In the City: Anything by Antoni Gaudí, the city's most famous architect, immediately appeals to young eyes and imaginations. His whimsical Parc Güell, with its imagery from the animal kingdom and hidden grottoes, is a particular favorite. Speaking of animals, the city's world-class Aquarium, with its walk-through tunnels and superb collection of Mediterranean marine life, is also a good bet. The Parc Zoológic has a fantastic primate collection and is located in the Parc de la Ciutadella, which also boasts a lake with rowboats for hire, swings, and other assorted kiddies' attractions. Museum-wise, a trip to the Maritime Museum, with its 16th-century galley and early submarine, could be combined with a jaunt on Las Golondrinas -- quaint, double-decker pleasure boats that take you from the port to the breakwater. The Museu de la Cera (Wax Museum) may not be up to the standard of its counterpart in London, but is interesting enough to make it worth a visit. Older children will also find the Museu de la Xocolata (Chocolate Museum) enticing, and the Museu de la Ciència (Science Museum) has excellent hands-on exhibits for all ages. Then, of course, there are the beaches -- most with showers, toilets, bars, and recliners for hire. Happy Park in L'Eixample, just off the Passeig de Gràcia, is a vast indoor all-weather fun park where tots can enjoy twister slides, ball pools, and other fun activities. There's also a day-care center for tots.
On the Outskirts: An all-time favorite is the Parc d'Atraccions Tibidabo. This veteran amusement park, perched on top of the city's highest peak, provides death-defying attractions and a few gentler ones from bygone days. The Parc del Laberint d'Horta, meanwhile, is a neoclassical park on the outskirts of the city; and up in the Zona Alta above Pedralbes, the Parc del Castell de l'Oreneta has miniature train rides, weekend pony canters, and playgrounds with games for kids.
Further Afield: In Torrelles de Llobregat, just 8km (5 miles) out of town, you'll find Catalunya en Miniatura, a Lilliputian mock-up of Barcelona and its province that includes a tiny Sagrada Família and Girona cathedral. A suitably dwarf-size train transports young passengers, and there are daily shows by clowns. At Vilassar de Dalt, 24km (15 miles) north of Barcelona, is the Illa Fantasia (Fantasy Island), a lively and spacious aquatic park with water slides, picnic areas, and a host of children's games and competitions; visit www.illafantasia.com for more information. Montserrat, Catalonia's "spiritual heart," offers plenty of walking tracks amid its phantasmagoric terrain of huge rocks and outcrops, caves, and, of course, the monumental monastery.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
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