I feel like the most googled sentence in January, when you live in England is “where is the hottest place in Europe right now?”. Christmas is over, School has started, the daffodils haven’t totally bloomed yet, so you are in this transitional phase between festivities and Spring, and it is still so cold!
Barcelona has been on our radar for awhile, and Feb half term was finally the time for it. We got thrown bait of a curve ball when the dance concert got rescheduled to half term due to the Rac-Roofing debacle that dominated the headlines at the start of the summer term. So we have 4.5 days to fit something in. Ryanair came to the party with some cheap flights and good flight times and Barcelona fitted our situation.
We checked into our Hotel after the 2 hour flight, Sallés Hotel Pere IV, and got the kids some dinner with Uber Eats. The room had a sofa bed, and a big super king bed, so every one had a good space. The bathroom had a bath which is always great for the kids, and of course a pool, because in my kids eyes, it isn’t a holiday without a pool. If I were to go again, I would get an airbnb, as dinners can be tricky and having your own kitchen just allows you to cook whatever they eat, rather than you searching for limited options.
Day One
The next morning we hopped up and decided to spend a gazillion euro on the hotel breakfast for convenience sake….and it was secretly worth it. They had cake! A massive cake just served up next to the fruit bar. Totally ridiculous, but my lectures to my children about eating sugar for breakfast were totally diminished and I was all in. They also had an awesome selection of meats, fruit, breads, cereals and the traditional English cook – up, along with coffees and juices.
After breakfast, we went for a quick swim with cake swirling around in my tummy and then ventured out. I was quite sure what to expect….there was a lot of building work, and we were basically heading for the main tourist trap of the city. It felt bit overcrowded and busy….so we took a walk up to Park Guell and stopped for some Empanadas which were actually the perfect travelling snack. They are a pastry filled with a sweet or savouring filling, and the kids also ate them which was great.
After finally getting up to Park Guell (the city is sloped, Park Guell is at the top…many many blocks away from the centre, so if you are pushing a pram, either stop for a lot of Empanadas like us, or take the bus) we took a stroll around, while the kids played around all of the architecture, and then walked back down along another street. Barcelona is great for kids playgrounds, with some spaced every block. We let the kids go into every one, making sure they got all of their energy out for the day. The kids seemed to like the park outside the Sagrada Familia the best, and its great for catching some sun also.
Overall, the first day I wasn’t fussed by, but we had so much more in store, so you can’t judge a book by its cover.
The View from across the city of Barcelona from Park Guell
Day Two
The next day, once again after a ridiculously priced breakfast, (but there was chocolate cake again, so lets not complain) we headed in the opposite direction towards the gothic quarter. We walked through Parc de la Ciutadellawhich is full of fountains and people making massive bubbles and selling balloons. It reminds me a lot of the Luxembourg Gardens that runs through the centre of Paris. The kids got to feed some birds that flew down to their arms, which they just loved. Make sure if you are going, take some coins for the Men that give you the seeds that the birds like. We saw tourists bringing their own seeds, along with their own apples also, which the birds ate. The Men who have developed these relationship with the birds so they do fly down and eat out of your hands, were understandably annoyed. You never know the financial context that these men come from, and as a tourist, usually a few euro here and there can be spared for them.
After walking into the gothic quarter, out whole view of Barcelona Changed. It was incredible. The architecture, the laneways, the colours, the creativity that was all going on was totally our Jam. Our first stop was the MOCA, which we loved. It is set down a little narrow laneway, and it is just the right size for kids. It features work from Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, KAWS, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, Studio Irma, and so many more. The kids took it all in, asked a lot of very funny questions about modern art, and we were done in an hour, which is great for the kids attention span….especially a 5 year old!
After a stop off in a gelato shop, our next stop was the Mercado de La Boqueria.It is Barcelonas Best food market and to say its amazing is an understatement. If you are a foodie, this is well worth the visit. My daughter and I go the most amazing smoothie made on coconut milk, and we picked up some Chorizo, because when in Spain…..
The Smoothies at Mercado de La Boqueria
Day Three
After a morning walk to find some pastries, we decided on a decent priced breakfast consisting of a few pastries from one of the many panadería’s that are found spaced every few blocks or so. My son has been up all night with temperatures (he ended up have tonsillitis) so we put him in the pram nice and warm, and headed for Casa Batllo, which is one of 3 houses designed by Antonio Gaudi. We opted for the silver package, to let the kids have the augmented reality tablet, which was great to see the concepts that were explored throughout the house. In terms of Age, I wouldn’t book this ticket unless your youngest was above 6 and is able to operate a tablet, and also can hold interest for a good hour and a half about architectural concepts.
We took a walk back through the old town, stopping for lunch at Las Fritas, which I know isn’t Spanish tapas…..but man, these were seriously good fries. The two kids loved them, my husband and I got a few toppings and they hit the spot. We did a spot of shopping, got another gelato, and took a walk through the park again to feed the birds.
Had my view on Barcelona changed? Absolutely. I do think hitting the city with a local would totally change an experience, as in all cities. The city is PACKED full of tiny laneways that would hold so many secrets.
Day Four
After a quick swim in the pool, we hit the pavement again and took the subway. The subway is clean, easy, and worth it to get around. A lot easier than the London Underground and a lot cleaner than the Paris underground. Also its air-conditioned.
Now, what is a trip to Barcelona with the typical tourist ridden visit to the Sagreda Familia. Great for adults, for little kids….debatable. If you wanted to save some money, there is a park across the road, and if there are two adults in the family, just take it in turns to go in. You can take so much more in, and not have to worry about where the kids are. The architecture is amazing, the Glasswork is incredible, and how the sun lights up the building through the coloured glasswork is out of this world.
We got the kids some McDonald’s for lunch, sat in the sun in the park which was just so nice, and then walked back to the hotel. Our time was up, and we got a transfer to the airport.
Barcelona airport is easy to use, and manage. After you check in, there is plenty of food and shopping, and its very spacious.
Overall, a great 4 days! Would I go again? Yes! If I had someone who knew the city with me, or if a local gave me a good guide. Of course I can research this myself, but I love to find out a bit more than just the main tourist attractions of a city. We got told ALOT to watch out for pickpockets….We were aware and we always are. I usually have my camera on my front, and tuck my phone and bankcard into the front of my clothing. But we didn’t feel any presence of anyone trying anything. My walks through the city of a morning to find a few breakfasts were safe, and I didn’t feel at all threatened. It was a great vibe, and the locals were so nice and so helpful. Everyone tries to help you out with the language barrier, but of course, it shouldn’t be expected that they know English, so trying to use a few Spanish words is greatly appreciated.
The effect of the stain glass windows in the Sagreda Familia
