Tips for Visiting Barcelona with a Baby
Barcelona has always been one of my favorite cities! I think this must have been my 7th or 8th visit, but my very 1st with baby Hudson in tow! The main purpose of the trip was to visit my father (who is from Barcelona and currently living there) along with my grandmother who would be meeting her great grandson for the first time! I was super excited to show Hudson that part of his heritage was rooted in this gorgeous city full of Gothic architecture!
Every time I visit Barcelona, Tibidabo is a must-see and is one of my favorite places to go! Tibidabo is a mountain that towers above Barcelona and boasts incredible views of the cIty and coastline below. TIbidabo also has a super-cool retro theme park at the top and a gorgeous church! We didn’t go on any amusement rides on this visit, but Hudson loved people watching and the gorgeous views!
I love eating Tapas and because they are quick to order and be served, it’s easy to stop for a break and enjoy a sangria and some patatas bravas while exploring Barcelona!
Anyways… more on the food later!
Tips for Visiting Barcelona with a Baby
1.Bring a baby carrier AND a stroller – Both were extremely useful during our time in Barcelona! Some of the larger streets were very stroller friendly, however most of the smaller cobblestone streets were not. The baby carrier made it easy for us to hop around town, and see the sights all while holding my bundle nice and close!
2. The younger the baby the better – Because Hudson was only 4 months old in Barcelona, he was still sleeping constantly throughout our trip, which made it easy to get a lot of sightseeing and activities done! I didn’t have to worry about nap times or feeding solids, and Hudson wasn’t too heavy to carry around all day in the baby carrier! I could also lay him on a towel under our beach umbrella and he wasn’t rolling around yet!
3. Eat dinner as early as possible – In Barcelona dinner happens late into the evening. This is just their way of life and its almost impossible to find a good restaurant open at 6pm. I noticed 7-8pm seemed to be a good time as most people show up closer to 9 or even 10pm! Truly! Because baby H was still so little and sleeping often, it made it easier to go for late dinners as he would be asleep in the stroller. I think the super late meals were easier on him than they were on me! *When we did get an early seating the restaurant was a lot quieter and the atmosphere was more baby friendly!
4. Dress baby in light clothing and layers – Barcelona can be very hot in the summer and light clothing and layers kept baby comfortable during warm days and balmy evenings (keeping any biting bugs away). Of course a pair of sunnies and a hat are also highly advisable!
5. Take it easy and enjoy breaks! – Barcelona is a city with sidewalk cafes and tapas bars on every street corner. When it got too hot or Baby H needed a diaper change we would stop for a Coffee (my favorite is Cafe Con Leche – basically coffee w/ milk) or a Cola and people watch from an outdoor cafe!
Finding a change table was not always an easy task, so be prepared to ask in Catalan “on és el nadó canviar sala” which translates to “Where is the baby change room?”
Bonus Tip: Buy a touristy fan! – I picked one up from Sagrada Familia for 2 Euros and I used this to fan Hudson while walking around the city and also to fan myself when it was hot!
My favorite Gaudi building in Barcelona is “Casa Batllo” – I love the color and the uniqueness. Unfortunately this is also where my camera was dropped, and I couldn’t use the lens for the remainder of our trip! This happened on the 2nd day – so most of my Barcelona photos were taken on my trusty Iphone.
Hudson enjoyed his first time in the Mediterranean Sea. I love that we have these travel memories, and can tell him all about this trip when he’s older.
What do you love about Barcelona? Would you bring a baby? Leave a Comment Below! 😉
Did you bring a car seat? We just booked a trip with our 7 month old and are unsure! It seems like a hassle to bring!
Hi! Nope I didn’t for this trip as my dad who lives there bought one to use while we visited… we did however bring our car seat on two recent trips (England and Palm Springs) as we have a travel bag for it. If renting a car I would say yes, as the airplane checks it for free!