Barcelona Vacation - 2

Family Fun, Catalan Style

Families who visit Barcelona will not be disappointed. Spain in general is family oriented and Barcelona’s streets are filled with parents and grandparents proudly pushing strollers and taking their kids to the park. Children of all ages will enjoy L’Aquarium (€16.50/$21 for adults, €11.50/$14.50 for kids 4-12) and its many sea critters. The highlight of the aquarium is a long transparent tube that visitors walk through as sharks and manta rays swim around them. After a visit to the aquarium, it’s fun to walk along the waterfront to view the ships and take a ride on the port ferry, which takes tours down the coastline.

Another fun family outing is the CosmoCaixa Barcelona (€3/$4) science museum, which has been rated as one of the best in Europe. The installations for children are excellent and include the Bubble Planetarium, Clik and Flash (science through games) and Toca Toca! (educates children on animals and plants). The museum’s planetarium offers simultaneously translated shows for young children, older kids and adults throughout the day.

And don’t forget about Barcelona’s beaches, just 10 minutes from the city center!

 

• Feel like you’re 20,000 leagues under the sea at L’Aquarium Barcelona.

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Getting Around

Though it’s possible to walk to most places, families with small children and weary adults will want to take advantage of the city’s extensive public transportation system. The metro (€1.20/$1.50) is the fastest way to move around town and is not difficult to use (watch your wallet; lots of petty theft). The tourist bus is flashy and maybe a bit cheesy, but it is a fantastic way to see the sights without hassle. Taxis are abundant in Barcelona and not hard to flag unless it’s 3 a.m., when all the bars close. A ride most places costs about €6 ($7.50) and a taxi to or from the airport will run you €25 (about $31) and up. Renting a car is not a good idea within the city. For a green ride, try one of the man-powered bike-taxis in the city center (€6/$7.50 for 15 minutes).

Spanish Slumbers

As for where to stay there is no shortage of hotels, and bed and breakfasts (called hostales and pensiones). Ranging between €40 (about $50) and €90 (about $112.50) a night, hostales are becoming more popular all the time with travelers from the United States with weakened dollars. Hotels usually start at €90 a night and up, depending on quality and location.

 

• A room at the Hotel Neri.

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Try to avoid staying on La Rambla and opt for something more unique and quiet in El Born like the stylish Hotel Banys Orientals (€100/$125). For a boutique hotel, try the gothic Hotel Neri (€300/$375) and for a real luxury five-star go for Hotel Omm (€215/$269 and up). Hostal Fashion House (€80/$100) is a great value bed and breakfast if you can get over the funny name.

Staying in a five-star or a no-star makes little difference because Barcelona will call you outdoors to enjoy every little nook and cranny. I didn’t realize that it was possible to continuously fall in love with a city, but that is what’s happened for me with Barcelona over time. Her mystery, complexity, fun-loving style, artsy outlook and palm-lined seafront get me every time and hold me here. As with any big city, Barcelona can be overwhelming and loud. If the rush and hustle start to get you down, get off the main drag and find yourself a little plaza where you can relax, feed the pigeons and remember that doing nothing may provide a more authentic Barcelona experience than sightseeing throughout the city.