Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Barcelona is my least favorite Spanish city but dang girl you sold me on it!

Interesting given how many people LOVE barcelona. Me? I have been to Barcelona a few times and I like it. I have family that lives there so I have a lot of ties to it. But, if you asked me where I want to visit in Spain - Barcelona is not top 2.

I'd do San sebastian and north coast first. Madrid is second.

I hate Barcelona and agree on San Sebastián and Madrid and about 20 other cities over Barcelona.

Yes! Seville is better than Barcelona in every way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Barcelona is my least favorite Spanish city but dang girl you sold me on it!

Interesting given how many people LOVE barcelona. Me? I have been to Barcelona a few times and I like it. I have family that lives there so I have a lot of ties to it. But, if you asked me where I want to visit in Spain - Barcelona is not top 2.

I'd do San sebastian and north coast first. Madrid is second.

I hate Barcelona and agree on San Sebastián and Madrid and about 20 other cities over Barcelona.

PP here - the worst part about Barcelona is the food. We always eat so much better in SS and Madrid. Catalan food is meh.

I visited my great aunt and she made this traditional Catalan dish and it was…..disappointing. lol

Anonymous wrote:Wow pp that is amazing about the pool and things to do in August. Do you have suggestions for May? I’ll be there then!

PP here. My best tip for EVERYWHERE is to join the local moms Facebook group and post asking for recommendations. You'll get a ton of info about cool local events, restaurants, kids things, and all the insider info.

The Barcelona one is called Barcelona Babies and Kids. One mom messaged me and said she had a brand new pack n play she was about to donate if I wanted to use it first. She literally dropped it off to us along with age appropriate toys for my kids she was also donating and then told me the closest place to our airbnb to donate them before we left.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Barcelona is my least favorite Spanish city but dang girl you sold me on it!

Interesting given how many people LOVE barcelona. Me? I have been to Barcelona a few times and I like it. I have family that lives there so I have a lot of ties to it. But, if you asked me where I want to visit in Spain - Barcelona is not top 2.

I'd do San sebastian and north coast first. Madrid is second.

I hate Barcelona and agree on San Sebastián and Madrid and about 20 other cities over Barcelona.

Wow pp that is amazing about the pool and things to do in August. Do you have suggestions for May? I’ll be there then!

Anonymous wrote:^^^ Barcelona is my least favorite Spanish city but dang girl you sold me on it!

Interesting given how many people LOVE barcelona. Me? I have been to Barcelona a few times and I like it. I have family that lives there so I have a lot of ties to it. But, if you asked me where I want to visit in Spain - Barcelona is not top 2.

I'd do San sebastian and north coast first. Madrid is second.

What an awesome writeup! Great tip on the pool. Also, agree on August and the weather. If you live in the DC area, Spain in the summer is NBD, to be honest. We were in MAdrid when it was 100-104 in late July and yes, it was hot, but DC summers are worse. Barcelona is even milder.

I think Barcelona gets a bad wrap because it;s SO touristy and loads of pickpockets. and please, stay away from Las Ramblas.

^^^ Barcelona is my least favorite Spanish city but dang girl you sold me on it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wish your kids were younger- I could have written you a novel!

I'll read it! My kids are younger and plan to go to spain next summer. I've been to barcelona twice before but not with kids.

I HIGHLY recommend going in August. Most people advise against it because it's hot and August is vacation month for the whole country so lots of businesses are closed, but really it's a secret GEM at that time! A new reasons why:

-August is the only month that the olympic pool is open to the pubic. It is STUNNING. Seriously a tiny piece of heaven. I have been many, many places and it is just wonderful. It's so cheap like 3 Euro per person. It's super deep so bring floats for your kids, but there's a huge (concrete) pool deck you can spread a big blanket and have snacks. You can being alcohol in so DH and I would have a couple beers each. The view is absolutely breathtaking. In my opinion, the best in the whole city. The pool is situated atop Montijuic. It's so cheap that it's great to go there even for like an hour or two to cool off.

-The festival de Gracia is in August (look up the dates). Gracia is the cool young family neighborhood and throughout the whole year, everyone in the neighborhood collects the trash off the street and recycles it into the AMAZING decorations. Each block goes ALL OUT at decorating their street in a theme (Harry Potter, under the sea, space, etc) and then there's a big contest to vote on which block is the best. Google image pics its seriously SO COOL. There's also several different live music stages, kids events (bounce house, faceprint) but the coolest for us was the water fight. All the neighborhood kids come out with squirt guns and water balloons and its just this MAJOR water fight, everyone gets involved. My kids were 2 and 4yo, don't know a word of Spanish and literally played for 2 hours straight. It's one of my favorite memories ever. The fest does get crazy drinking and dancing at night so I'd avoid then with kids.

-The Barcelona Park District puts on a lot of fun events. We went to one that was like a park they transformed into a little water park. They set up various kid pools, sprinklers, water balloons, hoses, slip n slides, a blob. I think it was like 1 Euro per person.

-The public libraries all have a kids section with toys and are good to pop in during the day for potty or rest breaks.

- The plazas are set up in a square of restaurants with outdoor tables around the perimeter. It is socially acceptable, and encouraged, that the parent sit and eat while kids all join and play/run around in the center. There is something so cozy about sitting with a glass of sangria as the night cools and watching your kids have a blast. A lot of plazas also have a playground in the center and same thing- parents typically sit while kids play.

- The Spanish in general are SO welcoming and accommodating to kids. My 2yo had literally everyone on the train playing peekaboo from an 18yo punk kid to an 80yo man in full religious garb.

- The beaches are great and free

- We have never needed a car. The city and suburbs and airport are extremely well connected on public trans.

- We literally don't even notice the businesses closed in August. Its just like some random cafes and restaurants that doesn't phase us in the slightest.

-The fountain light show is super cool and free. We got ice cream and then walked over to watch it and my kids loved it

-Definitely check that you are staying a place with AC for sleeping. Otherwise the heat outside is honestly manageable.

-Our fav neighborhood to stay in is El Poble Sec. It's a family centered working class neighborhood walkable to Las Ramblas and the olympic pool. A couple short train stops down from the touristy things. Very family friendly with little playgrounds interspersed throughout the neighborhood. Perfect for grabbing a coffee and pastry every morning and sitting at the park while the kids play

I get a lot of my recipes from the gimmesomeoven blog. Her family currently
Lives in Barcelona and she has some good blog posts up

Toward the back of La Boqueria is a very tiny restaurant, basically barstools around a counter, called El Quim. Worth jostling for a seat, it’s insanely good.

Mosaiccos in El Born is a little place where you can spend an hour making a small art piece in the spirit of Gaudi.

Take a gondola up Montjuïc.

La Manuel Apargartera in a cool little place to buy handmade espadrilles

Day trip to Montserrat with cable car ride up

Camp Nou isn’t exactly off beaten path but even nonfutbol lovers will think it’s cool. Barca is a big part of the heart and soul of the city.

Try to catch Castellers building their human towers:
https://castellscat.cat/en/schedule

Anonymous wrote:Wish your kids were younger- I could have written you a novel!

I'll read it! My kids are younger and plan to go to spain next summer. I've been to barcelona twice before but not with kids.