Barcelona - anyone been

[JETS]

Anyone have any ideas about staying in Barcelona with children (14 &10) - where to stay/what to do/where to eat??

I luurve Barcelona.

We stayed here a couple of times. It is very central, just off the Ramblas. They have apartments as well as rooms. Quite basic accommodation, but cheap, and clean.

What to do? Parc Guell and the Gaudi buildings. Parc Olimpico and the cable car over the harbour. Sagrada Familia. There's a funfair on the mountain behind the city - Tibido? Nou Camp football stadium. There's a good aquarium on the seafront. The Olympic village has lots of bars and restaurants. Lots of lovely tapas bars. The cathedral and old town.

Can I come?

Love it!!!!

Stay on/just off Las Ramblas if you can. Eat in the tapas bars you find everywhere, especially around the cathedral area.

Intsitite Joan Miro is amazing - I love his work. There's also a Picasso museum but you have to be there early as the queues are immense - again really worth it. Would take them to the Boqueria food market on the Ramblas - its amazing! Good places to eat there - have had my best ever paella in the upstairs restaurant behind it - can't remember the name!!!

Would second Parc Guell and the cable car. If you want to get out of the city, its really worth visiting the monastery at Montserrat here. We loved it.

haven't taken kids there yet, but we are considering it.

The funfair is Mount Tibidabo.

Do you remember Joey's backpacking story in Friends? Yep - the very same Tibidabo!

Love it.

Second everything that Portofino/Weegiemum said.

Also the best way to get round/see everything is on the tourist bus - you can buy a day/2day ticket, and see the whole of Barca very easily. I think there are 3 or 4 different routes (depending on time of year), and you can hop off and on as you please.

The marina development is lovely, plenty of boats doing tours of the harbour, Nou Camp, an artists village (name escapes me) which is on the bus tour, la ramblas, an amazing light/fountain show every night

Try and head off la ramblas to eat as there are some lovely wee places, that are a lot cheaper than the tourist traps. There is an amazing bar next to the wax works museum which is like a secret fairy cave complete with rock pools and such like - well worth a visit.

El Born is great for trendy shops/bars/cafes

Ooh I remember the secret fairy cave! Buy a recent copy of the Time Out guide. It will all be there!

And of course, unlike the UK, noone will care if the kids are still up gone midnight. You get a lie in too!

And as weegie says, the Boqueria is fab, as is the Picasso museum. And of course there is a beach too!

Thanks so much everyone - off to plan the tickets!

the timeout guide is good for cafes/bars/restaurants in particular...and does have a "children" section I think...you could check it out in a bookshop.

I have been to and love Barcelona many times, but this was pre-baby. I have always loved a day trip to Sitges, which has a gorgeous beach and chilled out vibe, on the train, which I imagine your kids might enjoy? It's always lovely to get out of the city, as fantastic as it is.

Can I recommend www.friendlyrentals.com for accomodation. They have loads of apartments and have fab customer service. Lots of different size apartments and prices so you should find something to suit. We have booked with them tons of times and have never been disappointed. Enjoy your break!!

I went this weekend and it was FAB. if the weather is nice you can hang out at the beach at Barceloneta (just by where the cable car leaves). oooh lovely!

Don't want to be a kill joy but please be on your guard for pick pockets.We spent a lovely couple of hours in the police station after my husband had his wallet knicked,the place was full of other victims.
Fabulous place though.

We just took a bit of cash out in pockets - rather than lots incase we got pick pocketed - beware n the rambles

lovely market and sweets and fruits

Barcelona is wonderful. The children loved it to bits.

Oh I'm so jealous!

Would jump on a plane tomorrow given the chance.
We went there for our honeymoon, stayed at Hotel America

We walked absolutely everywhere, never used transport all week other than the taxi from and to the airport.

Casa Mila is just fantastic, a really inspiring building, as is Casa Batllo but both tend to be very popular and can have huge queues!

Park Guell is one of the few places on our list of things to do that we never got round to.

Ooooh, please take me with you??
I'm only small, won't take up much room, I promise!

If you go to the cafe at the top of Corte Ingles (on the big square with fountains at top of Ramblas where the tour buses leave from) you can see the city panorama really well. And the football ground is a good stop if you are doing the round the city tour.(Even if you aren't a fan!)

I'm on google street view walking the streets of barcelona, driving DH mad cos I'm cooing over every little memory!

I've found the shopping centre we went into to use the toilet, walked into the unisex bathroom and there were clear glass doors on the toilet cubicles!
I was so desperate for the loo I could have cried, went into a cubicle and as I turned the lock the door frosted over!
Was so amused by it I wanted to unlock the door so I could lock it again!
Made DH go in even though he didnt need the loo just to have a go!

Happy memories