you never hear of children in a city, do you.

Bizarre thing to say .

And I've never once been pickpocketed and I've been to Barcelona 4 times. Just have your wits about you and you'll be fine.

How very helpful spatchcock

Barcelona is great for kids, ours loved it and still talk about it years later!! Our hotel had a pool, the beach area is lovely, tapas food is fantastic for getting kids to try new things, nou camp tour a must even if you don’t like football, cable car up to the old fort area.

We did see pickpockets but I just took a crossbody handbag that couldn’t be interfered with and put the money we had with us in there - sorted!