3 Family-Friendly Days in Barcelona

Depending on how much time you have in Barcelona, my suggestion would be to see the main sights first and in Barcelona that means visiting the Sagrada Familia. This Gaudi-designed church is steeped in history and legend and is unlike any other church you have likely visited. Even if touring churches isn't your favorite thing to do when traveling, you must go here. Modern, whimsical, detailed and massive are just a few way to describe this true work of art. It has been under construction for over 100 years and is almost complete. A few things to know: buy your tickets in advance, be sure to opt in to the audio tour and if you are traveling with kids, there are kid-friendly tours available and they are entertaining for all.

The perfect companion to touring the Sagrada Familia is to visit Parc Guell. Parc Guell is a very kid-friendly way to explore more of Gaudi's works without just wandering through churches and buildings. There are great views of the city and even a fun slide for the kids. This is about a 25-minute walk or 10-minute cab ride from Sagrada Familia.

One of my favorite tips when visiting a new city is to do a fun tour early on. I love to suggest food tours or bike tours as a way to learn the layout of the city as well as discover some new places to eat that are often recommended and loved by locals. Going early in your visit will give you time to go back and revisit your favorites.

I highly recommend an e-bike tour in Barcelona. It's a sprawling city with many hills. An e-bike can help you cover a lot of ground and save your tired legs. My advice would be to add a stop such as Parc Guell, Sagrada Familia or Poble Espanyol to your tour if you are crunched for time.

If weather does not cooperate or if you prefer to visit more city sights, you can head to the Avenue Diagonal and explore many more Gaudi Buildings, shop and check out restaurants in this bustling area of the city. In this area, you can find Casa Mila, Illa de la Discòrdia and more.

Explore the Gothic Quarter to see the many sights and buildings. Not far from the Gothic Quarter, you will find the Parc de la Ciutadella and the Cascade fountain. If you are traveling with kids, there is also a zoo in this park.

If you'd like to get out by the water, check out Rambla De Mar. You can take a walk in this area and take in the views. From here you can wander to the beach and enjoy some time relaxing.

A fun evening activity is the Magic Fountain, a huge light and water show in the Montjüic neighborhood of Barcelona. The backdrop to this electrifying show are the mountains of Montjüic. The show takes place twice an hour and lasts twenty minutes each. It is free to attend and is available for viewing Thursday through Saturday. There are many restaurants in the area to enjoy dinner after watching a show.

Barcelona is a lively city, full of character, charm and wonder. You can spend your visit seeing many famous sights or stroll the streets to find your new favorite cafe or brewery. The architecture and art throughout the city is truly unique, so be sure to look up and look around as you wander the city streets.